QuiteGoneJin

I could be reading this wrong but this dude who made a lot of tweaks (some like the carnage/reposte optionals looks stupid OP but LOTS of the other ones seem reasonable and even QOL improvements, may give it a shot) https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity2/mods/72?tab=files his first optional mod says he changed intimidation's deflection bonus from xx to xx. Does that mean there is a bonus deflection from this skill?

Then why even post a rude remark? /facepalm

Game seems prooly optimized or theres a setting somewhere I need to change. Regardless of the fact that I have a REALLY strong gaming/streaming PC the start of combat after i unpause is always so clunky for a second or so. Its really jarring.

Monk Wizard looked great, so did Barb. Love my fighter right now (details in an above post). I kinda wanna see all the cool endgame lvl 8/9 animations for melee but feel like single class martials are too weak for POTD.

Ryzak Sent me his Battlemage Build, I was intrigued that he went Devoted (sword) and Evoker and I have had more fun with it than any other build. Quotes from him after I asked for details "Devoted for the bonus penetration on a weapon choice. Safe bets are swords, greatswords, sabers poleaxes, as all of those have strong uniques that are easily accessible. (I like dual swords for Modwyr/Watcher's Blade) The devoted takes care of the single target melee offense I want. The evoker takes care of the area of effect damage, and since you can still cast enchantment/illusion spells for defense as an evoker, that takes care of your defense in melee. Stats are 8ish con and resolve, max perception/dexterity, any remaining in might/intellect. I like wood elf for the dex/per bonus and resistance to paralysis. My grimoire of choice is the Grimoire of Spark and Flame, I build my spell choices around that. I take Tactical Barrage for the +power level, I wear the firethrower's gloves for the +1 evocation power level, and I get +1 from being an evoker. At level 20 this means my evocation spells are as strong as a pure wizard with the 'prestige' ability. Combat generally looks as follows: stealth and open with whatever area of effect spell I like such as fireball. Once combat triggers and I am out of stealth my ai script self buffs me with tactical barrage, spirit shield, infuse with vital essence, Llengrath's Displaced Image, Ironskin,etc in about 1.5 seconds with zero recovery. I promptly charge into the largest group of enemies and drop a single strong close range area of effect spell - I like torrent of flame, which is scary strong if you empower it too. The stun from charge + the concentration from spirit shield means I almost always get that aoe off without interruption, which brings the group to low health, possibly kills a few. I melee the closest target with penetrating strike, if he dies I get a cleave from mob stance. Generally after this its mop up. For particularly tough fights I may open with crowd control like enevating terror, and for stacking accuracy I like alchemy skill with some of the +accuracy potions. Hope this helps! ..... Early game (assuming you start at level 4 with the Berath's blessing) isn't awful, but I was a little reliant on the blind grenade for a little bit to neuter groups as I worked them down, until I got a little better gear. Curse of Blackened Sight is a good opener too, things become simpler around level 7 since it opens up Llengrath's Displaced Image which significantly toughens you, even with the nerfs to it in 1.1. The trick to the build is that certain weaknesses in the build are covered by other elements. Having only average resolve/con are covered by the +5 con from infuse with vital essence, and the defense from wizard spells. I tend to wear a cloak of greater deflection to help with that as well. The high perception + the accuracy bonus from Tactical Barrage + the accuracy bonus from a potion mean that you land your spells reliably, and dual wielding strong legendary weapons with high accuracy is very effective. The Evoker "doublecast" goes off about once in every 5 or 6 fights, occasionally multiple times a fight. I've had it go off once or twice on an empowered Torrent of Flame and completely wipe out a pack. (hilarious) .... Passives are mostly up to your taste - I took: Confident Aim Two Weapon Style Weapon Specialization Armored Grace Improved Critical Weapon Mastery Determination I think thats all, but thats mostly from memory."

Agreed, neither is the accuracy, nor each shifted animal's special attack very good. Needs some real looking into.

Hmm, guess I'm not as believable as you.

The fight is fun challenging early enough etc, but I feel like there is a way to talk them down. I only ever find one person/body they treated wrong, is there more? I feel like im missing something. Anyone know? Ty kindly

The game would have more diversity if they didnt just spike deflect/saves, sometimes high hp enemies would be good. And yes of course smarter AI.

Shifter idea; new abilities like the taste of the hunt spell that scale with spell level act like martial actives and use spell casts. Also would be nice to pick one form that you can be in without worry of it ending for long fights. And while I'm day dreaming. New animations for certain attacks like multiclasses shifter monks etc. So much wasted potential.

I mean, this isn't a low fantasy game, nothing in POE1 or Deadfire's lore ever hinted so either.

Just looking at some of these banana's enhancement's I can tell someone with a more detailed mind is gonna come up with some weird builds that look like; Companion unique passive+unique enhancement+modal+multiclass = build. I just wish the enhancement's were tree shaped so i understood which ones branched off of which.

Builds that come together early, lvl 8-10 are probably best suited for this game's fun factor. Having insanely op build for the last fight but having to drudge you're way through 80 hours of crap to get there is not worth it (for me). If by the time I'm cleaning up the mess under a certain city and I am not having fun, I restart.

Added another to my it'll never happen list, monk martial arts quarter staff animations. Or event better, every class has one or two special animations with a appropriately themed weapon, when you multiclass you get to pick which one you want.

Mercer-naries.

Any tips for spells for an Anamist/Evoker sorc? And gear? Just slogged through Port Maje on POTD w/ only me aloth and Xoti, and I stupidly decided to try her contemplative build. Phew, that was rough. Lets hope she and I get better together, lol.

Nature godlike and Stag form is fun RP wise.

My problem is I show up in Nekataka with 55k and want to buy all the cool stuffs.

Does Priest also have similar kind of restrictions with Paladin's disposition for RP side? I was thinking to make Wizard + Druid too actually. It's way more fun then I expected. You kinda need to plan a head ie have the beast spells for the first dig site (but dont pick it on start or youll get it forever) now that you can respec without loss its good. Don't do Shifter cause it may help early levels but isnt worth losing casting during form later. I also would suggest not doing Lifegiver even though its good but once you drop form the debuff to heals happens even on current ongoing heals. Also late game know that alchemy right now increases damage, duration and accuracy of Vile thorns, Insect Swarm, and Death Bloom (spell names could be off going on memory). Anamist/Evoker has been fun so far, gonna keep going with it. Bonus points for going Nature Godlike and looking for +PL gear so i can nuke both classes spells at max PL. Edit: also you don't have your'e grimore in your hands when in form so as fun as going Stag for defense then nuking sounds some spells wont be available (nor the passive bonuses from special grimore's).

Might even be worth to get an extra weapon set. Going nature godlike would be good too since you'll always have infuse going, what staff do you mean? I know there's one that gives +2 PLANT power levels but not beasts.

Yeah and unless you get a super op bow ranger's just feel meh till PL 7 (MC lvl 13!) with driving flight. Even then you're just an autoattacker. But late game being a caster who can interrupt and remove all buffs of 30sec or less from enemy caster in one shot would be fun. I keep looking at the last two tiers of Ranger wanting to try it but slugging my way through POTD auto attacking with a fine bow is just god -awful. Mid game (7-12) needs to be fun, not a slog. Its also too bad Veteran is still so easy cause something midway from Vet and POTD would let you make more flavorful builds. Right now POTD NEEDS you to spike accuracy super high and Veteran is still so easy you could turn on pre made AI and just go.

Just wanted to point out that Aloth, Eder are in my group and I'm using the Gilmore voice set. Its hilarious and lovely. Need more Mercer voices in my party, 4 (Iselmyr) isn't enough.

Honestly thought you got the same amount of loot for winning ship combat minigame which I also thought cost you less in repairs etc.

In combat Aloth always felt like the MC.

You not only get mirrored images of your unshifted self but if youre doing melee attacks on your wereform/ogre but your unpoly'd self has say a Arquebus in hand you will barefist melee smash with the rifle. It's especially odd looking of you are ogre size and your mirrored images are tiny.