Lampros

But my problem is I stack too many buffs, so that will just buff the Ogres I don't know when Arcane Dampener is available, and I don't know how well it works in practice, since I've never even taken the spell. But I guess it's one of those spells that is not necessary at lower levels, but is vital I never go anywhere without a Paladin, a Chanter, a Priest, and a Wizard (only the remaining 2 spots are up for grabs). So I will have Dragon Thrashed ready. But 1 Dragon Thrashed isn't THAT powerful in my experience in PotD.

Ok; I don't recall what level I tackled it in previous runs; that also explains why he was getting hit a lot and going down a bit too fast - in spite of Resilient and being a bear.

Hmm, so what I am seeing recorded is only the Ranger's damage? For most typical builds, then, how much DPS does the pet do?

Yeah, it is an annoying dungeon with all those enemy Ciphers. I tend to do this one a bit later, but I just wanted to try a Ranger, and there wasn't appropriate place I could think of to test.

Easily got it about lvl 9-10 on my current playtrough, after WM part 1. On PotD? Wow. No way I can do that. I am barely past level 3 Ogres at level 8, ROFL Then you need little more practice - and you'll be fine. Ogres at level 3 Od Nua is tough, but good level 6 (or maybe 5) party must able to deal with them. I know; and yet I haven't even figured out a PotD group I am comfortable with I think I can do it on level 7 if I get real lucky, but level 5 or 6 would be not possible at this stage.

Hmm, the fug. I just took a level 6 Ranger out for a test drive to Dyrnford Ruins - which I think is about level. And the pet cannot hit anything - even with Zealous Focus, Inspiring Radiance, and Devotions for the Faithful. So I can expect I am going to be frustrated with the pet. How do I ensure it can actually hit something?

Oh, wow, thanks for pointing this out. I didn't see this one! I must be blind.

I love Borresaine on my Ranger. It sets up easy kills for my Rogue. They are each better when working in tandem. No melee Rogues for me though - I am obsessed about survivability

Easily got it about lvl 9-10 on my current playtrough, after WM part 1. On PotD? Wow. No way I can do that. I am barely past level 3 Ogres at level 8, ROFL

So their AIs are indeed linked, and I cannot de-link it? Damn. I was hoping there was a special button that I was missing! Also, even when I took Bear, it looked like he had the same HP/Endurance as my Ranger? So if I want them to soak more hits, I need to increase Constitution on my Ranger as well?

Apparently Drawn in Spring is the only Wounding 1H, and it comes very late. Darn. What's the earliest you can rush Drawn in Spring on PotD? Like level 12? https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Wounding Persistence is earlier, but I really prefer Borresaine, and I'd use Stormcaller mid-game onward anyways on a Ranger. (And not sure if I'd use anyone else for an archer role at this point.)

So Wounding weapons are better for anyone - or is it just for Rogues?

Ah, got it. So Wounding weapons are - in most cases - better in the hands of low Intelligence characters. Except I use no low Intelligence build on anyone - be it melee or caster!

Wow, nuts.

Hmmm, I thought Rangers were a mid- to high- micro class due to the pet? One of the main reasons I have not used them yet...

Can you suggest a party that works well with this crew? Must it have a Druid to exploit the shock damage? Also, roughly where should the Ranger and the pet be positioned in terms of formation?

ROFL, I didn't even know about it, and I've never picked it Now I know and will use in the future. But I deleted the save in frustration after I wiped on Gathbin's hirelings. That was just incredible - and unacceptable.

But Wounding applies the Intelligence bonus, so you need a low Intelligence character to effectively utilize it? Or was that just an isolated case?

Thank you so much for the clarification here. So Annihilation does not add as much DPS as I thought, if you have an uber-offensive set-up that has other stacking damage boni.

I think I am going to bite the bullet and play a Ranger. A lot of my party ideas have not worked in practice, so I am going back to the convention - to a party that uses the traditional "archer." But what I noticed when I tested the Ranger at level 7 from the inn is that I cannot seem to set the Ranger and pet separate AI commands. I want the pet to sit still and be in a defensive mode, until I give him an instruction - whereas I want the Ranger himself be in a more aggressive AI mode - like all other members of my party. But it seems like their AI commands are linked? Can anyone explain to me how this works? Further, where do folks generally position the pet? I know that the pet is functionally immortal, but I still do not like getting knocked out for immersion purposes. (There is also the debuff on the Ranger to consider, too.) So I don't want to put the pet on the first line. But if I put him on the second line, he might just run around and do nothing while getting in everyone's way. I guess these two questions are linked in so far as they deal with how to effectively use the pet without having to micro too much.

Sigh, my 3rd group did not work out as intended either. So I will have to re-start. Basically, here's what happened. I wanted to run a buff stacking team that centered on the use of 2 Paladins stacking 2 Focuses and semi-permanent Inspiring Triumphs - as well as Chanter and Priest buffs. The problem is that I am relying on the Wizard mind control & Gyrd as the primary CC early and mid-game, and that meant the mind controlled mobs kept all my buffs as well when they reverted. When this happened against a boss or a strong mob, I had a Devil of time killing anything. And even against garden variety trash, fights just went far longer than any of my prior playthroughs - because I had stacked so many (especially defensive) buffs that transferred to enemies. Worse yet, I nearly wiped in Maerwald - and incredibly, I actually did wipe when I fought Gathbin's hirelings when I had to meet someone at that Ondra's Bay pub. I cannot believe this; that is an easy fight in any playthroughs. But the Gyrd chain Dominated virtually everyone in Gathbin's crew early, and they in turn got all my Paladin, Chanter, Priest buffs. So I lost after what seemed like a 10-minute fight. Jeepers. I guess I could continue and not use mind control as much, but I don't really have too much CC otherwise. And frankly, I have always relied on Wizard mind control CCs that I am not sure how to play without it. I have Fighter's CCs, but that's at later levels (I am level 7 now), and I am not sure they will be enough. So back to the drawing board, and I guess I either have to drop buff stacking team set-up or get a Ranger in there as a low-micro CC instead. I guess some ideas that looked good on paper - buff stacking and being super tanky in this case - do not always work out the same way in practice.

MaxQuest, Does your mod record the pet DPS when computing Ranger DPS or just the Ranger's contribution?

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So what CC should I use instead if I still want to keep using 2 Paladins and Chanters who use buff Phrases/Invocations?

Well, this now explains the great mystery of why my fights are becoming so much harder now that I am using 2 Paladins and a Chanter who uses buff Phrases and not damage or debuff Phrases. Jesus. Fights seem longer and some fights twice or more longer. I thought it was because I miss the ranged Rogue, but it's because I have so many buffs and yet I am continuously spamming mind control both via Gyrd and via Wizard...