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Ophiuchus
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Posts posted by Ophiuchus
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I'd be glad to help you shape a Warlock but I'm curious why you went for Enchanter - guessing it's for the Wizard buffs? You'll lose out on critical Illusion spells (important to pad out your low Deflection) as well as Concelhaut's Corrosive Siphon (Transmutation), which is one of the best life drain effects in the game. IMO, Enchanter's +2PL bonus is wasted because it's (mostly) just going to extend durations: effectively, a small portion of what PL bonuses could bring to a more varied subclass.
Quote16 M
12 Con
10 dex (due to alacrity of motion)
16 per (PotD + eldritch aim being absolutely awful in this game)
12 int (due to enchanter already increasing duration time of buffs)
12 resolve
Questions I have in particular are:
1. How should I handle resolve and Con. Should I drop both to 10? Barbarian has high con growth but that is offset by wizard a bit. I know resolve is much stronger in PoE2 than PoE1, but wizard has a lot of innate defenses already.
MIG: The self-damage from Berserker's Frenzy scales with MIG and PL so consider dropping it a couple points - I usually go for 14. Mind Frenzy will grant you +5.
CON: I would raise this by a few points (see self-damage above). Also remember you'll get +5 from Frenzy.
DEX: I usually go for around 14 DEX and stack Frenzy with Fleet Feet. DAoM's bonus to Action Speed will not stack with Frenzy's and deals damage over time - could have some niche uses in lowering your health to meet certain thresholds, but a bit gimmicky.
PER: Should be alright. As you said, Eldritch Aim is meh so I'd recommend bringing a Priest with Dire Blessing.
INT: Consider bumping it a bit if you can. You can always cast Infuse with Vital Essence for +5 in combat (though you'll need a second source of Confused immunity).
RES: I would drop this to 10.
Quote2. Should I raise int solely for carnage? Also do weapons that attack in a cone / naturally have AoE have any interactions with carnage? For example the whispers of the broken blade greatsword.
It's been a while since I've used one of those weapons, but I think Carnage only triggers off the initial target. Still, an AoE weapon works well with both Frenzy branches for bleeds or Staggered. INT increases to Carnage aren't super noticeable but it's not something you want to neglect, either: Carnage rocks at triggering stuff like Combusting Wounds, The Shield Cracks, and Recall Agony.
Quote3. Should I go all out on might? Are there any early draining weapons that I can get? I could run parasitic staff but I'm not sure ATM
As mentioned above, I'd set base MIG to no more than 14 due to increases in self-damage. The Parasitic Staff is a decent summoned weapon, but it's been toned down since Pillars 1. Since you're playing in a group, you don't need to worry so much about life draining: have a friendly Druid or Priest slap down an AoE regen field and go to town. For added healing, invest points in Athletics and consider Savage Defiance.
Quote4. Am I tanking dex too much?
I think 10 Dex (+5 from Fleet Feet) would work fine. Once you unlock Blood Thirst and Bloodlust, Dex doesn't matter as much.
Edit: Oh duh. I'm so used to using BB bonus attributes I think I goofed a bit on that section. Still, that should give an idea on how they work with a Warlock.-
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I generally only use it in win-more situations as that final push to finish the battle faster. I like it using it on an Ascendant Cipher/Monk with Mind Blades: +8 PL (plus another 2 from Lance of the Midwood Stag) generates a lot of bounces.
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IMO, Enduring Dance wouldn't be worth it if your main character is going to be the tank - works great on an off-tank, though, especially if you use Stealth and ambush tactics (you can generate a couple extra Wounds while your tank does his thing, then pop out of Stealth when ready). Enduring Dance works really well with reach weapons (Pikes and Quarterstaves) and Instruments of Pain.
Not a lot of talk about Drugs in this thread when they're integral to your build. Due to stacking rules, many of them won't work too well with Monk but here are a few standouts:
Mouth Char: 5% damage reduction, +15% damage /w melee weapons. I'm guessing the specific "/w melee weapons" would stack with generic active damage boosts.
Deadeye: +5 ACC, 15% chance to score Interrupt onCritHit. This one could be useful if you aren't planning on using Enduring Dance or Perception Inspirations (Blessing, Tactical Meld, and such).
Svef: +3 PER, -25% hostile effect duration, resistance to Mind afflictions (INT, PER, RES). Obvious synergy with Sacred Immolation here, and the resistances rock.
"Why would anyone want to take an addictive substance, Tasha?"
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I know I'll never get around to it, but I wanted to design four subclasses.
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Rogue - Thief:
Gains bonuses to Rogue skills (Mechanics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth) on start and at PL intervals.
Disadvantage: Lower Fortitude or Will; receives a small incoming damage increase (5 percent?).
Because of Sleight of Hand (needless skill), it's tough to evenly assign abilities that would suit a Rogue. This would help bridge the gap. The biggest bonuses would come at PLs 7 and 9 to encourage single classing it. The disadvantages would be minor and easy for the player to manage.----------------
Rogue - Bounty Hunter:
Gains PL bonuses to Explosives and Mechanics (+3 each seems fair since they're both lousy by default) on start and learns free abilities at PLs. These abilities would focus on ensnaring enemies, disruption, and traps.
Stuff like:
Lasso: A ranged pull effect; same as Lurkers' vine snare.
Bolas: Ranged knockdown that deals Crush damage with an Immobilized follow-up.
Fragmentation Grenade: AoE that deals best of Slash/Crush damage, has same effect as Expose Vulnerabilities. (-2 AR, -10 Deflection)
Hallucination Grenade: Aoe that inflicts Confusion, Flanked, and Shaken for a modest duration; deals small amount of Raw damage.
Black Powder Mine: Seal ability that deals Burn damage, Hobbles and Blinds enemies. Affliction duration and damage are low but the effect pulses.
Pitfall Trap: Seal ability that triggers a pulsing knockdown effect similar to Slicken but with added Piercing damage (and a shorter duration and AoE).
It would be interesting if the traps and bombs could have additional scaling from Explosives and Mechanics but I'm not sure if this is possible.
Disadvantage: Lose access to all Rogue Invisibility abilities; -15% Stride. The Bounty Hunter is always equipped with noisy, cumbersome gadgets and doo-dads.
Lay down a trap and a Seal during Stealth, then pull a vulnerable enemy into the stacks; or use group ambush tactics to set up battlefield control.---------------
Wizard - Arcanist:
Gains +1 Wizard spell cast per PL. At PLs 7, 8, and 9, respectively gain an additional spell cast for Wizard spell levels 1, 2, and 3. +2 Arcana
Disadvantages: Cannot use Grimoires.
Pretend Rekvu's gear and Blood Mages don't exist. This is basically the D&D Sorcerer brought to Deadfire: an arcane caster naturally attuned to magic that lacks formal training: a hedge wizard. The PL bonuses would work as auto-passives per PL, so the extra casts would be granted after reaching a new PL (meaning it would get two casts at PL9 single classed, PL7 multi). Sadly, you wouldn't get to use unique spells from Grimoires so the Arcana boost is there to add scrolls into the mix.
---------------Barbarian - Outlier:
Shout abilities gain effects used to destroy the essence of magic.
Gains "Magebane Strike" at PL2. Upgrades to "Magebane Collapse" or "Magebane Ambush" at PL 5.
Disadvantages: Loses access to Carnage and abilities that inflict or modify Carnage (Barbaric Blow, Accurate Carnage). Frenzy loses Fit inspiration. Cannot use scrolls.
All shouts gain a brief (4s base, scales with PL) beneficial suspension effect ala Arcane Dampener. The base duration is low, but I thought it ok since shouts are cheap to cast. PL 5 Shout upgrades gain a lesser Concussive Tranquilizer effect (-20 seconds to beneficial duration); PL9 upgrades enhance this to -30 seconds and apply an additional interrupt after three seconds.
Magebane Strike: Full melee attack, Interrupt on Hit, Veil Piercing, +25% damage, +10 Accuracy. Costs 2 Rage. Replaces Barbaric Blow.
Upgrades to Magebane Collapse: Full melee attack, now interrupts on Graze and removes enemy Concentration. +1 PEN. Replaces Crushing Blow.
Or Magebane Ambush: Full attack (melee or ranged), lowers duration of (flanked) enemy beneficial effects by 30. +1 PEN. Replaces Barbaric Smash.
The idea was a revamp of the Mage Slayer, which was a meme on launch and remains to this day (Eric Galad's awesome mod makes it better). Instead of strictly slaying mages, the Outlier goes after the essence of magic itself and works as a tear down class: something reserved for Wizards and Rangers in Deadfire.
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Other than those, some odds and ends like merging Arcane Archer with Ghost Heart (Checoden's mod did the same with Sharpshooter) or smaller difficulty tweaks that are easy to implement.
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Just wanted to point out that a Howler using this armor can cause three AoE afflictions in quick succession: Staggered (Spirit Frenzy), Weakened (The Long Night's Drink...), and Frightened (natch). Now that's some spicy value.
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On 6/19/2021 at 3:40 PM, dgray62 said:
Yes. Once you have multiple lashes going from eternal devotion, turning wheel and hylea's talons you'll find that the forbidden fist attack will often one shot squishies and mobs, and even take satisfying chunks out of the health pool of tougher foes (which is diminished via being enfeebled).
Toss on Recall Agony. Nothing survives.
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I don't have much experience with either multiclass but here are some thoughts:
Unbroken/Lifegiver could also be a damage-dealer with powerful DoTs (Insect Swarm, Infestation of Maggots, Plague of Insects) bolstered by high ACC: plus hit-to-crit (Disciplined Barrage) or bonus INT and PL (Tactical Barrage). Druids that aren't based on shifting or elemental spells will generally want to use the Spine of Thicket Green (two-handed weapon) for its PL bonuses, which would negate Unbroken's shield bonus: Tactical Barrage would help offset the PL differential. Shifting into the animal form would have the same issue since it uses two weapons.
Unbroken/Stalker seems alright on paper. You could use a Bashing shield (Magran's Blessing is easy to get) alongside Two-Weapon and Weapon-and-Shield styles; the shield's damage isn't much (iirc Community Patch fixes it) but it will give you two opportunities for Full Attacks. You'll probably want to use weapons that support a tanky playstyle while also offering on-crit effects. Stalker's Patience and Mohora Tanga (Spear), Last Word (War Hammer), Griffin's Blade and Duskfall (Swords), and so on.
That being said, I worry how you would utilize Ranger's Bond abilities. Marked for The Hunt is nice for recovering Bond points but the bounce is erratic, and it could simply end up on a gunner or caster 10ms away; Wounding Shot is best used on a weapon with high base damage and it doesn't work well with dual-wielding; Hunter's Claw and upgrades are alright but they require some meta knowledge to get going. Concussive Tranquilizer could have some nice value against caster bosses - two hits means removing a whole minute of beneficial effects. You would probably want to pick up Evasive Roll for a mobility tool (and with enough INT, a fair Action Speed boost): mobility is important for an Unbroken because of the Stride penalty, and it's good to be able to reposition your tank (when your party is bottle-necked by the environment, for example). Takedown Combo rocks if you can time it properly.
Personally, my favorite tank /w some damage and support is Unbroken/Trickster. It's easy and self-contained (no having to keep track of Phrases or Wounds or the pet's positioning), has solid interrupts, DoTs, and utility, and the Trickster's free spells grant ability points to round up damage output.-
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On 6/18/2021 at 8:48 AM, Breckmoney said:
Out of curiosity what mod do you use to get PotD spawns with Veteran stats? I see a couple mods like that on Nexus.
DeadlyDeadfire has a component file with difficulty adjustments so it's simply copying the Veteran bonuses into the PoTD area. You can tailor these however you'd like. I like setting enemy health and PEN bonuses to PoTD and everything else to Veteran.
This mod does the same but you'd want to use the above method if running DeadlyDeadfire.
https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity2/mods/502
I've found this combo to be the most enjoyable way to play Deadfire. You have to contend with increased spawns (including "bosses" like the adra ooze by Oderisi) and enemies that completely scale with you (Risen Wizards in Poko Kohara use Wilting Wind at level 13). Reducing the PoTD bonuses opens more build and party comps (since you're not laser focused on PEN mechanics) while maintaining a good challenge that's more dynamic than vanilla.-
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Browser is being funky. Sorry for the double post.
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Firefox completely ate my edited response, so here's some bullet points:
Estocs and Arquebuses exclusively deal Pierce damage, which is the most frequent physical damage immunity. I'd recommend backup weapons like a Morning Star: it deals best of Crush/Pierce and the Body Blows modal (-25 FOR) rocks with Garrote since it targets that defense. The unique Estoc Engoliero do Espirs has some value since it can trigger AoE Ghost Blades, which translates to Hobbled, which will trigger Steel Garrote's health recovery VS afflicted enemies.
Speaking of Garrote, you'll want to use it carefully since it costs 2 Zeal and completely whiffs against enemies resistant or immune to DEX afflictions (the Paralyze component has to connect). There's a mod floating around the Deadfire Nexus that reduces the cost to 1, if you are inclined.
I wouldn't mix ranged and melee weapons generally. You'll spread your choices thin (there's a hat that works with two-handed melee and one that works with ranged weapons, for example). There is some slight synergy with Two-Handed style since they both count as two-handed weapons, though.
For RP, you could consider the soulbound Mace Magistrate's Cudgel (binds with Monk) and the unique Club Shattered Vengeance as they are Woedican weapons. These would free your off-hand for Tulotilo's Palm, which is an awesome small shield that also functions as Fist-type weapon and offers valuable Monk enhancements.
Nalpazca is a good choice but the micro-management may not be to your liking. There's a lot of travel in Deadfire so you'll need to reapply Drugs on the regular: this can be frustrating after certain scripted encounters or during boarding battles since you'll need to take a Drug in the thick of it. (Make sure to disable AI when using items since their behaviors will override consumable usage.) Combine Nalpazca with Enduring Dance and you'll be swimming in Wounds. Tread carefully against enemy Wizards since they can cause you to crash prematurely via Arcane Dampener or Arcane Cleanse - Risen Wizards seem to always open with Dampener so consider having your main tank soak it and move on.
Abilities to consider:
Monk
Lightning Strikes/Swift Flurry: I like using the former for two-handed weapons (big damage packets) and the latter when dual-wielding (more opportunities to Crit).
Clarity of Agony: A useful counter versus Arcane Dampener (but not Cleanse).
Raised Torment: The AoE Stun works well on an off-tank and counts as an Affliction, again triggering Steel Garrote's heal on afflicted enemy passive. It's good to have a Wound spender, too.
Enduring Dance: Awesome Wound generation and ACC bonus.
Flagellant's Path: You can never go wrong with a teleport. This isn't something you'll want to use all the time but it's useful for repositioning.
Thunderous Blows: +5 MIG and +2 PEN. The bonus PEN is mandatory on PoTD.
Turning Wheel: +1 INT and +2% Burn Damage lash per Wound. Note the lash won't work on ranged attacks (the Community Patch fixes this).
Skyward Kick: Another Wound spender. It's got some nice flair and style.
Paladin
Sworn Rival: Bonus damage and returns the Zeal cost when the foe dies. The bonus damage applies to (just about?) everything, including Garrote's DoT (new band name).
Shared Flames/Eternal Devotion: Can't go wrong with more ACC.
Lay on Hands: Solid healing, especially with the bonus INT from Turning Wheel. The upgrades (more like sidegrades) are nice but mind the additional Zeal cost.
Exalted Endurance: Probably the best out of the Paladin Auras since Focus doesn't stack (at least without another certain mod) with other active ACC bonuses.
Reviving Exhortation: One of those abilities you'll cringe when picking up but will want to have it just in case.
On RP, a Steel Garrote's favored dispositions are Cruel and Rational while disfavored are Diplomatic and Benevolent. In my current Steel Garrote/Forbidden Fist run, I'm playing him as a corrupt lawful evil enforcer type: plays sides as long as he can, sticks to rules when they benefit him, and has no qualms breaking contracts to serve Woedica (as is her domain). A Nalpazca could fit this well since they'll interact with Deadfire's underbelly to get Drugs. There's not many unique dialogues for Steel Garrote, but given your experiences in PoE1, I think you'll be pleased with what is available.2 hours ago, dgray62 said:You might consider Forbidden Fist/Steel Garrotte instead. Powerotti published a build for this multiclass that is one of my favorites. Forbidden Fist gives you a powerful ability right at the beginning of the game that inflicts a devastating affliction, enfeebled, one of the few classes that can inflict this. This synergizes perfectly with Steel Garrotte, and gives you even more healing. These two subclasses work together really well IMO.
Agreed that Forbidden Fist is probably the best Monk class for Steel Garrote multis. Sworn Rival -> Forbidden Fist -> Garrote has a satisfying "You are already dead." appeal. I like to breach through the frontliners using Flagellant's Path, then run around and stun-death casters and archers.
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On 6/15/2021 at 10:23 AM, dgray62 said:
A monk with swift flurry and/or hearbeat drumming has a chance to proc another attack anytime you crit; it would certainly work, to fine effect, if you're wielding Citzal's or WotEP. As for Magistrate's Cudgel, you could certainly use it. But if you put it in your main hand, your swift flurry procs will be much less damaging. And if you put it in your offhand, you'll significantly lower your defenses. But you could experiment. A great alternate weapon set might be slayer's axe and the Cudgel. You could start battle with this, to upgrade tenacious to energized, and then switch over when you need more defense. Ball and chain with the irrepressible upgrade would also be great, since you'll constantly have hostile effects expiring, giving you the nice 15% damage boost almost constantly. You might explore these different options as you acquire them.
Good points. I was disappointed Magistrate's Cudgel wasn't opened to Paladins and Priests when Steel Garrote and Woedica were introduced, considering it is a Woedican weapon, so I figured this would be the best opportunity to implement it.
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Thanks for the clarification. I wondered if it would work with Citzal's or WoTEP. As an aside, a Steel Garrote/FF can wield Magistrate's Cudgel for Woedica RP and style: thinking that Sworn Enemy/Brand Enemy/Sworn Rival -> Judgment (+10 ACC versus afflicted opponent; assuming it stacks like Ranger Marks) -> Forbidden Fist -> Garrote would be a spicy combo.
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Hope the necro is ok, but had two quick questions for @Boeroerregarding the Community Patch Forbidden Fist ability (now a standard melee attack instead of a quasi-magic demi-melee attack). If FF triggers Swift Strikes/Heartbeat Drumming I'm assuming the extra strikes will come from the weapons and not the temporary Fist effect (go go Rust's
GrognardsPoignard!). Are there any mainhand weapon effects that will transfer to the Fist? What about offhand? Would something like Scordeo's Trophy apply? (Obviously Tuotilo's Palm works with it.)
Asking because I'm wondering if that change makes a difference in functionality. -
Just wanted to add that Eric Galad's awesome Deadfire Balance Polishing Mod makes this build even better with improvements to Carnage, Accurate Carnage, Leap (now applies Stun instead of Daze - gives you some solid breathing room to cast Torrent of Flame after landing), and the Barbaric full attacks. Would recommend it over the Deadfire Balancing Tweaks mentioned in the guide.
On 4/14/2021 at 2:27 PM, freddfranca said:Does this build still works or it was nerfed?
It’s exactly what I was looking for
Edit: I play on Xbox, so I can’t use patches
Yes, the guide was written for 5.0 so it works. Obviously you wouldn't be able to use mods on Xbox as far as I know but it won't make or break the build.
On 4/14/2021 at 11:17 PM, Haplok said:Well, IMO another point against Evoker (and Godlike races) is the existance of Deltro's Cage Helmet. Provides a % Shock damage lash equal to damage you've taking from a lightning spell. You can target yourself (!) with your own Chain Lightning for a extremely potent damage bonus (can use Jolting Touch for a lesser bonus ~30% until you get Chain Lightning). The bounces of the spell reaching enemies will already carry this lash!
...but you rather don't want to echo this (now lash boosted!) spell....
Never used the helmet on anything but a Berserker/Fury but that is a consideration. I like Evoker for that doublecast chance: gives it an unpredictable flair that gels with Berserker.
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4 hours ago, Not So Clever Hound said:
I really don't know what you mean
"I got somethin' to say! It's better to burn out than fade away."
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Always dismissed this one but will definitely give it a go on a future playthrough: maybe on a Brute or Brawler. At 30k (legendary by default!) there's no reason not to pick it up. Completing Serafen's quest and skulking around Hanging Sepulchers would be a good way to fund it early.
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9 hours ago, thelee said:
however, i find that Corrosive Soul Essence is a good all-purpose poison - extremely easy to make [spirit residue is real easy to come across] becomes super plentiful with BoW, does raw damage (less sensitive to needing lots of PL to penetrate enemy AR) and targets will, which you can easily debuff in a bajillion ways - a simple way is just to have your rogue use a club with bewildering blows [and clubs are +5 acc and are fast weapons]. (note: the wiki says it needs a mushroom too, but in my memory it only needs spirit residue and rune powder, which is why it's so easy to make. worth double-checking in game).
Checked in game. They do require the mushrooms.
QuoteI personally would pick Streetfighter if there's a reliable and convenient way to trigger Heating Up (for example a Chanter with upgraded Whisps). The high base dmg of Cobra Strike goes so well with the increased Sneak Attack-, crit- and speed bonuses. Heck, with all the wizard buffs you might as well just Escape right into a mob and get flanked, cobrastrike everybody around with Arterial Stikes and escape elsewhere.
Now that sounds brutal. Shame our test dummies are immune to poison.It's a ranged weapon - so it would work with Driving Flight... (just saying
). You also can't use Persistent Distraction (bit Chillfog etc. is good enough to trigger Deathblows). Guessing this is because Nannasin's are ranged and therefore can't be used to engage? Thanks for clearing up that point - couldn't remember if it was a ranged or a reach weapon. Also guessing it's a weird weapon-but-not-weapon in that it has no specialization.
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I neglected to mention this character will be in a group so stuff like Chill Fog and Miasma can be handled by Aloth or Tekehu. Looking more into how a Nannasin's Rogue would fit into a party, I think it would make a fine sweeper-type: for example, an Unbroken/Trickster could Terrify with Ryngrim's Enervating Terror (no heals for you) while the snaky Spellblade runs around DoT striking everything.
I restarted as a Debonaire but will play more as a flanker than a roamer. Having an Assassin cast Essential Phantom or Living Illusions while managing Invisibility and recovery timers) gummed up the action economy and burst damage, and the twin snake is necessary since I'm trying to do something offbeat. Debonaire's penalties are easy enough to manage, and I can still bask in the goodness that is a stealth-cast, party-wide Dire Blessing.
Quick question on Crits and AR-dependent DoTs: Do Graze/Hit/Crit conversions activate on the initial strike or per DoT tick? Wondering if Debonaire's Hit-to-Crit conversion would impact Toxic Strike's intensity.
2 hours ago, Not So Clever Hound said:You should also aim for the Spider Silk Robe and its +2 Poison PL, I think it helps Nannasin's (?). Attacking with Poison attacks is annoying with several enemies but the ones that can be hit will be completely destroyed.
A very strong back up weapon could be Monastic Unarmed Training. With the high base damage and the PEN, it's bonkers on a melee Rogue.
All your DoTs are great, I would also recommend Ring the Bell which is very very strong and more frontloaded than Toxic Strike (useful for enemies with big health pool - and not immune to Poison
). In practice, all those DoTs will often be overkill, especially if you target squishies primarily. You are going to completely destroy them in a couple full attacks anyway. But the initial application of the DoT will still help. Actually you could also mix and match with Devastating Blow.
Good call on Ring the Bell. Waiting for Toxic Strike is going to be the hardest part.
@Not So Clever HoundJust realized Nannasin's should work with both the One-Handed and Ranged components: so a DoT and bonus PEN. Is this right?
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Thanks for the quick responses. I've decided to go for Assassin for the reasons mentioned (besides, it's not like Debonaire has any unique dialogue options, being a 4.0 subclass). For starting spells, would Wizard's Double and Thrust of Tattered Veils be decent choices? I played around with Eldritch Aim, but the duration is low even at 23 INT (18 + Infuse with Vital Essence) and recasting it will break Invisibility - it is a PL1 spell so it should scale well but Assassinate's Accuracy should be enough against gunners, Druids, and such. (Proud Dire Blessing junkie; feel naked without constant Aware.) Fleet Feet would be alright but the Snakeskin Grimoire already contains DAoM.
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Hey gang,
After another break from Deadfire (you all keep pulling me back in) I've decided to try out builds and playstyles I haven't touched yet. For my next run, this means playing as a Spellblade, Rogue subclassed as Assassin or Debonair, and a weapon that's not mortars or Citzal's Spirit Lance. I've never used Nannasin's Cobra Strike, either, so why not mix the spaghetti into the ice cream? I have a few hangups and considerations with this plan, so I'd appreciate any feedback or help streamlining it.
(I'm playing on a modded difficulty: PoTD spawns and pure upscaling through DeadlyDeadfire with Veteran bonuses to enemies. Also running the Community Patch and Deadfire Polishing (Toxic Strike costs 2 Guile and Smoke Veil 1; Keywords are better distributed).)
The basic idea is to have the character sneak behind enemy lines when applicable, buff up during in-combat stealth (IwVE, DAoM, Spirit Shield, Nannasin's), summon a twin snake (Essential Phantom), and lay down Rogue DoTs (Deep Wounds, Gouging Strike, Toxic Strike, Cobra Strike) on enemy casters and gunners - maybe toss in a couple Wizard niceties (Tattered Veils, Miasma, Expose Vulnerabilities, Combusting Wounds, and such) as the situation demands.
I'm set on generic Wizard (burnt out on Blood Mage and I'd like to Empower a Toxic Strike here and there) but I'm torn on the Rogue subclass. I find generic Rogue boring and I've used Streetfigher and Trickster to death at this point so that leaves Debonaire and Assassin.
Debonaire has an aesthetic and RP quality I'd like for the character (a duplicitous court mage or puckish hedge wizard; playing a Deceptive, Clever, high-Bluff "snake charmer" sounds fun), and I like the idea of using Essential Phantom to negate Cowardice: as if the character is uncomfortable when away from their image. I'd have to rely on a Cipher or Chanter for Charms for better action economy (not a huge deal since I nearly always have a Beguiler or Herald in the party). Losing engagement seems irrelevant since Nannasin is a quasi-reach weapon and this character shouldn't stick to one target for very long. It's gimmicky (and backwards), but Toxic/Gouging Strike followed by Roguish Charm to control an empowered minion with an expiration date seems fun. This one is busy, and as thelee said in their mega gamefaqs guide, Debonaire is a "win more" option; it's easy to see that conceptually.
However, my gut is telling me Assassin would be a better choice mechanically. Like Debonaire, I'm kinda iffy on how this will play with action economy considering Nannasin's is a slow weapon and might be clunky to use with Smoke Veil or Arkemyr's Brilliant Departure: in that vein, I'm also concerned about maintaining Guile. The sneaky bonuses seem more in line with combat, but not that spicy "Oh! Ho Ho Ho!" RP.
For starting stuff, I think I'd go:
Race
Likely Human or Wood Elf. Suppose Death Godlike would be fun (does their bonus to Near Death enemies affect active DoTs?) but passing up on Helm of the Deep Grotto or Helm of The White Void is a hard sell. Hearth Orlan would work well with the Phantom summon, but, eh, burnt out on Orlans, too.
Attributes (including BB bonuses and Culture)
MIG: 15
CON: 10
DEX: 15
PER: 18
INT: 18
RES: 10
(I don't like min-maxing so I'll keep CON and RES at 8+2 BB)Culture: Aedyr
Background: Aristocrat
Active Skills: High Stealth, some Athletics, two points Mechanics for Party Assist, maybe a bit of Alchemy
Passive Skills: Bluff, History or Streetwise
General questions:
Do all DoTs stack? Can I apply all four of the aforementioned effects to one enemy?
Poison items aren't so hot but I'd like to try something different with this build. Are there any types that stand out? Will the Rogue DoTs stack with them?
With Community Patch Keywords, Spirit of Decay now works with Toxic Strike - not sure if Nannasin's is affected. Would it be worth it? I could also use stuff like Death Ring or Noxious Burst, which are included in the Snakeskin Grimoire.
The Community Patch changed Backstab so it deals a flat Raw damage - guessing this would be worth it in the grand scheme of things, but with all the DoTs, enemies should already be dead. Also a bit concerned that Ninnasin's will add recovery since it's a two-weapon summon.
Obviously Nannasin's is going to be trash against pierce-immune and poison-immune enemies (as if Risen Wizards weren't annoying enough) so I'll need backup weapons. Any suggestions? Battle Axes seem they would be alright for an additional DoT, but I'd rather a caster use Magran's Favor and this build will take Two-Weapon style for Nannasin so the two-handers are out.
Are there any other gear recommendations? I'm guessing the typical Rogue setups (Miscreant's Leathers, Helm of the White Void, Chameleon's Touch) would work out. I've never tried stuff like Assassin's Slippers or the Skaen robe. Admittedly, I'm not very creative when it comes to equipment setups.
Thanks for reading. As I said earlier, I've never played with assassination mechanics in Deadfire or as a Spellblade. Looking forward to switching things up.-
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Start the game in Normal difficulty no scaling with the level 4, merchant, and fine weapon BBs; solo starting quests for more exp; switch to PoTD and upscaling after encountering Captain Furrante. Slugging it through Port Maje the 47th time gets tedious real quick.
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15 hours ago, Elric Galad said:
OK, for net version, I'm proud to announce that Strand of Favor (and similar items) exploit will be gone.
The duration etension will only apply to effect happening after equipping.
Altough I have some philosophical concern about why to mod this. If people don't like the exploit, they can simply not use it. It's different from an overpowered ability that you don't want to use because OP, which lead to sadly ignoring it entirely.
I guess I wanted to propose a "legit package".
I have some plan for SC Paladin. Currently, their main asset is the kind of infinite zeal they can get from Divine Retribution.
They have nice new abilities but nothing really game changing.
I think I'm going to buff Hastening's Exho upgrades duration (not the unupgraded version which is available to MC).
So it will be 25s of Swift and 25s of Nimble/strong for 1 zeal (taking into account my precedent changes).Also, I'm leaning to add to Providence an effect that gives +10% damages (stackable 3 times) for the rest of battle when knocked out (not only applied to auto-rez knocked out so it has better interaction with Sacred Sacrifice and indirectly promote its use. EDIT : this part is not feasible).
I think it will fit very well Paladin fluff.I'm also leaning to rise a bit the damages (both to foes and self) of Sacred Sacrifice (by a factor x1.2) so it has some use when not used near death. It costs a very precious Tier 9 ability point so being very situational compared to Divine Immolation. Even with this change, Divine Immolation would stay the better ability in the general case, but with a smaller margin. Rising damages to self promotes a bit suicidal paladins
Thanks for your continuing work. Your mod, alongside the Community Patch and Priest Subclasses Rebalanced is really making the game feature complete. Opening up so many more effective build combinations has jump-started the game. (Your Barbarian changes were brilliant - Blood Frenzy is worth taking and Barbarian/Monk is nuts now.)
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On 5/24/2021 at 3:15 AM, Boeroer said:
Community Patch makes it a lot more friendly for non-deflection maxers.
If you pick Tuotilo's Palm with Outward Spikes you will have another retaliation effect on miss that stacks with Riposte.
If you then pick a Monk instead of a Paladin you can trigger Swift-Flurry chains from Riposte and Outward Spikes alone (this is with Sun & Moon):
With a mortar in the main hand this also kind of works - because a crit from Outward Spikes or a crit from (Riposte-) bash might trigger an attack with the mortar via Swift Flurry - but then it stops because mortars don't trigger Swift Flurry further. Sun and Moon has the advantage that it has two rolls to continue the crit-chain.
Offensive Parry also triggers Swift Flurry...
Of course with a Paladin it's much easier to reach the effective deflection (also via Inspiring Triumph and Beacon etc.). You will not have crit chains but you will be missed more often (and have strong AR and healing on top).
Offensive Parry + Riposte on a Steel Garrote/Trickster is a fun build because Offensive Parry also dazes on hit which unlocks the life leach of Steel Garrote and unlocks Sneak Attack. At some point that's even better with Inspiring Beacon of course, but the dazing is always useful. Inspiring Beacon + Sneak Attack + Deathblows is pretty hefty dmg even with the real. low base dmg of Offensive Parry/WotEP - because they are instant attacks which come on top of your normal ones. And they all drain life for you. It's not foolproof and this approach obviously doesn't work against some kinds of enemies (e.g. ranged or casters) but it's cool most of times because in nearly every encounter there are some melee guys. And it's not like you couldn't switch to another weapon and whack casters more "traditionally".
On Shadowdancer: Do Blade Turning and Riposte work together?
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Here's a mod that prevents iroll20s from disabling achievements.
https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity2/mods/356
On 5/20/2021 at 8:07 AM, Boeroer said:I you use the console to get the item the exported character will be marked as cheated and hiring him will also mark your game as cheated.
However, if you load up am uncheated savegame where you got the weapon the proper way and export it you can import it into your other savegame without any problems. It's just a bit expensive to import unique items etc.
It is possible to use other players' exported characters. You can share them. So if somebody has an uncheated savegame with an item you want you could ask if they woul be willing to export a char for you.
Huh. Seems like a big oversight considering players can import/export characters through Steam workshop - wonder if anyone has had their achievements disabled by mistake?
PotD melee CipherSC vs Inquisitor vs Mindstalker vs Seer vs Spiritualist vs Transcendent vs Witch?
in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Characters Builds, Strategies & the Unity Engine (Spoiler Warning!)
Posted · Edited by Ophiuchus
Duality of Mortal Presence (+10 INT at max Wounds) is reason enough to multiclass Monk with an Ascendant Cipher. You can stay in Ascended mode for ludicrous amounts of time (especially with Salvation of Time). There's some nice flexibility in not having to worry about the Ascended duration, which frees you to use melee attacks (such as against enemies with spell reflection).
For the Monk subclass, I've enjoyed Shattered Pillar the most - using the Community Patch to fix its Wound count limitation. It's fun to raise Wounds and Focus at the same time, and work your way into a rhythm that maximizes the outcome. I went two-handed on this one and focused on reach weapons: Chromoprismatic Quarterstaff for damage and the +Deflection modal while casting, and Lance of the Midwood Stag for an additional +2 to PL. The build started off slow and clunky but snowballed after hitting level 13. My God, the lashes...