Conman

Those are some good tips on the gear and race, thanks! Just out of curiosity (I'm still new to PoE and learning the ropes) what is a bash shield exactly? I think this could be a very cool adaption of the Golden Dragon, maybe the Celtic Dragon, or Celtic Hound or something (Cu Chulainn was the "Hound of Ulster"! Main equipment spear and shield, second set dual axes, though I may find myself using the axes often and switching to shield if I need to be a bit tankier... does that sound feasible? Would you change any of the talents, or the stats at all to compensate for these changes? Probably take weapon/shield talent then whatever weapon focus works for battle axes... I wonder if that would mean spear damage would be sub par?

Do you think it would be possible to slightly adapt this build to get a celtic warrior sort of vibe? I'm thinking Cu Chulainn, the Irish mythological hero. Definitely a Barbarian, but possibly lighter armour and medium shield, something like this: https://img00.deviantart.net/5587/i/2013/362/3/7/cuchulain_by_el_grimlock-d6zr81q.jpg "He is known for his terrifying battle frenzy, in which he becomes an unrecognizable monster who knows neither friend nor foe" He traditionally in the stories uses a spear but I'd probably run an axe, as We Toki looks very cool and fits.

Thanks again, I think I'll give the Fighter a good attempt and see if I can't finish the game with him (with a slim chance that I'll go Monk last minute!) Out of curiosity, as a non beginner, what class would YOU pick for a role hunting squishies? Or maybe you wouldn't?

Would a Fighter need much work to get them up to dual wield DPS levels of a monk or rogue? I can't seem to find any decent builds online for a light armoured dual wield fighter. I like your Monskterlasher and Fulmineo builds, but I think your Witch Doctor is based around Long Pain and fists, where I hope to use Sabres/Stilletos and only use fists if I need the damage type. Would either of those monk builds needs many or any changes to talents or stats (obviously weapon focus would need changed) to be used as a swashbuckling scoundrel that I'm aiming for? I wish that this game had a "Quality" build like I used to use in Dark Souls 2 & 3, where I could try a bit of everything!!

I've been trying to settle on a PC for my first playthrough, reading the forums, doing some research on builds and testing a few in game. I haven't got very far yet, but want to feel I've made the best choice as I may only get one playthrough. I had almost settled on a Human Rogue, pirate type character dual wielding sabres or sabre and dagger (dagger mainhand), with the intention of doing DPS and maybe hunting squishies or pesky wizards and archers during combat, then getting stuck into the main fray. However I was reading this forum last night and found some (admittedly older) posts and/or comments that said that a Rogue for single target DPS is quite underwhelming compared to what other classes can do. I know that the damage some casters (i.e. wizards) can put out in AOE damage simply makes single target damage almost irrelevant. I still think I'd like to go with a dual wielding melee character, I just want to check what options I have. Is a Rogue the best for a dual wielding build, and is another class more up to the job? I'd like to not die right away after a couple of hits, and skirt the edges of the fight picking off VIP targets. Is Rogue best for this with dual wield, or would a duel wield fighter, barbarian or monk be more suitable? (Is it even advisable to kit a monk out "like a pirate" and not use fists?) Who has the best talents/skills/abilities for the job, while not dying too quickly? (I don't want to min max and will maybe put an extra point or two into a survival stat and can change it later). Thanks!

I wanted to ask what the possible pro/cons of one handed vs duel wielding were aswell, but didn't want to start another thread and spam the forum with my queries! I understand duel wielding and that lighter/faster is usually better for auto attack dps and heavier/harder hitting is usually better for abilities. What's the benefit (or downside) of wielding only one weapon (like a sabre, or dagger)? And if only using one weapon, would it matter what hand it was in? If wielding one weapon, does the character swing with the free hand/fist too? Do certain stats (mig, dex or per) benefit particular styles more, and would it differ from class to class? Like for example, maybe a 2h warrior wants more might to hit harder, but a dual wield rogue wants more dex to hit faster (or per to hit more accurately?) Apologies for so many questions... thanks

I assumed it would be attack with both weapons and recover, then repeat. Is it more like both hands attack separately and there are two animations and two separate recoveries for each hand?

Very informative yet again, thank you Boeroer, that's very helpful! So I understand attack abilities, but regarding the auto attack. I believe it goes attack recovery attack recovery etc. etc. etc. 2 x heavy hits harder with longer recovery as you said, and 2 x light doesn't hit as hard but has lower recovery so potentially better overall DPS. As you said if you have heavy & light combined (or I guess any two different weapons with different recovery times) is somewhere in the middle, does your recovery kind of take an average somewhere in between the recoveries of the two weapons? if I have a weapon with 1 x recovery, and one with .5 x recovery (I know these numbers aren't right but it's just for my understanding), recovery would be 0.75?

Sabre and dagger, rapier and stiletto, whatever the case may be. Or is it better to not, and wield two harder hitting weapons like swords or axes? I think my mind is being led astray from my "DPS" days in WoW, so not sure there is any benefit in this game to wielding a fast offhand. Is there any math or calculation which suggests one is better than the other, or that it's the same, or different scenarios where one is better than the other? Side note: why does this forum seem to love hatchets?

How would you build the infamous Forgotten Realms Assassin? For anyone unfamiliar with the character, see here: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Artemis_Entreri Which class would you choose? Seems like a Rogue would fit the bill, however he's one of the most feared fighters in Faerun, so maybe a Fighter fits better? How would you place his stats, and how would you equip him? His description reads as follows: "Artemis specialized in a two-weapon fighting style with the use of a dagger and a sword, equaling Drizzt in fighting capability. He generally wielded his jeweled dagger as a main-gauche in his left hand with a sword or saber in his right. He was a tactical master, taking every advantage offered him and seeking to create more. Artemis was also a very fast learner. Even if he observed a particular combat maneuver just once or twice, he was able to adapt it to his choice of weapons and duplicate it effectively in battle (these tended to be Drizzt's maneuvers, since their styles and skill level were so similar). He was also excellent at improvising; he could use his surroundings to excellent effect, when he would otherwise be at a severe disadvantage. Artemis was also a consummate warrior, combining his ambidexterity, thieving training, and warrior's weapon skills to be one of the most dangerous swordsmen in the Realms. Few men indeed could have so repeatedly crossed blades with Drizzt Do'Urden and lived to tell of it. Later in his life, Artemis was able to see in the dark innately, as a gift from Jarlaxle. Before that, in Menzoberranzan, he had worn a cat's eye circlet to be able to see in the dark." Signature items included: Vampiric (life stealing) Jeweled Dagger Charon's Claw (sentient Wizard slaying sword) Bolero hat Cloak (allowed him to fly) Would it be possible to recreate him in Pillars of Eternity, and how would you go about doing so? Side note: I thought this would be interesting for people to discuss, and hope it is. If so, would other threads be of interest, for example, maybe Gambit (Marvel Universe), how to build a kinetic, kickboxing mutant? Perhaps a quarterstaff wielding monk, or as Gambit had some mind control powers, maybe somehow a melee cipher? Just wondering...!

I like the sound of that, thanks for the info! I could drop the shield easily, as it was just a backup plan in case he might take some aggro. Do you know if a pistol counts as one handed, if I switched to it occasionally? Do different chants have different ranges etc to affect friends/foes? How would you suggest I put stats for the swashbuckler/more agile build?

I have been trying to settle on a PC I want to play through the game with and with so many options I have been struggling, but have finally settled on a Swashbuckling human, probably ex pirate gone good (I'm sure this is massively cliche at this stage!). I'd like to play a Chanter, though I'm sure other classes like Rogue probably fit the bill better, but for RP reasons I'm thinking of a bardic/poetic type character who can inspire his shipmates and cut his foes with witty cutting remarks! Honestly I think the slightly passive style of the chanter appeals to me as I already have so many different skills to try and use for my various companions, just figuring out which spells Aloth has etc. 1st weapon slot 2 x sabre (or sabre and small shield) and then pistols or guns on the second slot. Is this possible? How would or should I start building a character like this (stats etc?). I haven't figured out all the stats etc. and what exactly they do and have no idea what I'M doing yet, I'd appreciate any advice on how to build him initially. Thank you

Thanks for your answer, it's really informative! What's the difference in a Cipher and a Chanter, they seem similar at first glance? If I was interested in a Wizard, is it hard to manage "At rest" abilities and spells? I think I'm leaning towards a Cipher at the moment. Would it be reasonable to build a Cipher with 1h weapon and a small shield, light (or light-ish) armour to help with more damage, and a ranged (or long range weapon like a quarterstaff) option in my second weapon slots if needed? What would be a good stat line for that sort of character? Thank you

Hi all, recently downloaded on PS4 after being interested for a long time (I used to play Baldur's Gate must be nearly 20 years ago now) and am excited to get stuck in. Unfortunately I don't get much time to play any more and playtime is limited, so I expect I'll probably only get one good playthrough of the game over the next few months. Because of that, I'd like to try and experience a little bit of everything (melee, ranged, magic etc) though I know it won't be optimal or the best at anything. I'll probably play on Normal or Hard, I'm worried that if I find myself stuck on something I'll have to keep coming back to it day after day (sometimes I only get an hour or so to play a day)) so hopefully that difficulty will work for me. Could you suggest a class and maybe some stats/a build that I could use for this? I'm probably asking for too much, but I figured it doesn't hurt to ask! Cipher looks like my best bet to try some magic and different fighting styles, but I know some of you have a wealth of experience so I'm open to any advice. Apologies if this is too vague and thanks for any advice!