grayrest

What's the trick to get the Fury shapeshift to deal damage? I've tried it multiclassed with Ranger, Barbarian, and Devoted. The Devoted experiment was very short lived since the -10 penalty applies to the Fury weapon. The Ranger was using a fairly normal high Per/Dex/Int and neutral Might and is currently 12 so no Driving Flight/Evasive fire which is when the build really comes online but I put it on hold because the build is getting significantly outdamaged by Eder. I then started a might stacking berserker since I noticed that there aren't a lot of +damage entries on the Fury attack so the might would probably make a difference. I think the attack feels okay at 30 Might and +2 pen but the confusion makes the jump hit the front line. Solveable but I haven't gotten around to it yet. The damage output is okay, fairly close to my standard Eder build. Summoning Flame Brand and playing like a normal Berserker is more effective, which isn't what I was hoping to get out of the build. I think the build is around level 10 so not a lot of combat but I wasn't that excited about it so it's on hold. This was all on the 1.1 patch and I didn't see if there was a Fury buff in 1.2. Eder is my baseline for a damage build. He has decent stats but not optimized stats and I build him consistently every game (swashbuckler, DoC or Reckless Brigantine, Stalker's Patience + Mohora Tanga, vigorous defense, mob stance), use the same behavior on him (Confounding Blind then spam Penetrating strike) and let the AI mostly handle him. He puts out very respectable damage but a watcher striker build that's being actively managed should come out ahead, usually in the 30-50% higher range.

It's kind of dependent on exactly how you play your monk. In reading builds mostly see it on ranged monks, particularly hybrid builds that are using Helwalker for the stat buffs and not really generating/spending wounds. Sage can definitely use Enduring Dance and I think it's worth the points and resolve. Mirror Image provides enough deflection that the buff is moderately reliable if you're getting attacked by one enemy but not reliable enough that I'd put it on a behavior to auto-cast. I did a shattered pillar Sage revolving around Citzal's in 1.1 and the accuracy boost for swift flurry, heartbeat drumming, and stunning surge with the Citzal's AoE is quite good. I'd be hesitant to use the base Dance in melee without a super high deflection build (high resolve + Tuotilo's + Cloak/ring + Arcane Veil/Wizard's Double).

I like to reroll so I've done the Marje quests a dozen times or so. I like the rest of the game on PotD, just not the initial few encounters. I hire a hunting bow + war bow Cipher as soon as I get into Port Marje for Whispers. You can also do Druid for charm beast but I like dual Saber Swashbuckler Eder and Cipher provides Phantom Foes for him and the acc bonus from the stealth Wyrm pet. I get Xoti, do all the Port Marje quests, talk my way to the wise teeth necklace, fight the xaurip encounter, and I hit level 4 right as I get to the digsite. Cipher gets replaced by Serafen once the initial segment is over. I do Gorecci by entering from the south (leave the port from the exit where you initially entered), sneak across the map for the easy conversation check, grab the necklace on the way out. I've done the fight the way others are suggesting but I don't find it enjoyable so I skip. For the digsite, go north from the entrance, down the ladder, save, walk someone to the edge so they get spotted from below, and you'll aggro half the group. I skip the drake fight because I also don't enjoy doing it. You might also want to try an easier build for the segment just to get a feel for doing the run. For a similar-ish playstyle, I found Devoted/Helwalker Brawler to have a very smooth initial segment. Devoted weapon choice doesn't really matter for the initial segment, I just like the extra pen on the fists. You're mostly getting Fighter for Disciplined Strikes, Confident Aim, and Penetrating Strike.

The easiest PotD run through the Port Marje chain I've had was a Devoted Brawler (Fighter/Monk). I did blunderbuss because I was trying out the build but I just used fists early. Flurry + Disciplined Strikes + Confident Aim + Devoted penetration on fists means you're at mid-game damage levels and lets you quickly burst down fights to a manageable number of enemies. I also had a fairly easy time on Beckoner Chanter (Wyrms are strong), Kind Wayfarers Votary (lots of aoe heals), and the Rangers. What makes rangers slightly more difficult and monks easier is the frequency of skeletons. I'll mention that I hire a Cipher immediately when getting into town and stealth my way through the two hard fights (I've done them but don't think they're worth the effort). If you're doing the harder fights something else might be better.