Zoda

Main tank will be Edér, but this playthrough my watcher is going to be ranged, so I wanted a 2nd character that can hold the line. Yes, I pretty much always have Edér as my main tank with a build like that. 2nd pet slot (Nalvi usually) + Heart Defender Scales makes me pick him over a hireling. Although it sucks that I can't pick subclasses for him.

My take on the the disengagement focused build was that if I want to maximize the damage output, then I better not use a shield. That's what I meant by being thorn on Unbroken. I was debating going Unbroken and switching between sword and board and dual wield/two handed depending on the fight, but ultimately decided that I commit to Willbreaker + Devoted fully. The +1 engagement +1 AR is pretty vanilla, but I guess those are great bonuses, and I did play plenty of unbroken builds (Tuotilo's + Gladiator Sword Unbroken Trickster was a pretty decent blend of tanky dps for example with strong riposts).

I did trickster ripost tank a bunch of times already, I just wanted to experiment with something new (although I very much prefer to use Ryngrim's on tricksters nowdays over the defelction buffs). I wanted to do steel garrote a bunch of times, but always ended up on the conclusion that Kind Wayfarer just selfheals better. That's sort of how I envisioned it, with mid/high con, all the AR buffs etc. Death's Maw is pretty good idea, I always forget that helm exists. I'm a bit thorn on Unbroken. I love the idea, and thematically it's the subclass probably closest to what I like, but that +1AR is not all that much, and even on a build dedicated to proccing disengagement hits I chose Devoted instead (my last paythrough was devoted/trickster with Willbreaker). That said I used unbroken plenty of times, I just find that it could use a bit of a buff.

I started a new run where I aim to make my watcher a ranged single target dps guy by the endgame (Soulblade + Shattered Pillar, with the plan to use Chromoprismatic Quarterstaff + Instruments of Pain). I want a 2nd Tank to hold the line beside Edér, and I'm thinking about a human Steel Garrote + Streetfighter combo. The plan is to keep a dynamic balance of health right around the bloodied mark, but not sure if I could make it happen as I'm planning to, so I'm asking for your experiences. The plan would be to wear all the engagement gear: Reckless Brigandine + Kapana Taga + Last Word + Champion's Helm for most engagements (Akola's Apex Ward, Thaos' Headdress, Sungrazer and a number of other weapons also kept at hand). I would keep a reasonable CON, so being bloodied is less risky. Edér would be geared for deflection. He would also be supported by Herald healbot (troubadour + shieldbearer), with the possibility to also chant Old Siec Has anyone tried such a lifedrain tank? Can it actually survive on lifedrain in tougher encounters? Also is lifedrain affected by + healing done enchantments? Thanks for your answers

I definitely want Soulblade. It is amongst my favourite subclasses, and I never played it with an AOE weapon, and I never played a WOTEP watcher either. I considered ranger also because of Beast's Claw (and stalker). It could certainly get away with the great sword modal more easily than most combinations (which works on SA damage, if I'm not mistaking). Stalker/Soul Blade sounds pretty fun considering this, and the watcher could actually deal damage with offensive parries while buffing up the animal companion so it can take a bit more punishment. I could get even more focus from the stealthed opening shots of The Red Hand with Driving Flight too. Typing this out, I might just have found my build. Probably still a lot weaker than mindstalker, but thematically I absolutely love it Goes really well with an offensively built herald too (kind wayfarer + troubadour), the bear would get a lot of extra armor and easy heals from white flames. Then Edér for the extra pet slot + Heart Defender Scales, a celebrant and a ranged striker (hard for me to not pick seer or wildrhymer, but maybe I'll try geomancer Maia or a Frostseeker savage).

I know the SA scaling with rogue is great, I just wanted to do something different this time. Might just do it like that I guess. I've read your build guide, and I agree its a great build I really shy away from most classic casters in crpgs, I just enjoy strikers more. I love chanter/cipher in PoE a lot luckily. I haven't had a single wizard/cleric/druid in my 5-6 POTD runs so far Even if I do go for a caster eventually, I don't want to use Salvation of Time or Wall of Draining. It just feels super cheesy to me.

Hi All, So I'm nearing 100% on my current Devoted/Tricster + Willbreaker run (Dorudungan, Auranic and Ukaizo left), and it was a pretty fun build, and I enjoyed it a lot, but I was stuck with a single weapon for the entire playthrough. Obviously comming back to Deadfire again I want more I'm planning to play WoTeP for the first time on my watcher (did some trickster/garrote run up to like lvl 10 or so, but was unimpressed with it). My idea is to not rely solely on WoTeP. I'm plannig to: - start the fights I can from stealth with a double FoD from The Red Hand (hopefully triggering inspiring triumph too) - then switch to WoteP without reloading, already with some focus to Soul Anihilate - for big solo bosses I'm planning to use The Willbreaker + modal and desintegrate Stat allocation is pretty rough for this build: needs near max RES, INT with high PER and at least some might and dex, but I guess that'll be managable. Probably gonna have a buddy chanter (or two). Not 100% sold on Steel Garrote yet, late game a Trickster multiclass would probably be stronger, but I just played trickster. I honestly have very little experience with WoTeP, but considering how stretched on stats this build is going to be, a 2nd tanky character is probably in order. I usually have Edér, but it is kinda boring to have him on literally the same build every playthrough, so this time I might go for a different companion cast from my trusty Edér + Seer + Wildrhymer + Herald (full healbot). Was thinking about covering heals with a Kind Wayferer + Troubadour built offensively and spamming buffed FoDs (although might compete with the Watcher for ring of inner fire, but I guess I can live with that). Add a tactician/priest for buffs and emergency heals and also some damage output. The kind wayfarer could use Grave Calling to kill of some skeletons to spawn chill fog for easy Brilliant Tactician trigger too (or just have the watcher cast Phantom Foes). As for the rest of the party, I'm not set on yet. Maybe a Troubadour/Psion, as I never played Psion and some high range autoattacker to interrupt casters. I usually use Spearcaster on a Wildrhymer for that, but since I want to change it up... maybe a Frostseeker using savage (arcane archer/mage slyer). Aim is the same, POTD with all megabosses. Could this work? I'm normally worried about WoTeP builds vs the big endgame boss fights, but maybe this build would still be flexible enough to do well in the toughest encounters.

I noticed I have Reckless Brigandine's "Into the Breach" and "Go not Quitly" bugged on Edér (he is not wearing it). Is it a display bug, or is it stuck to him? Is there a way to remove it? I don't like abusing bugs

I played up to lvl 16, and the build is working out nicely. Can tank a lot with Unbending and Mob Stance + disengagement hits keeps the watcher firmly in front of the party's damage scores (with a scout Maia with her dedicated support chanter). This is the point where I usually start to get bored of builds especially that Devoted + Willbreaker pretty much limits what I can do. So I want to try a new one obviously. Anyone has experience with a Streetfighter/Steel Garrote life drain tank? Can Steel Garrote actually stay ahead of Kind Wayfarer in selfheal? I used souldblade/kind wayfarer with Magran's Favor + Sun and Moon as the go to combo and it worked out very nicely, but if I can make it a bit better I will I also considered Sun and Moon + Magran's Blessing combo on a Soulblade + [something] who could benefit from a shield + two weapon style while only spamming Soul Anihilation hits of Sun and Moon (2nd hit of the flail always generates focus). Not super proficient in setting up the AI of my characters, can I just set it so it spams Soul Anihilation instead of auto attack?

I'll probably drop DOCB, it's just super convenient early on a multiclass with the +2 power pool. I kinda would like to use Reckless Brigandine to engage a lot of enemies in cleaving stance (with Hold the Line and Persistent distraction) then terrify them, but not sure if I'd like the recovery penalty yet. Maybe later on with armored grace and mob stance. Probably gonna make a trip soon to pick up Nalvi and Heart Defender Scales for Edér, will see when I get some more time to play

I'm a dwarf guy Will see how the mask goes with various equipment, and how it performs in combat. I picked up Helm of the Falcon on my way to steal the Willbreaker, guess I'm heading to The Gullet soon enough for the mask. Also gave myself Thaos' Headdress with the console, so that'll be a pretty good choice too.

After cycling through a million different builds, I finally came to stick with Devoted + Trickster with The Willbreaker. Planning to play it something like this: stealth for the initial backstab strike (Clear Out eventually), debuff will, cast Ryngrym's, hopefully get some disengagement hits if the enemy attempts to flee. I wanted to have more damage without disengagement than an Unbroken and The Willbreaker synergizes nicely with a trickster. Probably not an OP build or anything of sorts, but I don't enjoy playing the truly OP stuff so much, so going with this for now Already snuck into Crookspur for the stick, so probably gonna play this build a while, before rerolling to another one Now, I haven't played Deadfire in a couple of years, so I can't really remember all the best gear. What would you recommend I pick up for this build? Apparently I messed up with my custom history, so I don't have Thaos's Headdress, but I kinda sorta prefer the Helm of the Falcon anyway. Still sucks not having the headdress, it is one of the nicer helms, especially that I have Edér also as a fighter/rogue. What armor goes best with such character? Devil of Caroc? Reckless Brigandine? I picked up Cloak of Greater Protection, seems to be a pretty nice cloak for now. Iirc there was a cloak that gave extra damage from stealth, but honestly I might be mixing up gear pieces in my head with PoE1 items Not sure which was in which game anymore Also a question on The Willbreaker's upgrades: is it worth spending the 4 Adra Bans on making it legendary? Iirc you couldn't get unlimited Adra Bans, and there are some special upgrade items to certain tiers (after the dragon fight I think there is one).

I might make an exception for my no monk rule so long that it doesn't use fists. I did Steel Garrote/Tricster already, although admittedly not with Voidwheel. It was an offensive parry WOTEP build, so probably very different.

So... I started a Shepherd (Stalker + Kind Wayferer). Not dead set on it, honestly I never played a ranger that wasn't a Ghost Heart, neither one that was melee focused so I kinda want to try one. I hope the White Flames and the bonus armor can keep the animal companion alive. Gonna have Edér with Heart Defender scales + Shieldberer/Troubadour healer keeping up the bear with LoH if required. The other two party members are going to be a Seer with Essence Interruptor + a Wildrhymer with spearcaster (at least that's the plan for now). As I said, I never tried a non-ghost heart ranger, is it possible to keep the bear alive, and get good value out of it, or will it become a nuisance later on?

This is actually a build I considered I'd probably play it is a regular berserker/troubadour early with int affliction resistence from Devil of Caroc Breastplate, and let the confused kills loose when I can chant Many lives. I wonder if there is a way to reach 20 int wile confsed without sacrificing too much in return (I would like double chants). I played a very similar character with Gladiator's Sword + Tuotilo's palm as an Unbroken/Trickster. I tried to abuse the unbroken disengagement attacks with Ryngrim's Repulsive Visage. Can't say I remember clearly, but iirc the combo wasn't super reliable. I think I haven't finished that run (but did play the build later on a hired adventurer on a run that I did finish). Your more straight forward take might actually work better, and I could actually use a shield that looks cool (big plus!) Now I'm thinking about doing the Unbroken/Trickster again with The Willbreaker as main setup, and a 2nd setup with an actual shield vs bosses. I would very much love an unbroken build that could reliably trigger supercharged disengagement hits, but not sure if there is a way to do that. This sounds pretty strong, not sure where I would put it flavourwise, but sounds like an egaging build to play on your main character