drmt

For my next PoTD project, I think I want to create a Troubadour/Paladin that is good at defense, support, damage, and summoning. To that end, I have some questions: Kind Wayfarer vs. Shieldbearer. If I went Wayfarer, I think I would go for a dual wield build with the Singing scimitar + Modwyr/Scordeo's edge, and I'd play more of an offtank style I guess. For Shieldbearer, I'd try to build around using a (medium?) shield and being the first one into combat. Is one of these approaches inherently stronger? RP wise I have a slight preference for Shieldbearer, but I could go either way. With the Wayfarer, I'd probably build Eder as a swashbuckler distraction tank, while with the Shieldbearer I'd build Eder as a damage-focused swashbuckler or SC fighter (I'm thinking about combining chopping wood and clear the path with Karabörü --- in fact, I kind of want to run this build on with my MC as a great sword Devoted..). Maybe Eder doesn't need to be built as a tank if I'm healing so much though. Serafen/Xoti/Pallegina (crusader) will probably be the third melee. In either case, I'm thinking about 15 might, 15 per, 18 int, 10 everywhere else so I am decent at damage, healing, and tanking. Does this sound reasonable? Are there any standout damage or summon invocations? Brisk Recitation. My understanding is that Brisk Recitation let's me trade-off between doubling up on chants (with Troubadour linger) and getting more invocations/per second. So, for example, if all my chants were defensive in nature and all my invocations were offensive in nature, then Brisk Recitation would let me pivot between offense and defense. Is that right? Thanks in advance. I know Heralds are old news around here -- so, sorry about that -- but I haven't played one yet.

Okay, I think I've been talked out of streetfighter. Based on the suggestions, I've narrowed it to Bloodmage/Helwalker Bloodmage/Rogue or Wizard/Assassin Barbarian (Furyshaper is probably a better subclass, but placing totems sounds boring) -- although this last one is less appealing because the shouts seem inconsistent thematically for what I am trying to do with this character I thought about possible offensive parry builds, but I couldn't think of one that didn't rely on Trickster (and I wasn't able to figure out how to mod out Mirrored Image vfx sadly). Perhaps there's a Paladin/Soul Blade build for getting high deflection -> offensive parry, but I'm not sure how well that would compete.

Ah, I *really* want to run Trickster, but my computer stutters a lot when mirrored image is cast/active (similar to what's described in this post). I have a great PC and have tried everything to fix it but to no avail. Otherwise, I would definitely be looking at Trickster builds.

So my goal is to make the most interesting/effective AoE melee DPS build. Other things I like: attacking really fast, interactivity, and not dying. My research has led me to consider the following options: SC Barbarian --- a bit torn here between no sub or berserker. Question: do NPC allies know the berserker's health for the purposes of the AI script? I was thinking of playing as a Moon Godlike to give myself indicators of when I drop below health thresholds. Streetfighter/Soul Blade with WotEP --- to abuse the WotEP + Soul Annihilation combo. Streetfighter/Monk with WotEP --- INT bonuses to increase the WotEP cone. Question: does lightning strikes or swift flurry synergize more with WotEP? Streetfighter/Paladin with WotEP --- question: does flames of devotion apply to the WotEP cone AoE kind of like Soul Annhilation? otherwise I'm not sure I would run this combo, although more survivability would be neat. Monk/Soul Blade with WoTEP --- INT bonuses to increase the WotEP cone. For pretty much all of these builds I would probably max INT, PER, then DEX. Am I on the right track? Does anyone have recommendations for which build might be the most effective? Or most fun? P.S. Herald Pallegina and Druid Tekehu will be core party members, so I think there will be enough healing.