Intro
(Difficulty: PotD upscaled)
First of all I wanted to say that my English isn´t very good. I studied it years ago, but by not using it at work or outside of it, I have lost a lot of practice.
Going to the topic, for the third time I played this game, I wanted to do it with the companions that I like the most ((Edér, Hiravias, Zahua, Aloth and Sagani) and building them around the abilities/spells that I also like the most, which are the ones that cause push, prone, stun (because what better push than those that knock enemies down or stun them), and the opposite effect, pull.
All companions have one of these abilities/spells:
Edér: Knock Down, Into the Fray, Overbearing Guard, and Clear Out.
Hiravias: Winter Wind, Overwhelming Wave, Boiling Spray, Calling the World's Maw, Cleansing Wind, Tornado, and Storm spells.
Zahua: Force of Anguish, Skyward Kick and Stunning Blow.
Aloth: Slicken, Pull of Eora, Concelhaut's Crushing Doom and Tayn's Chaotic Orb.
Sagani & Itumaak: Takedown, Stunning Shots and Master's Call.
MC Priestess of Berath: Repulsing Seal and Pillar of Faith
I played as the Priestess of Berath because her favored dispositions (Rational and Stoic) fit my idea of a group made up of bounty hunters.
For new players and for all those who want to read it, I'm going to put the builds of each member of this "Pull & Push party"
The Front line
Edér
His main role is to maintain the front line and disable enemies, causing push, pull, prone and dazed.
With Hold the Line, and Shatterstar his engagement range is 3, and with Overbearing Guard the enemies think twice before breaking the engagement.
Knock Down and Overbearing Guard can inflict prone, Clear Out push and prone and Into the Fray, approach an enemy (pull), does piercing damage and can inflict dazed.
Into the Fray is hilarious when used against a priest who just cast Consecrated Ground to hammer their face, but it can also be used in reverse, against more dangerous melee enemies, for a face to face.
If Edér is well positioned, Charge is his most powerful ability.
Abilities:
Fighting Spirit (a)
Constant Recovery (a)
Second Wind (a) (Athletics) (1 p/enc.)
1) Knock Down (a) (2 p/enc.)
3) Disciplined Barrage (1 p/enc.)
5) Into the Fray (2 p/enc.)
7) Armored Grace
9) Overbearing Guard
11) Confident Aim (better than Weapon Specialization)
13) Charge (2 p/enc)
15) Clear Out (2 p/rest)
Talents:
2) Hold the Line
4) Weapon & Shield Style
6) Weapon Focus: Soldier
8- Bear´s Fortitude
10) Rapid Recovery
12) Apprentice Sneak Attack
14) Body Control
16) Bonus Knock Down (1 p/enc.)
Skills: 14 (12 + 2 Mantle) Survival (for +60% heling received), 6 Lore, rest to Athletics
Equipment:
Shatterstar (Durgan Refined, Exceptional, Corrosive Lash, Slaying (Primordial)) + Dragon's Maw Shield
Tempered Helm
Wayfarer´s Hide (Superb, Crush-Proofed, +2 INT)
Mantle of the Excavator
Siegebreaker Gauntlets
Girdle of Maegfolc Might
Ring of Thorns
Ring of Protection
Boots of Stability
Quick items: Potion of Power, Scrolls of Prayer Against Fear, Scrolls of Prayer Against Restraint, Scrolls of Binding Web
I have chosen Shatterstar as Edér´s weapon because it does two types of damage, because of its Guarding enchantment (+1 enemies Engaged), you can get it soon and because it was carried during Waidwen's march on the Dyrwood.
The buffs from the Tempered Helm's Freedom enchantment and Wayfarer's Hide don't stack, but I still keep them because the other enchantments these items offer are very good, and also give Edér the look of sturdiness and fierceness that I was looking for him.
Hiravias
He´s the main damage dealer. Hiravias starts by casting his buffs (like Form of the Delemgan), then debuffs/crowd crontrol spells (Nature's Mark, later Nature's Terror), then damage spells (Storm spells, Venom Bloom) and lastly, if there's anything left alive, then shapeshifting, because I'm more interested in its AoE damage.
Talents:
2) Veteran's Recovery
4) Weapon Focus Peasant
6) Two Weapon Style
8- Wildstrike Shock
10) Greater Wildstrike Shock
12) Heart of the Storm
16) Apprentice Sneak Attack
14) Savage Attack/Marksman
Skills: Survival 8 (bonus to healing), Lore 10, rest to Athletics.
Equipment:
Rêghar Konnek + Black Sanctuary (Durgan Reinforced, Exceptional)
Greenstone Staff
Stag Helm
Swaddling Sheet
Blaidh Golan (Durgan Reinforced, Exceptional, Slash-Proffed, +2 MIG)
Celebrant’s Gloves
Wildstrike Belt
Gwyn’s Band of Union
Orlan's Bramble Ring
Boots of Stability
Quick items: Potion of Infuse with Vital Essence, Scrolls of Confusion, Scrolls of Paralysis, Scrolls of Maelstrom
Master Spells:
Nature´s Mark, Insect Swarm, Returning Storm and Form of the Delemgan
For early levels Winter Wind and Firebrand are 2 great spells. Winter wind is a fast cast, only damages enemies, disables blights, slows shadow teleport, and does decent damage. Firebrand is awesome when the shapeshift duration is over, the combat is still going on, and you don't want to waste a lot of spells. With my level 3 adventurer druid, she was able to reach 72 damage attacks.
I put Hiravias in the front line so I can use spells like Overwhelming Wave and Tornado without damaging my teammates.
The Second Line
MC Priestess of Berath
Race: Human, Meadow folk
Background: Aedyr - Cleric
Class: Priest
Stats:
MIG 16, CON 08, DEX 16, PER 14, INT 16, RES 08
Built around the concept of "The Pallid Knight": human female in black armor with black hair and milk-pale skin.
Talents:
Dominion of the Sleepers (Watcher) (1 p/rest)
Steps to the Wheel (Watcher) (1 p/rest)
Speaker to the Restless (Watcher) (2 p/rest)
Crucible of the Soul (Watcher) (1 p/rest)
Dozen´s Luck
The Merciless Hand
Scale-Breaker (1 p/rest)
Blooded Hunter
Dungeon Delver
Berath's Boon
Song of the Heavens
2) Inspiring Radiance (1 p/enc.)
4) Interdiction
6) Painful Interdiction (1 p/enc.)
8- Scion of Flame
10) Veteran's Recovery
12) The Pallid Hand
14) Two-Handed Style
16) Outlander´s Frenzy (1 p/enc.)/Apprentice Sneak Attack
Skills: Survival 8 (for +40% heling received), Lore 12 (Scrolls of Prayer Against Treachery and interactions), rest to Athletics
Early in the game it works as a ranged priest, but once I buy the Belt of the Royal Deadfire Cannoneer I start using it in melee with Firebrand.
Late game, once durganized and upgraded, I use The Hours of St. Rumbalt
She will never do as much damage as with her damage spells, but still, with Two Handed Style, Champion's Boon/Minor Avatar... the damage will be acceptable, especially if it lands a crit, with the multiple crit damage modifiers (Merciless Hand, the weapon's enchantment...). And with the gloves and Outlander's Frenzy, she will attack fast enough.
Equipment
Nightshroud + Little Savior (Durgan Reinforced, Superb)
The Hours of St. Rumbalt (Durgan Refined, Legendary, Buerning Lash)
Maegfolc Skull
Cape of the Master Mystic
Blackwarden´s Breast (Durgan Reinforced, Superb, +2 PER)
Gauntlets of Swift Action
Belt of the Royal Deadfire Cannoneer
Gathbin Family Signet
Seal of Faith
Shod-in-Faith
Quick items: Potions of Deleterious Alacrity of Motion, Potions of Infuse with Vital Essence, Scrolls of Prayer Against Treachery, Scrolls of Wall of Flame, Scrolls of Insect Swarm.
I've leveled Lore on the other teammates to free her from having to cast Prayer Against... except the last one, so she can go on the offensive before the fights are over.
Master Spells:
Blessing, Divine Mark, Dire Blessing and Devotions of the Faithful
Zahua
It is something similar to a glass cannon build, whose main objective is to "clean" enemies from the battlefield.
Start the fight facing an enemy. While he is taking wounds, Zahua can finish him off, come to the rescue from the rear or start cleaning up the enemies disabled by Edér.
In tough fights he greatly benefits from Form of the Delemgam, and Potions of Llengrath's Displaced Image or Crowns/Shields for the Faithful.
Also, with Graceful Retreat, and the Form of the Delemgam bonus he gets +37 defenses on disengagement
Abilities:
Fighting Spirit (a)
Transcendent Suffering 4 (a)
Second Wind (a) (Athletics) (1 p/enc.)
1) Torment's Reach (a)
3) Swift Strikes
5) Force of Anguish
7) Stunning Blow (2 p/enc.)
9) Enervating Blows
11) Iron Wheel
13) Skyward Kick (2 p/enc.)
15) Flagellanth's Path
Talents:
2) Veteran's Recovery
4) Two Weapon Style
6) Lightning Strikes
8- Heart of the Storm
10) Graceful Retreat
12) Spirit of Decay
14) Weapon Focus: Ruffian
16) Apprentice Sneak Attack
Anitlei
Skills: Survival 8 (bonus Heal), Lore 10, rest to Athletics
Equipment
Fists
Bittercut (Durgan Refined, Superb, Corrosive Lash, Slaying (Beast)) * 2 (Helwax Mold)
Hermit´s Hat
Robe (with blood) (Durgan Reinforced, Legendary, Crush-Proofed, +2 DEX)
Ruphec's Watchful Cloak MKII
Mourning Gloves
Belt of Bountiful Healing
Pensiavi Mes Rèi
Ring of Protection
Boots of Speed
Quick items: Flask of War Paint, Potions of Llengrath's Displaced Image, Scrolls of Confusion, Scrolls of Prayer Against Bewilderment, Scrolls of Valor
The +40% healing received from the Survival bonus + 25% from the Belt of Bountiful Healing, and the passive healing from Veteran's Recovery, help Zahua stay alive throughout the fight.
Ruphec's Watchful Cloak MKII is very good here because I want Zahua to take damage, but not get overwhelmed, also the +2 PER.
The Rearguard
Aloth
I use Aloth in a similar way to Hiravias, but with the difference that Aloth is the crowd controller of the party.
Aloth starts, if necessary, by casting the scrolls of Prayer against..., then he casts his buffs (Deleterious Alacrity of Motion, Eldritch Aim), if necessary some defensive spells (Llengrath's Displaced Image) and then starts with the debuffs / cc spells (Miasma, Pull of Eora, Gaze of the Adragan).
Once the enemies are under afflictions, he starts casting damage spells, or I use blights with Combusting Wounds to not spend as many spell slots.
Talents:
2) Weapon Focus: Noble
4) Blast
6) Penetrating Blast
8- Marksman
10) Secrets of Rime
12) Penetrating Shot
14) Dangerous Implement
16) Interrupting Blows
Skills: Mechanics 13, 1 Survival, Athletics 1, rest to Stealth
Equipment
Golden Gaze (Exceptional, Freezing Lash, Slaying (Wilder))
Gyrd Háewanes Sténes
The Witch's Hat
Raiment of Wael's Eyes (Durgan Reinforced, Superb, Pierce-Proofed, +2 MIG)
Lilith's Shawl
Bracers of Spiritual Power
Looped Rope
Ring of Overseeing
Telda's Ring
Vietto’s Formal Footwear
Quick slots: Potions of Infuse with Vital Essebce, Potions of Merciless Gaze, Scrolls of Insect Swarm, Scrolls of Prayer Against Infirmity
Master Spells:
Eldrich Aim, Miasma of Dull-Mindedness, Deleterious Alacrity of Motion, Pull of Eora
Sagani + Itumaak
The second damage dealer of the team, if you invest in Itumaak's skills and talents.
Sagani always starts with Stormcaller to try to trigger Returning Storm, then switches to Persistence and activates Twinned Arrows. For enemies immune to piercing damage I keep Stormcaller up throughout the fight.
To get the most out of Stalker's Link and Stunning Shots, Sagani and Itumaak should attack the same target.
Abilities:
Hunter's Instincts (a)
Second Wind (a) (Athletics) (1 p/enc.)
1) Wounding Shot (a) (2 p/enc.)
3) Predator's Sense
5) Stalker's Link
7) Takedown (2 p/enc.)
9) Driving Flight
11) Stunning Shots
13) Twinned Arrows
15) Master´s Call (3 p/rest)
Talents
2) Resilient Companion
4) Marksman
6) Vicious Companion
8- Merciless Companion
10) Brutal Takedown
12) Heart of the Storm
14) Weapon Focus Peasant
16) Apprentice Sneak Attack/Envenomed Strike (3 p/rest)
Skills: Survival 10 (+15 Accuracy Bonus), Lore 10, rest to Athletics
With her high base class accuracy, high dexterity, her racial bonus, Survivai bonus, Blackwarden's Breast (friendly aura) bonus, and Cloak of the Frozen Hunt bonus she will crit a lot, especially against beasts.
Equipment
Persistence (Durgan Refined, Superb, Shocking Lash, Slaying (Beast))
Stormcaller
Helmet of Darksee
Cloak of the Frozen Hunt
Tundra Clothing (Legendary, Pierce-Proofed, +2 INT)
Gauntlets of Swift Action/Gauntlets of Accuracy
Sentinel's Girdle
Bartender´s Ring
Ring of Thorns
Glanfathan Stalking Boots
Quick items: Potion of Infuse with Vital Essence, Scrolls of Protection, Scrolls of Prayer Against Imprisonment, Scroll of Moonwell
Thanks for reading!