Search the Community

Hi everyone! I'm finally starting my first playthrough of POE II (with full party, planning to go with Veteran mode) and thinking about creating a CC-focused caster (with some nuking sprinkled in). Will be playing turn-based. After looking through multiple forum posts here I'm leaning towards trying out a blood mage/priest and even found this amazing FAQ with a Wael Thaumaturge build, written by @thelee as far as I understand: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/227477-pillars-of-eternity-ii-deadfire/faqs/76599/case-study-2-deadfire-lich I also sort of like the idea of cipher/rogue. I have some unresolved questions after my search, however: 1) Is the Priest class in the gameFAQs build worth it for extra healing or the blood mage would be better off with e.g. multiclassing it with paladin? Would the build still function well in the turn-based setting? 2) Stats for thaumaturge (and for blood mage in general) are a bit confusing to me. Some recommend to dump CON, others suggest a fair bit of CON investment. What would ideal stats look like for this build? 3) Would a cipher (beguiler..?) or a cipher/rogue be a more robust choice for a cc-focused build? Is it possible to make a good gunner-cipher who is also effective as a caster? What would be approximately good stats for this build? Sorry for the messy questions - it just seems like there is quite a lot of information on the builds but none of it is recent and in games like this I try to make a build that feels right from the start, otherwise I end up forever restarting... Any input on the topic is highly appreciated! Thank you!

The -mostly- finished version, in testing, of Waethir the mean. Version: 2.1, POTD Compatible, Solo run untested. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorcerer: Animist / Wizard (No Subclass) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A magical dps that focus on dmg, CC, Debuff and general unpleasantness. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Race: Nature Godlike ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mystic Background ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Might: 15 Con: 8 Dex: 14 (+1 NG) Per: 15 (+1 NG, +1 White that Wends) Int: 15 Res: 8 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Skills: Metaphysics (for the Chromatic Staff), Sneak and Sleight of Hand (for fluff) or any you want. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weapon Focus: Medium Shield, Dagger, Staff, Flail ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spellbooks: Ninagauth's Grimoire & Snakeskin Grimoire ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spirit Form: Stag ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abilites: Free (f), picked upon leveling (p), Grimoires (g). Abilities I won't use from the grimoire are unmentioned. lvl 1: Sunbeam (f), Chill fog (p), Nature's Mark (p) lvl 2 : Fleet Feet (p, replace once you get DAoM) lvl 3 : Talon's Reach (p, replace with Touch of Rot later) Slicken (g) Sunbeam and Chill Fog both blind, but don't deal the same dmg/target the same defense. Nature's Mark makes Sunbeam and Talon's Reach hit easier. Talon's Reach got great early dmg, but will be replaced with Touch of Rot for additionnal DOT dmg to synergize with Combust wounds. Fleet Footed will be replaced by Arkemyr Dazzling Lights. lvl 4 : The Moon's Light (f), Infuse with Vital Essence (p), Insect Swarm (p) lvl 5 : Automn Decay (p) lvl 6 : Combust Wounds (p) Could pick Combust Wounds earlier but felt like I needed enough DOT to make it worthwhile (YMMV). At this point I rush to Neketara to do the Arkemyr Manor and get my grimoires and some items. lvl 7 : Returning Storm (f), Infestation of Maggots (p), Llendrath's Displaced Image (p), Arduous Delay of Motion (g), Ninagauth's Death Ray (g), Noxious Burst (g) lvl 8 : Deleterious Alacracity of Motion (p) lvl 9 : Expose Vulnerabilities (p) lvl 10 : Conjure Blight (f), Moonwell (p), Heart of the Storm (p), Ninagauth's Shadowflame (g), Ironskin (g) lvl 11 : Calling the world's Maw (p) lvl 12 : Form of the Delemgan (p) Here I got Nannasin's Cobra Strike. It doesn't work that well with the build, but I must try it once to see if it's as cool as it seems. lvl 13 : Plague of Insects (f), Relentless Storm (p), Rapid Casting (p), Ryngrim's Enervating Terror (g), Malignant Cloud (g), Ninagauth's Bitter Mooring (g) lvl 14 : Embrace the Earth Talon (p) lvl 15 : Llengrath's Safeguard (p) lvl 16 : Sunlance (f), Venombloom (p), Death Ring (g x2), Ninagauth's Freezing Pillar (g), Gaze of the Adragan's (g) lvl 17 : ? lvl 18 : ? Another two slots I'm not sure how to fill. I already got all the spells I wanted, so either more spells (if I missed something important, do tell) or passives. lvl 19 : Lashing Vine (f) Nature's Bounty (p), Lasting Empower (p), Tayn's Chaotic Orb (g), Ninagauth's Killing Bolt (g) lvl 20 : Potent Empower ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Equipments! Weapons: Dagger and Medium Shield at first for the increased defense using the modals (only if I read correctly and the additionnal recovery time is only for weapons), then options are; The Spine of Thicket Green, Chromoprismatic Quarterstaff, Magran's Favor or Watershaper Focus & Sun and Moon, Griffin's Blade, The Eye of Wael are all going to be in my bag. Griffin's Blade and Chromoprismatic Quaterstaff have my preference however. Armor: Aloth's Leather Armor, Miscreant Leather, Effigy Husk or Spider Silk Robe all feel like good choices. Gloves: Firethrower's Gloves Neck: Baubles of the Fin, Charm of Bones or Stone of Power Rings: Kuaru's Prize, Ring of Greater Regeneration Cloak: Ajamuut's Stalking Cloak Belt: The Undying Burden Shoes: Footprints of Ahu Taka This build plays pretty easely; Buff up, throw a spell that include Crowd Control or Debuff that your enemy is weak against, throw a few DOT spells, add Combust Wounds and wrap up with Infestation of Maggots. Although I included more defensive spells and items, it's still pretty damn fragile and qualifies for the crystal chekhov armory. I intend to have a pretty amoral POE1 backstory to have Effigy ressentment (CoC). This build can Blind, Stun, Petrify, Sicken, Weaken, reduce defences and attributes... I hope I'll make Galawain proud.

Hello all. I'm towards the beginning of a Cipher run, and believe it or not, I've never played a Cipher before (I know, they're supposed to be amazing, but I'm just getting around to it). Now, I'm at the point where I need to start making some real commitments to what direction I'm going to take my character in, but I'm split between two: 1. Crazy Awesome DPS 2. Crazy Awesome Crowd-control As you can see, either would be crazy awesome. But essentially, my character could go either way and, since I have zero experience with Ciphers, I was just wondering what the masses would suggest. Of the Cipher powers, which ones do you think are more effective, which ones work well with a party set-up (I'm probably going to stick mostly with Eder, Pallegina, Aloth, Durance, and Kana - I'm thinking of carrying this character over to Deadfire), etc.? Just FYI, my build is as follows: Meadow Folk Might: 16 Constitution: 9 Dexterity: 10 Perception: 15 Intellect: 18 Resolve: 10 And I'm playing on Hard. All suggestions are welcome.

Hi, i want to create a Cipher for my second playtrough.This time i want to min/max a little bit.I aim to create a inteligence-based CC spells only Cipher, to get most out of max Int. I want to use guns.Mainly because i never played ranged, and didnt played much of a dnd rpgs with gunpowder. RACE Should i choose Godlike for that +1 inteligence?And try to max out Int to 20?If yes, what kind?The racial bonuses seems a little off... Or just go with human? Atributes What would be the ideal number of inteligence for max CC?Is 20 overkill?I dont think that Might will give me bonus to ranged damage.Low cont is ok, i will be back anyway and plan to have at least 2 tanks.High dex i suppose, and maybe resolve for interupting reloading and casting spells? Talents From Cipher tallents: Greater Focus.Since i will do big damage, should i have this so i can earn more? Biting whip?I think its good, i would take it. Draining whip?Instead of Greater focus? Psychic/brutal backlash.Since im not at front lines, i will not be will targeted, no? All tallents Weapon Focus Ruffian.I think its must.I will be using pistol AND blundebuss. Marksman/Close shooter : What is close and what is distant?I would take Marksman. Gunner.Since guns are slow to reload, would this be good? Two-handed style.Wiki didnt sad it is only for melle...so i dunno What about armor?Should i carry only light?Or some lighter medium armor? if you have any tips in area i didnt mention, let me know.And thank you in advance for any advice!

My main focus here is going to be on the forced use of Character portraits. I understand they are near and dear to a lot of people in this type of community but I'd again rather have a system that just shows a crop of my created character. I don't want to have to use a custom portrait and spend 20 minutes of my life every time I created a different character due to me being unsatisfied with the provided (vanilla) character portaits. Now, moving on to lack of customization options for faces and my issues with bodies and height. Why is it that all of the faces have the same deminsion and size? why are our options of facial hair and other things so limited? I also find some of the races (Humans) to be awkwardly stumpy in demenor. Very short with large heads as if for no real reason other than to say all human males are 5ft tall. I didn't care for this much. Or rather I do care. A lot. And lastly Over all texture quality for the NPCs in the world are too low. Everything else in the world is seemless and beautiful but the characters take away from it. They stick out like a sore thumb against these 2D backgrounds, and not in a good way. They appear at times to be pixilated, jagged, and their animations bring about a strong desire for me to have the option to turn texture filtering up to X18 and X8 antializing. But then I realized it wouldn't do anything to change these settings when they are provided because the textures themselves are made to be old looking as if to pay homage to an older game. This is not however, an older game. I'm running a machine capible of playing the witcher 3 on max settings. I would just like to see some more quality and higher texture resolution. Also, heavier NPC and character shadows and possible character outlines to make NPC's stand out more from their background. Thanks guys. Sorry If I was a jerk. It's 5am!