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The Iron Hammer This dwarf calls upon his ancestors' spirits to aid him in battle. They surround their progeny while he fights, blurring his outline and confusing, or terrifying, his enemies. He fights defensively and outlasts his enemies by locking them down in engagement and picking his moment for devastating retaliatory attacks. He can engage what seems like a whole screen of enemies (and gets better the more he engages) and provides persistent distraction to the whole group, making them all flanked and open for deathblows (including his own ripostes). If you pair the Iron Hammer with any AoE Rogue, that opening salvo (if you wait for engagement) will be all deathblows. *Update notes: I tweaked quite a few abilities and changed the gear to reflect. I also tested a min/max version of the build (stats and gear changes, abilities stayed the same) and it worked amazing on just about all the fights I put it in. I also did some testing solo and it was just too annoyingly slow for me to continue, but he was able to defeat all of the encounters I tried (with cheese tactics like summons and invisibility resets). NOTE: I have now used this build for Eder and it worked amazingly. Game Version: 3.1.1 Difficulty: PotD (+all Upscale, no mods) Solo: Untested Race: Dwarf, Mountain Class: Swashbuckler (Unbroken/Trickster) Home: White that Wends Background: Explorer Theme. Starting Stats (w/Berath’s Blessing): Mig: 10 Con: 8 (10) Dex: 8 (10) Per: 19 Int: 10 (11) Res: 18 Min/Max. Starting Stats (includes BB): Mig: 15 Con: 8 Dex: 2 Per: 19 Int: 16 Res: 18 Skills: Theme: Active: Split Athletics/Alchemy; Passive: Cap History Min/Max: Cap Athletics; Cap Metaphysics Abilities (In suggested order of selection): Disciplined Barrage Escape Fast runner Knockdown Fighter stance Weapon & shield Confident aim Determination Tactical Barrage Riposte Hold the line Bear’s fortitude Vigorous defense Persistent Distraction Unstoppable Fearless Superior deflection Deep wounds *Guardian stance (if in a party) / Unbending (if solo) Armored Grace Weapon specialization Adept evasion *Overbearing Guard (if in party) / Bull’s will (if solo) *Unbending (if in party) / Snake’s reflexes -or- Conqueror Stance (if solo) Unbending trunk Deathblows *Weapon mastery -or- Unbreakable (for a last ditch save) Weapon slots: Theme. Last Word (Threatening) & Akola’s Apex Ward (Shark teeth counter & Hide & Tooth) Min/Max: Kapa Taga (All Comers & Champion’s relic) & Cadhu Scalth (Luminous Harmony) Gear: Blackened Plate Helm Token of faith Blackened Plate Armor (Usher’s beckoning & Death in Life) Ring of Minor deflection Ring of greater regen Rakhan Field Boots Upright Captain’s belt Bracers of greater deflection Theme: The Gift Bearer’s cloth Min/Max: Cloak of Greater Deflection -or- Champion's Cape *Your choice of trinket (I normally have detonator shard on this guy as an emergency heal on back line, but Eye of Rymrgand is great defensive one) Nalvi (dog):+1 resolve and Reduces armor penalty for whole party *Put DPS pet, on Eder if you have that BB Consumables: Potion of Spirit Shield Potion of Moderate Healing Mohora wraps Coral snuff if you want to use drugs

=================================== Armorbreaker =================================== Difficulty: PotD v. 2.01 -------------------------------------------------------------- Solo: untested -------------------------------------------------------------- Class: Devoted(Estoc)/Streetfighter -------------------------------------------------------------- Race: Human, Hearth Orlan (party play) or whatever, preferably not Godlike, as there are 2 good helm picks for this -------------------------------------------------------------- Background: Old Vailia - Dissident -------------------------------------------------------------- Stats: MIG: 14 (you'll have plenty of other additive damage bonuses; still moderately important, it modifies aoe "spell-like" effects of some weapons and healing done) CON: 10 (don't really need more, don't really want to risk less) DEX: 14 (to be reasonably fast even without Streetfighter special active) PER: 18 (to hit & crit stuff, duh) INT: 17 (to keep that sweet Unbending + Disciplined Strikes + Refreshing Defence active as long, as possible; you only have so many resources) RES: 03 (with Unbending you'll survive anyway and kill any threats fast) -------------------------------------------------------------- Abilities | Proficiencies 01. Disciplined Barrage + Crippling Strike | Estoc! 02. Knockdown 03. Escape 04. Fighter Stances (usually use Cleaving) + Dirty Fighting 05. Two-Handed Style 06. Confident Aim 07. Disciplined Strikes + Finishing Blow 08. Rapid Recovery 09. Mule Kick (optional: Penetrating Strike which targets Deflection rather then Fortitude and provides even more Penetration) 10. Vigorous Defense + Persistent Distraction 11. Charge 12. Determination 13. Unbending + Deep Wounds 14. Devastating Blow 15. Armored Grace 16. Clear Out + Adept Evasion 17. Refreshing Defense 18. Slippery Mind (note it can disable some Streetfighter special trigger methods!) 19. Unbending Shield (optional Trunk) + Deathblows 20. Weapon Specialization (optional: Fearless or another defensive ability) or the recently buffed (but still expensive) Power Strike --------------------------------------------------------------- Items (!=important, r=recommended) Weapon Set 1: Estoc: BotEP -> Eager Blade (!) ->Engoliero de Espirs (!) Weapon Set 2: Some blunt(s) for skellies Alternative: Devoted to Battleaxes with Amra Axe. The playstyle is similar, it's an "in your face" aggressive melee that melts enemies around. It's a really good weapon. You'll face Penetration issues much more often though (2 lower Pen, no bonus Pen modal), so no longer an "Armorbreaker". Or you can go with generic Fighter and switch between estocs and axes, depending on enemy, but you'll loose Devoted 2 Pen (you'll have trouble penetrating some high armor enemies, but probably can manage with foods), 25% Crit bonus (Swashbuckler crits often) and frequent 30% Overpenetration on estoc crits. Head: Helm of the Falcon (speed) ® / later Heaven's Cacophony - for Avenging Storm 1/rest, which has good synergy with Clear Out ® Back: Giftbearer's Cloak with high History skill or Nemnok's Cloak for "On the Edge" playstyle or simply Greater Cloak of Protection Neck: Precognition or Claim and Refusal Armor: Devil of Caroc Breastplate (class resources! + good protection and speed) ® Waist: Gwyn’s Bridal Garter, optionally Undying Burden for more survivability or Upright Captain's Belt if you like to use Pull of Eora (the more interesting picks, like Nature's Embrace and Ngati's Girdle have sadly been nerfed to the ground) Hands: Gauntlets of Discipline ®, alternatively Woedica's Strangling Grasp or Boltcatchers, Rings: Entonia's Signet Ring ® + Ring of Greater Regeneration or Chameleon's Touch Boots: Boots of Stone, alternatively Rakhan Field for another active aoe ability Pet: Abraham (speed and heal) ® It'd be good to play with a history where Devil of Caroc from PoE1 spares Harmke/dies. Her Breastplate then becomes available in Marihi's Shop in Neketaka and offers good protection, speed and additional class resources for ability spam (very valuable). --------------------------------------------------------------- The build was created as a part of my journey to design a melee build that will: 1. Deal respectable aoe damage, 2. Deal high melee damage, 3. Use two-handers (my preferred weapon type since, well, always), 4. Work well throughout the game, not just at cap, 5. Be survivable and efficient even without much party support. It's probably solo-capable, but I don't test it for this criteria. I've tested various adventurer builds, mainly with berserker, at my own criteria: level 13 against tough Xaurip encounter on the Nekataka island with party present, but acting mainly as distraction, control over that char only, almost no AI scripts. Wasn't too happy with the results. Finally a Swashbuckler - Estoc Devoted with Eager Blade / Streetfighter aced the test. Why Estoc Devoted? An Estoc in the hands of a Devoted has high Penetration (10 base, goes up to 14 at Legendary quality), you get +2 Devoted Pen bonus and with a Fighter multiclass you can freely use the modal, which gives additional +2 Pen at the cost of some Deflection. With a Fighter you can soon outheal most damage (just not at the start), so tanking Resolve and Deflection is a non-issue. You end up overpenetrating a lot of the time for +30% damage (particularly that your bread & butter rogue move - Crippling Strike, also provides +2 Pen and crits multiply Pen by x1,5). And generally there are very few enemies who you have trouble penetrating. Advanced/elite skeletons are one such group, as they are immune to piercing damage. Well, eat that 10 Accuracy penalty and switch to another weapon for them. You'll still do more then respectable damage. Also there are very cool Estocs in this game, with some of the best available very early - and Eager Blade and Engoliero de Espirs effects greatly support the aoe damage playstyle I was aiming for. -> Blade of the Endless Paths depends on imported/set history from PoE1 and can be reforged as soon as you reach the main city for cheap. BotEP is Exceptional has nice speed, Accuracy and Critical damage bonuses. Might be best for single targets. -> Eager Blade can be bought from pirates in Dunnage - which can happen even before visiting the main city, if you know your way around. And it's even better. It's Superb, provides a random bonus at start of combat (+8 Deflection, +1 Armor or +10% damage) and stacking Accuracy and Speed bonuses on Crit. More importantly it's upgrade has 10% chance to negate recovery on hit (so basically double-attack) and, last but not least, attacking Near Death targets causes an attack aoe in frontal cone (which is not very small, with good Int I've seen it affect 3rd enemy row). Together with Cleaving Stance, this can lead to a cascade of kills and obviously works well with the likes of Avenging Storm. -> Then there's the Legendary Engoliero de Espirs. Not sure it's significantly better then the earlier pair. The Accuracy and Recovery bonuses on them are pretty sweet, but the quests and lore behind Engoliero are top notch and badass factor is trough the roof. Plus after you down an enemy, you get +2/+3 Might, Con & Dex (rather then -2/-3 before first kill, so not too good vs single opponents) and the Dex part kinda partially compensates for lack of other speed bonuses. The Ghost Blade procs (modified by the various damage variables) are very sweet vs large mobs due to the fairly large cone (but will nicely soften up even moderetely tough enemies). The raw lash is also very nice and makes Engoliero pull ahead in terms of damage done. Streetfighter likes to live dangerously. He's a fair bit slower then other rogues in his idle state, but when flanked by enemies or Blooded (below 50% Health), he becomes a meatgrinder. Blazing speed and additional +50% sneak attack damage vs vulnerable targets (on top of regular 30-60% of other Rogues and potential +50% from Deathblows). When both of the above criteria are met and when his Accuracy allows him to achieve a decent crit rate, things just explode (additional +100% crit damage on top of all the earlier bonuses). Of course this means he likes to engage multiple enemies, get hit and possibly stay damaged and Fighter abilities are just the perfect fit for that. In my opinion, Streetfighter with Heating Up or On the Edge abilities active is the best class to use two-handers and not feel slow and/or inferior to dual weapons. Some playstyle for tips for early party play: Recovery (+ later Rapid upgrade) you get from the get go is a nice healing stream, but often not enough to keep you alive, particularly on the first island, particularly when surrounded by enemies. If you have a Priest (you can recruit one in the first town you reach), at Power Level III he/she learns Consecrated Ground, which will temporarily help when you stay in the effect circle. Once he/she reaches Power Level IV, can cast "Triumph of the Crusaders", which heals for a LOT when you down an enemy - that should make you much more survivable already. New Power Levels are reached much earlier by pure classes btw. - level 7 for PL IV). Otherwise if you have a Druid, he can provide plenty of healing also. You still have to be careful for some time, but can afford a more daring playstyle. At your Power Level V (so multiclass character level 13) comes the bomb: Unbending, which makes you nearly unkillable for its duration. Just watch out for enemies casting Arcane Dampeners. Your signature Rogue moves are the trusty Crippling Strike, Finishing Blow for Blooded targets (up to +200% damage, eventually upgraded to Devastating for up to +300%), Escape for battlefield mobility, Persistent Distraction to make everyone you engage Sneak attack vulnerable. Dirty Fighting for extra crit rate. Later you'll pick Deep Wounds and finally Deathblows. Adept Evasion for defence. On the Fighter side you'll use Knockdown to interrupt nasty enemy skills, later upgraded to Mule Kick. Later Charge for cool mobility multihit and finally Clear Out to make mobs your bitches. The last 2 would work very well with Heaven's Cacophony Avenging Storm. Fighter Stances -> Cleaving Stance for extra attacks on kill. Disciplined Barrage-> Strikes should be always active. On the defensive side you'll want Rapid Recovery, Vigorous Defence (+Refreshing upgrade), Determination and, most importantly, Unbending. Also Armored Grace will be nice. With Fighter's Refreshing Defense (bonus to all defenses) and Determination (bonus to Intellect, Perception and Constitution affliction defense), Rogue Adept Evasion (negate Reflex Grazes - and we have high Reflex) and Slippery Mind (immune to Perception, Intellect and Resolve afflictions when Blooded - as a Streetfighter we like to be Blooded), as well as equipment: Gwyn's Bridal Garter (Dex affliction Resistance) and Boots of Stone (Might affliction Resistance), you will be well protected against most debilitating effects. Fighter's Disciplined Strikes, Vigorous Defense and later on Unbending Shield provide Concentration to ensure that nothing can stop you from demolishing your targets. Any comments are appreciated. Edit: Updated 02.09.18 to re-arrange some abilities and add info about Engoliero de Espirs.

[totally new to these forums so I apologize in advance if I'm missing any conventions about sharing builds or in the wrong forum with this post ] Out of the night when the full moon is bright comes the Watcher known as Zorro! The Huana huddle together in the center of their village, parents putting on brave faces as they hold whimpering children close. Cloaked figures with swords drawn advance on all sides, wicked intent written on their faces in the dim torchlight. Vailian mercenaries, Rauatai soldiers, Crookspur thugs - whoever they are, they mean to do evil on this night. But just as they're about to strike, dancing lights suddenly appear in the night sky. The ruffians look up warily as the lights arrange themselves into a letter “Z,” then flit away to the roof of a nearby hut. There, silhouetted against the full moon, stands a figure in a brimmed hat, rapier in hand, their cape fluttering in the breeze. "It is Zorro!" cries a Huana child, joy replacing the terror on their face. "Zorro is here!" "SHOOT HIM!” cries the leader of the cloaked figures, but they might as well shoot at the moon. As they scramble to discharge their weapons, the figure has already disappeared amid the crack of gunfire and shouts of alarm. Through the smoke and tumult, his sword flashes here and there, felling foes in its wake like trees in a storm. Panicked, the soldiers scatter as the villagers erupt in cheers. The night rings with jubilant chants of "Zorro! Zorro! Zorro!" --- I'm still getting a handle on the game's mechanics so I don't claim this as an optimized build at all, and it's only been tested so far through 9 levels, but I would love to hear people's ideas about how to make it more viable! The idea on offer here is to an Eoran Zorro: daring swashbuckler, champion of the oppressed and terror to tyrants across the Deadfire, who appears and disappears like a ghost leaving only the sign of the Z. Zorro fights one-handed with a rapier, and a pistol when necessary for his second set, emphasizing trickery, mobility and daring as he darts about. The accomplished swordsman easily maneuvers across the battlefield, deftly parrying his opponents' strikes and delivering ripostes to critical areas. Diego de la Vailia, the Lord of Caed Nua, an idle dandy the dashing swordsman ZORRO, unrecognizable behind his mustache! By day, the self-absorbed and foppish Diego de la Vailia, Lord of Caed Nua, dallies in the courts of the Deadfire's various contending powers. By night, the enigmatic bandit known as Zorro steals medicine for the Roparu, infiltrates pirate forts and plunders Crookspur ships with his black sloop "Tornado." Diego's sharp, sometimes cruel wit suggests vanity and disdain for the problems of others, while Zorro acts with both passion and compassion for the downtrodden. To the Bardattos, Dereos and Hanzanuis of the world, he is a callous mercenary; to the Huana tribe who he's helped escape from a cruelly exploitative VTC contract, he asks for nothing in return. Knave though he is, Zorro is not without his own sense of honor. He instructs his companions to stay out of his duel with Captain Benweth on the ramparts of Fort Deadlight, for example. And if he should pursue a bounty on any kith, he always announces himself before setting upon his quarry. Name: Diego de la Vailia Species, ethnicity, nationality, background: Human, Ocean Folk, Old Vailia, Aristocrat Role: Rogue (Trickster) / Fighter (Devoted: Rapier if you really want to fit the role, but I went with Black Jacket for the versatility and because regen isn't too important for this build) Voice: Percival de Rolo (lol) Stats (after human & Old Vailia bonus, before Berath's Blessings): M: 10 C: 9 D: 12 P: 18 I: 10 R: 19 (This was less about the stats perfectly fitting the roleplaying concept, and more about trying to fit the playstyle: accuracy, crits, high deflection & riposte. Thought about a higher Intelligence to fit the concept & for the Trickster's illusion spells, and it's hard to accept a Zorro who isn't Dexy, but I wanted to maximize that accuracy & deflection without dumping might or con.) Top skills (you'll want the Berath's Blessings and paid trainers to really get away with Zorro's levels of mary sue-ism): ATHLETICS - to scale the walls built to separate and control the people of the Deadfire! MECHANICS - no lock can stop the cunning fox Zorro! STEALTH - he appears and disappears like a ghost! BLUFF - who is this masked renegade? Surely not the preening Vailian aristocrat Diego de la Vailia, who spends his days idling at the Luminous Bathhouse or shopping at Iolfr's Raiments! INTIMIDATE - to address bullies in the only language they understand! Secondary skills: SLEIGHT OF HAND - for various shenanigans DIPLOMACY - Diego is a Vailian gentleman, after all INSIGHT - Zorro always seems to know what makes his enemies (and friends) tick Maybe? skills: RELIGION - Zorro has always found friends among those of the cloth HISTORY - politics and culture aren't wholly separate from Zorro's purpose, after all Gear: this is the least-developed part of the build, and where optimization clashes the most with the Zorro concept. I honestly did some googling to make some of these choices, since again I haven't even taken this build past level 9, so take them as a very gentle suggestion. I am also very keen on hearing people's ideas for better gear! (I did decline to pick up the Unstoppable fighter ability, which grants resistance to dexterity afflictions, because of Cipher's Shackle covering that resistance in this gear - so if you want a different amulet, you might want to adjust the abilities.) Weapon: Rännig's Wrath, which Zorro somehow plundered from the Bardatto vault at the same time Diego helped foil the Valeras' heist... Weapon set 2: Eccea's Arcane Blaster (crush damage option for piercing-immune enemies) Armor: Miscreant's Leathers or Fleshmender will fit the look, Casità Samelia's Legacy doesn't so much but its bonus deflection, which benefits from intimidation, fits nicely with the riposte build - but for endgame, after Zorro's identity has been exposed and the Vailian Trading Company is out for vengiatta, the Gipon Prudensco is perfect for deflection against disengagement attacks, which you can then bait and turn into ripostes Boots: Boots of Speed (disengagement defense and stride = totally Zorro's jam) Rings: Entonia Signet Ring, Chameleon's Touch Amulet: Cipher's Shackle Helm: a tricorn hat is the closest you'll come to looking like Zorro; the broad-brimmed hat only comes in light brown. otherwise the Blackblade's Hood will give you +10% action speed for carving Zs with a rapier, and a hood's not terrible for someone who's supposed to be hiding his identity, or Fair Favor will boost your crit chance and damage with your rapier while vaguely fitting the rapier-duelist look. Cowl of the Piercing Gaze is creepy and doesn't give you the bandito look but it will at least hide your identity, if for some reason you feel the mustache isn't enough. sadly there's no brimmed hat with a bandit mask, at least not until this wildly popular build prompts Obsidian to create one! Gloves: Burglar's Gloves fits the concept but maybe you want Killer's Gloves for the crit damage Pet: Zorro, of course! Abilities: again I've only played this build through level 9, but planning ahead, these have been selected as an awkward balance the Zorro concept - more to do with evasion and controlling the battlefield than actually dishing out pain - and what I imagine will be more successful in a video game where you have to actually down enemies, not just carve Zs in their pants and disappear. So take this with about ten pounds of salt- 1- Escape, Disciplined Barrage 2- Fast Runner 3- Crippling Strike 4- 1h style, Fighter Stances 5- Confident Aim 6- Determination 7- Riposte, Disciplined Strikes 8- Smoke Veil 9- Strike the Bell 10- Shadowing Beyond, Tumbling 11- Persistent Distraction 12- Dirty Fighting 13- Uncanny Luck, Conqueror Stance 14- Superior Deflection 15- Vigorous Defense 16- Slippery Mind, Clear Out 17- Refreshing Defense 18- Sap 19- Deathblows, Power Strike 20- Coordinated Positioning

It would be great if someone could shed some light on how Obsidian plans to incorporate this aspect in the game. I always roll a thief/assassin character in cRPGs and I am curious how it will turn out to be in PE. IMHO, BG2 had a very satisfying feel for the assassin - picking the right tools, items and skills, you could one-shot very hard foes before they got a chance to react. After that, you were kind of useless unless you had invisibility potions or items to do another stab, or it was running in the fog to re-stealth. The principle was very good and mostly satisfying but there were some pitfalls PE could learn from - first off, the one that most developers fail at - backstabing being based on weapon base damage / all weapons are equally good at stabbing. This must be avoided as a Staff of the Ram with huge base damage is an optimal backstabbing weapon no matter what. Instead, there should be a hefty bonus for daggers/short swords to make them the ideal weapon for such things. Dual-wielding should also amplify the backstabbing capabilities but should also have drawbacks compared to one-hand attacks. That said, a mace/sword rogue should definitely be a viable path and could have more consistent damage during combat as opposed to daggers that do a big initial burst but then perform worse as the clash stretches out. Another very important part is stealth and the mechanics surrounding it. I believe it's a consensus that the visual/audio hiding/checking should be merged into one, as no one would max one and leave the other low because that would still make sneaking impossible. Trying to go into stealth and "failing" was also mind boggling during the stages where your sneaking wasn't that good, requiring you to just sit there a couple of turns until you finally enter successful, so I think every attempt should be successful, it's just that lower levels would require you to be slower and more prone to detection. Visual cones is something that should definitely affect sneaking, as should walls and items that block vision (like in BG2). It shouldn't be too complicated though, a simple flat detection bonus should be applied if you are sneaking in front of someone as opposed to being behind them. Naturally, distance would factor in a lot as well. Anyway, I'll add more thoughts tomorrow, but feel free to add in or comment