What second class for a druid built around the soulbound poleaxe?

[grasida]

I want to make a lifegiver druid built around Lord Darryn's Voulge. I've seen on these forums that it gives +3 power levels to storm spells and lifegiver gives +2 to the druid's healing spells, so you could make a multiclass that casts its spells as well or better than a typical single class druid while enjoying the benefits of the second class. I've always liked the druid's elemental and healing spells, but have never liked spirit shift, so this is a nice way to get a versatile character with flavor that I like.

 

I'll be playing on PotD with the story companions, but I don't want a power build, necessarily, just something where I didn't feel like I screwed myself over. Part of the motivation for this character is versatility over power, which is one reason I take lifegiver and not fury. But I don't know what my second class should be. Lord Darryn's Voulge seems to benefit from getting in a lot of hits, not necessarily all at the same target, and critting often. I'll list out my picks and I'm curious to see what people have to say about them. I'm also curious what kind of stat distribution you guys would go for.

 

Devoted: Seems the clear pick, since it gives great defenses, lots of ways to hit multiple enemies at once and and boosts crits. I'm really not sure how significant the extra penetration would be, since it seems the voulge, with best of shock/slash, shouldn't have much trouble penetrating on its own. The one thing scaring me away from it is the sense that charge and cleaving stance are going to be hit hard in the next patch and quite possibly won't be capable of spreading weapon on hit effects so readily. Devoted screws up spirit shift, but I don't care about that anyway.

 

Nalpazca: Micro managing drugs is annoying, but I love the flavor of swift flurry, and it seems like it would help proc static charge faster. You get tons of damage and the int boost is really nice too. Getting both lightning strikes and swift flurry on one character looks fun. (unless they overwrite each other, in which case monk gets thrown right out the window). But most of the really good stuff (turning wheel, flagellant's path, heartbeat drumming) only comes very, very late when you don't have much time to enjoy using it.

 

Streetfighter: Number one advantage is getting escape from level one. That's so much fun by itself. Riposte is supposed to be pretty weak, but I love the flavor, and it would help spread around static charge. And streetfighter's recovery boost looks really, really good for two handed weapons. And the damage output should be pretty monstrous from sneak attack and eventually deathblows. But I don't know if lifegiver's heals are enough to keep a streetfighter alive while surrounded and I don't really like the streetfighter gimmick that much anyway, even if it's very powerful. I'd prefer trickster, but trickster just looks very bad all around except maybe at very high levels.

 

Kind Wayfarer: This is a good guy with light and healing spells, so thematically it fits very well, but I don't see much other reason to take this combo, especially since kind wayfarer really wants to dual wield. Also, paladin doesn't get a mobility skill, and those make the game so much fun.

 

Is there anything else? I'm ignoring barbarian because I just don't really like the flavor of berserker, especially with this build and dealing with confusion seems really annoying, particularly since the character will be casting a storm spell at the start of every fight.

Edited May 29, 2018 by grasida

[Myrtillo]

If you are not looking for powerbuilding, and given the flavor you seem to look for, a case could be made for ranger (ghost heart)

 

 

- It will not be as good as applying stacks, lacking some aoe melee (Unfortunately being multiclassed you don't have access to whirling strikes), but it will be really good when you want to proc the crit reliably. (lots of accuracy bonuses+Accurate wounding shot).

 

- Evasive roll is a very good mobility skill: Cheap, no recovery and gives you quick inspiration.

 

- As you are wearing a two hander and not dual wielding, primary attacks are good for you, so you can find a use for concussive tranquilizer, and Taste of the Hunt from druid.

 

- Your pet brings some control with takedown or furious call, adding to the versatility.

 

I think that would make a great character, original and fun to play wth a lot of options, not op but still efficient (and ranger and druid have almost zero risk of getting nerfed since it seemed like a concern).

Use a couple of druid defensive buffs/rejuvenation, jump in the melee or to the backline with evasive roll, start applying stacks while doing serious damage with taste of the hunt, and concussive tranquilizer if the ennemies have buffs, while your ghost pet distracts and cc them. Then get an almost guaranteed crit with accurate wounding shot to proc the stacks.

Feel free to cast your lightning/rejuvenation spells in between as needed.

[grasida]

I thought about ranger, but I’m going into this character just coming off a sense of disappointment with a soulblade/ghost heart, so I want to try something else. I was a little disappointed with how slow and weak the animal companion felt. Although having an instant cast, cheap summon to absorb hits is really good, even with heavy investment in the animal companion, it didn’t feel like it was doing much for me. The rest of the ranger class didn’t feel like it was contributing enough either, though I think it would have gotten a lot better at higher levels with driving flight, evasive fire and takedown combo into soul annihilation. I’ll probably go back and give it, or some other ghost heart build, a try later.

 

As for ranger/druid, another issue for me that’s almost embarassing to admit is that I really don’t like the class name “beastmaster”.

[Crumbleton]

I would suggest against lifegiver as I believe you have to spirit shift to make the best use of there abilities so an animist may work better.

 

Regarding monk as far as I know it would override and not stack.

 

As for the voulge itself I don't belive it adds storm power unless it's a non listed buff I'd have to Check when I'm home.

 

https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Amira%27s_Wing. There is this 2h rod for wind power you can sail to the island quickly but getting the rod may be a bit tricky you may be able to stealth grab it though if you are looking for a more of a caster approach.

 

If you really want to combo a druid with the polearm I feel animist / devoted would be your best bet for what you described since you won't have to rely on shifting etc.

 

 

What aspect of your character is the most important to you?

[Myrtillo]

I would suggest against lifegiver as I believe you have to spirit shift to make the best use of there abilities so an animist may work better.

 

 

 

Not really, you still get the +2 without being spiritshifted.

 

Spiritshift gives a extra bonus followed by a malus, so it is situationnal.

If he does not intend to summon creatures, then lifegiver is fine.

 

If he wants summons, then of course animist is an option.

[grasida]

I would suggest against lifegiver as I believe you have to spirit shift to make the best use of there abilities so an animist may work better.

 

Regarding monk as far as I know it would override and not stack.

 

As for the voulge itself I don't belive it adds storm power unless it's a non listed buff I'd have to Check when I'm home.

 

https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Amira%27s_Wing. There is this 2h rod for wind power you can sail to the island quickly but getting the rod may be a bit tricky you may be able to stealth grab it though if you are looking for a more of a caster approach.

 

If you really want to combo a druid with the polearm I feel animist / devoted would be your best bet for what you described since you won't have to rely on shifting etc.

 

 

What aspect of your character is the most important to you?

Myrtillo already beat me to it regarding animist vs. lifegiver. Since I'm multiclassing and don't want to spend a lot of ability choices on druid spells, lifegiver has no downside at all. Druid heals are quite good, and free access as well as boost to their efficacy is quite nice.

 

Lord Darryn's Voulge definitely gives +3 to storm spells as its second upgrade if you bind it to a druid. The upgrades are different for different classes, though. For example, the upgrade listed on the wiki is only for barbarians.

 

Interestingly, lord darryn's voulge's lightning strikes doesn't replace swift flurry, and the speed boosts from the two stack! It doesn't work together with the regular lightning strikes from monk, though, so no +60% lightning damage. But even with the ability to get both flurry abilities at the same time, I'm not sure this makes monk a better choice than devoted.

 

Extra question: Does static charge on lord darryn's voulge actually do anything? I see a graphical effect play when it should proc, but I don't see any numbers in the combat log or anything popping up over the enemies' heads.

Edited May 31, 2018 by grasida

[dunehunter]

Monk, Fighter is a no brainer for melee multiclass builds now, just pick whichever u like.

Edited May 31, 2018 by dunehunter

[Haplok]

 

 

Extra question: Does static charge on lord darryn's voulge actually do anything? I see a graphical effect play when it should proc, but I don't see any numbers in the combat log or anything popping up over the enemies' heads.

 

Well, the static charge damage rolls are not visible, but it definately does damage. Also to my own party (Berserker here). Perhaps more importantly it dispenses Distracted/Flanked in a pretty wide area (so is great to set up sneak attacks).

Edited June 1, 2018 by Haplok