[Class Build] "The Howitzer" Ranged Crowdcontrol/DPS

[Dorftek]

This build is created around Serafens Handcannon, to use it to its full potential and wreak havoc on crowds of enemies. The build is very fun and also very effective. I'll post a couple of videos down below.

Played on Solo Potd Upscaled - All, Patch 1.1

Classes, Assassin/Nalpazca:
- Assassin is chosen because of its highly accurate opening shot wich is crucial to inflict afflictions on enemies right from the start, Rogues afflictions are perfect for this build.
- Monk is chosen because i wanted that +10Int for bigger radius and longer affliction durations. Nalpazca was chosen because Whiteleaf will be our only convenient way of healing.

Backround And Race:
- Any race is fine really, I picked Pale Elf because i like Pale Elfs =)
- Old Vailia for +1 Int and Hunter for an Alchemy point.

Attributes:

Mig: 12

Con: 8

Dex: 18

Per: 18

Int: 19 (18+1 Old Vailia)

Res: 3

Speed, Accuracy, Radius and Duration are very important. Your Will defence in combat will be through the roof with whiteleaf running and Int nearly capped. For other saves fall back on potions if u need it.

Abilities:

I am not going to tell u exactly what to pick at every level. Instead i will list the most important ones and why i think they are important.

- Swift Strikes - Lightning Strikes: More speed and a small lash is great and before we get Stunning Surge we wont have anything else to spend Mortification points on.

- Crippling Strike, so we can upgrade it to Arterial Strike ASAP, Arterial Strike is amazing with this build, example will be shown in a video further down.

- Escape: While not overly used, it will help u get into a good position and give u a great defense boost while u perfom whatever action u teleported there to perfom.

- Dirty Fighting: Critical hits, extremely important once u get Stunning Surge.

- One Handed Style: Same reason as Dirty Fighting, u never want to miss and u want to crit as much as possible.

- The Long Stride and Fast Runner are picked because Stride is very important.

- Blinding Strike - Confounding Blind: Lower the enemies deflection and Acc in AoE? Glorious!

- Stunning blows - Stunning Surge: This is where the fun starts, Stunlock enemies in AoE and get all ur Mortification points spent back, each Crit in the AoE will give u 2 points back!

- Deep Pockets: Because consumables are king!

- Thunderous Blows: This lasts for around 25sec(ish) for us in combat, gives us both might and pen wich is great, this is also important to protect urself from nasty might afflictions such as Stuns.

- Duality of Mortal Presence - Mind: This stance is the reason why i picked monk in the first place really, +10 Int in combat is straight up amazing!

- Corroded Strike is a very lethal DoT, it increases in dmg the longer it stays on target, and with ur Int it will stay a while! The 3 guile cost doesnt feel so expensive anymore when u can inflict a grp of enemies with it at once. Use it on a pack of stunlocked enemies if u have the extra guile.

That will have to do with the abilities, i think i havent missed anything super important but in any case, feel free to mix and match but i highly recomend the abilities above.

VIDEOS:

Here is a Video showing off Arterial Strike when i was lvl 11:

And here is a Video showing off Stunning Surge against Beina Bounty on lvl 13:

I've had a bug where the sound from an "Implosion Grenade" have been following me around from time to time, thats the super annoying sound ur hearing in that video.

I'll Throw this one in here just as a treat, i present to u, the ultimate cheese:

Skills:

- Pump ur Alch as high as u can and get a minimum of 5 Arcana for Moonwell scrolls. High Alch gives u great potions and increases the effectiveness of drugs a lot.
-I recomend u keep resting to a minimum and use powerful food and a Luminous Adra Potion along with Dunnage female hooker for +1 skills and (very important) immunity to engagement vs lesser enemies. If you do not enjoy this kind of min/maxing i recomend u get the Brigandine Armour from Beinas Bounty and enchant it with "Immunity to disengagement attacks". You do NOT want to get locked into engagements with this guy!

Gear:

- Serafens Handmortar (Obviously), go to Fort Deadlight and kill Serafen and loot his Mortar if you are soloing.

- Peter, the cat. Increases AoE dmg and AoE radius, perfect for us. Can be found on second floor in Oathbinder's Sanctum.

- Most of the time i used Aloths armour for more radius and a Ring of Overseeing for more radius again. The gains are quite small so feel free to use something else if u wish.

- Helmet: Pick one =)

- Necklace: i used a +1 Int neck mostly, but go ahead and pick a neck item that suits u =)

- Belt: "The Amazing and truly incredible instant potion belt". This can be bought at the Beraths blessing merchant on Port Maje or from a merchant in northen Sacred Stairs (i really hope my memory isnt failing me now). This one gives u +2 Alch and a random potion each encounter.

- Gloves: Apothecary's Gloves, these can be bought from the alchemy shop in Perikis Overwartch. Keep Burglars gloves in ur inventory when u need a mechanic boost.

- Boots: Boots of Speed, because Stride is king for rounding up enemies and for kiting/positioning.

 

- Cloak: Pick one =)

 

I used Beraths blessings for Attributes, Skills, special merchant and for money on this guy. Its not a "must" tho, just very convenient.

Edited July 1, 2018 by Dorftek

[Dorftek]

Funny moment =)

 

[Dr <3]

No mechanichs to deal with traps?

 

And more important: how is possible to bind more than 1 skill to hotkeys?

[ibanix]

You could also complete Serfen's quest and get Fire In The Hole for better base stats.

[Dorftek]

No mechanichs to deal with traps?

 

And more important: how is possible to bind more than 1 skill to hotkeys?

As a rogue you start with some mechanics skill and with all the bonuses (training, beraths blessing, luminous adra pot, gloves, thieves snef and the Dunnage hooker) u will have plenty when u need it.

 

You hoover over the skill and press key.

[Dorftek]

You could also complete Serfen's quest and get Fire In The Hole for better base stats.

If you play with a party absolutely! I played solo tho so I had to settle with the handmortar, wich is plenty good anyway

[Manveru123]

Is the bonus from One Handed Style really worth losing a weapon in the offhand? I mean, I could understand if you used pistols, because with their modal single-wield is probably better, but mortars?

[Dorftek]

Is the bonus from One Handed Style really worth losing a weapon in the offhand? I mean, I could understand if you used pistols, because with their modal single-wield is probably better, but mortars?

 

IMO yes but this is because the main point of this build is to crowdcontrol and inflict rogue afflictions in AoE. When hitting a crowd with stunning surge u will never run out of Mortification points. The higher chance to crit with the effects the better, Toxic strike is expensive to use but very lethal with this build. However, if i could have two AoE mortars id dual weild them without a doubt to take advantage of the full attacks. If you check out the video i posted on Beinas bounty u'll see what i mean. 

 

I first only made this build with the handmortar to have fun with Arterial strike in AoE, monk was at first only picked for the +10Int in mind, but when i got stunning surge i decided to make this a build and post it because it was so strong. Its also tons of fun to play i'd highly recomend it. For singletarget i use Scordios Trophy + modal.

 

Edit: Just made this video just to show u what i mean 

 

Edited June 20, 2018 by Dorftek

[Malorne]

What enchantments do you use on Mortar and Scordios Trophy?

[Dorftek]

What enchantments do you use on Mortar and Scordios Trophy?

Blinding smoke or whatever it's called on the mortar. Extra pen on crit on scordios. And both legendary.

[peolone]

Do you think it is better to go for max area of effect with aloth's cloth and pets with + aoe range or to put on miscreant leathers and cutthroat cosmo and push to reach max action speed and recovery time?

[Dorftek]

Do you think it is better to go for max area of effect with aloth's cloth and pets with + aoe range or to put on miscreant leathers and cutthroat cosmo and push to reach max action speed and recovery time?

Aloths leather gives very little, I only used it because I wanted to make the aoe as big as I possibly could. I later changed into the brigandine u get from Beina, immunity to engagement was just too good. U can use whatever armour u want honestly, just make sure u won't die by enemies initial ranged barrage before u have CC'd them all.

 

I do prefer Peter the cat, it gives both dmg and radius. Less recovery never hurt tho.

[Lampros]

Oh, wait; this build seems to require no - or little - Wound expenditure? So I don't necessarily have to pick Helwalker?

[Dorftek]

Oh, wait; this build seems to require no - or little - Wound expenditure? So I don't necessarily have to pick Helwalker?

You want to keep your wounds for the +10int. This build should be less good now then when I played it, atleast on solo after the nerf on whiteleaf. Bosses and multiple ranged enemies would be a problem. Also Stunning Blow can no longer regen more mortification then u spent on the attack. The concept still work tho ofc but I wouldn't play him solo any longer

[Lampros]

 

Oh, wait; this build seems to require no - or little - Wound expenditure? So I don't necessarily have to pick Helwalker?

You want to keep your wounds for the +10int. This build should be less good now then when I played it, atleast on solo after the nerf on whiteleaf. Bosses and multiple ranged enemies would be a problem. Also Stunning Blow can no longer regen more mortification then u spent on the attack. The concept still work tho ofc but I wouldn't play him solo any longer

 

 

I am running a full group, not solo. So that shouldn't be a big deal. A bit squishy early but fun!

[Lampros]

After giving up on this build in an earlier playthrough (I was having trouble keeping the character alive), I tried again in a very tanky group, and this guy is now rocking. It's utterly amazing how many guys this guy is CC with the two mortars and their huge AoE radius. As a plus, he's also the top DPS. I think some form of a mortal AoE character will always form a part of my future playthroughs.

[Dorftek]

After giving up on this build in an earlier playthrough (I was having trouble keeping the character alive), I tried again in a very tanky group, and this guy is now rocking. It's utterly amazing how many guys this guy is CC with the two mortars and their huge AoE radius. As a plus, he's also the top DPS. I think some form of a mortal AoE character will always form a part of my future playthroughs.

Yeah the game was much easier when I played him. Whiteleaf were very strong then

[Lampros]

 

After giving up on this build in an earlier playthrough (I was having trouble keeping the character alive), I tried again in a very tanky group, and this guy is now rocking. It's utterly amazing how many guys this guy is CC with the two mortars and their huge AoE radius. As a plus, he's also the top DPS. I think some form of a mortal AoE character will always form a part of my future playthroughs.

Yeah the game was much easier when I played him. Whiteleaf were very strong then

 

 

It's still a very powerful build!

[Haplok]

 

 

After giving up on this build in an earlier playthrough (I was having trouble keeping the character alive), I tried again in a very tanky group, and this guy is now rocking. It's utterly amazing how many guys this guy is CC with the two mortars and their huge AoE radius. As a plus, he's also the top DPS. I think some form of a mortal AoE character will always form a part of my future playthroughs.

Yeah the game was much easier when I played him. Whiteleaf were very strong then

 

 

It's still a very powerful build!

 

 

Indeed. Although mortars are beggining to use a Streetfighter instead of assasin for more carnage 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Haplok

[Lampros]

 

 

 

After giving up on this build in an earlier playthrough (I was having trouble keeping the character alive), I tried again in a very tanky group, and this guy is now rocking. It's utterly amazing how many guys this guy is CC with the two mortars and their huge AoE radius. As a plus, he's also the top DPS. I think some form of a mortal AoE character will always form a part of my future playthroughs.

Yeah the game was much easier when I played him. Whiteleaf were very strong then

 

 

It's still a very powerful build!

 

 

Indeed. Although mortars are beggining to use a Streetfighter instead of assasin for more carnage 

 

 

I avoid Streetfighter, because I don't like to babysit stuff

[Haplok]

But a blunderbuss Streetfighter needs no babysitting :D. Powder Burns automatically triggers his special all the time.

[vanyel54]

Just a quick note to say that this character works very well. Very powerful and fun from start to finish (POTD solo Run on V5.0).
The small changes i have compared to the starting build:
- I use the grog pet to avoid engagement (very useful on this build)
- For the armor, I prefer devil of caroc breastplate (not really original but so powerful)
- When there is only one target left, I switch to Scordeo's Trophy (with Opening Barrage enchantment)

Thanks again Dorftek!

[Zauberelefant_]

I dislike Monk for an Pistol/ Firearm Build, unfortunatly.

 

Are there other cool Pistol/Blunderbuss/Arquebuse Builds around ? If dual-wield or not ist not that important to me.

I want a satisfying Firearms Build for my Maincharacter for PotD.

My personal preferences are:

Barbarian, Paladin, Ranger, Fighter, Cipher and Rogue ( a bit.. somehow)

 

I would really appreciate sone advices and Tipps for nice Firearm Builds to lvl from 1 to end

 

[Haplok]

Rogue/Ranger I guess. For blunderbusses particularly Streetfighter/Sharpshooter I guess. Get dual aoe mortar blunderbusses from Serafen (he starts with one, finishing his easy personal quest yields you another). Get bouncing upgrade on the 2nd and I guess the Blinding Smoke on 1st. Get the extra bounce ability from ranger. Get damaging/debuffing/DOT abilities from Rogue. Most should work in aoe, but avoid the Strike/Pierce the Bell line.

[Boeroer]

With Hand Mortar+Fire in the Hole I would pick Streetfighter/Arcane Archer. Fire in the Hole has a built-in jump (if properly enchanted with Chain Shot) and Driving Flight adds another one. If you put Fire in the Hole in the main hand and shoot an Imbue:Web or Imbue:Pull of Eora (even better if both) you create 3 instances of web/pull with one shot with immense ACC which will stop all non-resistant/immune enemies and pull them together so tight that your mortar explosions will hit them all while they are hard-CC'd for quite a long time. 

Streetfighter is just the optimal pick with everything Blunderbuss/Mortar related. Deathblows do immediately get unlocked by Blinding Smoke (Hand Mortar's enchantment). Mortars not only do AoE damage and target Reflex instead of Deflection for it, but also have dual damage. Against single targets switch to Kitchen Stove + some other Blunderbuss.

A SC Streetfighter or Assassin can get to Gambit + Vanishing Strikes and cause massive mayhem with mortars while invisible. You need max INT and all the duration buffs you can get - like the Ooblit pet and special food and items - to extend the unbreakable invisibility of Vanishing Strikes. Also Backstab. Then just walk into a group and use Vanishing Strikes, then deal AoE Backstabs with Gambit. But before that it's obviously just an ordinary SC gun Rogue. 

With pistols it's best to go single handed (if you don't want to use a ton of Full Attacks all the time) and use the modal. The increase in reload speed is immense (faster than dual wielding) and you only lose 3 ACC (while gaining 15% crit conversion). Against pierce immune foes you can switch to Eccea's Arcane Blaster. Rogue/Ranger is also a good pick here but maybe neither Streetfighter nor Arcane Archer. Also Ciphers are good with this because they have no own full attacks anyway. 

Barbarians aren't too good with guns unless you pick a SC Barb and wait for Heart of Fury (which works with guns - especially well with mortars). Biggest reason is because Blood Thirst doesn't remove reload, only recovery  (Heart of Fury does not trigger reload even if you use it with guns but only recovery). Guns also work with Barbaric Retaliation. Once you reach PL 8 a ranged Barb becomes fun and with PL 9 a ranged Barb becomes quite awesome due to Driving Roar (which is one of the most powerful dmg/CC combo abilities out there because at PL 9 it already has 8 power levels of scaling under its belt).

With an Arquebus you can build decent Assassins. E.g with Bleak Walker/Assassin. Use the arquebus modal with Ring of Focused Flames and Flames of Devotion from stealth/invisibility and you'll have almost a guaranteed crit (+65 ACC). Dragon's Dowry is the best arquebus for assassinations. Funnily enough a Berserker/Assassin, while frail, works surprisingly well with Barbaric Smash+Assassinate as well. With the Red Hand you can once again use a Ranger/Rogue but also Cipher/Rogue is good. Cipher/Debonaire is one of my favorites because you can always charm an enemy and then shoot them for a nearly guaranteed crit. Even better: once you can cast Disintegrate you can charm, then land a crit with Disintegrate - and the enemy won't even flip back! The fast pistol shots make sure you get enough focus.

Fighters aren't particularly good with guns unless you wait for Clear Out and put a gun in your main hand and a melee weapon or bashing shield in the offhand. This will unlock the option to execute Clear Out with a gun (pistol or blunderbuss). Especially devastating with mortars since it's AoE of Clear Out * AoE(s) of mortars. Also SC Fighter with Clean Sweep or Clear the Path (my favorite) is very impressive. My pick would be SC Devoted for Clear the Path or Devoted/Sharpshooter for max PEN and additional jumps with Driving Flight or Devoted/Streetfighter for high Sneak Attack and reload speed.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Boeroer