What Are Some Fun Melee DPS Options?

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

Hey guys, 

 

So, I'm a huge fan of melee/martial characters in games like this, and I'm wanting to hear some opinions on which ones you've all had the most fun with. 

 

So far, I've been really enjoying my Marauder (Berserker/Streetfighter), though it's definitely kind of slow early on. I just cleared Port Maje on PotD so I should hopefully be getting some better gear soon, because not being in melee definitely hurts. 

 

I'm curious as to what other class combinations you guys have found success with, in case I want to try something out for a different playthrough. 

[Incendax]

Any Sage is a bucket of fun. Nalpazca for the good drugs, then Illusion or Enchant to flavor. This gives you so much flexibility, from being insanely tanky with Illusion defenses, to solid DPS with offensive buffs, or even just swapping to Int and standing back with a few fireballs when you get bored of punching people (Illusion and Enchant do not give up Evocation).

 

You just have an answer to almost everything, and can mix up your play style if you get bored.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Incendax

[zendingo]

If you like something that does decent melee damage and doesn't go splat on PotD there are quite a few options. I am currently running a Brute (Devoted/Berserker) who has 2x as much damage as anyone else in my party and zero deaths through level 16. He has good hit to crit, penetration, free extra attacks, and speed increases. For survivability he is loaded up on armor, self-healing, and maxed Con so he can take a licking and keep on ticking. Dump resolve since points there are wasted with the deflection penalty of frenzy.

[Sotnik13]

If you like something that does decent melee damage and doesn't go splat on PotD there are quite a few options. I am currently running a Brute (Devoted/Berserker) who has 2x as much damage as anyone else in my party and zero deaths through level 16. He has good hit to crit, penetration, free extra attacks, and speed increases. For survivability he is loaded up on armor, self-healing, and maxed Con so he can take a licking and keep on ticking. Dump resolve since points there are wasted with the deflection penalty of frenzy.

Which weapon u choosed as a devoted and why? And which weapon do u use? Also u playing solo or in a group? Thanks.

 

Regarding topic - there is interesting build that starts to shine later on. Monk(Nalpazka)/Rogue(Streetfighter). It utilizes dagger (Pukesaber)  - 20% action speed when drunk, 20%+ action speed boost from Alcohol (can't remember name), 20%+ drug (coral dust sniff). Up ur perseption for high crit chanse + take Orlan for additional hit to crit conversion = u will get additional attacks from crits cause of monk swift strikes. Cause of nalpazka u wil get 10 wounds constantly = fire damage from monk turning wheel + monk tenacity buff.

 

This give u huge attack speed rating + streetfighter damage bonus to afflicted targets.

[Marigoldran]

Paladin/Chanter.  GoldPact/Troubador.

 

Stack deflection, regen, and heavy armor and brand your enemies and watch them slowly die as their attacks bounce futilely off of you.  

 

Soloed POTD with it.  Even deadlier in a party.  

Edited June 25, 2018 by Marigoldran

[arkane83]

Paladin/Chanter. GoldPact/Troubador.

 

Stack deflection, regen, and heavy armor and brand your enemies and watch them slowly die as their attacks bounce futilely off of you.

 

Soloed POTD with it. Even deadlier in a party.

 

The build he speaks of is amazing... stupid overpowered.

 

Paladin/Rogue and Paladin/Barbarian are also great, but not as silly OP as Paladin/Chanter.

[Gromnir]

if you single class a monk, fighter, rogue, barbarian or paladin, you should have an effective and fun melee character.  if you multiclass any o' the aforementioned you should have an effective and fun melee character.  if you multiclass any o' the aforementioned with a chanter or wizard, you should have an effective melee character. 

 

*shrug*

 

you can have effective druid multiclass melee characters, but you need be aware o' penetration issues o' wildstrike weapons in a potd run, so stuff such as berserker makes more sense for druid multi.  

 

priest melee characters is possible and highly effective (the first two main characters we got to level 20 were a contemplative and a shaman) but am admitting such combos can be pitfall characters if you are not careful.  

 

ciphers get a good amount o' hate on these boards.  is utter bs.  no, deadfire ciphers is not solo juggernauts o' weapon and casting damage combined with functional invulnerability as they was in poe.  and unlike deadfire wizards, ciphers have far fewer busted-arse op abilities.  see anybody complain 'bout ciphers by comparing to busted wizard spells, just ignore 'em.  if you see anybody starts comparing deadfire cipher to poe cipher, ignore 'em. neither argument is at all reasonable, but is frequent used.  abilities such as secret horrors and phantom foes is rare mentioned as cipher positives, but Gromnir got use outta such abilities from early in game 'til late. yes, the cipher charm powhaz are op, but such is hardly the end o' the story for ciphers... though am admitting the tier seven and nine o' cipher abilities has few bright spots. that said, am gonna concede a deadfire cipher is less flexible than many classes.  you group a club wielding tank and a miasma o' dull-mind throwing wizard and your cipher is gonna be adding serious power to a party, but if you try and build a deadfire cipher like a poe cipher, chances are you is gonna fail and be sad.  melee single-class and multiclass ciphers is highly effective in deadfire, but they do not function well in a vacuum.  cipher is one o' the few classes we would recommend actual build and party management.  

 

not specific speaking to the genesis poster, but am thinking it is unfortunate how people bring crpg baggage to a game such as deadfire.  other than as already noted, the notion o' best or necessary builds is so pointless for a game as flexible as deadfire.  the range o' builds which is effective in deadfire is much greater than the typical crpg,  but folks cannot shake off possible decades o' crpg experience.  get ten hours into a game only to realize a build is gimped and unplayable?  common crpg problem.  uncommon deadfire problem. 

 

make a deadfire melee character by picking stuff which sounds kewl and chances are you is gonna have an effective and fun build... and maybe you end up with a character hardly anybody else has even bothered to play.  am knowing the range o' choices appears daunting and is natural to worry 'bout making a busted character.  is not impossible to make a bad deadfire character, but it actual is difficult to stumble into such a build by accident.   

 

HA! Good Fun!

[1TTFFSSE]

endgame actual dual-wield mindstalker cipher/rogue either soulblade/ascendant+assassin or streetfighter will probably have the highest dps capability of any class especially single target with deathblows+soul whip .... but that is at level 18 or so, before that time in terms of Melee dps a Barbarian Berzerker (Frenzy gives extra attack speed and penetration and is there from level 1) or some combo with Monk will do more damage before that Mindstalker get deathblows and hits a tier above the rest. 

 

That is why Barbarians (zekers) monks and ciphers are still really good damage dealers throughout the game, they get strong core passive abilities that boost their damage from early levels. 

Edited June 25, 2018 by 1TTFFSSE

[Boeroer]

At the moment I like a melee Stalker/Streetfighter with focus on DoT stacking very much. Dual Battle Axes (with modal Bleeding Cuts), Wounding Shot, Gouging Strike, Ring the Bell, Deep Wounds and Arterial Strike as opener with an arquebus. This melts single foes like crazy. Bleeding Cuts all stack and due to all the Full Attacks (which also apply DoTs that can stack) the longer recovery time because of Bleeding Cuts is not that bad. For the future I'm planning to get both unique spears that deal DoT damage without lowering attack speed. I want to test if that's better or not.

One can add Mask of the Grotto Deep for even more DoT damage from stealth (which I always use to deliver one Arterial Strike from arquebus with a fast second Gouging Strike because the 85% speed from stealth applies to the reload of the arquebus after the initiating shot).

 

I also tried this concept with a swashbuckler and used Arterial Strike more in combo with Charge and Escape - and that's also nice. Hit them and zip around while they try to follow and bleed to death...

 

I can imagine the same "DoT" concept would work with Rogue/Paladin, Rogue/Chanter and Rogue/Barbarian or even Rogue/Wizard or Rogue/Druid (Taste of the Hunt, Boar Form with woundind damage perhaps).

 

Stacking DoTs is powerful and all the floating numbers above enemies heads are satisfying.

[Cawyn]

[...]One can add Mask of the Grotto Deep for even more DoT damage from stealth (which I always use to deliver one Arterial Strike from arquebus with a fast second Gouging Strike because the 85% speed from stealth applies to the reload of the arquebus after the initiating shot).[...]

I have never seen this actually working. The stealth recovery bonus does work with bows and melee weapons but any weapon requiring a reload doesn't seem to benefit from it.

[mosspit]

I always like retaliation builds where you reflect attacks onto enemies. In most cases, these kind of builds are not as effective as pure dps or pure tanks in doing what they do. But for me, the concept of retaliation is very appealing to me.

 

However, the retaliation options in Deadfire seems to be less abundant in PoE1 though. Still I am trying out some concepts. Currently using a Monk/Fighter and experimenting it along a proper playthrough.

[Boeroer]

 

[...]One can add Mask of the Grotto Deep for even more DoT damage from stealth (which I always use to deliver one Arterial Strike from arquebus with a fast second Gouging Strike because the 85% speed from stealth applies to the reload of the arquebus after the initiating shot).[...]

I have never seen this actually working. The stealth recovery bonus does work with bows and melee weapons but any weapon requiring a reload doesn't seem to benefit from it.

 

I use an Arterial Strike from stealth with a pistol and then a Gouging Strike that follows almost immediately. Works like a charm. The stealth bonus also applies to reloading.

[Cawyn]

 

 

[...]One can add Mask of the Grotto Deep for even more DoT damage from stealth (which I always use to deliver one Arterial Strike from arquebus with a fast second Gouging Strike because the 85% speed from stealth applies to the reload of the arquebus after the initiating shot).[...]

I have never seen this actually working. The stealth recovery bonus does work with bows and melee weapons but any weapon requiring a reload doesn't seem to benefit from it.

 

I use an Arterial Strike from stealth with a pistol and then a Gouging Strike that follows almost immediately. Works like a charm. The stealth bonus also applies to reloading.

 

I have tried this numerous times and never gotten it to work. As soon as the first ability is activated, it pops me out of stealth and any reload speed boni are lost immediately.

[Manveru123]

Crusaders are walking whirlwinds of destruction, one of the strongest classes for sure, combining great damage with survivability.

 

But I personally like Votary the most. Build for Fire damage. Use only support companions, treat them like buff fodder (fantastic Bleak Walker RP potential btw). I might have a Fire fetish though. I'm not sure.

 

I'm still working on a Monk who actually uses fists for damage without feeling clearly inferior to the same character but with weapons. Not much luck.. yet.

[Boeroer]

 

 

 

[...]One can add Mask of the Grotto Deep for even more DoT damage from stealth (which I always use to deliver one Arterial Strike from arquebus with a fast second Gouging Strike because the 85% speed from stealth applies to the reload of the arquebus after the initiating shot).[...]

I have never seen this actually working. The stealth recovery bonus does work with bows and melee weapons but any weapon requiring a reload doesn't seem to benefit from it.

I use an Arterial Strike from stealth with a pistol and then a Gouging Strike that follows almost immediately. Works like a charm. The stealth bonus also applies to reloading.

I have tried this numerous times and never gotten it to work. As soon as the first ability is activated, it pops me out of stealth and any reload speed boni are lost immediately.

Maybe you're using a dual weapon setup?

[no1fanboy]

Crusaders are walking whirlwinds of destruction, one of the strongest classes for sure, combining great damage with survivability.

 

But I personally like Votary the most. Build for Fire damage. Use only support companions, treat them like buff fodder (fantastic Bleak Walker RP potential btw). I might have a Fire fetish though. I'm not sure.

 

I'm still working on a Monk who actually uses fists for damage without feeling clearly inferior to the same character but with weapons. Not much luck.. yet.whats 

crusader? is that a paladin?

[Sifjar]

I went with one handed Brawler Devoted/Helwalker. Fighter provides nice hit to crit then add here one handed. There are some items that also boosts hit to crit. Swift Flurry and Mob Stance do some nice explosions With high crit single target dps can be also devastating if flurry triggered.

Only level 12 so far, but man this is such a blast.

 

I was aftraid that i would lose dps with one weapon, but so far i do much more that rest of crew just because i crit much more often.

 

You probably would say, that i should just play berserk. Well. I dont like berserk. I tried and it is powerfull, but that is just not my class.

Anything mage/melee is strong. But often fight is already over when mage stop buffing self up. I would just play pure mage.

Too bad i just finished PoE1 with pure mage not so long ago and little tired to micromanage everything. With pure melee class you can set up scripts for most of actions and enjoy destruction.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Sifjar

[Manveru123]

 

Crusaders are walking whirlwinds of destruction, one of the strongest classes for sure, combining great damage with survivability.

 

But I personally like Votary the most. Build for Fire damage. Use only support companions, treat them like buff fodder (fantastic Bleak Walker RP potential btw). I might have a Fire fetish though. I'm not sure.

 

I'm still working on a Monk who actually uses fists for damage without feeling clearly inferior to the same character but with weapons. Not much luck.. yet.whats 

crusader? is that a paladin?

 

Yes, Paladin/Fighter multiclass.

[QuiteGoneJin]

Death Godlike marauder's have some pretty fun stuff going on too. I kinda wish two handed had more impact(just visually)/speed. 

Edited June 27, 2018 by QuiteGoneJin

[no1fanboy]

The best one i have seem is rogue/ barb

 

Stack all the hit to crit talents you possibly can and i think you end up with something like 40-50% hit to crit with frenzy activated. Then you got sneak attacks, deathblows, blood thirst and bloodlust on top of that.

 

Just crazy dps