Main character

[Stonebridge809]

Is the any advantage to your main character being a tank? So he's in the leadership spot and is the first to engage would be handy, also I can't find any upto date information on tanks, are they now built as dps/tanks or pure tanks. Also any builds would b appreciated

 

Thanks

[draego]

You definitely want to be able to do some damage. a complete turtle is not that useful in POE1. Some enemies will just ignore you and go for better targets. Sometimes with general builds you see up from main tank use resolve which some consider a good conversation stat but that is not really necessary. The stats that stand out to me are perception, intellect, resolve for conversations. some mix of these will do just fine for conversation. I like odd tanks like this one a barbarian tank. I actually made this my main tank and i used more tanky armor than build says. I dont min max either so nothing below 8-9 in stats. I like something like this because you can tank, debuff, and do some damage especially later on. Paladin and chanters make good tanks because they both have nice aoe damage spells and buffs so you can tank while doing damage and other stuff.  Chanter has dragon thrashed chant and Paladins have sacred immolation (although this is late) for damage. Paladins get one of the best shields early on in first town. I usually make pallegina my main tank if i am not.

Edited July 31, 2018 by draego

[dreamrider]

Try this, at least for the type of thinking:

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/83491-class-build-the-drakes-ambassador-searing-mesmerizing-chanter-tank/

 

or this

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/83775-class-build-batsht-crazy-disabling-druid-tank/

 

or this, a more conventional choice

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/83612-class-build-the-engineer-shocking-dps-fighter-artillery-tank/

 

or my own personal favorite (because its a Monk)

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/91276-class-build-the-anvil-the-most-tough-monk-around/

 

 

BTW, the 2nd pinned item on this forum is an index of links to all the solid builds in the forum.

Edited July 31, 2018 by dreamrider

[Stonebridge809]

I'm guessing low con and res, mean that tanks can hold agro better, just not have as much survivability. Also is sword and shield needed? Thinking of it on a chanter as off tank (possibly main tank) and a fighter or paladin as the other one dual wielding? Maybe. Although if monk is fun as tank could try that

[dreamrider]

Remember that low RES lowers your Deflection, a prime tank feature.  You might actually be better off lowering MIG or DEX or PER.

 

Personally, I don't really believe in EXTREME min maxing.  After all, the character has to survive long enough to meet some Companions, and I will spoiler to this extent:  that takes more than one map / area.

 

But review several of the builds in the build index.  Those folks have far more experience than I.

Edited July 31, 2018 by dreamrider

[Stonebridge809]

So far in just the first section of the game on hard difficulty. Played till gilded Vale as monk and barb, they seem to ignore me and go for the other char(can't remember her name). Which makes me think putting Con at anything above 10 and resolve the same will make it hard to gain agro. Eventho they are the tanking stats. Seems all chars need some defence and not have a specific tank anymore?

[draego]

You can also try things like have squishies stay hidden for a tick and just attack with frontlines then open up from back. Also there are early spells that help with mobs. Priest has halt and Wizard has Fetid Caress. Druid has paralyze beast spell early. Cipher get whispers of treason and mental binding early. Chanter has The Thunder Rolled like Waves on Black Seas and phantom summon which stuns enemies two first level invocations. There is also just straight early blind spells that a lot of casters have to make it harder to hit a squishy 

 

The early game can be tough but once you get mores skills/abilities you can deal with mobs going after squishies better. 

 

I also do things like early on i will give aloth a medium/large shield in off weapon set if you are going ranged with him in main weapon set and if enemies attack him i switch to that setup for better defense and i also have a defensive spell are 2 ready to use like wizard double (if we are talking early game +40 def) and maybe pick up arcane veil +50 def 

Edited August 1, 2018 by draego

[dreamrider]

I am mystified by what you said about playing the early maps of the game.

 

"Played till gilded Vale as monk and barb, they seem to ignore me and go for the other char(can't remember her name)."  

 

The only other character that you CAN have before Gilded Vale is the fighter Calisca. 

Calisca CANNOT be with you "til Gilded Vale".  You are forced to go through at least one full map alone.

(BTW, if you want more xp, get Calisca killed at the encampment.)

 

Re the critters zeroing in on Calisca.  Compared to most freshly minted MCs, Calisca IS the more dangerous, better armored target.  If she is ahead of you, or even more or less even with the MC, yes, the critters in the Ruins WILL focus on her first.  I'm not sure that is deliberate, just a function of the critter AI threat evaluation.

 

The other thing is:  Calisca's combat AI is ON by default; your MCs may not be.  Possibly it is not that THEY are going for HER, but rather the other way around.

[draego]

I am mystified by what you said about playing the early maps of the game.

 

"Played till gilded Vale as monk and barb, they seem to ignore me and go for the other char(can't remember her name)."  

 

The only other character that you CAN have before Gilded Vale is the fighter Calisca. 

Calisca CANNOT be with you "til Gilded Vale".  You are forced to go through at least one full map alone.

(BTW, if you want more xp, get Calisca killed at the encampment.)

 

Re the critters zeroing in on Calisca.  Compared to most freshly minted MCs, Calisca IS the more dangerous, better armored target.  If she is ahead of you, or even more or less even with the MC, yes, the critters in the Ruins WILL focus on her first.  I'm not sure that is deliberate, just a function of the critter AI threat evaluation.

 

The other thing is:  Calisca's combat AI is ON by default; your MCs may not be.  Possibly it is not that THEY are going for HER, but rather the other way around.

 

sorry ye that is such a small sample size of the game. So they go for Calsica i dont see an issue. if its just two party members and you have no real skills ye its hard to manage mobs. Once you get full party or close to full party with skills and spells  you can manage mobs better. There really is no hard agro in this game. The AI does often pick targets based on perceived threat or perceived weakness like when they go for backline caster or ranged dps but you have to figure out ways to use cc and skills to stop them.

 

I find unhiding only the tanky characters first will at least get the initial enemies targeting your more tanky characters. But then you will need to apply skills and cc to lock down enemies or degrade them to the point they dont hurt your stuff that much. That is why i found that barbarian build fun because they had lots of debuffs and with right weapons some cc. But most of the game lots of enemies will be trying to bypass your frontline or stronger characters to get at weaker ones or even teleporting to your backline. its just the nature of the game.

Edited August 2, 2018 by draego

[Stonebridge809]

How do you unhide just the tank characters first? Also is a tank/dps hybrid the best option rather then a main tank.

 

The solo map, any char with sword and shield takes forever to kill mobs. Wandering if http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/80748-class-build-lady-of-pain-high-speed-heavy-armored-dps-fighter/page-11?do=findComment&comment=1849222

Is better option alongside https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/83491-class-build-the-drakes-ambassador-searing-mesmerizing-chanter-tank/ or http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/89991-class-build-the-golden-dragon-barbarian-tank/.

To me it seems a tank is best character to play as running around in full party in the leadership spot at least I'm nearest to any mobs engaged. Or would ranger/ranged Cipher b good option, to shoot/cc from afar on initial pull

Edited August 2, 2018 by Stonebridge809

[draego]

You have all hidden then just select the main tank or a few frontliners and have them attack or just unhide them only. You dont have to unhide all characters at same time. Just select only the ones you want to attack and leave the others hidden.

 

To me yes tank + some other functions like dps and debuffs/ccs is better than just meat shield. That is why that barb/chanter/paladin make good tanks. The perform other functions in the party than just tank stuff.

 

In that first map you are alone you dont have to kill anything. Follow the road and go to town and start collecting your companions. The game does not have to be done linear. You can come back to areas.

Edited August 2, 2018 by draego

[Stonebridge809]

Thanks for the advice. Might try that barb with aoe shouts decreasing accuracy, with either a fighter "pain in the tank" or paladin. Is main character easier being tank due to unstealthing and always controlling him, or does it not matter? Say I used ranged Cipher as scout then just micro the tanks

[Stonebridge809]

Thanks for the advice. Might try that barb with aoe shouts decreasing accuracy, with either a fighter "pain in the tank" or paladin. Is main character easier being tank due to unstealthing and always controlling him, or does it not matter? Say I used ranged Cipher as scout then just micro the tanks

[draego]

I dont think it matters to much. MC will end up being one character in 6 so you have to learn to control each character you choose to some extent. I like to think of MC from RP first then fight mechanics second. tank Barbs can be tough early on due to low def but later become plenty tanky and with the right shield very good at dps with good debuffs. Barbs are great at dealing with crowds and you will face crowds most of the game. for straight tank dps the chanter with dragon thrashed is prob the best but its a little to passive for my tastes but really effective if you dont want active abilities. One thing that is also great about barb is the on hit weapon effects transfer to carnage AOE so if say you have a sword that stuns on crit then when you crit your carnage hits you have a chance to stun the entire crowds near your barb. So for this build i like to look for weapons that have on hit/crit effects on them.

 

Ciphers can be very powerful they have some great CC especially the first level charm which is fast cast speed. My favorite MC is a melee ranger in that scout type role where i sneak behind enemies with animal/ranger when feasible and start the attack with main party. The enemy gets distracted then I rush the enemy squishies with my ranger animal to pick them off. positioning not always there due to layouts but i do this without positioning by just keeping them hidden while battle starts then run around all the enemy frontline. A cipher in that role is just fine because they have powerful cc. So you can scout and sneak with them open battle with main tank and other melee then kick off charms, paralyze, frightens - all kinds of stuff from cipher.

 

 

Also another way i open battles is to start casting a CC spell while hidden and before i cast the spell and my caster is unhiden, i unhide several of my melee characters so they get targeted then a split second later the spell hits. I mean you have to get used to how long spells take. 

Edited August 2, 2018 by draego

[Stonebridge809]

Ranger does sound like it could be good with a pet. Never looked into them tho. Torn between Cipher, ranger or barb as MC. Cipher/ranger leaning more towards ranged atm but melee could b good to

[draego]

Ranger does sound like it could be good with a pet. Never looked into them tho. Torn between Cipher, ranger or barb as MC. Cipher/ranger leaning more towards ranged atm but melee could b good to

 

LUL that is what happens so many builds to tinker with. Melee rangers are high on micro and low on tons of actives. So if you think you will like that go for it. I would describe it as playing with two rogues so twice the micro so you dont get killed. Melee ranger for me is all about positioning and getting that flanked status with animal on an enemy. The ranged ranger version is really good at what it does. I beat the game with both ranged and melee ranger versions. I hear lots of complaints though about rangers and animals because if you are not willing to micro and use the animal more like a blunt tank they may die on you quite often. 

 

You can also build a tank ranger. i mean you can build a tank pretty much out of anything. 

Edited August 2, 2018 by draego

[Stonebridge809]

Think it's between ranger and barbarian at the moment. Ranged ranger sounds good because of pet(tank pet better even in 6 man party?) and being able to take a out squishy targets. Is the a decent build available? And barb seems like could b fun after lvl 8, but a pain beforehand.

[draego]

Think it's between ranger and barbarian at the moment. Ranged ranger sounds good because of pet(tank pet better even in 6 man party?) and being able to take a out squishy targets. Is the a decent build available? And barb seems like could b fun after lvl 8, but a pain beforehand.

 

The pet that does the most damage is wolf and is good for flanking and has some better defense against disengagement. High defense pet is antelope. Boar pet get damage bonus below 50% health. Stag pet has a carnage attack. 

 

If you go ranger make sure to invest in animal talents that give it more defense and better attack/damage. Also make sure to take Predator's Sense and find ways to do dot damage to enemy the pet is attacking. So there are a couple of wounding weapons that cause dot damage( Persistance bow, and drawn in spring dagger, Tidefall greatsword) also there are abilities and spells that cause dot damage. so ranger has Wounding Shot works in both melee and ranged. there are other abilities like Envenomed Strike or just have spell caster or chanter to cause DOT damage.