[WIP] Swashbuckler Tank (Unbroken/Streetfighter or Unbroken/Trickster)

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

So, I know you guys probably all JUST got done reading my "Oh my gosh, super way cool" Holy Slayer build, but I wanted to have a go at making a Swashbuckler too, just for the sake of comparison. From the Fighter, I want to use the Unbroken subclass for extra engagements and more punishment on disengaging, which synergizes well with some of the Fighter's kit. From Rogue, I had intended to use either the Streetfighter or Trickster schools. Streetfighter offers faster Recovery and more damage, while Trickster allows for much more Deflection and some debuffs through Illusion spells. This build is going to have much lower defenses than my previous build, but I feel confident that it's just as viable, if not a little more so, in a party context. 

 

In roleplay terms, this is meant as a formidable pirate tank, who cuts a swath of death and destruction across the decks of ships during boarding actions. He's built up a fearsome reputation in the Deadfire, which is his home so to say, though he has Old Vallian roots like many of the Principi. That said, I don't quite relish the idea of playing a complete murderhobo, so there'll be slight nuances to his personality to facilitate this. He's a man of culture and letters, with a gift for languages and a paternal attitude towards young children, like Vela or Torri. 

 

The build I have so far looks like this: 

 

Race: Human (Oceanfolk) for the Bloodied bonus

 

Class: Unbroken/Trickster or Unbroken/Streetfighter

 

- Unbroken is picked for the extra engagement and the bonuses to Disengagement attacks. The goal of this character is to stack as many engagements as possible so that the AI will be surrounding him, constantly flanked, and vulnerable to Sneak Attack - while this character maintains a healthy Bloodied state and murders them when they do try to go for squishier targets. 

 

- Streetfighter and Trickster is a tougher choice to make. Trickster allows for Deflection stacking, which aids the Unbroken's defensiveness, while Streetfighter gives a -50% recovery reduction and +50% damage against Sneak Attack vulnerable targets for being flanked and/or bloodied, and 100% Crit damage for being both. The stat spread I'm giving is intended to work with both. It's a modification of my Holy Slayer build. 

 

Culture/Background: Deadfire Raider

 

Skill Focus: Stealth and Mechanics with a splash of Athletics (Not too high)/Insight and Intimidate with a dash of Metaphysics

 

Attributes:

 

15 Might (7 Base + 1 Human +2 Woedica's Strangling Grasp + 1 Chameleon's Touch + 1 Gift of the Machine +2 Berath's Blessing +1 Permanent Stat Boost)

16 Con (13 Base +1 Effigy's Resentment (Durance) +2 Berath's Blessing) - Effectively 25% extra Health

13 Dexterity (9 Base +1 Deadfire +2 Berath's Blessing +1 Chameleon's Touch)

18 Perception (16 Base +2 Berath's Blessing)

18 Intellect (15 Base +2 Berath's Blessing +1 Strand of Favor)

18 Resolve (15 Base +1 Human +2 Berath's Blessing)

 

That's 350 HP at level 20. Close to 400 with Tough. Bloodied at 175. 

 

I've also considered... 

 

15 Might (7 Base + 1 Human +2 Woedica's Strangling Grasp + 1 Chameleon's Touch + 1 Gift of the Machine +2 Berath's Blessing +1 Permanent Stat Boost)

10 Con (7 Base +1 Effigy's Resentment (Durance) +2 Berath's Blessing) - Effectively 25% extra Health

13 Dexterity (9 Base +1 Deadfire +2 Berath's Blessing +1 Chameleon's Touch)

20 Perception (18 Base +2 Berath's Blessing)

20 Intellect (17 Base +2 Berath's Blessing +1 Strand of Favor)

20 Resolve (17 Base +1 Human +2 Berath's Blessing)

 

That's 275 HP at level 20, a little over 300 with Tough - Bloodied at 137.5

 

Abilities:

 

Level 1: Disciplined Barrage/Crippling Strike

Level 2: Escape (Important for Unbroken's Stride problem)

Level 3: Knock Down

Level 4: Fighter Stances/Blinding Strike

Level 5: Two Weapon Style

Level 6: Confident Aim

Level 7: Disciplined Strikes/Confounding Blind

Level 8: Dirty Fighting

Level 9: Finishing Blow

Level 10: Unstoppable/Persistent Distraction

Level 11: Weapon Specialization

Level 12: Vigorous Defense

Level 13: Unbending/Deep Wounds

Level 14: Guardian Stance

Level 15: Devastating Blow

Level 16: Armored Grace/Slippery Mind

Level 17: Overbearing Guard

Level 18: Refreshing Defense

Level 19: Deathblows/Unbending Trunk

Level 20: Clear Out

 

Abilities are VERY subject to change - I tried to get pretty much every important tanking skill I could think of from both trees. Rogue is definitely where I get the bulk of my attacking powers, while Fighter is more about self-buffs. 

 

Equipment: 

 

Weapons - Lots of good choices here. I'd like to have a weapon and shield set, a dual weapon set, and a two-handed/AoE set. I'm considering dual sabres, with Modwyr/Bronlar's Phalanx, and Oathbreaker's End.

 

Armor: Casita Samelia's Legacy (Scales with Intimidate) or Blackened Plate Armor (+2 extra engagements). 

 

Helm: Blackened Plate Helm (Extra Engagement, +1 to Int and Perception... I think?)

 

Neck: Strand of Favor

 

Belt: Upright Captain's Belt (Free Concentration, immunity to Pull of Eora)

 

Rings: Chameleon's Touch and then either Entonia's Signet Ring or the Ring of Prosperity's Fortune (For more hit to crit). 

 

Gloves: Woedica's Strangling Grasp or Gloves of Discipline

 

Boots: Boots of the Stone and then upgrade to Rakhan Field Boots for the endgame. 

 

Trinket: Detonator Fragment (AoE blast and heal over time)

 

Cloak: Either a Cloak of Greater Protection OR Nemnok's Cloak for Bloodied bonuses and stuff. 

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

Edit: Also, I put Tough calcs in there just in case I decide to take it. 

 

Considering putting Charge in there somewhere too, though not sure what I'd replace with it. Weapon Specialization maybe? More mobility skills are always good for a character like this. 

 

My goal is for an aggressive sort of tank - someone who can go toe to toe with some of the Deadfire's most vicious enemies and come out swinging on the other side, and someone who doesn't have to or want to dump Resolve. Having stats that low is just really not fun for me from a character building perspective. I'd also like to, if possible, score respectfully high on the damage charts - if not the highest on my team, than at least up there. 

Edited August 11, 2018 by Cyrus_Blackfeather

[Malkoy]

I think when talking about tanking the name of the game is not to get hit, but It's say that shield tank + Trickster would be overkill, triggering flanked is a challenge sometimes as well. You can have three enemies that stand right in front of you and you would not be flanked, you are putting too much faith on AI. Flanked will reliably occur only if you manage to aggro 4+ enemies on your tank. Alternatively you can equip blunderbuss for modal to get "Distracted"Affliction, which grants "Flanked" status, but that will cancel out "Aware" or "Intuitive" buffs.

 

I am yet to see AI disengaging from my main tank, once I lock them in engagement (rogues "Escape" quite often, without triggering disengagement) But then again, maybe I wasn't paying attention.

 

Regardless, Trickster + DW or 2H seems to be more fun that Streetfighter tank. At least to me.

 

Out of all sub-classes for this combination my favorite is Devoted/Trickster with WotP (Risposte build)

 

Lot's of fun to be had there though, I can see Devoted with clubs: Shattered Vengeance and Kapana Taga (tricky to get, doesn't drop every time, save before attacking the ship), or just Kapana Taga for +12 Accuracy and 20% hit-to-crit.

 

 

I guess what I'm trying to say, that you don't have to have sword and board tank in this game even on PotD (solo is a separate story). Every time I made one they felt pretty useless (looking at you Eder). No shield trickster certainly helps to spice things up a bit 

[Mocker22]

Without having played one I don't see how Unbroken + Streetfighter is going to synergize well. If you want to be a tank Trickster will be great for pumping defenses. There is some good discussion about this in another thread about the best tank in the game. Boeroer and Dorftek mae some great points about Unbroken/Trickster.

 

Also, I saw Two-Weapon style? Seems weird to me. Unbroken gains some AR from using a shield and increases your engagement.

 

Ofc if the point is to build an off-tank with high dps, then sure go with streetfighter.