[Semi-Complete] Character Build for PotD - Holy Slayer, NOT A SOLO BUILD

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

So after talking back and forth with a couple of people and realizing that I really wasn't a fan of the Bleak Walker, someone recommended I try Goldpact Knight for my tanky Holy Slayer character. So, I made a few adjustments to the build, and I'd like to share a semi-complete version with you now. This also includes all of the previous adjustments made to my other Holy Slayer build. 

 

Once I have everything nailed down, I'll go ahead and post a build for the purposes of record-keeping, though I imagine it'll be pretty similar to other builds of this type. 

 

The Race: Oceanfolk Human - of all of the humans, they have some of the best customization, I think.

 

The Class: Holy Slayer (Goldpact Knight/Trickster)

 

The Culture/Background: Deadfire/Raider

 

The Skill Focus: Mechanics/Explosives with a splash of Athletics and Insight/Intimidate with a splash of either Streetwise or Metaphysics (Probably Streetwise, in keeping with the theme, but Metaphysics is good for some more obscure checks). 

 

The 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)

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)

 

If needed, I can take two points each out of Perception, Intellect, and Resolve for higher Dexterity. I've also considered doing this for Constitution as well, but it'd be a difference of 275 HP vs 350 HP. 

 

The Skills: 

 

Level 1: Lay on Hands/Crippling Strike

Level 2: Deep Faith

Level 3: Flames of Devotion (Edited: From Escape)

Level 4: Two-Weapon Fighting/Zealous Aura

Level 5: Dirty Fighting

Level 6: Inspired Triumph

Level 7: Finishing Blow/Sworn Rival

Level 8: Riposte

Level 9: Bear's Fortitude

Level 10: Persistent Distraction/Inspired Path

Level 11: Greater Lay on Hands

Level 12: Glorious Beacon

Level 13: Deep Wounds/Inspiring Beacon

Level 14: Devastating Blow

Level 15: Exalted Focus

Level 16: Virtuous Triumph/Toxic Strike

Level 17: Uncanny Luck

Level 18: Improved Critical

Level 19: Deathblows/Stoic Steel

Level 20: Mental Fortress

 

My biggest issue with this is that I don't know what exactly I can get rid of early on to get Flames of Devotion - which I'm going to assume is still worth going for, even if it's nerfed/I'm not using the Bleak Walker benefit. Any suggestions on to how to work that in would be helpful. I also take Inspired Path instead of Scion of Flame for an extra point of Zeal, since I don't have a fire keyword attack anymore - this will obviously change if I find a way to use FoD in this build. 

 

Gear: 

 

Rings: Ring of Focused Flame/Chameleon's Touch or Ring of Prosperity's Fortune/Chameleon's Touch (I might also find a way to swap out Chameleon's Touch for Ring of Prosperity's Fortune, but who knows). Ring of Prosperity's Fortune is a great thematic pick for this build - the more money you get, the deadlier you are. 

 

Weapons: Lots of really good choices - I plan to dual-wield sabres or a saber/dagger combo, for extra melee Deflection in the off-hand and faster full attacks. Pukestabber is a good pick for that. Rapiers, like Rannig's Wrath and Squid's Grasp, are also very good, thematically appropriate choices, the only downside being pierce immune enemies.

 

Armor: Casita Samelia's Legacy or the Devil of Caroc Breastplate. Not sure which, personally. I might upgrade to Blackened Plate Armor later on for more engagements, but I don't want to be too glacial when it comes to attacks. 

 

Helm: More solid choices here - Fair Favor, Blackened Plate Helm, Horns of the Bleak Mother...

 

Neck: Strand of Favor

 

Hands: Woedica's Strangling Grasp (+2 Might, Burn armor, and a paralysis on-rest that also acts as a DoT). 

 

Belt: Upright Captain's Belt - Concentration and immunity to Pull of Eora

 

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

 

Cloak: Cloak of Greater Protection for extra saves (It's a Giftbearer's Cloak -5 without the History investment) 

 

So, thoughts? I feel like Goldpact might be a good choice here if I can figure out how to work FoD, Eternal Devotion, and Scion of Flame back in. Is Lay on Hands necessary for party play, or can I get away with just using a healer? I've never done much with Paladin in Deadfire. 

Edited August 12, 2018 by Cyrus_Blackfeather

[KDubya]

You could get FoD at level five instead of dirty fighting, or at level three instead of escape.

 

I'm not sure how often you'd need to escape and if you did would another cast of mirror image not work better?

 

Other options would be at level nine instead of Bear's fortitude, level fifteen instead of exalted focus, or seventeen or eighteen.

 

Eternal Devotion just gets you +10% damage so its easily skippable, the +15% for the group'd be better. Scion of Flames is just an additional point of penetration, doesn't seem especially vital to have or not.

 

EDIT:

 

I think GoldPact makes for a much tankier guy instead of Bleak Walker

 

Lay on Hands is a really great heal, especially at the early part where you'd really appreciate it. It will be appreciated in the tough early encounters like the digsite

Edited August 12, 2018 by KDubya

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

You could get FoD at level five instead of dirty fighting, or at level three instead of escape.

 

I'm not sure how often you'd need to escape and if you did would another cast of mirror image not work better?

 

Other options would be at level nine instead of Bear's fortitude, level fifteen instead of exalted focus, or seventeen or eighteen.

 

Eternal Devotion just gets you +10% damage so its easily skippable, the +15% for the group'd be better. Scion of Flames is just an additional point of penetration, doesn't seem especially vital to have or not.

 

EDIT:

 

I think GoldPact makes for a much tankier guy instead of Bleak Walker

 

Lay on Hands is a really great heal, especially at the early part where you'd really appreciate it. It will be appreciated in the tough early encounters like the digsite

 

Escape also makes me immune to engagement, so even if I use it as a gap closer, the enemies can just run past me and start pounding on my allies anyway. So that's a good point. 

 

Now, does anyone have any recommendations on how to get engagement slots for this build without dual wielding the Kapana Tanga and a spear? Because that just looks ridiculous. The Blackened Plate stuff is seeming like my best bet, but that's way late into the game. 

[Greensleeve]

While Escape isn't necessary for the build, I would say it's really fun. And fun is important in builds. 

 

I'd say that you can skip Bear's Fortitude or Inspired Triumph for FoD. Mostly Bear's Fortitude tbh. I'm not a huge fan of the +10 Saves Abilities. 

[Lampros]

Why isn't this in the build thread?

[whimper]

FWIW, I think you’d be best served by making your choice about armor first, and then deciding what Paladin subclass to adopt.

 

If you’re going for a light/med armor build, and rocking a top notch deflection (as the above build suggests) I think Kind Wayfarer would be better than Goldpact. The Goldpact ability’s armor bonus isn’t that good unless it’s added to an AR that’s already very high, which means it’s not really worth it (IMO) unless you’re going for heavy armor.

 

On the other hand, if you’re aiming for an uber tank, with both sky high deflection *and* a sky high AR, then wearing heavy armor and going Goldpact makes sense.

[Boeroer]

Why isn't this in the build thread?

It says "semi-complete" in the title. Work in progress is not supposed to be in the list, only finished (and confirmed/tested) builds.

[Lampros]

 

Why isn't this in the build thread?

It says "semi-complete" in the title. Work in progress is not supposed to be in the list, only finished (and confirmed/tested) builds.

 

 

Gotcha!