[Roleplay Build] "The Stormbringer" - Brute Tank (Berserker/Devoted) for PotD with Deadly Deadfire. NOT A SOLO BUILD (Complete! Feedback appreciated)

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

"I am the storm, brother... The first storm and the last."

 

"When men see my sail, they pray."

 

Mood Music:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RirEqehfsg&t=0s&index=4&list=FL09VAUpnF20CEQz2ofbeKlA

 

Who is he?

 

A pro-Principi Watcher with a vicious streak underlying a twisted sense of humor. This character is very much intended to be a 'bad guy' or, at least, someone who's only out for his own self-interest. While he ultimately went along with solving the Hollowborn Crisis because it presented the only cure to his Awakened state, he's now seized his chance to regain the prestige he left behind as a raider in the Deadfire.

 

Favored Dispositions: Aggressive, Clever, Shady, Cruel (In that order)

 

Race: Human (Oceanfolk) - For the Vallian looks, and the bonus to Accuracy and damage while Bloodied.

 

Blessings: Attributes, Skills, 5000 starting gold, Unique item merchant

 

Mods: Deadly Deadfire

 

Class: Brute (Devoted - Pollaxes/Berserker)

 

Culture/Background: Deadfire/Raider

 

Faction: Principi

 

Skill Focus: Mechanics and Stealth (Active)/Insight and Intimidate with a splash of Streetwise or Metaphysics (Passive)

 

Attributes:

25 Might (17 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)

11 Con (7 Base +1 Effigy's Resentment (Durance) +2 Berath's Blessing +1 Chameleon's Touch)

12 Dexterity (9 Base+1 Deadfire +2 Berath's Blessing)

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

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

10 Resolve (7 Base +1 Human +2 Berath's Blessing)

Abilities:

Level 1: Disciplined Barrage/Frenzy

Level 2: Barbaric Yell

Level 3: Blooded

Level 4: Fighter Stances/Barbaric Blow

Level 5: Two-Handed Style

Level 6: Confident Aim

Level 7: Disciplined Strikes/Bloodlust

Level 8: Thick-Skinned

Level 9: One Stands Alone

Level 10: Hold the Line/Spirit Frenzy

Level 11: Vigorous Defense

Level 12: Charge

Level 13: Unbending/Barbaric Smash

Level 14: Mob Stance

Level 15: Interrupting Blows

Level 16: Armored Grace/Brute Force

Level 17: Overbearing Guard

Level 18: Refreshing Defense

Level 19: Blood Thirst/Unbending Trunk

Level 20: Spirit Tornado

Note: Not 100% set on abilities or attributes - some feedback on those would be appreciated.

Gear:

Weapons - Lord Darryn's Voulge. Why? Because thematically it's a really cool weapon, with some neat pirate-y lore behind it, and it procs its Static Thunder effect on Carnage hit. Since Carnage can't crit, it helps to mark up lots of enemies for attacks. Plus it's a dual damage type weapon, with very few enemies having resistance or immunity to Shock damage.

Pets: Abraham (Reduced Recovery Time, Heal on Kill) or Nalvi (+1 Resolve, Reduced Recovery Time for the party)

Armor - Devil of Caroc Breastplate for resistance to Intellect afflictions, which clears the Berserker's Confusion on Frenzy. It also gives -10% Recovery Speed and +2 Discipline/Rage. With Armored Grace and either Abraham or Nalvi, the Recovery penalty for DoC Breastplate is ~9%.

Boots: Boots of the Stone, then upgrade to Rakhan Field Boots when they become available.

Neck: Strand of Favor

Cloak: Cloak of Greater Protection (+10 to all non-Deflection defenses). Otherwise, consider Nemnok's Cloak when available for Bloodied/Near Death bonuses.

Rings: Voidward (Reduces Raw Damage from Frenzy) and Chameleon's Touch.

Belt: Upright Captain's Belt for Concentration and immunity to push/pull effects.

Helm: Horns of the Bleak Mother, then upgrade to Blackened Plate Helm (+1 Intellect/Perception +1 Engagement.

Conclusion:

This is intended to be a fun tanking build with good penetration and AoE capability, and ready access to shock damage. I like the image it evokes - a pirate captain that seemingly has power over the very storms themselves.

Concerns:

-Less damage compared to the Swashbuckler. In terms of raw numbers anyway. I've done a bit of testing and they both seem to do pretty well. Brute outperforms Swashbuckler in crowds, though I can see Brute struggling against single big enemies.

Possible Changes:

Adding Wild Sprint/Lion's Sprint for the +15 Accuracy bonus for the duration, but at the same time that's obviously a bug.

Upgrading Barbaric Yell to Barbaric Shout (+3 engagements for 30 seconds base). Not sure what I'd get rid of for that, though.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Cyrus_Blackfeather

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

Edit: Dumped Resolve by 10, bumped Might by 10 for Carnage/Lord Darryn's Voulge damage. What do you guys think?

Edited August 22, 2018 by Cyrus_Blackfeather

[Dorftek]

I would have done the same, tho I hate low dex characters so I would have boosted that ESPECIALLY if I was going for two handed weapons ;D

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

I would have done the same, tho I hate low dex characters so I would have boosted that ESPECIALLY if I was going for two handed weapons ;D

Is the 30% damage drop not that bad? I'd be going from 30 while frenzied to 20.

[Dorftek]

 

I would have done the same, tho I hate low dex characters so I would have boosted that ESPECIALLY if I was going for two handed weapons ;D

Is the 30% damage drop not that bad? I'd be going from 30 while frenzied to 20.

Nah not really, dex is better until u hit that spot where more speed gives very little in return. I'm playing a Solo archer right now Assassin/Wizard with 31 in combat dex built for kiting and I love how responsive these kind of characters get. Watching the recovery bar in snail speed is horrible for me

 

Barbarian and fighter get a lot of speed bonuses on their own tho but maybe just a few more dex points? ;P

[Cyrus_Blackfeather]

 

 

I would have done the same, tho I hate low dex characters so I would have boosted that ESPECIALLY if I was going for two handed weapons ;D

Is the 30% damage drop not that bad? I'd be going from 30 while frenzied to 20.

Nah not really, dex is better until u hit that spot where more speed gives very little in return. I'm playing a Solo archer right now Assassin/Wizard with 31 in combat dex built for kiting and I love how responsive these kind of characters get. Watching the recovery bar in snail speed is horrible for me

 

Barbarian and fighter get a lot of speed bonuses on their own tho but maybe just a few more dex points? ;P

Hmm, okay. Will give it a look later. Right now, I'm trying to decide whether this whole tanking thing is worth it or if I should just let Eder do it.

 

Certainly worked for the first game.