Theorycrafting Thoughts On New Classes (Patch 4.0 Beta)

[TheWeaver]

Wouldn’t the elemental bolts upgrade on the Spearcaster overcome this? It adds +3% Damage as Burn, Corrode, Freeze and Shock. Is the sufficient to remove the penalty or am I misunderstanding?

 

Unfortunately no.  Lashes like this (even ones that are part of the base weapon) don't negate the malus.  See https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107387-arcane-archer-weapons/ for a list of those that have been tested.  Generally speaking you need a weapon that has a permanent, elemental damage type (such as Essence Interrupter which does pierce/shock).  There are exceptions of course (because there are always exceptions in any complex system).

Edited December 28, 2018 by TheWeaver

[brasilgringo]

Wouldn’t the elemental bolts upgrade on the Spearcaster overcome this? It adds +3% Damage as Burn, Corrode, Freeze and Shock. Is the sufficient to remove the penalty or am I misunderstanding?

I posted about this earlier.  When I tested it during Beta, the Elemental Bolts upgrade did not avoid the ACC penalty for Arcane Archer with Spearcaster.  I saw it in the combat logs.  The penalty was *offset* partially by Spearcaster's ACC bonus from Arcana skill, but that means you're not getting all the ACC you could be getting!

[Boeroer]

Yes, unfortunately. Hence the Flames of Devotion "circumvention"

[Rimiu]

I read that Arcane Archer's imbue arrows are broken as in penetration does not scale and they don't do much damage. Is this still true?

[Boeroer]

The arrows are fine. The PEN of the attached spells doesn't seem to scale with Power Level (at least not with Minor Missiles). I hope this gets fixed soon.

In case of Web and Eora it doesn't matter of course.

[baldurs_gate_2]

Tactican is intereseting. With a Rogue MC, he can flank enemies solo pretty easy.

 

The question is, when you wear the DoC BP and enchant it with the int resistance + Helm of the Bleak Mother with resistance to resolve aff., are you immune to shaken + confused from the flanked affliction from tacitcal dilemma (or you can take captains banquet)? So you can even play a streetfighter, because this subclass wants to be flanked?

 

Second: You have to flank all enemies, what attack you to gain brilliant inspiration? Are there enemies, they can not be flanked?

 

I know that Squids enchant makes it impossible to be flanked. Are there more items like that?

[guildwriter]

Yes, resistance to resolve and intelligence afflictions will block the penalties of being flanked for Tactician.  So you can make Streetfighter work with Tactician that way.  Though you can't be flanked at any point to allow for Brilliant to work.  So while you can block the negative effects, it won't necessarily let you get Brilliant.

 

Yes all enemies.  It gets a bit wonky if there are non hostile people in the scene as well but generally that's how it works.  There are enemies immune to flanked, but my understanding is that it doesn't necessarily block the flanked gained by perception afflictions.  That being said there are enemies that are immune/resistant to perception afflictions.

 

Three pieces of gear that prevent flanking:

• The raper is Squid's Grasp which is bought out of Dunnage.  Be ready to spend an Adra Ban to get rid of Calmo's Curse though.
• The club is Kapana Taga which is looted off of Fyrgist who sails around the Black Isle.  Make sure you sink him with cannons.  Boarding is bugged with him and doesn't drop the weapon.
• The armor is Gipon Prudenesco and is acquired through the Principi Vengeance ship fight.  Make sure you have no more than one positive rep with the Principi before you drop your rep with them.  Wipe out the Undercroft and/or kill Talfor who is part of Degnos' quest.  Or use the mod on the forum to spawn the ship.

Edited December 28, 2018 by guildwriter

[TheWeaver]

Imbue Fireball isn't scaling either.  And Imbue Web is getting the -5 Arcane Archer ACC penalty on each "tick" (haven't checked Imbue: Eora yet).  I think they still have something to work out with this one (here's hoping they will before they turn off the lights).

[baldurs_gate_2]

 

Yes, resistance to resolve and intelligence afflictions will block the penalties of being flanked for Tactician.  So you can make Streetfighter work with Tactician that way.

 

Yes all enemies.  It gets a bit wonky if there are non hostile people in the scene as well but generally that's how it works.  There are enemies immune to flanked, but my understanding is that it doesn't necessarily block the flanked gained by perception afflictions.  That being said there are enemies that are immune/resistant to perception afflictions.

 

Three pieces of gear that prevent flanking:

• The raper is Squid's Grasp which is bought out of Dunnage.  Be ready to spend an Adra Ban to get rid of Calmo's Curse though.
• The club is Kapana Taga which is looted off of Fyrgist who sails around the Black Isle.  Make sure you sink him with cannons.  Boarding is bugged with him and doesn't drop the weapon.
• The armor is Gipon Prudenesco and is acquired through the Principi Vengeance ship fight.  Make sure you have no more than one positive rep with the Principi before you drop your rep with them.  Wipe out the Undercroft and/or kill Talfor who is part of Degnos' quest.  Or use the mod on the forum to spawn the ship.

 

Is "Blinding Strike" bugged as well? I tried it with the 2 boars at the starting beach. Mule Kick both works and i get brilliant tactican. But when i use blinding strike, they get blinded and flanked, but i don't get BT.

[guildwriter]

I honestly couldn't say, never tested blinding strike as a method.  I do know Chill Fog works so that's really bizarre.  

 

Only thing I can think of is that you can't be flanked yourself in order to get Brilliant Tactician.  So make sure you're positioned properly.

[baldurs_gate_2]

I honestly couldn't say, never tested blinding strike as a method.  I do know Chill Fog works so that's really bizarre.  

 

Only thing I can think of is that you can't be flanked yourself in order to get Brilliant Tactician.  So make sure you're positioned properly.

Yeah, that flanked status is the problem. But as streetfighter, you need it for the buff or you have to be bloodied all the time, to get it. I don't know, if a trickster would not be a better choice.

[guildwriter]

I'd argue that Trickster is the better option of all the rogues.  That was my original observation and I think it's been backed up by other people trying it out.

[baldurs_gate_2]

I'd argue that Trickster is the better option of all the rogues.  That was my original observation and I think it's been backed up by other people trying it out.

Really? Why?

 

I figured out, with your watcher ability of symphaty of the lost, you can AoE distract enemies. That's pretty cool.

[Krowseph]

Has anyone figured out how to make Debonaire work efficiently? I know there was talk earlier in this thread about cohesion with cipher, wizard, or devoted, just wondering if anything else has been determined. I’m assuming the key is to have high damage abilities that are Friendly fire aoe? Any further weapons that have on Crit effects that would warrant a build around them?

 

Debonaire/devoted with Amra, Oathbreakers, or karaboru and a cipher in the party?

 

Debonaire/cipher with essence interrupter?

Edited December 29, 2018 by Krowseph

[Boeroer]

Crits are very good with DoT attacks. Since you get a 100% crit conversion against charmed targets Debonaire/Cipher sounds like the perfect combo.

 

Charm,then place a crit-disintegrate.

 

Or have a Debonaire/Priest with Shining Beacon and a Chanter or Cipher who group-charms and then put a Shining Beacon on them.

[Krowseph]

For my own clarity as I know it was mentioned earlier, all damage sources including basic attacks and besides CC break charm/dominate?

[Boeroer]

I think everything that causes damage?

[Krowseph]

Ok sorry, I was going off a previous statement that pernicious cloud didn’t remove the effects. Was that a special case?

[Boeroer]

Maybe because it's an upgrade of a non-damaging ability and didn't get flagged correctly. Or DoTs in general won't flip charmed enemies back? I actually have no idea. Somebody needs to test this - cause I'm at my parents who don't touch computers.

[Krowseph]

Not quite sure how the additive damage on Crits work....would it be worth it to go high might on that debonaire/cipher build or is it worth it to invest in other necessary states (PER/INT/DEX)

 

Thanks!

Edited December 29, 2018 by Krowseph

[Boeroer]

Normal +25% crit damage bonus on direct damage abilities is neglectible, but PEN gets increased by 50% and on DoTs the duration gets prolonged wich works very well with INT. See Toxic Strike and Disintegrate.

[Krowseph]

Alright so INT being the priority, probably followed by PEr since you have to hit and I’m assuming DEX/Might about equal.

[guildwriter]

I actually value Dex and Int as the highest priorities on my Rogue builds.  Dex allows for more actions to be taken and makes the character feel much more responsive as a result.  There's a fair amount of ways to buff Accuracy as well so dropping Per isn't that much of a big deal.  Most people like to shortchange Might.  But if you can swing a +30% additive damage bonus that's pretty huge.  Especially as it helps DoTs.

 

It really comes down to what you're trying to do and what you're trying to maximize as a result.

[Boeroer]

Yes, MIG is important for DoTs. Because afaik Sneak Attack and Deathblows don't get applied to any DoT ticks (except Deep Wounds indirectly).

[baldurs_gate_2]

Alright so INT being the priority, probably followed by PEr since you have to hit and I’m assuming DEX/Might about equal.

When i play in a party, i would just go for a glass cannon helwalker / streetfighter or trickster. Above 30 MIG / INT, 20ish per / dex and with a priest, you are basically immortal.