Sell me on a fun Priest multiclass

[masterty66]

Like the topic says, I'm prepping a playthrough for Deadfire. I was currently doing a Lifegiver/Wael multiclass but with the upcoming turn based release I want to restart. I'll be playing a Priest of Wael I imported into Deadfire. Since I'm restarting, I figured I might as well try something different than the Universalist I was just playing.

 

Difficulty will of course be potd with upscaling.

 

So the only requirement I guess would be that Priest of Wael will be half the multi class. The other will be...whatever sounds fun .

Edited January 22, 2019 by masterty66

[hansvedic]

You could check out the guide for the Priest of Weal/Streetfighter Zealot build in the builds list.

 

That one allows you to make your defense part of your offense and really take down foes.

[brasilgringo]

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107909-deathless-thaumaturge-build-solo-potd/

[falchen]

Wael priest/Darcozzi paladin.

[masterty66]

These all sound pretty good. Decisions decisions..

[Retro1210]

Shaman. Paladins have been done to death, and barbarians mesh surprisingly well with Priests. They also look really cool with the right SSS soulbounds.

[thelee]

Basically any wael + martial class will be fun because of all the great defensive bonus spells wael gets. Only exception is a mage slayer shaman and possibly shifter, since there's an anti-synergy between their class downsides and self-buffing with illusion.

[masterty66]

Basically any wael + martial class will be fun because of all the great defensive bonus spells wael gets. Only exception is a mage slayer shaman and possibly shifter, since there's an anti-synergy between their class downsides and self-buffing with illusion.

Yeah just can't quite decide. Your Streetfighter build sounds appealing, but so too does a Shaman.

[Gromnir]

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121395

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121557

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121575

 

is many priest + options which work well, but most important advice we may provide is as follows: do not make your multiclass priest the party's primary buffer and healer.  the buff+buff+heal+repeat cycle appears to be the greatest cause o' priestly frustration commented 'pon by the message board collective. as such, don't try and make your priest multiclass replace what would be gained by a single-class priest.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Verde]

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121395

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121557

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121575

 

is many priest + options which work well, but most important advice we may provide is as follows: do not make your multiclass priest the party's primary buffer and healer. the buff+buff+heal+repeat cycle appears to be the greatest cause o' priestly frustration commented 'pon by the message board collective. as such, don't try and make your priest multiclass replace what would be gained by a single-class priest.

 

HA! Good Fun!

What about a Wael/Lifegiver? They seemed primed but optimal healing.

[Boeroer]

It's good. Especially with the Staff of Thicket Green. Also the modal helps a bit more with the melee attackers (in combo with the Illusions). I only did console-testing with it though.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Boeroer

[Verde]

Nice I started one yesterday!

[masterty66]

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121395

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121557

 

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/107079-are-priests-still-a-boring-superfluous-class/page-2?do=findComment&comment=2121575

 

is many priest + options which work well, but most important advice we may provide is as follows: do not make your multiclass priest the party's primary buffer and healer. the buff+buff+heal+repeat cycle appears to be the greatest cause o' priestly frustration commented 'pon by the message board collective. as such, don't try and make your priest multiclass replace what would be gained by a single-class priest.

 

HA! Good Fun!

What about a Wael/Lifegiver? They seemed primed but optimal healing.

 

 

They're good. I was just playing one. However I'm tabling that run because I want to do the new turn based mode and that forces a restart.

 

However I still wanna actually complete my Wael playthrough so I figured rather than do another Wael/Lifegiver I'd do a Wael/x just not sure what the x is yet. But I think Gromnir's advice about not making my Priest the party's buffbot is a sound one. Xoti and whats his face from Beast of Winter can enjoy that duty.

[masterty66]

It's good. Especially with the Staff of Thicket Green. Also the modal helps a bit more with the melee attackers (in combo with the Illusions). I only did console-testing with it though.

 

I played it to level 16 or so in the past while. That was the one I'm tabling in favor of turn based mode.

 

It's as good a Healbot as you'd expect. A typical combat for me was transfer into Cat form, toss on Moonwell, Nature's Balm, etc and then after that either start buffing (Devotions, etc) or toss around damage spells like Shining Beacon and Storm spells. And then from there if combat was still going I'd usually summon the Wael Rod and snipe for the rest of combat, healing where necessary.

 

It's actually not that bad offensively since you'll have high might anyways for healing but that also helps damage. 

 

One really nice boost for it is the penalty to healing post shift does NOT apply to Priest healing spells since most (all?) of those are tagged as Restoration. So even though your Druid heals take a hit when you shift back into normal form you can still burst out lots of healing with your Priest spells.

 

But yes definitely use the Spine of Thicket Green. That is built for this multiclass combo. So good for it.

Edited January 24, 2019 by masterty66

[heldred]

Tanky priests that are relatively fun (not standing ovation fun for me, but nothing to regret):

 

Paladin+Priest (Skaen or Wael are decent)

Fighter+Priest (Eothas is interesting)

Monk+Priest (Woedica thematically...)

Rogue (Trickster) + Priest (Rymr)

 

My latest idea is a custom Wiz+Priest, focusing on cherry-picking defensive Wiz spells and buffs at some level (Mirror, IronSkin, Haste, Llengs, etc.), while speccing for fire (Magrans + Zendathas Grimoire, etc.).   Wield Magrans Favor Axe and/or Sun & Moon Flail (suggest a shield for POTD) + Ring of Fire Accuracy Thingy (name eludes me).

 

With Turn-Based arriving, I might just add the Wiz+Priest fire nuker to the party...

[Boeroer]

If you summon the rod or shift your healings over time will immediately lose their PL bonuses from the Spine of Thicket Green. You'll gain +5 from shifting. But If you then also shift back and summon rod you will lose a TON of power level - also on active heals. The drawbacks of shifting as a Livegiver...

[thelee]

Paladin+Priest (Skaen or Wael are decent)

 

i rolled a kind wayfarer + eothas and it served as decent martial healbot (nothing like a livegiver, mind you). the important thing is to dual-wield, because then you get 2x heals off of flames of devotion, making it comparable to a restore, except you're also dealing damage, buffing party members (depending on upgrade), and doing damage. eothas was chosen because eothas gets a lot of free spells that are useful for a defensive-minded healer, and that way i could reserve more of my skill points for improving the paladin part with passives and auras. i basically didn't use any other paladin skill, reserving all my zeal for spamming flames of devotion, and relying on the priest side to do anything other than flames of devotion.

 

My latest idea is a custom Wiz+Priest, focusing on cherry-picking defensive Wiz spells and buffs at some level (Mirror, IronSkin, Haste, Llengs, etc.), while speccing for fire (Magrans + Zendathas Grimoire, etc.).   Wield Magrans Favor Axe and/or Sun & Moon Flail (suggest a shield for POTD) + Ring of Fire Accuracy Thingy (name eludes me).

A evoker + magran doubles up on the offensive power, both sides benefit from Magran's Favor axe, and importantly the echo chance you get from the evoker still works on the evocation-keyworded magran bonus spells (even though the +2 PL bonus from the evoker does not). Add on a soulbound upgraded marux amanth for an additional echo chance for the magran spells (10%). (The two echo chances are checked indpendently, so you'll have a net 23.5% chance to echo for magran evocation spells). I haven't actually tried this out (other than to verify the evoker echo works on magran spells) but could be a fun wiz+priest.

 

for any wiz+priest focused on damage, i would strongly encourage picking up champion's boon when you can (it's also a generally good spell for any other priest or priest multiclass). the tenacious inspiration is really really useful for offensive spellcasting, partially for the +5 might, but mostly for the +2 PEN, which also helps counterbalance the fact that your wiz spells are going to be weaker than a single-class.

Edited January 24, 2019 by thelee

[masterty66]

If you summon the rod or shift your healings over time will immediately lose their PL bonuses from the Spine of Thicket Green. You'll gain +5 from shifting. But If you then also shift back and summon rod you will lose a TON of power level - also on active heals. The drawbacks of shifting as a Livegiver...

 

I hadn't thought about these drawbacks but generally in my experience you need the heals early on in a fight to help you stabilize. So you wanna shift early and have the huge PL bonus. Then once you shift back you still have the PL bonus from the staff until you summon the rod so I guess the post shift PL penalty isn't as bad then?

 

There's probably an optimal way to manage all of this though but imo generally early on in a fight is when you're taking the most damage and so you want those massive heal over times on early. Later on in a fight you should be in a stable position (unless facing a boss or something similar) and so you don't care as much about losing the PL then.

 

Interesting dilemma though for sure.

[thelee]

 

If you summon the rod or shift your healings over time will immediately lose their PL bonuses from the Spine of Thicket Green. You'll gain +5 from shifting. But If you then also shift back and summon rod you will lose a TON of power level - also on active heals. The drawbacks of shifting as a Livegiver...

 

I hadn't thought about these drawbacks but generally in my experience you need the heals early on in a fight to help you stabilize. So you wanna shift early and have the huge PL bonus. Then once you shift back you still have the PL bonus from the staff until you summon the rod so I guess the post shift PL penalty isn't as bad then?

 

There's probably an optimal way to manage all of this though but imo generally early on in a fight is when you're taking the most damage and so you want those massive heal over times on early. Later on in a fight you should be in a stable position (unless facing a boss or something similar) and so you don't care as much about losing the PL then.

 

Interesting dilemma though for sure.

 

 

That's a good insight, and probably generally true. For cases where I have a tank with Unbending/Unbending Trunk, I activate it at the start of a fight, and rarely ever need to activate it again later on (though occasionally I do). If I never activate it, then that tank might struggle.

 

Even in Deadfire I think the AI frontloads its attacks. Even aside from that, as time goes on you take out enemies, buff up, debuff enemies, etc. Like you said I think the main variance might be fighting a boss or a couple tough enemies, where damage might spike periodically from attacks.

Edited January 24, 2019 by thelee

[Boeroer]

Yes, you can manage the PL loss and you are both right that the most important part is the beginning of an encounter. I just wanted to point out that shifting and summoning a weapom can be a drawback for a Lifegiver.

[Boeroer]

By the way the most fun I had with an Assassin/Priest of Skean although it might not be the most powerful combo in terms of dps or so. But it's powerful on its own - because you can grind encounters.

When I was able to sneak up on encounters I always did with this guy and shot some enemies dead and retreated to invisibility (stops combat) and repeated that. My other party members would just wait as backup. And when I had the impression that I assassinated enough I would just lure then to my party and *bam*.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Boeroer

[masterty66]

By the way the most fun I had with an Assassin/Priest of Skean although it might not be the most powerful combo in terms of dps or so. But it's powerful on its own - because you can grind encounters.

 

When I was able to sneak up on encounters I always did with this guy and shot some enemies dead and retreated to invisibility (stops combat) and repeated that. My other party members would just wait as backup. And when I had the impression that I assassinated enough I would just lure then to my party and *bam*.

 

This is actually what I ended up going with, albeit with Wael instead of Skaen. Using two blunderbusses so far.

 

The stealth alpha strikes are still quite nice in turn based mode. The squishiness of the Assassin is somewhat compensated for (at least so far) via Arcane Veil, which is a free cast spell. Combats for me usually involve opening with a stealth attack before casting arcane veil and getting the hell out of there until Eder can get in and pin enemies down.

 

Main weakness is ranged attackers. Escaping melees with escape is trivial enough. Later on I'll be able to restealth too. But veil piercing attacks just murder this character. I don't know of a great way around that either since switching weapons takes a round. In theory you could grab the tower shield and use the modal if you're about to get dunked on by Gunners but I don't know if you can get that off in time in turn based. Maybe the Wael buffs will compensate enough for this later on though.

Edited January 25, 2019 by masterty66

[Elric Galad]

The only non-subclass specific self-buff is Minor Avatar. However it is quite strong.

 

Given that it comes pretty late, probably require a billantizing cipher backup, I wonder if it is worth going priest multi for this reason (along with priest party buffing duties).

 

Rogues, Paladins and Rangers have few self inspirations it would provide a relevant buff for them.

+20 Secondary défenses is quite nice, especially on a paladin.

Edited January 25, 2019 by Elric Galad

[Boeroer]

You can cast Champion's Boon on yourself as well.

[masterty66]

I think I'm already restarting. Wael Priest/Assassin is a bit too squishy for me. I was really struggling at the Engwithan ruins. But I also didn't like doing Eder as pure fighter or Xoti as priest multi. So gonna change those two as well.

 

I'm definitely sticking with the Wael Priest theme but think I might do something slightly beefier as the other multi. Probably Barbarian, Fighter, or Ranger.