Duo Build

[MikeMikeMikeMikeMike]

I'm seeing a lot of solo builds wherever I look but is there any Duo build that works well  POTD and everything including megabosses? Or just for fun.

[Boeroer]

Steel Garrote + Ascended/Beckoner maybe?

 

Both will get endless resources.

 

Ascendant/Beckoner summons skeletons and kills them with Grave Calling. This will give Paladin +2 Zeal via Devine Retribution. The resulting Chillfogs will generate focus for Ascendant.

Steel Garrote will use Sacred Immolation to do AoE damage which will heal him with 15% of damage dealt, probably countering the self damage sufficiently (?). Also uses Greater Laying Hands and Exalted Endurance to heal. Ascendant spams Amplified Wave etc. once ascended - or single target stuff against bosses while sending in summons to distract etc.

 

Just an idea...

[djinnxy]

Tactician/Beckoner + Tactician/Debonaire or Tactician/Trickster

 

With grave calling as per above.

 

Everything could be flanked or charmed and critically hit into oblivion with constant resource regeneration. Loads of crowd control potential and both could face tank while dealing large amounts of damage.

[brasilgringo]

Steel Garrote + Ascended/Beckoner maybe?

 

Both will get endless resources.

 

Ascendant/Beckoner summons skeletons and kills them with Grave Calling. This will give Paladin +2 Zeal via Devine Retribution. The resulting Chillfogs will generate focus for Ascendant.

Steel Garrote will use Sacred Immolation to do AoE damage which will heal him with 15% of damage dealt, probably countering the self damage sufficiently (?). Also uses Greater Laying Hands and Exalted Endurance to heal. Ascendant spams Amplified Wave etc. once ascended - or single target stuff against bosses while sending in summons to distract etc.

 

Just an idea...

This is a cool idea.  That said, given you have an Ascendant that could restore the Paladin's resources with the Cipher spell that gives Brilliant, maybe going fully Pally to get Divine Retribution isn't needed?  In fact, if Chill Fog is going to be a key element of play, you could also consider Steel Garotte / Tactician, which should be able to self-generate Brilliant if the Chill Fogs nail all the enemies and flank them all, right?  Or if you flank them all with other Cipher spells like Phantom Foes?

 

Or SG/* where *class brings a bit more to the table for tanking or damage, if the cipher (Ascendant) is still restoring reources on the Pally/* with the cipher spell that gives Brilliant?  Maybe even SG/BloodMage or SG/Evoker?  or SG/Streetfighter or SG/Trickster (for tanky)? 

 

If you go this route per Boeroer, maybe get the gear that gives bonuses on downed allies ... i forget their names, but there are 1-2 late game?  Presuming the downed summons count.

 

The key to duoing or soloing the bosses/megabosses generally is replenishing your resources, so having the Cipher as one of the 2 toons is probably a key element (not 100% necessary -- see recent single-class monk discussions -- but certainly will make things easier).

Edited February 3, 2019 by brasilgringo

[robxara]

 

Steel Garrote + Ascended/Beckoner maybe?

 

Both will get endless resources.

 

Ascendant/Beckoner summons skeletons and kills them with Grave Calling. This will give Paladin +2 Zeal via Devine Retribution. The resulting Chillfogs will generate focus for Ascendant.

Steel Garrote will use Sacred Immolation to do AoE damage which will heal him with 15% of damage dealt, probably countering the self damage sufficiently (?). Also uses Greater Laying Hands and Exalted Endurance to heal. Ascendant spams Amplified Wave etc. once ascended - or single target stuff against bosses while sending in summons to distract etc.

 

Just an idea...

This is a cool idea.  That said, given you have an Ascendant that could restore the Paladin's resources with the Cipher spell that gives Brilliant, maybe going fully Pally to get Divine Retribution isn't needed?  In fact, if Chill Fog is going to be a key element of play, you could also consider Steel Garotte / Tactician, which should be able to self-generate Brilliant if the Chill Fogs nail all the enemies and flank them all, right?  Or if you flank them all with other Cipher spells like Phantom Foes?

 

Or SG/* where *class brings a bit more to the table for tanking or damage, if the cipher (Ascendant) is still restoring reources on the Pally/* with the cipher spell that gives Brilliant?  Maybe even SG/BloodMage or SG/Evoker?  or SG/Streetfighter or SG/Trickster (for tanky)? 

 

If you go this route per Boeroer, maybe get the gear that gives bonuses on downed allies ... i forget their names, but there are 1-2 late game?  Presuming the downed summons count.

 

The key to duoing or soloing the bosses/megabosses generally is replenishing your resources, so having the Cipher as one of the 2 toons is probably a key element (not 100% necessary -- see recent single-class monk discussions -- but certainly will make things easier).

 

You could also flip it around and equip chilling grave on the pally, that way all the front line enemies would have chill fog on them. You would lose the focus gain though.

[Boeroer]

I thought about giving the Paladin Magran's Favor or Sun & Moon (depending if it's day/night) to boost the damage of SI while not increasing the self damage. I did a quick test with SI to see if it also works with the Steel Garrotte's passive draining (+ Inspired Beacon) but strangely it didn't work. Then I saw that no damage at all was converted to healing - so maybe just a hickup. WIll try again...

[Dr. Hieronymous Alloy]

Steel Garrote + Ascended/Beckoner maybe?

 

Both will get endless resources.

 

Ascendant/Beckoner summons skeletons and kills them with Grave Calling. This will give Paladin +2 Zeal via Devine Retribution. The resulting Chillfogs will generate focus for Ascendant.

Steel Garrote will use Sacred Immolation to do AoE damage which will heal him with 15% of damage dealt, probably countering the self damage sufficiently (?). Also uses Greater Laying Hands and Exalted Endurance to heal. Ascendant spams Amplified Wave etc. once ascended - or single target stuff against bosses while sending in summons to distract etc.

 

Just an idea...

 

 

I believe the Steel Garotte only heals from weapon damage, not all damage. Otherwise steel garotte / blood mage would be even better than it is.

 

That said, a steel garrotte / blood mage could summon Citzal's and go to town. There's even a certain natural synergy because both the steel garrotte and the blood mage should benefit from Voidward.

Edited February 5, 2019 by Dr. Hieronymous Alloy

[Boeroer]

It doesn't say weapon damage in the description though. Well I will find out soon enough.

[Dr. Hieronymous Alloy]

It doesn't say weapon damage in the description though. Well I will find out soon enough.

 

 

It does in-game I think. I read it somewhere anyway. I've been playing around with a blood mage / steel garotte aloth but 1) I used the unity console to craft him and 2) I haven't gotten Citzal's yet on this run.

 

if you're testing the combo please share any info you figure out.

Edited February 5, 2019 by Dr. Hieronymous Alloy

[MikeMikeMikeMikeMike]

Tactician/Beckoner + Tactician/Debonaire or Tactician/Trickster

 

With grave calling as per above.

 

Everything could be flanked or charmed and critically hit into oblivion with constant resource regeneration. Loads of crowd control potential and both could face tank while dealing large amounts of damage.

 

Which stats might etc. would you give each and which races? I like this build.

[MikeMikeMikeMikeMike]

Steel Garrote + Ascended/Beckoner maybe?

 

Both will get endless resources.

 

Ascendant/Beckoner summons skeletons and kills them with Grave Calling. This will give Paladin +2 Zeal via Devine Retribution. The resulting Chillfogs will generate focus for Ascendant.

Steel Garrote will use Sacred Immolation to do AoE damage which will heal him with 15% of damage dealt, probably countering the self damage sufficiently (?). Also uses Greater Laying Hands and Exalted Endurance to heal. Ascendant spams Amplified Wave etc. once ascended - or single target stuff against bosses while sending in summons to distract etc.

 

Just an idea...

 As always very helpful i always look forward to your replies and solutions to my crazy ideas and am very grateful for them as well. How would this work stat wise and weapon wise though?

[djinnxy]

 

It doesn't say weapon damage in the description though. Well I will find out soon enough.

 

 

It does in-game I think. I read it somewhere anyway. I've been playing around with a blood mage / steel garotte aloth but 1) I used the unity console to craft him and 2) I haven't gotten Citzal's yet on this run.

 

if you're testing the combo please share any info you figure out.

 

It is in the description. I have not fully tested whether there is anything besides weapons that will provide the health. With a garote/bloodmage and a chanter/something you could use the chant that gives 15%, concelhaut's staff that drains (%?), either of the other 2 wiz draining spells, and the garote weapon 15%. I can't give any math on that without testing. 

[djinnxy]

 

Tactician/Beckoner + Tactician/Debonaire or Tactician/Trickster

 

With grave calling as per above.

 

Everything could be flanked or charmed and critically hit into oblivion with constant resource regeneration. Loads of crowd control potential and both could face tank while dealing large amounts of damage.

 

Which stats might etc. would you give each and which races? I like this build.

 

 

I would lean toward going tactician/beguiler as a possibility to replace tactician/beckoner.  One covers flanking by adding lots of summons and the other covers it with phantom foes. 

 

With tactician/beguiler I would take tactician/debonaire. It's more of a reliable source of the charm/crit combo. I like the other idea better so I'll elaborate more there.

 

With tactician/beckoner or /troubadour I'd want the heavier summons like the drakes or the ogres to absorb some damage and flank as well as the skeleton and wraith summons for the weapons that give the foe only clouds situationally. I'd probably use the skeleton chant and ancient memory for healing. Focus more heavily on armor stacking with the tactician chanter. You'll want to go sword and board and beef this one up. Be sure to put a few points in might and int for healing and the length of summons respectively. Use patinated plate or nomad's brigandine. Make this one your main and take prissy the cat. +15% healing done and 10 hp per kill for the party. Be sure to add a few other healing buffs for gear and the rest for defense here. Use Kapana Taga as the main weapon and take immune to flanking afflictions here. For active skills you'll want bombs on one or the other for emergency flanking (cinder bombs or sparkle crackers.) The chanter I recommend arcana for the heal scrolls.

 

With the chanter combo use tactician trickster. Take weapon and shield and 2 weapon fighting both. Use the small shields tuotilo's palm until you can get the best defense. Be sure to take an extra weapon slot so you are prepared for every situation. Someone asked if tuotilo's palm scaled with monastic unarmed training and I apologize I have not tested it yet or looked it up. If it does that is one possible weapon combo. I'd of course take grave calling on one of them for the foe only chill fogs from killing skeletons. For the less attractive noxious cloud (you'll be able to use the trickster ability to sicken AND frighten) use hel beckoning to kill the wraiths. Either of the 2 weapons can be on either character, but I'd get both. They're just too good with chanter not to have.

 

Back to the stats on tactician trickster. Max perception and resolve. You'll want this one tanky and you won't want to miss when you drop repulsive visage to save your butt. If you chip away at any stat to buff others make it strength, int, or dex. They're  less important here. Don't completely dump any of the stats. In the short term use Devil of Caroc's bp until you get either Casita Samelia's or Gipon Prudensco. I recommend the Gipon Prudensco. Take the flanking immune (duh! tactician) and the deflection stacking. Give this guy explosives. Most things that aren't flanked with the chill fogs, persistent distraction, or party members can be flanked with sparkle crackers. For resistant mobs us cinder bombs. They work great for hitting rangers or casters that stay off on the fringes.

 

For abilities take the deflection and healing skills along with accuracy on the fighter side of both. For the rogue take escape and then move down through the smokes and take the right fork. This is your guile alternative to grenades that provide flanking. Don't waste points in bell ringing. The rest is up to you. I do recommend the perishing strike. You'll run into things that heal and it would be better for you if they didn't . Perishing strike takes care of that. Of course persistent distraction is a must. After that i'd maybe take riposte and some damage. I don't think I've ever built a character that didn't have uncanny luck. 

 

That's all I'll add. I'll leave the rest for you to figure out. I reserve the right to be completely wrong about anything here. 

Edited February 10, 2019 by djinnxy