Engaging Eder Build

[Dalinoth]

Two points please:

 

First, is the Engaging Eder build ok to use as your main tank?

 

Second, I've read several posts about this build in the forums and ran a google search for the build.  The only link to the build that google has leads you to a forum post here that describes the build but does not provide the particulars (skills/abilities/gear etc...).

 

Can someone please provide me a link to this build or post the particulars here?  Thanks in advance.

[Cannabat]

Here ya go:

https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/104050-character-build-the-iron-hammer-swashbuckler-unbrokentrickster/

 

It is excellent and works with Eder.

[Dalinoth]

Thanks.  Eder's swashbuckler, however, is Unbroken/Streetfighter and not Trickster.  How does that change the build please?  I am not using the Unity mod.

[Boeroer]

Eh? Usually Edér as swashbuckler is a vanilla Fighter/Rogue, no subclasses.

[Taudis]

Engagement Swashbuckler tanks are pretty much just Defender Stance + Persistent Distraction. You pick up a lot of enemies and just passively debuff them.
 
For Eder specifically, I'd look at something like this:
 
Abilities

PL1
Disciplined Barrage
Open Slot (Probably Escape but Monastic Unarmed Trained is good if you want to use a shield, since it boosts Tuotilo's Palm)
 
PL2
Fighter Stances (!)
Weapon Style (Weapon and Shield is good on a tank and helps proc Riposte but IMO Two Weapon Style is better for a Rogue's full attacks)
Into The Fray (Don't let the AI handle this, it will mess it up)
Open Slot (Blinding Strike is good, Eder specifically likes Confident Aim since his PER is garbage and he could use some extra Graze-to-Hit)
 
PL3
Tactical Barrage (Tactical is better than Disciplined for Eder because he's not very smart and really needs the added duration he gets from Acute)
Riposte (Don't bother if you're playing Turn-Based, the miss rate is impossibly low with the expanded graze range)
Rapid Recovery (!)
Open Slot (Upgrading Blinding Strike is good if you took it. I like Finishing Blow, personally)
 
PL4
Vigorous Defense (!)
Persistent Distraction (!)
Lower Their Guard
Open Slot (You should take Charge if you didn't take Escape, I normally grab Weapon Spec)
 
PL5
Unbending (!)
Deep Wounds
Open Slot x2 (Lot of options. I'd grab Devastating Blow if you took Finishing Blow. Armored Grace is pretty useful. If you're trying to do a DEF tank, Superior Deflection helps. I'd take Armored Grace, since you'll probably be in slow heavy armor)
 
PL6
Refreshing Defense (!) (Eder has terrible ability duration and this will save you SO MUCH discipline)
Slippery Mind (This will save your bacon when it works but also Eder is pretty good at being above 50% health so taking a nice Rogue talent from a lower level is good here too)
Clear Out
Open Slot (Overwhelming Guard is good but honestly? Enemies don't disengage very often and are pretty good about using things like Escape when they need to disengage. I'd go with Reaping the Whirlwind because Eder's poor ability duration makes him very Discipline hungry)
 
PL7
Unbending Shield (Unbending Trunk is a better tanking talent but IMO the buffer against RES afflictions has more value. Hard call. You should pick one of them, though)
Deathblows
Coordinated Positioning (Absolutely do not let the AI handle this.)

 

 

 

I've built Eder this way a few times and mostly let the AI handle him. If you keep him at the front of your party and mostly try initiate combat by un-stealthing him, he'll naturally pick up most of the enemy frontline. I generally have a sturdy melee DPS/debuffer up front with him and then 3 squishies, so I can confidently say that this set-up covers the tanking role fairly well.

 

Gear

 

Accessories

Head: Horns of the Bleak Mother until you get Blackened Plate Helm.

Neck: Strand of Favor OR Eothasian Charm. Dragon Pendant is also very nice if you're AR tanking.

Cloak: Cloak of Greater Protection

Hands: Aegor's Swift Touch until you get Bracers of Greater Deflection. If someone else wants Aegor's, Of Accuracy or Of Discpline are good.

Ring 1: Entonia Signet Ring

Ring 2: Ring of Greater Regeneration

Waist: Eder doesn't need anything in particular here. If you're AR tanking, you should look into Ngati's Girdle or Blunting Belt (both of which are fine choices even if you're not stacking armor). I personally like Ngati's because the Athletics bonus is nice for those Second Winds.

Feet: Boots of the Stone if you can spare them. Otherwise, whatever is fine. I like Shorewalker Sandals for the RES boost. I'd also consider upgrading to Rakhan Field Boots when you get them but your DPS might appreciate them more.

Pet: Definitely Nalvi. +RES and your whole party loves that speed boost. It won't stack with armor recovery on your Watcher's pet, so if your Watcher is using Abraham or Cutthroat Cosmo, I'd use Eviee instead for that +2 RES. Giftwrapper is a reasonable upgrade from Eviee when you do FS (though Nalvi is irreplaceable).

 

Armor

Armor (Option 1): Devil of Caroc Breastplate (Crit healing/CON resistance) - Eder is resource hungry and really doesn't want to lose his passive healing. This is the armor option I'd pick if you wanted a faster Eder.

Armor (Option 2): Casita Samelia's Legacy (Whatever) - A good option for DEF stacking. Take this if you like Riposte or if you want slightly faster armor but DoC Breastplate isn't available. (Note: There's no consequences for killing the guy after you finish the related quests)

Armor (Option 3): Reckless Brigandine (+DAM/+AR) - Good for an Engagement tank but it looks so so bad.

Armor (Option 4): One Dozen Stood (Near Death AR/Bonus Engagement) - Looks nice, good for a tank, thematic for Eder. This is what I'd personally use. Unfortunately late game.

Armor (Option 5): Patinated Plate (better %/better recovery) - It's the heaviest armor you can wear. If you're playing in TB obviously get the extra AR over the better recovery. In RTwP, you have to get better recovery if you want to do more than one thing per combat.

 

Weapon

Two Weapon Style Weapon Set 1 (Option 1): Main: Kapana Taga (+Engagement/Flanking Immunity) Off: Last Word (Whatever/+Engagement)

More Engagement and benefits for engaging. Immunity to flanking is also really really helpful because Eder is going get flanked a lot. Kapana Taga could also be Squid's Grasp but IMO the Club modal and dual damage types is more useful. If you do use Squid's Grasp, put it in the off hand instead of the main hand. Full attack abilities (ie all the Rogue actives) skip offhand recovery, so you can use the modal for "free". This is the reason to put Last Word in the offhand, too.

Two Weapon Style Weapon Set 1 (Option 2): Main: Stalker's Patience (Immediate Recovery/More Raw) Off: Rust's Poignard (Whatever/More Raw)

You automatically cause the Flanked affliction to engaged enemies, so these will allow you to DPS better without distracting from your tanking abilities. Since you mentioned a subclass change mod and most of those come from Checoden's Deadfire Tweaks, I'll also mention that if you're using Vanilla Weapon Tweaks, dual wielding a Spear and a non-spear with that mod will cause you to constantly miss from being out-of-range with the non-spear. There is a fix, so let me know if that's the case and I'll do my best to explain the fix.

Two Weapon Style Weapon Set 2: Main: Marux Amanth (Bound to Rogue) Off: Acolyte's Axe (Whatever)

Provides an alternate damage type to the above options as well as a fairly defensive set-up. Marux Amanth's Sacrifice makes every boss fight 10x easier by just ending it on the spot.

 

Weapon and Shield Weapon Set 1: Kapana Taga (+Engagement/Flanking Immunity), Tuotilo's Palm (Riposte/+Accuracy) OR Cadhu Scalth (weapon resistance)

Same as above, what you really want is the flanking immunity because, well, Eder going to surround himself with enemies and get flanked. I greatly prefer Tuotilo's Palm when using a shield because Eder's rogue side comes with some great full attack options but it's also useless without Monastic Unarmed Training. I recommend Cadhu Scalth because if you're going Sword 'n' Board, you might as well lean full into the DEF tanking. Worth noting that you don't really need the Metaphysics bonus on Cadhu Scalth and even a smaller Athletics bonus still leaves you with a higher deflection than other shields.

Weapon and Shield Weapon Set 2: Squid's Grasp (Get rid of the curse!/Action Speed), Cadhu Scalth (Weapon resistance)

Provides the last damage type that Kapana Taga does not. I wouldn't use Tuotilo's in both slots because the most common reason for weapon switching will be that Crush damage is a bad idea.

 

 

 

The gear recommendations are way more "suggestion" than "requirement". One of the nice things about specifically Eder as an engagement tank is that his decent MIG/CON paired with Constant Recovery make him reasonably sturdy even naked. If you just give him whatever is the most defensive loot you have on hand he'll do fine.

 

If you're using a mod that changes Eder to Unbroken/Streetfighter most of the advice stays the same. Personally I'd turn the mod off, since it takes more micro than I like on my tanks to maintain that flanked/bloodied status. The gear advice would probably change to Reckless Brigandine or One Dozen Stood as armor options and you should definitely go Weapon and Shield Style but with Last Word and a shield, using a slashing weapon as the main hand for your second weapon set. I'd recommend Marux Amanth again but there're a ton of great sabres and half-swords. Absolutely do not take the Flanked immunity weapons. Same advice applies to the Iron Hammer build (now that I look at it, it's basically the same as my suggestion... should've checked earlier and saved myself the typing).