Need advice for POTD party comp

[Aerinqq]

Hi everyone,

 

finally going for my first playthrough. After a lot of reading Ive come up with a party comp I would like to try and I would appreciate if someone experienced could chime in. I am following some guides here, but I am not sure whether theyre still viable after so many patches. I chose this party following certain criteria like using different types of weapons, different classes that I played in PoE1, must have a good mix of melee/ranged, tankiness/enough sustain/dps etc. So my suggested party looks like this:

 

1) Herald with 2H Sword (Pellagina) https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/102541-companion-build-tuono-e-fulmine/ Is this build tanky enough? If not, should I rather multiclass with fighter or chose different skills?

 

2) Fanatic with 2 weapons https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/104764-class-build-the-imperial-fanatic-berserkerbleakwalker/

 

3) Ranged Mindstalker - this one I am not sure about. Is Ranged inferior to melee here? If I would want to go ranged, should I got for dual blunderbuss/pistols or 2H (Arquebus/Bow/Crossbow)? Also what subclasses should I pick? I found this build https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/103781-roleplay-build-the-company-man-mindstalker-ranged-streetfighterascendant-for-potd-not-a-solo-build-warning-lots-of-reading/ but I am not sure how viable it is.

 

4) Theurge (Teheku) https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/104571-companion-build-t%C4%81whirim%C4%81tea-the-god-of-storms/

 

5) Pure Wizard (Aloth) - for a classic CC+dps mage, which subclass should I pick? I was thinking about evoker, but I am honestly not sure if its worth losing 2 schools of magic...

 

So basically I have 2 frontline "off-tanks" (or should I make one pure tank?) that will take some punishment, heal and still be able to dish out solid damage. Then 1 ranged dps/cc (mindstalker), heal/dps (theurge) and another cc/dps (wizard).

 

I hope this team comp should provide me with enough healing that I wont need a priest. Which character should be my main? (in terms of companion availability for particular role).

 

I know that you dont need 100 % perfect team comp to finish POTD, but I rly like to min/max and make the best possible party (without playing gimmicks like 5 characters of the same class etc). So is this party good/how should I improve it?

 

Will appreciate any advice

 

thanks guys

 

Aerin

[Ensign]

Quick thoughts:

 

Theurge Tekehu and Wizard Aloth are staple characters. Single class wizard (no subclass on Aloth; could be Evoker or Blood Mage custom) is really flexible with lots of good options. Theurge Tekehu is a bit less flexible given the subclasses but the guide you link is solid for building around his strengths.

 

Two weapon Fanatic will be solid. This is your primary engage in this composition. There is a bit of cross purpose between the two classes, as the dual wield works wonders with Flames of Devotion but less amazing with the Barbarian's resets. Still a good call, wants to wade in deep and should be pretty survivable.

 

WotEP Herald Pallegina is tricky. As you caught it is not a main tank - Herald takes a while to become naturally durable, and in so will be work to make tanky enough to go wild with Offensive Parry procs. You also lack natural damage adds to make those WotEP parry procs sing. Also as an off tank recognize that you lack engagement here. None of this is to say it's bad and this character will do a lot of work, but be prepared to focus your tactics around it to make it work.

 

On the bright side Pallegina Herald is a versatile character with a lot of good builds, and if you find WotEP isn't worth trying to make work it's easy to equip a different weapon and fall back to a lot of different patterns.

 

Mindstalker ranged is a popular build, strong and pretty simple. Something to keep in mind is that melee (flanking) and ranged mindstalker builds are nearly identical, with the only real question being whether or not you take persistent distraction. So even as a ranged character it's easy enough to put melee weapons in the other weapon set and swap / push escape when you need another melee or if you want to dive.

 

It's true that you lack a high engagement tank to handle aggro, but you have a lot of summons (Pallegina can chain summon; Aloth and Tekehu will have a summon up a lot of the time late) and a lot of CC to pull weight there instead - which I personally think is a better option. The Fanatic will likely end up being built pretty tanky given that it is your primary engage while your other control comes online, but after that is up you have plenty of tools to keep your casters safe.

 

Biggest question mark for me is the Pallegina build. The build you linked is pre-WotEP nerf I believe, and the payoff may not be there for the effort anymore. If it isn't no big deal, she is easy to pivot to a different build, but she's definitely the attention focus of this composition.

[Aerinqq]

Quick thoughts:

 

Theurge Tekehu and Wizard Aloth are staple characters. Single class wizard (no subclass on Aloth; could be Evoker or Blood Mage custom) is really flexible with lots of good options. Theurge Tekehu is a bit less flexible given the subclasses but the guide you link is solid for building around his strengths.

 

Two weapon Fanatic will be solid. This is your primary engage in this composition. There is a bit of cross purpose between the two classes, as the dual wield works wonders with Flames of Devotion but less amazing with the Barbarian's resets. Still a good call, wants to wade in deep and should be pretty survivable.

 

WotEP Herald Pallegina is tricky. As you caught it is not a main tank - Herald takes a while to become naturally durable, and in so will be work to make tanky enough to go wild with Offensive Parry procs. You also lack natural damage adds to make those WotEP parry procs sing. Also as an off tank recognize that you lack engagement here. None of this is to say it's bad and this character will do a lot of work, but be prepared to focus your tactics around it to make it work.

 

On the bright side Pallegina Herald is a versatile character with a lot of good builds, and if you find WotEP isn't worth trying to make work it's easy to equip a different weapon and fall back to a lot of different patterns.

 

Mindstalker ranged is a popular build, strong and pretty simple. Something to keep in mind is that melee (flanking) and ranged mindstalker builds are nearly identical, with the only real question being whether or not you take persistent distraction. So even as a ranged character it's easy enough to put melee weapons in the other weapon set and swap / push escape when you need another melee or if you want to dive.

 

It's true that you lack a high engagement tank to handle aggro, but you have a lot of summons (Pallegina can chain summon; Aloth and Tekehu will have a summon up a lot of the time late) and a lot of CC to pull weight there instead - which I personally think is a better option. The Fanatic will likely end up being built pretty tanky given that it is your primary engage while your other control comes online, but after that is up you have plenty of tools to keep your casters safe.

 

Biggest question mark for me is the Pallegina build. The build you linked is pre-WotEP nerf I believe, and the payoff may not be there for the effort anymore. If it isn't no big deal, she is easy to pivot to a different build, but she's definitely the attention focus of this composition.

Thanks a lot for the input. What do you mean "Teheku and Aloth are staple characters"? Could you elaborate on that?

Also, I am not crazy on summons (never really liked that playstyle)...cant imagine summoning multiple pets with multiple characters, the battlefield would become way too chaotic for me I am afraid, but I am willing to keep 1 summoner.

 

In regards to Pellagina, do you think it would be better to just turn her into a pure tank? I tried this approach in PoE1 and it worked ok for a while, but after some point the game became so easy even on PoTD that I didnt need a dedicated tank, so I made the tank much more offensive and it worked out much better in the end.

 

In regards to the Mindstalker, I thought that when going melee I would be better of using Soulblade, but if I want to stay ranged Ascendant will be better right? I dont wanna swap between ranged and melee constantly, its just not my playstyle.

 

Also, which char would you make your main? The Mindstalker or Fanatic?

 

thanks again

Edited April 14, 2019 by Aerinqq

[Ensign]

I mean that (Wizard) Aloth and (Theurge) Tekehu are versatile classes that aren't dependent upon tricky synergies to make effective. Aloth can nuke or debuff or use summons, there are a variety of ways to take him and with the composition of the party any of them would work. Theurge Tekehu isn't so versatile, but gets free spells on both the chanter and druid side - if you use those and don't try and do anything too crazy he'll be very effective. I don't think you need feedback there.

 

Summons don't need to be a priority or your main play pattern. I just mean that if you see a lot of enemies breaking past the front lines or you are dealing with shades that dive your casters you have a lot of sources of cheap summons to clog things up in a pinch.

 

With respect to Herald Pallegina, it's not just tank vs offtank building but WotEP in particular, which requires you to play certain ways (take focused fire for offensive parry, pile in close to tight packs of mobs to benefit from the cleave) that you are not necessarily suited to. Thus you might find yourself having to pay a lot of attention to microing the character without a lot of payoff for that micro. A generic two hander has more flexible positioning and target selection which makes it less intensive and more versatile.

 

For various Cipher subclasses it really depends on what you want to do with it. If you are a spellcaster you probably want to be ranged and stick with core or Beguiler or Ascendant, since there's generally no benefit from casting in melee range. If you are more about weapon attacks then neither of those will be as good as a vanilla cipher, and Soul Blade would give you an additional tool for weapon attacks if you are melee. None of these are obviously better given the comp.

 

The question I like like to ask though is who is your 3rd engager if someone breaks into the backline. Mindstalker is great at fighting one guy in melee due to all the damage bonuses so I keep a melee set on them so they can step up for that. But it could be Aloth with shields and stuff too. Just have a plan.

 

I would make the Fanatic the main. Melee and martials benefit more from the bonus stats and abilities the main accumulates.

[Arctur]

Hi Aerinqq,

 

in my current playthrough (PotD, not upscaled) I variated this build: https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/98968-class-build-the-healing-wall/page-2

(TheMetaphysician, post 35)

 

1. Problem: Palleginas stats. MaxQuests Marvellous Mod   "Spoils of Caed Nua" makes Pensiavi mes Réi (amongst other goodies) available: +3 MIG on one ring.

 

2. Problem: Engagement slots. Last Word (warhammer; + 1 engagement) in a second weapon slot together with Shining Bulwark); Reckless Brigandine before you get your hands on the Blackened Plate; a mod that gives the Cloak of Berath +1 engagement, +1INT, +1PER.

 

Last Word & Shining Bulwark are available early in the game; Reckless Brigandine - not so.

 

Great tank build with constant party healing - maybe you should give it a try.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Arctur

[Aerinqq]

Hi Aerinqq,

 

in my current playthrough (PotD, not upscaled) I variated this build: https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/98968-class-build-the-healing-wall/page-2

(TheMetaphysician, post 35)

 

1. Problem: Palleginas stats. MaxQuests Marvellous Mod   "Spoils of Caed Nua" makes Pensiavi mes Réi (amongst other goodies) available: +3 MIG on one ring.

 

2. Problem: Engagement slots. Last Word (warhammer; + 1 engagement) in a second weapon slot together with Shining Bulwark); Reckless Brigandine before you get your hands on the Blackened Plate; a mod that gives the Cloak of Berath +1 engagement, +1INT, +1PER.

 

Last Word & Shining Bulwark are available early in the game; Reckless Brigandine - not so.

 

Great tank build with constant party healing - maybe you should give it a try.

 

Thanks, might give this a shot. Yeah, companion stats were always a problem since POE1. There was a way how to modify them https://www.reddit.com/r/projecteternity/comments/490vwk/good_news_everyone_theres_a_way_to_permanently/, but idk how to do it in POE2

[Arctur]

Via Unity Console, I think, but since it's not patched, I never used it. The companion stats case is especially worse in this build, as you need really high MIG & INT to get this to work. Might - no problem; Intelligence - not so easy afaik. For other builds I find they are ok - not powergamey, but ok.

 

The cool thing with Pallegina as Red-Cross-Tank is: your off-tanks have a lot more time to do whatever they like to do, CC, DD, AoE, CCR, AC/DC...

[Marigoldran]

I just wanna say "5 heralds."  But sure, your party comp works.  

 

Pallegina is very tanky as a herald (actually all heralds are tanky by default).  

Edited April 15, 2019 by Marigoldran