Multiclass for maximum "Mob Stance" usage

[QuiteGoneJin]

Curious what active builds forcus on proccing this, or is it too niche?

[Enoch]

I guess the question here is ways to get lots of engagement slots without using Defender/Guardian Stance? 

Barb, Rogue, and Fighter each have abilities that add +1 each (although the Fighter one adds only that and really isn't worth it).  Then there's equipment.  Dual wield Last Word and Kapana Taga (with appropriate enchantments) and wear the Reckless Brigandine with the Blackened Plate Helm, which stacks up 4 more.  (Plus other bonuses for lots of "engagees".)  If you need more than that, or if that gear isn't your style, you can get 3 more either by getting a Priest to cast Champion's Boon on you, or by being be a Brute and using Barbaric Shout.  (I don't think these would stack with one another, but I confess that I haven't checked whether +Engagement abilities follow the normal stacking rules.)  There's also a Chanter phrase and some resting options that give +1.  But, really, how often are you going to be in a situation where space allows you to get more than 4 enemies engaged? 

A fairly typical Brute build, with Barbaric Shout, Spirit Tornado, all the usual passives, and maybe some of the above-mentioned equipment makes for a quite lovely front-line character.   But Mob Stance topping out (as a practical matter) at a 20% or maybe 25% boost to recovery time probably puts it in the "nice perk" category, rather than the "center a whole character concept around this" category occupied by speed buffs like the Streetfighter's. 

Edited June 25, 2019 by Enoch

[QuiteGoneJin]

Was thinking of it more as a full attack proc not attack speed bonus. 

[Ivanfyodorovich]

Brute is a good way to maximize the full attack part. Barbaric Blow and Bloody Slaughter both help to snag killing blows on near death enemies, for zero Rage. If you have the Barbarian killing blow talents it can be quite a snowball. 

[bringingyouthefuture]

I've been noticing recently with my Swashbuckler, my Mob Stance hits have been dealing a lot heavier damage than often the initial hit, and I think it is because it stacks the Hold the Line engagement / Persistent Distraction / Sneak Attack / Death Blows (when suffering another affliction) while at the same time getting a crit on hit.  Does that sound correct or am I off on the stacking rules?

[Lamppost in Winter]

I've sort of set Eder up like this as a Swashbuckler with Streetfighter modded in and using a melee weapon + hand mortar with Powder Burns on. Every time he gets a kill it triggers the AoE hand mortar attack + powder burns on every enemy, it's pretty fun.

I was thinking as well for my next character a fast swashbuckler that applies weapon modal effects (Interfering Strikes, Bewildering Blows) to as many enemies as possible with Mob Stance.

[srulz]

5 hours ago, bringingyouthefuture said:

I've been noticing recently with my Swashbuckler, my Mob Stance hits have been dealing a lot heavier damage than often the initial hit, and I think it is because it stacks the Hold the Line engagement / Persistent Distraction / Sneak Attack / Death Blows (when suffering another affliction) while at the same time getting a crit on hit.  Does that sound correct or am I off on the stacking rules?

Apparently according to CLee's Gamefaqs guide, Mob Stance's full attacks are not subject to the -35% damage for dual wield rule:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/227477-pillars-of-eternity-ii-deadfire/faqs/76599/full-attack-vs-primary-attack

Whether its intentional or not, nobody knows.

 

[Boeroer]

You can count on it that it's not intentional.

[bringingyouthefuture]

So do the Rogue passives apply?  Can look myself I think, but if anyone knows that would be great too

[srulz]

5 hours ago, bringingyouthefuture said:

So do the Rogue passives apply?  Can look myself I think, but if anyone knows that would be great too

Of course. Mob Stance even applies Swift Flurry & Amra's crit effect, so it's safe to say that Mob Stance pretty much applies everything.

[Powerotti]

On 6/25/2019 at 6:46 AM, Ivanfyodorovich said:

Brute is a good way to maximize the full attack part. Barbaric Blow and Bloody Slaughter both help to snag killing blows on near death enemies, for zero Rage. If you have the Barbarian killing blow talents it can be quite a snowball. 

Unfortunately mob stance triggers only on weapon kills, not when M̶a̶s̶s̶a̶c̶r̶e̶ Carnage deals last hit, but it's still nice. If you aim for large group of enemies, i would opt for brute

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jhimu90-0Dw7wXPLpGcgd1RVwUxH0Wau/view?usp=sharing

Edited June 28, 2019 by Powerotti

[Boeroer]

Huh? What is "massacre"?

[Powerotti]

Ah, sorry, i meant carnage. I sometimes play english, sometimes my native language, and things get mixed im a strange ways

Edited June 28, 2019 by Powerotti

[srulz]

On 6/26/2019 at 10:41 AM, srulz said:

Apparently according to CLee's Gamefaqs guide, Mob Stance's full attacks are not subject to the -35% damage for dual wield rule:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/227477-pillars-of-eternity-ii-deadfire/faqs/76599/full-attack-vs-primary-attack

Whether its intentional or not, nobody knows.

 

@Boeroer @bringingyouthefuture @thelee:

Apparently the FAQ is wrong on this matter. Mob Stance's dual wield damage does get minused -35% damage just fine from my testing. Unless the log is wrong, of course.

[Boeroer]

Since @thelee's research usually is very thorough I guess this simply got patched silently. A lot of things actually do get fixed or changed without any patch notes mentioning it.

Thanks for testing @srulz.

Edited June 29, 2019 by Boeroer

[thelee]

17 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Since @thelee's research usually is very thorough I guess this simply got patched silently. A lot of things actually do get fixed or changed without any patch notes mentioning it.

Thanks for testing @srulz.

Yes, this is something I personally tested back in the day, so if it gets the dual wielding penalty that was a silent fix, likely in one of the patches from 4.1 to 5.0, probably 5.0 itself given the size of the patch.

Another thing to update when I get around to it, ultimate is sort of consuming my deadfire time atm. Thanks for looking into it.

Edited June 30, 2019 by thelee

[srulz]

1 hour ago, thelee said:

Yes, this is something I personally tested back in the day, so if it gets the dual wielding penalty that was a silent fix, likely in one of the patches from 4.1 to 5.0, probably 5.0 itself given the size of the patch.

Another thing to update when I get around to it, ultimate is sort of consuming my deadfire time atm. Thanks for looking into it.

No problem. Since you've last updated the FAQ a few months back, I would assume that you are simply burnt out on the game and/or updating the FAQ.

BTW as I've been referring to the FAQ pretty much daily now, there still exist some inaccuracies a little bit here and there. If you want me to compile all of these somehow and send to you, feel free to let me know. It's the least I can do to repay all the help the guide has given me.

[thelee]

On 6/30/2019 at 1:26 AM, srulz said:

No problem. Since you've last updated the FAQ a few months back, I would assume that you are simply burnt out on the game and/or updating the FAQ.

BTW as I've been referring to the FAQ pretty much daily now, there still exist some inaccuracies a little bit here and there. If you want me to compile all of these somehow and send to you, feel free to let me know. It's the least I can do to repay all the help the guide has given me.

yeah, sure i would love that. you can message me or share a google doc with me. i also have my own keep list of TODO updates, and phenom sent me a few things to update. permission to give credit to you by name?

 

edit - just realized you wouldn't have an email to share a doc with me. if you want go that route, just direct message me and i'll give you one

Edited July 1, 2019 by thelee