The Crusader Conundrum PoTD

[Torm51]

If you build him defensively hes useful for soaking damage and not much else,  some support, but not the same as a Herald and less damage than a Holy Slayer. A Crusader does have better defenses than the previously mentioned multi-classes but thats it , its just personal defense.   If you go offensive his defense is good enough at times, but he can still get absolutely splattered by enemies like Risen Armsmen in the early game.  Hes very vulnerable to focused ranged fire...some help.

[Enoch]

Focused ranged fire?  Keep backup weapon set with a Large Shield, and turn the modal on.  And when you know it's coming, make sure you're not wearing Pierce-vulnerable armor (Scale or Brigandine). 

Also, Risen Armsmen are tough opponents in the "early game."  I think their default level is 10, and the encounter design often puts them in tactical situations that magnify their effectiveness beyond that.  It might well be that they'd plaster whoever they focused on, at your current level. 

 

Edited August 2, 2019 by Enoch

[Torm51]

@Enoch You are right, I tend to go for a certain build and only play that way, but smartly using modals in the right spot helps a lot.  Thanks for the help! What do you think though, Whats the value in a defensive crusader in PoTD? Just engagement/damage sponge.  I think we have talked about this so forgive the repetitiveness.

[Vonbek]

8 hours ago, Torm51 said:

@Enoch You are right, I tend to go for a certain build and only play that way, but smartly using modals in the right spot helps a lot.  Thanks for the help! What do you think though, Whats the value in a defensive crusader in PoTD? Just engagement/damage sponge.  I think we have talked about this so forgive the repetitiveness.

I'm using Eder ( via UC ) as a defensive Crusader and plan to do my full POTD run with a Fire Godlike with the same Build.

Unbroken/Shield, Kapana, Swap between Devotion and Bulwark... and One Dozen Stood.

Low Discipline use on the Fighter side ( it's there for Barrage and one other active, but mostly for the passives ), so between endgame Discipline stocks and Brilliant I have it set up to do the following

Discipline > 5 AND Enemies in Melee Range >1 : Clear out : Enemy : Greatest Number of Enemies

Between the effects of ODS and the Guardian defence Modal it's handy keep the Damage incoming down while also generating some extra DPS and also afflictions for other characters to abuse.

The paladin side is the same.

Actives are literally Sworn Rival, Res, LOH. The other "main screen" ability is Exalted Endurance, the rest is side screen passives or conditionals. 

I find with the way I build the Crusader it's great for creating a self healing Choke Point that also penalises anything trying to run away from it and buffing other melee toons, can heal and res and tag on autopilot and is very low micro if you build a decent AI for it while still having an oops ( the lvl 7 fighter passive i forget the name of ) just in case you tunnel in on the MC or a more Micro intensive toon.

10 hours ago, Enoch said:

Also, Risen Armsmen are tough opponents in the "early game."  I think their default level is 10, and the encounter design often puts them in tactical situations that magnify their effectiveness beyond that.  It might well be that they'd plaster whoever they focused on, at your current level. 

That would explain why I had issues in the Sepulchres early on until I managed to kite them away from each other quite a few times.