Help with Duo Build

[aladytest]

I'm currently on a PotD duo run, with a defensive Herald (shieldbearer/troubadour) and a greatsword swashbuckler (devoted/streetfighter). My vision is to tank through most fights, riding the Streetfighter buffs as best as I can as my main source of damage, alongside the occasional offensive invocation. Unfortunately, I've been having trouble getting to the point where I can sustainably survive long fights, as the swashbuckler isn't really that tanky and is prone to getting burst.

My question is, are there items I can pick up or details I can try in the build to improve the swashbuckler's survivability? I'm willing to make some concessions on offense to improve defense, though I'd like the spirit of the build to remain. At level 11, I currently have 67 deflection (18 RES, cloak of greater deflection; becomes 87 w/ Vigorous Defense) and 11 base armor (garari cuirass, +Exalted Endurance). Any ways I can improve both, or even alternative ways to improve survivability? Is it basically just heavier armor and a shield? The end goal I guess is to be able to survive anything long enough for the Herald's passive healing (Ancient Memory, Exalted Endurance, Lethandria's Devotion) to kick in - so I guess are there other ways to improve the healing as well?

Thanks for your help!

Edited January 17, 2020 by aladytest

[Boeroer]

Armor is the most important defensive value in Deadfire. Even one point can make a difference. If you can bring the enemy to multiple points of underpenetration (-2 or even -3) you'll see a massive increase of survivability. With a pet that reduces armor recovery penatly (Abraham for example) and Armored Graze a heavier armor won't slow you down terribly - and also your passives as a Streetfighter should help a lot with your overall attack speed.

The reason is that damage maluses (like from underpenetration) go through a series of obscured mathematical operations (search for "double inversion" in the forum) which finally leads to a situation where the actual damage loss is way higher than the 25%/50%75% description suggest. WAY higher. You could immediately feel it IF you manage to let the enemy underpenetrate.

A problem with the streetfighter is that he wants to get flanked but flanking implies a -1 AR debuff. 

So thicker armor indeed. Shield is not needed if your Herald can give you enough passive healing via his two auras (Ancient Memory + Exalted Endurance) and has some Lay on Hands for you. Greater Lay on Hands will even give you +2 AR but has double cost - don't know if that's worth it since it won't stack with Exalted Endurance. Deflection is nice but you don't need to bring it to stellar highst in this case. Just enough so that you don't catch a hell lot of crits - because crits have 1.5 times the PEN of a normal attack which will hurt you (not the additional dmg bonus but the removal of underpenetration).

Once you get Refeshing Defense and Unbending your survivabilty problems should come to a full stop. Also Unbreakable is a good passive in your case because it gives you +2 stackable AR which is a big bonus. And the base duration is 30 secs. Sure, you will have to go down to get this bonus but I find that once you free yourself from the irrational fear of a knockout this is no problem since you can rest nearly everywhere and always. 

If brought to legendary then better armors than the Garari Cuirass (which is a good armor in itself, just too thin for your task) could be:

• Devil of Caroc Breastplate: 7 (base) +4(comes ledendary) +2 (Self Mending, if under 50% health) = 13 AR when bloodied --> great mix of AR and offense, also gets you +2 Discipline and +2 Guile
• The Bloody Links: 7 (base) +4 (legendary, have to enchant yourself) +2 (Crimson Steel, if under 50% health) = 13 AR when bloodied --> as DoC Breastplate, but less offensive capabilities 
• Patinated Plate: 9 (base) +4 (comes legendary) +2 (Bronze Juggernaut, against melee only) = 15 AR in melee --> this is the armor with the highest AR against melee weapon attacks. Also its stunning retaliation helps a ton with survival. This will slow you down a lot but make you a lot more sturdy. 

Also get a Blunting Belt (+1 pierce/slash AR, stacks with everything). Depending on the enemy (which damage type he enemy delivers) you can exchange that with a belt that does +1 crush AR instead (like Maker's Own Power or Ngati's Girdle). You can also use a Dragon Pendant since it gives you +1 burn/slash AR. So with Exalted Endurance + Blunting Belt/Ngati's Girdle + Dragon Pendant you'd have +2 pierce/crush AR and +3 slash AR on top of the armor. Alco check consumables for AR bonuses. I don't remember if food stacks with Exalted Endurance or Robust from Greater Lay on Hands (then Aedyrean Mead would be your best friend) but others here will def. know. But there are other consumables which give even more bonus than +1 or +2 ---> like Potion of Spirit Shield (+3) which you should really consider taking in tough fights. 

I guess I would try the Breastplate (with the Helm of the Falcon - they look great together and the helm is good for a Great Sword user). This is a very good offensive setup due to the speed bonuses both items give you - while being reasonably thick for somebody who gets surrounded often. And only if the problems contuinue I'd try the Patinated Plate.  

Edited January 17, 2020 by Boeroer

[aladytest]

Damn thanks a ton! I'm actually using the Devil of Caroc Breastplate on the Herald, but I'll try switching it out for something else, as well as trying the Patinated Plate on the Streetfighter. I was using the Bloody links earlier too, but it was so ugly I couldn't do it lol. Maybe I'll have to suck it up though.

I'm so used to the defensive system from PoE1, where armor was way less important and many characters fought naked, so thanks for helping explain how it works in Deadfire as well. I'll definitely spend more time looking into the new mechanics in Deadfire.

Also I just wanna say you're a legend Boeroer

Edited January 17, 2020 by aladytest

[Boeroer]

Thank you.

Indeed: PoE's flat Damage Reduction (DR) on armor had a lot less impact on you survivability than Deadfire's Armor Rating (AR) system. You are absolutely correct. 

Another thing that has more impact than in PoE: healing. Since there is no endurance/health anymore but only health you can't die if your healing outweighs the received damage.

If you combine both (like you already started with bringing a Herald) you will profit a lot.