Advice for build first run

[Krudar]

Good evening, as the title suggests I'm looking for advice for a build for a first run

The run will be RtWP, Veteran difficult and full party.

1-Im not new of PoE, played some times first chapter, and a lot of hours with PoE2.

2-Find a powerhouse build that can carry party.

3-No fear to micromanage or dualclass.

4-Doesnt matter if melee or ranged build.

Thanks for advice.

[Boeroer]

Howdy and welcome.

That's a rather wide field to pick from. What do you particulary like? 

"Powerhouse that can carry a party" sounds a lot like a Herald (Troubadour/Kind Wayfarer for example). It's a strong support combo that requires little micromanagement to be good.

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Boeroer

[Krudar]

Thanks for reply, don't have a particular preference, I like both melee and ranged combat, I would like a build that managed to be strong throughout the game and that blended well with the rest of the NPCs

 

[Dyxx]

Herald, monk, cantor are good bets.

Actually I'm playing a Cantor and it's a lot of fun !

I play it as a melee with good mobility, cc, debuffs and really good dmg capabilities.

There might be much better powerhouses, but I can adapt to every situation and it's a fun and efficient character for me !

[Boeroer]

2 hours ago, Krudar said:

Thanks for reply, don't have a particular preference, I like both melee and ranged combat, I would like a build that managed to be strong throughout the game and that blended well with the rest of the NPCs

 

 

Let me introduce you to mortar monk...

[Dyxx]

7 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Let me introduce you to mortar monk...

Does this ever get old ?

[Krudar]

9 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Let me introduce you to mortar monk...

25 minutes ago, Dyxx said:

Herald, monk, cantor are good bets.

Actually I'm playing a Cantor and it's a lot of fun !

I play it as a melee with good mobility, cc, debuffs and really good dmg capabilities.

There might be much better powerhouses, but I can adapt to every situation and it's a fun and efficient character for me !

Can you suggest a good build not out to date for this guy?

Edited March 20, 2020 by Krudar

[Boeroer]

11 minutes ago, Dyxx said:

Does this ever get old ?

No. Never. At least not for first time players I guess. I already went totally out of my way and suggested Herald, so cut me some slack.

[Krudar]

 

Is that a good build? Is for 5.0...In this Fextralife guide, which u suggest me? Take his build because are update for 5.0

 

Transcendent (Swift Annihilation)
Tempest (Berserker’s Fury)
Psyblade (Phantom Tactician)
Holy Slayer (Righteous Rejuvenator)
Ancient Druid
Cleric (Unholy Champion)
Mindstalker (Puppet Master)
Brawler (Unarmed)
Brute (Reaping Whirlwind)
Cleric (Ghost Blade)
Fanatic (Dual Pistols)
Holy Slayer (Sniper)
Inquisitor
Ravager (Unarmed)
Sage (Spirit Lancer)

[Boeroer]

Mortar Monk:

Single Class Helwalker

MIG: ++
CON:-
DEX: +
PER: ++
INT: ++
RES: ---

Abilities:

• Swift Strikes --> Lightning Strikes (more attack/reload speed and shocking lash)
• Dance of Death --> Enduring Dance (more ACC and auto-wounds)
• Two Weapon Style --> more attack/reload speed
• Graceful Retreat (don't need if wearing an armor with immunity to disengagement attacks)
• Long Stride
• Tumbling (don't need if wearing an armor with immunity to disengagement attacks)
• Stunning Blow --> Stunning Surge (every AoE hit roll has the potential to crit, giving you a refund)
• Duality of Mortal Presence (choose INT always for max AoE size)
• Thunderous Blows (you need the PEN)
• The Long Pain (for single targets)
• Flagellanth's Path (works with mortars, explodes at the target position, also skips reloading phase entirely)
• The Razor's Edge (more ACC)
• Resonant Touch (every mortar hit gives a stack)
• Whispers of the Wind (against packed crowds: every attack of WotW will do an AoE mortar blast. It's AoE*AoE hit rolls - combine with Resonant Touch)
• Prestige (more Power Levels = more jumps of Whispers of the Wind)

Weapon Proficiency: Blunderbuss (I would turn on the modal as long as you are not firing at friends).

• Items:
  • Head: Heaven's Cacophony (Whispers of the Wind + Avenging Storm... mayhem, also +2 INT)
  • Neck: Stone of Power (if you get two you can stack them in the stash after each fight which resets their charge, making it +1 Power Level for every fight)
  • Back: Ajamuut's Stalking Cloak (Whispers of the Wind makes you invisible - this cloak stuns everybody who gets hit from invisibility)
  • Armor: Aloth's Armor (bigger AoE) or Miscreant's Leathers (higher attack/reload speed with a fitting pet like Cutthroat Cosmo) or Gipon Prudensco (immunity to disengagement attacks) or Nomad's Brigandine (immunity to disengagement attacks) or Devil of Caroc's Breastplate (+2 Mortification, nearly no slowdown with a fitting pet like Cutthroat Cosmo)
  • Arms: Mortification Bindings
  • Weapons: Hand Mortar (Blinding Smoke), Fire in the Hole (Chain Shot)
  • Rings: Ring of Overseeing, Ring of the Marksman, Ring of Clenched Muscle
  • Waist: Upright Captain's Belt
  • Boots: Boots of Speed, Rakhan Field Boots

 

It's powerful, rel. simple and a lot of fun. You can get Serafen's two mortars quite early. The first one you get right afte Port Maje. Until you get the first/second one just use regular blunderbusses. Early game also your fists are still great. Before you get Whispers of the Wind you'll mostly use Stunning Blows/Surge and Flagellanth's Path. 
I suggest taking the noble voiceset because it has a contagious laugh when you crit (which this build does often do). Best to use in tandem with Konstanten because he's got a laugh like Barry White which fits your noble voice set very well. Once they both go to town it's all deep laughs and giggles.

Here's a teaser:

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Boeroer

[tenukkiut]

14 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Mortar Monk:

Single Class Helwalker

MIG: ++
CON:-
DEX: +
PER: ++
INT: ++
RES: ---

Abilities:

• Swift Strikes --> Lightning Strikes (more attack/reload speed and shocking lash)
• Dance of Death --> Enduring Dance (more ACC and auto-wounds)
• Two Weapon Style --> more attack/reload speed
• Graceful Retreat (don't need if wearing an armor with immunity to disengagement attacks)
• Long Stride
• Tumbling (don't need if wearing an armor with immunity to disengagement attacks)
• Stunning Blow --> Stunning Surge (every AoE hit roll has the potential to crit, giving you a refund)
• Duality of Mortal Presence (choose INT always for max AoE size)
• Thunderous Blows (you need the PEN)
• The Long Pain (for single targets)
• Flagellanth's Path (works with mortars, explodes at the target position, also skips reloading phase entirely)
• The Razor's Edge (more ACC)
• Resonant Touch (every mortar hit gives a stack)
• Whispers of the Wind (against packed crowds: every attack of WotW will do an AoE mortar blast. It's AoE*AoE hit rolls - combine with Resonant Touch)
• Prestige (more Power Levels = more jumps of Whispers of the Wind)

Weapon Proficiency: Blunderbuss (I would turn on the modal as long as you are not firing at friends).

• Items:
  • Head: Heaven's Cacophony (Whispers of the Wind + Avenging Storm... mayhem, also +2 INT)
  • Neck: Stone of Power (if you get two you can stack them in the stash after each fight which resets their charge, making it +1 Power Level for every fight)
  • Back: Ajamuut's Stalking Cloak (Whispers of the Wind makes you invisible - this cloak stuns everybody who gets hit from invisibility)
  • Armor: Aloth's Armor (bigger AoE) or Miscreant's Leathers (higher attack/reload speed with a fitting pet like Cutthroat Cosmo) or Gipon Prudensco (immunity to disengagement attacks) or Nomad's Brigandine (immunity to disengagement attacks) or Devil of Caroc's Breastplate (+2 Mortification, nearly no slowdown with a fitting pet like Cutthroat Cosmo)
  • Arms: Mortification Bindings
  • Weapons: Hand Mortar (Blinding Smoke), Fire in the Hole (Chain Shot)
  • Rings: Ring of Overseeing, Ring of the Marksman, Ring of Clenched Muscle
  • Waist: Upright Captain's Belt
  • Boots: Boots of Speed, Rakhan Field Boots

 

It's powerful, rel. simple and a lot of fun. You can get Serafen's two mortars quite early. The first one you get right afte Port Maje. Until you get the first/second one just use regular blunderbusses. Early game also your fists are still great. Before you get Whispers of the Wind you'll mostly use Stunning Blows/Surge and Flagellanth's Path. 
I suggest taking the noble voiceset because it has a contagious laugh when you crit (which this build does often do). Best to use in tandem with Konstanten because he's got a laugh like Barry White which fits your noble voice set very well. Once they both go to town it's all deep laughs and giggles.

Here's a teaser:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

Whoa. I haven't finished a run with the game mainly because turn based is too slow and rtwp gives me micromanaging anxiety. 

 

Is this build viable for solo or do you have a build-and-leave set up for companions? 

[Boeroer]

Nope, not solo. You can def. play a solo Helwalker, but you'll have to have higher defenses and AR, different attributes and also be good enough in melee. You'd also profit a lot from Dichotomous Soul and stuff like Rooting Pain and Crucible (if you don't want to kite all the time). This is a powerful CC/DD build for a party. It relies on some front liners to take the heat and some healing and buffing occasionally. If you let it loose it will be very effective. In boss fights you might only use Long Pain.

[tenukkiut]

24 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Nope, not solo. You can def. play a solo Helwalker, but you'll have to have higher defenses and AR, different attributes and also be good enough in melee. You'd also profit a lot from Dichotomous Soul and stuff like Rooting Pain and Crucible (if you don't want to kite all the time). This is a powerful CC/DD build for a party. It relies on some front liners to take the heat and some healing and buffing occasionally. If you let it loose it will be very effective. In boss fights you might only use Long Pain.

Haha I'm not even playing PotD but I hate micromanaging everyone. That's why I'm asking for a solo build/companion builds with good AI that I can just ignore

[Boeroer]

Then you coul use stuff like Herald tanks (with Exalted Endurance + Ancient Memory), Fighter tank with Defender Stance to bind foes and keep them busy, healing Druid with AI set to heal on low health and stuff like that. Pallegina + Edér + Tekēhu can do this. 

Also ranged builds like Scouts (e.g. with arquebus, namely the Red Hand) work well with AI scripts - see Maia. Nearly all single target ranged builds do (because it's easy for AI to determine a good target based on your rules and you don't have to move them much). 

A buffing/anti-affliction bot also works pretty much hands-free. Like a Priest who buffs with Blessing and Devotions right at the start of combat and then uses healing and counter-buffs (to remove afflictions) once the trigger fires (e.g. companion's health is too low, companion suffers from affliction and so on). Can be done by Xoti.

I never tried to build an AI-navigated "squishy-rusher" - e.g. a Rogue who teleports ("escapes") to a wizard, slays him and then teleports to the next one while avoiding getting attacked too much. Should work though. Might get knocked out every now and then. Maybe a multiclass with an auto-revive or Edér's armor (second chance) would be good on that.

There are multiple ways to build chars that are good with AI or don't need much micro in general (see fighter tank).

Then make one heavy micro char (usually main char) to mainly steer through the adventure.  

Often offensive casters are very micro-heavy because they want to place and time their spells perfectly well and AI is bad with that. 

This one (like most monks) requires micromanagement because you want to place the shots (with AoE) perfectly well (choose the right target to shoot). Usually AI does a poor job with those decisions ad I said above. 

I used it as my MC and was one of the most fun experiences so far (also because laughs and giggles from MC and Konstanten - I tell you: it's really contagious and makes you smile, if not laugh).

Edited March 21, 2020 by Boeroer

[Krudar]

Boeroer, can u explain me your build (mortar monk) in details?

The race, the right distribution of point in str, dex ecc, the active and passive skill ecc

Thanks for the patient

Edited March 21, 2020 by Krudar

[Boeroer]

You mustn't follow a build in every detail. Deadfire is a well balanced game where usually it's totally fine to just follow the general direction of a build idea (here: Stunning Surge and later Whispers of the Wind + Resonant Touch with big AoE mortars) but use some personal flavor (be it from items, race, attributes etc.)

I gave a rel. detailed build description and you should be able to do a mortar monk with that info that is fun.

Race doesn't matter much. For example I used a Coastal Aumaua with Rauatai background because I planned to join the Rauatai faction (which I did). Don't even remember the profession background.

If you want to use a helmet like Heaven's Cacophony you can't use a godlike, but generally speaking monks are good with Nature Godlikes because the +1 Power Level from Wellspring of Life is great for fists and Whispers of the Wind. You can still use Avenging Storm from scrolls then. In that case you would pick a background with more Arcana. And so on. 

Just grasp the general idea that makes a build fun and powerful and then make it your own. Don't follow everything me or others say about builds blindly. It's more fun to get started and then invest a bit of creativity yourself.

If you really want a kind-of-min-maxed guideline then I would tell you:

Race: Nature Godlike

Background: some culture/profession where you get +1 INT and +1 Arcana

Attributes: MIG 18, CON 03 (attention: squishy in early game), DEX 16, PER 18, INT 20, RES 03

Skills: Arcana (for Avenging Storm Scrolls)

The risky glass-cannon approach is fun for me because I like the challenge to have maxed offensive output but have to look out for the guy . E.g. I would never board enemy ships until later in the game because 3 CON and low deflection and AR means you get focus-fired by gunners and die right on the spot in the early(ish) game. If that's not fun for somebody else I suggest thicker armor, more CON and less DEX and MIG.

Also WotW is easily interruptible. So stay stealthed until you cast it or get an item that gives you concentration (Upright Captain's Belt for example like I posted above or even Rekvu's Fractured Casque).

Bit I really advise everybody to not follow build ideas blindly but adapt them to your own needs and likings. They won't suffer much if you alter things (that are not the quintessence of the build - like taking away the mortars would be).

 

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Boeroer