Dps-tank build

[Zoda]

I recently started playing Deadfire, played 2 builds to lvl 20 so far, finished FS and all the main questlines (with reloads).

In PoE1 I really liked tanky dps frontliners for my watcher, I played moon godlike barb and fire godlike monk and they just smashed content on POTD, however I have difficulty finding such high dps frontline tank builds in Deadfire. I tried stacking armor as steel garrote zerker or use unbending, as tactician/soulblade, but haven't got the results I was used to in PoE1. 

Are there such builds available in Deadfire without abusing the more cheesy abilities of the game? I want to do all bosses with them.

[Boeroer]

Try Whispers of the Endless Paths (WotEP) with Offensive Parry(!) as a Steel Garotte/Trickster (basically any combination with Steel Garotte that gives good defletion bonuses will work, but Trickster is a great mix of dmg bonuses and deflection bonus).

You need to stack deflection as high as you can (Resolve, Bracers of Greater Deflection, Cloak of Greater Deflection, Nomad's Brigandine, Deep Faith, Entonia Signet Ring and so on) and use CC and debuffs to lower enemies accuracy (Inspired Beacon, spells from other party members like Devotions for the Faithful and Desponent Blows and such). Pick Riposte, too and Presistent Distraction. Stack AR as high as you can, too (with passives like Inspired Defenses, Stoic Steel, Exalted Endurance, Blunting Belt etc.). Don't pick too many strikes from the rogue tree - you want to spend most of your Guile on Mirrored Images and Llengrath's Displaced Images (to keep up the Defenses). Instead use passives like Persistent Distraction, Deep Wounds and Deathblows. One or two strike abilites are ok though because with WotEP you can apply stuff like Arterial Strike or so in an AoE (cone) to all enemies inside that AoE.

The trick is that Offensive Parry triggers not only on 100% of melee misses but also dazes the enemies. This results in -4 PEN - which is great to let enemies severly underpenetrate but also unlocks the draining of the Steel Garotte automatically. Offensive Parry and Riposte do stack so often you will "retaliate" twice. 

The draining is very potent - especially if you are surrounded you can dish out a lot of damage "passively" and getting healed without actually doing anything. You can cast Inspired Beacon to unlock Deathblows for all your parries (its +40% dmg stacks with Sneak Attack and Deathblows) and even use Sacred Immolation without too much risk - the draining + Lay on Hands usually make sure you won't die from it. 

If you have a Priest with Salvation of Time you can also prolong the delfection bonus of Escape (+50).

It's not like a super turtle tank - but it's combines a lot of tankyness with great damage. You have to be attacked in melee though to make it shine - so melee mobs are the most fun. Against single foes you won't profit that much from the parry (but still a good effect) - but you are still a tanky guy with the damage output of a rogue. Switching to another Great Sword will improve your single target damage then. For example Karabörü. 

[Boeroer]

I made an animated gif which showcases the principle (attention, huge file - might take some time to load). Note how health goes up constantly despite Sacred Immolation's huge self damage because my parries drain the life from the tigers:

 

Mostly I just cast Inspired Beacon and Sacred Immolation. But you can see that most of the dmg is simply done by Offensive Parry in combo with Sneak Attacks, Deathblows and Deep Wounds. 

Edited May 19, 2020 by Boeroer

[Haplok]

A swashbuckler with Magran's Favor axe and Tuotilo's Palm buckler (and monastic Unarmed training) works well. Wear Gipon Prudensco with Flanking immunity and Deflection & Reflex bonuses. Entonia's Ring, Deflection Cloak. Pick Overbearing Guard to enjoy massive bonuses vs enemies who'd try to disengage you (+100% damage with +15 Accuracy).

You can use the Bleeding Cuts modal for axe (a lot of damage as DoT) and Binding Block modal for buckler (+15 Accuracy when missed in melee), when you don't need high attack speed (or if you play Turn Based  ). You'll get a decent number of Riposte attacks anyway - if you're attacked in melee. 

Stack Claim & Regret Bonus for +10% damage, Sash of Judgement Belt for another 10%. My Eder with that setup deals way higher damage then I thought possible for him. Frequently crits with Crippling Strike for 100+ damage main hand, +20-30 damage 1st Bleeding & Deep Wounds tick, sometimes +40 damage Magran's Favor proc, some 30-ish damage offhand. Not uncommon to do 200 damage per Full Attack.

A MC can do considerably better (defense & Riposte-wise) by picking Trickster subclass due to its massive defensive buffs. Unbroken would also be good for this.

 

 

[Zoda]

5 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Spoiler

 

Try Whispers of the Endless Paths (WotEP) with Offensive Parry(!) as a Steel Garotte/Trickster (basically any combination with Steel Garotte that gives good defletion bonuses will work, but Trickster is a great mix of dmg bonuses and deflection bonus).

You need to stack deflection as high as you can (Resolve, Bracers of Greater Deflection, Cloak of Greater Deflection, Nomad's Brigandine, Deep Faith, Entonia Signet Ring and so on) and use CC and debuffs to lower enemies accuracy (Inspired Beacon, spells from other party members like Devotions for the Faithful and Desponent Blows and such). Pick Riposte, too and Presistent Distraction. Stack AR as high as you can, too (with passives like Inspired Defenses, Stoic Steel, Exalted Endurance, Blunting Belt etc.). Don't pick too many strikes from the rogue tree - you want to spend most of your Guile on Mirrored Images and Llengrath's Displaced Images (to keep up the Defenses). Instead use passives like Persistent Distraction, Deep Wounds and Deathblows. One or two strike abilites are ok though because with WotEP you can apply stuff like Arterial Strike or so in an AoE (cone) to all enemies inside that AoE.

The trick is that Offensive Parry triggers not only on 100% of melee misses but also dazes the enemies. This results in -4 PEN - which is great to let enemies severly underpenetrate but also unlocks the draining of the Steel Garotte automatically. Offensive Parry and Riposte do stack so often you will "retaliate" twice. 

The draining is very potent - especially if you are surrounded you can dish out a lot of damage "passively" and getting healed without actually doing anything. You can cast Inspired Beacon to unlock Deathblows for all your parries (its +40% dmg stacks with Sneak Attack and Deathblows) and even use Sacred Immolation without too much risk - the draining + Lay on Hands usually make sure you won't die from it. 

If you have a Priest with Salvation of Time you can also prolong the delfection bonus of Escape (+50).

It's not like a super turtle tank - but it's combines a lot of tankyness with great damage. You have to be attacked in melee though to make it shine - so melee mobs are the most fun. Against single foes you won't profit that much from the parry (but still a good effect) - but you are still a tanky guy with the damage output of a rogue. Switching to another Great Sword will improve your single target damage then. For example Karabörü. 

 

 

That's a build I tried and played it up to lvl 9 or 10, but decided that it'd not pack enough punch in the more troublesome encounters (megabosses, SSS fights), and hordes of melee mobs can be roflstomped in more than enough ways. I had no trouble completing POTD on either of my playthroughs (first as Ghost Heart/cipher then as Tactician/Soulblade), I even did the ooze megaboss on my seer, and felt like I could get Dorudungan down too with a bit of practice, but I wanted a build like my dumped RES dps tanks in PoE1, something that can solo tank regular encounters (even if not bosses), and dish out nearly as much dps as a build optimized for it. Had really high hopes for Steel Garrote/zerker with the rage upgrade that staggers foes for constant draining, and all the armor stacking that combination provides, but even that felt underwhelming compated to the PoE1 builds. Maybe it's just Shod-in-Faith was bonkers, and I grown completely reliant on it for building melee in PoE1.  I just feel like ranged has a huge edge over melee here,  especially with gearing (+5 acc helm/ring, +10 acc ring if you use Dragon's Dowery, +10% dmg +3 acc pet...), maybe it's just my knowledge still being limmited. Also godlikes don't really feel like godlikes in the sequel

Edited May 19, 2020 by Zoda

[2MuchWatching]

I quite enjoyed Berzerker but since I disovered monk there is no looking back. It ticks all the right boxes and for me it is the most fun for melee. Plain old savanna human from ixamitl. No subclass or Nalpazca. Maybe will try forbidden fist some time.

[Zoda]

On 5/19/2020 at 11:33 AM, Haplok said:

A swashbuckler with Magran's Favor axe and Tuotilo's Palm buckler (and monastic Unarmed training) works well. Wear Gipon Prudensco with Flanking immunity and Deflection & Reflex bonuses. Entonia's Ring, Deflection Cloak. Pick Overbearing Guard to enjoy massive bonuses vs enemies who'd try to disengage you (+100% damage with +15 Accuracy).

You can use the Bleeding Cuts modal for axe (a lot of damage as DoT) and Binding Block modal for buckler (+15 Accuracy when missed in melee), when you don't need high attack speed (or if you play Turn Based  ). You'll get a decent number of Riposte attacks anyway - if you're attacked in melee. 

Stack Claim & Regret Bonus for +10% damage, Sash of Judgement Belt for another 10%. My Eder with that setup deals way higher damage then I thought possible for him. Frequently crits with Crippling Strike for 100+ damage main hand, +20-30 damage 1st Bleeding & Deep Wounds tick, sometimes +40 damage Magran's Favor proc, some 30-ish damage offhand. Not uncommon to do 200 damage per Full Attack.

A MC can do considerably better (defense & Riposte-wise) by picking Trickster subclass due to its massive defensive buffs. Unbroken would also be good for this.

 

 

I just realized that Tuotilo's Palm counts as unarmed. In my last playthrough I made a swashbuckler with the idea of using Magran's Blessing (that I evnetually dropped for the adra shield... can't remember the name), because it felt useless. I'll definitely try something with Tuotilo's palm now, but I just played Trickster/Tactician in my last playthrough, so probably something different this time (in hindsight, unbroken or even devoted would have been better probably...).

I really got warmed up to the idea of playing a stalker (in part for roleplaying reasons), and even if a bit tedious, he can get great deflection bonuses eventually with the innate and Beast's Claw, but not sure how useful the pet would be if I multiclass. Definitely needs a chipher buddy to keep up Ancestor's Memory. I usually go ghost heart on any ranger, but I wonder how much damage the pet can do with all the passives taken . During the midgame I can just target kith with Beast's Claw I guess, then for bosses I'll already have Ancestor's Memory running.

If I do multiclass, would Beast's Claw stack with various other sources of deflection? (Trickster or Helwalker sounds like decent mc choices, depending on how much it hurts the pet)

Or maybe I can tank with pistol + shield? 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Zoda

[Boeroer]

Tuotilo's Palm is best with a Monk because "Balanced Shield" only works with wounds and it's a great enchantment.

[Haplok]

Well, it's still a nice chunk of Deflection with no attack penalty and stronger full attacks for everyone else. With potential for even better ripostes, due to Binding Block modal +15 Accuracy when missed.

Edited May 21, 2020 by Haplok

[Boeroer]

Yes - I didn't say it's bad without a Monk, just that it's best with one.

[2MuchWatching]

tuotilo's palm + binding block + transcendent suffering + haymayker = high velocity chunks of flesh flying everywhere

[Boeroer]

It seems you didn't deactivate the gib option - which can be a significant disadvantage.

[2MuchWatching]

haha i'm supernoob - made me laugh out loud

 

Just to add - i reached lvl 16 this morning, which put me at PL8 and I didn't do ashen maw, crookspur, splintered reef, nemnok or any dlc yet. There is plenty of game left for the higher power levels i think

Edited May 21, 2020 by 2MuchWatching
Refering to wrong post

[Pharmacist]

Any high RES Forbidden Fist build and you're set. I Played Powerotti's Hand of Doom as MC and then a Forbidden Fist/Devoted and both were impressive. Now I'm rolling a SC Forbidden Fist, still lv8 so time will tell.

[2MuchWatching]

I would be interested to know how you get on. I'm close to end with Nalpazca and I may delay finishing my priest run to try forbidden fist.

[Zoda]

Finished a complete POTD playthrough of the game with all DLCs on my Tactician/Soulblade and in the end, I decided to go with Herald for my next one. Does this look okay:

Race: Mountain Dwarf

Class: Herald (Goldpact/Troubadour)

Stats: MIG20//CON8//DEX2//PER15//INT14//RES19 (Aedyr) + 2 Berath's Blessings

Aimed for 20 int with 4 from necklace+helmet. May drop some RES for more INT/PER, I'd like to keep MIG maxed. Depends on how well would WOTEP do.

Gear:

Weapon Set 1: WOTEP

Weapon Set 2: Kapana Taga + Cadhu Scalth (random dagger/spear early game)

Armor: Patinated Plate early game Blackened Plate later, if I don't need the extra armor for the encounter, maybe Nomad's Brigandine

Helm: Heaven's Cacophony (Survivor's Tusks is a nice one too, but comes late)

Cloak: Greater Deflecion

Bracers: Greater Deflection

Boots: Boots of the White (idk...)

Belt: Undying Burden/The Maker's Own Power

Necklace: Charm of Bones

Rings: Ring of Greater Regen//Enonia's Signet Ring/Chameleon's Touch//Kuaru's Prize

Pet: idk yet, maybe the +2 Resolve one? open for suggestions

Blood Pool Sacrifice: Edér (does not feel right... well...)

Plan is to hand out Brand Enemy and use the two DOT chants + WOTEP retaliation against trash mobs and turtle up vs bosses.

I don't really want to solo, because I'm the kind of hoarder who likes to use his shinies, but there seem to be some benefits to soloing on this one. Probably gonna have a Ghost Heart/cipher,  as it is hands down my favorite build so far, so much utility with reliable damage output, it kept up really nicely in damage done to my Watcher last playthrough with single handed style and Ecca's Arcane Blaster (should have respecced to have Dragon's Dowry/Red Hand options, but I was lazy). Disintegrating low FORT casters all the time might have went a long way in the great overall damage done, I pretty much ignored casters with the rest of the party. I used a Shieldberer/Troubador herald last playthrough as a healbot (that inspired me to create this build for my Watcher for the next playthrough, as his only way of dealing damage was Brand Enemy, but it was really handy in the tougher fights), which I absolutely loved, so might go super lame and double up on heralds. The last 2 slots are up in the air, but I try to stay away from micro heavy characters and to some extent Priest/Wizard. I want to try a pure suicide barb with Twin Eels + Saint's War Armor + Vengeful defeat, shame that Survivor's Tusks won't bind to barb. Getting Sain't War Armor won't really be possible if I chose Edér as blood pool sacrifice...

Edited May 23, 2020 by Zoda

[Lampros]

On 5/19/2020 at 9:35 AM, 2MuchWatching said:

I quite enjoyed Berzerker but since I disovered monk there is no looking back. It ticks all the right boxes and for me it is the most fun for melee. Plain old savanna human from ixamitl. No subclass or Nalpazca. Maybe will try forbidden fist some time.

Just a regular Monk? Elaborate, please?