2H Build for Grieving Mother (Cipher) and Ability Use

[Oloorin]

So I've given the cool crazy lady the standard suite of Talents for a 2 hander aimed at damage with some endurance. Currently at level 7.

1.Biting Whip

2. Veteran's Recovery

3.  Draining Whip

Abilities are:

1st level - Antipathetic Field, Mind Wave, Whisper of Treason
2nd level - Mental Binding, Phantom Foes, Psychovampiric Shield
3rd level - Ectopsychic Echo, Pain Link,Puppet Master
4th level - Body attunement, Pain Block

And of course, she's got 6 uses of firebrand from her two lovely items, because that greatsword is bonkers.

What's spurred this thread on is the result of the last fight against a group in White March. I used GM to flank around the side in stealth and engage their marksman+one melee.

While my main tank Eder and off-tank Kana were holding very nicely and we were slaughtering the main group, poor Mother was taking a bit of a beating.

I opened the fight with a mental binding, which didn't seem to hold very long and didn't let her get too much damage done on the melee she was engaged with. From the fight, I didn't use any 4th level spells of hers, as I kept worrying about stunning the enemies so she would stop getting beaten up so much. So I must have used about 2-3 mental bindings, a psychovampiric shield on the melee whacking me, and then a mind wave. And through all that, she just kept taking too much of a beating.

You can see her deflection isn't that great, but I figured her ability use would keep her up, yet by the end of the fight she was missing over half her health.

My gal is currently wearing the Night Runner Chest piece (as I figured the +15 defense while engaging would allow her to more easily be a flanker), but I can see now that she's also wearing the Cape of Withdrawal (+15 while disengaging) and so they're completely redundant. Does anybody have some recommendations of chest-pieces to use on her that would help with her survivability or just any 'dude, what the hell are you doing with your abilities?'

At the moment, I think I'm missing the point of a solid rotation that lets her hard CC her enemies while she cuts them up with her Firebrand and she's taking way too much damage if she's actually a target of attacks - so any recommendations on ability rotation and usage, and general advice about what to garb her in would be really appreciated!


 

[Boeroer]

Night Runner + Cape of Withdrawal do not stack - that much is correct. 

Wayfarer's Hide is great imo, also I'm a fan of Blaidh Golan (especially against ogres). But both will not give you more protection when getting pommeled with melee attacks.

Usually Whisper of Treason and other mind control abilities are the best way to prevent getting attacked (later Ring Leader). You basically turn an enemy into a summon for a limited amount of time. During that time the charmed enemy not only stops attacking you but also keeps other enemies from attacking you. Just don't hit the charmed enemy: it won't give you focus. I mean you can and charmed is actually a pretty hefty debuff so the enemy falls faster - but I wouldn't do it as slong as there are non-flipped enemies around which would give you focus. 

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by Boeroer

[Oloorin]

Ah Boeroer, how I love you. 

Yeah, looking at Wayfarer's Hide looks like some great defense for a light armour, and nature's vigour looks good in keeping some regen going.

Would the use of Shod in Faith also aid somewhat in making sure my GM behemoth doesn't drop?

The use of whisper of treason has a slightly longer duration than the paralyse condition from mind binding. I just figured that the use of psychovampiric shield would provide a lot more defense and make her a bit more resilient to damage from a couple of enemies at once.

[Boeroer]

Unfortunately deflection (and the other defenses like will etc.) have increasing returns. That means that the more you stack the more impact any additional point has. If your deflection is already low (and fourty-something is rather low) then a few points from Psychovampiric Shield won't change much (it can if you also apply ACC debuffs like Eyestrike though). With low deflection chars I usually see it as a waste of focus. 

You can stack Veteran's Recovery with Shod in Faith Boots and other sources of endurance-healing which will make you more sturdy, yes. Especially if you combine them with "healing done" and "healing received" modifiers (see camping bonuses from Survival skills). But it won't affect your health - which usually isn't that high with Ciphers in the first place. You can, however, combine all that with some potions of Infuse with Vital Essence. Once your health drops very low (but you're still healing endurance) you can drink such potions and regain health. The amount of health restored is influenced by "healing done/received" mods as well. 

Besides that: hard disables on enemies and high DR.

[Oloorin]

Sounds like a plan. CC enemies, charm them, anything to get them to stop hitting you. Are there many ways to increase DR apart from better armour than the trash I have her wearing at the moment? 

Edited August 18, 2020 by Oloorin

[Boeroer]

13 hours ago, Oloorin said:

Ah Boeroer, how I love you. 

PS: thank you very much. I have to inform you though that I'm happily married.