Please critique my Tactician/Beguiler build:

[Yosharian]

Not playing on POTD.  Using Iron Hammer as main tank.  This is an MC build.

Quote

Race: Mountain Dwarf (Constitution affliction resistance, +2 MIG, +1 CON, -1 DEX)
Culture: Old Vailia (+1 INT)
Background: Mercenary (+1 Athletics, +1 Intimidate, +1 Streetwise)
Weapon Proficiencies: Greatsword, Pistol

Ability Scores:
MIG: 15 -> 19
CON: 05 -> 10
DEX: 13 -> 15
PER: 18 -> 21
INT: 19 -> 22
RES: 08 -> 10
Attribute bonus: Effigy's Resentment (Durance) - +1 CON, +5% max Health
Attribute bonus: Gift from the Machine - +1 MIG, +5% max Health
Attribute bonus: Berath's Blessing - +2 to all attributes

Skills:
Primary: Athletics (Second Wind)
Secondary: Intimidate

Endgame Equipment:
Main Hand: Whispers of the Endless Paths (Reach, cone attack) [Offensive Parry, Run Through]
Ranged: Eccea's Arcane Blaster (Deals Raw damage, Imbued Ammunition)
Armor: Contender's Armor (0% Recovery) [Petrified Wood, Heavy Mobility]
Belt: Girdle of Mortal Protection (+2 CON, 15% incoming crits converted to hits)
Feet: Rakhan Field Boots (+3 Corrode AR, grants No Quarter [Teleport to enemy attack])
Gloves: Gloves Of The Dungeon Warden (+3 ACC, Lockdown ability [stasis for 15sec])
Head: Helm of the White Void (+10 Accuracy to affliction attacks)
Neck: Strand of Favor (+1 INT, -10% hostile effect, +10% friendly effect durations)
Ring1: Ring of Prosperity's Fortune (Increased Hit to Crit chance)
Ring2: Chameleon Ring (+1 MIG, +1 PER, +1 Insight, +1 Athletics)
Shoulders: Cloak of Greater Protection ( +10 Fortitude, Reflex, and Will)

Afflictions/Inspirations:
Might: Resistance (Body Control)
Constitution: Resistance (Mountain Dwarf)
Dexterity: Resistance (Unstoppable)
Perception: Tier3 (Disciplined Strikes)
Intellect: n/a
Resolve: Resistance (Fearless), Tier2 (Unbending Shield)

Abilities:
L01 [PL1] Fighter: Disciplined Barrage; Cipher: Eyestrike
L02 Fighter: Knockdown
L03 Cipher: Lingering Echoes
L04 [PL2] Fighter: Two-Handed Style; Cipher: Phantom Foes
L05 Cipher: Draining Whip
L06 Fighter: Psychovampiric Shield
L07 [PL3] Fighter: Disciplined Strikes; Cipher: Puppet Master
L08 Cipher: Secret Horrors
L09 Fighter: Mule Kick
L10 [PL4] Fighter: Weapon Specialization; Cipher: Hammering Thoughts
L11 Fighter: Body Control
L12 Fighter: Fearless
L13 [PL5] Fighter: Unbending; Cipher: Borrowed Instinct
L14 Fighter: Unstoppable
L15 Fighter: Armored Grace
L16 [PL6] Fighter: Clear Out; Cipher: The Empty Soul
L17 Cipher: Mind Plague
L18 Fighter: Superior Deflection
L19 [PL7] Fighter: Unbending Shield; Cipher: Ancestor's Memory
L20 Fighter: Weapon Mastery (modded version, adds +5 accuracy)

Thanks for reading

Edited September 7, 2020 by Yosharian

[Boeroer]

Using Offensive Parry with 10 RES and without Bracers and Cape of Great Deflection is sacrilege for me.

I'd also use Nomad's Brigandine (immunity to disengagement attacks) to leave potitial flanking situations and at the same time provoke 100% Offensive Parries (which generate focus) as soon as I break disengagement. I could roam the battlefield freely and gain focus just from Offensive Parries and casting lots of Deceptions - no need to actually attack with WotEP (if I didn't want to).

If I were a Fighter handling WotEP I would def. prefer Clear Out over Power Strike. It's cheaper, it procs a cone attack from every attack roll of the AoE (multihits follow) and it interrupts as well so lots of discipline regain should follow. Power Strike doesn't do this. Maybe the higher costs isn't a big issue with a Brillant Tactician though. You decide...

  

[Yosharian]

48 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Using Offensive Parry with 10 RES and without Bracers and Cape of Great Deflection is sacrilege for me.

I'd also use Nomad's Brigandine (immunity to disengagement attacks) to leave potitial flanking situations and at the same time provoke 100% Offensive Parries (which generate focus) as soon as I break disengagement. I could roam the battlefield freely and gain focus just from Offensive Parries and casting lots of Deceptions - no need to actually attack with WotEP (if I didn't want to).

If I were a Fighter handling WotEP I would def. prefer Clear Out over Power Strike. It's cheaper, it procs a cone attack from every attack roll of the AoE (multihits follow) and it interrupts as well so lots of discipline regain should follow. Power Strike doesn't do this. Maybe the higher costs isn't a big issue with a Brillant Tactician though. You decide...

  

Thanks for the response Boeroer.  So I don't have those items equipped because I'm using them on other characters.  Offensive Parry is taken purely for the Deflection boost, since I already have very low recovery from Miscreant's Leathers + Armored Grace.

Nomad's Brigandine is too much recovery for this build in my opinion, since a lot of these spells have 3 or 4 second recovery times.  Also, the build isn't meant to be the main tank, only off tank.  I have Charge and other abilities to help get out of sticky situations when needed.

"provoke 100% Offensive Parries (which generate focus) as soon as I break disengagement" I don't understand this part.

Thanks for the suggestion regarding Clear Out, I'll have a think about that.

[Boeroer]

34 minutes ago, Yosharian said:

"provoke 100% Offensive Parries (which generate focus) as soon as I break disengagement" I don't understand this part.

Nomad's Briganine has an enchantment that gives you immunity to disengagement attacks. But it's not an immunity to engagement - it's an immunity to the attacks you receive once you disengage. It's implemented in a way that those attacks will still get executed when you leave - but they all get converted to misses - a 100% of them. In combination with Offensive Parry that means that as soon as you disengage and the disengagement attack fires it will miss and trigger an Offensive Parry automatically. So it not only gives you the ability to walk around without havuing to fear disengagment attacks - it also gives you a lot of free attacks. It's like turning the disengagment attacks of foes against them. Cleaving Stance can trigger off of Offensive-Parry-kills by the way. 

Edited September 6, 2020 by Boeroer

[Yosharian]

Oh wow.  OK, that is interesting.

[mepp22]

If you don't want to focus so much on Offensive Parry, then Contender's Armor is much better than Miscreant's Leather. Because of how Armored Grace and or Pets with armor Bonus work you can actually get significantly lower recovery time with high Athletics. Because of this you should choose Laborer as your background. Nomad's Brigandine does offer some cool options but if you plan on casting lots of spells then recovery time is pretty important too(many Cipher spells have long recovery). Also there are much better options than Cloak of Greater Protection. Choosing History instead of intimidate means Gift Bearer's Cloth is directly a better replacement. If you really wanted to go down the Nomad's Brigandine path then I would recommend Ruata's Walking Cloak and taking Survival as your passive skill. I also think you might not need so many active abilities. You can only use one active ability at a time while your passives will help you constantly. Since you are going to be criting an awful lot, The Complete Self might be pretty useful. You can basically end up filling up your Focus by casting spells.
Another thing, I am not sure Nature God Like is the best choice. Is the plus 1 Power level better than being able to wear a helm (especially Helm of the White Void)+ some other racial bonus? For a Monk it might be, but most other classes are better off choosing a different race.

[Yosharian]

1 hour ago, mepp22 said:

If you don't want to focus so much on Offensive Parry, then Contender's Armor is much better than Miscreant's Leather. Because of how Armored Grace and or Pets with armor Bonus work you can actually get significantly lower recovery time with high Athletics. Because of this you should choose Laborer as your background. Nomad's Brigandine does offer some cool options but if you plan on casting lots of spells then recovery time is pretty important too(many Cipher spells have long recovery). Also there are much better options than Cloak of Greater Protection. Choosing History instead of intimidate means Gift Bearer's Cloth is directly a better replacement. If you really wanted to go down the Nomad's Brigandine path then I would recommend Ruata's Walking Cloak and taking Survival as your passive skill. I also think you might not need so many active abilities. You can only use one active ability at a time while your passives will help you constantly. Since you are going to be criting an awful lot, The Complete Self might be pretty useful. You can basically end up filling up your Focus by casting spells.
Another thing, I am not sure Nature God Like is the best choice. Is the plus 1 Power level better than being able to wear a helm (especially Helm of the White Void)+ some other racial bonus? For a Monk it might be, but most other classes are better off choosing a different race.

I see, I'll check out Contendor's Armor.  I'm using Gift Bearer's Cloth on another character.  I don't really see what other Cloaks would be suitable.   Bonus Stride doesn't seem that useful.  And if I'm using Contendor's Armor then I'm maxing Athletics I guess.

I have taken a few too many actives, I guess.  I'm not sure which ones to ditch though.

I did consider Helm of the White Void actually.

Edited September 6, 2020 by Yosharian

[dgray62]

How would you reliably trigger Wellspring of Life? Neither fighters nor ciphers have abilities that trigger bodily inspirations for themselves. Unless you plan on having a companion cast an inspiration at the start of each battle, maybe Nature Godlike isn't the best race for this build, as Mepp22 suggested. (edited for accuracy)

Edited September 6, 2020 by dgray62

[Yosharian]

5 minutes ago, dgray62 said:

How would you reliably trigger Wellspring of Life? Neither fighters nor ciphers have abilities that trigger bodily inspirations for themselves. Unless you plan on having a companion cast an inspiration at the start of each battle, maybe Nature Godlike isn't the best race for this build, as Mepp22 suggested. (edited for accuracy)

Can you recommend a different race?  I was considering Dwarf or Human.  Constitution affliction resistance seems useful, and the accuracy/defense bonus of Human seems useful too.

[dgray62]

I'd say that human is particularly good for builds that are expected to take damage and end up below the 50% health mark, to proc fighting spirit, such as any berserker, blood mage or streetfighter build. A beguiler has so much CC and the fighter so much inherent healing, that you probably would rarely get bloodied if you are playing skillfully. I personally often play mountain dwarf for the resistance to CON afflictions, which can be devastating. And  there are not any items (to my knowledge) giving you CON affliction resistance.

[Yosharian]

Ok, I'll go with Dwarf then.

I have a question, when it comes to determining the Athletics bonus for Contendor's Armor, do points from teammates' Athletics scores count towards that?

[Haplok]

Nope.

 

Btw., no offensive powers on the cipher, just CC?

Not even Disintegrate?

Also I'd push Secret Horrors higher. I'd want to use it ASAP on a CC character.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Haplok

[Yosharian]

20 minutes ago, Haplok said:

Nope.

 

Btw., no offensive powers on the cipher, just CC?

Not even Disintegrate?

Also I'd push Secret Horrors higher. I'd want to use it ASAP on a CC character.

Well I figured I'd be using all my Focus on my other spells, and be spending Discipline on physical nukes (e.g. Power Strike).  I don't have much experience with Cipher lategame because I never really used them a lot.

Which powers would you ditch/keep?

Edited September 7, 2020 by Yosharian

[Haplok]

My understanding is that in group fights aoe CC is essentially "free" for a Beguiler. So you still have some Focus to use on an offensive power now and then.

I do like most of your power picks for this kind of character. As already said, I'd pick Disintegrate at least (and I'd eventually want to get Seeker's Fang rapier from SSS DLC for its mini-Disintegrate on crit - could be fun with Clear Out - but that's late game).

I also like Ectopsychic Echo a lot. That's a great damage power if you're willing to micromanage it a little. Also helps vs even high AR enemies, who are often susceptible to Blunt.

Psychovampiric Shield would make hitting a tough enemy much easier - while making you more tanky (and more likely to proc Offensive Parry on misses).

I also like Mental Binding - but I did play a Transcendant with Duality boosted Int - base duration IS not very long.

Pain Block could be nice for party support (not that I've used it).

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Haplok

[Yosharian]

I mean I like all those powers in theory, but I'm already in a spot where I need to reduce my powers a bit so I don't know how I can fit MORE powers in.

Every single power I've taken seems extremely useful and powerful to me

[Haplok]

Personally not a fan of the various Fighter Resistances you've picked: Body Control, Fearless, Unstoppable. Highly situational and effects ca be gotten from items, food, spells or Chanter Invocations. So I see some room. I'd pick Ectopsychic Echo ASAP (same as Secret Horrors). Mule Kick or even Hammering Thoughts could wait.

Charge is also situational - quite expensive for what it does. I guess some mobility would be nice. But maybe its not so urgent.

If you're using Offensive Parry, Superior Deflection could be nice. And Conqueror Stance maybe?

Also no Vigorous / Refreshing Defense? Why? Doesn't it stack with Borrowed Instinct? (maybe it doesn't).

Edited September 7, 2020 by Haplok

[Boeroer]

Borrowed Instinct and Vigorous Defense don't stack. 

[Yosharian]

10 minutes ago, Haplok said:

Personally not a fan of the various Fighter Resistances you've picked: Body Control, Fearless, Unstoppable. Highly situational and effects ca be gotten from items, food, spells or Chanter Invocations. So I see some room. I'd pick Ectopsychic Echo ASAP (same as Secret Horrors). Mule Kick or even Hammering Thoughts could wait.

Charge is also situational - quite expensive for what it does. I guess some mobility would be nice. But maybe its not so urgent.

Well, I figured Charge will help me interrupt enemies when I'm not near them, maybe I can't get to them in time to use Mule Kick.  I get Discipline back from Interrupts.  Secondly, I thought Charge would be useful to escape bad situations since I don't want to be flanked and I'm not going to have Disengagement immunity.

[Yosharian]

Never mind I see now that you were responding to Hap

Edited September 7, 2020 by Yosharian

[Yosharian]

I thought that the resistance talents were really good.  I'm not using a Chanter.  I suppose they are situational.

[Yosharian]

I assumed that Conquerer Stance wouldn't stack with active effects that increase Deflection and Accuracy

Like Paladin auras, right?

I also thought that un-upgraded Cleaving Stance would be a great ability by itself

Edited September 7, 2020 by Yosharian

[Boeroer]

14 minutes ago, Yosharian said:

I assumed that Conquerer Stance wouldn't stack with active effects that increase Deflection and Accuracy

Like Paladin auras, right?

Right.

[Yosharian]

5 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Right.

Right, so I'll stick with Cleaving Stance.  I'll have 0% recovery, so I don't need Mob Stance, and I won't have a lot of Engagement slots anyway.

I must admit that Psychovampiric Shield looks ace, but I'd have to ditch Fighter Stances for it.  Not sure if that's worth it.. maybe it is?  It looks to me like it will be really good against bosses and tough opponents, while Cleaving Stance is just a 'win more' button.  Maybe I will go for it.

Edited September 7, 2020 by Yosharian

[Yosharian]

Alright I updated the build again

Some thoughts:

1) spare discipline will be spent spamming mule kick or clear out depending on whether im against groups or single enemies

2) cipher focus is on casting affliction-causing spells that are boosted by void helm and the empty soul, any spare focus will be spent spamming puppet master, re-upping borrowed instinct and casting ancestor's memory lategame... if i end up being unable to use up my focus then i'll switch out superior deflection for disintegration or something

Edited September 7, 2020 by Yosharian

[Boeroer]

27 minutes ago, Yosharian said:

I'll have 0% recovery, so I don't need Mob Stance

I don't understand. You can never have 0% recovery (only when having Blade Cascade or similar effects). Maybe you mean you'll have 0% recovery penalty from armor?

That only means that you have no penalty from armor. That penalty prolongs your normal recovery time. But Mob Stance will not reduce that armor penalty (only Armored Grace and some pets do that) - it directly shortens your recovery time no matter the armor.
Even if you are butt-naked a Great Sword still has 4 secs of recovery (at 10 DEX). Mob Stance would directly shorten that recovery time.

Contender Armor does the same: it lowers recovery time directly, it does NOT lower the penalty. So even if you reach a recovery bonus that balances out the pentalty you can still stack more bonus because then you are actually faster than naked. Same is true for Miscrean't Leather and Devil of Caroc Breastplate. They reduce recovery time directly, NOT the recovery penalty.

It may still be the case that you don't need Mob Stance - but maybe not for the reasons you thought. It's effect is quite limited if you are not fighting a lot of enemies at once. It is noticable if you are surrounded though.

Generally speaking you can't have too many recovery time reducers or action speed buffs. THey have linear returns so more is always better. What you mean might happen if you take Armored Grace and an armor-penalty-reducing pet while wearing a very light armor or robes: once you are at 0% recovery penalty  it makes no sense to stack more. But that's not the case with Mob Stance, Contender's Armor and so on. Everything that says -x% recovery time or +x% action speed is good to have and will benefit you. You just have to decide if it's worth the cost.