My Ultimate Playthrough (TM) planning

[AndreaColombo]

Sup y'all.

Time has come for me to do my long-awaited SC Helwalker playthrough, and finally play SSS and FS for the first time.

I'm currently in the planning phase, where I'm collecting the mods I want, preparing the PoE story, and figuring out my build and party composition.

To that end, I could use some insight from the more experienced members who have also already gone through SSS and FS.

 

Watcher-specific abilities/talents.

From what I've read, you can gain a Watcher-specific ability in SSS which depends on the choices you make.

It can be Galawain's Gift (+2 Accuracy against Beasts), Berath's Gift (+4 Accuracy against Spirits), or Rymrgand's Gift (+2 Accuracy against Vessels.)

Values above are according to the Deadfire Wiki, although I read elsewhere they can actually range from +2 to +8?

By the time I go through SSS, I reckon I won't have too much content left except FS and the final act of the game. I would venture for those parts Rymrgand's Gift would be the best but, as I haven't played FS yet, I rely on you kind souls to let me know On a related note, what do I need to do in order to get it (I don't mind spoilers)?

Are there any Watcher-only abilities to be gained in FS?

 

Konstanten build.

I'll probably take Konstanten along for the SSS ride to see his dialog, which bears the question, how should I build him?

I thought pure Chanter, but @Boeroer vouched for the Chanter/Barbarian multi. I'd like to build him around Sasha's Singing Scimitar, but if that's particularly sub optimal for Konstanten I can go for the debuffing build with The Willbreaker.

 

 

Guess that's all for now

Edited October 15, 2020 by AndreaColombo

[Boeroer]

You can totally build Konstanten as SC Skald with sabres, no problems. If you pick skeletons you can even abuse Grave Calling which is always good. The only minor inconvenience is his not-so-high INT - but that's a general problem and not Skald-related nor has it anything to do with the Scimitar. 

I just happened to play him as a Barb/Skald and was impressed by the "on the fly" debuffing. I have not that much experience with SC Skalds. 

What are you planning for your Helwalker?

[AndreaColombo]

6 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

What are you planning for your Helwalker?

Classic Nature Godlike with fists (and a set of scimitars for Crush immune foes.)

At higher levels I'll be abusing WotW with the Stalking Cloak

[Boeroer]

I believe Ajamuut's Stalking cloak got a nerf so that it only works from stealth now and not invisibility. At least it doesn't work with Vanishing Strikes and Smoke Veil for me anymore. But maybe WotE is implemented differently, didn't check. 

 

[AndreaColombo]

4 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

I believe Ajamuut's Stalking cloak got a nerf so that it only works from stealth now and not invisibility. At least it doesn't work with Vanishing Strikes and Smoke Veil for me anymore. But maybe WotE is implemented differently, didn't check.

Ah, they just can't get their hands off the nerfhammer, can they?

I'll run a quick a test later; that synergy was the entire point of my build so if it doesn't work, I'll need to check whether the nerf can be undone via mods.

Edited October 15, 2020 by AndreaColombo

[Boeroer]

As I said: it may be that WotW is different. It worked with my Mortar Monk just fine. But that was quite some time ago and I had no success with Smoke Veil etc. duting my second-latest solo run with an Assassin.

[thelee]

3 hours ago, AndreaColombo said:

It can be Galawain's Gift (+2 Accuracy against Beasts), Berath's Gift (+4 Accuracy against Spirits), or Rymrgand's Gift (+2 Accuracy against Vessels.)

Values above are according to the Deadfire Wiki, although I read elsewhere they can actually range from +2 to +8?

IIRC there are four "tracks" of rewards in SSS after critical story points. In no particular order:

• empowering your spirit friend
• getting an item to let you upgrade to legendary
• returning souls to the island
• doing something else to the souls

the first three you can "stack" up to four times (four empowers, four item upgrades, up to +8 galawain bonus IIRC), whereas i think the fourth one is a little weirder. ISTR that i tried to do something with the souls the first time once and i couldn't and had to choose one of the others. i don't evne know how you get rymrgand's gift (never gotten it).

[thelee]

1 hour ago, Boeroer said:

I believe Ajamuut's Stalking cloak got a nerf so that it only works from stealth now and not invisibility. At least it doesn't work with Vanishing Strikes and Smoke Veil for me anymore. But maybe WotE is implemented differently, didn't check. 

i did this with whispers of the wind post-5.0 and ajamuut's works just fine with that. is WotW just implemented differently?

[Boeroer]

Empowering Muātu would be my preferred reward. He's a decent summon to begin with an the power-ups make a difference. To me, stuff like +2 ACC against beasts etc. doesn't.

[AndreaColombo]

Perhaps it might just be better to upgrade four items to Legendary then.

EDIT: @Boeroerninja'd me. I don't use summons all that often, so that's why I would generally prefer item upgrades.

The Accuracy bonus stacked to +8 would be good provided enough foes of that type are encountered afterward. I know for a fact that I wouldn't encounter a whole lot of fearsome Beasts at that point, so it's between Spirits and Vessels, whichever is the more prevalent in FS. Then again, Legendary weapons are so against all foes...

Edited October 15, 2020 by AndreaColombo

[Boeroer]

2 minutes ago, thelee said:

i did this with whispers of the wind post-5.0 and ajamuut's works just fine with that. is WotW just implemented differently?

I guess so then. The description of the Stalking Cloak explicitly says stealth - like with Lover's Embrace and Mask of the Grotto Deep which also only work from stealth for me but not from rogue invisibility. Although I didn't test those with WotW either. 

[Boeroer]

Okaaay! I tested those three items which say "from stealth" with WotW, Vanishing Strikes, Shadowing Beyond and Smoke Veil. Here's the outcome:

Mask of the Grotto Deep:

• WotW: yes
• Vanishing Strikes: yes
• Smoke Veil: no
• Shadowing Beyond: no

Ajamuut's Stalking Cloak: 

• WotW: yes
• Vanishing Strikes: yes
• Smoke Veil: no
• Shadowing Beyond: no

Lover's Embrace:

• WotW: no
• Vanishing Strikes: no
• Smoke Veil: no
• Shadowing Beyond: no

@AndreaColombo's run is safe I'd say. 

 

[AndreaColombo]

Thanks a lot, @Boeroer!

This is super useful

[AndreaColombo]

How many items is it possible to enchant to Legendary, excluding the four from SSS?

I know you can get one if you kill the Kraken (which I won't, for I want the Savage Cunning passive), and one if you steal the Kraken's eye from the namesake tavern in Port Maje (is it possible to do without getting caught?). Can't quite remember what other sources of Legendary enchantment there are.

[Waski]

2 minutes ago, AndreaColombo said:

How many items is it possible to enchant to Legendary, excluding the four from SSS?

I know you can get one if you kill the Kraken (which I won't, for I want the Savage Cunning passive), and one if you steal the Kraken's eye from the namesake tavern in Port Maje (is it possible to do without getting caught?). Can't quite remember what other sources of Legendary enchantment there are.

2nd eye of Kraken is on black isle pre earthquake ( before triggering FS)

[Ivanfyodorovich]

2 hours ago, Boeroer said:

You can totally build Konstanten as SC Skald with sabres, no problems. If you pick skeletons you can even abuse Grave Calling which is always good. The only minor inconvenience is his not-so-high INT - but that's a general problem and not Skald-related nor has it anything to do with the Scimitar. 

I just happened to play him as a Barb/Skald and was impressed by the "on the fly" debuffing. I have not that much experience with SC Skalds. 

I agree! Empowered Eld Nary is just so damn strong; that alone is worth it most fights. The debuff build is really strong, too. In particular, Ben Fidel's Neck Was Exposed (unique -10 all DEF), The Long Night's Drink Birthed the Revenge of Morning (unique -2 MIG + Weakened), and the stagger from Spirit Frenzy (which applies in AoE when used with offensive chants like Long Night's Drink) are such strong and unique interactions with very little investment. They also set up Eld Nary really well by lowering FOR defense in an AoE quite significantly, without even needing the Morningstar Modal. You can still keep the saber in the mix with the Howler, though of course less room for the empower talents. 

[Boeroer]

Yeah, "with very little investment" is the part that's truly neat.