Build: consumable user

[claudius]

I really like using consumables in crpgs, but my current play through my main character and companions generally have better things to do with their actions than use consumables.

Is there a build type (or general pieces of information to consider)  that can use consumables but can also rapidly blow through their class resources?  I've noticed that Barbarian (Sarafen as witch) can use up his Barb resources pretty fast using his rage and mighty blows.

For consumables could be: drugs, potions, scrolls (arcana), explosives

[Frak_the_2nd]

Chanter has some downtime between invocations. Ideally used for autoattacking or consumables.

[Constentin Lévine]

As a Nazpalca Monk you have to use drugs (excepted if you absolutely want to dont healing yourself with for example MC bloodmage), and drugs have the +10pl from the subclass.

I say that because you cant max alchemy, arcana and explosives in one character. 

For Alchemy, most of the potions (and drugs) are beneficial effects you can prolonge with some spells.

Explosives are good, but in my experience, no more than good. However, it is fun to use in combinaison with Sleight of Hand and Stealth, but you cant max all skills.

Spells from scrolls can be expensives but upscale with both arcana and PL bonus. Because you can have only at max 6 differents scrolls * 5/slots, building around only scrolls is hard.

Ciper's shared nightmare or Monk +10int increase the AoE of explosives and scrolls, so a high int SC cipher can be the best instant-healer of the game (healing scrolls have a little area). Personally, it is my SC cipher who use scrolls, but he is not focused on it, like you want. 

Most of the Martialists are generally enought quick with theirs abilities to compensate the cast time from consummables. Rangers could be an interresting choice since they are less vulnerables because their range.  As mentionned by Frak_the_2nd, Chanter are good candidate too.

This is a list of some items that can help to think about a "skill-build" :

• Lucero (pet) : -25% Recovery Time with items for the party (end-game)
• Spellkeeper and The Amazing and Truly Incredible Instant Potion Belt (per rest *)
• The Giftbearer's Cloth (item slot)
• Fleshmender (item slot that stack with the Cloth)
• different gloves 

You can find in the forum (Ultimate part2 I think) a way to stack every drugs, exploiting a reload-save-bug.

*: I know that if you have 2 Rings of resets (the first equipped and the other in the bag) then the per-rest charges become per-combat ; maybe it it the same for these belts, and for Charm of Bones and others, I didnt test that for the moment.

 

[thelee]

14 hours ago, claudius said:

I really like using consumables in crpgs, but my current play through my main character and companions generally have better things to do with their actions than use consumables.

This is generally going to be the case simply because if consumables were good enough that you want to use all the time, it would blow out individual character customizations. For precisely this reason, consumables today are a heavily nerfed form of what they used to be at release.

That being said, consumables can be very good situationally, but those situations are less common on lower difficulties (where you can just brute force fights). As @Constentin Lévine alludes, Arcana can scale to be extremely good, and is the only consumable skill to do this. The only downside is that compared to Alchemy or Explosives, I find them to be extremely hard/expensive to keep a regular supply of (and powerful scrolls consume extremely valuable/finite ingredients), up until the end game where you suddenly get tons of extremely powerful scrolls.

 

Something to consider - one of the ways consumables were nerfed is that they don't benefit from stats (might, intellect, perception). For this reason, on PotD, it can be quite hard to actually land offensive consumables. However, they do benefit, from generic combat buffs, like accuracy boosts and such. In addition, indirect effects from inspirations have an effect:

• intellect inspirations above smart (+1 PL)
• perception inspirations above insightful (you get graze to hit and possibly hit to crit)
• might inspiration above strong (+2 PEN, possibly interrupt on crit)

All that being considered, think about these classes for a consumable focus:

• monk: easy access to Tenacious. Dance with Death for up to +15 accuracy.
• fighter: easy access to tier 2 (up to 3) perception and intellect inspiration. Adventurer/Conquerer stance gives you direct accuracy bonus. 
• ranger: marked prey/marked for the hunt spam to give you +10 accuracy to targets (won't always be calculated in the estimate to-hit/graze chance when you're targeting, but will always work correctly [which will be verified in the combat log]). Stalker's Link can also gives you bonus accuracy. Hunter's Fang/Claw will give you a further +20 acc and up to +20% damage boost. Survival of the Fittest will get you even more accuracy
• rogue: bonus hit to crit, smoke bomb is basically like a re-usable consumable . they also can get extra quick item slots.
• chanter: energized inspiration, up to tenacious (you also have great action economy)
• cipher: the bonus AoE you can get at tier 9 works for consumables and can be zany, especially with arcana scrolls
• druid: the potions they can summon at tier 7 also benefit from alchemy so there's a very light synergy here.

Don't forget about Lucero, a very late-game pet that gives your entire party -25% recovery time bonus when using quickslot items. Ring of Focused Flame and Helm of hte White Void can boost various consumables. Ring of Overseeing can be a way to boost AoE for bombs and scrolls. Fleshmender can be upgraded to give you another quick item slot.

Edited March 7, 2022 by thelee

[dgray62]

If you want to specialize in consumables, I'd suggest an assassin build. This is because scrolls cast from stealth can benefit from the very substantial assassinate bonus. With high arcana and stealth you can really do serious damage with higher tier scrolls. @Not So Clever Houndhas posted a number of assassin builds that feature scroll casting as an important aspect of the build. Assassins too can make good use of poisons (as well as potions and drugs) as well as bombs (for afflictions mainly).

You might consider an assassin/bellower with blightwood. You can start combat, summon some minions, cast scrolls or invocations from stealth, and gain phrases whenever you kill someone, regardless of the ways in which you do this. It's a very versatile build that you can play in a party or go solo.

Edited March 7, 2022 by dgray62
Additional information

[NotDumbEnough]

The problem, I think, is that you absolutely don't need consumables to go through most of the game unless you are a Nazpalca monk. In my current Arcane Archer/Skald playthrough I am literally killing megabosses and the first time I used a scroll was at Belranga, where I prepared a few Garden of Life scrolls for the ridiculous healing (obviously, with Arcane Archer you want to pump Arcana, so I had tons of scrolls lying around but never found any opportunity to use them).

For the remaining 99% of the game I am just not going to blow cash on a Scroll of Great Maelstrom when I can just have Tekehu cast it the old-fashioned way.

[dgray62]

In my experience consumables are much more important when you play solo. You can pretty much ignore them when playing in a party.....unless you're a Nazpalca! That said, you could build a character with consumables in mind. Aside from assassin, I'd recommend a SC Bellower. Casting from scrolls or throwing bombs will give you more to do than just auto attacking while building phrases. Cast a scroll of nature's mark/earth talon and throw a fire bomb to debuff reflex, then cast Her Revenge, Her Tears, etc. Or scroll of wilting wind, etc., to debuff fortitude then cast Ol Nary.

[thelee]

3 hours ago, NotDumbEnough said:

(obviously, with Arcane Archer you want to pump Arcana, so I had tons of scrolls lying around but never found any opportunity to use them).

yeah. I love using consumables in RPGs, but you really have to consciously use them, and not worry about being wasteful. Games are generally balanced around not needing to use consumables, so you really can get away without having to do anything. That's the big thing - I just try not to worry about wasting them.