Fury shper in Potd

[WQAS]

It's been a while since I finished poe1 and now I'm going to start my first game with poe2.

For rp reasons I have thought that my main character is a barbarian dwarf, fury shaper and the rest of my team:

Edér as Swashbuckler (main tank, engagement)

Xoti as SC Harvester of Gaun (buffing, healing, damage)

Aloth as SC Wizard (CC, debuffing, damage)

Tekehu as SC Watershaper (damage, healing, CC)

But I have some doubts:

What would be the best distribution of attribute points for my MC?

Eder's engagements are enough to prevent enemy rogues from annihilating my barbarian, because of his low deflection?

Is Xoti essential to increase Tekehu's low accuracy? Can I replace her for a herald Pallegina?

[summatsupeer]

Personally I like to focus on the player character.  As furyshaper you should probably use the ward that terrifies enemies to stop rogues murdering your Barbarian.

My worry as Furyshaper, especially if lower RES is very low Will.

I tend to rotate my companions depending on mission and enemies.  As xoti is mostly fire and Tek is mostly frost I don't use both often.  I tend to use Tek as MC druid chanter healing and buffing since don't need accuracy for that. Then use shock/water AOE after debuffing enemies Reflex if needed.

[WQAS]

And for attribute distribution, maybe...?

MIG 14, CON 10, DEX 10, PER 18, INT 14, RES 10

Regarding weapons, which is better option, 2H or dw?

[summatsupeer]

Either works.

I like the aesthetic of a barb wielding a big axe and have done it on PotD with upscalling. 2H tend to have higher PEN which can be an issue on PotD level unless you have a plan to raise it or lower enemy DR.

Main advantage of DW is two chances to apply effects of an ability if its a full attack, primary attack is only one weapon.  Full attack can also apply the weapons effects plus the ability.  DW was clearly superior to 2H but it got a damage reduction on full attack abilities in a patch to bring it in line with 2H.

[Constentin Lévine]

On 10/10/2022 at 4:23 PM, WQAS said:

Eder's engagements are enough to prevent enemy rogues from annihilating my barbarian, because of his low deflection?

High con. and high AR can highly reduce the damage you take, and you can daze them with Leap to reduce their Pen also. (For constitution, you dont take less damage but reported in % to your health bar, you are more resilient).

If you want to move freely (to protect your casters or to aim another near target), then Spirit Frenzy is nice : Staggering on hit (so also with Carnage) prevent them to engage your barbarian, and if it is not enought (might resistant or immune foes), Wild Sprint make you immune to engagement. For survivability it is very good.

Edited October 11, 2022 by Constentin Lévine

[WQAS]

Thanks for the answers,
Any ideas on how to improve Tekehu's accuracy, since I want to use him with damage spells?

[summatsupeer]

48 minutes ago, WQAS said:

Thanks for the answers,
Any ideas on how to improve Tekehu's accuracy, since I want to use him with damage spells?

Items:

• Headwear: Nope he's a godlike 
• Hands: Gauntlets of Accuracy
• Rings: Kuaru's Prize
• Neck: Cog of Cohh (if ally gets a kill)
• Cape: None come to mind.

There's also Food, Drugs or Potions.

Cipher can apply Tactical Meld to Tek to give him Aware.  Can't think of anything else besides Priests buffs for accuracy that aren't a self buff only.

The main thing is making sure you debuff the enemies properly to prepare for your damage spells.  Most of your spells are Reflex so DEX or INT debuffs will help most besides specific Reflex debuffs.

[Constentin Lévine]

1 hour ago, WQAS said:

Thanks for the answers,
Any ideas on how to improve Tekehu's accuracy, since I want to use him with damage spells?

Most of druid's spells are ranged, and work with the Acina's Tricorn (+5acc)(godlike) and some pets (the celestial wurm give +3acc vs +4m target, and later in game, Boras give +5acc with spells, for the party).

The Cog of Cohh (Aware on ally kill) can be nice for him, since yor melee characters are going to kill some enemies. 

Enhancing spells by PL bonus give them also acc bonus (+1/pl) so that can be also a way to improve his accuracy.

The best way is to debuff enemies's defenses (druid spells target most of the time reflex and fortitude). -10 to the associated defense for an affliction, that mean while staggered and weakened, an enemy have -20 fortitude (translated into +20acc for spells vs fortitude).

Edited October 11, 2022 by Constentin Lévine

[WQAS]

I think to simplify my first time in this game and in Potd a little, I'm going to change Tekehu for Maia. 
There are many details of the game that I don´t know and that I´am only going to learn while I play.

[summatsupeer]

If your not playing max difficulty you don't need to worry about optimizing everything.  The principles are the same as POE1; apply your buffs -> debuff enemy (in correct order) -> hit them with the big abilities. 

I'd recommend having a good range of abilities and damage sources whilst you learn what enemies are strong/weak at and/or rotate companions in and out.

[WQAS]

Do the different classes of characters have any way of recovering power source points in combat, such as the ciphers, apart from the empower?

[masterty66]

1 hour ago, WQAS said:

Do the different classes of characters have any way of recovering power source points in combat, such as the ciphers, apart from the empower?

Barbarians and Paladins have ways to regain rage/zeal. And any class can regain power source through brilliant (if applied by a Cipher or otherwise)

Blood Mage (wizard kit) can regain spells at will. 

I forget if any other classes have native ways to do it. Probably missing something here.

[summatsupeer]

Only chanters and ciphers generate resource points as the fight goes on.  Monks can gain wounds various ways but not Mortification so take note of which abilities you take.  This is one of the reasons they're so strong on higher difficulties where fights last longer.

Some others that come to my mind:

• Barbarians have a chance of regaining a point per kill but is tier 9 ability so SC only.  If Corpse-Eater you can eat a corpse, but abilities cost more and not all enemies are edible, can't say I like it.
• Paladin have a chance of regaining a point per kill with tier 6 ability so possible for MC or when an ally is downed at tier 9 so SC Only.
• Fighter have a chance of regaining a point when critically hit with tier 8 ability so SC only.  If using a Tactician subclass they can trigger Brilliant inspiration to gain resource points.
• There's a few other ways to get Brilliant typically via casting / items.

[Boeroer]

Resource regeneration or refund by class:

• All:
  • Empower (except Bloodmage)
  • Brilliant Inspiration (different sources)
  • His Heart Did Fill With the Light of the Dawn
• Barbarian
  • Barbaric Smash (all Barbarians) - when the enemy is killed with the attack you get 2 Rage back. Corpse Eaters pay 3 Rage for Barbaric Smash so they will always at least pay 1 Rage.
  • Flesh Communion (Corpse Eater) - gain +3 Rage when eating the corpse of kith, beast or wilder
  • Blood Surge (Single Class Barbarians) - when the Barbarian kills (doesn't matter if firend or foe or even barrels) there's a 25% chance to get +1 Rage. With the Community Patch it's 50%.
• Chanter
  • Phrases (all Chanters) - gain 1 phrase point for singing 1 phrase of a chant
  • Skald - 50% chance to gain 1 phrase point when dealing a critical hit with a melee weapon
  • Blightheart (all Chanters) - 1 phrase point per kill (no matter how, no matter what)
  • Sasha's Singing Scimitar (all Chanters) - when empowering an invocation either get 3 phrase points back or all phrase points (depending on the enchantment)
• Cipher
  • Soul Mind (Psion subclass) - get Focus per second (a bit like a regular chanter). The amount per second scales with Power Level. 
  • Soul Whip (all non-Psion Ciphers) - get focus from dealing weapon damage.
  • Soul Whip (Beguiler) - get focus from casting Deception spells on enemies who are vulnerable to Sneak Attack
  • Reaping Knives (all single class Ciphers) - if cast on a party member the Cipher gains +5 focus every time the party member hits an enemy
  • The Complete Self (all Ciphers) - 33% chance to gain +5 focus when landing a crit with a spell
• Druid
  • none
• Fighter
  • Toughened Fury (all single class Fighters) - when getting struck with a critical hit there's a 10% chance to gain +1 Discipline
  • Tactician: when interrupting an enemy' ability gain +1 Discipline
  • Brilliant Tactician (Tactician) - when no party members are flanked and all enemies are flanked: become Brilliant (see above)
•  Monk
  • Wound Trait (all non-FF and non-SP Monks) - when receiving damage gain wounds
  • Wound Trait (Forbidden Fist) - when a hostile effect expires gain +1 Wound
  • Wound Trait (Shattered Pillar) - when dealing damage with auto-attacks gain wounds (like a normal Cipher gains focus)
  • Nalpasca - gain wounds per passed time under the influence of drugs
  • Sister of the Reaping Moon - gain 3 wounds on killing friend, foe or barrel with a melee weapon attack 
  • Mortification of the Soul (all Monks) - suffer some damage, gain wounds
  • Dance of Death/Enduring Dance (all Monks) - gain wounds based per passed time (see Chanter or Psion mechanic)
  • Stunning Surge (all Monks) - when the attacks critically hits regain the cost of 2 Mortification
  • Parting Sorrow (all Monks who can engage) - when you engage an enemy and that enemy either breaks engagement or dies(!) gain 1 Wound
  • Imagined Pain (all single class Monks) - when missed by any attack roll gain 1 wound. Immunities count as misses.
  • Xoti's Lantern (all Monks) - when the Monk kills (friend, foe or destructibles like barrels) you gain 1 wound and 1 Mortification
• Paladin
  • Virtuous Triumph (all Paladins) - when the Paladin kills (no matter who, no matter how) there's a 25% chance to gain +1 Zeal
  • Divine Retribution (all single class Paladins) - when an ally gets killed (party member - or summon!) the Paladin gains +2 Zeal
• Priest
  • none
• Ranger
  • none
• Rogue
  • Gambit (all single class Rogues) - regain 2 Guile per critical hit with the Gambit attack. With a Full Attack or multihit-weapons you can regain the full 4 Guile (but not more)
• Wizard
  • Blood Sacrifice (Bloodmage) - suffer some random damage (withing a certain range), gain a spell use of a random spell level (which is not full) 

I think that's it from the top of my head - but I may have missed something.  Monk is the only class that can refill two resource pools (with an item).

Edited October 17, 2022 by Boeroer

[NotDumbEnough]

A correction: Stunning Surge not only refunds Mortification, but actually gives you wounds on crit IIRC. If your accuracy is decent it's a very powerful wound generator on Forbidden Fist who might otherwise lack wounds.

[WQAS]

Wow, amazing answers. This, along with how difficult the first fights have been, makes me rethink my main character. In the battles at Engwithan digsite, my furyshaper could only set traps, throw explosives, use frenzy ward, and attack from a distance. Without Xoti's Blessed Harvest, it would have been impossible.

Next to the barbarian, my other favorite class in Poe1 is the cipher. I really like the idea of a spell-casting cipher (Beguiler), but what can he do against enemies with immunities to his deception spells? Are his Shred spells enough, or is a multiclass better? And in this case, which one would you recommend?

I´m sorry for my low level of English.

[summatsupeer]

2 minutes ago, WQAS said:

Wow, amazing answers. This, along with how difficult the first fights have been, makes me rethink my main character. In the battles at Engwithan digsite, my furyshaper could only set traps, throw explosives, use frenzy ward, and attack from a distance. Without Xoti's Blessed Harvest, it would have been impossible.

Next to the barbarian, my other favorite class in Poe1 is the cipher. I really like the idea of a spell-casting cipher (Beguiler), but what can he do against enemies with immunities to his deception spells? Are his Shred spells enough, or is a multiclass better? And in this case, which one would you recommend?

I´m sorry for my low level of English.

Don't take that Engwithan digsite fight as an example of what your character will do in the future.  If I did that I'd pretty much only play a Cipher as the easiest way I find to do that fight is to Charm an enemy Boar, either through a PC or a custom character.  Most characters struggle with that fight without adding additional characters, many stealth past it as you don't actually have to fight it.

[Constentin Lévine]

About Cipher focus generation, you dont generate focus against charmed, dominated or friendly target with Soul Whip (or Beguiler).

This is important to know especially when there is only one enemy (for example I usually charm (intellect weakness) the Giant Cave Grub to fight him, but then I cant generate focus anymore..)

[Boeroer]

Furyshaper is an excellent subclass. Not super impactful in the early levels, but the fear ward and especially the blood ward are very good. A priest (or scroll) can withdraw the ward which makes it untouchable - it will still work. 

[thelee]

17 hours ago, WQAS said:

Wow, amazing answers. This, along with how difficult the first fights have been, makes me rethink my main character. In the battles at Engwithan digsite, my furyshaper could only set traps, throw explosives, use frenzy ward, and attack from a distance. Without Xoti's Blessed Harvest, it would have been impossible.

in case you haven't seen it mentioned on the forums yet, but the general consensus is that gorecci st and the digsite are like the hardest fights in the game. so i wouldn't worry too much if you struggle in those fights, because everyone will likely struggle, unless you specifically tune a mercenary or character for those fights (sometimes i bring along a druid with both charm beasts and hold beasts for digsite [edit: though i feel like i'm unlucky and always get some group of beasts with "unstoppable" on galawain's challenge, which makes them immune to that]). especially i think barbarians have a rough early game because all their power kind of adds on to itself until they explode at higher levels. kinda like an old-fashioned power-curve of a wizard.

 

17 hours ago, WQAS said:

I´m sorry for my low level of English.

dude your english is great no worries, i would not have even noticed anything was off if you hadn't said anything  

Edited October 18, 2022 by thelee

[Boeroer]

27 minutes ago, thelee said:

i think barbarians have a rough early game because all their power kind of adds on to itself until they explode at higher levels. kinda like an old-fashioned power-curve of a wizard.

True.

One of my favorite Barbarian combinations is still Barb/Chanter, recently Berserker/Troubadour. Great debuffer all the way until lvl 19 and then becomes one of the the most deadly melee damage dealers.

A Barb combo that works well quite early on is a Barb/Monk or Barb/Fighter with a Morning Star. You can use Force of Anguish or Knockdown (both targer fortitude instead of deflection) and directly profit from the lowered fortitude (enemy hit with Body Blows, the Morning Star's modal). So you can decide if you want to attack deflection or fortitude (which is lower). I would prefer Barb/Monk because Force of Anguish also pushes the enemy into you Carnage range which means that the enemy suffers the normal weapon damage AND Carnage damage which is quite the nice dmg bonus that early in the game. Already works wonder on the digside for example. Most of the beasts don't have high fortitude - and lowering that by 25 makes hitting them very easy. 

[WQAS]

18 hours ago, thelee said:

in case you haven't seen it mentioned on the forums yet, but the general consensus is that gorecci st and the digsite are like the hardest fights in the game. so i wouldn't worry too much if you struggle in those fights, because everyone will likely struggle, unless you specifically tune a mercenary or character for those fights (sometimes i bring along a druid with both charm beasts and hold beasts for digsite [edit: though i feel like i'm unlucky and always get some group of beasts with "unstoppable" on galawain's challenge, which makes them immune to that]). especially i think barbarians have a rough early game because all their power kind of adds on to itself until they explode at higher levels. kinda like an old-fashioned power-curve of a wizard.

I didn´t know. In the end, instead of Beguiler, I have started with SC Ascendant, so I can use all kinds of spells, and with Serafen I will test the barb class.