Looking for party / mc advice for a (first) playthrough

[andi255]

Hi,

I played POE and POE2 (did not finish it) years ago and now I want to give POE2 another try on PS5. Recently I enjoyed playing pathfinder kingmaker with a magus as main character.

So I would like to play with

• a small party (maybe only with Eder but for the first run it may be better to go with a party of 3 or 4?)
• on POTD
• not (too) much micro management
• minimal resting
• MC should be a melee char (can cast a spell/buff here and there but mainly melee)
• MC should not be too squishy, I don't like to reload all time and it does not feel strong to me :-)
• Should be able to do all content including mega bosses

So from what I read Monks are very strong and I played this class in POE1 and liked it.

• Any suggestions which Monk Class to play? And not too complicated to understand? Multiclass?
• Or a strong paladin (multiclass) build?
• Do you think playing POTD with only Eder is too much of a challenge going in relative blindly? Recommendation for a third party member?

Thanks a lot for help and advice!

 

[Okkes]

Forbidden Fist/Soul blade is what you re looking for. 2 very powerful attack from the start, very tanky, you can cast buffs and debuffs if you need to, whole package available...

[Shai Hulud]

3 hours ago, Okkes said:

Forbidden Fist/Soul blade is what you re looking for. 2 very powerful attack from the start, very tanky, you can cast buffs and debuffs if you need to, whole package available...

Yep I can verify this can easily solo the game, BUT this combo requires community patch for focus generation to work correctly.

I'd do a pure forbidden fist, you don't have to cast spells as often, and it doesn't require the community patch (though I'd recommend using it anyway). 

The main thing to note is with a forbidden fist using the forbidden fist attack causes "forbidden curse" to build up, so you have to have a pretty specific stat spread for you to be able to spam forbidden fist without damaging yourself. The relationship between intelligence (makes the curse longer, but also your buffs), dexterity (how fast you can spam forbidden fist), and resolve (reduces the curse duration) is a little tricky but once you get it right it is very easy. 

Basically you want 35 resolve or as close to that as you can get. It is actually doable with the right items, boons, and buffs, even without a steadfast inspiration (which soul blade could give you for +5 resolve). Check this thread for specifics and also an alternate multiclass build that would fulfill what you're looking for. Then your intelligence should be no higher than 13, in which case you can dump dexterity to 3. You will still attack once per 2s roughly with monk's swift flurry. Alternatively you can dump intelligence, which allows you to attack a little faster, but your buffs won't last very long. Then again only buffs a SC monk really needs is swift flurry and clarity of agony. Clarity of agony is important for reducing hostile effect duration by 50%. 

With 35 res, 13 INT, 3 dex, swift flurry, clarity of agony, ring of the solitary wanderer, two-weapon style, dual-wielding, and strand of favor (all available before halfway through the game) the curse lasts about 2s and you can attack every 2s so it is perfectly balanced. If you want to be extra safe dump dex to 3 and leave INT no higher than 10, gives you a little more room regarding getting your resolve to 35. You should note without the community patch forbidden fist does not benefit from dual wielding, so in that case you don't dump dex, the curse will last the same amount of time but with 3 dex you can only attack once per 2.8s or so (with robes or no armor, which you don't need), so you'd want dex a bit higher. You don't need much CON, PER should be high, can have might wherever really, don't need a lot because the FF attack has a +50% damage modifier and you get another +60% or so from transcendent suffering. 

Then you can make a very simple script to buff yourself with clarity of agony with a cooldown of however long it lasts for your character, cast swift flurry when you don't have the dexterity inspiration, and attack with forbidden fist. Three blocks. 

If you want another good alternative FF / unbroken, this is made by @Not So Clever Hound

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Shai Hulud

[Okkes]

Problem with no community patch FF, you can't use lightning strikes, swift flurry-heartbeat drumming and enervating blows with your FF attack its so bad.

[Shai Hulud]

1 hour ago, Okkes said:

Problem with no community patch FF, you can't use lightning strikes, swift flurry-heartbeat drumming and enervating blows with your FF attack its so bad.

What? Lightning strikes should apply a universal action speed buff. I can maybe see Swift Flurry and Heartbeat Drumming not working on the double strike thing, which sucks, but if one insists on playing vanilla then FF is probably still the best melee class (not counting tactician, priest, and bloodmage brilliant / life extension hax) even with these limitations. Just don't tell me resonant touches don't apply with FF. Though I'm kinda guessing they don't.

Yeah definitely install the CP IMO. 

[Okkes]

I meant lightning lash don't work , speed does

[Shai Hulud]

1 hour ago, Okkes said:

I meant lightning lash don't work , speed does

Ah. Well still worth using. +15% damage isn't that much compared to transcendent suffering and forbidden curse. The action speed buff helps a lot in vanilla because you don't get the dual wielding or two weapon style. 

No reason really not to install at least the basic CP though...unless doing an ultimate run I guess.

Here ya go OP, just download and extract to the override folder 

https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity2/mods/335

Edited April 1, 2023 by Shai Hulud

[andi255]

Great, thanks for the detailed tips!

FF Monk looks really interesting! I read some other threads about this sub class.

I will play on PS5 and Community Patch is not an option there (hopefully the patch level will let me allow to play a 'functional' FF monk). Would you still recommend it for PS5 gameplay or better do another build?

Any idea on how to build Eder? Devoted Fighter with Shield and Sabre?

[andi255]

13 hours ago, Shai Hulud said:

With 35 res, 13 INT, 3 dex, swift flurry, clarity of agony, ring of the solitary wanderer, two-weapon style, dual-wielding, and strand of favor (all available before halfway through the game) the curse lasts about 2s and you can attack every 2s so it is perfectly balanced. If you want to be extra safe dump dex to 3 and leave INT no higher than 10, gives you a little more room regarding getting your resolve to 35. You should note without the community patch forbidden fist does not benefit from dual wielding, so in that case you don't dump dex, the curse will last the same amount of time but with 3 dex you can only attack once per 2.8s or so (with robes or no armor, which you don't need), so you'd want dex a bit higher. You don't need much CON, PER should be high, can have might wherever really, don't need a lot because the FF attack has a +50% damage modifier and you get another +60% or so from transcendent suffering. 

Then you can make a very simple script to buff yourself with clarity of agony with a cooldown of however long it lasts for your character, cast swift flurry when you don't have the dexterity inspiration, and attack with forbidden fist. Three blocks. 

Ok, thanks for all the details! Especially the part without the community patch!

[Shai Hulud]

55 minutes ago, andi255 said:

Great, thanks for the detailed tips!

FF Monk looks really interesting! I read some other threads about this sub class.

I will play on PS5 and Community Patch is not an option there (hopefully the patch level will let me allow to play a 'functional' FF monk). Would you still recommend it for PS5 gameplay or better do another build?

Any idea on how to build Eder? Devoted Fighter with Shield and Sabre?

I have no experience with PS5 version but am guessing it is basically like vanilla but with different control scheme.

Most forbidden fist builds will still work well in vanilla, just not quite as well. It is still really, really powerful though. Various FF builds can solo POTD upscaled without armor. All the megabosses. Vanilla FF is a bit weaker than CP but plenty strong for regular POTD especially with a companion. 

The main thing the CP does regarding FF is it makes the weapon talent treated like a weapon. It generates focus, abilities that apply to weapons apply to the FF attack, it benefits from dual-wielding and taking two weapon fighting, and so forth. This stuff doesn't happen without the patch. I'm not sure resonant touch will work either. But you still have a lot of tools, particularly if you do something like the unbroken / FF, which I believe uses a large shield anyway, so those specs are more accurate for vanilla.

So in vanilla the most important difference is the attack speed is a bit slower, so you might as well use a small shield. Xoti's Lantern (+1 monk resource per kill) and Tuotilo's Palm (has various monk bonuses) , or the large shield Akola's Apex Ward is very good and can be acquired early though it isn't obvious how (you have to tank your rep with the Huana early by murdering the people in Takano's house in the neketaka serpent crown district. Then next time you go to sea you'll spot a vengeance ship called servant of rikuhu. Sink it or board it to get the shield). 

Because your attack speed is slower you can't tank dex to the extent I suggested. Don't dump to 3, probably want more like 13 to 16 and compensate dumping might and / or INT. Use stats more like suggested in the unbroken / ff build. You don't have to dump INT to that extent but unless you're casting a lot of buffs it isn't really a problem. So for FF / troubadour (very interesting build) you'd want decent intelligence for your spells but pure FF doesn't much matter so it depends what you want to do. 

Max resolve. Put INT as high as you need it, but not maxed. The higher your INT the less dex you can have, but in vanilla I believe you can have significantly higher dex and be fine. Whatever dex value sets your attack speed the same as the curse is ideal, though it is fine if your attack speed is 2.5s and the curse lasts 2s. It just isn't max efficiency.

It should be noted the ring of the solitary wanderer has a buff called "lone wolf" that gives -35% hostile effect duration. If you take eder with you it won't activate while you're standing close to each other. Which is fine, but you'll definitely want to keep up clarity of agony (-50% hostile effect duration) in that case. Or enlightened agony (gives smart also) if it doesn't make the curse too long. I use enlightened agony in my builds which allows base INT to be a bit lower. Strand of favor can help a bit too (-10% hostile effect duration).

Otherwise you can follow the stats and item suggestions in the evergreen juggernaut build for that build or for a pure FF. Main advantage of pure FF is you get a big boost to accuracy from razer's edge, imagined pain, and more accuracy damage and penetration on forbidden fist from higher monk power level. And you get whispers on the wind which is super, super awesome. You flash around attacking enemies popping in and out of invisibility so there is great synergy with ajamuuts stalking cloak which stuns on attacking from invisibility. Basically with the cloak every time you use WOTW you'll stun five enemies.

FF makes good multiclasses with literally everything, except cipher in vanilla. And I haven't personally tried FF/druid but it is probably fine. Of particular note to me are FF / unbroken (tanky striker), FF / troubadour (striker with summons and buffs), and FF / paladin (particularly gold pact knights get huge defensive bonuses like +7 armor from gilded enmity and stoic steel, and paladins can hand out exhortations to eder), barbarians (with blood storm and blooded etc you get massive attack speed and damage bonuses, so you can wear very heavy armor and still attack quite fast even with lowish dex). Ranger is also interesting for the accuracy buffs but you have to micromanage the animal a bit. And blood mage is top tier but rather technical learning how to play.

I dont think you can make Eder a devoted. He has the default generic fighter subclass...pretty sure. I havent experimented with npc builds nearly to the extent of the main character. I've played with a party a few times. I like eder as a swashbuckler (fighter/rogue). He doesn't lose much tankiness by multiclassing and he gains rogue goodies and a lot of damage when afflictions are applied. This goes well with your FF guy because FF attack causes enfeebled so any character with that will be subject to sneak attacks. Add persistent distraction and they'll be subject to deathblows as well for a total of +80% damage from eder.

This is a decent build I've used before (though I'd take conqueror stance vs mob for the accuracy and deflection)

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1398100119

Eder would also do great as a pure fighter. I wouldn't make him a pure rogue. Pure rogues do best as assassins which he can't do. But pure fighters get some decent high level stuff. 

IMO you're best off with eder as swashbuckler though. Dual wielding sabres is popular because there are so many good sabres  and they're high damage (though somewhat limited being slashing damage only), but there are a lot of good weapons and he can use whatever you want really. 

 

[andi255]

Wow, really thank you very much for given me all the details about the mechanics and the tips regarding gear, highly appreciated!

I think I'll start with the Unbroken / FF build and give myself time to learn all the stuff about the game mechanics and with what kind of playstyle I have fun.

And Eder with dual sabres sounds wicked :-). Great, let's start the game!

[Boeroer]

On 4/1/2023 at 9:47 AM, Shai Hulud said:

Ah. Well still worth using. +15% damage isn't that much compared to transcendent suffering and forbidden curse.

But it is - because lashes are multiplicative damage bonuses instead of the additive ones (for example the forbidden curse bonus - which is pretty high but still only additive).

A lash takes all the damage that gets rolled into consideration (all additonal dmg bonuses, crits, overpenetration, forbidden fist curse etc.) and calculates the 15% based on that. While the additional damage bonuses only use the base dmg of the weapon (or ability, PL scaling counts as base dmg). A persistent 15% lash for rel. little investment is actually pretty awesome to have.

If you can't use the Lightning Lash of Lightning Strikes then you should stick to Swift Strikes - but I assume that's what you meant in the first place.  And yes, +5 DEX and an additional action speed bonus is a very good thing to have for only 1 point of Mortification.

---

I would absolutely recommend the Community Patch. It's free and easy to "install" (aka copy a folder into the game folder). It's a mod that doesn't go crazy with wild and fantastical "improvements" but focuses to address some hickups and oversights of the original game and does that well imo. See the Forbidden FIst punch which doesn't generate focus in the original game and also doesn't work with some of the Monk's own abilities (clearly an oversight by the devs). The mod also has unique icons for every passive ability - which the vanilla game doesn't have due to time restrictions during development. The original game uses the same icons for a lot of totally different passive abilites. That can be confusing if you ask me.

Me advertising that stuff has obviously nothing to do with the fact that I created those CP icons, ehehe...

You can also individually trigger every change the CP does to the vanilla game by deleting or renaming some files in the mod folder. They are named in a way that it's easy to guess which file contains which individual modification. In addition to that the mod is even split in two parts (basic and extended).  

Edit: now I read the part with the PS5 - rofl sorry. :super-embarrased-emoji

 

  

 

  

Edited April 2, 2023 by Boeroer

[Okkes]

Isn't it hard to play games like this in playstation?

[Shai Hulud]

8 hours ago, Okkes said:

Isn't it hard to play games like this in playstation?

Maybe not. I've played Divinity Original Sin 2 on console and it is nearly as easy to use as PC version. Theres usually like a tactical wheel and you can assign shortcuts to abilities on the D-pad. If PC version has controller support then that probably plays the same as PS5.

I watched a bit of video on PS5 and it looks similar. One of the shoulder buttons leads to a tactical wheel when held, another to shortcuts. The rest of the controls are straightforward. Probably harder to micromanage but otherwise looked quite playable, particularly in turn based mode.

Question to @andi255, are you playing turn based mode? I always assume people use RTWP because most of us old schoolers are used to it. 

If you're doing turn based FF may work a bit differently, let me know if you are

[andi255]

15 hours ago, Okkes said:

Isn't it hard to play games like this in playstation?

It is probably more optimal / efficient with mouse and keyboard (and I did it a lot years ago) but personally now I like the more 'layed back' approach on the sofa. Especially after a working day at a desk. And after some time getting used to the controller it works pretty well.

What I dislike the most are the loading times of new areas. But I guess that is the same on PC, maybe it is more optimized.

[andi255]

6 hours ago, Shai Hulud said:

Question to @andi255, are you playing turn based mode? I always assume people use RTWP because most of us old schoolers are used to it. 

I'm playing RTwP. And I try to automate it as far as possible. So I already discovered this 'monster of AI editor'  and I will sink some time into it to figure out a good setup for my party.

Yesterday I started the game and currently I'm with Eder on the starting island. Did not go yet to the dig-side. Currently I'm thinking about going with a party of 3, Pallegina as third. So 3 melee characters, hopefully it get's the job done.

[andi255]

16 hours ago, Boeroer said:

But it is - because lashes are multiplicative damage bonuses instead of the additive ones (for example the forbidden curse bonus - which is pretty high but still only additive).

Ah ok, that is interesing with the multiplicative bonus! Thanks!

[Shai Hulud]

1 hour ago, andi255 said:

I'm playing RTwP. And I try to automate it as far as possible. So I already discovered this 'monster of AI editor'  and I will sink some time into it to figure out a good setup for my party.

Yesterday I started the game and currently I'm with Eder on the starting island. Did not go yet to the dig-side. Currently I'm thinking about going with a party of 3, Pallegina as third. So 3 melee characters, hopefully it get's the job done.

Loading times on PC are potentially better because you can have extremely good hardware like cutting edge m.2 SSD drives, insane amounts of RAM etc. But they still seem longer than they should, so IDK. 

The AI is pretty simple and unfortunately relatively limited, but for some classes it is sufficient and works well with most forbidden fist builds. You may want to script some things from unbroken side, but you definitely want these three blocks and in this order

1) Conditional: Self has inspiration - dexterity (not), Action: Swift Strikes, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0
2) Conditional: Self has inspiration - intellect (not), Action: Enlightened Agony, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0
3) Conditional: Self has inspiration - intellect, Action: Forbidden Fist, target type enemy, prioritize by nearest target, cooldown 0

What this will do is keep up swift strikes as long as you have mortification, keep up enlightened agony which includes the -50% hostile effect reduction and makes swift strikes last longer, and the third block conditional is important in that you only use forbidden fist if the intellect inspiration is active, this is how you ensure the clarity of agony effect is there when you use forbidden fist. If it isn't, depending on your stats, the curse could be longer than the time between your attacks. 

Alternatively, if you don't take enlightened agony, you would have it like this

1) Conditional: Self has inspiration - dexterity (not), Action: Swift Strikes, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0
2) Conditional: Always True, Action: Clarity of Agony, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown (INT modified duration, or slightly less)
3) Conditional: Always True, Action: Forbidden Fist, target type enemy, prioritize by nearest target, cooldown (*actual* forbidden curse duration)

I say *actual* because the display for the forbidden curse is way off and doesn't factor in your resolve. It will say it's something like 12s even if it is 2s. So to test use FF attack on something (could be a party member), pause immediately after hitting, and check the character sheet for the duration under Forbidden Fist: +50% duration, etc., for X seconds

If you have maxed resolve and clarity of agony active it should be under 2s or at 2s.

I'd recommend the first way with Enlightened Agony since the script is cleaner and it allows you to dump INT more.

You may want other blocks like you'd probably want to keep up disciplined strikes, so that would look like

Conditional: Self has inspiration - perception (not), Action: Disciplined Strikes, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0

And ideally you would place that after Enlightened Agony so that the duration of Disciplined Strikes benefits from the INT bonus. It is actually pretty easy with a little practice but those 3 to 4 blocks should be enough for the FF/unbroken, and for Eder and other party members the scripts the game comes with are okay, though you can make custom ones if you want.

Pallegina is a good choice for a third character particularly if you run her as a chanter/paladin (herald), as both subclasses will give her access to many support abilities and chants. Personally I'd keep her back and have her supporting the other characters, doing crowd control invocations, and summoning things. Two melees is enough most of the time, particularly if you give Eder some +engagement items and the Hold the Line ability. Your FF/unbroken can also take Hold the Line. So an FF/unbroken with a shield and hold the line can engage 3, more if you equip weapons Kapana Taga, Last Word, or Shattered Vengeance, even more with various items (blackened plate helm, reckless brigandine, a few DLC items). You can equip these weapons in the main hand and a shield in the offhand, the weapon choice mostly matters for its secondary effects since forbidden fist attack uses fists regardless what is equipped. So you can benefit from +engagement weapons or a dagger's +10 melee deflection modal, for instance. Kapana Taga is a really good choice because of the immunity to flanking and + engagement. Squid's Grasp can also be very useful for immunity to flanking and Attempted Parley, particularly useful on solo runs.

[andi255]

5 hours ago, Shai Hulud said:

1) Conditional: Self has inspiration - dexterity (not), Action: Swift Strikes, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0
2) Conditional: Self has inspiration - intellect (not), Action: Enlightened Agony, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0
3) Conditional: Self has inspiration - intellect, Action: Forbidden Fist, target type enemy, prioritize by nearest target, cooldown 0

What this will do is keep up swift strikes as long as you have mortification, keep up enlightened agony which includes the -50% hostile effect reduction and makes swift strikes last longer, and the third block conditional is important in that you only use forbidden fist if the intellect inspiration is active, this is how you ensure the clarity of agony effect is there when you use forbidden fist. If it isn't, depending on your stats, the curse could be longer than the time between your attacks. 

Great, thank you! These tips are highly welcome!

[andi255]

5 hours ago, Shai Hulud said:

You can equip these weapons in the main hand and a shield in the offhand, the weapon choice mostly matters for its secondary effects since forbidden fist attack uses fists regardless what is equipped. So you can benefit from +engagement weapons or a dagger's +10 melee deflection modal, for instance. Kapana Taga is a really good choice because of the immunity to flanking and + engagement. Squid's Grasp can also be very useful for immunity to flanking and Attempted Parley, particularly useful on solo runs.

Good to know that the weapon does not matter for the FF attack!

[Boeroer]

The FF attack doesn't really use your fists. It has its own base damage and accuracy and all the base values which match those of monks' fists - and it also scales with Transcendent Suffering and other unarmed bonuses. But mechanically fists and FF attack are two seperate things. That's why it's possible that in the vanilla game it isn't treated as weapon - and unlike your fists it won't work with Swift Flurry/Heartbeat Drumming and so on (because that "weapon" keyword was forgotten in the game object's description). That's maybe splitting hairs though. For the majority of the game this fine distinction might be quite meaningless.

It is a very good hint that the main weapon doesn't matter if you mostly attack with the Forbidden fist. Unless - like Shai Hulud said - that weapon gives you some universal bonus. Some uniques are really cool that way (see what Shai Hulud said). For the early game you can even use this with the most generic weapons: a Hatchet gives you more passive deflection, a Dagger+modal can give you an active melee deflection bonus of +10 (the damage malus only applies to dagger attacks so your FF attack is safe), a spear+modal would give you +1 engagement and so on - even though you wouldn't really use that weapon to strike with it, it would still help you.  

Edited April 3, 2023 by Boeroer

[andi255]

4 hours ago, Boeroer said:

The FF attack doesn't really use your fists. It has its own base damage and accuracy and all the base values which match those of monks' fists - and it also scales with Transcendent Suffering and other unarmed bonuses. But mechanically fists and FF attack are two seperate things. That's why it's possible that in the vanilla game it isn't treated as weapon - and unlike your fists it won't work with Swift Flurry/Heartbeat Drumming and so on (because that "weapon" keyword was forgotten in the game object's description). That's maybe splitting hairs though. For the majority of the game this fine distinction might be quite meaningless.

Thank you, that is good to know! Do you have any idea how I could test if the FF attack is considered a weapon and does benifit from things like Heartbeat Drumming? (sounds not easy to me )

[andi255]

On 4/2/2023 at 11:49 AM, Shai Hulud said:

1) Conditional: Self has inspiration - dexterity (not), Action: Swift Strikes, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0
2) Conditional: Self has inspiration - intellect (not), Action: Enlightened Agony, target type self, prioritize by none, cooldown 0
3) Conditional: Self has inspiration - intellect, Action: Forbidden Fist, target type enemy, prioritize by nearest target, cooldown 0

Question about these AI conditions: 

How do I get the two wounds for Enlightened Agony at the beginning of a fight? FF will be used if Enlightened Agony is up ... do I need to use FF manually?

Hm, I would need a condition like "if wounds < 2 use FF". Not at the PS5 now, need to check later...

Edited April 3, 2023 by andi255

[andi255]

A short update about my journey:

- Dig site done, I was sneaking around with Eder and we managed to kill some stuff.

- Grocceri Street: I remember this (nightmares  ) but this time I sneaked to the main bandit and talked with him.

So now it is time to leave the island. I will look up what I should do with the ship. Probably buy some foot and hire a few guys to 'run' the ship.

[Shai Hulud]

43 minutes ago, andi255 said:

Question about these AI conditions: 

How do I get the two wounds for Enlightened Agony at the beginning of a fight? FF will be used if Enlightened Agony is up ... do I need to use FF manually?

Hm, I would need a condition like "if wounds < 2 use FF". Not at the PS5 now, need to check later...

You start the fight with wounds. As you level up you start with more. Eventually you'll start with 5. 

But if you need wounds you can use "Mortification of the Soul" which trades self-damage for wounds, or "Dance of Death" or its upgrade "Enduring Dance" which both trade mortification for wounds every 3 seconds. Enduring Dance is really good because you can get hit 3 times before it dispels. It also gives you an accuracy bonus of up to +12 which is nice. What I do in fights where I need a lot of wounds at the start is begin the fight stealthed, use enduring dance, then wait for my wounds to increase. 

To start stealthed, approach enemies in stealth and unstealth/restealth really fast. Game has to be unpaused, and it is easier to do when not in fast mode. Just quickly press your stealth key twice. I'm assuming this works on PS5 but it possibly doesn't. 

If it doesn't it isn't that big a deal, Enduring Wounds builds up pretty fast. 

And there is indeed a condition like you're looking for

Class resources - self - at least X wounds (and you can make it less than using NOT)
So if you want a block to work when you have 1 wound or 0 wounds, use
Class resources - self - at least 2 wounds (not)

Though this block will prevent your guy from using FF attack automatically when you have two or more wounds already. The block order is enough to ensure you use enlightened agony before using forbidden fist. You may have to interrupt a FF attack though, because the script doesn't update in the middle of attacks. Say you have 1 wound, the script then does a forbidden fist attack, the script then checks to see if you can cast enlightened agony which requires 2 wounds, but you don't gain the 2nd wound until the curse lifts, so you have 1 wound and can't cast it yet, so the script moves down the list and uses forbidden fist. Which is fine (unless you're attacking too fast), you'll just have 1 extra wound when Enlightened Agony is executed. 

Eventually this problem will work itself out as you start combat with 2+ wounds, but until then you can modify the script, interrupt the second FF attack to wait for the 2nd wound, or use one of the mortification abilities I mentioned. 

37 minutes ago, andi255 said:

A short update about my journey:

- Dig site done, I was sneaking around with Eder and we managed to kill some stuff.

- Grocceri Street: I remember this (nightmares  ) but this time I sneaked to the main bandit and talked with him.

So now it is time to leave the island. I will look up what I should do with the ship. Probably buy some foot and hire a few guys to 'run' the ship.

Nice. I usually head to Fort Deadlight at this point for the experience, boots of stealth, and miscreant's leather armor. You'll leave Deadlight around L7 I think. Or can go straight to Neketaka and head to Deadlight later. Note at Deadlight the stealthy approach is generally best, you can row a skiff there if it's night and sneak around. At low levels combat tends to be pretty rough, though a forbidden fist will do better than most since you already have your main attack. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Shai Hulud