Transcendent (Beguiler/Ascendant + Nalpazca/Helwalker) caster build

[Faraleth]

Long time no see; it was years ago since I last played PoE+Deadfire, but now I'm back. I'm just starting with Pillars 1, so have quite some time for this, but I want to be a caster cipher in Deadfire, thought my best choice would be Transcendent with Beguiler and Nalpazca (or in case you think its much better can switch them for Ascendant and/or Helwalker). Since its mostly a CC build, I thought MIG/CON/RES could be lower, and focus more on INT/PER and some DEX, am I right here?  Race will be wild orlan.

Note: I read that Troubadour is propably better, maybe even Troubadour + Psion combo, but I played more than enough Chanter already, and want something else now. 

[Chaospread]

Hi, I'm just running now a Transcendent (15 level, SOLO, PotD) Beguiller / Shattered Pillar and I maxed just DEX/INT/PER.
MIG 10 and CON and RES 6 or 7, I always build my character like this if there are no specific issues, but in SOLO I need PER maxed for hidden objects and traps, otherwise I could lower PER and raise a little MIG.

I wanted to play a Trascendent and was wondering about a Psion / Nalpazca (basically gaining resources still standing ) but then I switched to Beguiller / Shtattered Pillar, a monk who gain wound dealing damage (like a Cipher) and a master of charme and dominate fascinated me.

Race is good, I play a human always because of SOLO is better. In a party a chanter is great, Troubador is the best, but I think any combination of Monk / Cipher / Chanter of every subclass is a powerful character, so no problem for you I guess  

[Boeroer]

23 hours ago, Faraleth said:

Long time no see; it was years ago since I last played PoE+Deadfire, but now I'm back. I'm just starting with Pillars 1, so have quite some time for this, but I want to be a caster cipher in Deadfire, thought my best choice would be Transcendent with Beguiler and Nalpazca (or in case you think its much better can switch them for Ascendant and/or Helwalker). Since its mostly a CC build, I thought MIG/CON/RES could be lower, and focus more on INT/PER and some DEX, am I right here?  Race will be wild orlan.

Note: I read that Troubadour is propably better, maybe even Troubadour + Psion combo, but I played more than enough Chanter already, and want something else now. 

If I wanted to play a Cipher who' main focus is casting I would def. pick the Psion subclass or the Beguiler.

And if it's a CC caster I wouldn't pick Helwalker but Nalpazca (because you don't need the increased MIG an the wound generation would be faster with a Nalpazca). Also I think Psion/Nalpasca is more fitting and interesting thematically ("Soul Mind on Drugs" ).

 Since you don't want to get damaged as a Psion you'd have to build your wound generation on drugs and (Enduring) Dance of Death - and use the wounds mostly for the +INT boost and the occasional Forge of Anguish to get rid of melee attackers - or maybe even Blade Turning for emergencies?

+10 INT + Lingering Echoes + CC (mostly Cipher spells, but also Stunning Surge with an AoE weapon) is an awesome combination for exceptionally long disabling/debuffing durations - and Dance of Death also ensures really nice accuracy for that.

You really want to make sure that you don't get attacked too much. So hard disables and mind control as well as a not too inviting (not dumpded) defensive stat line are good. I wouldn' open fights but stay stealthed long enough that the enemies have settled on other party members before I started attacking. This way you can also build up some nice focus and wounds + accuracy in hiding and get buffed by your Priest for even more accuracy - then unleash your CC stuff.

The good thing about the Nalpazca/Psion combo is that even IF you get damaged and your focus generation stops briefly you still gain something: more wounds to spend. Yet you can have a nice influx of wounds without getting damaged at all.

This can also work well with the Beguiler. Here you'd have the focus generation via Deception spells which can be better in "normal" fights. But in the tougher encounters I find the Psion to be more reliable because his resource generation doesn't depend on hitting something.    

 

Edited July 9 by Boeroer

[Faraleth]

Always helping and reliable, thank you

Are there any items you think would work very good or have some interesting synergy? (for example weapon slot, for Psion its much less important, but for Beguiler it is for focus gen)

And as Nalpazca, its Alchemy, what other skill have some bonus? (apart from History cloak)

[Boeroer]

As Psion I would pick up Tuotilo's Palm for the +10 deflection/reflex bonus when at 10 wounds (because you want to disincentivize enemies attacking you). Best with the Gladiator Sword I guess (+5 additional deflection). No accuracy penalty.

I would also use an armor that raises defenses - for example Casita Samelia's Legacy which can provide +5 Deflection and +5 Will without any skill investment but +10 deflection with 20 Intimidate. It won't clash with Alchemy.

Gipon Prudensco may be even better though - it can provide up to +10 deflection/+20 reflex and can aslo be used to become immune to disengagment attacks which is very convenient if you just want to leave a melee enemy without any repercussions. Add some boots of speed.  

With that setup you will have great defenses and almost never will be the preferred initial target of anybody. This makes playing Psion so much easier because you will seldomly experience as disruption of Soul Mind's focus generation.  

For fast focus burst (as Beguiler) you coul use Kitchen Stove with Thunderous Report. Also Stunning Surge with Fire in the Hole against groups is very good: great CC and focus gain at the same time. Fire in the Hole (or hand mortar) also works with Tuotilo's Palm of course for a Psion (without focus gain but still the nice stun effect of Stunning Surge in an AoE). 

[Chaospread]

11 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Tuotilo's Palm

11 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Gladiator Sword

11 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Casita Samelia's Legacy

11 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Kitchen Stove

I totally agree, this is my Trascendent setup  
I picked also proficiencies in club and morning stars, because most of cipher and monk abilities target fortitude and will, or make sure your party pick these. You can also pick little and medium shield, dagger and quarterstaff for defense, or wands to help party from distance. For clubs, Kapana Taga is good at attack and defense  

I'm pushing diplomacy for RPG purpose and it fit well with Aretezzo's Cane if you wanna use a club, it can be good also with Shining Bulwark.
Anyway best passive skill for a CC defensive character is history as you say, but if you wanna give the cloack to someone else, with Casita Samelia's Legacy Intimidate is indeed good, and you can use it also with Aretezzo's Cane  
My two cents, let's hear Boeroer about that  

[Boeroer]

Playing with a party most of times I usually don't use any of the otherwise great debuffing weapon modals (club, morning star etc.) on a Psion because I don't want to go near enemies. For any other Cipher subclass it would make a lot of sense though. Hitting the enemy with a Bewildering Blow before applying a Deception spell to gain some focus while also lower Will by 25 points should increase the hit quality of the spell a lot. 

I'm no too concerned about recovery penalty with Psions because you'll have to wait a bit for more focus from time to time - might as well make the wait count (with higher AR and other defensive goodies). So stuff like Casita Samelia's Legacy or even Nomad's Brigandine is fine for me even if I'm an offensive-minded character in the first place. But like with a Chanter who gains resorces just by waiting it's generally a great payoff: more defense with little repercussions on offense.

[Faraleth]

20 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Gipon Prudensco

this one is tricky, I have to make Principi to -3, but they are like the nicest guys (and Aeldys is the only against slavery, which my wild orlan is )

is there any trick for this and still complete Principi?

[Faraleth]

btw since it will be a monk multi, I'll have https://pillarsofeternity.fandom.com/wiki/Instruments_of_Pain ,maybe some melee weapons to use instead of blunderboss after this ?

[Chaospread]

21 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Playing with a party most of times I usually don't use any of the otherwise great debuffing weapon modals (club, morning star etc.) on a Psion because I don't want to go near enemies.

14 hours ago, Faraleth said:

btw since it will be a monk multi, I'll have https://pillarsofeternity.fandom.com/wiki/Instruments_of_Pain ,maybe some melee weapons to use instead of blunderboss after this ?

Yes, sorry, my fault, I was just thinking about weapons modal and Instruments of Pain  

14 hours ago, Faraleth said:

is there any trick for this and still complete Principi?

Yep, you can use console to get the armor, the ships who carry it or you can install a mod:

 

[Boeroer]

21 hours ago, Faraleth said:

this one is tricky, I have to make Principi to -3, but they are like the nicest guys (and Aeldys is the only against slavery, which my wild orlan is )

is there any trick for this and still complete Principi?

You can export a character who has that armor and hire that character in an inn as an adventurer with items (expensive). This requires no console command and also doesn't disable achievements.