Comming back to deadfire, looking for new POTD build

[Zoda]

Hello everyone,

Comming back to do another (maybe another few) playthroughs of the game, and I'd like a new build to do it

Completed many POTD runs in many different ways (solo, duo, full party), and a variety of builds, and looking for something new (maybe). I have a few self imposed rules: no monk (maybe shattered pillar), no wizard, no potions, no scrolls. On the fence about priest too, but I guess it can slide, but only if it does mostly melee

I like martial/half caster builds, and non to very little cheesy stuff.

That kinda limits what I would play for POTD

My most recent playthroughs (about 3 years ago) were with a dual wielding kind wayfarer + souldblade, a ghost heart + ascendant with firearms (mostly), a herald (solo), and a tactician + soulblade. At least these are what I remember, but did a bunch of other playthroughs and played many builds up to lvl 10-12.

So what I'm looking for my watcher's build is a frontliner that's fairly tanky (read: can tank most encounters, even if not solo tank bosses), but still does good damge. I really like high sustain builds, like the kind wayfarer + soulblade with Sun and Moon was one of my favourite builds to play.

Looking for suggestions on what build I should play next.

Was thinking along the lines of mixture of fighter/barbarian/paladin/rogue/chanter/cipher. Big plus if the build uses a shield (Tutilo's Palm doesn't count) and still manages to dish out good damage. Like if there is a realiable way to force disengagement on an Unbroken. I remember trying to terrifiy enemies, but I think I did not find it super reliable.

For ranged builds I like firearms (Eccea's Arcane Blaster with one handed style being my favourite flavourwise). I'll probably have a Kind Wayfarer with dual pistols somewhere in the party, maybe even the watcher with a multiclass to... probably ranger (I don't like giving up driving flight). Also considering a whildrhymer with Spearcaster, but that can pretty much go on a hireling.

For items to build around, I'd love a build around: Amra, dual pistols, Lord Darryn's Voulge (maybe), The Willbreaker, Last Word (with Guardian Stance + Reckless Brigandine. Pairing it with Kind Wayfarer would be cool, but then I need to dual wield pretty much).

I aim to also kill the megabosses (I actually never tried the Sigilmaster).

I browsed through the forums a bunch of times, and watched many youtube videos, so I'm familiar with most well known builds, so what I'm looking is suggestions along the above lines. Pretty familiar with most game mechanics, but might not have perfect memeory about all the cool build around items or abilities anymore

I started a sabre Devoted/Skald Warcaller, but not sure if it is for me.

Thanks to anyone who managed to read all my rambling, if anyone can give me some cool flavourful build ideas I'd very much appreciate it 

Edited Thursday at 08:08 PM by Zoda

[Okkes]

Willbreaker Souldblade/Trickster soo much fun. Very good defence and offence with casting. Modal gives -25 fortitude better accuracy for our disentegration.

Edited Thursday at 10:53 PM by Okkes

[Boeroer]

Since you'd like a shield:

I played a pretty straightforward main tank with an offensive twist for my party - made from a human Streetfighter/Devoted, themed as Gladiator. He used the Gladiator's Sword (obviously) and Bronlar's Phalanx (also kind of mandatory for the theme imo).

Since swashbuckler Edér (no subclasses) always worked perfectly well for my parties in terms of tankyness, I thought that using a Streetfighter/Devoted shouldn't impact the sturdyness at all but improve the dmg output a lot.

And it did. As main tank he will get flanked almost always, so no need for distracted or other "artifical" flanking shenanigans - just tank stuff and unlock "Heating Up" in the process, increasing recovery speed a lot and adding more sneak attack damage. Also Gladiator's Sword has incresed PEN (if enchanted fully) and the Devoted adds +2 PEN on top. That's +3 PEN with the sword for all pierce and slash damage which is great. Monastic Unarmed Training for enemies vulnerable to crush dmg. I'd use Hold the Line and Mob Stance for even more speed, Abraham for the speed and heal on kill. Large shield modal makes sure I don't receive damage much from spells while you can still move around with Escape. DEX could be a bit lower, PER a bit higher (to counter the -8 ACC from large shields). Armored Grace and Riposte obviously...

I think I used Reckless Brigandine iirc for the added engagement, +AR when at low health and the added speed via engagement.

I liked it very much because it performed a lot better than I expected. I guess it would work well with any good one-handed weapon, but Riposte and Mob Stance might favor battle axes with bleeding cuts. Against lower level kith the Magistrate's Cudgel should be absolutely devastating (crit => instakill => Cleave => maybe another crit and so on), but maybe then Mace + Devoted isn't the best pick (crush only). Stalker's Patience should also be great bc. Riposte and Cleave can trigger the recovery skip. 

It was a "hands off" character though - I didn't need to manage him a ton (like you would need to manage a Monk or so). I didn't even bother with special attacks like Crippling Strikes or so because he was a meat grinder just with auto-attacks. Used the Guile and Discipline for other stuff. Some players like that for their MC, others want "more to do" for their Watcher. 

   

Edited 9 hours ago by Boeroer

[Boeroer]

sorry double post:

a very good front liner who will be very self-sustainable despite the self damage- as long as he kills - is a Berserker/Beckoner or Troubadour. Max INT + INT items and a pet that heals +20 on kill. Amra as main weapon and 25+ MIG (rel. easy with the help of Frenzy and some +2 MIG gloves). High CON is also good.

The key is to use Carnage and Amra's Riven Gore to accidentially kill your own skeletons while you attack the actual enemy with Bleeding Cuts. First Bloodlust will help you to speed up after any kill, you will get healed after any kill (including skeletons) which is a lot of healing. Then after getting Blood Thirst there will be no recovery after kills, the build turns into a bleeding cuts tornado. 

The only thing is: this is not a tank per se. If there's nothing to kill (quickly) he can do down fast. And party members with low health (under 50) can get instantly destroyed from Riven Gore while the Berserker is still confused. So better stay out of Carnage range.

First you use Ancient Brittle Bones (Beckoner is the better pick), later Many Lives Pass By (Troubadour is better).

You can use that also as Berserker/Fighter with Mob Stance on top of all the killing which makes it even more crazy (and sturdier) - if you have a Chanter in the party who can provide skeletons for you. But then you really really shouldn't go near this guy as party member. 

 

Edited 9 hours ago by Boeroer

[Zoda]

2 hours ago, Boeroer said:

sorry double post:

a very good front liner who will be very self-sustainable despite the self damage- as long as he kills - is a Berserker/Beckoner or Troubadour. Max INT + INT items and a pet that heals +20 on kill. Amra as main weapon and 25+ MIG (rel. easy with the help of Frenzy and some +2 MIG gloves). High CON is also good.

The key is to use Carnage and Amra's Riven Gore to accidentially kill your own skeletons while you attack the actual enemy with Bleeding Cuts. First Bloodlust will help you to speed up after any kill, you will get healed after any kill (including skeletons) which is a lot of healing. Then after getting Blood Thirst there will be no recovery after kills, the build turns into a bleeding cuts tornado. 

The only thing is: this is not a tank per se. If there's nothing to kill (quickly) he can do down fast. And party members with low health (under 50) can get instantly destroyed from Riven Gore while the Berserker is still confused. So better stay out of Carnage range.

First you use Ancient Brittle Bones (Beckoner is the better pick), later Many Lives Pass By (Troubadour is better).

You can use that also as Berserker/Fighter with Mob Stance on top of all the killing which makes it even more crazy (and sturdier) - if you have a Chanter in the party who can provide skeletons for you. But then you really really shouldn't go near this guy as party member. 

 

This is actually a build I considered
I'd probably play it is a regular berserker/troubadour early with int affliction resistence from Devil of Caroc Breastplate, and let the confused kills loose when I can chant Many lives. I wonder if there is a way to reach 20 int wile confsed without sacrificing too much in return (I would like double chants).

 

3 hours ago, Boeroer said:

Since you'd like a shield:

I played a pretty straightforward main tank with an offensive twist for my party - made from a human Streetfighter/Devoted, themed as Gladiator. He used the Gladiator's Sword (obviously) and Bronlar's Phalanx (also kind of mandatory for the theme imo).

Since swashbuckler Edér (no subclasses) always worked perfectly well for my parties in terms of tankyness, I thought that using a Streetfighter/Devoted shouldn't impact the sturdyness at all but improve the dmg output a lot.

And it did. As main tank he will get flanked almost always, so no need for distracted or other "artifical" flanking shenanigans - just tank stuff and unlock "Heating Up" in the process, increasing recovery speed a lot and adding more sneak attack damage. Also Gladiator's Sword has incresed PEN (if enchanted fully) and the Devoted adds +2 PEN on top. That's +3 PEN with the sword for all pierce and slash damage which is great. Monastic Unarmed Training for enemies vulnerable to crush dmg. I'd use Hold the Line and Mob Stance for even more speed, Abraham for the speed and heal on kill. Large shield modal makes sure I don't receive damage much from spells while you can still move around with Escape. DEX could be a bit lower, PER a bit higher (to counter the -8 ACC from large shields). Armored Grace and Riposte obviously...

I think I used Reckless Brigandine iirc for the added engagement, +AR when at low health and the added speed via engagement.

I liked it very much because it performed a lot better than I expected. I guess it would work well with any good one-handed weapon, but Riposte and Mob Stance might favor battle axes with bleeding cuts. Against lower level kith the Magistrate's Cudgel should be absolutely devastating (crit => instakill => Cleave => maybe another crit and so on), but maybe then Mace + Devoted isn't the best pick (crush only). Stalker's Patience should also be great bc. Riposte and Cleave can trigger the recovery skip. 

It was a "hands off" character though - I didn't need to manage him a ton (like you would need to manage a Monk or so). I didn't even bother with special attacks like Crippling Strikes or so because he was a meat grinder just with auto-attacks. Used the Guile and Discipline for other stuff. Some players like that for their MC, others want "more to do" for their Watcher. 

   

I played a very similar character with Gladiator's Sword + Tuotilo's palm as an Unbroken/Trickster. I tried to abuse the unbroken disengagement attacks with Ryngrim's Repulsive Visage. Can't say I remember clearly, but iirc the combo wasn't super reliable. I think I haven't finished that run (but did play the build later on a hired adventurer on a run that I did finish).

Your more straight forward take might actually work better, and I could actually use a shield that looks cool (big plus!)

Now I'm thinking about doing the Unbroken/Trickster again with The Willbreaker as main setup, and a 2nd setup with an actual shield vs bosses.

I would very much love an unbroken build that could reliably trigger supercharged disengagement hits, but not sure if there is a way to do that.

On 8/1/2025 at 12:52 AM, Okkes said:

Willbreaker Souldblade/Trickster soo much fun. Very good defence and offence with casting. Modal gives -25 fortitude better accuracy for our disentegration.

This sounds pretty strong, not sure where I would put it flavourwise, but sounds like an egaging build to play on your main character