Guide :Everything you need to know about the Classes and your character.

[Siegdarth]

Hi everyone! I'm doing this because i really love this game. Not only because its an amazing game, but how it let you create your own class the way you want. I hope you all enjoy this simple guide.

 

Stats and Classes.

 

Right know you know how the stats work but the classes must fit the base stats of the class to be useful. 

 

As example lets take the Cipher, right now everyone thinks about how its squishy, most people would rather put him to be a ranged class,  so it would keep him from harm. But my Cipher is a frontline damage dealer wielding a 2 handed sword and using a scale mail (medium armor) and is my party off tank. 
So i will explain this in a simple way.

THE SURVIVAL. 
 

Most people thinks that Constitution means the survival of the character, but for low health classes, that already have a low base health and a low health scaling, the extra points on Cons will give your character a fixed % increase on  the final value. 
That means if you put 20 points,which is a lot for a starting character,  on Cons you have 30% extra health, but on a character that on level 5 have 70 points of endurance and 270 health will mean an extra value of 21 health points.
But in the case of the Cipher its base deflection is already high, means that 5 points on Perception and Resolve will give you way more chances of survival than 10 points of Const.
Also remember that each stat governs 3 aspects, so you will have more passive defenses (reflex, fortitude, will) than choosing Cons as your primary stat.

Armors are divided and damage reduction and the resistance to the type of damage.  Crush, pierce, slash and elemental.  

 

THE  DAMAGE:

The damage you can deliver are based in two aspects:  Auto Attacks and Skills/Spells.  

Auto attacks are governed by Might, Dex and Weapon Value. 

 

Both have their own casting and use times. Instant, Fast, Average, Slow, Very Slow. 

Spells are Spell damage + Might.   

 

Skills: The damage is Weapon + Might + % from skill . As example, the Skill A with +1.25% means. 18 (from the weapon roll) +20% of that value + 25% of that skill. So the DMG will be applied.

 

This means that if you character is purely based on Skills your attack rate is not relevant.  

Auto attack is Weapon + Might. But now there are a lot of factors involving the attack rate.
First you will have the weapon rate: Fast, Average, Slow and Very Slow = Small, Medium, two handed and Firearms. 
After that you will have to apply the armor size which scale from 0% up to 50% penalty to attack rate. Meaning the more the armor you have the slower will be your attack rates. 
Another point on dealing damage is the concentration vs interrupt.  With Interrupt you can delay a little bit the attack of the enemy and concentration is to resist a interrupt. 

 

AOEs and Duration:

Intelligence is one of the most important stats if you want to have any buffs, debuffs or AOE. It increases duration and area of effect.   

 

THE ARCHETYPES:
 

 

The Jack of all trades : Chanter

Pros: This **** can be anything he wants and be effective. Oh, forgot to say you can summon a dragon =_=.

Cons:   Endure the singing at the start of every combat.

 

Obs: You can create any kind of Role with the  classes if you want, since everyone can use any kind of armor and weapons. but the lack focused mechanics will make them harder to sustain in that role, but with a good player they can even be effective.


Tanker: Fighter, Paladin, Chanter. 

 

 

Fighter: Easy
 

Pros: The  defender stance confers + 2 enemies engaging, means you character will be able to hold 3 enemies from your party and deflect more incoming hits.  With the passive Hold The Line the warrior will be able to keep 4 enemies away from your party and if any of those try to leave you will deliver a free attack with a bonus damage. Also have a passive regeneration talent and a AOE Knock Down.

 

Cons: Lack of overall utility skills, Auto attack dependent. 

Attributes:   Cons> Resolve > Perception> Intelligence.

 

Paladin: Average

 

Pros: Have a large amount of utility. Extra healing, Burning Damage, Auras that gives a lot of party bonus to deflection and damage absorption. Also the commands can improve a dps attack speed , revive and several useful effects. 

 

Cons: Engagement limit is only 2, with hold the line bonus.  

 

Stats: Cons > Intelligence> Resolve> Perception. 

Recommended Orders: Kind Wayfarers, Darcozzi Paladini. 

 

Melee Dps.

 

Fighter, Paladin, Wizard, Monk, Rogue, Cipher, Druid,  Barbarian.

 

Fighter: Easy 

 

Pros: Knockdown is more useful now, since you can deliver large amounts of damage, a lot of per encounter self buffs. 

 

Cons: No active damage skills. Auto Attack dependent. 

 

Might  - Dex - Per - Cons.

 

Paladin: Average

 

Pros: A lot of utility and the Flames of devotion does a good amount of damage. Also the auras increase accuracy, Critical Chance and commands increase the overall damage. 

 

Cons:  Only one direct damage skill.  Auto attack dependent. 

 

Recommended Orders: Bleak Walkers, Kind Wayfarers.

 

Might - Dex - Per - Cons.

 

 

Wizard: Hard 

 

 

Pros: With the correct self buffing spell the wizard can be a fearsome force on the battlefield. Spirit Shield will grant you Medium armor the DR of a heavy. Infuse Vital essence will grant enough health to make you comparable to a Fighter. Deleterious Alacracy  of motion will make your character attack with more 50% attack speed, making it the faster attacker of the game. Also there are a lot of other spells the gives more defenses or martial power.

And if you want to deliver some spike damage or AOE you can always pick other spells. 

 

Cons: Have to cast everything before going to the fray.

Might- Int - Dex - Per/Resolve

 

 

Monk: Average. 

 

Pros: Can use fast attacks or heavy hits to deliver massive amounts of damage. Most of attacks are interlaced with effects and debuffs. Mixed build are rather ineffective. 

 

Cons: Need to take damage to use skills.

 

Heavy hitter : Might - Cons - Int 

Speed hitter : Might - Cons - Dex  

 

 

Rogue : Average

 

Pros: Can use a lot of debuffs that provides the sneak attack. Yes you can back stab with a great sword. 

 

Cons: No active damage skills.

 

Might - Dex - Int - Per.  

 

 

Cipher:  Average

 

Pros: The psych aura on the weapon is freaking cool. The spells are good, rechargeable and delivers a good punch.  Has good amount of deflection.

 

Cons: Need to hit to generate resources.

 

Might - Dex - Per - Res

 

Barbarian:  Hard

Pros: Can deliver massive amounts of area damage, and also is cool to see a heavy weapon dude running and screaming on the battlefield.

 

Cons: Usually takes a lot of damage, so need the attention.

 

Might - Dex - Int - Cons. 

 

 

Druid:

  Pros: You can cast spells, swing a sword and be a Werewolf or even better a Werewolf that can cast spells!!!

 

 Cons:  You can't turn into a Weredragon. 

 

Might- Int - Per.

 

 

Ranged DPS : Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, Cipher, Druid. 

 

Ranger: Easy 

 

Pros: Have an awesome pet and a ranged focus. 

 

Cons: Its only effective using bows.

 

Might- Dex - Per 

 

 

 

Rogue:  Easy. 

 

Pros: Great mobility, most of the skills, if not all, can be used on range.

 

Cons: Low armor

 

Wizard

 

Pros: Besides having spells a pistol or a bow can add up the dmg.

Cons: Low armor

 

 

Healer:  Priest. 

 

Pros: Only him can heal.

 

Cons: Only him can heal.

 

Might - Int - Per.

 

Cipher 

 

Pros: can use a bow to generate Focus and use its spells do damage you debuff the enemies.

 

Might - Dex  - Int.

 

For More Details.

 
http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Class