Melee/Tank Wizard Build?

[robar63]

Just completed the game for the first time on hard and really enjoyed it a lot. 

 

I'am thinking to try solo on PoTD difficulty, since a got a decent understanding of game mechanics and enemies/encounters.

Well, has anybody tried to make a Melee Wizard?  something resembling Fightter/Wizard dual classes in Baldur's Gate?

Too bad there are no multiclassing options in Pillars of Eternity - for me it's really the biggest dissapointment in the game.

Still a Wizard relying on empowering itself with spells like haste and Citzal Empowerement may be viable.

What do you think?

[DreamWayfarer]

Melee wizards rule. They are arguably the most efficient way of making a damage dealing wizard, resource-wise.

 

After stacking self-buffs, you are able to outdamage everyone in the big fights while providing powerful debuffs when needed, and when you don't want to burn throught too much spells you can just summon a parasitic staff and be good for the whole fight.

 

After patch 3.0, wizards will get a single per-encounter spell independent on their spellbook instead of whole tiers becoming per-encounter at certain levels, giving a further buff to this playstyle.

 

Just a tip if you want to try: conjured weapons have an universal weapon type, gaining extra accuracy from any of the weapon focus talents, but not of many at once.

[Raven Darkholme]

Just beware, there is no such a thing as a "tank" wizard.

The spells do the tanking for you, so max Intelligence is for example more important than Resolve.

I just started a solo wizard and I think not many people would argue it's the strongest solo PotD class out there.

[robar63]

Melee wizards rule. They are arguably the most efficient way of making a damage dealing wizard, resource-wise.

 

After stacking self-buffs, you are able to outdamage everyone in the big fights while providing powerful debuffs when needed, and when you don't want to burn throught too much spells you can just summon a parasitic staff and be good for the whole fight.

 

After patch 3.0, wizards will get a single per-encounter spell independent on their spellbook instead of whole tiers becoming per-encounter at certain levels, giving a further buff to this playstyle.

 

Just a tip if you want to try: conjured weapons have an universal weapon type, gaining extra accuracy from any of the weapon focus talents, but not of many at once.

 

And what is patch 3.0 by the way. I thought that the latest is 2.03

[DreamWayfarer]

 

 

Melee wizards rule. They are arguably the most efficient way of making a damage dealing wizard, resource-wise.

 

After stacking self-buffs, you are able to outdamage everyone in the big fights while providing powerful debuffs when needed, and when you don't want to burn throught too much spells you can just summon a parasitic staff and be good for the whole fight.

 

After patch 3.0, wizards will get a single per-encounter spell independent on their spellbook instead of whole tiers becoming per-encounter at certain levels, giving a further buff to this playstyle.

 

Just a tip if you want to try: conjured weapons have an universal weapon type, gaining extra accuracy from any of the weapon focus talents, but not of many at once.

And what is patch 3.0 by the way. I thought that the latest is 2.03

Yeah, 3.0 will be the next latest patch.

[Anoregon]

Does anyone have a link to a sample melee wizard build? It's definitely something I'm curious about too. I wonder if there's a powerful/effective melee wizard build that uses the Grey sleeper.

[robar63]

Hmm, found this on youtube. Not sure if it is a really good build.

https://youtu.be/i5bHxIFZi_Q

[Raven Darkholme]

I jus started mine, maybe it's still interesting to you:

[robar63]

I jus started mine, maybe it's still interesting to you:

 

 

I've just posted the same link above. 

As anticipated very very hard in the beginning.

A lot of reloads.

 

And when the patch 3.0 comes out?

[Wolken3156]

AFAIK it'll come out when Part 2 of the expansion is released, which is expected sometime late this month.

[Blades of Vanatar]

AFAIK it'll come out when Part 2 of the expansion is released, which is expected sometime late this month.

2/16 is the release date???

[Wolken3156]

 

AFAIK it'll come out when Part 2 of the expansion is released, which is expected sometime late this month.

2/16 is the release date???

 

Yes, that. I didn't realize a release date was announced when I posted.

[Raven Darkholme]

Street Fighter V comes out the selfsame day, fml. -.-

[knownastherat]

I jus started mine, maybe it's still interesting to you:

 

I watched some of it and despite things changed (with patches) .. Wizards have healing: CC Siphon, which in turn may have influence over MIG/CON distribution. Moon is decent, if now OP, still for "melee", getting hit a lot, other traits could be taken into consideration like defense to Prone and/or Stun as those are killers for solo character. Also in my runs with Wizard I found out that its more effective just to cast spells from distance than try to buff myself then engage in melee, this is also due to lack of pre-buffs. And as for INT, its good, for AoE and duration, however, for melee I am not sure I'd go max as the trade off is huge. 

Edited January 22, 2016 by knownastherat

[Raven Darkholme]

 

I jus started mine, maybe it's still interesting to you:

 

I watched some of it and despite things changed (with patches) .. Wizards have healing: CC Siphon, which in turn may have influence over MIG/CON distribution. Moon is decent, if now OP, still for "melee", getting hit a lot, other traits could be taken into consideration like defense to Prone and/or Stun as those are killers for solo character. Also in my runs with Wizard I found out that its more effective just to cast spells from distance than try to buff myself then engage in melee, this is also due to lack of pre-buffs. And as for INT, its good, for AoE and duration, however, for melee I am not sure I'd go max as the trade off is huge. 

 

Wizards selfbuffs are really fast tho, so lack of selfbuffs hurts them less than say ciphers.^^

[knownastherat]

Indeed, I just started Wiz abandoning Cipher for this very reason. Woodelf though so not much melee in long run. How many parts you got? I got up to 4.

[lameover]

Here you are.

 

 

12. Wizards - Rune Soldier Louie
Role: 3rd line damage dealer

Race: this is a staff/pike build so anything offensive. Let's go with the coastal aumaua so we're less afraid of disables.

Stats (the Living Lands bonus included):

M 21
C 10
D 16
P 10
I 18
R 3

or

(The White That Wends bonus included)
M 18
C 10
D 10
P 19
I 18
R 3

For all offensive wizards, now there's this choice between Dexterity and Perception. Both are fine, just in the different ways – Perception greatly amplifies your controlling powers and gives you some great interrupt potential. Dexterity, on the other hand, gives you better response time, hastens your combos and provides slightly bigger damage output. Both are valid but, personally, I like dex more for the close combat builds and per more for the ranged ones. Also, if you're looking for a main character, Perception gives more dialogue options. Low Resolve sucks, of course, but thanks to the Spirit Shield its loss is not nearly as crippling – the gains in Dex/Per are much more valuable.

Weapon of Choice: Concelhaut's Staff/ Citzal's Lance.

Talents and ability choices:

2nd level: Arcane Veil – doesn't last that long but it's the key to the early Concelhaut's Staff usage. Summon the staff, get into the close quarters, use the veil and you're virtually immortal. Whatever few damage points you'll take, you'll quickly heal them back. And your damage output is so big that even the short veil's duration is enough. In tougher combats, you just burn through both uses.

4th level: Two-Handed Fighting – the basic damage of the staff is huge so 15% actually means 5 damage per hit. That's solid.

6th level: Apprentice's Sneak Attack – same as above.

8th level: Hardened Veil – at this point, the ordinary veil might not be enough so we dial it up to eleven.

10th level: Weapon Focus: Soldier. Just to make our pike a bit better.

12th level: Superior Deflection. The more deflection you have, the better it becomes so this is never redundant.

14th level: Bull's Will or Bear's Fortitude. Simply because we're out of useful talents.

 

 

taken from this great guide http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=416939844

[Raven Darkholme]

Indeed, I just started Wiz abandoning Cipher for this very reason. Woodelf though so not much melee in long run. How many parts you got? I got up to 4.

I think I only got 7, but my pala is finished soon, then I will do more.