[CLASS BUILD] TCS Solo Chanter 2.03/3.0 'Let me tank this for you'

[pagulhan]

I started the game on 2.03 and had completed half of it when patch 3.0 came out. With ghost summon nerf (20s into 12) it's still easier to play as a chanter because of recovery talents buffs and new fast-singing talent. PoE seems to be more balanced on 3.0 too, with some of the enemies removed (adra and stone beetles, skaen's worshipers) and changed skills.

 

Race: I completed my run as wild orlan but I do believe Moon Goodlike would be better to accomplish the task. More about this thought below.

 

As mentioned in the title, we are going to tank everything and use our summons as much as we can. Therefore we need:

 

Resolve as high as possible (also +1 from your biography)

 

Per as high as possible

 

Con as high as possible

 

Int as high as possible

 

Dex - 3 points are more than we need

 

Here's the trick. As wild orlan, I didn't really bother with might as orlan gets -1 to might and we are not going to fight but to tank. Unfortunately, might applies to the amount of healing you receive. Having it at -24% (as I had) is a lot. I say it's too much for wild orlan to be safe (still it's safe enough as I completed the game that way). Why?

 

Because TSC Solo is about tanking AND healing. You'll never get enough deflection to do not receive any damage. Even if you take every talent and piece of gear possible that increase deflection, even if the best plate you can get - you'll still get hurt. That is why I recommend playing as Moongoodlike. Those 2 deflection points we loose by not being orlan is not worth not having auto-healing skill. Also orlan racial ability doesn't shine that much (+10 to all defenses if attacked the will) as you won't be able to fight enemies that attack will anyway (usually they slaughter you if you don't kill them fast enough with your summons; you have to kite enemies and make sure only dps are left when you approach them) and there are way too many enemies swarming you to do not have more healing options.

 

Conclusion: it's doable as wild orlan, but I say give moon godlike a try.

 

Gear:

 

Helmet: I found one that wasn't that bad (was still bad though). It's up to you. As far as I can tell, none of them is really useful. Another reason to play as moon godlike.

 

Gloves: healing gloves (3x small healing per rest). Suggested in the first act, mandatory in the second one and later. Not sure if it's a random loot or not. As moon godlike you won't be afraid of not fiding them (yes, another reason to play as moon goodlike.

 

Armour: best plate you can get (kill moon godlike west of eothas temple for easy plate early game)

 

Weapon: hatchet for +5 deflection. You won't deal any damage anyway.

 

Belt: Up to you

 

Shield: the largest you can get.

 

Consumables:

 

- at the begining, health potions (you don't need to make them; the ones you can find are enough. I actually used them only in act1 a few times and then while slaughtering Thaos with ogres at the end).

 

- FIGURINES. ALL OF THEM. Yes, even the one you can buy from the blacksmith in Gilded Village. It costs a lot, it's really, really bad but... It buys time. You won't kill Readric without it and you won't sneak through Shades in Caed Nua's throne room with no fast summon. As soon as you get your 5. figurine, forget about the one from blacksmith.

 

Talents: start with weapon and shield, then all the deflection talents possible. Bear's Fortitude is next. After that, it's up to you. You should have enough will and reflex to not be afraid about saves but it''s never a bad idea to have more. After bear, I got veteran's recovery as I needed a way to patch myself up. On 3.0 it's a good talent, on 2.03 - don't even think about it. I also took ancient memories but it looks like it's bugged as I never saw it on my char's card as active ability. I can't say if those 2 talents stack or not.

 

Skills:

 

You CAN go for lore. You know, fan of flames. Got plenty of them and used them only... once? During a side questi in Heritage Hill. Not a big deal now.

 

Stealth: 5 or 7. If you can find boots that give you +2, go for 5. If you can't, go for 7

 

Mechanics: highest level possible. 9 is ok for most of the endgame traps.

 

Surv: 2.

 

Atl: 2-3. More if you don't go for lore and if have higher level than 12.

 

Invocations: ghost (level1) -> paralyze (level2) -> ogres. The rest is up to you. I suggest wurms as having 3 them means they do damage even if you fight enemies that can stunlock you. If you don't fight enemies that can charm etc., use ghost untill you have ogres. Use paralazye when you summon your minions from figurines.

 

Phrases:

Level1: winds (I was using it till level 9), runner (you're dead without it) and the one that gives you +10 to fortitude (useful late game)

Level2: nothing. Perhaps the one that scares your enemies might be useful on 3.0. Don't use it on 2.03 as it takes too long to cast it.

Level3: dragon.

Level4: lol. They are so bad. If you go to burial island at level 12, you will eventually achieve level 13 just before Thaos and be able to pick up one of them. Don't use them.

 

Tips:

Get Gift from Machine

Be bad. Take all the money and items you can.

Kill mercenaries in act3 for better talent

The easiest bounty is the xaurip guy. You need to kill him to level up.

Be ally with crucible knights.

Don't start winds of steel untill level 9. You won't make it without dragon phrase.

Your best friend is your ghost summon.

 

How to use figurines:

shades: in midgame it's a one-kill figurine. Drop it behind the enemy line, let shades kill the priest/wizard and run away with your runner phrase

adra beetle: it takes forver for adra beetle to attack but it hits like a truck. Useful for fast dps like rogues.

Wood beetles: useful to block the way, can also nicely hit. Not as good as adra beetle though

Delemgan: situational. Really nice attack (almost as good as adra beetle) but its strenght lies elsewhere: it's a powerful healer. Drop it nearby and enjoy your new-you.

 

Drop:

Shades if encounter dangerous enemies → then adra/wood beetle → delemgan to heal yourself

[MaxQuest]

Resolve as high as possible (also +1 from your biography)

Per as high as possible

Con as high as possible

Int as high as possible

Dex - 3 points are more than we need

 

Here's the trick. As wild orlan, I didn't really bother with might as orlan gets -1 to might and we are not going to fight but to tank. Unfortunately, might applies to the amount of healing you receive. Having it at -24% (as I had) is a lot. I say it's too much for wild orlan to be safe (still it's safe enough as I completed the game that way). Why?

Isn't dragon chant damage also being influenced by might?

[Boeroer]

It is

[pagulhan]

Minus -24% means nothing because of 5 things (actually, about -20 as we have some +might because of Gift from Machine and probably more from gear).

1. You miss 1 of every 3 or 4 attacks that support your summons that deal actual damage. Your role is to stay behind and conveniently burn them with your dragon chant while your summons slaughter them all and because of the amount of summons you can provide to the battlefield, you'll be fine doing this that way.

2. Usually fast, weak enemies will get you first, blocking stronger monster. We don't want them to die too quick before our summons weaken those melee dps.

3. -24/20% to damage means we have more points for most important stats. We won't make it without deflection (crits!), accuracy (even with 18 points and +accuracy bonuses you're going to miss A LOT at the end) and int (many enemies = hit them all and summon from distance)

4. Safety first.

5. Ghost summon. It's still broken (I don't know why don't they simply lower its chance to stun enemies and increase wurms attack). Basically, you just have to support your summons.

[Reent]

If you want to hit more... there are ways to make it happen!

Chants acc is lowered by shields, so no shield (the moment the chant is applied) =+20 acc (+8 no big shield, +12 1handed bonus)

[Boeroer]

One handed bonus doesn't work outside of melee attacks with that weapon - as far as I know. But shields do indeed lower the ACC of spells.

[pagulhan]

The thing is, we don't need more accuracy.

 

1. Before level 9: our main attack phrase are Soft Winds. Because of the number of the enemies we approach and the time the battles last, Winds will lower the last enemies' hp to ~ 50-60% before our summon ghost kill them. I remember hitting for so much with Winds, some enemies (in the end of second act!) simply died because of this chant. It's so fast that even if you miss one of its attack (that hits for 2hp) with our accuracy, it doesn't matter. We constantly use powerful figurines to buy us some time if we kite too many enemies at once.

 

One final word about 'before level 9': I killed Iklak (the bounty) with Winds and figurines with no problem. It's all about letting enemies that can't hit you (small drakes) try to hit you (they won't) to block enemies who can hurt you (adult drakes) so you can weaken them with your summons.

 

2. On level 9 we get dragon chant. This means we have amazing dps chant with enemies not being so strong yet. With figurines support, nothing can stop us.

 

3. Above 9: Ogres. Just ogres.

[Reent]

One handed bonus doesn't work outside of melee attacks with that weapon - as far as I know. But shields do indeed lower the ACC of spells.

thats what i thought too, then i learned that its wrong, saw it when i killed the 2 wolves with a chanter, tested a bit more, the spells dont get the acc, wind/dragon chant get the acc, 110 acc with dragon chant without items just 1h bonus, lvl 16, talents and 18 perception - 120+ possible with items, with survival bonus about 135, against beasts it could be 155 (if everything stacks), sure, against dragons it doesnt look like the 20 acc is usefull, however i if you want to use different chants, with high int+hit/crit the dot deals damage for a long time, you can rotate for other benefits, you can simply switch between no shield and shield before the dot is applied