"Glass Tsunami" - The Unbreakable Glass Cannon (preview fighter build)

[Teioh_White]

I completely agree. I always argue for rule changes on higher difficulty, rather than just tuning numbers up (similar to what Bioware tried a few times), to encourage more complex strats on higher difficulties, while not trying to find a middle ground with those who just want things easy-breezy. I like making time a factor in this game; we Watchers are apparently going crazy, but outside like one Eder conversation, that never comes up. It'd be nice if the resting was the terror it's supposed to be for the Watcher, rather than a way to make large parts of the game a joke.

 

The only other answer I have is a Souls style resting, or old school WRPG, where you basically lose all progress if you rest, and have to fight your way back to where you were all over again, so resting is more a 'restart' than a 'refresh'.

 

Sad thing is it's so easy to 'abuse' resting. Anytime it's time to zone transition, it's easy to click on Caed, rest, then click where you want to go. The only cost is two load screens, which depending on your Rig, are very minor, or a good excuse to alt-tab for a bit. Combined with almost every zone having at least one camping supplies (and many have even more), every zone is at least two full health of the party, with 2 more in reserve. (Which, those in reserve are a little more annoying to replenish, as it's not just all alt-tab'n). Two per zone is plenty to never have any issues with anything, assuming the player is familiar with the game.

 

As to Wound Binding being useful in rest restrictions, yeah, it's great there, especially for someone like me who avoids the casters due to them being OP, even with restrictions. That means Health's what makes take a knee, and 40% goes a long way.

[Braven]

Even if it is useful for a limited rest game.... it is still probably the most boring talent you can pick and doesn't make your character "feel" more powerful.

 

I used to never buy camping supplies, because there are so many just lying around.  However, now that survival has gotten a lot better, I do tend to follow this pattern:  Re-stock on camping supplies, Rest in stronghold, go to zone, rest immediately just for the resting bonus since it stacks with stronghold bonus and camping supplies are cheap.  The expansion just added even more reasons to abuse resting.

Edited March 2, 2016 by Braven

[Braven]

I found the belt of bountiful healing early in The White March.   It is great!

 

However, after the Monk bounty quest (and getting spell tongue which greatly extends constant recovery and other buff durations, thus being able to support more health), I am starting to think that CON and RES should actually be a bit higher than 3/4.  Not a lot higher, but that extra little bit will help more than it hurts I think.  I am also noticing the concentration problem now that I don't have the belt of chimes on.  Even though those monks can easily be split-pulled, the point of the character is to run head-long into battle and not do any cowardly acts while still being a DPS fighter.   Hopefully Triggered Immunity and human racial will not suffer much... we will see.  I think it will still be low enough to work fine.

 

 I choose Perception to lower since it does very little for this build.  Interrupts don't matter much with knockdown and the fighter still has plenty of accuracy to hit things without any problem, given the long-lasting/never-ending Disciplined Barrage.  Sure, slightly less crit damage, but not dying is better.

 

(the other reason I want to retrain is that I picked up Outlander Frenzy too early and am regretting it.  With the belt, I have Sanguine back on which does not stack with frenzy.  Need scars before getting that.)

 

New Suggested Stats:

 

Str: Max

Con: 5-6

Dex: Max

Per: leftover stats (~8-10)

Int: Max

Res: 8

 

Will see how it goes and determine if it is a little better overall.  Con is tricky since ideally I want it to be just low enough to trigger immunity and the human racial, but high enough to not die from high burst damage.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Braven

[Braven]

About have Durgan steel now, and am thinking about different ways to get max attack speed. My current favorite is this (if my math is right). Double speed weapon, Durgan refined, two weapon fighting, and outlander frenzy:

 

1.15 * 1.15 (Durgan) * 1.2 * 1.2 (weapons) * 1.25 (frenzy) + .20 (2W fighting) - .20 (cautious attack) = 138 - 35 (durgan plate) = 103

 

With that combination, Armoured Grace is not needed which is great since there are more good fighter abilities than the build has room for. The downside is that it relies on the limited frenzy duration, though even after it will be pretty good from DEX.

 

Second possible combination is purely passive but require swift action gauntlets (don't have yet), armored grace, and a drop to a breastplate... The multiplier of frenzy is so much better than additive bonuses.

 

Second question is what speed weapons? I have the wax, so I can duplicate. Spell tongue is good for durations, but is a little slower and less damaging. Rimecutter is good but hard to obtain. Strike hard is easy, but the debuffs it has does not stack. There is a hatchet with hit-to-crit, but other bad enchants limiting potential...

Edited March 6, 2016 by Braven

[KDubya]

About have Durgan steel now, and am thinking about different ways to get max attack speed. My current favorite is this (if my math is right). Double speed weapon, Durgan refined, two weapon fighting, and outlander frenzy:

 

1.15 * 1.15 (Durgan) * 1.2 * 1.2 (weapons) * 1.25 (frenzy) + .20 (2W fighting) - .20 (cautious attack) = 138 - 35 (durgan plate) = 103

 

With that combination, Armoured Grace is not needed which is great since there are more good fighter abilities than the build has room for. The downside is that it relies on the limited frenzy duration, though even after it will be pretty good from DEX.

 

Second possible combination is purely passive but require swift action gauntlets (don't have yet), armored grace, and a drop to a breastplate... The multiplier of frenzy is so much better than additive bonuses.

 

Second question is what speed weapons? I have the wax, so I can duplicate. Spell tongue is good for durations, but is a little slower and less damaging. Rimecutter is good but hard to obtain. Strike hard is easy, but the debuffs it has does not stack. There is a hatchet with hit-to-crit, but other bad enchants limiting potential...

 

Why take Cautious Attack?????

 

+8 deflection with -20% attack speed is a bad deal. better to take Superior Deflection for +5 deflection and no malus. Another +3 deflection is not worth -20% attack speed. If you are fast enough it is better to take Vulnerable Attack as it will add +5 damage per attack, much better when you are fast.

 

I'd look at dual Rimecutters which you can sometimes just buy and save the wax.

 

If you had only one speed weapon, both Durgan and frenzy you'd get (1.15*1.15*1.2*1.25)+0.2 = 2.18 you could use Durgan scale mail or leather or if you added Armored Grace you could go with plate. One speed would be easy to get, two in the same group is harder. Also Armored Grace will help you from level seven onwards, fully durganed up gear will not happen till near the end.

[Braven]

 

About have Durgan steel now, and am thinking about different ways to get max attack speed. My current favorite is this (if my math is right). Double speed weapon, Durgan refined, two weapon fighting, and outlander frenzy:

1.15 * 1.15 (Durgan) * 1.2 * 1.2 (weapons) * 1.25 (frenzy) + .20 (2W fighting) - .20 (cautious attack) = 138 - 35 (durgan plate) = 103

With that combination, Armoured Grace is not needed which is great since there are more good fighter abilities than the build has room for. The downside is that it relies on the limited frenzy duration, though even after it will be pretty good from DEX.

Second possible combination is purely passive but require swift action gauntlets (don't have yet), armored grace, and a drop to a breastplate... The multiplier of frenzy is so much better than additive bonuses.

Second question is what speed weapons? I have the wax, so I can duplicate. Spell tongue is good for durations, but is a little slower and less damaging. Rimecutter is good but hard to obtain. Strike hard is easy, but the debuffs it has does not stack. There is a hatchet with hit-to-crit, but other bad enchants limiting potential...

 

Why take Cautious Attack?????

 

+8 deflection with -20% attack speed is a bad deal. better to take Superior Deflection for +5 deflection and no malus. Another +3 deflection is not worth -20% attack speed. If you are fast enough it is better to take Vulnerable Attack as it will add +5 damage per attack, much better when you are fast.

 

I'd look at dual Rimecutters which you can sometimes just buy and save the wax.

 

If you had only one speed weapon, both Durgan and frenzy you'd get (1.15*1.15*1.2*1.25)+0.2 = 2.18 you could use Durgan scale mail or leather or if you added Armored Grace you could go with plate. One speed would be easy to get, two in the same group is harder. Also Armored Grace will help you from level seven onwards, fully durganed up gear will not happen till near the end.

I meant vulnerable attack - I typoed the talent. I agree that is much better. Had it since level 4. Deflection is also not needed, since low defenses are better for triggered immunity and for my boots/armor. I have never, ever found the guy who sells Rimecutters, so that is sadly not an option. He doesn't seem to like me or ever want to visit.

 

The one speed weapon only works if I don't take vulnerable attack (since it effectively cancels out two-weapon fighting) or take lighter armor, though the scars armor is quite good for this build. The non-speed weapons are a lot more interesting, though, and likely does more damage then the additional speed.

 

Another option could be sticking with Sanguine armor, keeping deflection low, and relying on the 1.33 modifier frenzy it provides on crit. Also triggers twice per encounter instead of just once. I think I found it was slightly under 100% with vulnerable attack and one speed weapon and plate, but maybe that is "close enough". Finally, the armor activation time is instant, while outlander frenzy takes a small bit of time.... Action I could use summoning a creature or using Aspirant's mark.

 

I have also considered sundering blows instead of charge (though charge is so good!). I am not sure I need vulnerable attack with that and I need to retrain anyways for weapon specialization.

 

Also, though a bit cheesy since it is super buggy still, keeping spelltongue might actually be best. Wonder if two spelltongues would be even buggier at stealing buff duration. Having spell tongue is like having + 10 INT since is makes durations so much longer. Though I do tire of the rapiers. Feels a little cheap abusing it. Also does funny things like suppress Aspirant's mark sometimes.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Braven

[Boeroer]

Another possibility: Gauntlets of Swift Action. Will add another 1.15 multiplier so that you can wear plate and only have one speed enchanted weapon.

 

The speed weapons that work with dual wielding and are in the same Weapon Focus group are:

 

Weapon Focus Noble: Spelltongue, Sword of Daenysis, March Steel Dagger

Weapon Focus Peasant: Danulya (spear), Reghar Konneck (hatchet)

 

You can combine any one handed speed weapon with the (also speedy) Unlabored Blade because it's universal. 

 

And you can duplicate any non soulbound speed weapon with the Helwax Mold. Dual Strike Hard would look nice.

 

My choice for this fragile yet sturdy fighter would be Sword of Daenysis or Spelltongue + Unlabored Blade I guess. Firebug should proc pretty often with that high attack speed.

 

You should test if Triggered Immunity gets prolongued by Spelltongue.

[Braven]

Good ideas. I forgot about the Soulbounds.

1.20 is better than 1.15 so it might help the math a bit more than other non-speed weapons with Durgan when I am running a tad short. Fire bug would provide some much helpful AOE the fighter completely lacks and the "mythic" quality is nice.

 

Keeping Noble weapons for the sake of spell tongue makes sense and in theory would require no retrain, if planned out well from the start. Guess the wax is not needed. Maybe it can be used to copy the best figurine, or other per-rest item.

 

Does firebug do something weird like use penetrating shot (5 DR ranged bypass)?

 

Does the spell tongue speed buff stack with frenzy completely?

 

When I hit level 15, I will experiment with extending immunity.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Braven

[Braven]

For the absolute highest proc rate of spell tongue, two could be dual-wielded. Twice the spell tongue hits = never ending durations? Lower damage, but if immune and frenzied forever, does it matter? Could be good at least for weapon set 2. Sadly shield + spell tongue is not quite fast enough since two-weapon style is lost. This setup uses lighter armor, but maybe that would actually be best for triggering immunity.

 

Can armored grace cover up the malus from vulnerable attack? Or is it truly only armor.

 

The other speed rapier (or March dagger, for slash damage and the fact it can reach legendary + lash + flick of wrist) and unlabored in set 1.

 

Or maybe Steadfast sometimes? (If the speed of unlabored is no longer needed). Targeting will instead of deflection sounds pretty good and fear immunities could be situationally useful.

Edited March 6, 2016 by Braven

[Boeroer]

Does firebug do something weird like use penetrating shot (5 DR ranged bypass)?

 

Does the spell tongue speed buff stack with frenzy completely?

 

When I hit level 15, I will experiment with extending immunity.

I don't know for sure/can't remember exactly but I think Firebug works with Pen. Shot.

 

Yes, since it's an effect from a weapon it stacks with everything. Could be - if you duoplicate it - that two Spelltongues' stealing would also stack. Never tested that.

[Braven]

I will play around with 2x spell tongue, for fun and science, but ultimately it feels "cheap" to abuse spell tongue like that, so I will probably stick with unlabored and one of the speed weapons. That should be good enough. This guy slaughters everything so quickly that longer durations are not really needed at all. Also double rapier doesn't look as good as other weapon combinations.

 

Speaking of style, I wish cloak of the tireless defender looked nicer. The flavor text description says it was found completely undamaged but it looks like it has a hundred holes in it. Someone did not take care of it very well. It does fit the theme, though. Taking hit after hit (not even bothering to dodge) and still standing despite gaping wounds all over and scars of past battles.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Braven

[Boeroer]

Didn't know that. I'm playing on Linux. It all runs pretty great but I can't see cloaks. The Unity Plugin that renders them doesn't work on Linux.

 

I agree that dual rapiers looks a bit silly.

[theBalthazar]

2x spelltongue ? How do you do that ?

[Braven]

There is an item that allows making a copy of an item. Finding it is random, but I managed to get it early on.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Braven

[Boeroer]

You get it from a stronghold quest. The quest is called "The Wax Maker" and the item's name is the "Helwax Mold". You can duplicate any item with it that is not soulbound. And it also copies all the the enchantments. The mold gets used up in the process - so you only can duplicate one item.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Boeroer

[Braven]

I wonder what the best quick-slot item to copy would be. that 3-phantom figurine is nice, but maybe there is something better (if a weapon copy is not needed).  Seems like a lot of the stronghold quest items are quickslot, with limited charges.  I feel like there has to be something game-breaking we are all forgetting about.  Maybe some ring or something that stacks with itself that was never discovered because there is only one of them.  Or something that grants "even more per-rest fireballs".   Could always throw enough staff of +3 fireballs into a spare weapon slot.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Braven

[DreamWayfarer]

I wonder what happens if you copy one of those lover rings that transfer Endurance...

[Boeroer]

You can always dual wield "The Flames of Fair Rhîan".

 

I wonder what happens if you duplicate one of those rings that allow you to swap 100 endurance with a party member. You will then have one source ring and two target rings. Will you swap 100 endurance to both targets? Who knows...?

[Boeroer]

I wonder what happens if you copy one of those lover rings that transfer Endurance...

Ahahah! "Zwei Doofe..."  

[Braven]

I hit level 15 and played around with immunity and double spell tongue. Sadly, double doesn't seem to be any more effective than a single, at least against the Alpine Dragon. While it delayed the expiration of immunity a bit, it didn't extend it by much. Also, because immunity covers only one damage type, and both per/encounter triggers at the same time, they don't last long.

 

In short, I lost vs the Alpine dragon, but it was close. I was only basically auto attacking for testing. I think if I were immune to Terrified I could beat him without any kind of cheese since accuracy was the main problem. Either the fighter ability courage or that new sword grants it. I also discovered that charge is useless since he is immune to crush. The other problem was that my endurance regen couldn't quite handle his huge hits after immunity wore off. I might need unbending (didn't have it trained) for the big fights. I'll see later how helpful it is.

 

I also did a couple bounty quests and it triggered for those early even though it didn't look like I took 10% of my endurance in damage. Also, since I hit level 15 I have noticed my health seems to get restored magically, sometimes back to full without resting or binding wounds. No idea what causes it, but there must be a bug someplace but I haven't yet pin pointed exactly what causes it.

 

I also picked up mourning gloves at the same time so maybe it is doing something funky. I noticed the icon for it remains, even after battle, and the "endurance gain" is suppressed.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Braven

[theBalthazar]

Question :

 

Is x2 Rimcutter is better than resolution and purgatory ?

 

This weapon have +20 % speed and +0.5 crits. against a base boost of damage.

 

In practical, what is the best ?

 

Because we can double Rimcutter with is item.

Edited March 8, 2016 by theBalthazar

[AndreaColombo]

+0.5 crit damage is currently bugged and does nothing (hopefully fixed in 3.02); that said, if you reach 0 recovery with both setups, then the sabers will have a higher DPS--but with Rimecutters you can reach 0 recovery wearing plate, which is pretty good. Depends on how much you value DR.

[theBalthazar]

I don't know for sure/can't remember exactly but I think Firebug works with Pen. Shot.

 

 

Firebug = Deflexion, so penetrating shot works.

Edited March 8, 2016 by theBalthazar

[Boeroer]

See?

[Boeroer]

+0.5 crit damage is currently bugged and does nothing (hopefully fixed in 3.02); that said, if you reach 0 recovery with both setups, then the sabers will have a higher DPS--but with Rimecutters you can reach 0 recovery wearing plate, which is pretty good. Depends on how much you value DR.

Well technically (and if I didn't do any mistakes) you can't reach 0 recovery with sabres as a rogue by yourself - unless you are willing to drink potions of Alacrity all the time.

 

Even with Gauntlets of Swift Action and durgan refinement you will be at ~1.9 with Vuln. Attack and no armor. With two Rimecutters however you can reach 2.38 even without the gauntles - which leaves room for a durgan reinforced plate armor (or any other armor that has <= 38% penalty) and other gloves that do nice things. It turns you into a sturdy whirlwind of slash & freeze.

 

So I would say in theory two Rimecutters are better. You don't even need to duplicate them. Go to Le a Rhemen, and click on that dial there. Then click "wait" until Azzuro sold you two Rimecutters. Duplicate some other item instead. Like Little Saviour. Having Outworn Buckler and two Little Saviors in your party equals a permenent boost of +15 to all defenses for your front line at least.