Per-encounter openers - what're you using? What's the ideal?

[Odd Hermit]

My current plan for current party, not yet in full motion:

 

• Inspiring Radiance (+10 accuracy for everyone)
• Aspirant's Mark (reflex/deflection debuff) - via Wizard 'cause he's the one with nothing better to do if I'm not spending spells
•  - Painful Interdiction (fort/will debuff)
• Shieldbearer tank uses Flames w/an Arbalest, giving AoE +10 deflection
• Inspiring Liberation on Cipher
• Cipher does something crazy(the class in a nutshell) to the debuffed enemies, depending on level and weakest enemy defense.
• Ranger wounding shots a priority target
• Kill stuff

Weapons -

 

Paladin 1: Cladhaliath w/Marking

Paladin 2: Tall Grass

Priest: Cgadob's Hazel

Wizard: Gyrd Háewanes Sténes

Cipher: Borresaine

Ranger: Eventually Storm Caller

 

Most of these are reasonably available for the mid-game.

 

The Tall Grass Paladin will get Coordinated attacks and marking from the Shieldbearer Paladin, and the Priest marks the Ranger's target with Hazel.

 

I've been trying to plan kind of an ideal per-encounter party/strategy that doesn't rely much on spells.

 

The thing it's arguably missing is a Barbarian, which could be subbed in by removing the Shieldbearer Paladin, and using the Darcozzi as a tank instead, and the Tall Grass and coordinating attacks would be the Barbarian's. Or, a Chanter with Dragon Thrashed is an idea.

 

 

 

 

[Boeroer]

Your opening strategy is good. I'd do it the same way. Makes most encounters easy. The only thing I'd do differently is giving Aspirant's Mark to a char with high ACC so it always lands. I use rogues, fighters, rangers or monks for that. So ranger in your case. While the ranger is casting Asp. Mark the wizard will cast Arcane Assault. This not only does good damage but also dazes.

Because later your wizard will have Spell Mastery (e.g Chill Fog) and then you will likely use that at the start of an encounter and not Asp. Mark.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Boeroer

[Odd Hermit]

Your opening strategy is good. I'd do it the same way. Makes most encounters easy. The only thing I'd do differently is giving Aspirant's Mark to a char with high ACC so it always lands. I use rogues, fighters, rangers or monks for that. So ranger in your case. While the ranger is casting Asp. Mark the wizard will cast Arcane Assault. This not only does good damage but also dazes.

Because later your wizard will have Spell Mastery (e.g Chill Fog) and then you will likely use that at the start of an encounter and not Asp. Mark.

Well, Wizard has higher int. I didn't dump int on the Ranger but the Wizard's is maximized. Plus, more spare talents on my Wizard - I have a harder time figuring what I'd give up on the Ranger to take Mark.

 

Arcane Assault dazes, but so does Interdiction. Granted, anything the Priest misses could be hit by the Wizard.

 

Point about is Spell Mastery is a good one though, definitely worth considering.

 

 

Maybe I should respec to give my Ranger more Int and figure out what to drop/delay talent wise.

[Boeroer]

You can also use Asp. Mark in the early game with the wizard and then retrain after lvl 9. Maybe you don't need Asp. Mark at higher levels at all because it gets suppressed by a lot of things later on.

 

My experience with Aps. Mark is that it's 

a) awesome, because you can have a good AoE debuff with great duration, range and area per encounter - and very early

b) best used on classes who have higher ACC anyway. A ranger for example has 30 start ACC. If he also has like 15 PER his Aspirant's Mark will hit wit an ACC of 45 right at level 1 - those often results in crits which prolong the duration more than higher INT would.

c) best uesd on melee chars who don't do much useful stuff at the start of an encounter otherwise (like melee rogues, fighters or monks)

 

INT is useful for Asp. Mark, that's true. But it's base duration and area are also good enough with only 10 INT. For me it's the reliability that counts. This gets less important hat higher levels for sure - because the "flat" ACC bonus from class kind of diminishes after some levels.

Also: once you have Stormcaller you may want to shoot right from the start in order to trigger Returning Storm asap.

 

You could also give Asp. Mark to the Tall Grass Paladin. Once he got buffed by the other pal the mark should hit everything.

 

Do as you like. Your "everyencounter" opening strategy is surely great.  

 

Concerning barb with Tall Grass: it's surely a great setup - especially with your marking paladin who raises ACC a lot. But I don't think that Marking and Coordinating works with carnage - only with the initial target of the barb. Here a hearth orlan rogue with "all in" hit-to-crit conversion might be best for dps. It's a matter of taste I guess. Two paladins also have great synergy effects. And since you only have two melee guys in the group a barb or rogue won't probably be not tanky enough. A paladin with a pike can still be sturdy. 

Edited May 9, 2016 by Boeroer

[Odd Hermit]

You've sold me on putting Aspirant's Mark on a different character.

 

Agree about the Rogue/Barb option, it's why I decided to go for two Paladins. Sturdyness, support abilities, and your autoattacks are still fairly solid output - not Rogue or Barbarian levels but you don't get debuffed or disabled as much as other melee so your "uptime" on the whole is better.

 

 

Technically though, I have three melee if we count the ranger's faithful Antelope named "Telly". Which is why I like Rangers now, it's like a free extra off tank almost. It's not the most sturdy off-tank but it kinda works when you're just intercepting single enemies that decide to go for a squishy.

[MaxQuest]

Per-encounter openers - what're you using?

At the moment (lvl 9, act 2, no WM yet) I usually use the following routine:

 

Step 1:

- priest casts Painful Interdiction

- wizard: Aspirant's Mark

- ranged cipher: 1 auto-attack

- pala-tank, dw barb and melee cipher are running towards enemies

 

Step 2:

- frontline reaches the enemy ranks

- wizard: mastered Spell Blades

- priest: Shinning Beacon or Inspiring Radiance; Sometimes Devotions or Circle of Protection

- if there are Ogre Druids, ciphers charm them

- if some melees want to get to my backline ciphers Mental Bind them

- barb: frenzy

 

Step 3:

- barb: barbaric blow

- ciphers: double silent scream. Sometimes detonate

 

At this point the fight is usually over.

But if there would be a harder encounter, the party has few more mini-tactics:

- Call to Slumber -> Kalakoth's Blights

- Figurine summon behind enemy ranks -> double echo

- Mass Confusion; AoE Blinds vs Fortitude, Reflex and Will; AoE Prones and Paralyze.

- And the usual: charm enemy backline, paralyze enemy frontline/teleporters.

 

Weapons:

Paladin: Outworn Buckler + Wsp. of Yenwood | will switch to Shame or Glory

Barbarian: Vile' Loners Lance + Sabre | will switch to either [stunning Cladhaliath and We Toki] or [Resolution + Purgatory]

Melee Cipher: Resolution + Sabre | will switch to Bittercut/Purgatory + Little Saviour later on

Priest: Gyrd Háewanes Sténes | might switch to Cgadob's Hazel

Wizard: Grudge-Keeper rod | gonna be Rod of Pale Shades

Cipher: Borresaine

 

Few notes:

- I initially have started with an interfering barbarian build. Tankish, with low might and 15 resolve. At the moment I have dropped his RES down to 6. And tbh I dont miss that extra deflection like at all.

- Crit chance across the party was quite low on the early levels. But from 8 to 9, wizard and melee cipher have critted on 50% of their hits. While the ranged one have even reached the 60% threshold.

- Tracked stats: link

Edited May 9, 2016 by MaxQuest

[Kingsman]

- priest painful interdiction (at low levels but I stopped needing it around level 11)

- druid relentless storm (why I stopped using interdiction)

- position tanks and wait for enemies to gather around tanks then wizard cast call to slumber.

- rogue starts going to town with crits and deathblows (the rogue almost kills enemies quicker then the entire group combined)

- if there not dead by now wizard keeps throwing that stunning frost fireball spell to lock up there back lines.

- if there still not dead get fighter to activate unbending a severely under appreciated power in this game. Perhaps one of the strongest talents if not the strongest.

- cipher can mind plague if enemies can be charmed.

[bigwillystyle]

MaxQuest - love your description of Sagani's animal companion in the google doc

[Boeroer]

- Tracked stats: link

And people say I devoted my life to this game...

[Vorad]

I have been successful with:

Interdiction + weakened upgrade

chill fog vs mundane slicken vs spellcaster groups

returning storm/relentless storm

 

The rest consists of melee usually paladin, chanter, cyhper/rogue

combusting wounds (ring chanter)

vielo vidorio( flames of devotion)

 

In case of "boss" fights the melee will cast scrolls of valor/defense

[MaxQuest]

And people say I devoted my life to this game...

Hah, that's only my second playthrough 

Edited May 9, 2016 by MaxQuest

[KDubya]

My team is:

1.) Juggernaut 3.0

2.) Pellaginna w/ Arquebus and Stike Hard & Outworn Buckler

3.) Devil of Caroc w/Cloudpiercer and Starcaller & Balgrdr Barricade

4.) Kana w/Stormcaller, Shame or Glory & reflecting small shield, and something with spell casts

 

Sequence of events:

1.) At start of combat

             Juggernaut runs towards enemy

             Pellaginna fires Sworn Enemy missile

             Devil fires at different target than Pellaginna with the goal of proccing Jolting Touch

             Kana fires Aspirants Mark at the enemy pack

 

2.) Combat starts:

           Juggernaut catches enemy Alpha strike, activates Swift Strikes and starts Torment's Reach spam

           Pellaginna FoD arquebus at the Sworn Enemy target this also gets her speed buff to the team

           If Devil has procced Jolting Touch she enters melee, else she fires the bow until she does trying to spread Deep Wounds a bit, maybe make use of item spell casts of charm or domination

           Kana uses a spell cast from weapon or from armor

 

3.) Combat phase

          Juggernaut kills most everything with Torment's Spam, Force of Anguish prones irritating targets and Flagellant's Path debuffs large packs. Shod in Faith is active and combined with Kana's two regen chants, and Veteran's recovery his endurance pool stays maxed for the first 60 seconds of the fight or close to it

          Pellaginna swaps to hammer and shield, activates Sacred Immolation and wades into battle trying to stay in radius of Shod in Faith. Will LoH if someone gets injured faster than all the regen can handle

          Devil flanks and stuns with Starcaller and follows up with procs of Tattered Veils on the stunned enemy

          Kana stays close enough to the melee guys to keep them in his auras - Gallant's Focus, two regen chants, chant with the fire lash with the damage shield, enemy frighten and Dragon Thrash weaved in - stays with Stormcaller or swaps to sword and shield

Edited May 9, 2016 by KDubya

[Psychevore]

You can also use Asp. Mark in the early game with the wizard and then retrain after lvl 9. Maybe you don't need Asp. Mark at higher levels at all because it gets suppressed by a lot of things later on.

 

 

I still use it on later levels to make all the spells that come after hit easier. Plus it has a really long duration so when other debuffs wear off the mark is still there, making it easier to cast most other debufs

[M4xw0lf]

I like opening tougher encounters with confusion. Let them decimate themselves.

[Lampros]

 

Per-encounter openers - what're you using?

At the moment (lvl 9, act 2, no WM yet) I usually use the following routine:

 

Step 1:

- priest casts Painful Interdiction

- wizard: Aspirant's Mark

- ranged cipher: 1 auto-attack

- pala-tank, dw barb and melee cipher are running towards enemies

 

Step 2:

- frontline reaches the enemy ranks

- wizard: mastered Spell Blades

- priest: Shinning Beacon or Inspiring Radiance; Sometimes Devotions or Circle of Protection

- if there are Ogre Druids, ciphers charm them

- if some melees want to get to my backline ciphers Mental Bind them

- barb: frenzy

 

Step 3:

- barb: barbaric blow

- ciphers: double silent scream. Sometimes detonate

 

At this point the fight is usually over.

But if there would be a harder encounter, the party has few more mini-tactics:

- Call to Slumber -> Kalakoth's Blights

- Figurine summon behind enemy ranks -> double echo

- Mass Confusion; AoE Blinds vs Fortitude, Reflex and Will; AoE Prones and Paralyze.

- And the usual: charm enemy backline, paralyze enemy frontline/teleporters.

 

Weapons:

Paladin: Outworn Buckler + Wsp. of Yenwood | will switch to Shame or Glory

Barbarian: Vile' Loners Lance + Sabre | will switch to either [stunning Cladhaliath and We Toki] or [Resolution + Purgatory]

Melee Cipher: Resolution + Sabre | will switch to Bittercut/Purgatory + Little Saviour later on

Priest: Gyrd Háewanes Sténes | might switch to Cgadob's Hazel

Wizard: Grudge-Keeper rod | gonna be Rod of Pale Shades

Cipher: Borresaine

 

Few notes:

- I initially have started with an interfering barbarian build. Tankish, with low might and 15 resolve. At the moment I have dropped his RES down to 6. And tbh I dont miss that extra deflection like at all.

- Crit chance across the party was quite low on the early levels. But from 8 to 9, wizard and melee cipher have critted on 50% of their hits. While the ranged one have even reached the 60% threshold.

- Tracked stats: link

 

 

Really useful post!