POTD Party Help.

[Jabbott]

Hello All,

 

I am currently playing through POE for the first time and committed to play on POTD. I felt like I had researched enough, but it has been a struggle to say the least. I am fighting my way through every encounter and prefer to cheese as little as possible. My party consists of entirely hired members from an Inn. I was able to defeat Raedric and the 1st Level of Endless Paths, but I am now stuck at an encounter with Druids who spiritshift and they all cast this lightning spell that wrecks me(I assumse it is relentless or returning storm, based on what I have read in the Thundercat build guide). I felt like I had a good balance of defense and offense in my party but am curious to hear thoughts from more experienced players on any changes I may/could make to optimize my team.

 

PC - Island Aumaua Cipher using warbow for DPS and CC spells

Fighter - Coastal Aumaua - S&S, Defender, Hold the line.

Pala - Meadow Human - S&S, Kind Wayfarer, Acc Buff + Crit% buff

Chanter - Pale Elf - S&S, End Drain, Phant Summon

Wizard - Wood Elf - Arbalalest, Mostly use chill fog and slicken. and Combusting Wounds w/Arcane assault. Leads team in Damage

Druid - Thundercat build.

 

My team seems to not kill enemies quickly enough, and my tanks eventually get overwhelmed/knocked out. Any advice/wisdom/insight/opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

[TWPE]

Well uhh.. I'm going to bed now. So, I'll contribute more later (unless the vets beat me to it) but first... Move out of the lightning spell. Repositioning isn't cheesing. Standing in it is the equivalent to standing in fire. For returning storm just disable the caster and move away from them. Kill them from range.

 

Also, a priest would help.

[InsaneCommander]

If you are fighting the druids in Stormwall Gorge, then maybe you should return later at a higher level. On my current playthrough (hard) I was not ready for them and came back later. The quests and enemies in Defiance Bay should be easier.

 

 

I'm already planning my third playthrough, on PoTD, so I'll ask some questions here too. I'm considering basically the same party but with a priest instead of the druid. I'll be ready to have everyone doing some tanking if necessary, except for the Wizard and the Cipher.

 

1- Is it essential to have a fighter? Can I have these main tanks instead: the Damaging Healbot* and a chanter (with heavy armor and shield)?

2- If I have a fighter, can I give him a two handed weapon later in the game (a soulbound from WM II)? Or will he have problems surviving without a shield?

3- Has anyone tried a melee wizard in PoTD?

 

*: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/85077-build-idea-the-damaging-healbot/?hl=healbot

[TWPE]

Insomnia's keeping me up.

 

 

If you are fighting the druids in Stormwall Gorge, then maybe you should return later at a higher level. On my current playthrough (hard) I was not ready for them and came back later. The quests and enemies in Defiance Bay should be easier.

 

 

Yes this fight is optional.

 

 

1- Is it essential to have a fighter? Can I have these main tanks instead: the Damaging Healbot* and a chanter (with heavy armor and shield)?

2- If I have a fighter, can I give him a two handed weapon later in the game (a soulbound from WM II)? Or will he have problems surviving without a shield?

3- Has anyone tried a melee wizard in PoTD?

 

*: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/85077-build-idea-the-damaging-healbot/?hl=healbot

 

1- I've only played on PotD so far (and will probably never play on a lower difficulty). I've never used a fighter. You don't need one. Chanter tanks are awesome though. That Paladin you listed strikes me as more of an offtank, but that can work too.

 

2- I've never used a fighter. So I can't help much here. Should be fine as an offtank though. Fighters are pretty good on the deflection front; which will help slightly to compensate for forgoing a shield.

 

3- Melee wizards are definitely viable on PotD. Play it like a rogue; except with prebuffing. Make sure you have a means of disengaging (often cc provided by your own wizard, but your party can help here too) in case you draw a lot of aggro and your defensive buffs wear off. Oh and take advantage of your other spells and your reach weapons.

Edited May 31, 2016 by TWPE

[Jabbott]

Thank you guys for the feedback so far. Yes, they are the druids at stormwall gorge I am struggling with. Perhaps I should skip them and come back later, but part of me feels like I have to kill them before I can move on. Maybe I will hire a Priest and replace my fighter. Buffs/Heals may be worth trading over his engagement. 

[KDubya]

What level are you?

 

Gaining another level makes a big difference. Using some figurines for additional fodder or a few scrolls can make a huge difference as well.

 

For the Fighter I'd look to drop Defender and Hold the Line, additional engagements do not do a whole lot for you especially if you do not hit very hard. If you are spec'd for damage then the enemy will be leary to eat a disengagement attack but if you hit like a girl the enemy will just run past you.

 

The Paladin build damaging healbot does an excellent job as a frontline melee. you just need to see that he gets some of the kills so that his on kill effects fire off. The companion Paladin Pellaginna does a fine job if you'd rather have someone for some banter.

 

For the Wizard I'd go with a blaster instead of an arbalest. Wizards get a lot of damage out of implements when you throw in the penetrating and AoE talents, or you can go with a ranged melee weapon and whack from the second row. The level one Concelhat's staff has a huge base damage, reach and heals you.

[InsaneCommander]

Thanks for the answers. I'll go with the healbot and a chanter tank.

[TWPE]

Yeah, a fighter who isn't built for damage doesn't need engagements unless you go for a build around Overbearing Guard; an ability which, of course, also benefits by having more damage (but mostly just wants accuracy). Overbearing Guard is also far less useful against any enemy that is immune to prone.

 

You definitely can get away with less melee if you want to swap out the fighter for a priest. The druid can be built to offtank if things get crazy and you have a lot cc available already (plus judicious use of summons from trinkets and your chanter can drastically reduce the need for melee fighters in many fights). You could also build the priest to be tougher and have them ready to take aggro off of something that moves to your back line.

 

But yeah, you have a caster heavy composition and they benefit heavily from levels (well the Cipher is good either way, but you know.. more levels never hurt). Even a single level would help here.

[MimeTactics]

Do you have the 4th level spells?
​If so you could sneak around the enemies and open the fight with your druid casting Overwhelming Wave or Calling the World's Maw, wich would start the fight with some enemies disabled, probably giving you enough time to Focus your attacks and kill some of then quickly.

Edited June 1, 2016 by MimeTactics

[Kingsman]

If this advice helps:

 

I usually play POTD with 2 tanks (fighter/pally) a rogue and 3 casters.

 

I found the casters to be very effective at buffing and crowd control. I did not find the casters to be capable of dishing out big amounts of damage. This was a problem because after I had controlled the mobs, say with confusion/ slicken / charm spells the only class capable of taking the bad guys down quick enough was the rogue.

 

So my play style was basically position my 2 tanks (both with shields) try and control the battlefield with the casters and then hack them to death with my rogue.

[Elric Galad]

My current party was meant to be the most efficient I ever had... and for now it succeeds.

 

1 Druid

1 Priest

1 Wizard

Because these 3 ones combined have a magical answer to almost anything.

 

2 Dragon Trashed Chanters

Best damage AoE dealers of the game with great tanking potential. Hide behind a thick metal skin and shield, poke ennemies with weapon and let the world burn around you.

 

1 Ranger with wolf

Very reliable single target damage dealer. It was what the party was missing a bit(e).

 

Priest (and druid a bit) pumps the stats, chanters and pet tank well enough, druid and wizard control everything.

 

Druid venombloom + Wizard Freezing pillar + Double dragon chant melt everything around (no friendly fire involved).

 

Ranger finish off what remains.

[anameforobsidian]

My current party was meant to be the most efficient I ever had... and for now it succeeds.

 

1 Druid

1 Priest

1 Wizard

Because these 3 ones combined have a magical answer to almost anything.

 

2 Dragon Trashed Chanters

Best damage AoE dealers of the game with great tanking potential. Hide behind a thick metal skin and shield, poke ennemies with weapon and let the world burn around you.

 

1 Ranger with wolf

Very reliable single target damage dealer. It was what the party was missing a bit(e).

 

Priest (and druid a bit) pumps the stats, chanters and pet tank well enough, druid and wizard control everything.

 

Druid venombloom + Wizard Freezing pillar + Double dragon chant melt everything around (no friendly fire involved).

 

Ranger finish off what remains.

 

I'm curious, how does this party fare in the dragon fights?  Also, what weapon is the ranger using?

[Elric Galad]

Dragon fights have been among the easiest :

- Priest raises up the group accuracy using Devotion for the faithful, Inspiring Radiance and Protection against fear (to avoid the big Acc penalty from the Dragon Terror Aura) 

- 1 of the chanters uses the Anti Beast chant for a +20 Accuracy bonus.

- Camping for +10/+15 Accuracy against beast on your Crowd Controllers is also helpful.

- Druid and Wizard used their crowd control abilities to neutralize the dragon. Unless you are really unlucky, you'll get at least a Graze. Watch its duration carefully, and re-cast it when it is close to wear off.

From this point it is easy.

 

 

To be a bit more specific :

 

Against the Adra Dragon, you have to be VERY quick because her various AoE attacks are devastating.
Fortunately, she is not immune to Paralysis.

So, the Druid Hold Beast spell works very well. It is fast cast, so you can spam it.

Shadowflames also works very well, and can also neutralize those annoying Adragans.

Don't underestimate the Adragans, their petrify and domination spells can remove several party members from play...

They take a few seconds to reach the battefield, buying you enough time to be buffed when they arrive. A well placed-Shadowflame and Relentless Storm will win the day.

 

Alpine Dragon traditionally takes a few seconds to reach you by walf if you are well placed and his breath, even if it is powerful, does not seem to have the level of one-shotness of Adra Dragon's.

That's enough time to let the priest raises everyone's accuracy.

He is immune or resistant to most hard CC EXCEPT petrify.

So Gaze of the Adragan and Embrace the Earth Talon work extremely well.

I used mostly Gaze of the Adragan this time because my druid was busy casting Relentless Storm, Moonwell and Form of the Delemgan.

 

I killed the 3 dragons (including the upscaled sky one) on my first try.
I have not beaten Llengrath yet.  

 

My ranger uses good old Stormcaller.

 

 

My Rank #1 killer is one my two chanters.

Damage are less significant because the game does not count Dragon Trashed Damages (only its kills).

Two Dragon Trashers is extremely destructive. My chanters kill so fast that rarely have enough time to use their Invocations. 

 

It has been said previously that the strongest party was ~1 Priest + 5 Wizards (not easy to use by the way).

I came to the following conclusion :

- 2 Vancians Crowd Controllers (druids or wizards) are enough. Maybe 3. It's better to be versatile so at least 1 druid is better than only Wizard. Druid support spells Form of the Delegan and Moonwell play in the same category as priest buffs, and Relentless Storm is better than Wizard AoE CC in some situations.

- Even Vancian casters can hardly match the level of Damage of chanters, especially because of its level of convenience (Friendly very big AoE). Chanters also bring their tanking to the table.

 

So the absolute strongest (endgame) party should be something like :

- 1 Priest

- 1 Druid

- 1-2 Wizard

- 2-3 chanters, or maybe 1 paladin instead.

- 0-1 Something else. Ranger seems quite nice because this composition slightly miss reliable single target DPS.

 

Another option is another priest. For the hardest fights, it is extremely convenient to be buffed QUICKLY.

Priest AoE DPS is quite good at high level, so they can switch to Fires Storm, etc... when they have finished their buffing.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Elric Galad

[Guest Jamila]

I found the casters to be very effective at buffing and crowd control. I did not find the casters to be capable of dishing out big amounts of damage. This was a problem because after I had controlled the mobs, say with confusion/ slicken / charm spells the only class capable of taking the bad guys down quick enough was the rogue.

Casters can do about the same damage as a rogue (and usually to multiple targets); just like him (to have sneak attack applied), they need their targets to be properly debuffed, then, with high accuracy against low defense (be it reflex or whatever), they would crit for decent damage, not to speak of damage they do if they crit petrified enemies.

 

As for total damage done, my current party is lead by PC druid and Aloth, followed by Pallegina (who benefits from the fact that battles typically do not last very long and she opens with a shot from an arquebus + Flames of devotion), Eder, Devil and Kana.

As for the highest damage done, Devil rules with ~270, followed by Aloth with ~240, PC druid with ~190, Pallegina and Kana with ~140 (how Kana did it puzzles me) and Eder the last with ~100 (archetypal fighter, fairly high, but not extreme damage, yet consistently).

 

That would also be my advice for PotD: debuff, then do damage, and make sure guys have weapons to hit hard once an enemy is in vulnerable state.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Jamila