Priests at low levels

[bmardiney]

Everyone seems to love priests and at low levels, I just don't understand why. Now, I'm basing this off of Durance only, I've never played the role myself, but his level 1 and 2 spells seem completely underwhelming to the point where he's just a guy with a crossbow in my party. As soon as I get 7 NPCs, he's the first one to get left behind at the keep.

Am I missing something? I've looked through all of his spells and they seems like minor and/or situational debuffs and buffs (with a few healing ones). He's weak at damage dealing almost entirely. So except for removing status effects or minoring buffing some team members, he seems pretty useless. Should I just pick him back up again at level 8 or something?

[MimeTactics]

Since priests are my favorite class i will be a little biased.
They are better as the main character, but still a great class Overall.
​So the 1st Level spells are great for the thougher Encounters early games, the Blessing spell actually gives a pretty big Bonus to accuracy, and it stacks with the inspiring radiance Talent (can be taken at Level 2 and is also amazing in therms of accuracy) giving everyone a huge boost in damage because of the extra crits and less frequent gazes and misses. On Level 1 barbs of condemnation is also good, since it deals reasonable damage and reduces all enemies defences.
​(withdraw can save your life sometimes too)

On Level 2 spells, try to cast Divine Mark (huge damage and huge deflection debuff [wich means even more damage]) and Iconic Projection on Groups of enemies (it ignores damage reductions it's one of the most spammed spells for me, even in high Levels).
​Pre battle, try out repulsing seal, this spell is a game changer
​But he will really start to shine at Level 7. There the really good stuff Comes in.

​But at low Levels,cast repulsing seal pre battle, then try to buff your acc. After that cast Divine Mark, Iconic Projection and Barbs of Condemnation (not in that order), that and see if that fits your playstyle.

Edited June 15, 2016 by MimeTactics

[MaxQuest]

Everyone seems to love priests and at low levels, I just don't understand why.

Well, the priest lovin starts mainly from lvl7, when they get access to rank 4 spells, specifically Devotions for the Faithful and Shinning Beacon. The reason priests are welcomed is because they make boss fights much easier. And while it's true that they are less of mvp in casual fights, these fights are not hard anyway, so it is fine.

 

At specifically low-levels, priests can be viewed as a bit underperforming. But you can still make great use of them, via Painful interdiction, Consecrating Ground, Iconic Projection and blocking doorways with Withdraw. I don't remember casting other spells (pre lvl 7) much. Maybe Repulsing Seal and Circle of Protection once in awhile. If I wanted to conserve some spells, I was using an arquebus as a filler.

 

Am I missing something? I've looked through all of his spells and they seems like minor and/or situational debuffs and buffs (with a few healing ones). He's weak at damage dealing almost entirely. So except for removing status effects or minoring buffing some team members

Well, the buffs he brings are not that minor. He is great at rising his party accuracy, and that's one of the most important things in boss fights.

As for damage, you seem to underestimate his AoE potential. This class if built right can outdps even wizard.

 

he seems pretty useless. Should I just pick him back up again at level 8 or something?

If you feel that priest is weak, don't pick him yet. Tbh I felt the same.

Just leave it for the next playthrough, as the views... change.

Edited June 15, 2016 by MaxQuest

[thelee]

"Am I missing something? I've looked through all of his spells and they seems like minor and/or situational debuffs and buffs (with a few healing ones). He's weak at damage dealing almost entirely. So except for removing status effects or minoring buffing some team members, he seems pretty useless. Should I just pick him back up again at level 8 or something?"

 

Priests aren't supposed to be damage dealers, they are support characters. And the "minor" buffs are actually fairly relevant, combat goes a lot easier when you're stacking the odds in your favor; your priest helps *everyone* do more damage or survive extra damage instead of directly contributing him or herself.

It also helps to be on a higher difficulty. Buffs/debuffs become a lot more important on say, Path of the Damned, than if you're already steamrolling most fights on normal.

 

Though even though I said priests aren't suppossed to be damage dealers, your priest can still be MVP in fights every once and a while thanks to spells like Pillar of Holy Fire and Rain of Fire, powered by Minor Avatar (all higher level stuff, though).

 

EDIT: also, personally I hate Durance, so if you're basing your opinion off Durance you should reserve some judgment. Durance is just super slow and gearing him up with an arquebus (as the game wants priests of Magran to do) is just such a terrible idea for a priest that may need to cast support spells at any time, but you can't cause you're stuck recovering from a very slow attack (made worse by the low dexterity).  Also Durance's Holy Radiance will never be as good as a Holy Radiance for a main character priest, since disposition isn't checked for NPCs.

Edited June 17, 2016 by thelee

[MaxQuest]

Also Durance's Holy Radiance will never be as good as a Holy Radiance for a main character priest, since disposition isn't checked for NPCs.

How much damage Holy Radiance deals on a main character?

 

For an NPC one it is: 30 base +10 every 3 levels starting from lvl 4.

[thelee]

 

Also Durance's Holy Radiance will never be as good as a Holy Radiance for a main character priest, since disposition isn't checked for NPCs.

How much damage Holy Radiance deals on a main character?

 

For an NPC one it is: 30 base +10 every 3 levels starting from lvl 4.

 

 

For each point of favored disposition (max of 3 per disposition, minus any disfavored dispositions also max of 3 per) you get an additional +3 healing + 1 every 3 levels after level 1, and you burn vessels for an additional +5 plus an additional +1 every 3 levels after 1. So you can basically double the effect (at a max of 6 disposition score)

 

I think your equation for vessel damage is wrong; I think it's 30 base + 5 every 3 levels starting at level 1.

[nem0]

I recorded the bonuses from disposition at level 16 at 10 might.

 

• Max was 88 heal and 176 damage on PC
• Max was 40 heal and 80 damage on companions or no disposition
• +8 heal and +16 damage per disposition up to 3 per type
• Meaning a bonus of +48 / +96 total PC bonus over companions

The increments from thelee sound correct(at level one I believe it was doing +3/+5 per disposition) . Also the bonus to disposition is not modified by might only the base heal/damage(40/80).

 

Edit: Numbers changed after retesting.

Edited June 18, 2016 by nem0

[thelee]

I recorded the bonuses from disposition at level 16 at 10 might.

 

• Max was 88 heal and 215.6 damage on PC
• Max was 40 heal and 98 damage on companions
• +8 heal and +19.6 damage per disposition up to 3 per type
• Meaning a bonus of +48 / +117.6 total PC bonus over companions

The increments from thelee sound mostly correct(at level one I believe it was doing +3/+5 per disposition) however the damage total doesn't add up nicely, maybe bug. Also the bonus to disposition is not modified by might only the base heal/damage(40/98)

 

what's your intellect? a higher or lower intellect will alter the listed damage done, since it's a DOT.

[thelee]

Also, I *think* the damage part of the disposition bonus is affected by might (it definitely is affected by intellect). I remember playing around with the numbers and it was how I made it make sense.

[Gromnir]

the biggest obstacle for a players trying to get the most outta their priest is that they typical only got one in their party. if you only got one priest, and you mistaken listened to min-maxer recommendations on how to build the correct poe priest, you is gonna be little more than a healer/buffer/debuffer for most o' the game.  in a typical battle, by the time you buff and debuff, or vice-versa, the battle is gonna be over, at which time your low perception, high dex priest with middling might and no combat talents is gonna be a waste in combat- weapon or spell.

 

you want a priest that can buff and do damage in both spell and weapon-based combat? make your first talent choice your deity weapon-focus for +10 accuracy.  second  talent is gonna be the weapon focus talent that includes your deity weapon (or in case o' skaen, weapons). you now got fighter accuracy with one or two weapons.  congrats.  as long as you don't min-max yourself into combat impotence by lowering might and perception into handicaps, at low levels you are gonna be able to get considerable use from divine mark (big single target damage) and iconic projection (smallish per unit damage, but considerable total aoe). and 'course any battle with vessels is gonna result in you being the party hammer with your per encounter holy radiance.  as you increase in levels, take sion of flame and then use your considerable fire spell repertoire to watch the world burn.

 

durance has one o' the most underrated weapons in the game.  the burning lash is not particular special, but crush/burn of his staff is a unique quality that many people has failed to exploit.  unfortunately, durance sucks with staves.  swords and or arquebus is your durance options if you want him to aid in combat. 

 

but again, if you only got a single priest, chances are that you ain't gonna be able to see him/her doing damage in combats. buff. debuff. heal. repeat. end of battle. 

 

priests, even at lower levels, is potentially highly efficacious in combat both with weapons and offensive spells.  need play smart... and chances are you need another support companion.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[PizzaSHARK]

Priests are pretty awful at low levels because of their terrible base stats, similar to Wizards and other squishy classes.  Their buffs are proportionately more useful at low levels than at high levels (compare +4 DR vs a hit for 15 as opposed to a hit for 40) to compensate, however, and they DO get a handful of particularly strong spells.  Barbs of Condemnation, Halt, and Divine Mark are all excellent nukes, and Consecrated Ground is probably the best healing ability in the game.

 

By the mid game, they come into their own, but at their core, they're still always about buffing and debuffing more than anything else.  The various Prayer Against X spells are, predictably, situationally useful.  Having immunity to Petrify is quite valuable when facing down an Adragan, and immunity to fear effects makes fighting powerful monsters like Drakes and Dragons much easier since your team isn't suffering from a virtually permanent ACC penalty.

 

Keep in mind, however, that their buffs DO suffer from suppression - the +5 ACC from Blessing will be suppressed by a Paladin's Zealous Focus (+6 ACC) aura, for example.  Armor of Faith will be suppressed by Zealous Endurance, and so on.

 

It's worth noting that Priests are much stronger as the player character than as an NPC.  While Holy Radiance still scales for NPCs, it's far weaker than with a PC.  A PC with maxed out dispositions can do literally hundreds of damage to Vessels and heal for nearly a hundred END, which can quickly trivialize many Vessel-heavy encounters (like 8th floor of Od Nua.)  In many cases, fights against Vessels amount to "move Priest forward, press Holy Radiance, begin looting."

 

Especially with respecializing available, the various god-specific talents are highly recommended.  +10 ACC with a specific weapon type helps out quite a lot at compensating for the Priest's awful base ACC and can make them capable of actually contributing in early game fights.  You can keep the talents later in the game if you'd like (+10 ACC is significant), but only Skaen's provides anything particularly useful apart from the ACC bonus - the baby Sneak Attack (+15% damage, if I remember right; compared to a Rogue's +50% and a Ranger's +30%) is pretty much always useful, which makes a compelling case for a Priest of Skaen PC if you're okay with playing an evil/**** playthrough.

 

My PC is a Priest of Eothas and is actually my group's only dedicated tank.  I have Eder and Pallegina available for additional tanking, and I guess Ituumak can function as one in a pinch, but my Priest does most of the work.  I focus him heavily on defensive talents (including Hold the Line, Sword and Shield Style, Cautious Attack, Superior Deflection, and various other similar talents) and mostly just use him as a portable wall to hold things in place for the rest of the group to destroy.  My spell use similarly follows a defensive mindset - find a convenient place, lay down auras, and Hold the Line.  You can find a pair of boots that automatically cast Consecrated Ground when crit, once per encounter, and it's pretty funny to watch two separate Consecrated Ground spells ticking simultaneously - pretty much nothing dies when under that effect, especially on top of the various auras and defensive spells I can bring to bear when needed.

 

The only downside is that wearing heavy armor does increase Recovery time substantially, so my PC is not well-suited to using spells reactively.  For that reason, I could also easily see making a case for a ranged Priest using light armor and some sort of fast ranged weapon (such as the soulbound scepter.)  I think it's all about how you plan on using them.

 

I do agree Priests feel very underwhelming at first, especially if you're used to D&D Clerics, who are almost as good as Fighters at taking the hits and dishing out the pain at low levels.  On the other hand, PoE Priests have much more potent spells than D&D Clerics, I guess it evens out

[nem0]

 

I recorded the bonuses from disposition at level 16 at 10 might.

 

• Max was 88 heal and 215.6 damage on PC
• Max was 40 heal and 98 damage on companions
• +8 heal and +19.6 damage per disposition up to 3 per type
• Meaning a bonus of +48 / +117.6 total PC bonus over companions

The increments from thelee sound mostly correct(at level one I believe it was doing +3/+5 per disposition) however the damage total doesn't add up nicely, maybe bug. Also the bonus to disposition is not modified by might only the base heal/damage(40/98)

 

what's your intellect? a higher or lower intellect will alter the listed damage done, since it's a DOT.

 

 

You are correct, I went back and checked. I read off the base tool tip which is apparently influenced by int before it calculates base damage.  I will edit my other response to correct the mistakes.

 

Also, I *think* the damage part of the disposition bonus is affected by might (it definitely is affected by intellect). I remember playing around with the numbers and it was how I made it make sense.

 

I also rechecked this at full disposition bonuses:

• At 10 might it is 88 / 176
• At 20 might it is 100 / 200

1.3 * 40 + 48 = 100 and 1.3 * 80 + 96 = 200 so might doesn't affect the disposition. 

 

Also, at 20 might and 20 intel, the DoT was set to 250 over 4.5 sec instead of 200 over 3 at 10 intel. I am kind of confused there because it doesn't match up with the 104 from the base plus might or 96 from disposition. It just affected the total by 25%. 

Edited June 18, 2016 by nem0

[thelee]

I recorded the bonuses from disposition at level 16 at 10 might.

 

• Max was 88 heal and 176 damage on PC
• Max was 40 heal and 80 damage on companions or no disposition
• +8 heal and +16 damage per disposition up to 3 per type
• Meaning a bonus of +48 / +96 total PC bonus over companions

The increments from thelee sound correct(at level one I believe it was doing +3/+5 per disposition) . Also the bonus to disposition is not modified by might only the base heal/damage(40/80).

 

Edit: Numbers changed after retesting.

 

With your corrected numbers, it sounds like damage is more like +5, plus ~2.2 per 3 levels after 1? Sounds like I need to update my guide.

[thelee]

Especially with respecializing available, the various god-specific talents are highly recommended.  +10 ACC with a specific weapon type helps out quite a lot at compensating for the Priest's awful base ACC and can make them capable of actually contributing in early game fights.  You can keep the talents later in the game if you'd like (+10 ACC is significant), but only Skaen's provides anything particularly useful apart from the ACC bonus - the baby Sneak Attack (+15% damage, if I remember right; compared to a Rogue's +50% and a Ranger's +30%) is pretty much always useful, which makes a compelling case for a Priest of Skaen PC if you're okay with playing an evil/**** playthrough.

 

I'm personally a big fan of Wael. Yeah, Skaen gives you a baby sneak attack, but I think people may underestimate how good reach weapons can be; (Wael's incomprehensible revelation talent gives you +10 quarterstaff and rods). Skaenites might do more damage, but a priest of Wael can do that damage safely. Just stand behind someone with good engagement (fighter, or some other melee fighter with hold the line) with a good quarterstaff (hint: steal Durance's; Gromnir is right, it's pretty good, one of the better quarterstaffs in the game), maybe put up that Holy Power aura (+3 might, +7 resolve in a tiny area including your priest) and you can do alright early on (and buff your tank in the process). 

Edited June 18, 2016 by thelee

[MaxQuest]

For each point of favored disposition (max of 3 per disposition, minus any disfavored dispositions also max of 3 per) you get an additional +3 healing + 1 every 3 levels after level 1, and you burn vessels for an additional +5 plus an additional +1 every 3 levels after 1. So you can basically double the effect (at a max of 6 disposition score)

Understood)

 

I think your equation for vessel damage is wrong; I think it's 30 base + 5 every 3 levels starting at level 1.

I am pretty sure that it is actually right

As I have personally checked it at each lvl on an NPC priest (with 10 MIG/10 INT), for my fire priest build, and have got the following damage values:

 

lvl 1: 30

lvl 2: 30

lvl 3: 30

lvl 4: 40

lvl 7: 50

lvl 10: 60

lvl 13: 70

lvl 16: 80

 

Which is "30 base +10 every 3 levels starting from lvl 4" or "30 base + 10 every 3 levels after 1" if we rephrase it.

 

---

Regarding non-NPC priests, dispositions, and their influence by Might or Intellect.

I've just made a few checks ingame:

 

 

10 mig, 10 int, 0 disposition
lvl 16: 80

10 mig, 20 int, 0 disposition
lvl 16: 100

10 mig, 30 int, 0 disposition
lvl 16: 120

20 mig, 10 int, 0 disposition
lvl 16: 104

10 mig, 10 int, 5 disposition
lvl 16: 160

10 mig, 30 int, 5 disposition
lvl 16: 240

20 mig, 10 int, 5 disposition
lvl 16: 184

10 mig, 10 int, 6 disposition
lvl 16: 176

10 mig, 20 int, 6 disposition
lvl 16: 220

10 mig, 30 int, 6 disposition
lvl 16: 264

20 mig, 10 int, 6 disposition
lvl 16: 200

30 mig, 10 int, 6 disposition
lvl 16: 224

 

 

So, to sum it up:

- npc priests only do get bonus damage from level.

- main priests get bonuses from both character level and positive dispositions.

- at level 16 (with no positive and negative dispositions) priests do have 80 base damage on holy radiance

- this base damage is fully affected by Might, e.g. at 20 MIG / 10 INT: 80 x 1.3 = 104

- this base damage is also influenced by Intellect; but it seems to be affected at half rate, e.g. at 10 MIG / 20 INT: it's 100 and not 120.

- bonus rank from a disposition is capped at 3 (MAX_BONUS_LEVEL = 3)

- max you can get is 2x3

- you get 16 extra damage from 1 positive disposition (up to 6x16 bonus)

- the bonus damage from dispositions is not affect by Might.

- the bonus damage from dispositions is affected by Intellect at half rate.

Edited June 18, 2016 by MaxQuest

[Elric Galad]

About everything that scales in this game scale on Lvl 1 + 3x.

From transcendant suffering to Brisk recitation and Ranger's pet.

[MimeTactics]

Holy Radiance at full power demo.
​

(minor spoilers in the Video. Solo PoTD - Upscaled)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecL5N7SzHfw

[PizzaSHARK]

 

Especially with respecializing available, the various god-specific talents are highly recommended.  +10 ACC with a specific weapon type helps out quite a lot at compensating for the Priest's awful base ACC and can make them capable of actually contributing in early game fights.  You can keep the talents later in the game if you'd like (+10 ACC is significant), but only Skaen's provides anything particularly useful apart from the ACC bonus - the baby Sneak Attack (+15% damage, if I remember right; compared to a Rogue's +50% and a Ranger's +30%) is pretty much always useful, which makes a compelling case for a Priest of Skaen PC if you're okay with playing an evil/**** playthrough.

 

I'm personally a big fan of Wael. Yeah, Skaen gives you a baby sneak attack, but I think people may underestimate how good reach weapons can be; (Wael's incomprehensible revelation talent gives you +10 quarterstaff and rods). Skaenites might do more damage, but a priest of Wael can do that damage safely. Just stand behind someone with good engagement (fighter, or some other melee fighter with hold the line) with a good quarterstaff (hint: steal Durance's; Gromnir is right, it's pretty good, one of the better quarterstaffs in the game), maybe put up that Holy Power aura (+3 might, +7 resolve in a tiny area including your priest) and you can do alright early on (and buff your tank in the process). 

 

 

Sneak Attack applies to ranged attacks as well as melee ones, however.  You won't have that +10 ACC, which will hurt early on, but the extra damage will outweigh the ACC in most cases later

[thelee]

 

 

Especially with respecializing available, the various god-specific talents are highly recommended.  +10 ACC with a specific weapon type helps out quite a lot at compensating for the Priest's awful base ACC and can make them capable of actually contributing in early game fights.  You can keep the talents later in the game if you'd like (+10 ACC is significant), but only Skaen's provides anything particularly useful apart from the ACC bonus - the baby Sneak Attack (+15% damage, if I remember right; compared to a Rogue's +50% and a Ranger's +30%) is pretty much always useful, which makes a compelling case for a Priest of Skaen PC if you're okay with playing an evil/**** playthrough.

 

I'm personally a big fan of Wael. Yeah, Skaen gives you a baby sneak attack, but I think people may underestimate how good reach weapons can be; (Wael's incomprehensible revelation talent gives you +10 quarterstaff and rods). Skaenites might do more damage, but a priest of Wael can do that damage safely. Just stand behind someone with good engagement (fighter, or some other melee fighter with hold the line) with a good quarterstaff (hint: steal Durance's; Gromnir is right, it's pretty good, one of the better quarterstaffs in the game), maybe put up that Holy Power aura (+3 might, +7 resolve in a tiny area including your priest) and you can do alright early on (and buff your tank in the process). 

 

 

Sneak Attack applies to ranged attacks as well as melee ones, however.  You won't have that +10 ACC, which will hurt early on, but the extra damage will outweigh the ACC in most cases later

 

 

Hm, personally my priest spends most of their time buffing/debuffing, so most of the damage is not a huge concern for me vs safety (and it shows... they have the lowest total damage done on the personal stats table anytime I play).

Edited June 19, 2016 by thelee

[Elric Galad]

 

 

 

 

Especially with respecializing available, the various god-specific talents are highly recommended. +10 ACC with a specific weapon type helps out quite a lot at compensating for the Priest's awful base ACC and can make them capable of actually contributing in early game fights. You can keep the talents later in the game if you'd like (+10 ACC is significant), but only Skaen's provides anything particularly useful apart from the ACC bonus - the baby Sneak Attack (+15% damage, if I remember right; compared to a Rogue's +50% and a Ranger's +30%) is pretty much always useful, which makes a compelling case for a Priest of Skaen PC if you're okay with playing an evil/**** playthrough.

I'm personally a big fan of Wael. Yeah, Skaen gives you a baby sneak attack, but I think people may underestimate how good reach weapons can be; (Wael's incomprehensible revelation talent gives you +10 quarterstaff and rods). Skaenites might do more damage, but a priest of Wael can do that damage safely. Just stand behind someone with good engagement (fighter, or some other melee fighter with hold the line) with a good quarterstaff (hint: steal Durance's; Gromnir is right, it's pretty good, one of the better quarterstaffs in the game), maybe put up that Holy Power aura (+3 might, +7 resolve in a tiny area including your priest) and you can do alright early on (and buff your tank in the process).

Sneak Attack applies to ranged attacks as well as melee ones, however. You won't have that +10 ACC, which will hurt early on, but the extra damage will outweigh the ACC in most cases later

In order to get +10 ranged attack with Skaen priest, you can use the soulbound scepter.

 

You might get it quite early.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Elric Galad

[ManifestedISO]

Rolled a PC priest thanks to this thread, for the first time, and am having a blast as Deceptive/Cruel. I put her up front with Eder, clubbing the bejesus out of enemies with super accuracy and mondo interrupt. Also with Durance in the party, Holy Radiance is a fire-based free-for-all. 

 

Of all my playthroughs, Priest is my new favorite class. 

[Gromnir]

yeah, the priest is malleable and potent.  

 

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/84013-no-idea-what-would-be-a-good-initial-build-for-my-first-proper-game/?p=1771290

 

am thinking that far too many folks waste the opportunity to play a pc priest by going with the healbot + buff/debuff route.  is not to say that the traditional support priest ain't efficacious in poe, but durance can handle most such duties in spite o' beat-to-death complaints 'bout his attributes. use durance for traditional support role allows a pc priest to explore the fringes o' the poe mechanics for more unique (and fun?) builds. 

 

enjoy the sinister skaen priest. the only thing he/she ain't good at is tanking... and the good-guy dialogue checks.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

[ManifestedISO]

oh, hmm, stabby, not clubby. Or both. I saw an accuracy bonus with clubs and went for the beatings. Maybe a couple stilettos and I can pretend to be Elektra. 

[Gromnir]

oh, hmm, stabby, not clubby. Or both. I saw an accuracy bonus with clubs and went for the beatings. Maybe a couple stilettos and I can pretend to be Elektra. 

it is nice to have fighter equivalent accuracy with both a piercing and a blunt weapon.  also, there is decent stilettos and a good club available at low levels. clubs is particular useful at low levels with the accuracy bonus. 

 

HA! Good Fun!