The most "other" and "fun" class for a new run nowadays?

[Nemesis7884]

I am currently finishing my parallel playthroughs of a mostly ranged cipher and a 2h-healer-paladin... what would you consider is another or "most" fun class regarding its mechanics that one should definately try and that is maybe also underrepresented in the game? Maybe a rogue? or a Monk? or a specific sub-class build? A melee wizard?

Edited August 14, 2016 by Nemesis7884

[Ben No.3]

Obviously try a fighter... So much fun and diversity

 

For real: I would say definitely try a priest. With skaens boon and apprentice's sneak attack you can even gain 35% bonus on a sneak attack, and the priest's spells are ridiculously powerful, only on par with the wizard (in my opinion). The melee wizard is a lot of fun to, however, it uses summoned weapons and buffs and several talents. So you need a lot of spell slots thus reducing the amount of CC you can do. Another class I can recommend is the barbarian, they are especially after some levels a ton of fun. Also a spiritshift centred Druid is fun. Monks are as well a lot of fun and a really good tank/DD/CC hybrid, they are perhaps the best and definitely the most fun dedicated melee class

Edited August 14, 2016 by Ben No.3

[Ben No.3]

Okay, maybe not the best, but definitely a lot of fun hidden there

[Livegood118]

Rogues can be good if you like seeing big numbers float over your enemies heads, but other than that they're kind of a one trick pony.

 

Monks are really great, will generally do a bit less dps than the rogue (more with certain synergies - e.g. Fire godlike) but have so much utility that it makes them a lot more valuable imo - frequent teleports, huge duration prones, crazy lashes/Dr, survivability etc ...

 

I personally quite like chanters though they're more of a "passive" class when all's said and done. You can play them in more active ways by doing short phases or more passive ways by focusing on longer phrases. Either way chanters are late bloomers, and really tend to hit their stride around level 9/10 or so I find as that's when phrases become much shorter because of brisk recitation and you get some killer abilities (dragon thrashed, seven winds, ogres, AOE revive etc ...).

 

Ranged ciphers are amazing and keep getting better and better as the game goes on, finally hitting their peak with what I consider the most powerful ability in the game (defensive mind web). With the right setup I found I basically had infinite focus from about level 10 onwards, or at least enough to keep large hordes of dudes permanently CCd.

 

Dual wielding barbarian is now the bees knees since heart of fury got buffed to once per encounter.

 

Wizards/priests/Druids are all kinda similar imo, though you really start to notice the added flexibility of what you can do with a wizard as they gain levels. Combining spell buffs and wall of draining is good fun.

 

You could fairly easily make a wizard that doubles up as a Meleer/disabler by pumping dex, int and per but I think this kind of style is more of a late bloomer - a lot of people say early game you should use concelhauts parasitic staff to attack from range but I found on POTD my dude would just get swamped anyway. Hard CC was the only reliable way to get a wizard in Melee range, and to keep it up you need lots of spells and high levels. Might work well if you've got other disablers in your party (cipher+Druid).

Edited August 14, 2016 by Livegood118

[Boeroer]

Melee Tidefall priest in fatty fat armor (I like He Carries Many Scars) with max MIG, INT & PER who focuses on self heal (Veteran's Recovery, Consecrated Ground, Triumph of the Crusaders and also Wound Binding and potions of IwVE* - combined with max healing received bonuses) in order to stay alive rather than deflection (which he can buff by 50 points easily, too). I tried a shortened solo run with this and obviously it's a bit difficult at the beginning but really fun once you have gained some levels and thereby some sturdyness. I did all the bounties with this and it works nicely. With things like Champion's Boon or Minor Avatar the damage of the sword is awesome - especially the wounding part. Also Envenomed Stike with 40+ MIG and >20 INT is devastating.

 

Why Tidefall? I wanted to try if the wounding gets doubled by Cleansing Flame (doubling the tick rate). I'm not sure if it does - because I also used Envenomed Strike with Tidefall and then cast Cleansing Flame a lot when I wanted to kill single strong enemies. I can only say that this combination is so powerful that I can't really say if wounding + Cleansing Flame does work properly but Envenomed Strike surely works, killing most foes in seconds. The draining and wounding of Tidefall just work very nicely together with pumped MIG. Of course a shining beacon with +40 MIG + Cleansing Flame also obliterates everything. 

 

Survivability is great because of self heals. Triumph of the Crusaders is great for an offensive preist who kills things a lot because it will heal you to full endurance every time you kill a foe. In the meantime Consecr. Ground and Veteran's Recovery will do their stuff. With St. Borragia'S Tears, a Belt of Bountiful Healing, 40+ MIg and +60% from camping bonuses your self healing power is so high that you can't be killed in normal ways besides getting one-shotted or if health runs out. To prevent this, use Wound Binding (also profits from MIG and healing bonuses, will heal your health completely - so don't use it too early) and potions of IwVE*. Those also profit from MIG and healing bonuses. If you get too many crits, buff your deflection - but most of the time there was no need.

 

I didn't use Iconic Projection too much because I was solo - but i can imagine how aweseome this spell is in a full party with all that MIG.

 

Spark the Souls of the Righteous? Awesome! Kills foes whil you hack at them with Tidefall while the Shining Beacon DoT also does it's job. Lots "drive by" kills which all trigger Triumph of the Crusaders = immediate full heal.

 

Symbol of Berath (Magran.. and so on): same thing. Great for this priest.

 

How do I reach 40+ MIG in nearly every fight without too much fuzz?

+ Aumaua or dwarf with max MIG from the Living Lands: 21 MIG base

+ Aggrandizing Radiance: +2 to MIG (and the other stats +2 move speed), stacks with everything (does only lower the healing for yourself, not the party despite the description - at least in my run)

+ Champion's Boon: +10 MIG (or Minor Avatar +8; together with Aggr. Radiance you'll have +10 to every stat) or more early Holy Power (+3) or Devotions (+4) or even Frenzy from Sanguine Plate (+4). Desperate Souls can use Outlander's Frenzy (+3) but I don't recommend wasting a talent point for this since it gets suppressed by all those spells.

+ Maegfolc Skull: +4 MIG (or Garodh's Chorus +3 - Retaliation with 40+ MIG is also not too bad)

+ Abydon's Hammer: +4 MIG (I use it only when I cast offensive stuff, not for melee. There I still use Tidefall)

= 41 MIG = big success!

Special campain talants like Gift from the Machine and Effigy's Resentment not even included! Until you get those high end items you can reach 40+ MIG easily with food, prostitutes and resting bonuses plus normal +MIG items, too. That also means that you can nearly reach 50 MIG when you combine all available buffs and talents. That's a BIG plus when engaging bounty heads or dragons. Envenomed Strike + Cleansing Flame + Shining Beacon + Spark the Souls + Triumph otC should do the job. Every job...

 

A high level MC priest with 40 MIG and perfect disposition also one shots nearly all vessels (but the strongest) with his Holy Radiance. Fights against vessels become jokes with this priest. Even the berathian priest's Concelhaut's Siphon is good with healing bonuses and high MIG. That's the reason I chose Berath. And because it fits the Maegfolc Skull thematically (Death's Usher and whatnot).

 

Very nice experience overall. Great melee/caster hybrid - totally offensive while sturdy via self healing. Difficult at the beginning - ridicilously easy at higher levels.

 

)*Infuse with Vital Essence

Edited August 14, 2016 by Boeroer

[Nemesis7884]

hmmm barbarian, priest and monk sound interesting - i also like a playthrough with a smaller party, cause 6 for me is a bit chaotic tbh... i might go to white march as soon as i can to get those companions (i think the barbarian you cant get immiedialty?)... i always wanted to play again with a dwarf

 

I think a moon godlike or a nature one might also work with your build

[Raven Darkholme]

I'd go barbarian if you haven't go watch Kaylon's video. :D

 

edit:

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/88179-tank-barbarians-seem-pretty-disgusting/?p=1830135

Edited August 14, 2016 by Raven Darkholme

[Nemesis7884]

cool thanks! barbarian seems nice and interesting too

[Boeroer]

Yeah that's also fun and uses the same principle: skill for offense and balance things out with self heals. I did a complete barb solo run that way and it's good. But it's quite unspectacular to play. Mainly auto-attacks until you get HoF. Then it's HoF + Combusting Wounds all the time: trying to get as many enemies as possible into range and *pouf* - encounter is over.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Boeroer

[Dr <3]

Go to a brawler barbarian with novice suffering and clean your way with the sound of punches!

And in case you get bored you can swich for tidefall anyway

[Boeroer]

Yeah - because of the mechanics of Novice's Suffering we discussed in the other thread (the differences between graze/hit/crit don't matter much, good damage without +x% dmg mods and very good ACC - +20 at lvl 16) I can imagine that is a fun thing for a barb. That plus the meaty punching sounds of course.

 

Or Novice's Suffering with a fighter who carries a large shield and has 3 PER.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Boeroer

[Dr <3]

My heart is now shattered between punches and tidefall, but i can't have them both :D

[rheingold]

Barbarians are kinda tough to beat as a melee character now, so many builds - and they are pretty much the best trash collector bar none now... (I'd include casters in that assessment now that Hof is per encounter). loads of fun as well. I'd also second chanters, really good all rounders and can be fun to play depending on which chants you use.