Defensive Defense Talents

[Torin]

There are these Defensive Defense Talents hat gives +10 to Ref., fort and will, and there are the other Defensive Defense Talents that gives +10 to mind-effect, body effects and blinded etc. effects.

 

What is better?

[Boeroer]

Depends. They stack though - so it's best if you combine them.

 

For me, fortitude is the most important defense. So I would start with Bear's Fortitude. Then (if I have points to sparw) I would take Body Control.

 

Those two will help to shrug off the most nasty disables like paralyze, stun and so on. Combine it with items like Fenwalkers, Wayfarer's Hide, Tempered Helm, Boots of Stability and so on and you will have excellent defenses against those disables.

 

Of course: if you have a priest with prayers you don't need all of this fort buffing - also no will buffing. Then it's better to go for deflection and reflex.

[Torin]

Boeroer, thanks a lo lot!

[IamNOOB]

Body control can be super OP in some sitautions and I use it from the start even though I m noob and I didnt know if it is the best pick. It is sure useful though - saying that after my first playthrough.

[JerekKruger]

Note that Reflex can be raised a lot through Weapon and Shield Style. Even a normal quality Small Shield gives +8 Deflection, so with W&SS that gives +8 Reflex*, which is almost as much as the talent. Use a Superb Large Shield and suddenly you're getting +28 (+34?) Reflex. As a result characters who are going to use shields don't really need to worry about their Reflex defence and probably don't need to take Snake's Reflex.

 

*It might be +14, I can't remember if the +6 from W&SS counts as part of the shield's Deflection for the purposes of raising Reflex.

[Natures Bounty]

Depends. They stack though - so it's best if you combine them.

 

For me, fortitude is the most important defense. So I would start with Bear's Fortitude. Then (if I have points to sparw) I would take Body Control.

 

Those two will help to shrug off the most nasty disables like paralyze, stun and so on. Combine it with items like Fenwalkers, Wayfarer's Hide, Tempered Helm, Boots of Stability and so on and you will have excellent defenses against those disables.

 

Of course: if you have a priest with prayers you don't need all of this fort buffing - also no will buffing. Then it's better to go for deflection and reflex.

 

I agree with you and I have a follow-up question: Am I right that there is no priest spell or scroll protecting your party from getting stunned? I thougt so, but now I'm not sure. That's why I considered the coastal aumaua race bonus as one of the best and had the impression that "stun" was the most annoying affliction in the game. There are scrolls and a priest spell that let you gain immunity to paralyze and petrify. But I never found a spell or scroll that made me immune to stun. ...Please tell me I haven't overlooked this scroll for all that time  ;-)

 

If not, the stun affliction would a legit reason to still take bear's fortitude and possibly body control, even if you have a priest in your party. Especially in ToI games. On the other hand, as you have already pointed out, there are other ways to push your fortitude defense, and thus, defense against stunned + all the other nasty disables.

[zeldagaiden]

 

Depends. They stack though - so it's best if you combine them.

 

For me, fortitude is the most important defense. So I would start with Bear's Fortitude. Then (if I have points to sparw) I would take Body Control.

 

Those two will help to shrug off the most nasty disables like paralyze, stun and so on. Combine it with items like Fenwalkers, Wayfarer's Hide, Tempered Helm, Boots of Stability and so on and you will have excellent defenses against those disables.

 

Of course: if you have a priest with prayers you don't need all of this fort buffing - also no will buffing. Then it's better to go for deflection and reflex.

 

I agree with you and I have a follow-up question: Am I right that there is no priest spell or scroll protecting your party from getting stunned? I thougt so, but now I'm not sure. That's why I considered the coastal aumaua race bonus as one of the best and had the impression that "stun" was the most annoying affliction in the game. There are scrolls and a priest spell that let you gain immunity to paralyze and petrify. But I never found a spell or scroll that made me immune to stun. ...Please tell me I haven't overlooked this scroll for all that time  ;-)

 

If not, the stun affliction would a legit reason to still take bear's fortitude and possibly body control, even if you have a priest in your party. Especially in ToI games. On the other hand, as you have already pointed out, there are other ways to push your fortitude defense, and thus, defense against stunned + all the other nasty disables.

 

 

The spell exists, but there's no scroll for it. It's called Litany against major afflictions, lvl 6 priest spell i think, makes you immune to stun. Only thing as such in the game. Most of the times bear fort+body control should take care of the brunt of it, even if its to convert those afflictions into grazes. Still, most of the time you dont want your paladin healer/supporter or your front line dpser stunned randomly, so you might wana cast that if you have a priest around.

[Boeroer]

Litanies are single ally only. They can protect you or an ally from those disables which can't be countered by a prayer. Prone and stun included.

 

It's true that there's no scroll for that.

[Natures Bounty]

thanks for reminding! 

Single ally spells are quite uncomfortable though, if you compare to preacher against imprisonement and preacher against treachery (AoE immunity). 

[Xanlilthe]

Not Talents but next best thing:

 

Best defensive worn items I've found against Afflictions (ESPECIALLY for solo runs):

 

Company Captain's Cap [Head slot]: Immunity to Confuse, Daze, Charm, and Dominate. Passive

 

Steadfast [Weapon slot]: Immunity to Frightened and Terrified. Passive

 

Ilfan Byrngar's Solace [Weapon slot]: +50 Defenses while Stunned

+50 Defenses while Prone. Passive

 

Solitary (from Comtessa's Gage [Hands]): Immunity to Paralysed. If you are soloing and don't have any summons, this appears to be effectively passive.

 

Clarity (from Looped Rope [Waist]): +20 Defenses against Blinded, Charmed, Confused, Dazed, Distracted, Dominated, Frightened, Hobbled, Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Sickened, Stuck, Stunned, Terrified, Unconscious, Weakened attacks. Passive

 

All of these items except the Looped Rope provide other benefits, some very substantial!

 

Limited time:

 

Ring of Unshackling: 5 seconds of Suppress Affiction. Might be just the thing to allow you to get up other defenses. Can go for longer in combo with Spelltongue. Boeroer mentions this in another thread as can be ALMOST continuous with high enough weapon speed. (dual wielding?)

 

Scroll of Defense: +20 to ALL Defenses for 15 seconds (+ INT bonus). So you don't get Afficted in the first place!

 

Oops, just noticed that this was posted Feb 2017 not 2018. But I've taken the time to write it, so may as well post it!

[Boeroer]

You didn't mention Fenwalkers - which are one of the best items against afflictions in the game in my opinion. It's not only the raise of the defenses, it's the reduced affliction duration.

 

Blaidh Golan against stun & prone (Preservation + Breakout).

 

Aila Braccia against Lagufaeth's blowdarts (trivializes fights against them).

 

Little Savior does the same as Solace (Preservation, stacks with Blaidh Golan since it's a weapon/shield) but comes superb and also has the herald enchantment (+5 to all defenses, stacks with everything).

[Xanlilthe]

Thanks for the input.

 

I haven't actually finished the game yet, and haven't gotten Aila Braccia or Little Saviour yet, so I haven't tested them.

 

I like my Sanguine Plate too much to go for Blaidh Golan, since Solace gives me part of that.

 

Fenwalkers, hmmm. I haven't got them yet either. I thought I did, but I don't have them and I can't imagine I would have sold them since I normally keep all Unique items.

 

I'm soloing as a Chanter on POTD and am just finishing up the Bounties (just Redwater Lagufaeth, Sserkal, and Lafda to go. Aila Braccia and Blaidh Golan seem as if they might be very useful for the first two of those for sure. I stopped in the middle of Act III to take on the White Marches and the Bounties. I was saving the Adra Dragon for near the end as I fought him once (got killed, just, after about 20 minutes) and it seems as if it will be a long fight with a lot of running to avoid the dragon strikes. So no Little Savior for a while.

 

On to The Sealed Missive then. Tally Ho!

 

BTW, I appreciate your input very much. You've posted a lot on these forums and I like your take on the game. How did you happen upon this thread again? I seem to be the only follower.  Does being an Arch-Mage give more following options?