Companion build guide

[Bathum]

Hi,

 

I'm starting my second game of PoE in Path of the Damned difficulty. I'd like to do it with the companions I did not hire during my first game (in order to complete their personnal quests, mainly).

I'm not sure if they're strong enough. Even if they are, I'd like to know if there is material for guidance on that subject.

 

I plan my group as follow :

 

PC is a barbarian tank inspired by Boeroer's Golden Dragon

Eder for Off-tank/DPS melee (and later that monk from WM1)

Durance for support

Hiravias AoE spells DPS

Sangani for ranged DPS (later maybe the Construct rogue)

Grieving Mother as ranged archer + cipher stuff

 

 

If there is no such thing as a guide for building companion, any advice for the PotD mode with those characters is welcome

 

Thanks for reading

Edited September 28, 2017 by Bathum

[Zidster]

I don't know if there are really builds for these characters, as the most important thing to consider is already laid down (attributes). But you might want to have a look in this subforum: https://forums.obsidian.net/forum/91-pillars-of-eternity-characters-builds-strategies-the-unity-engine-spoiler-warning/

 

Basically the only thing you can distribute are skills and talents. I think fighters are the only ones who are able to max out their accuracy with talents, while others only gain a plus six bonus. I didn't really like those and I get much higher bonuses from buffing characters. So just use the talents which are supportive to their role.

 

I'm playing a similar group, only diffence is I have no cipher and fighter, insteaad wizard and paladin. So far I'm doing alright, the real hard fights started with the highlevel areas from WM1. I am considering changing my druid into a better DPS, which I am lacking a bit atm. I don't really use his AoE spells that often to justify his use, most of the time it's my mage that does the damage.

Edited September 28, 2017 by Zidster

[Bathum]

Hi,
 
Thanks for your answer.
 
I do know this section, that's where I found the golden dragon barbarian build. I just don't know if it's possible to adjust the builds over there to the companions. For exemple I'm not sure the fire priest build with high dex/low res can be adapted to Durance and its DEX:9 RES:19...

 

This is an extreme example, and I know that attributes matter less than strategy, but still. Is it possible to make a good enough (for PotD) melee DPS out of Eder or Pallegina? Or a good enough support priest out of Durance?

[Phenomenum]

Maybe this guides may help you:

 

It's subjective, but useful anyway.
 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Phenomenum

[Bathum]

Thank you, this is a good start indeed.

[Bathum]

An update in case other people would be interest in this topic.

 

First of all, I'll respond to my question : one can perfectly play on Path of the Damned difficulty with story companions. It's a bit harder than with custom characters but perfectly doable if you know what you are doing and stay consistent in the talents and skill you choose.

The only exception might be Durance : I found him way too slow... I remplaced him with a high MIG/DEX/INT build that is able to quickly cast huge amount of heal or immunity to whatever you need within a large radius.

 

Right now I'm lvl 12 and just finished the base game and a good part of WM1 with following team :

Equipment can be adjusted as I've not reached WM2 locations.

 

PC Golden Dragon Barbarian build tank

wielding Edge of reason + little savior / Tidefall

Other specs are almost all those Boeroer recommended in his build (thanks for the awesome work btw).

 

Eder as a dual wielding sword DPS doing a real good job despite the lack of DEX

Weapons : Flames of fair rhian + Purgatory (with +25%burn damage enchant) / Best pistol I could find for combat start (+25% burn damage enchant)

Wearing : Shod in faith + Sanguine plate (superb, +2 dex) + helmet of +4 might

Usual maxing damage abilities and talents + Scion of flame talent on top to max burning damage.

 

Hiravias as an Off-DPS + AoE crowd-control

Weapons : Dual spear with both +25% shock damage + Persistance hunting bow (+25% shock damage)

Wearing Blaidh Gholan armor + Echoing misery boots + wildstrike belt

Talents and Abilities : shock wildstrike maxed + heart of the storm to max shocking damage

 

Pallegina as Support / ACC buffer / ranged damage.

Weapons : Tall Grass + best arquebus I could find.

Wearing : Osric's family breastplate +2 INT

Talents and abilities : every thing to pump accuracy and aura area + flames of devotion maxed + wrath of the 5 suns + artillery related talents

I love the way I build her : while  buffing my CC guys accuracy, she can one-shot the glass canons by 'wrath of the 5 suns' them or FoD with arquebus. Once every enemy back liner are dead because of her, you go for support with tall-grass pike than stun every body.

 

Aloth as debuff wizzard / crowd control AOE spells

Weapons : Curoc's brand + soulboung staff

Wearing starlit grab robe + maxing might/dex/int stuff that doesn't fit other characters.

To be honest I did not really dig this build and just chose talents and abilities on the moment, which is why I rebuilded this guy a lot. Not sure I found my perfect setting yet, but he's dealing good amount of damage and debuff spells duration/area are good enough so I keep him.

Plus, his talks to Eder and Pallegina are just too funny.

 

Moonfire build priest of Eothas because I could not figure out how to use Durance properly.

Look at MaxQuest's build, it's really good and works just fine.

 

 

I also tried Grieving mother and Sangani, but both lacked of power as crowd controler and ranged damage dealer respectively.

Kana is really good too and can make a great tank/ off-tank/ support but I already had characters in thoses roles.

 

If anybody is interested in more complete informations on those companion builds, just let me know and I'd be pleased to share info and progression ways (like for Eder, starting at a dual wielding fighter was tough because of the lack of deflection).

 

Thanks for reading.

Edited October 24, 2017 by Bathum

[Phenomenum]

"t's a bit harder than with custom characters" - it's a bit easier, becose story companions have same level with you.

 

PC rogue/druid, wearing simple clothes until Durgan steel - becose any armor is greatly reduce offensive potential

Weapon: Rogue - fast (stillettos, rapiers) or sabres and maces for high-DR enemies. Druid - weapon no matter, bur i prefer Guird HS, becose of  +3 RES
 

Eder as DW DPS in Sanguine Plate, becose of Armored Grace ability - he is fine
Weapon - dual hammers

 

Hiravias - simple cloth, weapon no matter

Pallegina - DW PDS with swords/maces or Twohanded with Greysleeper/Abydons hammer
Armor - Hiravian rath breastpale, later - soulbound armor +3 INT (always forget it's name)

 

Aloth - CC, simple cloth. Weapons don't matter.

Durance - simple cloth (+2 Might), +2 DEX gloves or something + Aggradazing radiance to compensate low DEX + food = 15 DEX. (Viettro boots +4 DEX later). Weapons don't matter.

 

Zacua - tundra cloth. Weapon - fists/sabre/spear

 

Maneha - Default armor, axes\hummers.

 

Kana - Hand & Key armor, two-handed weapons\ Abydons hammer

Sagani - simple cloth. Massuk bow/Forgivennes pistol/Persistence

Devil - Durganised armor, fast weapons (Spelltongue rapier especially)

 

Mother - simple clothes, Stormcaller + bonus DR items and abilyties. Pistols (Dulcanale esp) as backup weapon for electric immune enemies.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

No need to wait for recovery time at all, quick attack to blow the enemies to hell + fun, becose low DR's and defences meaning high risk.
 

Edited October 24, 2017 by Phenomenum

[AutoQQ]

Since I have only completed the game once and just got the WM expansions, Would you mind listing a basic talent sheet for each companion?

[draego]

Since I have only completed the game once and just got the WM expansions, Would you mind listing a basic talent sheet for each companion?

I wonder what you mean. The companions have no special talents. If a companion is a wizard they have access to same spells you do or any other random wizard

[AutoQQ]

 

Since I have only completed the game once and just got the WM expansions, Would you mind listing a basic talent sheet for each companion?

I wonder what you mean. The companions have no special talents. If a companion is a wizard they have access to same spells you do or any other random wizard

 

I mean where he lists Aloth for instance as an Aoe CC build. I am wondering what are his preferred choices?

[draego]

 

 

Since I have only completed the game once and just got the WM expansions, Would you mind listing a basic talent sheet for each companion?

I wonder what you mean. The companions have no special talents. If a companion is a wizard they have access to same spells you do or any other random wizard

 

I mean where he lists Aloth for instance as an Aoe CC build. I am wondering what are his preferred choices?

 

 I see wasn't reading in context. 

[Phenomenum]

Ok, Aloth.

Armor and items: Simple clothes, after WM1 one of Durganized robes (or maybe not) - it's up to you. Main goal: minimize recovery time. Becose with no recovery penalty from armor + DAoM spell you can cast without recovery at all.

+ 2 Wizard rings, which gave +N to spells limit

 

About spells - you can collect nearly all spells from grimuars of defeated enemy wizards. Nothing special in this section.
CC - becose Aloth have 12 Might, but mid Per and high Int.

 

Weapon: Gyrd Haewanes Stenes

As for abilities, nothing special again:
1. Blast
2. Arcane Vail
3. Penetration Blast
4. Hardened vail

5. Dangerous implements
6. Apprentice sneak attack

+ any other for you favor

Questions?