The strongest beta build

[ghostwriter]

A few questions for anyone who tested out the Fury subclass for Druid...

How good is the storm blight compared to the other spirit shift options(def, armor,health, damage etc.)?

Does it scale with level?

Also is it only ranged attacks?

Thanks in advance.

Edited March 15, 2018 by ghostwriter

[Boeroer]

It's weaker than the other forms in terms of damage, but the attacks jumps from the initial target to one additional enemy. It scales with level like the other forms. Yes, only ranged attacks (+1 jump). I did not check what happens when you do Fury/ranger with Driving Flight.

[Voltron]

I'm pretty sure that at some point in PoE1's life cycle, Obsidian just started following Boeroer around and nerfed whatever he came up with. ^^

 

That is why I disable updates on RPG games when they come out So nobody will nerf my fav builds. 

 

As a old-date gamer I am still amazed that anyone would like to nerf something in single player RPG game, but I just play on 1.0 builds mostly :D. Unless there are some game-breaking bugs and I can't finish game.

[Logos]

So does anyone still have good builds? I haven't played the beta extensively, but in this beta build and in my estimation there are two clear standouts: the nature godlike evoker and the bleak walker/assassin. The mage works because self-buffs give you extra power levels, which you can then improve with more power levels, and then cast the level 4 minoletta's missiles spell. This kills pretty much anything. 

 

The bleak walker/assassin works because of the passives each class gives you. If you break stealth with flames of devotion on a two-handed sword with savage attack activated you can again pretty much one-shot anything. 

 

I've been playing with the idea of making a character that can't be hurt and has normal damage output, but currently it's much easier to create a character that has normal damage mitigation but has insane damage output. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. 

[Urthor]

"how much did they nerf this thread" 

[Boeroer]

Eh?

 

However - I can't play the new beta release until Monday. But I guess there will be enough cool builds you can realize with it. Following the detailed patch notes I think that stuff like AoE + Strikes (Minor Blights + Arterial Strike - or Spirit Lance + Stunning Blows and so on) still works, as does Swift Flurry or Cleaving Stance with AoE attacks - for starters...

Edited March 31, 2018 by Boeroer

[CottonWolf]

It's not disasterously powerful as far as I can tell, but a monk/devoted now gets the devoted bonus on fist attacks, as all characters are specialised in unarmed. This also means that the fighter specialised weapon passives apply to fists too.

[JerekKruger]

It's not disasterously powerful as far as I can tell, but a monk/devoted now gets the devoted bonus on fist attacks, as all characters are specialised in unarmed. This also means that the fighter specialised weapon passives apply to fists too.

 

Does this bypass the Devoted's limit on proficiencies?

[theBalthazar]

Sadly, I havn't test yet this combo, but if it is true, this is a bug.

 

It is a minor form of monk training. It is not additive.

[Dr <3]

Sadly, I havn't test yet this combo, but if it is true, this is a bug.

 

It is a minor form of monk training. It is not additive.

He said "devoted bonus" ( the bonus to penetration ecc that devoted gains for his choice weapon) , not "the new passive mini trascendent suffering for everyone"

[dunehunter]

New beta, monk/streetfighter, dual blunderbuss + dual dagger. Swift furry + Confounding Blind + Dual Blunderbuss = reduce max enemy defense + trigger extra attacks with blunderbuss + trigger Streetfighter heat up. Then switch to dual dagger for super fast recovery time(0.9 second without armor), brutal.

[Boeroer]

Nice! I also did Confounded Blind + Swift Flurry + blunderbuss in previous tests, but I didn't think about using a Streetfighter.

 

Also, blunderbuss with the upgrade of Hel-Hyraf + Confounded Blind + Sure Handed Ila (Chanter/Streetfighter) could be good I guess?

[dunehunter]

Nice! I also did Confounded Blind + Swift Flurry + blunderbuss in previous tests, but I didn't think about using a Streetfighter.

 

Also, blunderbuss with the upgrade of Hel-Hyraf + Confounded Blind + Sure Handed Ila (Chanter/Streetfighter) could be good I guess?

 

Or Bleakwalker/Streetfighter +100% sneak attack + 150% backstabing + 100% crit from On the edge + FoD.

Edited April 1, 2018 by dunehunter

[KDubya]

Devoted/Monk is quite good now. Went with Shattered Pillar like I always do. 11 Penetration fists and haven't gotten Thunderous Blows yet.

 

The Transcendent bug is fixed so a save load doesn't wipe out your unarmed ability. Fists hit hard and fast.

 

Basically you get two weapons that will benefit from Devoted with fists being one of them.

 

I really see no point for light armor anymore as even unskilled fists have enough pen to overcome it. Medium looks pretty worthless as well. Even heavy armor loses against the high penetration weapons. Thinking that unless you have an armor bonus like Berserker or Gold Pact you may as well go naked, will have to see how it goes.

[M4xw0lf]

I'm playing around with Barb combos. So far, my dream dual class Barbarian + Cipher couldn't impress me. Always too squishy. Barb+Kind Wayfarer (white flames seem like a god tier power) and Barb+Devoted (weapon focus and fighter stance make two handed swords as deadly as they should be) have given me way better survivability and kill/death ratio.

[dunehunter]

Devoted/Monk is quite good now. Went with Shattered Pillar like I always do. 11 Penetration fists and haven't gotten Thunderous Blows yet.

 

The Transcendent bug is fixed so a save load doesn't wipe out your unarmed ability. Fists hit hard and fast.

 

Basically you get two weapons that will benefit from Devoted with fists being one of them.

 

I really see no point for light armor anymore as even unskilled fists have enough pen to overcome it. Medium looks pretty worthless as well. Even heavy armor loses against the high penetration weapons. Thinking that unless you have an armor bonus like Berserker or Gold Pact you may as well go naked, will have to see how it goes.

 

So now every devoted get not one but two devoted weapon set? One is the weapon set you pick from level 1, another is fist??

[KDubya]

 

Devoted/Monk is quite good now. Went with Shattered Pillar like I always do. 11 Penetration fists and haven't gotten Thunderous Blows yet.

 

The Transcendent bug is fixed so a save load doesn't wipe out your unarmed ability. Fists hit hard and fast.

 

Basically you get two weapons that will benefit from Devoted with fists being one of them.

 

I really see no point for light armor anymore as even unskilled fists have enough pen to overcome it. Medium looks pretty worthless as well. Even heavy armor loses against the high penetration weapons. Thinking that unless you have an armor bonus like Berserker or Gold Pact you may as well go naked, will have to see how it goes.

 

So now every devoted get not one but two devoted weapon set? One is the weapon set you pick from level 1, another is fist??

 

 

Yep.

 

My Devoted picked warhammers and got the Devoted bonus to pen for both the warhammers and for fists. Thing is that even though warhammers are a good penetration weapon fists match them due to the monk transcendent suffering so no need to take something to help with penetration.

 

Need to see if I can pick pistols or blunderbuss as my weapon while primarily using fists. Both could be dual wielded and benefit from the new dualwield talent.

[Dr <3]

Devoted monk is strong ( devoted + trascendent suffering + high monk fist dmg is good).

Tracendent suffering is now % based insted of flat + bonus ( +5% dmg per power level vs the old one +2 dmg every tot lvls in poe1)

The new novice suffering suck ( the bonus are quite the same as trascendent suffering, BUT the fist dmg of a non monk is 5-8 instead of 10-15 of a monk { more or less , don't remember exact values}, so all your good on paper dmg bonus multply a really trash base dmg --> useless.

 

The new novice suffering should change also the base dmg of the fists for everyone.

 

 

 

Ah and the new sweet winds of death are my new preferred ability, now it heals you too.

Bleak walker + chanter ( deathguard ) is also very strong now

[djinnxy]

Chanter/Druid fury is decent. Moon godlike with soft winds of death. I took all the hardest hitting aoe spells and the chanter cone electric. Most damage done and most damage taken with only one ko and only the temple left to go. 4 in athetics and the druid spell that heals 50 and damages for emergency heals. Medium armor dual hatchets or dual fists.

 

My last run through was an evoker heavy on missile attacks. Nature godlike and a couple enchant spells for constant power level boost. Good times.

Edited April 1, 2018 by djinnxy

[Frog Man]

Just copied the devoted/monk and street fighter/monk builds theorized above for my next run through the beta. You guys are awesome.

[MadDemiurg]

From my testing the following builds are pretty bonkers:

 

Soulblade + Bleakwalker

Soulblade + Barb

Paladin (whatever) + Beckoner

 

Soulblade with Bleakwalker can oneshot stuff with FoD and then oneshot again with soul annihilation.  Rinse repeat. Pretty great resists as well. Lash damage from FoD is multiplicative with soul whip. If you really hate someone mark them as well. Tank version with plate armor is possible and has good synergy with Retribution from pala, but in a party the optimal setup is probably a dps one with a pike and a ranged weapon in the 2nd set (rod for aoe or something that hits really hard for oneshotting).

 

Soulblade + Barb is bit weaker but has melee aoe, although you can have ranged aoe with rods if needed with anyone. Also kinda squishy so should use a pike and wouldn't work solo (while soulblade + pala probably can)

 

Paladin + Beckoner is lol, you're nearly immortal and spam hordes of summons that easily kill anything. Definitely can solo. Pure beckoner is pretty bonkers too.

Edited April 2, 2018 by MadDemiurg

[Boeroer]

Paladin + Beckoner is still my no. 1 because of Shared Flames + Aefyllath Ues Mith Fyr giving all summons and party members in range a +45% lash.

 

I mean besides broken stuff like Kalakoth's Minor Blights or Spirit Lance + Swift Flurry or Soul Annihilation + Spirit Lance.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Boeroer

[MadDemiurg]

I haven't played beta for a while, but in the current state a major problem with multiclassing is that it's way too easy to stack damage bonuses. "Power level" doesn't seem to help deal with this at all as most of them are fixed. 50% sneak attack is still 50% sneak attack whether you multiclass or not.

 

Basically almost any combination of the following:

Soulblade

Rogue

Barb

Paladin

Fighter

Monk

Shifter

Wizard (once blights and lance are accessible)

Ranger (with ranged weapons)

 

is capable of putting out damage far beyond what they would be able to do if they stayed single class. The outliers of for me so far are the paladin multiclasses as they are capable of great damage and good/great survivability at the same time. Although I haven't tested some other interesting combos yet.

 

In terms of survivability any combo of Paladin, Fighter, Chanter, Wizard seems to do well, with Chanter/Paladin providing awesome support and good damage + even more tanking via summons on top.

 

Some worthy mentions in terms of single class:

Ascendant cipher. The whole point is spamming cipher powers  so multiclasses don't do much. They might help to get to max focus bit faster but with draining whip and a high damage weapon you usually max out in 1-3 hits anyway.  With +5 power levels from ascension + nature godlike the aoe damage is very respectable and this is likely the best CC class atm. Probably would get even stronger in full game with high level cipher powers as they aren't supposed to be spammable normally.

 

Beckoner is really strong too, but beckoner with paladin is probably better.

 

Lifegiver nature godlike aka mr healbot.

 

Priest would probably still be good in a party because some of the buffs are really strong. Not sure if there are multiclasses that are better than staying pure here.

 

Spell damage casters e.g. evoker or fury can do decent aoe but they are not even close to ascendant level of spammability and seem to fall behind weapon damage due to how easy it is to stack. With wizard in particular, seems silly to bother with damage spells when you have citzal's lance.

 

I think stacking of damage multipliers when multiclassing needs to be looked at.

Edited April 2, 2018 by MadDemiurg

[Frog Man]

Paladin + Beckoner is still my no. 1 because of Shared Flames + Aefyllath Ues Mith Fyr giving all summons and party members in range a +45% lash.

 

I mean besides broken stuff like Kalakoth's Minor Blights or Spirit Lance + Swift Flurry or Soul Annihilation + Spirit Lance.

What stat spread are you guys looking at with the Paladin beckoner? I’m assuming might isn’t needed much as your summons are doing the damage. Also, are you keeping the skellies up 100% of the time? When I played it I switched to the wyrms once I was down to 1-2 enemies and they packed quite a punch!

[Boeroer]

In my experience the skeletons do better damage than the wurms and also do engage (with disengagement attacks). They also split in two once they die. So I keep them up all the time, poke the enemy with my pike + modal in order to lower deflection by -10 so that the skellies can hit better. I usually send them all on one enemy who usually collapses after a few seconds.

 

Worms have the advantage of ranged combat though - no movement required. If you are tanky they are good, too.

 

The Ogres are also good but look so ridiculously tiny with a Beckoner that I never use them. I couldn't test drakes properly yet because they were heavily bugged in beta 3.

 

My stats were fairly balanced. I need MIG for FoD and healing for example. PER is not that important though. FoD has +20 ACC and healing needs no ACC. I guess White Flames could be nice to heal your summons without switching to healing phrases or using Lay on Hands.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Boeroer