The strongest beta build

[SaruNi]

Can't understand why I don't see any indication when I use Empower, it's like nothing happened, only +1 to power source.

 

Also I thought Wellspring of Life is a passive, just adding +2 to power level

 

I evaluate myself as pretty experienced gamer, but overall it's not so clear for me, hopefully there will be some explanation and more friendly information tooltips for new players.

 

I was confused at first too, until I looked at the character sheet. The confusion stems from the character creation menu not giving the details of Lifegiver and Nature Godlikes.

 

Lifegiver: starts with +2 power level for Rejuvenation spells, then gets an additional +5 power level for Rejuvenation spells when in Spiritshift form.

 

Nature Godlike's Wellspring of Life gives +2 power level when under the effects of any Might, Con, or Dex Inspiration (Nature's Vigor gives "Fit" which is a Con Inspiration).

 

5 + 2 + 2 = 9.

Edited November 24, 2017 by SaruNi

[SaruNi]

 

Yeah... but you know what I mean: In PoE1 this would also be very good, but you couldn't do it all the time without resting because a) your healing spells wouln't be per encounter and more importantly b) your health pool would suffer a lot.

 

Now in Deadfire it is like a godmode cheat for nearly one minute without any consequences. You can do this forever without resting. Maybe if you step into a trap... but that's another story.

 

That is assuming you're not getting dispelled or suppressed !

 

I seem to remember a spell or ability that can temporarily disable buffs on enemies.

 

I would think it to be an absolute direct counter to your bunkering-up strategy

 

 

Yes, Arcane Dampener (wizard spell) suspends all beneficial effects on foes within the AoE. However, it has a small AoE ("2.5 meters of the chosen point") so you can move out of it. Unless enemies are very intelligent (or have a variation on the ability...). 

 

Does Arcane Dampener count as a hostile effect? Suppress Affliction and Liberating Exhortation both say "hostile effects suspended".... Could be reminiscent of the mage battles in BG2.

Edited November 24, 2017 by SaruNi

[Nail]

Modal large shield and a pistol

I don't know why, but this scene is in my mind...

[morhilane]

Now add a Beckoner with Ancient Memory...

When I tried Ancient Memory in the beta it just healed for 1 HP...

[Boeroer]

Yes, I also tried right now and it's totally NOT useful. Something for the bug section I guess...

[Frog Man]

 

Modal large shield and a pistol

I don't know why, but this scene is in my mind...

lol! Leslie Nielsen is the best

[Boeroer]

I just saw that a combo of Berserker/Streetfighter could combine a high number of engagement slots (shield use +1, Persistant Distraction +1, Barbaric Yell +3, spear +1) with the ability to distract ALL engaged enemies passively with Persistent Distraction... Does that mean auto-sneak-attack with carnage?

 

I also realized that an Unbroken/Wizard could combine a lot of engagement slots (like, a LOT) with hefty disengagement-punishment. Alacrity would allow him to move freely and swiftly and "collect" all enemies in engagement. If they want to leave they get severly punished...

I mean besides the crazy high defenses because of Unbroken + Wizard's self buffs.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Boeroer

[dam]

I just saw that a combo of Berserker/Streetfighter could combine a high number of engagement slots (shield use +1, Persistant Distraction +1, Barbaric Yell +3, spear +1) with the ability to distract ALL engaged enemies passively with Persistent Distraction... Does that mean auto-sneak-attack with carnage?

 

I also realized that an Unbroken/Wizard could combine a lot of engagement slots (like, a LOT) with hefty disengagement-punishment. Alacrity would allow him to move freely and swiftly and "collect" all enemies in engagement. If they want to leave they get severly punished...

I mean besides the crazy high defenses because of Unbroken + Wizard's self buffs.

 

Does the wizard side bring anything of note other than Deleterious Alacrity of Motion ?

 

Because if not, one might be better served using potions (or boots !) or speed...

[Nail]

 

I just saw that a combo of Berserker/Streetfighter could combine a high number of engagement slots (shield use +1, Persistant Distraction +1, Barbaric Yell +3, spear +1) with the ability to distract ALL engaged enemies passively with Persistent Distraction... Does that mean auto-sneak-attack with carnage?

 

I also realized that an Unbroken/Wizard could combine a lot of engagement slots (like, a LOT) with hefty disengagement-punishment. Alacrity would allow him to move freely and swiftly and "collect" all enemies in engagement. If they want to leave they get severly punished...

I mean besides the crazy high defenses because of Unbroken + Wizard's self buffs.

 

Does the wizard side bring anything of note other than Deleterious Alacrity of Motion ?

 

Because if not, one might be better served using potions (or boots !) or speed...

 

Illusionist is good, defensive wise.

All buffs are almost instant.

[theBalthazar]

Deleterious Alacrity of Motion ?

 

 

LOL...

 

Best nerf ever.

 

Now +15 % of speed (+5) VS 50 %, and there always the malus.

 

Poor Wizard, sniff...

Edited November 24, 2017 by theBalthazar

[kanisatha]

I tried again with all non-casters except the Livegiver and it's a lot more powerful than having casters only. Reason is that rangers/fighters and so on shred things a lot faster than pure AoE casters can. Even when they have enough time now to cast things they are just very bad compared to classes that deal weapon damage. I presume a pack of helwalkers would be cool - because they can gain wounds and MIG bonuses by taking damage - which is healed all the time...

 

The healing makes it easy to go full offense. It's still benefical to have one dedicated damage sponge who unstealths and absorbs the first wave of attacks so that you can cast your fast healing sequence unhindered. A large shield with that modal might help a lot - and after healing is "on" switch to a more offensive setup. Afflictions like Sickened and Weakened can easily be countered with an inspiration.

This is SO awesome! Thanks for testing this. I really hope when all is said and done, that a party of no casters except possibly a healer can kick ass in PoE2, including taking down every boss and overcoming every challenge in the game, because then that's all I would ever want to use in my games.

[Boeroer]

 

I just saw that a combo of Berserker/Streetfighter could combine a high number of engagement slots (shield use +1, Persistant Distraction +1, Barbaric Yell +3, spear +1) with the ability to distract ALL engaged enemies passively with Persistent Distraction... Does that mean auto-sneak-attack with carnage?

 

I also realized that an Unbroken/Wizard could combine a lot of engagement slots (like, a LOT) with hefty disengagement-punishment. Alacrity would allow him to move freely and swiftly and "collect" all enemies in engagement. If they want to leave they get severly punished...

I mean besides the crazy high defenses because of Unbroken + Wizard's self buffs.

 

Does the wizard side bring anything of note other than Deleterious Alacrity of Motion ?

 

Because if not, one might be better served using potions (or boots !) or speed...

 

As I wrote, the wizard brings awesome self buffs (esp. defensive ones). The best thing about the new Alacrity is that it gives you immunity to engagement now. The new disengagements really hurt and this way you can completely avoid them while "catching" all enemies with your multiple engagement slots. And also +100% move speed which is good because Unbroken can't move as fast as other characters.

 

But still only a concept. Had no time to test it yet.

[dam]

I just saw that a combo of Berserker/Streetfighter could combine a high number of engagement slots (shield use +1, Persistant Distraction +1, Barbaric Yell +3

 

I'm confused, wherever does Barbaric Yell grand 3 more engagement slots ?

 

Here it says "leaves foes shaken" (-5 resolve, -3 all power levels)

 

 

Edit: ok, it's in the upgraded version

Edited November 24, 2017 by dam

[dunehunter]

 

 

I just saw that a combo of Berserker/Streetfighter could combine a high number of engagement slots (shield use +1, Persistant Distraction +1, Barbaric Yell +3, spear +1) with the ability to distract ALL engaged enemies passively with Persistent Distraction... Does that mean auto-sneak-attack with carnage?

 

I also realized that an Unbroken/Wizard could combine a lot of engagement slots (like, a LOT) with hefty disengagement-punishment. Alacrity would allow him to move freely and swiftly and "collect" all enemies in engagement. If they want to leave they get severly punished...

I mean besides the crazy high defenses because of Unbroken + Wizard's self buffs.

 

Does the wizard side bring anything of note other than Deleterious Alacrity of Motion ?

 

Because if not, one might be better served using potions (or boots !) or speed...

 

As I wrote, the wizard brings awesome self buffs (esp. defensive ones). The best thing about the new Alacrity is that it gives you immunity to engagement now. The new disengagements really hurt and this way you can completely avoid them while "catching" all enemies with your multiple engagement slots. And also +100% move speed which is good because Unbroken can't move as fast as other characters.

 

But still only a concept. Had no time to test it yet.

 

 

Yeah catch all enemies while self is immune to disengagement is a smart idea !

[Climhazzard]

 

I tried again with all non-casters except the Livegiver and it's a lot more powerful than having casters only. Reason is that rangers/fighters and so on shred things a lot faster than pure AoE casters can. Even when they have enough time now to cast things they are just very bad compared to classes that deal weapon damage. I presume a pack of helwalkers would be cool - because they can gain wounds and MIG bonuses by taking damage - which is healed all the time...

 

The healing makes it easy to go full offense. It's still benefical to have one dedicated damage sponge who unstealths and absorbs the first wave of attacks so that you can cast your fast healing sequence unhindered. A large shield with that modal might help a lot - and after healing is "on" switch to a more offensive setup. Afflictions like Sickened and Weakened can easily be countered with an inspiration.

This is SO awesome! Thanks for testing this. I really hope when all is said and done, that a party of no casters except possibly a healer can kick ass in PoE2, including taking down every boss and overcoming every challenge in the game, because then that's all I would ever want to use in my games.

 

 

 

Problem with 4 dps 1 priest is your priest is pulling double duty as a buffer and healer.  After looking at Boeroer's Lifegiver I'm thinking a standard PotD party might look like the following...

 

Tank-  Fighter/Paladin or some other worthy combination

Striker-  Monks, rogues, barbarians, perhaps rangers, devoted multiclass

CC/support-  Skald/striker multi would probably be my choice with fast cast invocations.

Priest-  Mainly for accuracy buffs and inspirations

Lifegiver-  Keep party on it's feet.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Climhazzard

[SaruNi]

I just saw that a combo of Berserker/Streetfighter could combine a high number of engagement slots (shield use +1, Persistant Distraction +1, Barbaric Yell +3, spear +1) with the ability to distract ALL engaged enemies passively with Persistent Distraction... Does that mean auto-sneak-attack with carnage?

 

I also realized that an Unbroken/Wizard could combine a lot of engagement slots (like, a LOT) with hefty disengagement-punishment. Alacrity would allow him to move freely and swiftly and "collect" all enemies in engagement. If they want to leave they get severly punished...

I mean besides the crazy high defenses because of Unbroken + Wizard's self buffs.

 

1. Could combine Unbroken with Ryngrim's Repulsive Visage: foe AoE 1.5 m radius from caster, induces Terrified: "-3 power level, -5 resolve, and can take no action other than to flee" (also, Sickened). Maybe a repulsing seal and/or wall spell (and/or positioning relative to bottlenecks and preexisting walls/barriers) so they can't flee far (just far enough to be reengaged and disengage again)? Wall of Force (free cast outside combat) hobbles and does damage to enemies, but you can pass through it unaffected... back and forth. 

 

2. On multi-classing spellcasters:

 

Both single-class and multi-class casters are apparently limited to 2 spells of each level. And some of the best spells, especially fast casting ones, are level 1 (Priest's Restore and Suppress Affliction). So if there is some sort of BG2 style mage battle involving Suppress Affliction, having several characters multi-class Priest (or multi-class Paladin at higher levels, for personal immunity and Liberating Exhortation) could be useful.

 

3. On the other hand, godlikes give single-class Wizard specialists a nice boost to casting power. Seems power level increases:

- penetration by .25 per level

- duration by 5% per level

 

Wizards can suffer from low spell penetration. Here's what the penetration tooltip says:

Pentration is relative to armor rating of the damage type (for example Burn Damage against Burn Armor Rating). 

Penetration less than armor rating: -70% damage

Equal to armor rating: listed damage

Greater than 2x armor rating: +30% damage

 

So Death Godlike specialist Wizard at < 25% health has +5 power level in their specialty spells = +1.25 penetration and +25% duration compared with non-specialist. (Nature Godlike with Fleet Feet or Alacrity gets +4 power level.) and So the fact that Deleterious Alacrity does predictable DoT to the caster can be a positive....

 

4. All the Enchantment and Illusion self-buffs have 0 recovery time, which means there's no penalty to specializing in Evocation or Conjuration. All except Merciless Gaze (10 seconds) have long durations, so they don't benefit much defensively from power level. But the Illusionist ability grants an instant extra cast of Wizard's Double (extra level 1 spell), which makes it functionally equivalent to a self-buff before combat starts (other wizards have to endure 0.4 seconds of vulnerability... I think the only other buff that can be used at the beginning of combat is Level 5 enchantment Llengrath's Safeguard which can be cast to initiate combat because of its foe AoE).   

4. All the Enchantment and Illusion self-buffs have 0 recovery time, which means there's no penalty to specializing in Evocation or Conjuration. All except Merciless Gaze (10 seconds) have long durations, so they don't benefit much from power level. But the Illusionist ability grants an instant extra cast of Wizard's Double, which makes it functionally equivalent to a self-buff before combat starts.  

Edited November 24, 2017 by SaruNi

[dunehunter]

I just did a single class Nature Godlike Livegiver and I have to say I'm very impressed and see that my worries about the new health system have been confirmed:

 

I feel this new health system makes Constitution even more useless than it is in POE 1...  Since u just need to heal without worry about health.

Edited November 25, 2017 by dunehunter

[Climhazzard]

So I decided to mess around a bit with Nature Godlike to see how much it could benefit monk since transcendent suffering is affected by power level and the result was very good.  At level 7 you get a pretty big transcendent suffering jump in power with the wellspring buff (50% damage, 14 accuracy, 4 penetration).  Since Torment's reach spends and generates wound's at the same time it's basically awesome combined with rooting pain.  Rooting pain is also buffed by lightning strikes.

 

Build is basically as follows..

 

Nature Godlike

Shattered Pillar

Lightning strikes-Torment's Reach-Rooting Pain 

 

You have to hit level 7 to become OP.  Lightning strikes activate wellspring of life.  You don't really need tenacious blows yet especially if you are using some form of armor debuff so make sure to get rooting pain.  I expect that eventually talent's that use wound's won't generate wounds, it would be strong regardless but less bursty.

 

 

The main problem here is that Nature Godlike does not suit my aesthetic tastes at all....  why oh why couldn't this have been a human racial....  I'm literally going to be punching people with flowers.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Climhazzard

[AndreaColombo]

I was thinking the same for my Shifter/Helwalker. The mason issue with it is that the spiritshift’s claws scale with power level, which means they fall behind if you multiclass. Enter the Nature Godlike’s racial and your +2 power level brings you back in line. I’ll try it out.

 

So far Devoted/Helwalker, Devoted/Soulblade, and Shifter/Helwalker is my go-to frontline trio. A Devoted/Priest stays in the back line and the fifth slot is TBA (Boeroer’s Lifegiver is a candidate; Devoted/Berserker as well once one-handers are fixed to 3 sec recovery.)

Edited November 25, 2017 by AndreaColombo

[Boeroer]

Did anybody check if spell-like or AoE stuff also generates wounds with a Shattered Pillar? Like Soft Winds of Death or Dragon Thrashed?

 

I imagine a mid-ranged Shattered Pillar/Troubadur with the Long Pain who gains wounds through Dance of Death, chant and dealing the usual damage. If this works he would generate more wouds as he could spend. Stunning Blows work with ranged weapons as does Lightning Strikes. May it's like in PoE where Long Pain also worked with Torment's Reach despite being a ranged weapon.

 

He could also alternate between damaging chant and Sure handed Ila when he can't spend the wounds as fast as he gets them.

While not having Long Pain he could use dual Scepter or Wand for the stunning shots... Or even dual blunderbuss with Poweder Burns? Is tehre a way for the monk to remove the distracted affliction passively?

Edited November 25, 2017 by Boeroer

[theBalthazar]

Shattered Pillar have a big penalty. It is not 8 or 7, but 5 wounds max. Not a big problem now but as soon there is +x by wound (armor, damage...), shattered will be greatly less efficient.

[Boeroer]

Not a problem if you can spend it at once with permanent Lighnint Strikes/Swift Flurry and Stunning Blows (quite fast with Long Pain), is it?

 

However - this is under the premise that chants and so on get you wounds.

 

Or make Helwalker/Wizard with dual scepters+modal + Alacrity. Wounds all the time beause of selof damage all the time - while being superfast. Too bad Shot on the Run is now ranger only.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Boeroer

[Climhazzard]

Shattered Pillar have a big penalty. It is not 8 or 7, but 5 wounds max. Not a big problem now but as soon there is +x by wound (armor, damage...), shattered will be greatly less efficient.

 

 

Yeah we did have an ability like this in PoE and it helped a lot to make monk tanky enough to generate wounds and not die...  but shattered pillar doesn't really need to be the center of attention to generate wounds so he'd be fine without it.  Also abilities cost a lot more wounds than in PoE so you'd actually have to choose between the armor buff or using your abilities.

 

It is a bit of a disadvantage in that case (can't remember what that ability was called) but I think it's more than worth the loss, we'll know for sure after we get to see the rest of the abilities though.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Climhazzard

[zealotstim]

Which of the strategies you all have noticed still are effective in potd?

[Climhazzard]

Did anybody check if spell-like or AoE stuff also generates wounds with a Shattered Pillar? Like Soft Winds of Death or Dragon Thrashed?

 

I imagine a mid-ranged Shattered Pillar/Troubadur with the Long Pain who gains wounds through Dance of Death, chant and dealing the usual damage. If this works he would generate more wouds as he could spend. Stunning Blows work with ranged weapons as does Lightning Strikes. May it's like in PoE where Long Pain also worked with Torment's Reach despite being a ranged weapon.

 

He could also alternate between damaging chant and Sure handed Ila when he can't spend the wounds as fast as he gets them.

 

While not having Long Pain he could use dual Scepter or Wand for the stunning shots... Or even dual blunderbuss with Poweder Burns? Is tehre a way for the monk to remove the distracted affliction passively?

 

 

I just confirmed returning storm does not generate wounds.  Taste of the hunt did though.  Would require more testing but I suspect it has to be a primary or full attack type ability to work.

 

Also I just learned that lightning strikes+cat flurry= ridiculous attack speed.