State of Ciphers…

[KDubya]

Your probably going to be making pretty stat balanced Ciphers.

 

Str 16

Con 10

Dex 16 

Per 10

Int 16

Res 10

 

Something like that and skip the damaging powers and just use crowd control and soul annihilation. Or just realize that you're only missing out on +18% damage which doesn't really matter that much.

[SaruNi]

Your probably going to be making pretty stat balanced Ciphers.

 

Str 16

Con 10

Dex 16 

Per 10

Int 16

Res 10

 

Something like that and skip the damaging powers and just use crowd control and soul annihilation. Or just realize that you're only missing out on +18% damage which doesn't really matter that much.

 

With 20 Resolve that's 30% damage that should stack multiplicatively with other bonuses (like Lightning Strikes, Assassinate...). So 10 resolve assassinate = x2 damage, 20 resolve assassinate (for example with Ectopsychic Echo from smoke veil) = x2.6 damage....

[KDubya]

 

Your probably going to be making pretty stat balanced Ciphers.

 

Str 16

Con 10

Dex 16 

Per 10

Int 16

Res 10

 

Something like that and skip the damaging powers and just use crowd control and soul annihilation. Or just realize that you're only missing out on +18% damage which doesn't really matter that much.

 

With 20 Resolve that's 30% damage that should stack multiplicatively with other bonuses (like Lightning Strikes, Assassinate...). So 10 resolve assassinate = x2 damage, 20 resolve assassinate (for example with Ectopsychic Echo from smoke veil) = x2.6 damage....

 

 

But where are you going to get the stat points for your 20 Resolve?

 

The 16 strength my guy has will multiply the damage boost from biting whip, weapon quality and anything else. Resolve has few damage multipliers because spells have few. Lightning Strikes and Assassinate both require specific multi-classes, for a majority of builds there will be nothing for resolve to multiply.

 

Plus since you need damage to get focus in the first place, I think that Strength will be a better choice than Resolve. Dexterity helps with attack speed and casting speed so its a good pick and Intellect makes everything last longer and have a bigger area.

 

I don't like the stat changes to Strength from Might but in the end it'll just end up being a small damage nerf to casting and healing as I'll just leave Resolve at 10. My multi-classed Soul Blades spent most of their picks in the other class anyway as many of the Cipher powers were too slow to be worth a pick.

[SaruNi]

After further testing, Powder Burns actually doesn't build focus. (The blunderbuss does an ordinary attack right after powder burns which is what threw me off. Changed strength to 0 and resolve to 1000 to test.)

 

Plus it doesn't get bonus damage from Exceptional, etc. 

 

So strength is necessary to build focus, unless you're a Beguiler....

Edited January 19, 2018 by SaruNi

[AndreaColombo]

The problem is that single-classed Ciphers have lousy powers that cast too slow, and a need for pretty much every stat. It’s virtually impossible to make a very powerful single-class Cipher; you must either focus on damage, which only makes sense if you dump focus on Soul Annihilation, or on CC. Focusing on damaging spells will have you either generate focus too slowly, or do lower damage with your spells than with your attacks (and if you’re just auto-attacking, why roll a Cipher?)

Edited January 19, 2018 by AndreaColombo

[kierun]

I, for one, hope this state of affair changes 'cause I like ciphers… ☹

[Skaddix]

I, for one, hope this state of affair changes 'cause I like ciphers… ☹

 

 

I hated Ciphers OP they were but even I have to say this a bridge too far...the only good Cipher just spams Soul Annihilation for Burst Damage...a Fighter from PoE I has more interaction then that. 

[Ophiuchus]

Fresh tweet from jesawyer on PEN and a buff to Focus gain.

[hansvedic]

For the Ascendant Subclass, does the boost to powers apply only to Cipher powers, or does it apply also to powers from another class, such as a wizard's spells or a chanter's chants?

[Cheston]

I'm having a hard time figuring this out, does Carnage build focus when you multiclass Barb + Cipher?

 

For the Ascendant Subclass, does the boost to powers apply only to Cipher powers, or does it apply also to powers from another class, such as a wizard's spells or a chanter's chants?

 

Only to Cipher powers. (specifically, it's +3 to Cipher Power Level while ascended, -1 cipher power level otherwise.)

[Boeroer]

I don't think so. At least not in beta1, maybe that changed. What does generate focus are the AoE hits of Blast, Minor Blights and Citzal's Spirit Lance.

Edited February 26, 2018 by Boeroer

[hansvedic]

I'm having a hard time figuring this out, does Carnage build focus when you multiclass Barb + Cipher?

 

For the Ascendant Subclass, does the boost to powers apply only to Cipher powers, or does it apply also to powers from another class, such as a wizard's spells or a chanter's chants?

 

Only to Cipher powers. (specifically, it's +3 to Cipher Power Level while ascended, -1 cipher power level otherwise.)

 

 

Thanks for the reply. It's too bad that it only applies to cipher powers; if it didn't, it would make a multiclass ascendant/??? a perfectly reasonable pick, especially with a Nature Godlike to counteract the drawback of the subclass.

[CottonWolf]

 

I'm having a hard time figuring this out, does Carnage build focus when you multiclass Barb + Cipher?

 

For the Ascendant Subclass, does the boost to powers apply only to Cipher powers, or does it apply also to powers from another class, such as a wizard's spells or a chanter's chants?

 

Only to Cipher powers. (specifically, it's +3 to Cipher Power Level while ascended, -1 cipher power level otherwise.)

 

 

Thanks for the reply. It's too bad that it only applies to cipher powers; if it didn't, it would make a multiclass ascendant/??? a perfectly reasonable pick, especially with a Nature Godlike to counteract the drawback of the subclass.

 

 

You could say that if it worked, it would make a multiclass ascendent... ascendant. I'll see myself out.

[Dr. Hieronymous Alloy]

 

I'm having a hard time figuring this out, does Carnage build focus when you multiclass Barb + Cipher?

 

For the Ascendant Subclass, does the boost to powers apply only to Cipher powers, or does it apply also to powers from another class, such as a wizard's spells or a chanter's chants?

 

Only to Cipher powers. (specifically, it's +3 to Cipher Power Level while ascended, -1 cipher power level otherwise.)

 

 

Thanks for the reply. It's too bad that it only applies to cipher powers; if it didn't, it would make a multiclass ascendant/??? a perfectly reasonable pick, especially with a Nature Godlike to counteract the drawback of the subclass.

 

If they get Ascendants working they'll be a natural pick for multiclassing, yeah. You can use the other classes' abilities while you ramp up to full, then go to town with cipher powers.

[hansvedic]

 

 

I'm having a hard time figuring this out, does Carnage build focus when you multiclass Barb + Cipher?

 

For the Ascendant Subclass, does the boost to powers apply only to Cipher powers, or does it apply also to powers from another class, such as a wizard's spells or a chanter's chants?

 

Only to Cipher powers. (specifically, it's +3 to Cipher Power Level while ascended, -1 cipher power level otherwise.)

 

 

Thanks for the reply. It's too bad that it only applies to cipher powers; if it didn't, it would make a multiclass ascendant/??? a perfectly reasonable pick, especially with a Nature Godlike to counteract the drawback of the subclass.

 

If they get Ascendants working they'll be a natural pick for multiclassing, yeah. You can use the other classes' abilities while you ramp up to full, then go to town with cipher powers.

 

 

I was thinking more along the lines of getting up to max focus, going to town with the other class's powers (powered up by Ascendant effect), and then using a cipher power or two. Rinse and repeat.