So I am using GM is my heavy hitter Cipher with a Warbow.  I often find myself in two situations.  I have A LOT of focus but seem to be to far away to use them immediately (Looking at you Silent Scream and Disintegrate), I could spam Mind Lance so thats something I end up doing... and move GM closer for the ranged issues...shes a squishy warbow user so I do not like too lol OR in Dragon fights after all available soft targets are dead I am focused starved.  What really worries me is the latter.  What do you guys do in these situations?  I am still mid game so I have not fought a dragon yet but these have been my experiences in previous runs.

 

Party Composition: Frontline Dragon Hunter team: Paladin Marker, Eder Dps Fighter (I am two handed with him atm but thinking of going DW Warhammers.  I think Cipher Reaping Knives and this Would crush even Dragons in melee plus Charge is better with DW full attack).

 

Backline CC Masters of Hell: Storm Tank druid, Aloth Blight DPS/CC Wizard, GM heavy hit ranged Cipher and Durance Buff Priest plus Fire AOE.

 

The abilities I have on GM are

 

lvl 1: Mind Wave, Soul Shock, Whisper of Treason

 

lvl 2 powers: Mental Binding, Phantom Foes, Recall Agony (I never use this right...help? Just cast early then focus dps?)

 

lvl 3 powers: Ectophychic Echo, Puppet Master (emergency CC if something gets to the backline), Soul Ignite

 

lvl 4 powers: Mind Lance, Silent Scream, Body Attunement

 

lvl 5 powers Tactical Meld, Detonate

 

lvl 6 (If the party makes it this far and is not dead): Amplified Wave, Disintegrate

 

lvl 7: Stasis Shell

 

Lvl 8: Reaping Knives (good synergy with Eder) or Defensive Mindweb (I tend to seperate my team in dragon fights so not sure about mindweb as my Paladin will be too far) 

 

PS I used this crew on my second successful TC run BUT GM was not efficient in tough fights.  This is my fault and I am trying to L2P a Cipher cause I suck at it.

Edited January 22, 20188 yr by Torm51

Def. pick Borrowed Instincts.

 

For dragons: get Champion's Boon and Crowns for the Faithful + Devotions + from Durance while loading up focus and then cast Disintegration on the dragon while the paladin marks the beast. After that you won't have to do a lot of other things anymore.

 

I always found that war bow ciphers lack a bit of oomph until you get Rain of Godagh Field (and that comes so late). I really like melee ciphers better, especially when build around Firebrand - my favorite setup with a cipher. 

Def. pick Borrowed Instincts.

 

For dragons: get Champion's Boon and Crowns for the Faithful + Devotions + from Durance while loading up focus and then cast Disintegration on the dragon while the paladin marks the beast. After that you won't have to do a lot of other things anymore.

 

I always found that war bow ciphers lack a bit of oomph until you get Rain of Godagh Field (and that comes so late). I really like melee ciphers better, especially when build around Firebrand - my favorite setup with a cipher. 

Ya I am currently running through the bounties at level 9 so I will have Rain of Godagh Field soon.  I just thought I would not run low HP/Endurance frontliners this time around.  Its not that they are bad with the good armor and skills/abilities they are good to go I just did it last run and was kind of bleh about there softness in Dragon fights.  That being said the group was successful so it worked but I just wanted some meaty characters (LOL) upfront this time.  Thinking of dumping one on the backline for a Juggernaut monk for more heftiness. But we will see.

 

PS PS Secondary question I really want to run a Frontline of Paladin, Monk, Fighter and I want to make the warbow Cipher work.  Who in the backline would you drop Wizard or Storm tank?

Edited January 22, 20188 yr by Torm51

Yep, this was Adam's stretch goal:

I really want to run a Frontline of Paladin, Monk, Fighter and I want to make the warbow Cipher work.  Who in the backline would you drop Wizard or Storm tank?

But Paladin + Monk + Fighter + Cipher are only 4 party members. You can bring wizard AND druid. Or what did I miss?

 

Edit: ach, I missed Durance, my bad.

 

Well, then I would probably drop... argh I don't know. Both are fine in their own way. Wizard has more variety, so maybe drop druid I'd say. But druid is very good against single targets as well as gainst mobs. So drop wizard, haha... well I'm out I guess.

Edited January 22, 20188 yr by Boeroer

 

I really want to run a Frontline of Paladin, Monk, Fighter and I want to make the warbow Cipher work.  Who in the backline would you drop Wizard or Storm tank?

But Paladin + Monk + Fighter + Cipher are only 4 party members. You can bring wizard AND druid. Or what did I miss?

 

I want the priest lol second fav class!

Yep, this was Adam's stretch goal:

huh?

Cats? As in purr and meow? Just a bad image pun, but also a wink to Adam Brenneke's pseudo stretch goal before.

Edited January 22, 20188 yr by IndiraLightfoot

Cats? As in purr and meow? Just a bad image pun, but also a wink to Adam Brenneke's pseudo stretch goal before.

lol I suck of course hahaha

 

I really want to run a Frontline of Paladin, Monk, Fighter and I want to make the warbow Cipher work.  Who in the backline would you drop Wizard or Storm tank?

But Paladin + Monk + Fighter + Cipher are only 4 party members. You can bring wizard AND druid. Or what did I miss?

 

Edit: ach, I missed Durance, my bad.

 

Well, then I would probably drop... argh I don't know. Both are fine in their own way. Wizard has more variety, so maybe drop druid I'd say. But druid is very good against single targets as well as gainst mobs. So drop wizard, haha... well I'm out I guess.

 

so the Cipher would be out and this thread is pointless lmao!

Did you ever try if Reaping Knives works with Wildstrike (shock or burn or whatever)? Then I would keep the druid because that might be fun to watch: raw damage reaping knives with a lot of lashes...

Edited January 22, 20188 yr by Boeroer

Did you ever try if Reaping Knives works with Wildstrike (shock or burn or whatever)? Then I would keep the druid because that might be fun to watch: raw damage reaping knives with a lot of lashes...

That would definitely be fun.  I have not tried...hmmm the custom druid is a storm tank but I have build Hiravious for Shape shifting duel wield damage.

Edited January 22, 20188 yr by Torm51

I have to agree with Boroer that the melee cipher is by far more efficient than ranged.

When I played my trio party I also used the companions Grieving Mother (and Kana) so her stats were not perfect for melee, since too squishy.

I played her ranged till I got mindweb, but when I realized how strong Borrowed Instinct was, I was really sad i played her ranged all those levels.

Ofc if you actually have Mindweb unlocked and have one really strong tank, there is no reason not to use it and keep your party all melee an together.

I used twin Sting to open combat and 99% of the time build enough focus at the first shot and always latest at the 2nd.

I have to agree with Boroer that the melee cipher is by far more efficient than ranged.

When I played my trio party I also used the companions Grieving Mother (and Kana) so her stats were not perfect for melee, since too squishy.

I played her ranged till I got mindweb, but when I realized how strong Borrowed Instinct was, I was really sad i played her ranged all those levels.

Ofc if you actually have Mindweb unlocked and have one really strong tank, there is no reason not to use it and keep your party all melee an together.

I used twin Sting to open combat and 99% of the time build enough focus at the first shot and always latest at the 2nd.

I made GM a pikeman with tall grass and an arbalest and it’s MUCH better mind lances, detonates and silent screams out the ass. Super destruction. The only thing I’m worried about is dragon fights. I have to make sure I position that back line away from the breathes. The only high HP chars are my Paladin and Eder the dragon hunter team.

 

Detonate being friendly fire is irrelevant also. With Zealous Endurance pushing hits to grazes, extremely high DR with plate and the Paladins great saves the frontline just eats FF spells like it’s cool. The PC paladin is also a Pale Elf so he eats fire spells from the storm tank Easy

Edited January 23, 20188 yr by Torm51

Detonates and Silent Screams out the ass?   

That was my hardest laugh today.

Edited January 23, 20188 yr by Boeroer

Detonates and Silent Screams out the ass?

 

That was my hardest laugh today.

Lmao glad you liked it my friend

Especially the Silent Screams.