Looking to create a char for a later import in PoE2

[Boeroer]

Eh - I forgot that the belt also gives you +2 INT. So skip Band if Union and and perhaps wear a Ring of Protection or so instead.

[Slack83er]

Boer can you come up with a priest for me? What combinations can one obtain in Deadfire for clerics? Are they any good and tanky? The bigger question 'd be: can they be any good without resorting to heavy spellcasting? I know they're good off tanks, but I think that magic plays a role in this. And if I don't want to be heavy in magic but in combat and lore?

[Stargazer55]

Thanks for the barbarian build. Is Firebrand still a thing in Deadfire?

[Slack83er]

Thanks for the barbarian build. Is Firebrand still a thing in Deadfire?

It is afaik. The barbarian is fun, I tried it a bit.. I remain sceptical about the ranger, for it requires a good amount of micro, despite being good..

[Boeroer]

Firebrand is crap in Deadfire. But two handed weapons like great swords in general are not. There will most likely be a good great sword that you can use. You could also do a Barbarian/Priest of Berath in Deadfire who can summon a really good spiritual great sword (scales with level).

Or maybe the designers gather their wits and make Firebrand better. At the moment it's just like a normal great sword that does burn/pierce instead of slash/pierce.

[Slack83er]

Boer, I'm willing to start my barbarian as per your description. In the end, it's similar in playstyle to my old fighter, but with the twist you gave him it's bound to be fun.

Question is: What is the intelligence used for? It's to lenghten the duration of fire damages? Because I'd like to go more PER and RES, and if I can, I'd also like to be the trap guy.. (surv/mech) You think it's possible or I would ruin the MC?

 

Thanks, have a good weekend!

[Boeroer]

The higher the INT the bigger the AoE

of Carnage and other attacks like Barbaric Blow and Heart of Fury.

 

The more enemies you hit the more kills the higher the speed the more kills and so on...

 

Firebrand's duration is pretty long so lower INT wouldn't be a big problem with that.

[Slack83er]

Stats:
MIG: 16
CON: 16
DEX: 08
PER: 15
INT: 15
RES: 08

 

So, given those stats above that you gave me, How can I get say... to Res 12 perhaps? Con is important for barbarian, so...is there a way?

[Boeroer]

Sure:

 

MIG: 15

CON: 15

DEX: 06

PER: 15

INT: 15

RES: 12

 

Grab Fulvano's Gloves asap and you're back at 8 DEX in the early game. 6 is pretty sluggish. Luckily Frenzy and Bloodlust help with the speed until you get Blood Thirst.

 

I personally would dump RES to 3 - but I know you don't like that.

[Slack83er]

I personally would dump RES to 3 - but I know you don't like that.

 

Well, I'm doing this only for a RP sake.. res is pretty important when it comes to dialogues, so, given that my last playthorugh until act 3 was all INT-related, I'm trying to do something different.... but maybe even PER can have a good role in dialogues...can't it? I'm not very much into it.. never tried..

 

Edit:

 

If there's a way to get a reasonable RES with equipment, that might be good nonetheless...

Edited February 3, 2018 by Slack83er

[Slack83er]

I'm playing my barb. It's strong and fun, all is ok. I got res 8, so I used the first stats you posted..but I keep getting interrupted all the time. Is RES the only means of NOT getting interrupted?

[Boeroer]

No, you can drink potions of Spirit Shield or your priest can cast Holy Meditation (lvl 1) or you can wear:

 

- Celebrant's Gloves
- The Lost Periapt of the Winding Path

- Belt of Chimes

 

I guess your priest is the easiest way. That's why I drop RES to 3 when I have a priest in the party. Also, later the priest has Crowns for the Faithful (which I use all the time) which gives all chars in range +25 RES(!) - and +6 INT which is great for any barbarian. 

 

Another way to avoid a lot of interrupts is to lower PER of enemies (Miasma of Dull Mindedness) or to not get surrounded by a ton of people as long as you don't have nay of the aforementioned buffs going. I like to flank with a barb in the earlier game. Later, once said items are there or my priest has Holy Meditation as Mastery I can afford to jump/run right into the fray.

Edited February 5, 2018 by Boeroer

[Slack83er]

Thanks! So I can keep up with Res 8 for a while, because I tend to lose very little endurance in encounters. (But I'm level 4 now heheh)

[Slack83er]

Ok, time for an update: 

My char is an Aumaua-shaped Fire Godlike, coming from Deadfire Archipelago, Slave background.

High Athletics and Survival. 

Atm he wields a Halberd, I've not yet come in contact with any better 2h weapon. Still undecided whether to keep a big weapon or 2 heavy 1h weapons.

Playing him as Passionate/Aggressive in behaviour. But what will this change if I'm no pally or cleric? It's just an attitude, I think...right?

 

Well...nothing more to add atm. Any advices on something I should do/change?

[Boeroer]

Buy the Belt of the Royal Deadfire Cannoneer at Anslög's Compass after Raedric (only then you will have enough money) and summon Firebrand as often as possible. Seriously: there is no better option than that if you also take Blood Thirst and Bloodlust. Use Raedric's great sword Justice as backup weapon until you find something better.

[Slack83er]

Boeroer, you're right! I forgot that this character is based upon firebrand, so greatsword! Does Firebrand benefit from the weapon focus? What about the attitude instead? Is it as I said before? 

If I have the belt, shall I also get the gloves of firebrand?

[Boeroer]

Firebrand works with any weapon focus - so you could also take WF Adventurer and use an estoc as backup weapon if you like. It also works with Scion of Flame. 

 

Your reputation/dispositions will have no effect on your char values as a barb. It will only influence how people react to you in dialogue.

 

I would also use the gloves, yes. Just because then you can summon FIrebrand in nearly very fight. Usually you will rest after 6 fights anyway (if they are not too trashy).

[Slack83er]

Ok, I wasn't sure about the WF. Why would you choose the estoc? Is there a particular reason? 

I'd also like to get some mech or lore, but I don't know if it serves any purpose..

[Boeroer]

Estoc was just an example for a two handed weapon.

[Stargazer55]

I‘m afraid I need your advice again. It seems that I can‘t let go of my tiny, furry Kind Wayfarer. However, I don‘t know which weapons to use. Two handed? Dual? Fast? Slow? I have no idea what is best.

Obviously, I want to trigger Strange Mercy as often as I can. Also, should I take Sworn Enemy or is it a wasted talent?

[Boeroer]

Sworn Enemy can be really good. Especially the +15 ACC can be great. Look at this build in order to understand why it can be great: https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/89995-class-build-counselor-ploi-charming-paladin-supporter-tank/

 

It's also great against tough bosses.

 

But in terms of overall damage potential it doesn't have a lot of impact.

 

Strange Mercy triggers on kill - so I'd max out my Flames of Devotion (Intense Flames + burning lash on the weapon + Scion of Flame). Later you will trigger it all the time with Sacred Immolation of course - but beore that FoD (and auto-attacks) seems to be your best choice. Also try to focus on squishies.

 

Another way to trigger more kills is via Runner's Wounding Shot which is very powerful (80% raw damage - most of the time the same damage as FoD).

 

Setups that deal a lot of FoD damage are:

 

- Dual wielding sabres (starts weak but becomes the best option the more damge bonuses you get - like Savage Attack and better quality of weapon). Dual sabres is also a good option for auto-attacks. Runner's Wounding Shot is only a primary attack - so if you want to use it then dual sabres is not the best option. But for FoD damage it is the best option after a while (ifenemies DR is not too high). It doesn't matter that much if you take Bittercut or the other unique sabres. You could even think about using FLames of Fair Rhian and trigger Strange Mercy with a Fireball.

- Arquebus will give you a lot of spike damage but obviously your dps will drop a lot once FoD is over. But in order to deliver FoD (and maybe Runner's WS) quickly you'll need Quick Switch or the Coil of Resourcefulness

- Blunderbuss against low DR enemies. There's nothing better against squishies and nothing worse against enemies with mig to high DR.
- Firebrand: grab the Royal Belt of the Deadfire Cannoneer and Forgemaster's Gloves. This is the best option until the late game in my opinion. Try to pile as many dmg bonuses as possible (Savage A, Apprentice's SA, high MIG and so on). This is also a great option for Runner's Wounding Shot. Firebrand works with Scion of Flame. SInce you want to take that anyways Firebrand is a good pick.

- Tidefall: wounding with high MIG leads to great damage per hit - also good with FoD. Runner's Wounding Shot and Tidefall's Wounding stack.

- St. Ydwen's Redeemer - when fighting vessels. Destroy vessel also triggers Strange Mercy.

 

I guess also Abjuration will trigger it.

 

Generally spell bindings with offensive spells are a good idea to trigger Strange Mercy more often.

 

I personally would use Firebrand. I did it twice already with a paladin (Bleak Walker and Pallegina) and it's a lot of fun and powerful. You can switch to Tidefall or Hours of St. Rumbalt after you get access to Durgan Steel - at that point they will be better than FIrebrand. Or you just stick to it and use the Durgan Steel for somebody else. FIrebrand will be viable till the end.

[Slack83er]

Stargazer, 

how did you build up your MC then? I get it's an orlan, right? how did you give the stats? What background? 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Using this thread so I don't clog up the catalogue.

 

I've got an idea for a third import to Deadfire, a Bleak Walker/Priest of Magran Templar who uses sword and firearm(Magran's favored weapons). My question is which is more fun of Paladin or Priest for PoE and what's a good party composition using story companions?

[Boeroer]

Priest is more fun and more powerful I'd say.

 

You can simply pick up the companions in the order you meet them (Aloth-Edér-Durance-Kana-Sagani) and stay with them. Except that I'd swap out Sagani and take in Pallegina in Defiance Bay.

 

You could also drop Durance because you are the priest. But honestly two priests are better than one. It's great if you can cut buffing time in half because first priest can cast one buff while the second priest casts the other. Also, priests can be awesome damage dealers.

 

Other way round: Bleak Walker with pistol or arquebus for FoD is quite nice. Second slot could be sword + Outworn Buckler.

I know I repeat myself, but Firebrand is awesome for FoD with a Bleak Walker. Also fits the magran theme - fire and all.

 

You can easily change companions during a playthrough. If you let them do adventures and then pick them up from time to time (to do their quests for example) they won't fall behind in terms of XP.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I'm leaning toward Priest atm. I may end up doing a mercenary for frontline instead of Eder or Maneha and giving them Tidefall and Sanguine Plate, is Barbarian or Fighter better for that? Otherwise party for sure will include GM, Hirvais, Zahua, and Pallegina.