Unlocking the last level of Deadfire Belt

So I decided to pick up the (fairly) new Belt of the Royal Deadfire Cannoneer and as a Cipher I had this real smug thought that I'd be able to finish the final unlock: (Deal 500 Burn damage to enemies to unlock the next level) with Soul Ignition, after some cheesy dotting I just noticed it actually doesn't count. Any idea why this is the case? Is there a differentiation between DoT and a hit of Burn damage in this case? 

Haven't tried it with Cipher, but Flames of Devotion and a burn lash gives credit.

Sadly, DoTs get handled differently than direct damage. They also don't work with Scion of Flame for example.

 

To unlock the final stage of the belt you can simply summon Firebrand (it's a great weapon for ciphers anyways and you get 3 uses per rest with the belt) and strike enemies with it. After 10-20 strikes you should be done - since Firebrand with Soul Whip and Biting Whip will do 46 burn damage on average hit and 71 on average crit with 10 MIG (so - even more with a bit more MIG).

 

I'm just playing a melee two handed cipher with theat belt at the moment and the final stage was actually the fastest one to unlock.

Edited January 28, 2018 by Boeroer

I did it one encounter. Get surrounded fire of Torrent of Flame, the spell that you get at level 2 for the belt did 500 damage done.

Sadly, DoTs get handled differently than direct damage. They also don't work with Scion of Flame for example.

 

To unlock the final stage of the belt you can simply summon Firebrand (it's a great weapon for ciphers anyways and you get 3 uses per rest with the belt) and strike enemies with it. After 10-20 strikes you should be done - since Firebrand with Soul Whip and Biting Whip will do 46 burn damage on average hit and 71 on average crit with 10 MIG (so - even more with a bit more MIG).

 

I'm just playing a melee two handed cipher with theat belt at the moment and the final stage was actually the fastest one to unlock.

Ah thats exactly what I wanted to know, I figured there had to be some difference between DoTs and a direct hit mechanically and how they're tracked. Makes sense.

 

Firebrand is awesome and a ton of fun indeed.   I've been mixing and matching my playstyle around a little and then going into the beta in order to try out the same thing, it's been a pretty depressive affair apart from Soul Blade.

Yes, and Firebrand is pretty crappy in the Deadfire beta, too (compared to PoE1).

Oh I didn't know it was in the beta to begin with, how much worse is it? Had unconclusive results upon a quick google. (perhaps a little off-topic since it's related to PoE2 now but) What if you multi-classed something like shattered pillar / soul blade and went Firebrand for style points, given its not horrifically bad. 

 

I guess I'll end up doing some assassin / soul blade shenanigans! 

Assassin Soulblade is pretty good withhin the first two attacks in an encounter. However, Bleak Walker/Soulblade totally reigns in my opinion. It's a much sturdier build and gets more uses of FoD than an Assassin can assassinate (usually). Devoted/Soulblade is also pretty nice.

 

The absolute overkill is a Wizard/Soulblade with Citzal's Spirit Lance (the AoE damage generates TONS of focus - and Soul Annihilation works with the AoE of the Lance - applying it to all enemies in range which is pretty broken atm).

 

The bad thing about Firebrand in Deadfire: it has the same stats as any great sword. Only differences: it does burn/slash damage instead of pierce/slash and it scales with level. But it doesn't have the Annihilating enchantment as in PoE, not the Damagin III and also not the increased base damage. THat alone wouldn't be so bad - at least you have a scaling great sword, but it also takes 6 seconds to summon which is bad. While you could immediately attack with a normal great sword you first have to invest 6 seconds of summoning in order to have Firebrand which gives you NO dps advantage in Deadfire anymore (compared to a great sword of the same quality which will be very easy to find/buy I guess).

I hope they will buff it a bit. Other summoned weapons like the new Faith Attuned weapons that all priests can summon have a scaling lash for example.

 

Also there are no items like in PoE that can summon Firebrand. You have to be a Priest of Eothas or a Druid atm in order to be able to summon it.

Shapeshifter/Soulblade is another awesome combo by the way... but without Firebrand but woith the natural "Wildstrike" weapons (Bleak Walker or Goldpact/Shapeshifter: also great). 

 

This could be the alternative: do Priest of Berath/Soulbalde and summon a faith attuned great sword.

 

But honestly I think a Paladin/Soulblade or Assassin/Soulblade beats those Firebrand-combos any day in Deadfire.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Boeroer

But honestly I think a Paladin/Soulblade or Assassin/Soulblade beats those Firebrand-combos any day in Deadfire.

Yeah indeed, I totally forgot about the baseline summon. I'll probably drop the Firebrand dreams and do shattered pillar / soul blade or assassin / soul blade. Interesting nonetheless. Here's to hoping they buff cast-times.