i don't assume there is an option to only play with companions and not have an own character?

Erm... no, there's no such option.

i think that would be nice since they all got a backstory, banter etc... the most boring character is the one you create yourself...

is it confirmed that aloth or eder can only multiclass with the base class options or still speculation? Seems like an odd choice (why limit)

Edited April 29, 20187 yr by Nemesis7884

Confirmed

what a shame, makes them a lot less appealing / more boring to take...if they dont have their own unique specializations why not allow for sub classes to be taken...not a smart move imo

I'll just wait and see...

i think that would be nice since they all got a backstory, banter etc... the most boring character is the one you create yourself...

 

Speak for yourself, my Watcher is far from boring

But aside from that, how are they supposed to write a narrative that can be told without the pivotal character being present?

 

 

I have most of my companion builds already planned, but still kinda on the fence about Xoti and Maia. Geomancer looks to be pretty fun but Maia just seems to be a way, way better Ranger. As for Xoti, as someone else already mentioned, I honestly doubt the multiclass is worth losing out on faster access to the high level priest spells - but I guess I'll just have to wait and see how that turns out.

 

i think that would be nice since they all got a backstory, banter etc... the most boring character is the one you create yourself...

 

Speak for yourself, my Watcher is far from boring

But aside from that, how are they supposed to write a narrative that can be told without the pivotal character being present?

 

 

I have most of my companion builds already planned, but still kinda on the fence about Xoti and Maia. Geomancer looks to be pretty fun but Maia just seems to be a way, way better Ranger. As for Xoti, as someone else already mentioned, I honestly doubt the multiclass is worth losing out on faster access to the high level priest spells - but I guess I'll just have to wait and see how that turns out.

 

 

well a lot of rpg do that...where you play a defined character...the witcher for example...i dont see the issue

 

 

i think that would be nice since they all got a backstory, banter etc... the most boring character is the one you create yourself...

 

Speak for yourself, my Watcher is far from boring

But aside from that, how are they supposed to write a narrative that can be told without the pivotal character being present?

 

 

I have most of my companion builds already planned, but still kinda on the fence about Xoti and Maia. Geomancer looks to be pretty fun but Maia just seems to be a way, way better Ranger. As for Xoti, as someone else already mentioned, I honestly doubt the multiclass is worth losing out on faster access to the high level priest spells - but I guess I'll just have to wait and see how that turns out.

 

 

well a lot of rpg do that...where you play a defined character...the witcher for example...i dont see the issue

 

 

You were asking to play the game without The Watcher, who despite being a self-created character, is the main character. The Witcher equivalent would be asking if you can play the game without Geralt, or in case of a more fitting example, to play Dragon Age: Inquisition without the Inquisitor.

 

 

i think that would be nice since they all got a backstory, banter etc... the most boring character is the one you create yourself...

 

Speak for yourself, my Watcher is far from boring

But aside from that, how are they supposed to write a narrative that can be told without the pivotal character being present?

 

 

I have most of my companion builds already planned, but still kinda on the fence about Xoti and Maia. Geomancer looks to be pretty fun but Maia just seems to be a way, way better Ranger. As for Xoti, as someone else already mentioned, I honestly doubt the multiclass is worth losing out on faster access to the high level priest spells - but I guess I'll just have to wait and see how that turns out.

 

 

well a lot of rpg do that...where you play a defined character...the witcher for example...i dont see the issue

 

 

Shepherd is also a middle way in that they have more inherent personality, but at the cost of eliminating more possible variations of themselves.

 

Geralt, for instance, is never really cruel or power hungry, almost always relatively calm until the situation calls for action and even then, collected. He always cares for certain characters, though he may be annoyed with them at times (Dandelion, Zoltan, Triss, and so on) He has a set personality that just so happens could pick an array of options within a limited scope.

 

It works. It works really well when done well as with The Witcher, but it would mean that a lot of actions we can take in POE simply wouldn't be realistic options since our character would be far more defined.

Edited April 29, 20187 yr by Yenkaz

My planned party at the moment is

 

Eder - Fighter - main tank

Aloth - Wizard - CC/damage

Xoti - Priest - buff bot and healer

Serafen - Cipher (or witch) - CC/damage

PC - Nature godlike shattered pillar monk with fists - damage/OT

Right now I'm thinking;

 

Eder - as a tank. Unsure if I want to multi into rogue yet (not sure exactly what benefits it gives)

Aloth - as pure Wizard (DPS/CC)

Xoti - as pure Priest (Support/CC)

Tekehu - as Druid/Chanter (A mix of dps/support/cc. Not exactly sure what this class can do)

PC -  a two-handed dps/offtank greatsword Paladin/Fighter (DPS/Support)

 

I haven't looked into what each class is capable of, but with the limited knowledge I have I think what I have planned should work well.

Edited May 1, 20187 yr by Creative

PC- backline rogue ranged arquebus nuke

Eder-tank

Pallegina - offtank + healer if needed

Aloth - pure wizard CC+nuke

Maia - backline ranged nuke

I will pray to the multiclass gods to not fk my party up end game xD right now im leaning towards:

 

PC Pala/chanter (tank/dragon slash)

Pallegina, same

Xothi priest/monk (wanna check those both special classes out)

Tekehu druid/chanter (wanna check those out aswell =D)

Maia Rua ranger/rogue (seems like a good combo)

 

I am abit afraid i won´t have enuff damage...but hope dragon trash is as good as on PoE 1 & that immolate is back.

Edited May 1, 20187 yr by BijaT

I will pray to the multiclass gods to not fk my party up end game xD right now im leaning towards:

 

PC Pala/chanter (tank/dragon slash)

Pallegina, same

Xothi priest/monk (wanna check those both special classes out)

Tekehu druid/chanter (wanna check those out aswell =D)

Maia Rua ranger/rogue (seems like a good combo)

 

I am abit afraid i won´t have enuff damage...but hope dragon trash is as good as on PoE 1 & that immolate is back.

 

Compared to PoE 1 it's more like... well, yes: dragon trash. Troubadour can stack two instances of it though. And there should be items that can boost its damage....

Edited May 1, 20187 yr by SaruNi

A second-row Helwalker/Troubadour with +10 MIG and +10 INT (Duality) through Dance of Death does decent damage with 3 (partially) stacked phrases of Dragon Thrashed. It's still not jawdropping but an additional invocation here and there with 30 MIG/30 INT is quite the show... And of course you have to watch out like heck because of the +50% damage you'll receive.

A second-row Helwalker/Troubadour with +10 MIG and +10 INT (Duality) through Dance of Death does decent damage with 3 (partially) stacked phrases of Dragon Thrashed. It's still not jawdropping but an additional invocation here and there with 30 MIG/30 INT is quite the show... And of course you have to watch out like heck because of the +50% damage you'll receive.

While considering my options for my first playthrough, I thought of something like that but dismissed the idea 'cause it seemed that getting to 10 wounds while being in the backline would not be super reliable. And shame on me, I was too lazy to fire up the beta to confirm it. I assume that's not that big of an issue then?

Dance of Death will give you a wound every 3 sec as long as you don't get hit. With the upgrade you can take three hits until it ends. And you can use an ability to self-inflict wounds. Or you just shoot your Helwalker in the back.

 

What also works decently is to use dual scepters with Destructive Channeling - you'll have 10 wounds in no time. But watch out: due to the increased damage you get you can knock yourself out very quickly.

A second-row Helwalker/Troubadour with +10 MIG and +10 INT (Duality) through Dance of Death does decent damage with 3 (partially) stacked phrases of Dragon Thrashed. It's still not jawdropping but an additional invocation here and there with 30 MIG/30 INT is quite the show... And of course you have to watch out like heck because of the +50% damage you'll receive.

I'm not sure what all equipment is available in the beta to test this, but does the INT/CON from Duality stack with items?  Cause that would push me back in the direction of monk/skald (though maybe not Shattered Pillar, cause they'd only get max +5 INT, correct?) since with +10 INT I could reasonably reach 30 int to be able to maintain 2 phrases all the time.

My planned party atm

 

PC - berserker/soulblade - dps

Xoti - priest - heal and buff bot

Eder - fighter or fighter/rogue (which one is more efficient?) - tank

Aloth - wizard - dps and cc

Maia Rua - ranger/rogue - dps 

i really wish companions either had all their unique specializations or would allow for sub-classes..... unique specializations are just more interesting and aloths split personality could make for a great one...

i really wish companions either had all their unique specializations or would allow for sub-classes..... unique specializations are just more interesting and aloths split personality could make for a great one...

 

Guess you're in a for a surprise then... 

 

i really wish companions either had all their unique specializations or would allow for sub-classes..... unique specializations are just more interesting and aloths split personality could make for a great one...

 

Guess you're in a for a surprise then... 

 

 

why? AFAIK aloth and eder and palegina have all neither special sub classes nor access to the normal ones...only the new companions do - which i like...but it heavily disincentivizes me to use them

Palegina has, she belongs to the paladins of five suns if you didn't choose to turn her into kind wayfarer in poe 1.