Paladins seem pretty strong as Main Protagonist. What would you build?

[Yosharian]

I didn't see Threatening Presence in the beta. But the chanter has a phrase that weakens everyone in his chanting AoE. Pretty nice to set up Sneak Attacks.

 

Hmm, pretty nice but I don't think it can compete with the other chants..

[dunehunter]

Weaken is good as it reduce enemy hpmax, Aslo it cannot be neutralized by resistance because it’s lvl 2 affliction

[PneumaticFire]

Kind Wayfarer/Eothasian Priest - Templar.

Good synergy for both classes conceptually:

 

- Eothas' attributes and a Kind Wayfarers philosophy

 

- Both generate powers internally from their souls

 

- Roleplaying wise Eothas is central to the story and I believe a PC who is directly related to him makes it more interesting.

 

- Increases the holy/healing/God inspired concept of Paladins that I always liked from D&D days and gives the Paladin more casting prowess with their auras.

[Boeroer]

Weaken is good as it reduce enemy hpmax, Aslo it cannot be neutralized by resistance because it’s lvl 2 affliction

As a Troubadour you can also pair it (without a gap) with another phrase that doesn't stack - like Mith Fyr or Old Siec or whatever. I think it's pretty cool, putting a tier-2 affliction on everybody just by standing around. It will also cancel all fitting inspirations on enemies all the time. Seems to be very good in my book. Doesn't weakened also prevent healing?

[thekdawg21]

Love the Eothasian Priest idea. I may actually do that if the Paladin/Priest of Magran summoned weapon is still janky

[PneumaticFire]

Build-wise it may not be as good as your Magran strategy (haven't looked into the numbers) for direct damage dealing with weapons, however it may offer more buffing/healing options.  

Also keep in mind that Eothasian priests get Hope Eternal, which at least in Pillars one, gives +10  accuracy bonus with flails and morning stars + a shorten frightened and terrified duration spell.  That combined with a Paladin's superiority with weapons is definitely something to consider, even as a secondary weapon. 

[Boeroer]

Those accuracy talents are gone in Deadfire...

[PneumaticFire]

[Boeroer]

It's gone. But all chars start with the same accuracy, so it's not needed anymore.

 

In exchange the priests now have really strong summoned weapons (you have to pick that spell though) that match the talents of PoE. A priest of Berath can now summon a scaling great sword with a 50% corrosive lash, Wael summons a scaling rod with 50% shocking lash and so on. They are very powerful. If you want to be a martial priest this works even better than in PoE (because of those awesome weapons). For example multiclass a monk with Priest of Wael and pick Lightning Strikes and get a rod with +80% shocking lash - also translates to the AoE of the Blast modal (or did the last time I tried). Very sweet. Or a Priest of Eothas + Kind Wayfarer who gets a flail with + 80% burning lash when doing FoD.

Edited April 13, 2018 by Boeroer

[PneumaticFire]

Oh yes, of course with the focus on penetration rework. It's been a long day.

 

The good state of summoned weapons seems fun, but may not be as effective for a Paladin multi who will prob have a better standard weapon anyway in terms of consistent damage. Although it could be a good secondary weapon.

Edited April 13, 2018 by PneumaticFire

[Boeroer]

See above, I edited. It's especially good with a paladin. At least in the beta.

[PneumaticFire]

Great. Thanks for the info

[Ascaloth]

I'm mulling on going with a Darcozzi/Troubadour Herald. Both subclasses have Old Vailian origins in their lore descriptions, so this multiclass has synergy even in the fluff.

 

Then make her an Old Vailian Ocean Human for added fluff synergy. You could opt for Fire Godlike for crunch synergy instead, but personally I've always been leery of Godlikes for their 'special snowflake' reputation.

 

Then take Scion of Flame. It's going to be the foundation for all of the coming crunch synergies I'm about to give her.

 

Now.

 

Take Lay on Hands + Flames of Darcozzi Palace. Whenever your enemies touch you, they will burn.

 

Take Flames of Devotion + Shared Flames + Aefyllath Ues Mith Fyr. Whenever your friends leap into battle, they will do so with fire in their hands.

 

Take The Dragon Thrashed, The Dragon Wailed + Sacred Immolation. Wherever you walk, the very air will burn.

 

All will burn.

 

All will be ash.

 

 

Edited April 13, 2018 by Ascaloth

[Boeroer]

Sadly Dragon Thrashed is more like Dragon Trash in the beta. But besides that: yeah it's a nice combo.

[Madscientist]

Deathblows?

Yes, I mean the upgrade of sneak attack.

 

In Final Fantasy 7, deathblows is an attack where you either miss or crit. I never used it. Sneak attack is always applied when you have the conditions in all games I have played.

I want an ability that increases the damage of all attacks, not an "all or nothing attack". Every time I hear "deathblows" I think of an all or nothing attack. Thats why I called the upgrade of sneak attack "death attack".

 

I know this makes no sense. Having played tons of RPGs can give you a lot of experience, but it can also confuse you if different games use the same word for different abilities or they use a different word for the same ability.

[Ascaloth]

It's just a pity that Darcozzi no longer have Inspiring Liberation as a thing. That really killed the Forward Observer family of builds. 

[Boeroer]

@MadScientist: all good. I wasn't sure if there is a new high level ability with that name (was too lazy to look it up).

[dunehunter]

It's just a pity that Darcozzi no longer have Inspiring Liberation as a thing. That really killed the Forward Observer family of builds. 

 

Yeah I play Darcozzi not because of that minor flame shield, but because of Inspiring Liberation, too bad it's gone.'

 

It used to be a very good passive because it totally changes the function of one ability, you can use it to clear debuff, now you can use it for self-buffing or buffing allies. Too bad they choose not to include it.

Edited April 13, 2018 by dunehunter

[Boeroer]

I guess they wanted to prevent ACC stacking which made the game too easy for "experts". Inspiring Radiance is also gone.

[JerekKruger]

I've been toying with the idea of playing an Unbroken/Shield Bearer. Not sure how good it'll be, but I like the idea of playing an effective tank.

[Boeroer]

I tried it and it's absolutely solid. I took the hardest hitting one hander I know of (sabre), omitting PEN because the disengagement attacks will have +100% damage and PEN anyways. Engagement slots, defenses and AR are stellar. You can also collect a lot of resistances.

[JerekKruger]

I tried it and it's absolutely solid. I took the hardest hitting one hander I know of (sabre), omitting PEN because the disengagement attacks will have +100% damage and PEN anyways. Engagement slots, defenses and AR are stellar. You can also collect a lot of resistances.

 

Is it worth taking Defender Stance (or whatever the extra engagements Fighter stance is called)? On the one hand you'll likely end up with more engagement slots than you can realistically use (six with a shield), but on the other the auto-prone upgrade of Guardian Stance looks to be pretty good.

[Boeroer]

I honestly don't know. In the beta - when I use an Unbroken - foes seldomly leave my engagement. So the upgrade didn't really do anything. And you are right: with several engagement slots improvements you will end up with more slots than enemies can fill. You could also use a spear + modal and/or Hold the Line and then pick Cleaving Stance or Warrior Stance for the additional deflection instead.

 

I'm undecided...

 

But it may be that we'll see small, swarming enemies in the future. Smaller enemies can fill up more engagement slots. Then Guardian Stance might be perfect. Who knows?

[JerekKruger]

Are there ways to force enemies to disengage? If not how useful did you find the +10 penetration on disengagement attacks?

[Boeroer]

In beta1 you could multiclass with a wizard and use Ryngrim's Minced-Meat-Face to scare away enemies. That triggered Disengagement Attacks and was so powerful that it was nerfed immediately in beta2. Unbroken/Wizard was one of the strongest things I tried so far because of that. Now being frightened/terrified makes you immune to engagement it seems.

 

Nowadays I know of no other way to force disengagement. Pushing/kicking/reloacating via ability (Knock DOwn, FoA, Pull of Eora...) seems to cancel engagement as well.

 

Even when I place some bait next to the Unbroken (unarmored wizard with 3 RES and 3 CON) most enemies I tested (Lagufaeth, Tigers, townspeople) won't leave me as long as they are engaged. It seems the threat level of an Unbroken in engagement is too high? Don't know... I mean +100% dmg combined with 10 PEN is hefty.

 

If you find a way to force disengagement please report!

Edited April 13, 2018 by Boeroer