Looking for an "interesting" melee build

[Stasis_Sword]

I realize the term interesting is subjective, but I'm looking for a melee build with lots of options. I find auto attacking (or always using the same skill) really boring.

 

I'm looking for something that is:

• Mobile (able to get to enemy casters / range units)
• Range of abilities/powers (from knocking enemies prone to debuffs or fireballs)
• Not a glass cannon (can take a few hits before going down)

Although I'm open to other suggestions I'm probably looking to multi-class (more options). Some of the class I'm particularly interested in include: rogue, monk, cipher, chanter, wizard, shifting/shape change. Any recommendations (ideally with some explanation) would be appreciated.

 

 

Related question can rogues still use scrolls and are explosives useful (in most games they quickly become obsolete)?

[MadMatt86]

After playing a dozen or so builds and 30 hours in I've settled on a tanky crowd controller (Paladin (shield bearer) + Chanter(Skald). A lot more interactive than some of the other melee builds Ive played.

[pstone]

Scrolls are usable by anyone with Arcana skill. Explosives and traps are certainly useful, but a bit expensive and the strong ones require investement in the skill.

 

Rogue/Cipher is usually a glass cannon, however if you go trickster/cipher instead of the usual extermely glassy assassin/cipher, you can get decent defenses with mirror image for some durability and have lots of versality (jumping in and out of combat, illusion and cipher spells, rogue abilities).

 

Rogue/fighter is a good tank build with some interesting options. Very mobile due to rogue invisiblity and disengagement, fighter abilities for control. But some hidden gems are in the passives. Rogue has passive "Riposte" that allow a full attack riposte on miss, and passive "Persistent Distraction" adds +1 engagement & makes engaged enemies "distracted" = -5 perception (better chance to miss) and flanked (sneak attack! also better hit chance). Fighter guadian stance = autoattack+prone on disengagement, -5% damage per engaged and +3 max engagement.  With "overbearing guard", those disengagement attacks will deal plenty of damage (+50%) and easily hit (+15acc).  So engage 5 enemies for a very sticky fighter and tons of high damage sneak autoattacks (and abilities with normal attacks). I like to make the rogue a trickster (bit less sneak attack, but mirror image is perfect for a tank)

Edited May 13, 2018 by pstone

[Neferakh]

I watched the Fextralife summary of the priest classes, and one of the options that intrigues me is the combo Priest of Wael/Streetfighter (Priest/Rogue) - a deflection tank essentially, with the various illusion abilities granted by Wael.

 

With rogue you would also have lots of mobility, and priest would open some options as well.

 

Not sure how good it would be, but it does at least sound interesting...

[Sanctuary]

I realize the term interesting is subjective, but I'm looking for a melee build with lots of options. I find auto attacking (or always using the same skill) really boring.

 

I'm looking for something that is:

• Mobile (able to get to enemy casters / range units)
• Range of abilities/powers (from knocking enemies prone to debuffs or fireballs)
• Not a glass cannon (can take a few hits before going down)

Although I'm open to other suggestions I'm probably looking to multi-class (more options). Some of the class I'm particularly interested in include: rogue, monk, cipher, chanter, wizard, shifting/shape change. Any recommendations (ideally with some explanation) would be appreciated.

 

 

Related question can rogues still use scrolls and are explosives useful (in most games they quickly become obsolete)?

 

Pretty much already covered by pstone, but you're essentially looking at a Rogue/Fighter combination.  Still not really going to be a "tank", unless you focus more on mitigation and less on speed (and damage) though until you get the Fighter's armor passive, but you will still have a little health regen by default.  Another option though would be Ciper (Soul Blade)/Fighter.  You still retain some of the mobility options (a bit less), are not *quite* as squishy and also don't need to rely on any type of flanking for some massive damage loops via Soul Annihilation + Cleave stance.

 

Berserker/Fighter or even Bleak Walker/Fighter are also decent alternatives, depending on who you plan on bringing with you.  Regardless, Fighter is the core you want. 

Edited May 13, 2018 by Sanctuary

[mrscojangles]

Single class shattered pillar seems very strong so far. Can keep up lightning strikes and thunderous blows all the time. Upgraded torment reach lets you pump out a lot of stuns. Force of anguish can be used to knock melee off your back line folks. Rooting pain is constantly going off for a lot of interrupts. Flagellant's Path gives you the mobility you want to get to the back lines. Blade Turning is a good "oh ****" defensive for when you're swarmed by melee. I haven't got to the level 7, 8 and 9 talents but they look good too.

 

I will say that it is ideal to put lightning strikes/thunderous blows on the AI to autocast whenever they drop, and if you don't really want to babysit it, you'll want to set up Torment's Reach/Raised Torment to also autocast at 3 wounds, since you'll be generating a ton of wounds and you won't cast rooting pain if you're capped at 5.

 

Duality and Turning wheel won't provide you as much int/fire damage as the other monk subclasses, but even 3-5 Int and 15-25% fire damage for all your Torment's Reach helps out and its some free extra damage on your other attacks, duration on your buffs, and range/damage on your rooting pain.

 

Early game it seemed a little squishy, but I think the same could be said for most anything until you get a little gear and some source of healing, and you could easily pick up some defensive talents or set up your attributes to make it a little tankier if you find its survivability lacking. I've been using the devil of caroc breastplate and that seems to be a decent choice from the gear I've found so far, in that it has solid AC but the recovery penalty isn't too severe. And with lightning strikes/dual wield/two weapon style it doesn't feel slow by any means.

[Purudaya]

18 PER Rogue/Shattered Pillar dual wielding sabres is a blast. High criticals/PEN, swift flurry, thundering blows, and sneak attack synergize incredibly well. There are also a number of items that really compliment the build - Miscreant's Leathers, unique sabres, a necklace that grants auto-kill on 10% of hits against targets with 100 health or less...with the right kit you're regularly landing 3-4 hits/crits at once just with autoattacks.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Purudaya

[Stasis_Sword]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I'm going to be doing some build tests tonight but the three main ones I'm looking at are:

Fighter / Cipher

Monk / Cipher

Monk / Rogue

(I like Fighter / Rogue too but Eder can pull that off...)

 

I assume for melee hybrids: Soul Blade, Shattered Pillar would be the most common sub classes. Street fighter for rogue? Devoted for fighter?

[nstgc]

I realize the term interesting is subjective, but I'm looking for a melee build with lots of options. I find auto attacking (or always using the same skill) really boring.

 

I'm looking for something that is:

• Mobile (able to get to enemy casters / range units)
• Range of abilities/powers (from knocking enemies prone to debuffs or fireballs)
• Not a glass cannon (can take a few hits before going down)

Although I'm open to other suggestions I'm probably looking to multi-class (more options). Some of the class I'm particularly interested in include: rogue, monk, cipher, chanter, wizard, shifting/shape change. Any recommendations (ideally with some explanation) would be appreciated.

 

 

Related question can rogues still use scrolls and are explosives useful (in most games they quickly become obsolete)?

I'm thinking wizard+rogue. Rogue grants mobility and some debuffs, then there is wizard. My current build is a cipher+wizard which I'm playing in melee. My character has more HP and defense than even Palladina once buffed which takes a little more than a second. Of course, should someone throw an arcane dampener her way she'd be right back to squishy.

[El Kabong]

I'm really trying to make a trickster to work out.

 

Trickster/Wizard (Generalist) seems good but too frail.

Trickster/Illusionist solves some of the fragility problems, but seems to render the character kinda weak, ill have to try it out.

 

On the other hand i tought about rogue Cipher:

Trickster/Soulblade looks like a solid option, ill DEFINITELY try it out soon. Hope is not as glassy as Trickster/wiz.

[cactot]

I'm looking for something that is:

• Mobile (able to get to enemy casters / range units)
• Range of abilities/powers (from knocking enemies prone to debuffs or fireballs)
• Not a glass cannon (can take a few hits before going down)

Although I'm open to other suggestions I'm probably looking to multi-class (more options). Some of the class I'm particularly interested in include: rogue, monk, cipher, chanter, wizard, shifting/shape change. Any recommendations (ideally with some explanation) would be appreciated.

 

 

Related question can rogues still use scrolls and are explosives useful (in most games they quickly become obsolete)?

 

Given your preferences, I would strongly recommend a rogue of some sort. They get awesome mobility at power level 1, invisibility on demand at power level 2, and lots of quality debuffs. They mix very well with any number of classes. If you choose street fighter it also gives them a very good damage boost while in a crowd, which is often when you need it the most.

 

If you want something tanky, paladin is the tankiest class in the game (particularly kind wayfarer for the instant cast self-heals). Wizard, fighter and barbarian can all be decently tanky as well. Wizards with lots of buffs, barbarians with a large health pool (and armor buff if you use berserker), and fighters get defensive buffs and regeneration.

[drchocapic]

The best way to make melee characters "interesting" as you describe is, in my opinion, to combine them with one of the renewable resource classes (Chanter, Cipher). This way you get multiple option for spells when levelling up whereas most classic melee classes will always pick the same abilities, and you always have something different to do in a fight.

[Lokithecat]

I didn't see anyone mention it here, but I've been running a Monk (Helwalker) Barbarian (Berserker).  The damage output is absolutely insane, and very mobile with some mid level Barbarian Skills.  Its not great at tanking, you would need to be very judicious on when you use Frenzy (or track HP yourself, or Just keep up over time healing), and if you keep your wounds under control (Spend them or you end up taking +50% damage). 

 

Everyone seems to be loving the Shattered monk, for rapid Wound generation, but this seems much more damage output.  Routinely having more than 30 Might is just funny, and the Frenzy + Swift Flurry with such massive damage hits tears things apart.

[nstgc]

I'm really trying to make a trickster to work out.

 

Trickster/Wizard (Generalist) seems good but too frail.

Trickster/Illusionist solves some of the fragility problems, but seems to render the character kinda weak, ill have to try it out.

 

On the other hand i tought about rogue Cipher:

Trickster/Soulblade looks like a solid option, ill DEFINITELY try it out soon. Hope is not as glassy as Trickster/wiz.

Its not. As I keep saying, Wizard buffs make the wizard stupidly tanky. My Soul Blade/ Generalist (a pure caster) is the tankiest member of my party.

Edited May 15, 2018 by nstgc

[El Kabong]

 

I'm really trying to make a trickster to work out.

 

Trickster/Wizard (Generalist) seems good but too frail.

Trickster/Illusionist solves some of the fragility problems, but seems to render the character kinda weak, ill have to try it out.

 

On the other hand i tought about rogue Cipher:

Trickster/Soulblade looks like a solid option, ill DEFINITELY try it out soon. Hope is not as glassy as Trickster/wiz.

Its not. As I keep saying, Wizard buffs make the wizard stupidly tanky. My Soul Blade/ Generalist (a pure caster) is the tankiest member of my party.

 

 

:D i guess i found my combo then. 

[dudex]

I didn't see anyone mention it here, but I've been running a Monk (Helwalker) Barbarian (Berserker).  The damage output is absolutely insane, and very mobile with some mid level Barbarian Skills.  Its not great at tanking, you would need to be very judicious on when you use Frenzy (or track HP yourself, or Just keep up over time healing), and if you keep your wounds under control (Spend them or you end up taking +50% damage). 

 

Everyone seems to be loving the Shattered monk, for rapid Wound generation, but this seems much more damage output.  Routinely having more than 30 Might is just funny, and the Frenzy + Swift Flurry with such massive damage hits tears things apart.

 

the thing is shattered pillar can trigger rooting pain a lot more often. one proc of it will prob outdamage all the bonuses of the helwaker.

[BalkothTheFeared]

I would consider Ranger as well when looking at classes. They get some good mobility. Combine that with Barbarian or Fighter and you can be leaping and moving all over the battlefield.

[nstgc]

I would consider Ranger as well when looking at classes. They get some good mobility. Combine that with Barbarian or Fighter and you can be leaping and moving all over the battlefield.

At one point I was considering a Stalker. If you mix ranger in with a melee build, go Stalker.

[KaiG]

Devoted/Soul Blade vs Trickster/Soul Blade for a single 1h sword user? Essentially modelled on Ciri from the Witcher (ie. Dex-based with magical flair and mobility)?

[Voltron]

Every Chanter (just not pure Chanter)/melee is a lot of fun as you have passives, summons, CC, damage, buffs, debuffs etc. 

It's a lot of fun and interesting gameplay. 

Melee/Wizard or Melee/Druid is also interesting and fun, especially Monk/Shifter is very interesting to play as.

[Stasis_Sword]

KaiG - I really like the Ciri idea

 

Voltron - I was just testing Monk/Shifter and it was great. Any recommendations on a specific Chanter/melee combination to try?

[Anoregon]

KaiG - I really like the Ciri idea

 

Voltron - I was just testing Monk/Shifter and it was great. Any recommendations on a specific Chanter/melee combination to try?

 

Skald/Berserker becomes ridiculous once you get a couple of key weapons in Neketaka. Modwyr negates the confusion from Berserker and increases attack speed, and there are a couple of unique sabres that either increase attack speed or crit chance. Since your bread and butter invocations will all cost 2-3 phrases, you end up being able to use them every few seconds.

[KaiG]

Yeah I'm stuck on Trickster or Devoted as the Soulblade's second class though. Escape is more like Ciri's blink ability, I suppose, but Devoted would seem to make more sense for single 1h user.

[Voltron]

KaiG - I really like the Ciri idea

 

Voltron - I was just testing Monk/Shifter and it was great. Any recommendations on a specific Chanter/melee combination to try?

 

Skald/Berserker for max damge, Paladin/Troubadour for great tank/sustain combined with very good damage and Fighter/Troubadour for more offensive version.

[Stasis_Sword]

Yeah I'm stuck on Trickster or Devoted as the Soulblade's second class though. Escape is more like Ciri's blink ability, I suppose, but Devoted would seem to make more sense for single 1h user.

 

Devoted / Soulblade probably makes the most sense for Ciri.

 

With that said I think I'm going with a Corvo style Trickster / Soul Blade for my first playthrough.