Eternity Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire + DLC Thread - now with turn-based combat!

[Piotrovitz]

what's the current consensus on highest ranged dps gear?

I always saw Red Hand being mentioned left and right but from my exp my ranger/cipher with essence interrupter dished out much more dmg???//
Especially later on, when you can afford to have hunting bow modal being turned on all the time

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

For Maia it's definitely the Red Hand, as an MC hard to tell really, lots of options there. Pstol/hunting bow with quick shooting modal do great damage, Streetfighter builds with blunderbuss are also great if you wanna try something weirder.

Warbow/Crossbow kinda suck because good weapons are available kinda late, and Neketaka Arbalest while available early has great accuracy but doesn't really do some crazy damage.

 

[Desiderius]

For Maia it's definitely the Red Hand, as an MC hard to tell really, lots of options there. Pstol/hunting bow with quick shooting modal do great damage, Streetfighter builds with blunderbuss are also great if you wanna try something weirder.

Warbow/Crossbow kinda suck because good weapons are available kinda late, and Neketaka Arbalest while available early has great accuracy but doesn't really do some crazy damage.

Maia Scout is more useful spreading conditions with twin Hand Mortars. With careful positioning using Evasive Roll can even get there with Powder Burns, especially with Strike the Bell helping.

Plenty of damage regardless. Extra range from Gunhawk comes in handy.

Sniping rear echelon threats with Red Hand also good (especially with poison applied) but can be difficult to get the Bird there to benefit from Stalker’s Link.

Concussive Tranquilizer does apply AoE but Wounding Shot doesn’t.

 

[Desiderius]

what's the current consensus on highest ranged dps gear?

I always saw Red Hand being mentioned left and right but from my exp my ranger/cipher with essence interrupter dished out much more dmg???//
Especially later on, when you can afford to have hunting bow modal being turned on all the time

Essence Interrupter can nuke your loot. Always good to be able to apply multiple damage types (the downside of Arquebus/Pistols) though. Pierce is generally decent on ship fights so safer there. Hand Mortars are Slash/Pierce.

 

[White Grey]

A neat thing about pistols is that they are one of, if not the, best 1-handed specialization weapons because of the modal. It still falls off at higher levels, but it's cool and remains effective. I like to use the 1h spec pistol setup for Ydwin, fits her haughty bitch vibe and cipher class.

 

[Desiderius]

I find the damage a little underwhelming and Pierce-only a little bit of a trap. I want to be using abilities instead of auto-attacking so being able to spam a bunch of shots is unappealing if they just burn through your Guile.

 

[White Grey]

That's true, Rogues also lean pretty heavily into Full Attacks (or Primary, sometimes), so they definitely benefit from 2 weapon or 2-handed. But cipher is an infinite-resource class with no full attacks and a desire to stay at range. Damage definitely falls off. There's a saber that deletes recovery time which would also be very good with 1-hand style I believe, which could be swapped to against pierce resistant enemies, if your character were the type to swap between pistols and sabers. But I suppose it's immaterial to the question of OP ranged weapons.

You want a kick dick ranged weapon? How about Saint Omaku's Mercy with the relevant skills

The weird part about weapon distribution is that if I were a ranger-ish tree-fucking type who didn't want to support the destruction of a bog by shark-toothed jap imperialists, I would never find this weapon. Although I guess you could argue that the power of the Rauatain Navy and the endless contesting of territory is very appropriate for an adherent of Galawain.

Also, try working in the Blackbow spell. It's good on that store bitch. Damn there's a lot of bitches.

 

[Desiderius]

Blackbow is 8th lvl spell.

Saint Omaku’s is ok but wasn’t that impressed on my single-classed Sharpshooter. Mortars are good if you can use them to spread conditions but maybe not worth the hassle otherwise.

Single class Cipher is probably best to go Beguiler since it generates its own focus from Deception spells and plays to the strength of the class.

Serafen benefits from the speed boosts of Barbarian to spam his Tenuous Grasp and Mind Blades for when he gets a Power level spike. He can always use Barbaric Blow if opponents have high Will.

 

[Haplo]

For Maia it's definitely the Red Hand, as an MC hard to tell really, lots of options there. Pstol/hunting bow with quick shooting modal do great damage, Streetfighter builds with blunderbuss are also great if you wanna try something weirder.

Warbow/Crossbow kinda suck because good weapons are available kinda late, and Neketaka Arbalest while available early has great accuracy but doesn't really do some crazy damage.

Maia Scout is more useful spreading conditions with twin Hand Mortars. With careful positioning using Evasive Roll can even get there with Powder Burns, especially with Strike the Bell helping.

The "Bells" are single target though, AFAIR. A shame, as the mortars could really use the PEN boost. In general it seemed pretty inconsistant which rogue talents would become aoe - and which not.

I prefer mortars on monks (stunning blows!).

For Maia I liked Red Hand sniping a lot. Although I wouldn't call her my favourite party member overall.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Yeah you can do some cool builds with mortars but it takes a specialized build, I wouldn't use em on a companion.

 

[Litmanen]

I have a couple of questions about party composition.

First things first: I do not multiclass because it's my first game/I do not master the ruleset that much to be able to manage multiclassing/I never understood multiclassing.
Second: in case you are willing to help with very welcome advices, please, do not be too specific because, again, I will never master every single aspect of the game mechanics.
Third: I play path of the damned even if I'm dumb and weak.
Fourth: I'm already level 7.

- I'm a priest of Magran, most focusing on supporting the party with my spells and a bit of arc from distance or some two-handed damage if strictly necessary.

- I would like to take Serafen as pure Cipher because, all in all, he makes good damages with his morning star (for now) and his spells to dominate and charme are absolutely helpful (beside with undeads)

And that's all with the "sure takes".

Then:

In the backcourt:
Teheku (as pure druid): I've tried it a bit and he can be very helpful thanks to his evocations and spells to lower enemies defences/resistences and help the party. And, in the latter he is "a copy" of my Priest.

or

Aloth, as pure wizard (or mage, or whatever is the name): he can do a lot of damages with magics. Not bad, but that's it.

or

Konstanten, as pure chanter: looks like and OP class to me (but I haven't use it yet in PoE II), because it can evoke, can help the party and can lower enemies defenses. And maybe can also cook.

Then as second-tier frontcourt:
Maia, as pure ranger: looks useful to beat people and her animal companion adds to the number of people involved in the fight.

or

Ygwin, as pure rogue: looks interesting as an alternative to Xoti, as damage dealer. But I'm scared I will not be able to manage her at her best because I'm dumb.

or

Xoti, as pure monk. Punches people. Several times. And sometimes stuns them.

or

Pallegina, as pure Paladin. Doesseveral thinks, but the Paladin class didn't convince me a lot.

As first-tier frontcourt a.k.a. tank:
Edèr, who tanks wonderfully but doesn't deal a lot of damages.

or

Maia's companion(?!), but I'm not sure that Mais or her companion could be valid tanks.

or

Pallegina (maybe?!)


So, in the end, it seems that me, Serafen and Edèr (if no one can tank like him) occupy three spots. The other two, apparently, could be Kostanten the Chanter and maybe Maia with her animal companion? But, then, would I do enough damages with Serafen + Maia + her companion + Edèr?

p.s. I would gladly drop Edèr as a tank, anyway. I do not dislike him and he is amazingly useful as tank, but I would like to try something different (I had him, Aloth, Durance and maybe Pallegina already in the first game).

 

[Desiderius]

For Maia it's definitely the Red Hand, as an MC hard to tell really, lots of options there. Pstol/hunting bow with quick shooting modal do great damage, Streetfighter builds with blunderbuss are also great if you wanna try something weirder.

Warbow/Crossbow kinda suck because good weapons are available kinda late, and Neketaka Arbalest while available early has great accuracy but doesn't really do some crazy damage.

Maia Scout is more useful spreading conditions with twin Hand Mortars. With careful positioning using Evasive Roll can even get there with Powder Burns, especially with Strike the Bell helping.

The "Bells" are single target though, AFAIR. A shame, as the mortars could really use the PEN boost. In general it seemed pretty inconsistant which rogue talents would become aoe - and which not.

I prefer mortars on monks (stunning blows!).

For Maia I liked Red Hand sniping a lot. Although I wouldn't call her my favourite party member overall.

Using that combo right now, I'll play closer attention to the AoE, but since Mortars target Reflex and Bells reduce Reflex by 25 it's a pretty good way to proc the Crit effects.

The Disorienting Cone is the same one Powder Burns has, which I kept hitting my own team with until I figured it out. Using Evasive Roll to position yourself to the *side* of the Mobs is pretty great. Critting Powder Burns is what makes it get enough PEN to matter and with Bell taking off 25 Reflex and Disorienting another chunk it gets there on DW Mortars. Open combat with Arquebus at range (to apply Poison and a big double hit) then switch to Mortars since you don't have to wait for reload to act. Evasive Roll into position and blast away.

Yeah you can do some cool builds with mortars but it takes a specialized build, I wouldn't use em on a companion.

Her quest in annoying but her Gunhawk bonuses are irreplaceable.

The non-Pillows companions all have special classes that you can't get otherwise. Serafen's is debatable (but exploitable) while Xoti*, Tekehu, Maia (Guns-only), and Pallegina are both more interesting and superior to the other options outside combo builds for soloing.

* - combo of classes and Lantern. Blessed Harvest spell fuels her unique Monk class, while the Lantern makes her Priest spells better while replenishing Mortification which makes her Monk subclass worth playing. The steady supply of Wounds is awesome but it would run out of gas without the Mortification.

 

[Desiderius]

Having a Chanter (Tekehu or Pallegina) to apply the +4AR bonus immediately at beginning of combat is a huge help.

Tekehu works better for this using Blightheart to get his Phrases back and I like Pallegina better as Pal/Fighter for reasons I've already been over (mobility, engagement, recovery speed, better disengagement attacks, mob stance optional)

Witch is great on Serafen because Borrowed Instinct (and Phantom Foes before that) really gets the Carnage flowing and he's got plenty of action econ once the Rage for Barbaric Blow runs out (and Blow is a great way to fill up his Focus). The two early speed boosts from Barb let him spam his good Cypher spells.

That leaves Ranger/Rogue for Maia which is great to spread around the Rogue conditions. Bird immunity to engagement is underrated for getting Stalker's Link established.

Right now running Witch MC (Beguiler* a little bit of a nonbo here, but ok with Furyshaper) instead of Serafen along with Xoti, Tekehu, Maia, and Pallegina. Will probably do Darcozzi/Evoker MC next and leave Pallegina behind.

* - Will saves only, fast cast only (rest of party can handle Reflex/Fort and can just slay against those foes, and fast cast makes concentration less of an issue while freeing up more action econ)

 

[Desiderius]

BTW Pallegina has Magistrate's Cudgel equipped with a Sword getting the dual-wielding recovery speed reduction in one slot, and a weapon with Magran's Blessing Shield in another not getting it. There's something about shield-bashing that doesn't get full benefit of two-weapon.

 

[Haplo]

BTW Pallegina has Magistrate's Cudgel equipped with a Sword getting the dual-wielding recovery speed reduction in one slot, and a weapon with Magran's Blessing Shield in another not getting it. There's something about shield-bashing that doesn't get full benefit of two-weapon.

Magran's Blessing Shield sucks. Its damage, accuracy, and PEN don't scale with enchantment quality. Meaning it pretty much always underpenetrates for peanuts damage.
Tuotilo's Palm at least scales for monks. And non-monks can get Monastic Unarmed Training to make it somewhat effective (and it can be enchanted with 20% chance to retaliate).

 

[Litmanen]

Having a Chanter (Tekehu or Pallegina) to apply the +4AR bonus immediately at beginning of combat is a huge help.

Tekehu works better for this using Blightheart to get his Phrases back and I like Pallegina better as Pal/Fighter for reasons I've already been over (mobility, engagement, recovery speed, better disengagement attacks, mob stance optional)

Witch is great on Serafen because Borrowed Instinct (and Phantom Foes before that) really gets the Carnage flowing and he's got plenty of action econ once the Rage for Barbaric Blow runs out (and Blow is a great way to fill up his Focus). The two early speed boosts from Barb let him spam his good Cypher spells.

That leaves Ranger/Rogue for Maia which is great to spread around the Rogue conditions. Bird immunity to engagement is underrated for getting Stalker's Link established.

Right now running Witch MC (Beguiler* a little bit of a nonbo here, but ok with Fateshaper) instead of Serafen along with Xoti, Tekehu, Maia, and Pallegina. Will probably do Darcozzi/Evoker MC next and leave Pallegina behind.

* - Will saves only, fast cast only (rest of party can handle Reflex/Fort and can just slay against those foes, and fast cast makes concentration less of an issue while freeing up more action econ)

If you were answering to me (as I suppose), thank you but, as I said, I prefer not to multiclass because I'm not able to manage it

 

[Litmanen]

Haplo yeah, I know that's absurd but, since I play RPGs, I never multiclassed, never.

You need to know the rules way too well for me to grasp the benefit of multiclassing. I'm not a rules-lover. It took a lot for me to appreciate also spell-oriented and ranged classes. I have always been a "fighter".

"What's the situation? We are in a fight? I punch/stab/hit with melee weapons."

That was me until 2/3 years ago. I didn't give a fuck about all the other things. 600 pages of rules: no, please.
And I understand it is important and can be funny to multiclass. But it needs a knowledge of the rules that I don't have and probably don't want.

I prefer to masturbate than focus on rules and concatenations of classes powers.

 

[Desiderius]

BTW Pallegina has Magistrate's Cudgel equipped with a Sword getting the dual-wielding recovery speed reduction in one slot, and a weapon with Magran's Blessing Shield in another not getting it. There's something about shield-bashing that doesn't get full benefit of two-weapon.

Magran's Blessing Shield sucks. Its damage, accuracy, and PEN don't scale with enchantment quality. Meaning it pretty much always underpenetrates for peanuts damage.
Tuotilo's Palm at least scales for monks. And non-monks can get Monastic Unarmed Training to make it somewhat effective (and it can be enchanted with 20% chance to retaliate).

I'm saying look at the tooltip for recovery time. If you have one set with two weapons and another with Magran's Blessing the *main-hand* weapon will have slower recovery time (doesn't get the two-weapon reduction), as of course does the Shield.

At least that's what's showing up right now in my game. I don't *think* Community Patch would add that, would they? I'm trying to level-up Cudgel so noticed the speed difference.

 

[Haplo]

In this case I guess:
Aloth, pure wizard
Tekehu, pure druid

Will offer a solid mix of CC & damage (over time, in case of druid) and even summons (stuff like Essential Phantasm on Aloth) and some defenses (Barkskin/Form of Delemgan are pretty great, cheap & easy).

Then I guess we have
Eder, the battlefield control fighter

I'm a bit puzzled what to take for the last spot. Pure rogue is too fragile and needs too much micromanagement. Pure ranger is too low damage for most of the game. Pure monk is... fine, I guess. Just not sure Xoti is the best monk. Pure Chanter's powers aren't too impressive. Pure Cipher is decent, but would love to harvest Focus faster via multiclass abilities from his martial half. Pure Paladin? Eh, outside of weird cheese strats, like putting oneself on fire, does quite a few nice things - can heal, buff a little, protect against some statuses - but excels at none, really.

MAYBE finish with your choice of Xoti Monk / Ydwin Cipher / Konstanten Chanter
Switch them around and see which you like the most.

 

[Litmanen]

In this case I guess:
Aloth, pure wizard
Tekehu, pure druid

Will offer a solid mix of CC & damage (over time, in case of druid) and even summons (stuff like Essential Phantasm on Aloth) and some defenses (Barkskin/Form of Delemgan are pretty great, cheap & easy).

Then I guess we have
Eder, the battlefield control fighter

I'm a bit puzzled what to take for the last spot. Pure rogue is too fragile and needs to much micromanagement. Pure ranger is too low damage for most of the game. Pure monk is... fine, I guess. Just not sure Xoti is the best monk. Pure Chanter's powers aren't too impressive. Pure Cipher is decent, but would love to harvest Focus faster via multiclass abilities from his martial half. Pure Paladin? Eh, outside of weird cheese strats, like putting oneself on fire, does quite a few nice things - can heal, buff a little, protect against some statuses - but excels at none, really.

MAYBE finish with your choice of Xoti Monk / Ydwin Cipher / Konstanten Chanter
Switch them around and see which you like the most.

Thank you for going over my inabilities

The only thing who worries me, with your setup "meAsPriest-Aloth-Tekehu-Edèr-someoneMelee", is that maybe I will not have enough people to punch and strike in melee. Edèr is quite useless in this regard and then I would have Xoti or Ydwin or the Bard.

That's why I was thinking about me and Aloth(or Tekehu or Konstanten) from distance, Xoti/Ydwin + Edèr in the melee and Serafen as a mix of both

 

[Jvegi]

Is the game good?

Because the first one is not.

I can't run the second one on my rig, but I plan to upgrade in the next couple of years.

Is the game worth it? Kingmaker was also bad. I loved the character customization, but otherwise it was fucking jank.

I hear you guys are talking about guns. My nth attempt at log2 is going nowhere because guns are shit. Most build are apparently. Traps without information to see them coming. I trust poe2 is not like that, praised be Sawyer.

 

[Yosharian]

Mechanically it's a pretty good game, don't play it in turn-based though. Story/characters/writing generally, I think it's pretty bad, though it does have some decent moments.

 

[Haplo]

Mechanically it's a pretty good game, don't play it in turn-based though. Story/characters/writing generally, I think it's pretty bad, though it does have some decent moments.

Also the exploration is pretty fun. And itemization is the best it has ever been in a crpg.

 

[adddeed]

And its the best looking isometric RPG to date.

 

[Haplo]

In this case I guess:
Aloth, pure wizard
Tekehu, pure druid

Will offer a solid mix of CC & damage (over time, in case of druid) and even summons (stuff like Essential Phantasm on Aloth) and some defenses (Barkskin/Form of Delemgan are pretty great, cheap & easy).

Then I guess we have
Eder, the battlefield control fighter

I'm a bit puzzled what to take for the last spot. Pure rogue is too fragile and needs to much micromanagement. Pure ranger is too low damage for most of the game. Pure monk is... fine, I guess. Just not sure Xoti is the best monk. Pure Chanter's powers aren't too impressive. Pure Cipher is decent, but would love to harvest Focus faster via multiclass abilities from his martial half. Pure Paladin? Eh, outside of weird cheese strats, like putting oneself on fire, does quite a few nice things - can heal, buff a little, protect against some statuses - but excels at none, really.

MAYBE finish with your choice of Xoti Monk / Ydwin Cipher / Konstanten Chanter
Switch them around and see which you like the most.

Thank you for going over my inabilities

The only thing who worries me, with your setup "meAsPriest-Aloth-Tekehu-Edèr-someoneMelee", is that maybe I will not have enough people to punch and strike in melee. Edèr is quite useless in this regard and then I would have Xoti or Ydwin or the Bard.

That's why I was thinking about me and Aloth(or Tekehu or Konstanten) from distance, Xoti/Ydwin + Edèr in the melee and Serafen as a mix of both

That sounds pretty solid.
Cipher can play a bit like a rogue in melee. Except it has powers that can CC enemies and even make him/her more durable. Can also work fine at mid or long range. A flexible class overall. I hate Serafen's Cipher subclass, though.
Pure rogue works better as a ranged character IMO. Would be quite squishy in melee.
Monk is good, even pure.