Underrail: The Incline Awakens

[Trashos]

My knife playthrough is going great. Ripper is great, Cut Throat is powerful and fun. My favorite build is supposed to be gloves, but now it has competition. The early game was much smoother with knives. Later I found a very powerful electricity knife, and it simplified things until I could craft my own. Unfortunately, I do not remember where I found it.
Gloves are faster due to Lightning Punches, and they can go Survival Insticts, which knives can't if I want to take Fancy Footwork, Ripper and have some INT. So they both have their advantages.

Lately, I have been trying builds that I was not sure I would like: the previous one was chem pistols (I was worried they would be too slow), now it is knives (I was worried about playing melee without SI). They both turned out great. I am wondering what other build that I have been avoiding could also turn out great. Maybe I should try Swords. On the one hand they look fun, but on the other they look like they can be frustrating, as I am not the gambler type.

Btw, the Waterways look a bit more lively now. I cannot put my finger on why. Maybe it is increased traffic with more jet skiers? Also, I have been meeting the Traveling Merchant a lot. I think he is always somewhere, and it is just a matter of crossing paths.

 

[lukaszek]

Cut Throat is powerful and fun

AP reduction and ability to use it out of stealth was gamechanger. Also adding expedition made it somewhat worth picking. Actually last time i used it was long time ago, before such changes and it was already fun.
Wouldnt mind coming back to it at some point and spend spec points in it

 

[CHEMS]

Yeah, I still deal with it in the oldschool way of staying back and filling up the place with traps, caltrops and toxic grenades. I should try camping at the exit at some point.

You do that. It's way better. Easier to loot the 20tons of stuff after the battle too.

Btw, the Waterways look a bit more lively now. I cannot put my finger on why. Maybe it is increased traffic with more jet skiers? Also, I have been meeting the Traveling Merchant a lot. I think he is always somewhere, and it is just a matter of crossing paths.

How's jet stki combat treating you with this build? My fist-PK build kicks ass even on dominating, but waterbourne combat is just frustrating. Hard to hit enemies and when you do hit them, you hit the jetski instead. Makes really hard to stun lock them and you're really vulnerable since the best jet for unarmed is the torpedo. Expedition automatons are also a major pain in the ass with this build too.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Has anyone done a Balor Hammer build on a Jetski I wonder?

 

[CHEMS]

Has anyone done a Balor Hammer build on a Jetski I wonder?

Me. Not very good.

 

[Trashos]

I think I know why the Waterways look livelier. There are a lot more special jet skis around.

lukaszek, yeah, Cut Throat is great at taking out one of the enemies when fighting groups. It also BTFOed the Rathound King, Zaman, and Balor's turn is coming (not the damage per se, unless it crits, but the stun).

Hard to hit enemies and when you do hit them, you hit the jetski instead. Makes really hard to stun lock them and you're really vulnerable since the best jet for unarmed is the torpedo. Expedition automatons are also a major pain in the ass with this build too.

I don't know yet, but I generally do not fight jet skis (other than the random encounters). I am on the Devastator, I need its tankiness against the serpents and the naval assaults on the natives. I have suspension size 3 and the pirate feats, so hopefully I will hit just fine. We will see. I also have throwing knives and grenades if all else fails.

The shock knife destroys strongmen. I don't know about nagas yet. I will try expose weakness with crits, my shock knife and my energy knife, and see if anything tickles them.

I will report back when the time comes.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

How is the new modding for the sledge? I don't want to get sucked back in after stopping about a month and a half ago and getting my life back together.

 

[Sheepherder]

How is the new modding for the sledge? I don't want to get sucked back in after stopping about a month and a half ago and getting my life back together.

The extra damage from the spikes can crit. It's also increased by crit damage feats like CP, CS and Heavy Weight. Since it's a hammer, it ignores DT on living targets, so the spikes are actually useful, unlike spikes on fists or armor.
In other words, it's a single target focused damage mod.

 

[Trashos]

So, I fought the first Naga with my knife build. It was the lone one outside Nexus, and I killed it on first try. Electricity and Energy didn't do anything from the respective knives. What worked was EMP grenade -> Expose Weakness -> crits (mechanical).
Luckily I have Ripper, so in the 2nd round my crits were doing huge damage.
Note that energy/electricity from knives don't crit. That's probably why they couldn't go through, and were useless.

Some corrosive acid from Katya would have come in handy to reduce the Naga's mechanical resistance, but I forgot to bring any. Anyway, it turned out I didn't need it for the lone Naga.
-----------

Unfortunately, I was right and traps do not stop Creepers. I almost died in the Basalt Caves again. I do not have a decent strategy for that place nor any good ideas. Maybe next time I will try using gas grenades. Even pesticide. I have never tried pesticide on the Creepers.

 

[CHEMS]

Unfortunately, I was right and traps do not stop Creepers. I almost died in the Basalt Caves again. I do not have a decent strategy for that place nor any good ideas. Maybe next time I will try using gas grenades. Even pesticide. I have never tried pesticide on the Creepers.

Melee with spiders? Better avoind them altogheter... The weaver will always lock you with the web. Unless you can kill those first, you'll have a bad time.

 

[Trashos]

Better avoid them altogheter

B-b-but the Oddities! There are several oddities in the Basalt Caves.
I had Escape Artist, Stasis, and Morphine/Aegis, plus a good energy shield. Still, they kept coming and at one point I was a couple of crits away from dying. I have to find a better strategy for non-tanks.

 

[CHEMS]

Better avoid them altogheter

B-b-but the Oddities! There are several oddities in the Basalt Caves.
I had Escape Artist, Stasis, and Morphine/Aegis, plus a good energy shield. Still, they kept coming and at one point I was a couple of crits away from dying. I have to find a better strategy for non-tanks.

Try spamming magnesium grenades. Fire works great against them. You could try bottleneck them and kill one by one. Also, flashbangs are good for unstealthing and stunning them. Fetid Marsh won't be doable though, impossible with pure melee since you can't even use your boat to reach the attacking serpents.

 

[Twiglard]

Fetid Marsh won't be doable though, impossible with pure melee since you can't even use your boat to reach the attacking serpents.

Fetid Marsh is doable with stealth. Serpents you can bait to step on the correct square, savescrumming helps.

 

[Trashos]

I have even tried napalm grenades with other builds. I recall that they didn't eliminate the danger. It has been a while and I don't remember whether I made any tactical mistakes, maybe I should try them again. But I think the Creepers run through the fire even in the napalm case.

I have never done the Fetid Marsh. Some day!

 

[Trashos]

Regarding the Fetid Marsh: Now that I think about it, the question is whether there is a safe spot one can retreat to after attacking. If there is one, then you can invite the fish with a grenade, attack them with Temporal Distortion, and retreat to the safe spot. That's how I kill the sea wyrms at the entrance of the Basalt Caves.

 

[Tigranes]

Hi guys,

(1) What would be some interesting high AGI builds? Right now I'm thinking about some kind of AGI melee that can max all the naval feats, make all the Expedition exploration AGI checks. Trying to gauge whether it's worth going for Blitz, and the current choices around unarmed vs. gloves vs. knife.

(2) Trashos, want to share your current knife build?

 

[Trashos]

Gloves over unarmed for me. Different gloves give many strategic possibilities, like shock gloves against robots. The DEX investment is high (you want to reach 17 DEX with gloves), but it translates to skills so it is fine by me.

My knife build. It is great to play, but note that I was already experienced in melee tactics via my fist builds.

Spoiler

STR3 DEX10++ AG10 CON3 PE3 WILL5 INT6

Feats:

Spoiler

1. Nimble & Reckless
2. Sure Step
4. Weaponsmith
6. Cheap Shots
8. Ripper
10. Fancy Footwork
12. Expose Weakness
14. Critical Power
16. Blitz
18. Cut Throat
20. Psycho Temporal Acceleration
22. Escape Artist
24. Fatal Throw
26. DEX+2
28. Remote Surgeon
30. Split Spare

Skills:

Spoiler

max: Melee, Throwing, Stealth
high crafting: mechanics, electronics, tailoring
Other: TM 70, Pickpocket 70 late for the oddities, Dodge 40 for Fancy Footwork, Hacking, Lockpicking, Mercantile.

Gear:

Spoiler

Tri Crome combat knives for the reduced AP cost. A plain one, a shock one, and an energy one.
Infused rathound leather armor for the crit%.
Tabi boots.
Throwing Glove in the offhand sometimes.

Spec:

Spoiler

In this order:
Expose Weakness duration 1/1
Cheap Shots 7/10
Ripper 7/10
I could consider putting some Fatal Throw or Remote Surgeon in instead of a few Ripper points.

 

[lukaszek]

(1) What would be some interesting high AGI builds? Right now I'm thinking about some kind of AGI melee that can max all the naval feats, make all the Expedition exploration AGI checks. Trying to gauge whether it's worth going for Blitz, and the current choices around unarmed vs. gloves vs. knife.

going for expert sprint? wanted to do it with agile spear build but lost interest early. Can add brutalize for extra spice, intimidate works well with dodge/eva

found plan in my archive: https://underrail.info/build/?GgwHD...AAAAAAAAAAMKMVTkkHRZEBsKswpVHEsKBwpRLwoXCpd-_
squeezing subterfuge skills in is hard most feat starved build that I ever planned, I dare say you wont find anything more interesting, even fits naval combat stuff as spear gets extra feat for it.
No crafting, gear with mercantile and uniques.

 

[Tigranes]

Thanks folks. Playing around with it, would like input on:

(1) Glove Boy
https://underrail.info/build/?FAMPCgMDAwUAMgBuKABuADcAAAAAAAAAAG4ANwAASyQ5MSsgBhITRwdLTjzfvw

STR vs DEX? My memory is that you'd either go TK Punch + Corporeal Projection + Unarmed STR bonus for the big hits, OR you go Crit based Lightning Punches many-hits mode. This draft is geared to DEX, but I also don't know what to do with the leftover ability points - I guess it could bump up anything but not sure of a clear purpose.


(2) Knife Boy, largely based on Trashos + Sheepherder's old build IIRC
https://underrail.info/build/?FAMPCgMDBQYAMgBuKABuAB4AABkAAAAFAAAANwBuSzkxRAAGExJcS0cLPN-_

I would probably see which feats I really need when - Escape Artist & Brutality really need to get in there somehow but not sure what to drop. Nimble isn't strictly necessary, is it?

 

[Parabalus]

(2) Knife Boy, largely based on Trashos + Sheepherder's old build IIRC
https://underrail.info/build/?FAMPCgMDBQYAMgBuKABuAB4AABkAAAAFAAAANwBuSzkxRAAGExJcS0cLPN-_

I would probably see which feats I really need when - Escape Artist & Brutality really need to get in there somehow but not sure what to drop. Nimble isn't strictly necessary, is it?

Why Yell? Seems the weakest to me, with no def skills.

Nimble would only give you some MP, you don't need it.

Escape Artist I'd consider mandatory if you don't want to pull your hair out in Expedition.

 

[lukaszek]

(2) Knife Boy, largely based on Trashos + Sheepherder's old build IIRC
https://underrail.info/build/?FAMPCgMDBQYAMgBuKABuAB4AABkAAAAFAAAANwBuSzkxRAAGExJcS0cLPN-_

I would probably see which feats I really need when - Escape Artist & Brutality really need to get in there somehow but not sure what to drop. Nimble isn't strictly necessary, is it?

on knife build sprint is inferior to fancy footwork. Having both makes little sense
You dont have crafting, still versatility energy pistols will work better than expose weakness(unless you dont want to do it for larp reasons ofc). Doing so will free your brutalize feat.
In general I like to think that intimidate pairs with dodge/evasion, except you dont have it in here. I mean you do have many unspent points...
You got stealth, you do want interloper.
taste for blood isnt really that good/needed
grenadier is awesome, do consider
you want 95 effective mercantile I believe
I see what you are doing in here but... will you really enjoy picking 3 cool feats at lvls 16,18,20? Blitz butthroat brutality. All the throats left to cut at a time will be savages and lunatics in a mall, depending on your progress.
cool kids need no shroom wizardry

after quick fixes:
https://underrail.info/build/?FAMPCgMDBQYAMgBuKG4AZDwALVpaAAAAAAAAAABuSzHCo0QABhNcR0vCgSQW378
hard to squeze interloper in, Id consider dropping sneakery alltogether(did it once before on hard, still I did have nimble to boost evasion stuff). I would highly consider dropping cutthroat for grenadier. Above got no cutthroat since I did remove sneakery
Wont be crafting cloths but honestly you will be fine.

If you wanted sneakery and cutthroat Id go without blitz and 10 AGI I think

 

[Tigranes]

In general I like to think that intimidate pairs with dodge/evasion, except you dont have it in here. I mean you do have many unspent points...

Yeah, I've left a lot of SP for now so could easily craft. Even with the intimidate related bonuses, is dodge/evasion really going to cut it in dominating? I've never been convinced.

 

[lukaszek]

In general I like to think that intimidate pairs with dodge/evasion, except you dont have it in here. I mean you do have many unspent points...

Yeah, I've left a lot of SP for now so could easily craft. Even with the intimidate related bonuses, is dodge/evasion really going to cut it in dominating? I've never been convinced.

id expect it to but for dominating id rather cut on blitz, drop agi, rise int and distribute points in a way that would allow regenerative vest crafting. Would also open up blast cloth vs dominating nagas.

 

[ItsChon]

Thanks folks. Playing around with it, would like input on:

(1) Glove Boy
https://underrail.info/build/?FAMPCgMDAwUAMgBuKABuADcAAAAAAAAAAG4ANwAASyQ5MSsgBhITRwdLTjzfvw

STR vs DEX? My memory is that you'd either go TK Punch + Corporeal Projection + Unarmed STR bonus for the big hits, OR you go Crit based Lightning Punches many-hits mode. This draft is geared to DEX, but I also don't know what to do with the leftover ability points - I guess it could bump up anything but not sure of a clear purpose.

Right now I'm playing a Strength build that takes advantage of combo, bladed metal armor, taste for blood, and metal gloves. With ten dexterity and lightning punches, if your armor penalty is below 20% your fists cost 5 AP, and your metal gloves cost ten AP. Punching with your fists ten times is not enough damage, even with 16/17 strength at level 26. Punching with your metal gloves five times is not enough damage because you can't make enough attacks to kill a decent amount of enemies. But punching two times with your fist and one time with your metal glove to proc combo, for a total of seven attacks (5 AP Fist * 4 + 10 AP Metal Glove * 3 = 50 AP) is a decent amount of damage. You combine this with some crit chance as well. The build has more than enough damage and utility to deal with regular fleshy enemies, but I'll admit that it struggles with enemies that have high enough DT that they can resist your unarmed strikes, because if your fist doesn't cross their damage threshold, you can't proc combo, which is where you deal a lot of your damage. Outside of that hiccup though, I find it to be a really fun build. I like the hybrid of mobility and tankiness from the metal armor when paired with morphine and aegis. I added fancy footwork for extra mobility so I'm sure my build is not optimal, but it still does the job.

Build is here.
https://underrail.info/build/?HA4KB...BzcyhrcwDClgAAaABWKzkkMSAqBhIHSxNFPGkDwrZD378

 

[Trashos]

Knives:

Well, I always take Nimble with my Melee. You need to get close. Also, you need to get close to bosses for Cut Throat and to things like spiders. It synergizes with Fancy Footwork and Blitz. It helps with the stealth quests, like stealing the shields for Gorsky or the Grey Army Base. It helps if you want to wear a metal helmet at some point. It is good. I would only replace it if one wants something else badly.

This is not a tank build and the mission is to kill or incapacitate everything on the 1st round, so afaic Dodge & Evasion are out. They would help in only a handful of cases (prolonged battles, creepers etc), but they are not very dependable anyway, and I don't like non-dependable.

I have never used Yell, but yeah, I don't see the point of Yell or Intimidation tactics here. (plus, you don't want enemies running away, you are melee! Come here, enemy!)

If you take Taste for Blood, then from that point on go Serrated Knives instead of Combat ones for enemies who bleed. I don't go that route, but it can work. My issue with it is that my problems often involve enemies that don't bleed.

I 'd definitely keep Cut Throat. It is great fun. If anything, you could take it a bit earlier.

Grenadier has been proposed. Personally, I either go Fatal Throw/Remote Surgeon or Grenadier/3pointer route. I prefer Fatal Throw for my melee, but the grenadier route is OK too.