Presence Stacking Tank Builds

[arch99]

So, in the hints of people optimizing this game that I've seen around, it's looked like people:
1) tend to go for DPS builds for the champion, rather than support ones
2) think Etheryn + Cait is a bad party composition
3) think summoning is underpowered.

And maybe I'm wrong here and people don't underrate all these things, but I've seen them talked down on. And since I run a build that brings Etheryn + Cait, as a support champion with summon spells, I figured I'd talk about my build and a way to play the game which makes combat very... no-thinking-required.

I'm running max presence, 20 at level 6, the whole shebang. I run Warrior as class over charmer starting around level 3 just to switch out to more useful bonuses, because armorer is a nice little buff to tankiness and damage, and Veteran helps keep the enemies eyes on you. Your priority with gear is leadership first and foremost, followed by any mix of the standard defensive stats - armor, ward, and focus - in the highest amounts you can, trying to strike a balance between the three, with no care whatsoever for, say, evasion. For skills, Mirror Stance is the midgame option to just help you learn all those juicy free skills, switching to Shielded Stance later on, which still helps you keep threat on you, gives you a big burst of threat at the start of the fight, and massively boosts your armor and ward. Vanguard and Blessing are brought after that, with Vanguard further keeping aggro on you, and Blessing keeping your allies damage up so you don't auto-lose to enemies who can heal themselves well, and your encounter spell can be a buff/debuff/control skill of choice if you prefer not to overwrite Harrick, or a summon. Ultimate is of course Inspiration. This is a build which can support Cait and Ryn extremely well, with Cait running default outfit or witch, and Ryn running default outfit. You can also try with Cait on Hexblade + Ryn on healing, but I find that much less consistent at staying alive because of the loss of a little healing from Ryn and just finding Ryn's healing set less consistent. Item-wise, I'm running the Helm of Heroes, Conqueror's Breastplate, and Guldring, as the mandatory ways to maximize Leadership (80 leadership is truly absurd, that's a 2.6x multiplier to Cait and Ryn's spellpower and attack power). Cloak of the Deep, Shield of Absorption, and Bountiful Bag form the best well-rounded defensive core on top of that, with the Arm Guards and Winged Sabatons/Iron Clogs being... fine additions, since there's nothing better. Lots of options for the neck slot, I generally run the fluffy scarf, but the serpent's locket is entirely viable so you can summon Phyria, and there's a few other perfectly strong neck options.

In fights, this build is so mindless to play, which is nice for me, because I have more fun from the item optimization and teambuilding than the actual combat system itself. Open every fight with Blessing, into Vanguard on yourself, into your summon, into Blessing again, into Defend, into Vanguard, and so on. You provide the biggest benefit just from being alive anyway, so if the enemy wastes time and resources stunning you a bunch, for example, that doesn't matter, you're still giving the huge multiplier to the whole team.

Plus, you're just being this kickass warrior paladin leading the 2 best girls in the game (or at least 2 of the 3, Kasyrra as a companion when? ), and if that power fantasy isn't achievable what would be the fucking point in playing this game.

 

[CuteBruiser]

I've also had a great experience running a Leadership stacking tank build. It's probably one of the most reliable builds I've tried, even if it isn't as "glorious" as dps builds. Fights are usually won or lost based on whether your defensive line is able to hold up and there's no tank quite like the champion.

Due to Leadership bonuses, it definitely doesn't lack "damage" either. The Flame Dancer in a leadership build is like a Fireball that keeps on giving without any Willpower investment necessary, and I imagine when the next summon becomes available the build will feel even better, since Storm damage is less frequently resisted than Fire.

I run Cait and Ryn on that build as well. Though I run Ryn as a healer and Hexblade Cait because holy damage is just too good.

 

[arch99]

I've also had a great experience running a Leadership stacking tank build. It's probably one of the most reliable builds I've tried, even if it isn't as "glorious" as dps builds. Fights are usually won or lost based on whether your defensive line is able to hold up and there's no tank quite like the champion.

Due to Leadership bonuses, it definitely doesn't lack "damage" either. The Flame Dancer in a leadership build is like a Fireball that keeps on giving without any Willpower investment necessary, and I imagine when the next summon becomes available the build will feel even better, since Storm damage is less frequently resisted than Fire.

I run Cait and Ryn on that build as well. Though I run Ryn as a healer and Hexblade Cait because holy damage is just too good.

See, my problem with Healer Ryn and Hexblade Cait is twofold - 1: it feels bad to not get the buffs from doing that quest with Ryn's grandparents properly, and 2: it just feels inconsistent, I'll randomly die sometimes to trash mobs. I only switch it around for bosses super weak to holy damage so Cait can eat them alive.

Are you also super excited for our new OP level 7 summon next level? I think that'll be really fun to add in.

 

[CuteBruiser]

It's been a while since I played that build, but I don't remember dying randomly much. I made frequent use of the Defend move and would sometimes reactivate the stance for the shield (or just to gain aggro) if that makes a difference.

The reason I don't like Outrider Ryn so much is that Harrick isn't nearly as good as the champ's summon. Frost isn't as good an element as Holy either. All the demons everywhere make Hex Cait a pretty solid choice generally. Edit: Also the team doesn't really contribute many debuffs to activate Ryn's Twist the Knife.

Yeah. I'd love to see some more summons in general. It'd be nice to have something more "paladin-y" though. Fire and Storm type summons are a bit off theme.

 

[Ker0k]

I played a summoner build in the same vein recently and it was basically easy mode.
I started human charmer noble scion for max Presence, then switched to black mage for the passive spellpower you get after resting. I ran with Ryn (for the initiative bonus, compensating for the heavy equipment) and Witch Cait (for even more spellpower).
As powers, I went with:

• Song of Courage
• Song of Storm (which is a really big damage buff when you have enough spellpower)
• Bless
• Summon Phyria

And, like you, full leadership equipment.

 

[Prince Charming]

As a side note, if you want to explore compositions with a tank companion like best boi gladiator Brint or best country bumpkin Atugia and you don't want to make them redundant by playing tank yourself, but you still want to enjoy leadership's bonkers scaling with summoning, and you therefore have to make the optimal decision that is donning Conqueror's Breastplate for that sweet +20 leadership bonus: you can still go for a support build despite Conqueror's Breastplate's explicit design as a tank equipment.
You just have to take care to not generate too much threat, which is quite an easy task considering:

• there are support recharge powers that generate no threat, like Blessing and Grease (and splurging lube on enemies so hard that they fall over is at least smirk-worthy you have to admit);
• summoning itself generates no threat;
• with so much leadership, your tank will have enough damage to overshadow your threat anyway;
• healing doesn't generate that much threat if you don't perma over-heal your tank every turn.

Then, either you simply endure Conqueror's Breastplate + Helm of Heroes heavy equipment initiative penalties and always play last; or you can just go for the Warrior class to cancel initiative penalties, but then you put some more care to not generate threat (it's really not that hard tbh), and you say goodbye to Healer's Hands (but Healer's Hands is not that hip anyway).

Also, for those Outrider Ryn enthusiasts, know that best boi Brint's (and Brienne's) most recent tank set (Arena) is a debuff factory machine with Bleed stacks and Stagger shield bonk. Add to that new Outrider Ryn's Ice Arrow that splurges Frigid debuffs everywhere, and the resident elfette can proc Twist the Knife every turn.

Also to get back to summoner tank builds, know that with a threat generating stance, you'll have enough automatic threat for the first round to use your summon right away without endangering one of your companions. You just have to not use your companions' burst in the first round; and then in the second round you use Vanguard, Warcry or Dominance (whichever fulfills your roleplay needs) and you should have enough threat to cover for your deeps' burst anyway. It's not the fastest way to fold enemy encounters, but it's the most consistent. And if you are taking a healer in your party, you don't even have to rush your enemy's health bars anyway, like you would in a tank + double deeps party.

 

[arch99]

It's been a while since I played that build, but I don't remember dying randomly much. I made frequent use of the Defend move and would sometimes reactivate the stance for the shield (or just to gain aggro) if that makes a difference.

The reason I don't like Outrider Ryn so much is that Harrick isn't nearly as good as the champ's summon. Frost isn't as good an element as Holy either. All the demons everywhere make Hex Cait a pretty solid choice generally. Edit: Also the team doesn't really contribute many debuffs to activate Ryn's Twist the Knife.

Yeah. I'd love to see some more summons in general. It'd be nice to have something more "paladin-y" though. Fire and Storm type summons are a bit off theme.

Oh really? I see my paladins very much as holy flame and such, so the fire dancer is a very thematic summon for me. Hex Cait is definitely optimal for damage, but with this build there's enough sustain that the only point the damage needs to hit is "enough to offset healing", and Ryn can bring that. I do override Harrick almost always, which is why I wish there was like, an archer Ryn build with no Harrick, more focused on being a prime DPS.

As a side note, if you want to explore compositions with a tank companion like best boi gladiator Brint or best country bumpkin Atugia and you don't want to make them redundant by playing tank yourself, but you still want to enjoy leadership's bonkers scaling with summoning, and you therefore have to make the optimal decision that is donning Conqueror's Breastplate for that sweet +20 leadership bonus: you can still go for a support build despite Conqueror's Breastplate's explicit design as a tank equipment.
You just have to take care to not generate too much threat, which is quite an easy task considering:

• there are support recharge powers that generate no threat, like Blessing and Grease (and splurging lube on enemies so hard that they fall over is at least smirk-worthy you have to admit);
• summoning itself generates no threat;
• with so much leadership, your tank will have enough damage to overshadow your threat anyway;
• healing doesn't generate that much threat if you don't perma over-heal your tank every turn.

Then, either you simply endure Conqueror's Breastplate + Helm of Heroes heavy equipment initiative penalties and always play last; or you can just go for the Warrior class to cancel initiative penalties, but then you put some more care to not generate threat (it's really not that hard tbh), and you say goodbye to Healer's Hands (but Healer's Hands is not that hip anyway).

Also, for those Outrider Ryn enthusiasts, know that best boi Brint's (and Brienne's) most recent tank set (Arena) is a debuff factory machine with Bleed stacks and Stagger shield bonk. Add to that new Outrider Ryn's Ice Arrow that splurges Frigid debuffs everywhere, and the resident elfette can proc Twist the Knife every turn.

Also to get back to summoner tank builds, know that with a threat generating stance, you'll have enough automatic threat for the first round to use your summon right away without endangering one of your companions. You just have to not use your companions' burst in the first round; and then in the second round you use Vanguard, Warcry or Dominance (whichever fulfills your roleplay needs) and you should have enough threat to cover for your deeps' burst anyway. It's not the fastest way to fold enemy encounters, but it's the most consistent. And if you are taking a healer in your party, you don't even have to rush your enemy's health bars anyway, like you would in a tank + double deeps party.

Absolutely you can run this without being a tank! I prefer to be a tank because Ryn and Cait really want a solid wall to stand behind, but absolutely you do not need to be one. I've actually considered trying to make a mage build where I'm a burst caster taking advantage of a bit of bonus damage from Guldring as well, I figured it could be fun, but the early game was too inconsistent without just throwing buffs all around. Also I just feel bad not bringing Ryn and Cait, I love them.

 

[CuteBruiser]

As a side note, if you want to explore compositions with a tank companion like best boi gladiator Brint or best country bumpkin Atugia and you don't want to make them redundant by playing tank yourself, but you still want to enjoy leadership's bonkers scaling with summoning, and you therefore have to make the optimal decision that is donning Conqueror's Breastplate for that sweet +20 leadership bonus: you can still go for a support build despite Conqueror's Breastplate's explicit design as a tank equipment.
You just have to take care to not generate too much threat, which is quite an easy task considering:

• there are support recharge powers that generate no threat, like Blessing and Grease (and splurging lube on enemies so hard that they fall over is at least smirk-worthy you have to admit);
• summoning itself generates no threat;
• with so much leadership, your tank will have enough damage to overshadow your threat anyway;
• healing doesn't generate that much threat if you don't perma over-heal your tank every turn.

Then, either you simply endure Conqueror's Breastplate + Helm of Heroes heavy equipment initiative penalties and always play last; or you can just go for the Warrior class to cancel initiative penalties, but then you put some more care to not generate threat (it's really not that hard tbh), and you say goodbye to Healer's Hands (but Healer's Hands is not that hip anyway).

Also, for those Outrider Ryn enthusiasts, know that best boi Brint's (and Brienne's) most recent tank set (Arena) is a debuff factory machine with Bleed stacks and Stagger shield bonk. Add to that new Outrider Ryn's Ice Arrow that splurges Frigid debuffs everywhere, and the resident elfette can proc Twist the Knife every turn.

Also to get back to summoner tank builds, know that with a threat generating stance, you'll have enough automatic threat for the first round to use your summon right away without endangering one of your companions. You just have to not use your companions' burst in the first round; and then in the second round you use Vanguard, Warcry or Dominance (whichever fulfills your roleplay needs) and you should have enough threat to cover for your deeps' burst anyway. It's not the fastest way to fold enemy encounters, but it's the most consistent. And if you are taking a healer in your party, you don't even have to rush your enemy's health bars anyway, like you would in a tank + double deeps party.

Tank companions in general feel a little unsatisfactory, so I always end up doing a lot of the tanking myself. I love Brint, but the -75% Blight and Pheremone resist kills me, and Atugia never feels very sturdy. Quin's new tank set seems interesting for damage, but it's not really that tanky either. I've never tried Arona.

For context, I play on Dark difficulty and only control the Player.