Act 5 - Isn't this guy a little OP?

[Z3R0]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2752085632

+57 to hit lolz.

Is there seriously any legit way to get AC up to 65+? (I'm not a power gamer and don't do the whole dip 1 level in vivisectionist, 3 in monk, etc.) Because the thing's AC was also absurd, I had to kill this "Soul Hunter" with a judicious application of Dimension Strike, Death Ward and Displacement. It still seems like rather much for a 14th level party.

[Rhapsody]

I'm currently pumping about 50-54 AC in chapter 3, but I'm playing Skald so that's kinda why. You're not even using any armor there, no Mage Armor (get Archmage Armor), or Magical Vestment. No defensive fighting, no Crane Style... Do these belong in your build? That's up to you.

[Z3R0]

Sword Saint doesn't use armor, though they can learn light armor. Mage Armor doesn't stack with bracers of armor IIRC, and Magical Vestment...well now there's one I should be using. (Though it shouldn't stack with light armor.) Thanks for the tip.

I just play blind without a build guide, trying to figure things out on my own. Obviously magic vestment didn't occur to me. Buffing is also a chore, so I try not to cast a huge number of spells before battle. I believe I have read of a mod that automates buffing, so I may need to download it to keep pre-combat buffing from being too much of a bore.

[brownacs]

Yeap. There are quite a few different ways to do it. Skald auras are great; archmage armour's very good; monk dip like you mentioned; buffs, buffs, buffs and more buffs (shield of faith, shield, mage armour, barkskin etc.); smites/mark of justice; mirror image and other concealment buffs (greater invisibility for example) which aren't going to raise AC but are often more effective than one extra point would be; certain meals you can eat when resting; feats like dodge, crane style; and speaking of crane style defensive fighting with 3 mobility for an extra +1 dodge (dodge stacks); protection luck hex lets you reroll a dice and you can get it from both Ember and Camellia; evil eye lets you reduce enemy attack rolls (which is the same as boosting AC but this is already long). I'm sure I've forgotten some (like 100% and I didn't really forget them as much as I ran out of steam typing) but just do all of those things and you'll end up with a pretty high AC.
That's Act 4 by the way I think.

[Rhapsody]

Originally posted by Bananaman:

Sword Saint doesn't use armor, though they can learn light armor. Mage Armor doesn't stack with bracers of armor IIRC, and Magical Vestment...well now there's one I should be using. (Though it shouldn't stack with light armor.) Thanks for the tip.

I just play blind without a build guide, trying to figure things out on my own. Obviously magic vestment didn't occur to me. Buffing is also a chore, so I try not to cast a huge number of spells before battle. I believe I have read of a mod that automates buffing, so I may need to download it to keep pre-combat buffing from being too much of a bore.

I kinda guessed you're going Sword Saint there. :) But yeah. if you don't use armor, you're supposed to use Mage Armor (and Archmage Armor mythic). Ditch the bracers and get potions (or scrolls you can use yourself) if you don't want to spend spell slots (archmage doesn't work with bracers or if somebody else casts the spell on you). You can use metamagic or (Greater) Enduring Spells to increase duration of buffs.

[corisai]

I guess you'd skipped Playfull Darkness if that mob look OP for you :)

[shiall]

Originally posted by Bananaman:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2752085632
I'm not a power gamer

But you're supposed to be. This isn't kingmaker and simple "good weapons+max your main class + any useful traits and feats" is not enough. Your enemies are broken - and you are must be broken too if you want to be decent (or you can use "i'm suck" difficulty lvl as game advices you - it's your choice).

[corisai]

Originally posted by shiall:

But you're supposed to be. This isn't kingmaker and simple "good weapons+max your main class + any useful traits and feats" is not enough.

Enough on easy.
Will be enough on normal too if OP would be not lazy to pre-buff at full power :)

[shiall]

Originally posted by corisai:

1. Enough on easy.
2. Will be enough on normal too if OP would be not lazy to pre-buff at full power :)

1. If you are ready to admit that you cannot create anything decent and don't want to try.
2. No. In kingmaker you will be fine without magic damage dealers. But this game is different. Some enemies are just not supposed to be dealt in melee/ranged, and even on normal they are gonna slaughter all your party with ease. Yes you CAN kill them with melee/ranged - even on the higher difficulty level - but you have to use broken builds - not the thing that any "normal player" can do.

[corisai]

Originally posted by shiall:

2. No. In kingmaker you will be fine without magic damage dealers.

1) It's possible to complete game using only default companions with their default classes on Core. It isn't easy but doable, so you're wrong here.
2) On normal Nenio is capable to control everything if you would be "clever" enough to put +DC items on her.
Plus you have damage-on-miss mythic ability and teamwork feats.

Of course if OP avoiding to use buffs - he's struggling even on normal.

[shiall]

Originally posted by corisai:

Originally posted by shiall:

2. No. In kingmaker you will be fine without magic damage dealers.

1) It's possible to complete game using only default companions with their default classes on Core. It isn't easy but doable, so you're wrong here.
2) On normal Nenio is capable to control everything if you would be "clever" enough to put +DC items on her.
Plus you have damage-on-miss mythic ability and teamwork feats.

Of course if OP avoiding to use buffs - he's struggling even on normal.

1. If your party is balanced - yes. If you're playing some 4 sword/bow guys + magic buffer + divine buffer then you're gonna be obliterataded with anything with broken AC (usually it's "optional" enemies)
2. So you're suppose that "i'm playing first time on core i should be fine" guy can even uderstand what are you talking about before it's too late?

[corisai]

Originally posted by shiall:

1. If your party is balanced - yes. If you're playing some 4 sword/bow guys + magic buffer + divine buffer then you're gonna be obliterataded with anything with broken AC (usually it's "optional" enemies)

MC sword saint solve problems with "broken AC" as nobody have adequate touch AC :)
Same if make him skald (but why?!). Of course better to take something like Angel mythic in that case.
P.S. Along those "sword/bow" guys almost 100% would be Seelah and Aru. They would also solve a lot of issues with enemy AC.

Originally posted by shiall:

So you're suppose that "i'm playing first time on core i should be fine" guy can even uderstand what are you talking about before it's too late?

There is no need to lie about "broken enemies" to new player. Aside from very few special mythic enemies nobody is broken (and even some of that enemies were nerfed on normal like ill-famous balor).

Nenio alone could care whole party on normal since her level 4th spells.

[shiall]

Originally posted by corisai:

1. There is no need to lie about "broken enemies" to new player. Aside from very few special mythic enemies nobody is broken (and even some of that enemies were nerfed on normal like ill-famous balor).

2. Nenio alone could care whole party on normal since her level 4th spells.

1. Playful piece of fairplay is perfectly fine then? And yes this talk is exactly about those "few special mythic enemies".
2. Sure she can - if you know what are gonna need. How on earth a newbie playing first time on normal would know what he MUST to use? Yes, MUST. No dispel? Get fu...No proper buffs? Get fu.... No touch spells? You know... Yes, core can be forgiving...to some extent - but when it's not it's very painful. They did nerfed this a bit but...

[corisai]

Originally posted by shiall:

2. Sure she can - if you know what are gonna need. How on earth a newbie playing first time on normal would know what he MUST to use? Yes, MUST. No dispel? Get fu...No proper buffs? Get fu.... No touch spells? You know... Yes, core can be forgiving...to some extent - but when it's not it's very painful. They did nerfed this a bit but...

LOL?
Nenio already have specialisation on illusions. Nenio is a mage so could learn all illusion spells - all new player need is to try them. And since 4th level they're awesome.
Dispel? Don't mandatory at all.
Touch spells? Nenio don't need them for normal (or even Core).

[Elizabello]

Originally posted by shiall:

Originally posted by corisai:

1. There is no need to lie about "broken enemies" to new player. Aside from very few special mythic enemies nobody is broken (and even some of that enemies were nerfed on normal like ill-famous balor).

2. Nenio alone could care whole party on normal since her level 4th spells.

1. Playful piece of fairplay is perfectly fine then? And yes this talk is exactly about those "few special mythic enemies".
2. Sure she can - if you know what are gonna need. How on earth a newbie playing first time on normal would know what he MUST to use? Yes, MUST. No dispel? Get fu...No proper buffs? Get fu.... No touch spells? You know... Yes, core can be forgiving...to some extent - but when it's not it's very painful. They did nerfed this a bit but...

You dont need to kill Playful Darkness the first time you meet it. You can come back later and meanwhile come up with a strategy and team composition you need to tackle that challenge. And it in the end of the day - you lose absolutely nothing story and lore wise by skipping that encounter.

[Mephisto]

Originally posted by Bananaman:

Is there seriously any legit way to get AC up to 65+? (

my main tank, Cam, has 81 AC at 19 lvl with her default spirit hunter class and it could be more with some other feats:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2752286979