Help me build the weakest class

[Zealot]

Ok, so I was bored and decided to build a class using sub-optimal skills but I need your help here, because so far, to me, none of the skills feel really weak. I was browsing the net to see people's opinions about it and it seems that few of the skills pop up in discussions, such as Summon Familiar from Occultist, Blade Trap and Blade Spirit from Nightblade, Veterancy from Soldier and so on.
So...what class should I pick? What skills? What devotions?
Note that I have only the base game so I don't know about the other two classes.

[Enfild]

Pick occultist and arcanist and try to go full melee. I think you still can make it work, though. Are you trying to make "weak" builds work or just make most suboptimal builds possible? In later case just spend your points everywhere, dont specialise into 1 or 2 damage types, and so on.
And of course, ignore resists.

[Jan]

After the latest patch someone said that he got his familiar to hit for like 600k with its lightning strike. Seems to be a viable choice now.

[Finnvbot]

Originally posted by Zealot:

Blade Spirit from Nightblade

It's not useless per se, just like Grasping Vines from Shaman. Hardly ever would you build a character around it (although you could if you really put your mind to it) but they excel at triggering devotions. For instance, Acid Spray/Assassin's Mark on Blade Spirit, Rend/Will of Rattosh/Aetherfire on Grasping Vines. That's how I used them at one point or another.

– One of the builds that come to mind that is essentially worthless in SP is the Apothecary Witchblade. I'm sure there's some random guy who killed Rashalga with it to prove me wrong but I digress.
– Retaliation Trickster sounds pretty weak. Speaking of Tricksters, there's a fun Winter King hybrid pet build which sounds sub-optimal.
– Pet-based Witch Hunter sounds masochistic enough, especially since the Spirit scales with player bonuses while Raven and Hellhound with pet bonuses.
– Anything that involves Mortar Trap focus sounds like a disaster* so you could pair it with Blade Trap for maximum derp factor.

S O U N D S

That's about it off the top of my head.

*In vanilla, I'm not sure if AoM skill modifiers make it worthwhile.

[Enfild]

Well, i wouldnt say mortar trap is weak, in fact i think, i saw builds around it.
And from what i saw, it is usefull.

Anyway, i think if you focus on something you can make it work, so only real way to weak build is lack of any focus.

Also, slightly contrary to what i just said, single-mastery builds will suffer in atributes, so it is also something to consider.

[Wintermute]

Druid overall, even well-optimized, is still fairly weak class combo. I'm sure if you put your mind into it you can make something utterly atrociuos.

Like elemental-damage build or something.

[Finnvbot]

Originally posted by Wintermute:

Druid

something something Trozan something something

[Wintermute]

Originally posted by Finnvbot:

Originally posted by Wintermute:

Druid

something something Trozan something something

Where's sport in that?

Also, survivability

[Finnvbot]

Summoning Matthew and his HC Druid

It probably has the same type of survivability as my Mr Torgue Jr, a.k.a. Mad Sapper Pyromancer: DROPPIN' AN ORBITAL NUKE ON YOUR POSITION, YOU FILTHY SCUM! ...and run away

[Matthew]

Yep, I have a 20k hp, 3k DA, tons of HP regen and Wendigo Totem Druid which facetanks pretty much everything on HC Ultimate.

Druid defense has always been great, it is their offense which has been on the weaker side. Though they've been buffed so much since AoM that I'm not sure that is even correct to say any longer. You do generally need specific items to push OA and damage to decent levels though. So in general I'd say Druids can be a bit more gear dependent than some other masteries when considering late-game min/max.

There is a player on the official forums which has put a lot of time into a lightning melee Druid with decent results.

Pet Druid's, like mentioned above, need specific gear to stay competitive with more obvious choices like pet Cabalists.

Still, I can't say I agree with Druid overall being a weak choice. I find Sorcerers overall weaker, though mostly because I don't care for Demolitionist's lack of defenses.

As for the topic, I think Enfild gave a decent answer. Melee Occultist/Arcanist would be pretty weak since the damage is spread all over and doesn't have access to melee-oriented weapon procs and default attack replacers.

If you want something challenging but don't want to purposely make "stupid decisions", then I also agree with Enfild that going single mastery would be a better choice. You have a natural handicap in lower attributes and health, and you don't need to do something stupid like purposely ignore resist reduction or attack skills.

[FlamingX21]

Soldier with shield, but without any shield bonus.

[Zealot]

Thanks everyone for a response, even though I still didn't find an universal answer. I guess there isn't any? Melee occultist/arcanist sounds interesting.
I had an idea of creating a "pacifist" class, basically a class that doesn't put points into any damage dealing skills, like Veterancy, Menhir's Will, Mogdrogen's Pact, Pneumatic Burst, Flashbang and so on. Would that be viable? I guess I would be pretty tanky.
I also heard that Ulzuin's Wrath is pretty terrible.

[Selphea]

Rune of Hagarrad Artifact Handler... using Aura of Conviction.

[Finnvbot]

Originally posted by Selphea:

Rune of Hagarrad Artifact Handler... using Aura of Conviction.

Originally posted by Zealot:

Note that I have only the base game so I don't know about the other two classes.

[CrUsHeR]

none of the skills feel really weak

Really...

Well i found a few skills that were effective and real fun to play, like the combo Amarastra's Blade Burst + Shadow Strike. Or Ravenous Earth.

But the vast majority of other classes' skills was completely awful. For example i can't understand how anyone can level up a Soldier with any his skills - Forcewave only hits a very narrow line of targets, while Blade Arc only hits targets in direct melee range. Both are horrible for any areas with high monster density.

Likewise any other skill with long cooldowns, small / unreliable targeting patterns, etc.

[Finnvbot]

Originally posted by CrUsHeR:

But the vast majority of other classes' skills was completely awful. For example i can't understand

Exactly.

A classic case of PEBKAC. Why do so many guides recommend levelling a Soldier with either Forcewave with Tremor or Blade Arc, then? Put a number of points into either of them, assign it to the left-click, get some lifesteal through devotions/items,and BOOM, you just steamrolled Normal. But I guess we're playing a different game since on my end (and everyone's I know), you only need two buttons as a Soldier: one for Forcewave/Blade Arc and the other for Blitz. To finish Normal the fast and easy way, that is. Incredibly effective against hordes, less so against bosses but it's a non-issue on Normal. And I have never used mods, before you ask.

Any mastery has a skill that can faceroll Normal, you just have to put many points into them (you can always respec later).
Arcanist: PRM
Occultist: DEE
Shaman: Devouring Swarm and Primal Strike (for 2H weapons; use Thunderous Strike for levelling)
Demolitionist: Fire Strike
Nightblade: ABB and Phantasmal Blades (with Frenetic Throw)
Nercomancer: Bone Harvest and Ravenous Earth
Inquisitor: SBE and Flames of Ignaffar