What a Gem-- Recommended Builds?

[Caedwyn]

This game is incredible.

I've been playing 2 Paladin characters, trying different 2h melee builds. I've searched a few builds to try next, but which builds have been the most fun for you?

[OrbPlaytime]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

>"Hey, what's your build and how far it takes you in the endgame stuff? I've been trying to move away from fire purifier lately, but with little success."<

Currently my Purifier is level 85 and working Malmouth. He's got the full Empowered Marauder set along with the Marauder talisman relic, so he's specializing in fire and cold damage (the set has 2 pistols, one deals fire, the other cold). He has a second set of pistols fitted out for lightning, just for variety.

There's nothing wrong with fire damage, provided that you have decent RR. For Devotions he has Soleil's Witchblade, Rhowan's Crown, most of Hydra and uses the Aura of Censure skill, all of which enhance elemental damage and do some RR to the target.

BTW, he also has the Conflagration relic; when going up against Bosses he uses Conflagration attack, which deals huge amounts of fire damage ... 30,000 DPS ... but at a steep energy cost.

I am shuttling him back and forth between Veteran (in the Malmouth area) and Elite (He's only halfway through act 3 there) for variety.

Are you jumping between Veteran/Elite in Malmouth for best way to increase reputation/XP with the quests?

[frdnwsm]

>"Are you jumping between Veteran/Elite in Malmouth for best way to increase reputation/XP with the quests?<

No, just to progress the story line in Elite, and get more Devotion points. That Purifier is already at Revered with every possible faction. Note, howver, that this is only true for Base game & Ashes of Malmouth. I just got Forgitton Gods this morning, and I believe there are new factions in that DLC, so that statement is likely no longer true.

>"Word of advice: Paladin is one of the strongest builds"<
I just got FG this morning, so I can't comment on that one.

[OrbPlaytime]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

>"Are you jumping between Veteran/Elite in Malmouth for best way to increase reputation/XP with the quests?<

No, just to progress the story line in Elite, and get more Devotion points. That Purifier is already at Revered with every possible faction. Note, howver, that this is only true for Base game & Ashes of Malmouth. I just got Forgitton Gods this morning, and I believe there are new factions in that DLC, so that statement is likely no longer true.

>"Word of advice: Paladin is one of the strongest builds"<
I just got FG this morning, so I can't comment on that one.

Ah k, was curious.
Some interesting items in FG and I like the sand-desert vibe.
But it does not have Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock) as a dodgy CGI Scorpion King lol.

[OrbPlaytime]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

>

>"Word of advice: Paladin is one of the strongest builds"<
I just got FG this morning, so I can't comment on that one.

One of the nice mechanisms you will have fun with from FG are the movement runes that apply to medals.
Handy for all builds, even for such as NB.

[The Canadian Kid]

my strongest build was retaliation damage added to attack archon (shaman + oathkeeper) grasping vines + aegis of menhir, bramblevine shield and mythical scion of burning vengeance


it made the game trivial and handled crate, callagadra, and ravager with ease and time.

[frdnwsm]

>"Word of advice: Paladin is one of the strongest builds.. not much comes even close."<

Bah! What about my Lightning Vindicator, or my DW Pierce Infiltrator? Or even ... the very epitome of cool ... my Vitality draining Defiler?

Actually, I now have a Paladin as well, and I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. OK, he's only level 16, so I have barely scratched the surface of the potential, but it doesn't look that OP to me right now. I'm well familiar with the Inquisitor side of things, obviously, so it's just a matter of exploring the Oathkeeper skill tree. Have to see how the character looks in another 10 levels or so.

I do have 1 question. Since the Inquisitor naturally has the ability to dual wield pistols, and the Paladin is clearly designed to be a 1-handed weapon + shield build, would it be better to drop all the ranged skills totally, and go melee? I have some nice 1-handed axes in my stash. The Inquisitor part of the build would then be used for skills like WoR, Seal and Storm Box.

[Caedwyn]

Originally posted by wespe___o=/:*:

Word of advice: Paladin is one of the strongest builds.. not much comes even close.
Forget about ranged Witchblades (Vanilla-builds) and Purifiers (AoM-builds).. Paladin is the evolution of those and way stronger.
If you want to try something different, play a Caster or Pet-build.. ;D

Why is that?

[Stormer]

I went Demo/Inquistor. My build is duel wielding pistols in order to spam fire strike, and just use a bunch of different buffs for Fire and Burning damage. With the Shock box from Inquistor to weapon Defense on bosses and heroes. For a first build I'm having a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ blast with it

[gNuff!~©~gNom3™]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

Actually, I now have a Paladin as well, and I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. OK, he's only level 16, so I have barely scratched the surface of the potential, but it doesn't look that OP to me right now.
*snip*
I do have 1 question. Since the Inquisitor naturally has the ability to dual wield pistols, and the Paladin is clearly designed to be a 1-handed weapon + shield build, would it be better to drop all the ranged skills totally, and go melee?

you should try a dw EoR Paladin to spice things up, guns are fun and and good an all that, and slinging a shield rarely gets boring, but a "whirlwind" Paladin on fire is just the bee'z kneez

[frdnwsm]

>"It should be said that the only competition is powerful Nightblade-builds "<
Hah! Pierce DW Infiltrator for the win!

Stormer: Demo + Inquisitor -> Purifier, and DW pistols is a fairly common build. You will be specializing in elemental damage: Note that you don't need to confine yourself to fire; cold and lightning are also well supported with skills, gear and Devotions.

[frdnwsm]

>"you should try a dw EoR Paladin to spice things up"<

Eye of Reckoning? That skill comes in rather a bit later from where I am right now. Would you suggest melee DW Paladin earlier than that as well? Using what weapons? Slicers like my Infiltrator for pierce damage, or something more elemental based?

[gNuff!~©~gNom3™]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

>"you should try a dw EoR Paladin to spice things up"<

Eye of Reckoning? That skill comes in rather a bit later from where I am right now. Would you suggest melee DW Paladin earlier than that as well? Using what weapons? Slicers like my Infiltrator for pierce damage, or something more elemental based?

not really sure what you mean, you should be able to get EoR from lvl 9 or 10 or something? iirc
and yea you do want a slicer, just a slightly different one ;) https://www.grimtools.com/db/items/12466
later you want, feck forgot what it was called... moment this one https://www.grimtools.com/db/items/12554
I'm pretty sure there were a couple of EoR paladin builds on the crate forum, it plays fairly nice, and also fairly okay leveling even without the slicers, tho ofc 110% smoother and best to get it for the conversion

[Wintermute]

Originally posted by frdnwsm:

There's nothing wrong with fire damage, provided that you have decent RR. For Devotions he has Soleil's Witchblade, Rhowan's Crown, most of Hydra and uses the Aura of Censure skill, all of which enhance elemental damage and do some RR to the target.

I already have a shieldbreaker for "firey go boom" explosions, who uses pretty much the only existing fire devotion setup. Really hate to copypaste it between different chars -_-

[gNuff!~©~gNom3™]

Originally posted by Wintermute:

I already have a shieldbreaker for "firey go boom" explosions, who uses pretty much the only existing fire devotion setup. Really hate to copypaste it between different chars -_-

the game really doesn't care if you don't like to run similar devotion setups. If you plan to run higher levels, specially on Ultimate, you need RR, so for fire builds Solael's Witchblade and either Revenant or Rhowan's Crown become mandatory, and the rest just usually fills itself in a bit as it goes along

[Wintermute]

Originally posted by gNuff!~©~gNom3™:

Originally posted by Wintermute:

I already have a shieldbreaker for "firey go boom" explosions, who uses pretty much the only existing fire devotion setup. Really hate to copypaste it between different chars -_-

the game really doesn't care if you don't like to run similar devotion setups. If you plan to run higher levels, specially on Ultimate, you need RR, so for fire builds Solael's Witchblade and either Revenant or Rhowan's Crown become mandatory, and the rest just usually fills itself in a bit as it goes along

Dude, i've been clearing 170 crucible since AoM. With moderate degree of success. It's just, there was such a thing as endgame-viable elemental gunner purifier (god that's long) back then, and i really liked the way it worked. Nowadays they lag behind fire, badly, especially in SR. That's why I asked the guy if he concocted something functional.