Melee Priest Build/Best Deity?

[ColeTrain1034]

I was having this conversation on a different discussion, but it seemed easier to make this a separate thing. Haha.

So I'm considering making a priest character, and it will be my first one. The only experience I've had with a priest is Durance. I've never even hired a priest at the inn. So a couple of questions:

1. Are the deity bonuses worth it? Basically, should I really consider which deity I follow for more than role-playing purposes? I've used Inspired Flame with Durance, and I'm a fan. But how do the other bonuses stack up? I've been told Berath's is good, and someone has gone into more detail about Magran. But how about Eothas, Skaen, and Wael? I know what they do, on paper, but in practice, how effective are they?

2. Is a melee priest advisable? I know it's possible, because you can tailor your character to be whatever you want it to be. But would it be smarter for me to just keep my distance and use guns?

All advice is welcome.

[TaurusBully]

I'm on a Trial of Iron with a main melee priest.

First, yes, deity bonuses are worth it, and if you pick say Eothas (as i have) you better role play benevolent and honest, there are bonuses for your Radiance that checks your dispositions.

Second, I've built it being a semi-tank, major supporter. I've heard that some made good DPs priests, but i can't seen to do it.

So I have Eder and Kana as tank/suport , aloth and custom made ranged rogue and cipher as dps and supports.

My priest is focused on semi-tanking with it's flail (God favored gives +10 acuracy) , and a shield, using the shield + weapon perk.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally posted by ColeTrain1034:

But would it be smarter for me to just keep my distance and use guns?

Well, Priest of Magran would give you +10 Accuracy on Arquebus and Sword. And that stacks with Weapon Focus and various buffs. You could remain a backline priest that is limited to slow ranged attacks. You could also invest more into frontline powers, increase base Accuracy to make your radiance and spell attacks more reliable, and stay in the Friendly AoE range when buffing and healing others and yourself. And nothing mandates that you may not cast Champion's Boon on yourself.

Originally posted by TaurusBully:

First, yes, deity bonuses are worth it, and if you pick say Eothas (as i have) you better role play benevolent and honest, there are bonuses for your Radiance that checks your dispositions.

^ That, yes, if the priest is your watcher, you will want to choose a matching disposition, of course, and Priest of Berath would be Stoic/Rational, for example. The dispositions are not the same than the Paladin's. If you wanted to choose Skaen but not using Stilettos or Clubs, you would be wasting the Prey on the Weak talent by not learning it. Then you would be left with the remaining bonus specific to priests of Skaen, and I don't think a baby sneak attack is useful.

[Drake]

About Skaen, while on it's own, the baby sneak attack is no match for a real rogue sneak attack, if you combine it with the cross class sneak attack (they stack), you'll get something very close to a real sneak, giving you an efficient rogue/priest (don't forget the priest buffs, it's like butter). The thing with sneak attack is that interdiction procs it and you can do that every encounter.
If you're doing a sneak party, that's the priest to use.

I did an eothas priest, the extra heal spell is also great, since you can save your real heals for harder fights.

Berath is pretty straight forward, corrosive siphon is just great and greatsword as favored weapon means you can use some badass weapons.

Wael's debuff is good but I think the priest already got everything covered on that topic.

[ColeTrain1034]

Originally posted by Sajah:

About Skaen, while on it's own, the baby sneak attack is no match for a real rogue sneak attack, if you combine it with the cross class sneak attack (they stack), you'll get something very close to a real sneak, giving you an efficient rogue/priest (don't forget the priest buffs, it's like butter). The thing with sneak attack is that interdiction procs it and you can do that every encounter.
If you're doing a sneak party, that's the priest to use.

Hmm. I hadn't considered a stealth priest. Not a bad idea though.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Stealth and Sneak don't refer to the same. Stealth mode ends with the first attack, provided that you manage to get close enough. Sneak attack is this:

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Sneak_Attack

[ColeTrain1034]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Stealth and Sneak don't refer to the same. Stealth mode ends with the first attack, provided that you manage to get close enough. Sneak attack is this:

http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Sneak_Attack

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't stealth help you with a sneak attack? If you use your primary stealth character to scout ahead and make the first attack in combat situations, that counts as the first two seconds of combat, yes?

[Drake]

Yes, stealthed attack count as a sneak trigger, but just debuffing the mob is more reliable since you'll sneak on every attack. If you're doing an armed priest you'll also want aggrandizing radiance passive (reducing the healing of holy radiance but giving you +2 to all attribute, considerably boosting your damage and defence).

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Ask yourself whether and when you would really try to launch a stealth based attack on an enemy? If it were a mob, you would be in big trouble as soon as combat starts. If it were a single enemy only, where are your companions then? Priest can do much better things to launch an attack.

[QNecron]

Berath, Magran and Eothas are the go tos. I've tried Wael and it was alright, but not as good as the three listed.

With Berath and Eothas you can either do sword and board or two-handed DPS which is really nice. While Magran can easily do sword and board, without the +10 bonus to a melee two-handed weapon that leaves you with a standard build.

In my last group my main character was a Priest of Eothas using morningstars, great DPS and with high STR (started with 18) and his heals where exceptional.

One thing to keep in mind is that your group can easily augment your priest. For instance having a DPS two-hander priest and a paladin focused in defence is really nice as the paladin's auras help your priest. Same applies to fighters with their knowdowns, auras and general ability to just not require attention (healing, buffing, etc).

[Groggle]

Originally posted by TaurusBully:

I'm on a Trial of Iron with a main melee priest.

First, yes, deity bonuses are worth it, and if you pick say Eothas (as i have) you better role play benevolent and honest, there are bonuses for your Radiance that checks your dispositions.

Second, I've built it being a semi-tank, major supporter. I've heard that some made good DPs priests, but i can't seen to do it.

So I have Eder and Kana as tank/suport , aloth and custom made ranged rogue and cipher as dps and supports.

My priest is focused on semi-tanking with it's flail (God favored gives +10 acuracy) , and a shield, using the shield + weapon perk.

Hi Bully,

I was wondering if you could post your stat distribution for your priest?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

@Groggle

Pillars of Eternity gets much more entertaining, if you base your thoughts upon the base stats of a class. As displayed on the character creation screen or in the PoE Wiki. You may take into account attribute bonuses you get later via equipment or resting bonuses, but that's less important because there are so many items to choose from.

Priest's base stats are:

Endurance: Very Low
Health: Low
Deflection: Low
Accuracy: Very Low

Primarily the low Deflection is -15 compared with a Fighter and base RES 10. As you may not want to waste points on RES, it practically forces you to use a shield in one weapon slot and suffer from melee/ranged Accuracy penalty early on until you find the better shields and can take Superior Deflection, if you like that. Alternatively, you try to stay out of trouble, which will be necessary for a very long time until you can buff yourself. Very Low base Accuracy is less important. It's only -10 compared with a RES 10 Fighter, but you get +10 with the talent for your chosen god and another +6 with Weapon Focus, which stacks. And once the Priest can cast the good support spells, you're either in the center of the spells or in its AoE. Additionally, some of the cross-class talents are an option, too, such as Gallant's Focus for a permanent bonus, which is worthwhile, if a Paladin chooses another aura, and if your Priest comes with increased INT for increased aura range. Buffed Priest can attack with 2H weapons even, depending on your chosen god, and reaches very high Accuracy values. Spell Accuracy benefits from increased PER, so buffed you can also put offensive Priest spells to good use.

[Hariwulf]

Magran, Skaen mostly.
But every god will do. I think Eothas would be interesting, story-wise.....