Is Barik the only tank option?

[Pheace]

I'm looking through the companions for this game and Barik is the only option that appears to come off as a possible true tank, maybe Kills in Shadow? Though that sounds like a stealther.

Just wondering what my options would be if I end up not liking Barik. I don't really like maining tank myself.

[Averagedog]

I went through this game playing a mage character. Barik is the only Act 1 option in terms of a tank. Kills in Shadow is available at some point in act 2 depending on where you are going and stuff. I have personally found that the difference between the two is this.

Barik is the typical tank you see from Pillars of Eternity. He has the ability to engage with a lot of opponents and serve as a wall between you and your enemies assuming he does the mocking shout and catches as many enemies as he can. Because he wear's heavy armor he is the best equipped for the job (But seriously you can't give him any armor because he is the armor he is wearing which blows because you can't like upgrade him ...)

Kills in Shadow has a huge huge health pool and if you go down that route she is pretty much a god(des) of war, carnage, blood, meet, paw pawing, rutting, fighting, and the hunt. Yea, I chose her over Barik. Her health pool for me right now is over 450. She deals a lot of damage, but also takes a lot of damage. She could tank for the team provided that you position her correct and have healing spells chained specifically for her. It is often you will see her heatlh go up and down like a rollercoaster as a result while pulling all the aggro. She also works very well if you are also a melee character due to her chain ability with you where she ground pounds so hard you fly into the air and dragoon the enemy's ass without mercy. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over andovaod hsasdnfakhjsdgf;nankfdjsafkds .

[Blyndside]

You can tank with a mage, probably the best option in my opinion considering you can make a "Bouncing taunt ball of come the ♥♥♥♥ here", buff yourself with ♥♥♥♥ like Energy Shield, & other garbage, most of it you can buff pre battle, wrap yourself in Heavy Armor.

Then just sit there dishing out Electric bounce balls of stun, Illusion bounce balls of sit the ♥♥♥♥ down.

Mage is so OP...
Highest difficulty though, things hit to hard for you to really have a proper tank, Verse works will because of her immense amounts of Dodge & her ability to use Dodge instead of Parry, The further into the game you go the less everyone becomes viable and having a team of mages is just the way for easy mode.

[Iry]

Barik is the obvious tank.
Verse can have ridiculous dodge, and use Dodge instead of Parry. Just give her a shield and heavy armor (Yes, Heavy Armor), and the talent that gives her bonus dodge every time she gets hit.
Kills-In-Shadow can have massive amounts of health, and works very well with high percentage healing spells.
Sirin can actually tank in a pinch if you increase her Vitality. Give her a bunch of heavy armor just like Kana from POE. No taunt though.
Eb can also tank in a pinch if you focus on Gravelight. She can get a very high armor score and drain life from everyone. No taunt though.

[Pheace]

Sounds like there's some room to play around at least. I was hoping for a larger number of companions but they look pretty interesting overall so I imagine I'll be fine.. Thanks for the info guys, this is one of the things that had me worried :)

[Oenone]

Anyone can wear heavy armour. So even Lantry can tank if you dress him appropriately.

[Puella_Mea]

It seems if you choose Chorus and let Barik go in the chat you have to finish act one with three WTF??? I thought I would least be able to pick up someone else at the Chorus camp if I choose those options. Was playing on hard with dead and done too. Think I might be done. I have it saved inside the gates of the spire but don't see me beating the mages with this crew. Verse isn't tanking well and my toon is a talker. Lantry; well he's Lantry. If I don't hear anything I am pretty sure tommorow I will be starting over.

[Harukage]

Originally posted by Averagedog:

(But seriously you can't give him any armor because he is the armor he is wearing which blows because you can't like upgrade him ...)

But you can. Get a smithy upgrade for your spire and up Barik's armor all the way up to masterforged level. It won't have any additional effects, but have the highest armor rating in the game ever.

Originally posted by Puella_Mea:

It seems if you choose Chorus and let Barik go in the chat you have to finish act one with three WTF???

Why the hell did you let him go? You can finish the game in whatever way you want without loosing ANY companion.

[CordialVillain]

Pretty sure you can also reject or kill all of your companions. Just 'cause ya' can don't mean ya' should.

[SpectatorBehold]

Originally posted by RoboticManiac:

Pretty sure you can also reject or kill all of your companions.

And good thing too. Years of playing RPGs where we're forced to pick up all and any possible party member we meet has made me deeply sick of it - a reason that games like Pillars and Tyranny wins some favor with me as we're not foced to pick up anyone we meet that offers to tag along with us...

[Krigsprästen]

If you get them early enough, basically any companion can theoretically be a tank.

But practically speaking, since they're limited to only their own one set of talents, yeah, it's pretty much your only choice.

The developers should be commended for managing to have less CNPC:s than Pillars of Eternity. I didn't really think it possible.

I bet Obsidian's next project is going to be a one-person party-based game, where it's just me, myself and I, in a party, alone together.

[Lightning]

I think Kills in shadow also has a tank spec, but I just use barik since he has group aoe heals as well pretty nice

[Krigsprästen]

Originally posted by Lightning:

I think Kills in shadow also has a tank spec, but I just use barik since he has group aoe heals as well pretty nice

If you're using Barik as a tank, it's also good to pump his Vitality like mad, too, which contributes to Control Life - so it's not a bad idea to give him some straight-up healing spells, too.

[Lightning]

Originally posted by Luckmann:

Originally posted by Lightning:

I think Kills in shadow also has a tank spec, but I just use barik since he has group aoe heals as well pretty nice

If you're using Barik as a tank, it's also good to pump his Vitality like mad, too, which contributes to Control Life - so it's not a bad idea to give him some straight-up healing spells, too.

Oh I meant his defense perk at the bottom that allows him to instant heal everyone like Lantrys aoe team heal