Perfect Lone Wolf Stats: Build Ideas

[Torus the Infected]

This Lone Wolf character will be holding the flank against all comers. He does not need any "fixing" perks (e.g. Colossus; Gifted; Fortified Mind). The core perks of my intended build will be:
1) Student
2) Steel Brow
3) Brawny
4) Weapons Mastery (either Hammer Mastery or Axe Mastery)
5) Underdog
6) Battle Forged
7) Reach Advantage
8) Berserk
9) Killing Frenzy

That leaves me with two "free" perks and I don't know what to pick. Usually one or more of the above mentioned fixing perks are an auto pick on every character, so I'm not certain how to optimise this amazing brother.

I prioritise tankiness on my Two-Handed Front-Liners - Quick Hands does not synergize with Reach Advantage and is therefore a no-go. I find Pathfinder to be unnecessary due to enemies coming at me and swarming me anyway. Lone Wolf is amazing, but I intend to eventually have a whole company and then it becomes really difficult to utilise effectively.

Options:

Resilient - allows me to skip weapons mastery until I know what I want to take and mitigates annoying status effects as much as possible?

Crippling Strike lowers the threshold to inflict injuries by 33% and Executioner inflicts 20% additional damage to targets that have sustained an injury effect. Could these two in combination be a massive DPS boost?

Fearsome - break enemies quicker?

Headhunter - more hits to the head?

Am I missing an amazing combination / synergy - please help me with my last two perks!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2845790597

[Willow Ufgood]

don't need steel brow get pathfinder run to those good spots just my opinion as for the last two maybe resilient and crippling strike or if you don't want pathfinder combine crippling strike with executioner

[Willow Ufgood]

are you planning on just putting points in resolve and hp?

[The Duck Knight]

I would suggest adrenalin to break out of overwhelm-debuff-situations.
Imagine your lone wolf holding the flank, swarmed by enemies, as planed:
Problem: it's frenzied hyenas, 3 of them, each adding 3 stacks of overwhelm on your lone wolf.
and maybe also recover for fights that just drag along far too long to not run out of fatigue.

[YuMMz]

First, I wouldn't skip colossus. Colossus isn't a "fixing" perk, it's a great perk on all frontliners. It drastically improves survivability as you level up to 11 and keeps you alive against the AID damage that top tier late game enemies dish out (and pesky xbows and goblin bows).

Second, once you move past the core perks, it is kind of weapon specific. For example, crippling strikes is great with maces and hammers, less valuable with others as the injury types are not as crippling. Reach advantage shines with weapons that attack multiple targets or get 2-3 hits per turn (cleavers), but I'd skip reach advantage with 2H Maces and hammers as you're more likely to only get 5MDEF out of it.

I've become a big fan of steel brow for ironman as headshots become one of the few ways you lose late game bros. So I disagree with the above comment that it isn't needed. Headshots are probably the most likely way you lose your lone wolf and ultimately the campaign late game. Chosen, berserker, lindwurm, etc. headshots can be insane. That said, I find resilient to be less critical. It is a safe pick though.

If it were me, I'd build out core perks (Colossus->Student->Brow->Brawny->Underdog-Forged->Berserk->Killing Frenzy) until I found the famed weapon he'll end up using. Don't sleep on a duelist either, duelists with famed cleavers are incredibly wicked, and he's got the fatigue/MDEF to make it work.

One last note, he'll end up with 47 MDEF at 11, which is solid, but it's not 5% chance to hit defense. Just something to keep in mind if you're putting him on the flank. I'd recommend putting him on the inside and using a shieldbro with 60/70 MDEF on your flanks. Plus, your campaign ends if he dies, so you also minimize bad RNG that way too.

tldr: I'd build him around the first amazing famed weapon I found and take safe perks until that happens.

[Torus the Infected]

Great advice - thanks everyone!

[Willow Ufgood]

yeah true actually steel brow can be important however i wouldn't chose steel brow over Colossus i would only have them together personally

[Azov]

get gifted

[Willow Ufgood]

Originally posted by Push back the invader:

get gifted

why

[YuMMz]

Gifted is never bad. 3 MATK and 3 MDEF is always useful. In fact, for things like 2H Mace/Hammer, gifted is arguably better than reach advantage which reliably will only give you 5 MDEF. I'm not sure I'd do gifted on this bro though, it would depend on what weapon he ended up with.

[Willow Ufgood]

Originally posted by YuMMz:

Gifted is never bad. 3 MATK and 3 MDEF is always useful. In fact, for things like 2H Mace/Hammer, gifted is arguably better than reach advantage which reliably will only give you 5 MDEF. I'm not sure I'd do gifted on this bro though, it would depend on what weapon he ended up with.

seems like gifted is void when you past lvl 11 i get what you mean but it just doesn't make sense to me to use a perk point on gifted or even student for that matter same thing applies just my opinion

[YuMMz]

Originally posted by Willow Ufgood:

seems like gifted is void when you past lvl 11 i get what you mean but it just doesn't make sense to me to use a perk point on gifted or even student for that matter same thing applies just my opinion

How would it be void? You'll always have the +3 MATK and MDEF, as well as whatever other stat you boost.

[Gilius Thunderhead]

Personally I'm also on the fence regarding Gifted - it has more impact on weak bros that need a buff than it does on a guy that's already a God of War

I already struggle to fit in all the perks I'd like to, Gifted can feel like a wasted opportunity to fit just one more perk in

[Azov]

Originally posted by Willow Ufgood:

Originally posted by Push back the invader:

get gifted

why

I like having high stats and this perk helps reach those thresholds. High stats aren't specific to any enemy type and help with everything, you get extra stats equivalent to 3-4 veteran levels and if you look at it really long term you can reset perks with potion of oblivion which would refund gifted but keep the extra stats it first gave you.

[Willow Ufgood]

Originally posted by Push back the invader:

Originally posted by Willow Ufgood:

why

I like having high stats and this perk helps reach those thresholds. High stats aren't specific to any enemy type and help with everything, you get extra stats equivalent to 3-4 veteran levels and if you look at it really long term you can reset perks with potion of oblivion which would refund gifted but keep the extra stats it first gave you.

that potion trick is smart good idea