Favourite Builds for Honour Mode

[Ariisn]

So I’ve played near 200 hours of the game now, and my friend and I are planning on finally getting to an Honour Mode run. We both don’t really mind what class/playstyle they are, and we typically modify things to suit how we play anyways. Any suggestions are welcome, no matter how absurd they may be. Cheers

Edit: Thanks for all the quick replies, lots of these look like good ideas

[Chaoslink]

Copied from somewhere else. Probably the strongest I've done yet.

(Sorry for the length of this post, but discussing builds is something I very much enjoy. I get a bit carried away, hence why I always ASK first if someone is interested before I do it. Though I admit, I don't often include screenshots. There's good and interesting information to be had here though, might help you get ideas for your own game as well as anyone who chooses to read this thread. Note: My currect game described below is unmodded)

So my current team was built with two custom characters and two origin companions, using the method of launching a second instance of the game from the .exe and joining yourself via LAN. This is done to have more control over the two starting characters and their builds (and make shennanigans on the starting boat easier) as well as get characters you can't normally get like a male elf. You also have two player charcters this way so you can have different character interactions and experience more interaction content (like romances) in one game. The one limitation with my composition is that one build basically requires being an elf while the other works very well as one though can probably work without.

This is gonna take up some space, but I'll post two shots per character, showing their character sheet for attributes and skills, listing the talents afterwards. Note: this save is progressed at the very start of act two, not yet having left the ship. I have not yet stepped foot anywhere on act two.

First up, Custom Elf using a Rogue preset (switches between dual and single dagger frequently)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427876

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427988

Talents:
-The Pawn, for that repositioning and backstab.
-Opportunist, not really required here but I don't really need anything else really.
-Torturer, Critical for this build's purpose, I'll elabotate later.

Next, Sebille as a ranger, built as an elementalist focus.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427837

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427952

Talents:
-All Skilled Up, Not really a good talent but she's the thief so I use it to get thievery high early.
-Elemental Ranger, Not a popular one but once you know her role it makes sense.
-Torturer, Again, critical for my intents.

Third we have the custom Lizard, Aero/Hydro mage.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427791

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427902

Talents:
-Savage Sortilege, pretty basic talent for mages.
-Elemental Affinity, again its a basic mage talent.
-Pet Pal, As my persuasion/main character this just fits here.

Finally The Prince, similar build but more Aero focus as opposed to Hydro.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427817

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1638427927

Talents:
-Far Out Man, default for his preset, having the range can help when elevation is N/A.
-Savage Sortilege
-Elemental Affinity

Now you might notice some of them are pretty mixed up. Obviously there is some points I got from gear, but some of it is intended. My initiative is going to change shortly to have the order change, but the intent it to have the rogue go first. He plays a support role first, damage second. He will be setting up elemental affinity for the mages turn one with Rain>Electric Discharge, then pop a haste. The mages then use his 4 AP investment to burn out 14-16AP worth of skills on their first turns to get some CC down immediately and get some early control of the battlefield.

The archer then goes about stripping armor where it needs removing. She does so using a dual damage role. She starts combat going last (but will go first the second turn cycle), and initiates by positioning herself with Tactical Retreat. Then she uses Flesh Sacrifice to get 6AP. With that AP, she picks up an element with Elemental Arrowheads, buffs with Venom Coating, then uses her last 4 AP for attacks. When facing undead Venom Coating isn't used. Her weapon ideally has innate element damage AND a rune slot, then gets poisoned by combining with a poison source (rogue uses daggers with the same goals).

With this focus on elemental damage, the archer can deal pretty respectible physical damage and often more elemental damage than the physical. The rogue acts similarly but lacks the arrowheads buff so it isn't quite as high. These two characters can thusly strip both armor types equally, allowing them to focus a target with physical while also opening them up to magical CC. Its very potent.

As for the Torturer and Geo skills... I take on fights occasionally as high as 6 levels above mine, often 3-4 levels. Torturer is critical for this as I can't expect to strip armor on targets that much higher than myself given how low my damage output is going to be compared to their armor (this is Tactician of course). So I need the armor penetrating CC from Worm Tremor to hold the enemy at range while I whittle them down from afar, using any high ground I can to extend my range beyond theirs. In the case that high ground cannot be used, I utilize invisibility and root + smoke grenades to keep the enemy from attacking while I attack them using AoE to hit them through the smoke. Since they can't move out of the smoke and can't see out of it, I am perfectly safe as long as those effects hold. Dodge and Dodge Aura are incredibly important for when those effects cannot be used, as well as magic resistance potions to mitigate incoming magic damage.

I take a bit more memory than most builds should, but I need the extra abilities for the versatility to adapt to the situation since I take on much harder opponents than most players would.

This is one of my most favorite builds thus far, having been tested in a co-op game that got halfway through act two (the second half specifically) before we picked up other games. It was refined a bit for myself, but I know what kind of power I have with this and it is incredibly effective, hence taking on fights massively underleveled.

My spells per character can be seen along the bottom of each screenshot, though they change frequently depending on the fight. Just about everyone has Tactical Retreat for maneuvering and getting temporary haste. Doing things like I do, AP management is critical, hence the double elf team. The Rogue can get away with being a different race due to backlash being only 1AP, but the archer suffers massively as you can't buff up and get damage off in the first turn without the extra boost from Flesh Sacrifice.

By all means, I'm happy to answer questions anyone might have on this, from why I did something or what suggestions I'd have to adapting ideas to other builds. I don't run many STR builds, but can offer advice on them just fine.

[LaserGuy]

I ran a fairly standard build for my honor mode game:
Red Prince: Two-handed weapon + Polymorph
Beast: One-handed weapon + Necro
Fane: Hydro/Geo
Lohse: Pyro/Aero

Each character also had a smattering of other skills. Both casters used shields and had shield bounce for extra physical damage.

Probably only two or three fights where I had any real trouble. In retrospect I'd probably take an Archer over the 1-hander.

[Sotj]

I'm currently running with 2mage+1archer+1melee tank, all of them have somewhat summoner, except archer. 1 mage is healer, other is pyro. This is my first try and I'm about to end act 1 soon. :) I don't know if I can beat the game, but so far it's good.

[Nauzhror]

Currently playing a solo lone wolf game as a hydro/aero character. It's been fun, but I don't think it's a build I would recommend for honour mode (I am playing on tactician, but there's been a few fights so far early on that were pretty stupidly hard and had to be immensely cheesed).

[Ariisn]

Originally posted by Chaoslink:

So my current team was built with two custom characters and two origin companions, using the method of launching a second instance of the game from the .exe and joining yourself via LAN. This is done to have more control over the two starting characters and their builds (and make shennanigans on the starting boat easier) as well as get characters you can't normally get like a male elf. You also have two player charcters this way so you can have different character interactions and experience more interaction content (like romances) in one game. The one limitation with my composition is that one build basically requires being an elf while the other works very well as one though can probably work without.

This may be a bit of a noobish question, but how can I start up multiple instances of the game via one steam account?

[Chaoslink]

Just right click the game in your library, properties then local files, browse local files. That will open the game’s installation files. Just find the .exe and launch it while the game is running.

Just note that each character you make this way is a “player” character. This means that some events have to be played with each one where an recruited NPC ally will skip. Cannot talk to player characters as well meaning you also cannot dismiss them. Usually just something veterans use to have more control over their builds early on, or to experience multiple companion interaction combinations and romances in one game.

[Ariisn]

Originally posted by Chaoslink:

Just right click the game in your library, properties then local files, browse local files. That will open the game’s installation files. Just find the .exe and launch it while the game is running.

Just note that each character you make this way is a “player” character. This means that some events have to be played with each one where an recruited NPC ally will skip. Cannot talk to player characters as well meaning you also cannot dismiss them. Usually just something veterans use to have more control over their builds early on, or to experience multiple companion interaction combinations and romances in one game.

I can't find a .exe file anywhere in the DOS2 folder, any ideas?

[Chaoslink]

It'll be DOS2 > DefEd > bin > EoCApp.exe

[Pyromus]

If maneuvering through files is something you're unfamiliar with, you can also go to the game's page in your library, hit the play button, and then stop when the window pops up asking if you want to open classic or DE version. There should be an icon on the taskbar now for that specific window, and right clicking it and selecting the launcher again should open a second window. Just hit the DE prompt on both windows at close to a double click speed and they will both open a separate instance of the game.