Are dragonstones worth using?

[Ninth Hour]

I received the Dragonstones of Vitality and Protection after completing a quest but neither seem particularly great. The former gives you +2 Vitality and +20 poison resistance but -2 Power. In comparison, the Amulet of Protection gives you +2 Vitality and +8 all resistances and can be readily purchased for more than one companion, making the Dragonstone less "competitive".

The Dragonstone of Protection gives +1 Armor, which is decent, but also -2 Power, which is not. It at least pairs well with the Spirit Idol, which negates the Power penalty. And I haven't found another item that provides Armor, so there is incentive to use it.

Overall, pretty lackluster bonuses. And the quest required to obtain them was one of those fetch missions requiring multiple stops.

Come to think of it, most of the stories require FedEx quests, which I guess is fitting given your profession.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Yes the dragonstones sadly are not really useful. Especially regarding the power malus. It is apparant that even the ones with armor bonus are meant for mages, because they can become conduits and regain their power. Whereas no other companion can. (Not to mention with Nedir you can combine it with arcane leech) (The only exception with the one not giving malus)

It is precisely because of the above mentioned that they are not really useful. If you compare this that mages already have a lot of items very useful to them, whereas the non casters dont. Sadly the balance tips even more in favour for the mages. (Especially since Finn with a barrier already has like 3 arm. Adding that to 4, and she can become pretty invincible)

[Ra Archon]

I used it on Harrek for a while (since he blocks and does not need POW)

[Jean-Maurice Nya]

It depends, do you have a companion that doesn't use that much power ? If yes, that's good for him. Harvek can be this choice, but Gor too if you only want to debuff armor. Harvek's maximum push is pretty good as it stuns, but if you don't use it much, well this dragonstone is pretty interesting.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Yes just noticed one you can buy in salum. OFC you need rank for it but is -1 pow and unstoppable. So you can get another of your chars magical damage. HURRAY. (in 3 years:D)

[Kittenbait]

I think the Dragonstone of Protection is fantastic. Your frontline tanks (Gorgoro, Eylani, Skornar, eventually Harvek late game) don't really need much POW, they just need to stand there and soak up damage whilst hitting stuff. If you put Skornar centre front, he grants +1 armour to the other two (the perk that makes him immovable helps too). He gets the dragonstone, that's 2 armour on your whole frontline, which makes a huge difference in how long they'll last against most enemies.

Dragonstone of vitality, though... meh.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Kittenbait:

I think the Dragonstone of Protection is fantastic. Your frontline tanks (Gorgoro, Eylani, Skornar, eventually Harvek late game) don't really need much POW, they just need to stand there and soak up damage whilst hitting stuff. If you put Skornar centre front, he grants +1 armour to the other two (the perk that makes him immovable helps too). He gets the dragonstone, that's 2 armour on your whole frontline, which makes a huge difference in how long they'll last against most enemies.

Dragonstone of vitality, though... meh.

Well i would never put it on Skornar, that extra action he can give can decide whole fights.(Nedir casting twice a turn;)

[Ninth Hour]

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

Well i would never put it on Skornar, that extra action he can give can decide whole fights.(Nedir casting twice a turn;)

Initially, I had Skornar equip the Dragonstone of Protection but realized that it was reducing the number of times that he could use Commanding Shout.

I found that improving his Initiative (through items or passive perks) is helpful. The extra attack seems to last longer when he uses Commanding Shout just before a companion takes their turn. Otherwise, it appears to last 1 round shorter.

[Kittenbait]

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

Well i would never put it on Skornar, that extra action he can give can decide whole fights.(Nedir casting twice a turn;)

Later game where you get more rounds effect out of it, yes. Early game where it's doing little more than swapping Skornar's action for someone else's, it's not so much use.

If you've got Finndurarth, of course, you can just shield up Skornar anyway.

[Wlerin]

Originally posted by Kittenbait:

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

Well i would never put it on Skornar, that extra action he can give can decide whole fights.(Nedir casting twice a turn;)

Later game where you get more rounds effect out of it, yes. Early game where it's doing little more than swapping Skornar's action for someone else's, it's not so much use.

Depends on the fight, but Nedir stunning two enemies in one round is often better than anything Skornar could have accomplished with his turn (her stun is significantly more reliable and longer lasting (with upgrades/items) than Skornar's shield bash). Especially if you can get another stun off on the third front liner to prevent e.g. charge attacks. Likewise if you're just trying to kill the lot of them ASAP, two chain lightnings are better than one.

[Kittenbait]

Originally posted by Wlerin:

Depends on the fight, but Nedir stunning two enemies in one round is often better than anything Skornar could have accomplished with his turn (her stun is significantly more reliable and longer lasting (with upgrades/items) than Skornar's shield bash). Especially if you can get another stun off on the third front liner to prevent e.g. charge attacks. Likewise if you're just trying to kill the lot of them ASAP, two chain lightnings are better than one.

Yes, lots depends on the team you have and the opponents you're facing, though. There is rarely if ever a single best fit.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Kittenbait:

Originally posted by Wlerin:

Depends on the fight, but Nedir stunning two enemies in one round is often better than anything Skornar could have accomplished with his turn (her stun is significantly more reliable and longer lasting (with upgrades/items) than Skornar's shield bash). Especially if you can get another stun off on the third front liner to prevent e.g. charge attacks. Likewise if you're just trying to kill the lot of them ASAP, two chain lightnings are better than one.

Yes, lots depends on the team you have and the opponents you're facing, though. There is rarely if ever a single best fit.

Dunno i would say Eylani is a very good choice. Good block/armour, decent damage, and also immobilizes the enemies. This is already good, but where she starts to shine is when you fight demons, ghouls and wraiths. Her stuck attakc means most of these enemies are unable to perform their special line changing attacks. And this can save you from a lot of incoming damage.

Nedir also can with the extra action fill up the row before her, deal damage with confligration, stun...You name it. But most of the time still everyone will take Finn and Nedir if possible into a fight. Elyani and Skornar for front since their synergy is awesome.

[Ninth Hour]

I've had a lot of success with Gor'Goro, Skornar, and Eylani in front and Finn, Nedir, and Criftaa in the rear. A lot of stun and debuff opportunities to go around. I was experimenting to see who would best benefit from the Dragonstone of protection. It's not bad on Skornar or Eylani (especially as the latter can get up to 3 armor just by standing next to Skornar). But -2 POW limits the use of Commanding Shout and Skystrike, so I shifted it to Gor'goro, whose Challenging Roar is somewhat less useful overall than the abilities of the other two.

Seems to be a reasonably good setup so far. But I have not used the other Dragonstones. Possibly, I may use the stone of enchantment, in situations where I cannot get the Blessing of Unbinding but it still seems like a waste of a trinket slot, since Unstoppable is the only ability it grants.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Ninth Hour:

I've had a lot of success with Gor'Goro, Skornar, and Eylani in front and Finn, Nedir, and Criftaa in the rear. A lot of stun and debuff opportunities to go around. I was experimenting to see who would best benefit from the Dragonstone of protection. It's not bad on Skornar or Eylani (especially as the latter can get up to 3 armor just by standing next to Skornar). But -2 POW limits the use of Commanding Shout and Skystrike, so I shifted it to Gor'goro, whose Challenging Roar is less useful overall than the abilities of the other two.

Seems to be a reasonably good setup so far. But I have not used the other Dragonstones. Possibly, I may use the stone of enchantment, in situations where I cannot get the Blessing of Unbinding but it still seems like a waste of a trinket slot, since Unstoppable is the only ability it grants.

Most folks use the same setup as they have the highest Armour, allthough not sure yet about Harvik, since if he can get up a good enough Armour, he can replace Gor, because of his bleeding wound, depending on situation but for now i did not take him into the crew. And also his kick can be quite useful too.
(Slavedrier and Guard captain sadly seem utterly useless deputy roles. Because you can only have 6 deputies, Supercargo, Marauder Prince, Venatoris, Scout Master, Beast Handler and Spellweaver are much much more useful)

If i recall well there are 3 items alltogether with Unstoppable (the ones i saw and found so far). That means nearly all your crew members will have magic damage. Since Criftaa sadly does not have such good usefulness against certain enemies (poison immu or high poison resistance) against certain enemies it is better to have Garrick instead of Criftaa.
And not trying your luck with his rune. Not sure but i think if you take diletante sorcerer on him, his damage will turn into magic damage.(Or should elsewise it is an utterly and completely useless skill, since you cannot even use it for Wind Scrying)

Renkalion sadly is basicly also useless in fights especiall because he is neither a front nor a back row character:( He is as they say the one that managed to fall down under the bench between two chairs. (Rough translation of a saying in my language)
His only usefulness is the Scout masterhood.

[Wlerin]

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

(Slavedrier and Guard captain sadly seem utterly useless deputy roles. Because you can only have 6 deputies, Supercargo, Marauder Prince, Venatoris, Scout Master, Beast Handler and Spellweaver are much much more useful)

I agree about Slavedriver (although a third Miscellaneous slot would be great), but huh? Guard Captain useless? 10% Defense (most important Crew Combat stat), 5% Combat Strength, and 20 Vigilance useless? Defensive Equipment slot, so you can equip Protective Harnesses along with one of the Awnings, useless? I dunno what you're talking about.

Venatoris is the other useless one. Or Spellweaver in the early game (before you've got bugs).

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

If i recall well there are 3 items alltogether with Unstoppable (the ones i saw and found so far). That means nearly all your crew members will have magic damage. Since Criftaa sadly does not have such good usefulness against certain enemies (poison immu or high poison resistance) against certain enemies it is better to have Garrick instead of Criftaa.

I don't use Garrik, Criftaa, or Renkailon in my main 6-companion force. Used to switch between them for the 6th position until I picked up Skornar. My setup could use some refinement (like to actually benefit from Skornar's Defender trait), but I generally put Skornar and Eylani on the two ends and then have Harvek and Gor'Goro alternate in the center spot (Nedir starts there because she's the tankier of the two mages). Finn behind Skornar. Again, not perfect but it gets the obliteration job done in most random encounters.

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

And not trying your luck with his rune. Not sure but i think if you take diletante sorcerer on him, his damage will turn into magic damage. (Or should elsewise it is an utterly and completely useless skill, since you cannot even use it for Wind Scrying)

His Rune damage is already magic damage. I don't get what Dilettante Sorcerer has to do with Scrying, it tells you exactly what it does: +1 Power plus some resistances.

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

Renkalion sadly is basicly also useless in fights especiall because he is neither a front nor a back row character:( He is as they say the one that managed to fall down under the bench between two chairs. (Rough translation of a saying in my language)

Renk is decent in both front and back, and he provides a good support buff when he runs out of POW. He can get 50% Evade just from Traits which puts him on the level with Wraiths and Spectres in terms of annoying slippery-bastardness. I'd say he's the best of the worst three, though some people disagree vehemently with my assessment of Garrik. I've only had like two fights so far where the insanehueg damage potential of Garrik's fully upgrading Pistol Shot would have even been needed, most of the time you want damage consistency and spread instead, neither of which he has. He doesn't even get the trait to reduce Line of Sight penalties (although you can give it to him with an item.)

Obviously in terms of damage potential the three of them are better than Eylani, but the most annoying enemies in the game are the ones that Evade everything and all four of her skills are tailor made for shutting them down.

[Ninth Hour]

Originally posted by Nordil(Hun):

... Since Criftaa sadly does not have such good usefulness against certain enemies (poison immu or high poison resistance) against certain enemies it is better to have Garrick instead of Criftaa....

I never use Criftaa's poison shot, for the reason you mention. Her utility lies in her standard bow attack, which ignores armor, has a relatively high critical rate (which can be boosted by the Amulet of Divine Rage) and does decent damage. With a crit, she can do 8 to 9 damage to armored foes and 4 to 6 otherwise. She also has high initiative and accuracy, unlike Garrick, who requires support (i.e. accuracy boosting trinkets and Skornar's commanding shout) for his pistol shot to be useful.