Votary Build (Monk & Cipher) | Pillars of Eternity 2 Guide

In this Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Monk / Cipher Construct Information we’re going to be having a look on the Votary Class, which is a combination of Cipher and Monk. I’ll be offering data on Attributes, Weapons, Armor, and most significantly, what Talents to take and the right way to use them. Please understand that that is my Votary Construct, and there are many methods you may construct this class, and this isn’t the one one. In the event you’re new to Pillars of Eternity 2, otherwise you simply love creating characters as a lot as I do, then this Information is for you. Please word that this Construct Information was up to date for the 5.0 model of the sport, in addition to 1.01 on console (as of January 22th, 2020), and works with each Actual Time with Pause and Flip-Primarily based.

Votary Construct (Monk & Cipher) | Pillars of Eternity 2 Deadfire Information

The Swift Annihilation Votary Construct makes use of a mixture of lethal assaults and spells from Monk and Cipher to deal with any state of affairs you could face. What I actually like about this mixture is that you just mix 2 autonomous Courses that may regain sources by out the course of combat, in order that they by no means have to simply auto assault. Each Ciphers and Monks can do that by placing the enemy, which suggests it doesn’t matter what you do you’re continuously gaining Focus and Wounds.

The way in which this Construct works is that when fight begins you’ll buff with Thunderous Blows for added Penetration and Harm, and Lightning Strikes for elevated Motion Pace and Harm. You’ll pop Enduring Dance for additional Accuracy and Wound technology, and Turning Wheel will increase your Mind and melee Harm. Then you definitely’ll solid Borrowed Intuition to buff your Accuracy and Protection, and then you definitely’ll both solid an AoE Cipher spell if there are various targets, or use Raised Torment, alternating to keep up your sources. In the event you’re dealing with a single goal you’ll use Raised Torment, Skyward Kick or Soul Annihilation, once more alternating to ensure you all the time have sources to make use of.

Votary Subclasses

For my Cipher Subclass I selected Soul Blade for cheaper Shred Talents and entry to Soul Annihilation. Soul Annihilation is without doubt one of the greatest melee skills in PoE 2, and it lets you injury any enemy because it offers Uncooked Harm, which matches by Armor. Gaining Focus whenever you down an enemy doesn’t damage both. In brief, if you’re enjoying a melee Cipher you’re going to need to play Soul Blade.

For my Monk Class I selected No Subclass as a result of Shattered Pillar solely offers you Wounds when attacking with a melee weapon. I might have most popular Helwalker, however truthfully you spend your Wounds so quick I don’t actually see the purpose. Helwalkers are higher suited to ranged Builds that maintain their Wounds for elevated injury, whereas with this Votary Construct we’ll be spending them as quick as we achieve them, thus No Subclass. You may take Nalpazca if you need, which might be higher than No Subclass for those who don’t thoughts the drug administration.

Votary Weapons and Armor

As a result of Soul Annihilation, Raised Torment and Skyward Kick are all Major Assaults it is sensible to make use of a Two-Handed Weapon. Major Assaults solely use 1 weapon most for assaults, and if we twin wield it is not going to be used when attacking this fashion, so we go Two-Handed. What weapon kind you want to make use of is as much as you, however Nice Sword has an incredible Weapon Modal that lets you do a further 30% Harm in change for -10 Accuracy. That is very superb, and solely will get higher as you progress the sport, and also you achieve higher Accuracy. You want good Penetration to make use of this Weapon kind, however fortunately we achieve an additional +3 Penetration from Thunderous Blows and Hammering Ideas, so this isn’t a difficulty.

Armor-wise you’ll need to use one thing gentle as a way to assault as rapidly as potential. Extra assaults = extra Wounds & extra Focus = extra Harm. In the event you’re enjoying Flip-Primarily based you may get away with heavier Armor as a result of you’ll solely have one assault per spherical it doesn’t matter what you do, so going later within the flip order to achieve extra safety isn’t that unhealthy. It additionally offers enemies an opportunity to group up as a way to AoE them.

Votary Talents

On this part we’re going to cowl the “should have” Swift Annihilation Talents for this Construct. You might be free to choose and select which you need exterior of those as a result of everybody’s fashion of play is completely different and there’s no excellent manner. Nevertheless, these ones can be wanted for this Construct to work successfully.

Cipher Talents

Thoughts Wave – Take this one throughout Character Creation, and use it to AoE enemies when you may. It’s a Foe AoE so it gained’t hit your teammates.

Penetrating Visions – This passive offers you an additional Penetration with Cipher spells. Although most Cipher spells have excessive Penetration or just don’t want it, it’s not a nasty approach to spend one level and helps with the injury of Thoughts Wave.

Iron Will – This passive will offset the loss in Will from low Resolve, so it’s price choosing up.

Lingering Echoes – This passive extends the Period of all Afflictions brought on by the Cipher, which suggests Phantom Foes will last more. You’ll get a whole lot of use out of this one, so take it early.

Draining Whip – Take this improve of Soul Whip to get extra Focus when attacking to all the time guarantee that we’ve got sufficient. It helps to cost up Soul Annihilation rapidly, and +10% injury from Biting Whip isn’t that a lot.

Silent Scream – This capacity does Uncooked Harm on the goal, in addition to Stuns it, and offers Uncooked Harm to enemies round it. Uncooked Harm can’t be resisted so this can be a nice capacity.

Hammering Ideas – This passive will increase your Penetration with all weapons, which is insanely good. This may actually up your injury when dealing with extremely armored enemies.

Borrowed Intuition – This capacity is an effective way to achieve improved Accuracy when the combat begins. You’ll be able to by no means have sufficient Accuracy, particularly for those who’re taking a penalty utilizing Savage Assault on the Nice Sword.

The Empty Soul – This capacity will increase your Cipher spell Accuracy by +10, which is so much! Take this one when you may, as a result of you have to all of the Accuracy you may get with this Construct.

Amplified Wave – One other AoE spell that knocks enemies on their ass. You want to solid it on a celebration member, so be certain that your tank has obtained strong Engagement on a number of enemies earlier than casting.

Disintegration – This spell offers a ton of Uncooked Harm over time to an enemy, which helps kill harder enemies with massive Well being swimming pools and excessive Armor and resistances.

Monk Talents

Swift Strikes – Take this one throughout Character Creation to hurry up your Casting and Attacking. Later we’ll improve it to Lightning Strikes for elevated injury.

Lesser Wounds – This may can help you construct up Wounds sooner, which lets you spend them sooner. This turns into rather more necessary afterward upon getting Rooting Ache.

Two-Handed Model – This may enhance your injury when utilizing the Nice Sword, which is nice.

Lightning Strikes – This improve offers you a further +15% Shock Harm when attacking with a Weapon. This can be a lot as a result of it’s added in spite of everything different calculations.

Torment’s Attain – This capacity hits the goal and hits round it in an AoE. That is nice early on, however shines much more later within the sport.

Duality of Mortal Presence – This may can help you achieve +5 Mind or Structure per Wound.

Thunderous Blows – This capacity offers us +5 Would possibly and +2 Penetration for less than 2 Wounds. It’s an effective way to additional increase injury and dissipate some Wounds in the beginning of fight so we will achieve extra.

Rooting Ache – This capacity offers injury in an AoE across the Monk each time they achieve a Wound. Since you may management the speed you achieve them, you may proc this 4 or 5 occasions directly, leading to loopy injury.

Raised Torment – This improve Stuns enemies you hit, making it potential to Stun everybody round you. Get it and luxuriate in.

Turning Wheel – This wont be as efficient as in some Monk Builds since you’ll continuously be draining your Wounds, nonetheless, you’ll achieve some profit from it as you Wounds can be full usually when attacking.

Skyward Kick – This capacity lets you interrupt and knock Inclined every thing round you for +50% elevated injury and +3 Penetration. That is large injury for less than 3 Wounds!

Ultimate Suggestions

This Construct begins out type of gradual and also you’re going to lean on the Cipher facet of it till you achieve Torment’s Attain at degree 7. So don’t fear for those who’re doing a whole lot of auto-attacking for the primary a number of hours of the sport, and attempt to weave in Soul Annihilation when you may, or Thoughts Wave to assist increase injury. When you get to degree 7 this Construct actually takes off.

You don’t have a lot therapeutic with this Construct so I like to make use of the Moon Godlike Race to achieve a bit each combat. Moreover, be certain that to put some factors into Athletics to take higher benefit of Second Wind. Heal whereas Thunderous Blows is energetic for a greater heal, since Would possibly impacts therapeutic in addition to injury!

Take note of your sources and know your Wound Cap (5) and your Focus Cap (will enhance as you degree up). Just be sure you aren’t losing potential sources by not utilizing the useful resource that’s at max. You’ll be able to’t achieve extra Wounds or Focus if they’re at Cap so spend them!

Lastly, Be certain to make use of Mortification of the Soul whenever you want a number of extra Wounds. As a result of it’s good to take injury to achieve Wounds, typically enemies simply aren’t attacking you, and this can be a nice approach to achieve some Wounds with a view to use Raised Torment if it’s good to.

Keep tuned for extra Pillars of Eternity 2 Construct Guides by out June, as we make some extra particular Guides masking a few of the most enjoyable and fascinating combos we might discover. If there’s a particular mixture you wish to see, please submit within the feedback and we’ll do our greatest to accommodate!