cRPG

cRPG => Beginner's Help and Guides => Topic started by: Nehvar on July 31, 2011, 04:21:57 pm

Title: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Nehvar on July 31, 2011, 04:21:57 pm
I'm currently sitting at 18/18 with 6 points each in Power Strike, Athletics and Weapon Mastery and all of my WPF devoted to polearm.  There are three paths I'm considering...

1) Stay at 18/18 and pick up 6 points of Iron Flesh AND 5 Riding.  (65HP)
2) Increase STR to 21 and power strike to 7 and buy 4 points of Iron Flesh OR Riding.  (56-64HP)
3) Increase AGI to 21 along with corresponding increases to Weapon Mastery and Athletics and buy 3 points of Iron Flesh OR Riding. (53-59HP)

I haven't yet tried a mounted character in cRPG so I'm not sure whether I'd like it or not.  I have received a lot of lances to the back however...kinda want to return the favor a bit.

You guys have more experience with this game so what do you think?  What's more effective and what's more fun here?
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Philippe on July 31, 2011, 05:44:25 pm
I face a similar dilemma, except I also I need to split my wpf points.

I d say go for the first one only if you use a high damage weapon and a heavy amor on foot. Having a lot of HP like your first option benefits more a heavy armored warrior in my opinion that a light armored one.

My preference goes to the second one. 4IF and 4riding are both good options. If you wanna ride all the time, IF is not needed that much anyway because of the damage bonus you receive with your speed. The choice only will depends on what use you want to make of that riding skill, if you just bring a mount  10% of the time, then it might be better to tak the IF option and stay on foot. Mounted or not, its the build I would choose.

The third one would be better for light armored agility character with mobility and high attack speed style character I guess. If you wanna ride, 3 in riding seems quite low to me, you wont be able to use the courser / destrier / arabian warhorse. They are the more commonly used horses, they are affordable and good all around mounts. Plus you wont be able to call for them  when their rider got killed. If you just want to bring a rouncey and kill a few people with it every once in a while for the fun of it and to add some diversity, I guess 3 riding could be enough. But if you want to play mounted more concistently I think having at least 4 is mandatory, if not 5.

Both three seems viable to me, it depends on what your playstyle is.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Tears of Destiny on July 31, 2011, 05:45:57 pm
Use the "skip the fun" and test out a mounted character before you sink points in it, as it is a sizable investment.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Nehvar on July 31, 2011, 08:57:20 pm
Hmm, you're right about the courser etc.  I had thought they were Ride-3 mounts, my mistake.  The third build would be Iron Flesh only then.

I would use skip the fun to give cavalry a try but I already have a STF character.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Sammael on August 01, 2011, 10:32:44 pm
I am always an advocate of hybrid builds, and have taken minimum 4 riding skill in every single gen of my main character (any less and I find myself frustrated with lack of speed/manuever). The ability to change up play style with the same build is what keeps me coming back. If you think you might feel the same way, an 18/18 build will serve you well. Heck you could even drop a couple points in shield for when you want to hoplite, instead of IF.

IF is a good skill, but it doesn't change the way you play the game (as much as other skills anyway), and I find it to be the first thing I'll sacrifice in favor of more interesting skills.

In the end, it's all up to what you want to do with your character, though if you take riding, I prefer 4 if not 5 riding skill minimum.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Prosed on August 02, 2011, 12:30:06 am
My last build was a cav with an agi build with only 5 PS. I find that I would like a little more STR, but in the end having a bit more agility is nice. When you make one run through a crowd you can make more stabs with a higher agility, so that would be were I'd put my points if I were you.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: El_Infante on August 02, 2011, 12:35:42 am
My suggestion: 21/15.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: SixThumbs on August 03, 2011, 01:01:07 am
I'm at 21/15 right now and I think it's a pretty solid, skill oriented build.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Phazey on August 03, 2011, 03:54:17 pm
I prefer the 18/18 cav builds myself. The difference between 5 and 6 athletics: with 5, you are 'as fast' as most players. With 6, you are faster and fighting multiple opponents becomes much easier, because you move faster and are able to control fights with footwork better.

But it's a matter of personal preference. What's 'good' for you and what isn't really depends on your playstyle.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on August 04, 2011, 06:44:14 pm
Quote from: Phazey on August 03, 2011, 03:54:17 pm
I prefer the 18/18 cav builds myself. The difference between 5 and 6 athletics: with 5, you are 'as fast' as most players. With 6, you are faster and fighting multiple opponents becomes much easier, because you move faster and are able to control fights with footwork better.

But it's a matter of personal preference. What's 'good' for you and what isn't really depends on your playstyle.

I have an 18/18 cav build (well I will when I get my next tick to level 31), I haven't converted any skills to attributes or vice versa.  My bro tommyhu has a different opinion about cav, and he's a lot better on horseback than me (and probably on foot as well), he has a 0athletics cav build and I'm pretty sure he converted some skills to attributes. 5 athletics is more than enough as someone who mainly plays a horseman.  6 isn't necessary IMO, if you are mainly planning on being on your horse. 

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I was thinking when I hit level 31 and get 18 agility I will put that extra skill into riding (so I'm faster on my courser) than into WPF.  WPF is very important (duh!) but I think I'd rather have that extra speed on horse, at least when I'm riding it should make up for the WPF that I'm missing out on. 

I'm starting to play the game a lot more than when I just casually played, but I still don't think I'm going to retire my character.  I like my build, the only problem is that courser's cost 1900 gold to repair when they need to be.  So doing a cav build can be expensive.  Honestly though, I'd recommend your first option to the OP. 
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Baggy on August 05, 2011, 05:56:06 am
Meh as cav my build for the last few gens has been this.

Quote
Level 30 (4 420 577 xp)

    Strength: 21
    Agility: 18
    Hit points: 56

    Skills to attributes: 8

    Ironflesh: 4
    Power Strike: 7
    Shield: 0
    Athletics: 0
    Riding: 6
    Horse Archery: 0
    Power Draw: 0
    Power Throw: 0
    Weapon Master: 6

    One Handed: 1
    Two Handed: 1
    Polearm: 156
    Archery: 1
    Crossbow: 1
    Throwing: 1
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Beothed on August 05, 2011, 06:20:34 am
Hello mate!

I'm a poleaxe guy and I was sitting at 18/18 myself. I was tired of hitting things and them not dying. I went to an extreme and made a STF 30/9 build and once I got used to the pace of it, I loved it. I respecced my main and am on the way to 30 again. When I hit things now, they die!  :mrgreen:

Level 30 (4 420 577 xp)

    * Strength: 30
    * Agility: 9
    * Hit points: 79

    * Skills to attributes: 8

    * Ironflesh: 7
    * Power Strike: 10
    * Shield: 0
    * Athletics: 3
    * Riding: 0
    * Horse Archery: 0
    * Power Draw: 0
    * Power Throw: 0
    * Weapon Master: 3

    * One Handed: 1
    * Two Handed: 1
    * Polearm: 132
    * Archery: 1
    * Crossbow: 1
    * Throwing: 1

Just an idea if you want to try something new!
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Cyclopsided on August 05, 2011, 06:56:12 am
Quote from: Beothed on August 05, 2011, 06:20:34 am
(click to show/hide)
This is my build on ceph. At level 31 I put 3 points in riding, hardest hitting lancer ever.

p.s. nehvar, diversity is the spice of life. i'd to 18/18 with cav and IF.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on August 05, 2011, 05:59:55 pm
Quote from: Baggy on August 05, 2011, 05:56:06 am
Meh as cav my build for the last few gens has been this.

I personally don't like the build (but I'm certainly no expert).  With my build sitting above I didn't convert any skills to attributes.  So you have 3 more str, and 1 more wpf than me (and 1 more power strike).  You have no shield, no athletics, and no 1h proficiency.  I don't think you need 155 polearms vs my 126...and I'm still able to get 92 1h out of it. 

I prefer my "balanced" build in theory. 

If you were a polearm footman (like the OP) and wanted to not have any riding, I would go with beothed's build and make a lot more str and power strike.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Nehvar on August 07, 2011, 01:12:39 am
I went with the 21/18 build this time...don't know why.  My 2-hander is 18/21 and my pole-dancer is 21/18 when it should have been the other way around.  Anyway, I have four skill points saved up and I'm going to give cavalry a try.  Which horse do you guys prefer to lance from; Courser or Arabian?

If I end up liking being mounted I think I'll go 18/18 for generation two.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Tears of Destiny on August 07, 2011, 01:16:58 am
In my opinion a courser is better for lancing and an Arabian is better for bump-slashing.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Baggy on August 07, 2011, 07:29:59 am
Quote from: Tears_of_Destiny on August 07, 2011, 01:16:58 am
In my opinion a courser is better for lancing and an Arabian is better for bump-slashing.
Arabians too fragile tbh Destriers best for 2 handed.

Quote from: CrazyCracka420 on August 05, 2011, 05:59:55 pm
I personally don't like the build (but I'm certainly no expert).  With my build sitting above I didn't convert any skills to attributes.  So you have 3 more str, and 1 more WM than me (and 1 more power strike).  You have no shield, no athletics, and no 1h proficiency.  I don't think you need 155 polearms vs my 126...and I'm still able to get 92 1h out of it. 

I prefer my "balanced" build in theory. 

If you were a polearm footman (like the OP) and wanted to not have any riding, I would go with beothed's build and make a lot more str and power strike.
That extra wpf is well worth it, my weapons break less therefore less repairs and my lancing is much faster even on foot when i do dismount(rarely), that 156 means i can spam ppl to death  with the staffs.Also i perfer no ATH on cav to no IF nand i dislike hybrids in general so i woulldnt have gone 2 handed as well if i could.
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Aymeric on August 10, 2011, 08:37:15 am
Hi,
i see almost all of you when thinking of lancer horse NEVER speak about chargers or plated horses ( the ones with 5 in riding ).
Is there any reason for that apart from the upkeep cost? ( i know its slower and less maneuvrable, but don t you think the armor and charge aspect outbalance all this? )

I have seen another post on this, and i am trying it right now; but my objective is to play a "mini knight" always staying between lvl 21/25 ( due to no upkeep for gen1 ).
Right now i am going for:
15 / 15 ( which allows me to ride 5  and wear heavy armours ) and have a polearm of around 130.
As soon as i have the money i will buy the plated charger or similar and a heavy plate armor, all that with no upkeep.
It is true that on foot i will be like a turtle, but do you think i will be able to "compete" o "disturb" on the battlefield?

- right now i am only lvl 20 ( due to 5 or 6 respec ) and my ratio is more or less 1 kill 2 death ( which isbad, i know ) but i try to support a lot infantry disturbing ennemies so i dont mind too much about my ratio...

Last but not least: knowing all this and knowing i will be a turtle on foot, which "polearm class" weapon do you think i should have whan on foot: do i keep my heavy lance or do i buy another one? ( i had the lhb, but im reaaaaaalllly bad with it lol )

tks in advance!
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on August 10, 2011, 07:11:39 pm
I personally think the courser is the best all around horse for lancing from horseback.  it's all about speed, even more so after they nerfed the horses and made them all slower (well i dont' think they made horses slower, but that was the end result, I think they made it so riding gave you less speed).

I don't understand how you can have no upkeep?
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Aymeric on August 11, 2011, 07:43:30 am
with the last update you have no upkeep unitil you reach lvl25 in gen1 with your main, so as soon as i reach lvl25 i respec which takes me down to lvl 21.
I m not as strong as the majority but it allows me to wear heavy plate, a good horse with no upkeep which is quite nice!
Problem: when people see a tin on a horse ( which is my case right now ) they think:
" Oh... an interesting target: we aim the horse, and then we go for him" and they are right with my lvl even if i am plate i have 0 agility ( i cant have at the same time riding, good wpf and agility at this lvl ) and they kill me super easily on foot.......

On the other hand i have a lot of fun charging like a crazy in hordes of ennemies and if i take only one with me in my trip to hell it is enough lol!!!
Title: Re: Polearm build crossroads; suggestions?
Post by: Tears of Destiny on August 11, 2011, 07:58:43 am
Testing it, the Devs made a typo. It is actually 25 or less, not at 25.
I started paying for upkeep once I reached level 26 with my most recent alt.