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Builds / Viable defensive options
« on: September 18, 2020, 01:31:23 am »
Title says all, what are the actually viable defensive options and how to implement them?
I have been building characters for a while, but while offensive options are often intuitive enough, I always struggle with defensive options. My default go-to solution is to just pump constitution to 10, strength to 8 or 9 and become a tin can. When going full psi, the swathe of CC abilities is also more than sufficient. When going for a sniper build I just pump around 130 points in stealth, grab the relevant gear and pray. Sniper builds are often focused enough for me to have enough stats to raise Agility too.
However I can't for the life of me make a nimble dodge/evasion based character. The way I see it, tanking through hit points demands an investment in stats (enough to reach constitution 10 and some strength) and feats (though I believe only thick skull is mandatory), tanking through psi CC only demands the investment you were already making to be a cave wizard, some cash and a few feats, stealth demands both stat points to put in Agility, skill points, a feat for convenience and gear but I feel like it only really works for sniper/very long range builds. Kill a few guys during the first turn, use those 15mp to break line of sight and kite with aimed shot, grenades, traps, restealthing, etc... I wouldn't feel confident running a melee or low range stealth guy. And by my understanding, evasion/dodge are a defensive option that relies a lot on skill points, stats, and a few feats to work.
The thing is that while I often have feats to spare and I usually can shuffle around points to get enough constitution to get thick skull, I almost never have the points to invest in dodge/evasion. It is definitely due to how I build my characters, but I end up investing in a lot of things. Besides putting the obligatory 160 points in a combat skill when I don't go full psi, my first "non-essential" expense is some points in throwing to get an effective 80 points in it. I can do without, especially as a tin can that can drop flashbang at their feet, but grenades are awesome and having access to more options than dropping a flashbang at my feet is well worth it. I never have the opportunity to invest in pickpocket, but lockpicking and hacking are great values for the points I put into them, only needing 120 and 103 effective skill respectively respectively before gear bonuses to have the satisfaction of looting absolutely everything before leaving. Crafting is awesome and besides some rarer builds I often have to invest in every single crafting skill. Even as a tin can I need around 150 effective tailoring skill for the helmet/boots padding and a bit less for the carrier vests, weapon based builds not revolving around leather gloves will need around 150-170 mechanics to craft their weapons, and even leather gloves builds will want high mechanics for the pneumatic hammer. Everybody and their mothers want electronics, and chemistry/biology are always useful due to grenade crafting and the supersoldier drug. The bang I get for putting 45 points in psychokinesis and 70 in temporal manipulation is well worth the price in CC, even counting the two feats that come with it, I usually skimp out on metathermics though. Persuasion opens up a lot of options so I usually go for it, but I replace it with intimidation and Yell when making a perception 3 build. It barely makes Death Stalkers more bearable (to say nothing of Black Crawlers) but it's something. I tried going without Mercantile once, and I am never doing that again.
All that means I never really have the 160-200 points I want to put into evasion (160) and dodge (40 for fancy footwork) and the way I get it, with Evasion you either go big or go home, half mesures will just leave your character dead on the ground. It also means that depending on builds, I don't always have the points to put into Agility. Shotguns for example demand perception, some strength, some dexterity for the 2nd best feat, and agility to sprint and get in close with the enemies
So, have I missed something? How do you build characters who don't rely on Thick Skull, God Psi, or shooting people from stealth?
I have been building characters for a while, but while offensive options are often intuitive enough, I always struggle with defensive options. My default go-to solution is to just pump constitution to 10, strength to 8 or 9 and become a tin can. When going full psi, the swathe of CC abilities is also more than sufficient. When going for a sniper build I just pump around 130 points in stealth, grab the relevant gear and pray. Sniper builds are often focused enough for me to have enough stats to raise Agility too.
However I can't for the life of me make a nimble dodge/evasion based character. The way I see it, tanking through hit points demands an investment in stats (enough to reach constitution 10 and some strength) and feats (though I believe only thick skull is mandatory), tanking through psi CC only demands the investment you were already making to be a cave wizard, some cash and a few feats, stealth demands both stat points to put in Agility, skill points, a feat for convenience and gear but I feel like it only really works for sniper/very long range builds. Kill a few guys during the first turn, use those 15mp to break line of sight and kite with aimed shot, grenades, traps, restealthing, etc... I wouldn't feel confident running a melee or low range stealth guy. And by my understanding, evasion/dodge are a defensive option that relies a lot on skill points, stats, and a few feats to work.
The thing is that while I often have feats to spare and I usually can shuffle around points to get enough constitution to get thick skull, I almost never have the points to invest in dodge/evasion. It is definitely due to how I build my characters, but I end up investing in a lot of things. Besides putting the obligatory 160 points in a combat skill when I don't go full psi, my first "non-essential" expense is some points in throwing to get an effective 80 points in it. I can do without, especially as a tin can that can drop flashbang at their feet, but grenades are awesome and having access to more options than dropping a flashbang at my feet is well worth it. I never have the opportunity to invest in pickpocket, but lockpicking and hacking are great values for the points I put into them, only needing 120 and 103 effective skill respectively respectively before gear bonuses to have the satisfaction of looting absolutely everything before leaving. Crafting is awesome and besides some rarer builds I often have to invest in every single crafting skill. Even as a tin can I need around 150 effective tailoring skill for the helmet/boots padding and a bit less for the carrier vests, weapon based builds not revolving around leather gloves will need around 150-170 mechanics to craft their weapons, and even leather gloves builds will want high mechanics for the pneumatic hammer. Everybody and their mothers want electronics, and chemistry/biology are always useful due to grenade crafting and the supersoldier drug. The bang I get for putting 45 points in psychokinesis and 70 in temporal manipulation is well worth the price in CC, even counting the two feats that come with it, I usually skimp out on metathermics though. Persuasion opens up a lot of options so I usually go for it, but I replace it with intimidation and Yell when making a perception 3 build. It barely makes Death Stalkers more bearable (to say nothing of Black Crawlers) but it's something. I tried going without Mercantile once, and I am never doing that again.
All that means I never really have the 160-200 points I want to put into evasion (160) and dodge (40 for fancy footwork) and the way I get it, with Evasion you either go big or go home, half mesures will just leave your character dead on the ground. It also means that depending on builds, I don't always have the points to put into Agility. Shotguns for example demand perception, some strength, some dexterity for the 2nd best feat, and agility to sprint and get in close with the enemies
So, have I missed something? How do you build characters who don't rely on Thick Skull, God Psi, or shooting people from stealth?