A build centered on the PSI Crab Carapace

[Crows]

Inspired by a post about the PSI Crab Carapace, I decided to try and design an entire build for it. Looking for advice!

Given that the carapace gives you PSI regen but is heavier than an emotional burden, an ideal build would be A) high strength, B) obviously a PSI user, and C) willing to deal with an armor penalty that would make grown men cry.

This is my first attempt at FISTO, the Crab Fucker:

https://underrail.info/build/?HgoIBgcDBwUAHgDCoB4AAEs8OQBabgA5bgDCoMKgRiMATCsoOWlODRYULsKHwogSB0MGVVTCtsKewq7CnMKtwqDfvw

Basic equipment:

Aluminized Galvanic/Bio PSI Tac Vest
Reinforced Infused Heartbreaker/Sea Wyrm Boots
Muffled Uni-PSI Headband or Shaded Galvanic Helmet
Efficient Low/Low or Low/Med Shield
Gloves (never built a brawler before, so I'm not sure which is best)


In particular, I'm debating:

1) taking 5 points out of DEX (dropping Grenadier) to allocate them to STR/WILL for better damage

2) taking 3 points out of AGI (dropping Sprint - relying entirely on Contraction to close gaps) and allocating those points to CON (Thick Skull seems really useful)

[TheAverageGortsby]

Find one additional point for Int and get Premeditation. Until you do that, any other changes you make are wrong, because the entire build is wrong.  Any psi build without Premeditation is wrong.  You can build without Force User, without Locus of Control.  They're incredible feats, but you don't have to have them.  But you have to have Premeditation, or else your build is wrong.

Dropping the Dex to lose Grenadier and throwing any leftover points into Con wouldn't be a bad choice.  Having Sprint is awfully nice, though.  Even with psi haste, there will be a lot of situations where you're glad to have the extra 30 movement points.

edit: I didn't even look at the build properly.  Another fundamental problem here is that Strength-built brawlers are mostly poor builds, and strictly inferior to Dexterity-built brawlers.  Gloves are light weapons and get AP cost reduction from Dexterity, so you get way, way more actions per turn.  That more than makes up for the increased damage per hit of a Strength-built brawler.

[Crows]

That's odd - I actually thought I included Premeditation. Definitely will fix that.

I think you're going to have to sell me a bit more on the DEX > STR brawler argument, at least when you can't use Lightning Punches - I don't think there's a way to squeeze yourself down to 20% armor penalty while wearing a PSI crab carapace. At 8 DEX and hasted, you can punch 7 times with leather gloves or 5 times with metal. In order to go up to 8 times/6 times while hasted, you're going to need 14 DEX. You can stretch it a little bit - if you put 4 specialization points into Psychotemporal Acceleration, you can hit 8 times with leather gloves at 11 DEX.

Is there something I'm missing?

[TheAverageGortsby]

I think you're going to have to sell me a bit more on the DEX > STR brawler argument, at least when you can't use Lightning Punches

Is there something I'm missing?

Well, you sort of want to get to 12 attacks per turn to maximize your output.  Attack #12 will give you your third Pneumatic Strike on the same attack that you get your fourth Combo for the turn, making that attack a real monster.  Without Lightning Strikes or tabis, and without Blitz or Expert Sprint, I don't know a way to get 12 attacks per turn without getting to 14 Dex - 13 plus food buff, probably, since many combats you won't need 12 attacks per turn.  With your restrictions, you need 96 AP to make 12 attacks, and you can get that with psi haste (+2 spec) plus Magic Voodoo Amphetamines.  If you did roll a 16+1 or 15+2 Dex character (or 13+2+2, but damn that would be terrifying min/maxing), you'd only need 84 AP, which would be normal psi haste + adrenaline with 6 AP left over.

Also, your damage will scale up with effective skill.  If you're making a Strength-built brawler, you still need some Dex, and that pulls down your stat ceiling.  But a Dex-build brawler can dump Str as much as necessary to get that 13-14 Dex, and your higher effective melee skill will boost your damage almost as much as the lost bonus damage from Str.  If you're concerned about carry capacity, well, that's what Pack Rathound is for.  You aren't shooting, so you don't have to carry ammo; you aren't using sledgehammers or spears, so your gear weight isn't too bad.  I don't think carry weight will be a huge problem.

[kamax3]

Go spear instead. They work better with Str, plus you'll get free melee blocks early on, and later you can pickup Psi Staffs later on https://www.underrail.com/wiki/index.php?title=S%C3%B8rmirb%C3%A6ren_Staff-spear

[Crows]

Go spear instead. They work better with Str, plus you'll get free melee blocks early on, and later you can pickup Psi Staffs later on https://www.underrail.com/wiki/index.php?title=S%C3%B8rmirb%C3%A6ren_Staff-spear

That's a great idea! I'm definitely fine with discarding the brawler aspect. I suspect that means I should definitely keep Sprint.