Rate my build? High Technicalities Tranquility Energy Pistol.

[Elerai]

underrail.info/build/?HgMOAwMKAwrCoADCoAAAAADCoDcwHhgkUDYeQAA3bkYMADIBJj_CmhZZAlpLMynCh8KFPsK1wqQxK8Kewp3CrcOI4qe-CuK0lAXfvA

Is the damage overkill? Is Premeditation better than Tranquility? 12 DEX 14 PER or 14 DEX 12 PER? Max Thought Control with 3 WIL worth? Is it worth to max-specc Recklessness and take Steady Aim for max crit chance lategame (maybe dropping Ambush)? Is Ambush reliable enough, especially with low range pistols?

What other improvements/changes would you suggest? What fights/enemies do you think would cause issues?



The idea behind this build is to abuse the various low-AP CC psi has access to for crowd-control, to mitigate the main weakness of single-target low-range energy pistols. Also, highest possible damage from HT + Opportunist + Critical Power, gotta see that at least once

10 DEX 8 PER 10 INT early, with early Pickpocketing investment to earn enough money for my first energy pistols. Skillpoints are the minimum investments I need to hit the max needed with boosters (All-In/Jon's Special, Hypercerebrix, Lemurian + Jacknife); plenty of spare skillpoints for QOL investments.

Other cool thing is JKK Jacket + Point Shot with Ambush + Plasma Pistol/Electroshock Pistol for groups. Basically an Aimed Shot that costs 25% AP and can be used twice with LTI. If accuracy is an issue; this build already wants to flashbang groups out of stealth, and cc-ed enemies have no evasion.

When you can't ambush, the crit feats and equipment (Infused Rathound Armor/Hardcore Chips) are helpful. Crit chance at level 30 is ~80% with highest quality gear; if you don't use Hardcore Chips, it is still 75%, which is still okay, if not as good as 100% with Ambush.

Completely invested in those big numbers, only really missing Execute (I feel it is anti-synergistic with Ambush) and a veteran damage feat. High Technicalities and the Tattoo choice helps vs crit-immune enemies. Ambush feels weaker early without high AGI/Stealth, so I don't plan on using it for Depot A, Grenadier/Point Shot + LTI seems better.

By level 4, 30 Guns, Throwing, Stealth, Merc, Pickpocketing, Electronics; 10 Mechanics for Energy Pistol Frames. This gets 50 Pickpocketing with 11 DEX + Eel Sandwich. Split the rest between Lockpicking/Hacking. I like starting with 8 (effective 10) Persuasion to obtain the free Hammerer for Aimed Shot.

[RewRatt]

You've got an almost exact copy of my build: https://underrail.info/build/?HgMOAwMKAwrCoABDAAAeAMKgPC8xAExmD0taADcAwqBNADkxAU3CmgJaJ05LK8OiwoXCh1kpwrXCpCrip74K4rSUBd-8

I would say Sharpshooter is a waste, as you lose the bonus on movement + you are not hurting on crit multipliers for Energy Pistols.
Ambush should be taken immediately, as it works off of Invested points into stealth, so at it most basic 40 points it gives 32% crit and halved enemy evasion.
Tranquility has such limited value, as most skills used are cheap anyways and required you to be 100%, which is a pain I normally leave to PSI Tranq builds..
Three Pointer is rather pointles imo, as we have GL with Heavy Duty, and you can freely carry a Grenade Belt and refurbished Thumper. Add our high crit, and damage is going to be out there. I can freely one shot on crit Azuredae Goliathus with HE as soon as I leave Depot A and refurb the GL.

I play my builds only on Dominating, and this is one of if not THE strongest build I have ever played. It comes with 3CON issues and 95% annoyances, ofc. But I 1 tapped Dreadnaughts with Electroshock Pistol, 1 tapped Abomination with Plasma every phase, killed Magnar with Juice and a Laser Pistol and was powertripping thoughout every encounter. I also killed an Industrial Robot at lvl 6 in a random mini-dungeon. It's awesome.

[Elerai]

EDIT: Edited build, according to suggestions and more playtesting.

https://underrail.info/build/?HgMOAwMKAwrCoADCoAAAAADCoDcwHhgkUDYeQAA3bkYMADIBJj_CmhZZAlpLKcKHw6I-woXCtcKkMSvCnsKdwq3DiOKnvgritJQF37w



Ambush works off base points? Does that mean equipment/cloaking devices don't affect the crit? That honestly is a very good reason to take Recklessness earlier.

EDIT: They do. Ambush still not impressive at 6; when your base accuracy is what's lacking; and you're typically flashbanging then killing one by one; flashbanged targets don't have evasion to halve. You also need to shoot at near-melee range to compensate for your lacking base accuracy; missing that Plasma Pistol Aimed Shot equals a F9 press.


Sharpshooter was honestly for the max damage screenshots. I gotta try that once, My only other playthrough (after a bunch of scrapped ones) was with Tranquility Quad-School Psi, I haven't played a weapon build yet. But yes, if optimizing, Sharpshooter is definitely one of the weaker ones. Three Pointer though, yeah, I kinda forgot about GLs. And didn't know Thumper has no STR req. Wow. That definitely is not abusable at all. Still an opportunity cost sometimes; you might need two kinds of pistols; at least I planned to. But yeah. That is very powerful.

EDIT: Yep, Thumper OP. Also, I realized you're not limited to Thumper, since Vitality Powder/Adrenaline + All-In is good for 7 STR Onagers (125% crit dmg >> 175% from crit power); and just Adrenaline can fire 25mm 6-Ammo Launchers. So Sharpshooter is subbed out for Tricky Trajectory. Exact levels depend on when you need the extra AOE dmg; I put it at 20, but you can do 16 or 24, whichever works for you. This lets you avoid needing the Launcher Strap Belt; and keep the Doctor's Belt for the 2AP Psi Booster.


Tranquility is mostly for LTI (for Point Shot) and TK Proxy. That's +10 AP if you use both, +5 if only 1. I don't have that many useful perks especially if I also drop Sharpshooter. I see you took Disassemble and Pack Rathound. I'm never taking Pack Rathound on non-trappers; makes my OCD regarding perfect builds act up. I don't know about Disassemble though; I never lacked money post-Abram missions; and that was without pickpocket.

EDIT: LTI + Point Shot is incredible. but you probably should take one earlier, they're effectively +10-15 AP on average. I think Premeditation ends up being better than Tranquility; if only for the Psi points discount; but Tranquility fits the feat curve better; and ends up being better when you need to use many Psi Spells (+Booster), LTI + TK Proxy + Thermo Destabilization is already +15 AP, if you also use Stasis/Cryostasis/PTD/TK Grounding, the AP increase goes up. While Premeditation is typically just a flat +10/+15 AP, on the respective spells; but that big Psi discount makes it stronger on average.


Escape Artist is very useful; except I don't have Locus of Control and Bullheads are annoying to craft, and can't be used after a CC like Locus can be; so without Locus it wouldn't really reduce my F9 press that much Most of my F9 presses are when I refuse to cheese with traps and fight fair anyways, Bear Traps need nerf. Maybe if the CC duration also scaled off strength or something; stronger foes are CC-ed less by the traps, and on certain super high strength foes, it only does damage.


EDIT: Three Pointer is still very good; mostly because Grenades are 15 AP and comparable in damage to GLs; so when they also get that 50% crit; its more AP for you; especially with LTI and Grenadier. Don't think I'd find the replacement feats (Disassemble, Pack Rathound, Escape Artist) better. Escape Artist can be good in an Ironman run maybe sometimes; but whatever it does can typically be replicated by careful use of traps and corners, and the F9 key.