Start a new run for the extension : Psy build help [Resolved]

[Quidam Craft]

So, I study your build a bit. It's maybe not optimized, but I'm sure it could work on normal.

What I would change :
Take Three pointer feat and get more in throwing. The more you'll have in throwing, the more you'll be able to crit with grenades (And a
crit with a grenade is really game changer), certainly at level 12.
Take Locus of Control at level 14. It's really powerfull, you cannot postponed it so late.
Put points in Chemestry, you'll need this to craft grenades and incendary grenades of top quality.

So you have to dump points somewhere.
You can - have "only" 75 in thought control just to have Locus of Control, more can be useless since you have other powerfull damage dealing capabilities. Thought control is great for crowd control, especially with a LOC enrage.
You can - Put a bit less point in one of the two defensive abilities. Let's say, you try to stun/kill in priority melee opponents, or kite them through caltrops. So you don't need that much in dodging.
You can - Forget about Methathermics. Anyway, methathermics will ONLY work if maxed out. It's almost pure damage dealing, not maxed out = not effective.

So, to say.
Choose between Methathermics or Psychokinesis to deal damage.
Use grenades on tough fights to keep Psy points.
Keep Thought control at 75 or a bit more for crowd control and LOC.
If you choose to go Methathermics, you can still go psychokinesis at 40 to get Force field, electrokinesis, and TK punch. It will be usefull. But then, don't take force user feat, choose thermodynamicity instead.

Take Psi Feats in only one psi discipline, unless very good reason.

To help you choose between Metathermics or Psychokinesis.
Psychokinesis :
Strong one target damage with TK punch.
Very good stuns that do either high damage or can stun bots.
Very good utility with force field
Stealth kills are possible.
But it kinda have high cooldown or psi cost.


Metathermics :
Very strong multi targets with Thermodynamic Destabilization or Cryokinetic Orb
Spammable light attacks with great range that can finish off wounded targets
Cryokinetic Orb is also very good on one target only.
Exothermics Aura is really fun to use.

Test the spells you like, and take feat according to that.

You should suceed with that.

[TheAverageGortsby]

Based on your advice, my level 20 could look like this?
http://underrail.info.tm/build/?FAMHCAMDDgcAPAAAbm5kUFAAAAAAAABQZGQ8AAAAYSQrPxQqFmQjZ0FmIQ

I just have one last question: with a build like this (or any build with low perception), do you think it's ok to play in classic mod?

You don't need Dodge/Evasion as psi.  If you dump those you can free up an awful lot of points, and you should do that.  Since you're stealthy, you won't have any trouble getting positioning.  And once you have positioning, as psi, you have everything.

I really disagree with several of Quidam's suggestions but I'm sure that it makes for a very viable build for normal difficulty.  If you do dump dodge and evasion, you can max out your psi disciplines (75/110/110 at level 20) and that'll really help your ability to take things down quickly.  If you take things down quickly they can't kill you back; and so you don't need dodge and evasion. It's a nice, self-reinforcing loop.

I'd suggest Mental Subversion and Psychostatic Electricity aren't really great for a tranquility psi build.  The debuff from MS stacks slowly enough that it won't have much effect by the time you've killed whoever you stacked it on; and as tranq you're more about doing several things to set up a combination effect, rather than landing big crits.  I's say pick up Pyromaniac (because setting living things on fire is really excellent crowd control) and Thermodynamicity, instead; or, if you really like MS and PE for your character concept, maybe slip them in at the end of character development. Pyromaniac, in particular, will save your life a bunch of times between level 10 and level 25.

[Quidam Craft]

It's true you can do without dodge or evasion as a psy. Though, I think it's more forgiving that way.

However I agree, most of the advices are maybe not perfect for min maxing, but will definitely work on normal.

[Ramen_os]

Hello,

Thanks both of you for your feedback, it's super useful. I am going to play in normal.

I'm just hesitating to start in Oddity or Classic Mod.

The thing is, like I said, if I don't have any dodge/evasion, how can I resist to enemy attacks? Killing them in one shot won't always work I guess, right?

[bati]

Full psi char is like an uber mage, you have so much CC that you won't even need to dodge and evade.

[TheAverageGortsby]

I'm just hesitating to start in Oddity or Classic Mod.

The thing is, like I said, if I don't have any dodge/evasion, how can I resist to enemy attacks? Killing them in one shot won't always work I guess, right?

Either one is fine. If you haven't tried Oddity, you really should. You might like it more than Clasic, you might like it less, but if you haven't tried it, you should.

Melee troops aren't going to be able to get to you to attack you.  You can put obstacles in their way, stun them, mind control them, set them on fire from a distance.  And of course you still have access to grenades and whatever traps your skill lets you use.  So then it's just a matter of ranged.  As a low-Str psi user, you're probably wearing a tac vest, so you don't have to worry about SMGs at all, and don't need to worry much about pistols and ARs.  That just leaves crossbows and sniper rifles. You stun or kill them first, and everything else is just cleanup.

[Ramen_os]

I'm just hesitating to start in Oddity or Classic Mod.

The thing is, like I said, if I don't have any dodge/evasion, how can I resist to enemy attacks? Killing them in one shot won't always work I guess, right?

Either one is fine. If you haven't tried Oddity, you really should. You might like it more than Clasic, you might like it less, but if you haven't tried it, you should.

Melee troops aren't going to be able to get to you to attack you.  You can put obstacles in their way, stun them, mind control them, set them on fire from a distance.  And of course you still have access to grenades and whatever traps your skill lets you use.  So then it's just a matter of ranged.  As a low-Str psi user, you're probably wearing a tac vest, so you don't have to worry about SMGs at all, and don't need to worry much about pistols and ARs.  That just leaves crossbows and sniper rifles. You stun or kill them first, and everything else is just cleanup.

My 1st run was in Oddity with a build w/ high perception. This one will have low perception, that's why I would like to try the classic one.

[newageofpower]

It's true you can do without dodge or evasion as a psy. Though, I think it's more forgiving that way.

However I agree, most of the advices are maybe not perfect for min maxing, but will definitely work on normal.

You can also split the difference, max EVA and buy enough Dodge for Uncanny Dodge; I prefer cutting dodge on ranged characters and using Uncanny to get myself out of trouble.

[Ramen_os]

I just updated the draft of my build:

http://underrail.info.tm/build/?FAMHCAMDDgcAZAAAUFBkZGQAAAAAAABaS24UAAAAYSQrPxQqFmQjZ0FmIQ

Apparently, it seems better to take 2 schools instead of 3 for psy builds. I think I may dropped methatermics... seems to be the less exciting.

What do you think?

The thing is: this build seems powerful but I hope I won't suffer too much at the beginning of the game

[TheAverageGortsby]

Apparently, it seems better to take 2 schools instead of 3 for psy builds. I think I may dropped methatermics... seems to be the less exciting.
What do you think?

Why in the world would you think that?  What could possibly make you think that?  If you invest in two schools of psi, and have good stats to back them up, then you've already made a character that is best for psi.  At that point, picking up the third school - even if only at about half value - is just the best idea you can have.

I know you said you don't want a min/maxed build so I'm not going to suggest any bare minimum threshold cuts, but... 80 dodge/evasion isn't going to be reliable defense; either go all the way, or pull all the points out.  20 points in metathermics is nonsensical; you can't pick up anything other than the basic cryokinesis with that score (unlike the *effect* of the psi ability, *learning* the psi ability is entirely determined by base score, not effective score) and you'll be doing no damage with it, so may as well leave meta at 0. Except that Metathermics is your bread-and-butter damage dealer school; if you're relying on Psychokinesis to crank out your damage, you're going to find yourself out of psi very quickly in almost every fight.  And that's a ridiculous amount of Throwing for a build that isn't apparently using Three Pointer.  And tbh, Three Pointer isn't good enough to be the only reason to go that deep into throwing.

You'd be much better off with a build more like this: http://underrail.info.tm/build/?FAMHCAMDDgcAHgAAKG5QaUYAAAAAAABaS25uAAAAYSQrPxQqFmQjZ0FmIQ

That has no changes to your stats or feats, only to your skills.

[Quidam Craft]

Basicaly everything that TheaverageGortsby said is great advices.

If there is one psi school you want to max out, it's methathermics. The other two (even three soon) can have it's use with low score for unlocking utility psi abilities (force field, electrokinesis, basicaly everything except spammabld spells in thought control).

And yes... No point to put more than just enough in throwing if you don't take three pointer.

And once again. Take Locus of Control at level 14, not level 20.
The sole ability to get out of a stun is just so great. And an AOE enrage is just stupidly effective against large group.

And... Play oddity, really.
It's the way the game is meant to be played, it's, really an improvment compared to how XP is managed in other rpg.

[Ramen_os]

Apparently, it seems better to take 2 schools instead of 3 for psy builds. I think I may dropped methatermics... seems to be the less exciting.
What do you think?

I think I should stop reading guides and weird advices on Steam and focus on the Underrail forum. The problem is I did the game once and I suffered like hell at the end with my previous build. I love the game but I don't want to suffer as much as I did so it's not easy to think about a great build.

Thanks a lot for these advice by the way.

I know some could tell me "it's ok start a build, play a few hours with then restart if you need to" but the time I can spend to play video games is reducing year after year .

Becoming a crazy strong mage is something super exciting and I definitively want to try this.

[Ramen_os]

Basicaly everything that TheaverageGortsby said is great advices.

If there is one psi school you want to max out, it's methathermics. The other two (even three soon) can have it's use with low score for unlocking utility psi abilities (force field, electrokinesis, basicaly everything except spammabld spells in thought control).
And once again. Take Locus of Control at level 14, not level 20.

And... Play oddity, really.
It's the way the game is meant to be played, it's, really an improvment compared to how XP is managed in other rpg.

I heard you for methathermics and Locus of Control as well.

Playing oddity is a great way of exploring the game, I agree. I did it during my 1st run but I had more than 6 PER. With this new build, I won't be able to find any hidden passage with secret oddity items. I'm just afraid it may be tough to progress that way... What do you think?

Again, thank you for taking the time of writing your advice

[TheAverageGortsby]

With this new build, I won't be able to find any hidden passage with secret oddity items. I'm just afraid it may be tough to progress that way... What do you think?

With Expedition - which you've said is what you're building this character for - there are enough buffs that you'll be able to find most secrets even with 3 Perception.

Since the character builder now shows Expedition content for everyone, let me just suggest a different character build for you.  It's still very stealthy since you seem to want that, but now it's a much better psi build and has enormous crafting potential.  With this build (which I've used without stealth a couple times in the alpha testing of Expedition, and can guarantee is a solid build) you will have no trouble bringing enough power and possibility to every single encounter to beat it.  Sure, you may die a few times, but you might with any build - this build has enough tools in its toolbox that once you learn from your mistakes, you'll be able to try different approaches until you get one right.  And after a very short time, you'll stop making mistakes because you'll know exactly what your character can do - which will be a lot.

suggested build: http://underrail.info.tm/build/?HgMDAwYDEAoAHgAAAAB4UF8AAEZQHjxGS8KgwqA8MgBBUCQrPxQqLmQ9IcKIwoffvw

You can see there are 2 stat points, 75 skill points, and six feats unallocated.  That should be plenty of room for you to slip in other things for your character to do.  If you've really got your heart set on Grenadier, you could pull one point out of Will and still get the 6 Dex you need.  But in my experience, a good psi build doesn't need anything else; it certainly doesn't need *improved* anything else, like Grenadier or Quick Tinkering.  But if you really want those things, you can still run 14 Will and get them both.

[Ramen_os]

Also, I'm thinking loudly, but as I will put a lot of points in stealth, I could ignore dodge/evasion and put more on Intimidation or Persuasion... Could be more fun, I like to improve my speech but during my 1st run, I had the impression it was a bit less useful than Fallout 1/2 for example.

Like you said, if I don't put dodge/evasion at their maximum, won't be efficient so...