Author Topic: Ultimate hammer guide  (Read 48187 times)

destroyor

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #30 on: November 22, 2020, 07:52:13 pm »
Reviewed everything - the initial post and HW docx - good job and I agree with everything. However I just want to add one thing: Damage immunity using Stoicism + Aegis + Morphine.

If you put 5 points in Stoicism spec - you'll get 36% damage reduction @ 4% health;
Aegis: Reduces all damage taken by 15% for 8 turns (no cooldown)
Morphine Shot: Reduces damage taken from all sources by 50% for 3 turns. After the effect expires the character takes damage equal to 50% of their missing health. (10 turns cooldown)

So at 4% health you are immune to all damage (36% + 15% + 50% = 101%) for 3 turns or for 4 turns if you use Stasis. You'll also survive Morphine's aftereffect at 28% health (Aftereffect = {[(100% - 28%)/2] * (1 - 0.27 <- Stoicisum damage reduction)} = 26.28% health damage from Morphine). How you get from 4% health back up to 28% will depends on the build, game difficulty and gear setup. This option is available to all your builds IF you put 5 spec points into Stoicism.

In addition, it's possible to take advantage of this and build a high mobility, zero defense, pure offensive build (i.e.: stacking critical chance + critical bonus such as using infused rathound leather armor/Rathound Regalia + Death Grin + cheap shot + critical power, etc, etc) gambling on finishing every fight within 4 turns. This is entirely possible even on dominating. I have also added this post + your link to my Steam In-depth FAQ. Again, good work Hammer Wizard!

GunWizard

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #31 on: August 09, 2022, 12:00:02 pm »
Hi,

I started a new melee oriented character and I wanted to try a hammerer. I used the Hammer Wizard doc as my blueprint but it seems that I'm starting to hit a bit of a roadblock and it may be because of my tactics.

Main differences of my build: I decided to take Biology and Intimidation because I wanted to craft my own drugs instead of buying them and for the early YELL perk. Aside from that I'm also levelling both Hacking and Lockpicking, although I regret the latter.

Currently I'm level 7: perks that I took, corporeal spatio projection, expose weakness, dirty kick. Fast metabolism and Conditioning from the start. Psy Empathy from the start for the force punch.

Gear: I got an electric hammer from the GMS compound and Antithermic, Insulated, Antirifle Overcoat (65% encumberance). The latter is the one that is saving my life in nearly every encounter I do.

Right now I'm stuck in a few fights: GMS compound, the raiders in the bottom cave led by Gerhard Page. I'm overwhelmed by the damage, the best I can do is use molotov cocktails to keep the enemies separated but there are still too many and I die.

Burrowers in the GMS compound. I'm overwhelmed by the DPS, i can't kill 1 in 2 turns and I can't clear my poison fast enough.

3 Raiders north of Junktown: I can stun 2, focus on one but I don't deal enough damage, they heal in between stuns and between critical shot, shock bullets and poison I'm killed. Caltrops, flashbang and molotov are not enough to control their movement.

Syphoners north of Junktown: I can't do enough damage to burn through their healing and I don't have the movement points to run away.

My questions:

1) Do I need to start burning through my morphine and adrenaline drugs? I'm playing on hard but I wanted to hoard as much as I can for Depo A
2) I have 2 options to buy metal armor in Junktown: one is 65% encumberance the other is 98%. I have tried with both and I'm seeing little difference compared to my overcoat.
3) Is biology a good strat? If I'm using morphine, adrenaline and late game drugs in each fight it made sense to pick them up.
4) Do I need to craft my own metal armor? My tailoring is at 0 and I wanted to keep it at 0.

haze1103

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #32 on: August 18, 2022, 01:18:04 pm »
I'm starting a psi-less berserker hammer myself (on Dominating), and I'm not sure about Biology myself. I'm not super good with pre-med, and without the Doctor's Pouch I tend not to med much in combat either, besides Jumping Beans and the occasional Focus Stim. I might stop at 50 effective, hopefully I can get a decent bone carver pretty quick.

haze1103

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #33 on: August 23, 2022, 01:13:29 pm »
Would y'all recommend Guard on a leather hammer build? It seems decent enough to me, but the guide doesn't mention it

Valor

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #34 on: August 23, 2022, 08:48:53 pm »
Melee enemies should not be an issue for you, you should have mobility advantage over them. I would put it at low prio personally, if taken at all. Its not reliable enough.

Flying Kites

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #35 on: August 24, 2022, 10:59:03 pm »
I want an EYE Divine Cybermancy character so I need YUGE Hammer and Psychokinesis stats.

haze1103

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #36 on: August 31, 2022, 01:55:08 pm »
I've been having success with the Rathound Regalia as the primary armor for the light armor hammer build. Compared to the recommended pig armor, you do lose +1 con (and the infused leather health bonus), and lose some mech resist. But you do get +1 strength, which is also good for the build, and the +10 MP and the fear immunity are a nice plus. With 0% armor penalty from armor and tabi boots, you have 15%/25% free AP for wearing a big helmet, like a shaded metal helmet or the Warm Trapper Hat, without losing your Nimble bonus.

I still keep a pig armor in my inventory for fights where I have no choice but to tank lots of damage (especially Fire damage), but I think for most encounters, I prefer the offensive bonus.

Der Zooner

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #37 on: September 12, 2022, 11:12:28 pm »
I still keep a pig armor in my inventory for fights where I have no choice but to tank lots of damage (especially Fire damage), but I think for most encounters, I prefer the offensive bonus.

Another good armour set for the build is infused ancient rathound armour. If you combine that with the obligatory lifting belt, mushroom brew, (infused) ancient rathound tabi and conditioning you end up with 40% mechanical damage reduction and +1 strength from the brew. The armour itself has excellent resistances and can be combined with a super steel helmet/trapper hat to have the player character taking around 30% damage through damage resistance and reduction before even taking into account evasion, dodge, morphine or Aegis.
I swear by my ancient rathound hides as a leather-clad hammerfag, plus they're available in up to 114 quality without even infusing them.

Hammer Wizard

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #38 on: January 20, 2023, 02:48:53 pm »
Hi,

I started a new melee oriented character and I wanted to try a hammerer. I used the Hammer Wizard doc as my blueprint but it seems that I'm starting to hit a bit of a roadblock and it may be because of my tactics.

Main differences of my build: I decided to take Biology and Intimidation because I wanted to craft my own drugs instead of buying them and for the early YELL perk. Aside from that I'm also levelling both Hacking and Lockpicking, although I regret the latter.

Currently I'm level 7: perks that I took, corporeal spatio projection, expose weakness, dirty kick. Fast metabolism and Conditioning from the start. Psy Empathy from the start for the force punch.

Gear: I got an electric hammer from the GMS compound and Antithermic, Insulated, Antirifle Overcoat (65% encumberance). The latter is the one that is saving my life in nearly every encounter I do.

Right now I'm stuck in a few fights: GMS compound, the raiders in the bottom cave led by Gerhard Page. I'm overwhelmed by the damage, the best I can do is use molotov cocktails to keep the enemies separated but there are still too many and I die.

Burrowers in the GMS compound. I'm overwhelmed by the DPS, i can't kill 1 in 2 turns and I can't clear my poison fast enough.

3 Raiders north of Junktown: I can stun 2, focus on one but I don't deal enough damage, they heal in between stuns and between critical shot, shock bullets and poison I'm killed. Caltrops, flashbang and molotov are not enough to control their movement.

Syphoners north of Junktown: I can't do enough damage to burn through their healing and I don't have the movement points to run away.

My questions:

1) Do I need to start burning through my morphine and adrenaline drugs? I'm playing on hard but I wanted to hoard as much as I can for Depo A
2) I have 2 options to buy metal armor in Junktown: one is 65% encumberance the other is 98%. I have tried with both and I'm seeing little difference compared to my overcoat.
3) Is biology a good strat? If I'm using morphine, adrenaline and late game drugs in each fight it made sense to pick them up.
4) Do I need to craft my own metal armor? My tailoring is at 0 and I wanted to keep it at 0.

1) Yes, Strenght boosts Melee (Both Melee and bonus Sledgehammer damage), Telekinetic abilities and boosts Intimidation which in turns boosts your Yell and Brutality, rushing 50 effective biology to mass produce your first adrenaline shoots is a massive powerspike, when you can use your adrenaline all carefree, the only thing you need to do is merely collect everything from the animals you slain, and you have a lot of animals to slain with rathounds packs.
2) Neither, both looted and purchased gear in general is terrible, only bother crafting your own, for Depot A either use quad tungsten metal armor with reinforced tungsten boots and dense tungsten helmet, or use mutant dog dense padded leather armor and dense strider mutant dog boots, Id encourage the latter because it's easier and more affordable to get it, you will be very resistant to acid but mutants can still tear you appart, becareful, just because you're a tank doesnt mean you can afford to be careless
3) You should NEVER -NOT- priorize your main skills (in your case Melee, PK and Intimidation), you NEED to max out your relevant combat skills in order you get by, after that, I'd priorize Mechanics and Electronics, then biology, after that Mercantile/Persuasion then Hacking/Lockpicking, also tailoring
4) Yes, crafting your own armor is your goal, a good tin can with a Regenerative vest is your goal, having tailoring at 0 is a huge mistake you will later regret.
*Snort*

Hammer Wizard

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #39 on: January 20, 2023, 03:24:57 pm »
Would y'all recommend Guard on a leather hammer build? It seems decent enough to me, but the guide doesn't mention it
No, it's pretty bad on a leather build
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Hooch_Sauce

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #40 on: February 07, 2023, 03:45:38 pm »
looking at the stats for doing a grenade focus on the tank hammerer, i was wondering if you think giving up 1-2 con to get 7 agl or giving a str is more important or i should just stick with 6 agl and get +1 at 4 to get three point throw. ofc con vs strength is somewhat preference but idk if i would be missing some vital feat not having one or the other maxed

Hammer Wizard

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #41 on: February 14, 2023, 04:52:43 am »
looking at the stats for doing a grenade focus on the tank hammerer, i was wondering if you think giving up 1-2 con to get 7 agl or giving a str is more important or i should just stick with 6 agl and get +1 at 4 to get three point throw. ofc con vs strength is somewhat preference but idk if i would be missing some vital feat not having one or the other maxed

Going Agility on a tungsten tank build is kinda redudant, the rest is all valid, I'd get enough DEX to get three pointer/grenadier, get enough CON as you please then dump everything else on STR
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Hooch_Sauce

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #42 on: February 16, 2023, 01:19:27 am »
oops lol i meant dex

harperfan7

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #43 on: June 10, 2023, 04:31:51 pm »
A new development:  jumping bean, drifter tattoo, and strider all ignore armor penalty, which makes Hit & Run a viable feat for tungsten cans.  Those three together is +30mp, so H&R +2 spec points means you get 30 mp everytime you bonk someone to death.  With sprint active, you can take advantage of all five spec points to get 40 mp per kill.  Finally, a tungsten hammercan that can move without TM. 
« Last Edit: June 10, 2023, 05:13:16 pm by harperfan7 »
*eurobeat intensifies*

harperfan7

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Re: Ultimate hammer guide
« Reply #44 on: June 15, 2023, 03:33:41 pm »
While I'm at it, I'll go ahead and add to the thread with some relatively new ideas.

Spiked sledges are the best, and Quake is the new best unique.  Tichrome spiked sledge, Quake in the other hand.  Spiked are the best because:
1.  each spike adds Super Slam damage separately.  Yep.
2.  each spike adds the bonus from Taste for Blood separately.
3.  each spike crits separately (but I think only the spikes damage is multiplied, still pretty good)
Also, you can poison spikes, which is nice.  You have crawler for delayed stuns, black dragon for psifags if you don't 1hko them, and the best imo is leper which increases your damage on successive hits.  You can also put anticoagulant on them, at the same time. 
So either use nail bombs or replace one plate on your metal armor with serrated blades to build up tfb.

Quake has an 18 ap attack cost like super steel, and has a sweet AoE that does kinda decent damage, but more importantly dazes everybody around you.  This not only decreases incoming damage, it procs opportunist from you (for 15%), and if the shockwave kills an enemy, it counts as a kill from you for TfB.  It can also bust rocks and broken walls.  You can put CACs on Quake but not on a spiked sledge, whereas you can't poison/anticoag Quake.  You can put a blasting cap on either.

« Last Edit: June 15, 2023, 03:39:38 pm by harperfan7 »
*eurobeat intensifies*