Spear Build on Dominating

[Yolfashj]

Based on old school Cryo-Sniper build, made some tweaks, very intuitive.

Use Impale (Your bread and butter) and Cryostasis to shatter living targets, a much better combo than Cryo-Sniper.

Or,

Use Destabilization + Damage Grenade + Flashbang(Optional, to disable evasion and trigger Opportunist) + Spear Throwing to deal with group enemies.


Core Skills

All core skills can be acquired by level 14,

https://underrail.info/build/?Dg0GAwMDAwgAUABQAABQAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQAAAAACbCgys_wpXClAoGEkvfvw

Attention! There are 4 attribute points remaining, if you wanna play the aggressive version, put 3 to Agi and 1 to Dex, otherwise to Dex totally.

From now on, there are two branches, both viable for Dominating (Classic Recommended)

Aggressive Version

Poseidon:

https://underrail.info/build/?HhAHBgMDAwgAwqAAwqAAAG5QTgAAWloyI1IAAMKgRi8ARCbCgys_wpXClAoGEkvChTw5wqw-wofCvcK24p2NCuKdtATis6QB378

All the subsequent feats are to enhance dmg output.

Defensive Version

More interesting and maneuverable (Stylish appearance, suitable for a post-apocalyptic world~)

Steven Spearburg:

https://underrail.info/build/?HhAKAwMDAwgAwqAAwqAAAMKDQUkAAF5VMTBQAADClEYtAEgmwoMrP8KVwpQKBhJLwq_Ck8KqwojCh8KrwrZ24p20A-KxoAXis44C4ra1AuK2tgPfvw

Equipment:

Armor:Riot gear with Psi bug shield (Study Vest + Black overcoat)
Boots: Ninja tabi boots for MP and stealth bonus to compensate armor penalty~Bring stealth to 117, slightly over Greater Spiders' detection threshold(116)
Belt:   Doctor's Pouch, LTI/Contraction/Cryostasis are psi devourer

Gameplay:

5 spec into shield bash to achieve a free attack every turn (can proc incapacitation and build Boarding Up)

Daze lock + Dilation = -30 action points for single target

Cryo-Shield + Spear Guardian+ Riot Shield = melee immunity. Well, almost...

Medium + High shield emitter to defend range attacks (No, not on dominating, shatter those psi casters or sniper first)

[Cole_BT]

What is the weapon you used for the build and which metathermics did you take/ use? sorry i'm a little new to the game and have only tried out crossbows for dominating and never used melee.

[Yolfashj]

What is the weapon you used for the build and which metathermics did you take/ use? sorry i'm a little new to the game and have only tried out crossbows for dominating and never used melee.

Tungsten Spear for its 120% critical dmg bonus.

Also,i would recommend a Extended headband. You'll get 7 slots together with 8 int.

All the Psi skills you need:
Four Metathermics:
1. Cryokinesis: To stack chilled debuff and get a 5-turn frozen. You can cast 2 Cryokinesis and Cryostasis within 1 turn under Tranquility
2. Cryostasis: Core skill
3. Destabilization: Core skill
4. Cryo-Shield: Only if you choose to play the defensive version

Three Temporal Manipulation:
1. Limited Temporal Increment: Free Increment with Tranquility
2. Psycho-temporal Dilation: Combo with Shield bash,only if you choose to play the defensive version
3. Contraction: 20 bonus AP means 1 more spear attack every turn.

[Steppe]

Pretty decent rendition of the MT Hoplite. However while i dont know too much about regular spear builds Hoplites dont need spear throw and no build needs 8 int. A good rule of thumb is that the Hoplite is very similar to hammer wizard so you should always try to increase tankiness

This is my altered (possibly dominating viable) version of the defensive build:
https://underrail.info/build/?HhADBwkDAwUAMgDCoAAAwqBBSQAAWlUyIlAAAMKgRi0AZCZQKzkNwpQSwqrCr0vCgsKswofCiMKrLsK2CuKdtATin4QB4qe-BeK2tQLitrYD378

No spear throw, getting that much dex spreads you to thin and its better to just get more CON than waste those skill points on one feat. All points from dex removed and int taken down to five, five is all you need for crafting on most builds, if you're really spartan you can go 3 and bump up con, this is more efficient but its hard to pull off since you need alot of bonuses to craft effectively.

Dodge and nimble are removed, you're a tank and tanks don't dodge and they certainly arent nimble, if you need MP it can be found in sprint rather than trying to lower armour penalty. I changed alot of other things as well like grabbing iron grip earlier since you can easily get a riot shield in junkyard or from the underpassages if you're smart, in a perfect world I'd remove TM since its a crutch but i wont deny it is OP.

Honestly man your Defense build was pretty good but it was definitely not dominating viable, I'd definitely use it on hard but its trying to be 2 things and that doesn't work on dom. As far as im concerned though the agressive version was perfectly fine. Good job!

[grug man]

Im really interested, gonna go with the offensive caste tho.
I wanna see what other amors I could get and I also wanna know what boots and belts youre using

[Yolfashj]

Thank u Steppe and sorry for a late reply (cheap internet
I made some adjustments based on yr suggestions~

Pretty decent rendition of the MT Hoplite. However while i dont know too much about regular spear builds Hoplites dont need spear throw and no build needs 8 int.

Yeah spear throwing, i see people have mixed feeling on this~but if u drop it, Destabilization combo will be devastating when used in melee.
Also, spear throwing deals tons of dmg if used properly, especially under recent patches.

8 int for psi slots mainly, imo this build requires lots of utility psi skills to be functional.
And~~~it can help getting 69 effective chem skill really quick (even before junkyard on Classic) and save lots of crafting skill points for throwing.

It could be lowered according to different play style however,  but i'll keep it

A good rule of thumb is that the Hoplite is very similar to hammer wizard so you should always try to increase tankiness

Honestly man your Defense build was pretty good but it was definitely not dominating viable, I'd definitely use it on hard but its trying to be 2 things and that doesn't work on dom.

I wasnt intended to rush in and face tank everything actually, that's why i took nimble and kept "stealth" possibilities.
Impale+Cryostatsis will fail you from time to time, so use stealth to support matters deeply, in my games at least.

Noise system/flashbang/High dmg/Re-stealth --->what really carry you in a dominating game imo, so removing stealth and be tanky will make me really nervous...

Dodge and nimble are removed, you're a tank and tanks don't dodge and they certainly arent nimble, if you need MP it can be found in sprint rather than trying to lower armour penalty

Thanks~ fancy footwork is indeed inappropriate, I was trying to make some kite kill implements because of daze+Dilation, but...yeah, not effective~
Ive already replaced fancy footwork(dodge) and nimble with spear guardian and expert throwing respectively.

[RewRatt]

This is a bit Necro 😆, but..:

1st thing - on Dominating, for Greater Coil Spiders you will need 150+ Stealth to not be instantly detected. Defenitely not 117.
2nd - Tranquility on Tank Build??? 😅😅
I have a question - what is the advantage of going Riot Gear + Shield, vs. Armor Sloped Supersteel (reinforce as you see fit) or High Quality Infused Bison?
You didn't take Shield Arm, which almost doubles the default block chance.
3CON Melee Tank builds... at 3CON even with Sturdy Vest (at 70% effectiveness on Riot Gear) I would look to GTFO out of sight/range, rather than stand and tank.
How much COMBINED block you think you will have, when higher level Knife users Crippling Strike can crit you for 300 (without opportunist) and Hammerers regular hits are in that range. And natives are even worse... Remember - 35% Riot Shield Block (psi beetle carapache at Q95) of 48-50(dunno exactly) + Boarding Up up to 100(?) on Max Stacks, Spear 100% (45?), Cryo-Shield 50% (55 damage blocked at 200 Metathermics). So if they all proc, it is 150(200) blocked. A lot-for sure. But they will rarely work together (17.5% chance, please correct me if I am wrong). Cryo-Shield only has 5 uses, so single knife attacker could strip it in one turn.
And if you are Stunned or Incapped, you will block nothing. So Bullhead ASAP. 😅

While Armor Sloped Supersteel (even reinforced once) + Nimble will give you 14%(24% reinforced once) armor penalty and 60%> Phys Damage Resist | 55% Energy Resist |14 Fire DT to walk on fire fields. Will also leave you very mobile and defense always active vs Everything + Spear block at 100% of 45(?) and Cryo-Shield (not worth it IMO). 😁
As when compared to 27% AP and 25% max damage resist and 35% CHance Blocks only vs Melee... and 2 Feats vs 3 Feats.

Or even consider Infused Bison Leather Armor with 45% Phys Damage resist, Chill Immunity + Insulated Padding for Freeze Immunity and Black Cloth for sneaky bonuses + Nimble for a total of 9% Armor Penalty for just 1 Feat Invested. 😄
Imho, you should -2 DEX, -2 INT + 4CON to 7, pick Juggernaut and Nimble. Go Mobile Steelcan spear to tank "when needed".
OR go Infused Leather/Tac Vest + Nimble as a mobile, stealthy melee.
Thats for Dominating.

It is all opinions and calculations of course 😄 Otherwise, Induction + Spear throw is super strong as shown by KnifeGaf 😁

[Yolfashj]

This is a bit Necro 😆, but..:
1st thing - on Dominating, for Greater Coil Spiders you will need 150+ Stealth to not be instantly detected. Defenitely not 117.
2nd - Tranquility on Tank Build??? 😅😅

hmm.. iirc Greater Spiders have detection value of 290, x0.4 would be 116, which is the threshold of instant detection. I did that several times in my dom games, not sure if recent patches changed that or not~

Well, this is not a Tank build imo, its more likely a mediocre block build, so i named it "Defensive"~
With overlapped block chances and shield emitter , one can keep tranquility on for quite a long time.

Tranquility is to remove ap cost of LTI or to cast 2 Cryokinesis+Cryostasis within 1 turn. A 5-turn frozen is useful to chain CC skills when facing tough bosses.

Anyway, this is a... prototype, people can always make adjustments depends on different play styles.

[RewRatt]

hmm.. iirc Greater Spiders have detection value of 290, x0.4 would be 116, which is the threshold of instant detection. I did that several times in my dom games, not sure if recent patches changed that or not~

Thats what I saw at 120-130 - I get instantly detected. Other people wrote the same too.
I think 290 is on Hard and below, DOM buffs all enemy skills by 30%, that looks to apply to detection too it seems. Simply multiply 116 x 1.3 = 150(rounded down). Stats on Wiki are for regular difficulties.

[Yolfashj]

hmm.. iirc Greater Spiders have detection value of 290, x0.4 would be 116, which is the threshold of instant detection. I did that several times in my dom games, not sure if recent patches changed that or not~

Thats what I saw at 120-130 - I get instantly detected. Other people wrote the same too.
I think 290 is on Hard and below, DOM buffs all enemy skills by 30%, that looks to apply to detection too it seems. Simply multiply 116 x 1.3 = 150(rounded down). Stats on Wiki are for regular difficulties.

**sigh ** Wth all due respect man, it wont take u more than 5 min to check that before posting, I just tested on 1.1.4.4(Expedition) Dominating and I can assure u 117 effective is enough to avoid instant detection,

I played on dominating for almost 800 hrs and aimed for that number everytime i picked stealth build, perhaps we are talking about different games.

[RewRatt]

**sigh ** Wth all due respect man, it wont take u more than 5 min to check that before posting, I just tested on 1.1.4.4(Expedition) Dominating and I can assure u 117 effective is enough to avoid instant detection,

I played on dominating for almost 800 hrs and aimed for that number everytime i picked stealth build, perhaps we are talking about different games.

I just did with 118 and you are right - NOT instantly detected. 😁😁 I think I mixed it up with Gray Army Spec-Ops, but knowing this fact will be extra useful 😄