I beat the game (most content including expedition) on oddity hard mode with this riposte + riot shield build. Bc I went stealthless I used anthithermic riot sets.
I can tell you right now this iteration of a S+RS build is atrocious. I had no idea how swords worked and I took Flurry last like an idiot. I also came up with the build in the first place by thinking swords counted as a light weapon, i.e. got reduced AP with dex, so I tried to center it around Ripper and compensate for no psi with throwing knives for range. It was still fun at times (I managed to do 3naga without a terrible amount of difficulty, cleared the marsh with grenades and Spoiler Blaster for the Sea Wyrms and heartbreakers: on that tangent, why the hell cant the marsh serpents enter melee range of the path???) but the suffering was pure and unimaginable.
https://underrail.info/build/?HgoKAwkDBQYAXwDCoAApAFJCTDh0dFlgdAAAAABWAFUIUCTCmcKOKAZcSxLCjcKCwqtRwrbCjHzip74K4qqoBd-_If I were going to do the build over w/o psi I would follow something along these lines. Still works mostly the same just with only grenades/nets instead of knives for throwing, and with intimidation over persuasion to make use of Yell. No need to build dodge at all, on this build you eventually just stop taking almost all melee damage. I might move the intimidation into evasion if you want to wear boots over tabis to use caltrops or w/e. If you dont care about the highest tiers of lockpick or hacking you could also move those into a Mech or Tailoring for better armor. As for crafting swords I got lucky and found a decent energy edge before the expedition and ran that on top of Super Steel. However, no craftable sword is going to outdo the Red Dragon once you can attain it, so just go with what works before that. At the end of the game I had RD and swapped to the Captain's Cutlass at end of turn to stack more Ripostes: you dont have to attack with the cutlass to use those extra stacks so that's up to 3 free attacks with RD *before* flurry.
https://underrail.info/build/?Hg8HAwoDAwUAWgDCoABOAFxPUAB9eFlkfQAAAAAAMV1QCGPCjMKZwo4GEkvCjSZEwoLCqsK2wqt84p2NAuKfhAHip74K4rKJAt-_If I were to include psi I'd focus mostly on Exothermic Aura and Pyrokinesis with PT Contraction and LTI for support. With Antithermic gear you can toss PK at your feet and stand in EA past the immunity duration taking barely any damage at all, and that's on top of whatever firebombs you have. Also might consider using Psi Crab/Beetle shells for shield.
https://underrail.info/build/?Hg4HAwcDBwUATADCoAAAACM8UAB0dFlkfQAAwqBGAABdK8KDXwjCjAbCmcKOwoJLEsKNLsKHwojCtsKrfOKdjQLin4QB4qe-CuKyiQLfvwI did Praetorians for access to chemhaze grenades but that or Coretech both work I would think. Industrial bots and crawlers/DSs are both very little threat by midgame, the biggest issue is typically crossbow users since Riot Gear isnt especially great against bolts. I'd recc probably a medium-high, or medium-low shield for beach defense.
