/build/?GgMKBgMNAwjCjFAAAB4AwoxVZDIZUGQ3LTIANwBGAAAPKAExMAIWK1rCmkspM07ChyrCpOKiowHip74K378
(can't post links, add it into the underrail build website)
Very comfy build for Dominating. 100% crit with Ambush (very easy to trigger, can be triggered in 95% of areas). ~50% otherwise (~65 under Focus Stim). 1 crit = 1 kill.
Don't use the exact numbers for skills from the link, details in the guide itself. Feats are in order. Build only goes to 26, the rest really doesn't matter the build is 100% finished by then.
The build comes fully online at lvl 14. Early levels you'll have to use throwables, traps and normal guns, whatever you can find. Build works best on Oddity XP, since you can get from lvl 8 to lvl 12-14 very quickly with minimal combat.
>>Pros:
-Cheap to fire (Laser Pistol only 12 AP, Electroshock - 25).
-Mobile
-Very durable energy shield thanks to Power Management
-All electronic equipment can hold more charge thanks to Power Management - QoL
-Lots of spare skill points thanks to high INT.
-No need to craft ammunition.
>>Cons:
-3 CON build, so anything that penetrates our shield is extremely deadly, specifically crossbow bolts and melee (we have tools to deal with both).
------ATTRIBUTES------
Start with 7 DEX and 10 PER. Every attribute point will go to DEX until it reaches 10, then we max PER. This is done to get Laser pistols to 12AP - 4 shots per turn baseline and Electroshock pistols to 25AP - 2 shots per turn. These are the values that I played with, you can maybe get DEX high enough to get 10AP Laser pistol, but IMO that's overkill.
8 INT gives a good damage boost with High Technicalities as well as saving us skill points by boosting many skills.
6 AGI is a good number for Stealth, enables picking up Sprint if you want it, and makes passing AGI checks very easy (we can get to 8 AGI with items, 9 AGI with items + food - that covers a lot of checks already).
------FEATS------
Feats are arranged in order in the build link. Some notes:
-Paranoia is my personal favourite starter feat. However it can be replaced with Sprint or Nimble if you prefer. IMO though, Sprint is unnecessary since we are already very mobile and Nimble will be useful only if you want to use tactical vests, which aren't needed on this build (and when they are - armor penalty is irrelevant).
-Quick Tinkering is too good not to pick up. It solves our problem with melee.
-Same with Grenadier - too good not to pick up. Grenades are OP.
-Ambush - the key Feat of the build. Surprisingly very easy to trigger in most places. Once you get Telekinetic Proxy (movable light source with small radius) it becomes even easier.
-PSI Empathy. I picked this up quite late, but looking back - the sooner you get Proxy - the sooner your ambush will become much easier and cheaper to use. Not to mention getting another in-combat trap for free along the way (Psychokinetic Imprint).
-Premeditation and Psycho-temporal Acceleration are luxury feats. They help a lot post Institute and in Expedition, but absolutely not needed before that. If you really like having these earlier - you can try to squeese them in post lvl 8, but you will delay your damage increases.
-The crit Feats should be self-expanatory. This is a crit build - we want as much crit damage\chance as we can get. Lvl 14 is always Critical Power, don't delay it.
Specialisation points go into Critical Power first and the leftovers into whatever you want. I went for extra initiative from Paranoia.
------SKILLS------
-Max Guns. 80-100 effective Throwing is enough.
-I like maxing Stealth, but you can very easily ignore it for some levels if you need points elsewhere.
-25 Traps for Quick tinkering.
-For crafting skills get 20 chem and 10 tailoring to make molotovs, otherwise focus on Electronics and get it to about 100 base points then stop. Mechanics is much less important to us, but some level is still needed to make bear traps out of metal plates, some electronic parts require a bit of mechanics as well. We want high Tailoring at some point to make Infused Rathound Leather Armor, but until that point - you can ignore it. Chemistry is useless - Plasma Grenades are stronger than conventional grenades, we have enough to make molotovs, flashbangs can be looted or bought. We want 45 effective Biology to make Focus Stims (+15% to crit), but don't rush it right away.
-For PSI skills we want PK to 55 to get Proxy (easy light source) and TM to 70 for Stasis. Don't rush these. Stasis specifically isn't available until much later, so only get enough for Contraction if you want it.
-Persuasion, Intimidation, Mercantile are up to you. I don't bother with the first two, I got mercantile to effective 45 for extra stuff at Constantine's. Don't forget that Large Waist Pack gives +15 to mercantile.
-Pickpocketing early can help kickstart your economy and provide an almost infinite supply of adrenaline shots. Great for Oddity XP. Don't get it too high though, even 50 base points is probably more than enough to pickpocket at least one item off of anyone.
-Hacking\Lockpicking situational, keep these up to date, but don't max.
-You can put excess points into Evasion if you like. Dodge is worthless. 30 dodge is taken very late for Escape Artist to deal with Expedition and it's numerous immobilisation effects.
------EQUIPMENT------
-Weapons: Efficient Amplified Laser Pistol - main weapon. Smart Amplified Electroshock Pistol - Alphastriking multiple enemies with Aimed Shot. Smart Amplified Plasma Pistol - boss killer.
-Armor\Legs: Infused Rathound Leather Armor when you can get it. Until then - use whatever. Stealthy leather armors are the best for general use. A tactical vest with high threshold can be a good find against bullet based enemies until you make a good shield. Black Tabis for stealth + movement.
-Shield generator: High High frequency for bullets. Low Low for crossbows and melee (but preferably don't get hit by either at all).
-Head: NV detection goggles and NV crit chance goggles. Optionally NV special attack damage goggles (for boss killing).
-Belt: use whatever you want. I'm a hoarder, so I used a Large Waist Pack the whole game.
Obviosuly keep some situational gear in your inventory, balaclavas, gas mask, biohazard boots, EMP grenades etc.
------GENERAL ADVICE------
Make a Taser. Use molotovs and flashbangs. Plasma MKIII is the best offensive grenade. Bear traps are OP.
Skip Depot A with 60 Hacking (has to be effective 60, not counting Haxxor bonuses) and 50 lockpicking. How you get to Depot A is your choice, I find Eddy's mission to be far easier and it rewards you with a Plasma Pistol. You can still work for Eels later.
------CONCLUSION------
I am so happy I tried Crit Energy pistols and Ambush. It's the strongest build I've played so far. It's very comfortable, can easily deal with swarms of enemies as well as tough single targets. Ambush an extremely fun Feat to play with due to having to think about lighting and darkness. Not to mention it helps a TON when dealing with evasive enemies. Power Management is huge QoL AND it makes your shield even stronger. It is also a minimal reloads build - initiative is high, detection is very high, stealth is very high, grenade CD is low, lots of movement points, stasis etc. If anything goes wrong - you've got layers of contingency plans.
