The Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire community is buzzing about innovative character builds, and one that’s caught our attention is the “Thunder Cat.” This isn’t your average shapeshifter; it’s a synergy-focused approach that masterfully blends the Form of the Delemgan with Elemental Endurance for a truly electrifying combat experience. We’re taking a closer look at this build, exploring its strengths, and considering some intriguing alternative gear choices to maximize its potential in the harsh environments of the Deadfire Archipelago.
Harnessing the Synergy: Form of the Delemgan and Elemental Endurance
The core of the Thunder Cat build lies in the powerful combination of two key abilities. Form of the Delemgan allows your character to transform into a swift and deadly cat form, enhancing mobility and damage output. Elemental Endurance complements this perfectly by granting significant defensive buffs while in shifted form, making you a resilient force on the battlefield. This synergy creates a character that’s not only offensively potent but also surprisingly durable, capable of diving into the fray and weathering enemy attacks.
The Frenzy Question: Sanguine Plate vs. Outlander’s Frenzy
One of the most debated aspects of optimizing any damage-focused build in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is achieving Frenzy, the powerful buff that significantly boosts attack speed and damage. The original build discussion raised an excellent point: should we consider the Sanguine Plate to trigger Frenzy and potentially free up a talent slot?
The Sanguine Plate offers a compelling alternative to relying solely on the Outlander’s Frenzy talent. Equipping the full plate set, especially with the helm, grants not only a chance to proc Frenzy when hit but also valuable anti-prone and anti-stun effects, similar to the benefits of Blaidh Golan. This approach could potentially save a talent point by removing the need for Outlander’s Frenzy, allowing for greater build flexibility. Furthermore, the stat bonuses from plate armor could offer a slight edge in certain areas.
However, the Sanguine Plate isn’t without its drawbacks, particularly for a Druid character. Aesthetically, plate armor might not be the most fitting look for a shapeshifting class, although this is a subjective point. More practically, the casting speed penalty associated with plate armor could be a concern. While the Frenzy proc can often activate quickly upon taking a critical hit, providing the buff for pre-combat spellcasting, there might be situations where prolonged preparation phases leave you with less Frenzy uptime during the crucial spiritshift phase.
Outlander’s Frenzy provides more control over Frenzy activation. You can strategically trigger it right before shifting into cat form, ensuring the buff is active when you need it most – during your spiritshifted assault. Ultimately, the choice between Sanguine Plate and Outlander’s Frenzy might come down to personal play style, aesthetic preferences, and the specific composition of your party. Further testing and experimentation are certainly warranted to determine the optimal approach for maximizing Frenzy uptime and overall build effectiveness.
Gyrd Háewanes Sténes: Sustaining the Spiritshift
Another intriguing item brought into the discussion is Gyrd Háewanes Sténes, the soulbound sceptre capable of restoring a Spiritshift use per encounter. While typically favored for support-oriented Priests or Wizards, its potential for a Thunder Cat build shouldn’t be dismissed, especially in prolonged engagements.
For scenarios where battles tend to be extended, particularly in parties lacking in area-of-effect damage, Gyrd Háewanes Sténes could prove invaluable. The ability to refresh Spiritshift uses ensures sustained damage output and battlefield presence as a Thunder Cat. However, in faster-paced encounters, which were reportedly common in a recent playthrough, the natural duration of Spiritshift, especially with a decent Intelligence score (like 22 INT mentioned), might be sufficient. Furthermore, relying on the sceptre’s proc for Spiritshift restoration introduces an element of uncertainty, as it requires attacking to trigger.
The Power of Taste of the Hunt
The conversation also touched upon “Taste of the Hunt,” a game mechanic that has reportedly become exceptionally strong. While the specifics weren’t detailed in this part of the discussion, it hints at another layer of optimization for damage-focused builds in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. Exploring the interaction of Taste of the Hunt with the Thunder Cat build could unlock even greater damage potential and is definitely an area worth investigating further.
Conclusion: The Thunder Cat Roars
The Thunder Cat build showcases the depth and flexibility of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire’s character customization system. By cleverly combining Form of the Delemgan and Elemental Endurance, players can create a dynamic and powerful shapeshifter. The ongoing discussion around gear choices like Sanguine Plate and Gyrd Háewanes Sténes highlights the continuous refinement and optimization within the community, pushing the boundaries of build effectiveness. As players delve deeper into the mechanics and experiment with different approaches, the Thunder Cat build is poised to become an even more formidable force in the Deadfire Archipelago.
