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branimirb
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branimirb
11 posts
Nomad

Can someone give me a Pyschological build that uses no lightning abilities whatsoever? I read the guide for a shadow build, and frankly, it justs looks like a weaker and less efficient lightning build, still using Electrical Storm for focus and Free Will for healing, just using the less powerful Epiphany for damage instead of Shock Therapy.

So, someone please, a purely Shadow build.

Also, what is the 4HKO?

  • 11 Replies
VoltCruelerz
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VoltCruelerz
501 posts
Nomad

the four hit KO is Coma+Coma+Electrical Storm+Retrograde (you need overdrive) max all

Don't underestimate epiphany. 240% damage per turn for 7 turns is a force to be reckoned with. I have constructed my own build which I believe is quite effective though...

Firstly, don't say that electrical is better, because in the testing I have done, they are equal...

The lineup is:

one of each:

Terrify 4/4
Insecurity 3/3
Free Will 4/4
Epiphany 4/4
Psychopath Form 1/1
Nightmare 4/4
Ultimatum 1/1 or Retrograde 2/2
Implosion 2/2

Oh, and max out Tenacity, you don't need it because of a reason I'll explain in a minute, but just in case the colonel has guns blazing, casts a powerful attack and crits...

Terrify is VERY helpful. I am at level 28 and for one, this attack deals 200% damage, relatively good, but Schandenfreude is AWESOME!!! This effect lasts for 9 turns, has a CD of 1, and heals you about a thousand per turn!! It completely negates overdrive, and then some...

Insecurity is also helpful. It decreases speed, thus making your attacks more accurate, it increases all damage by 25% (good for partners), and 40% less shadow defense, combine this with any other shadow attack, and you can see how this will help...

Free Will has long been recognized as a very helpful ability as it shields and heals the target. You will need it mainly to protect allies as Terrify will keep you in perfect shape.

Epiphany: Ahh... Behold the core of the build. Though its CD is 9, it lasts for 7 turns and is 240% instinct per turn, which, alongside other attacks totals to quite a bit. With implosion this will deal 720% instinct. Tell me how thats not powerful...

Psychopath Form is the other critical element of this build. Without it, you cannot regen focus. You will not need it much though because most of your attacks use 5 or less focus... Because you make a more focus per turn than u lose, you can see how this would help.

Nightmare is the finishing move of the class. Though not as good as epiphany and implosion, it is still really good. 520% is still insanely good.

Ultimatum is a last ditch effort move, ultimately it will kill you, but if you need just one or two more turns, it will save you...

Retrograde: this can be used alongside nightmare to make a very useful healing move

Implosion takes everything else awesome. It increases damage by 200% and healing by 400%. Use it with epiphany to deal insane damage, use it with schandenfruede to get an insane heal. This can kill or it can save. It has a long cooldown, but it is worth it...

Overall, this is a very effective build that has high survivability and high damage. Hope this helped.

wuptop
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wuptop
16 posts
Nomad

btw electrical storm doesn't have to be maxed for the 4hit KO
Terify will counteract overdrive

VoltCruelerz
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VoltCruelerz
501 posts
Nomad

I know about electrical storm, but if you are gonna use it, may as well max it...

Let's see... How many times did I say that terrify counteracts overdrive?

Anyways, with further testing, This build is especially effective against single targets, is decent against three, and slightly weaker against two enemies.

If you time it right, you can hit the colonel with 60,000 damage in three turns.

Terrify>Epiphany>Terrify>[insert space filling attacks here until he uses "reloading"]>Insecurity>Implosion>Nightmare. Those last three deal insane damage to him, and to my knowledge is the only build that can deal that much damage to him...

Seraph1013
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Seraph1013
17 posts
Nomad

for the 4 hit combo is high voltage not electrical storm

firetail_madness
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firetail_madness
20,593 posts
Blacksmith

Shadow is mostly about buffing/debuffing more than attacks.

plokkey
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plokkey
4,572 posts
Jester

Shadow is mostly about buffing/debuffing more than attacks.


That's why override is good.
VoltCruelerz
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VoltCruelerz
501 posts
Nomad

@ seraph: I always get those two mixed up...

@ firetail: yep

Cerberus_tm
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Cerberus_tm
5 posts
Nomad

I beat the Mayor at level 22 as a Psycho, on challenging:
- without any lightning abilities
- without allies

Ability ring:
1. Ultimatum
2. Psychopath Form
3. Traumatize 2/2
4. Traumatize 2/2
5. Retrograde 1/2
6. Epiphany 4/4
7. Insecurity 3/3
8. Free Will 4/4

Vitality 163
Instinct 397
The best equipment, chosen to max instinct. Higher vitality is bad, but you need around 163.

Try it yourself. I had some ability points left, I think I could have done it at level 21. But no lower, since the level 21 staff (with lots of instinct) is required.

The key is Ultimatum. It provides 95% damage protection. Its 10% health loss is countered by the free will shield. The shield must be cast fresh AFTER Ultimatum, to not lose any of its capacity to enemy attacks cast before the 95% damage reduction. I wonder why no-one ever seems to use this great ability?

Vitality must be at around 163 to survive the first few rounds while preparing. Since the health loss from Ultimatum and Overdrive is calculated as 10% of total health each, vitality must not higher than necessary.

The fight takes around 35 rounds, I would estimate. Kill the Mayor first, his Guardian Cannon is pretty harmless.

Jerkoid
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Jerkoid
222 posts
Shepherd

Insecurity
Dark Echoes x2
Nightmare
Free Will
Ultimatum
Sacrifice
.... something.

Supposed to be a shadow build without DOT's so don't get Overdrive. Unless you want Psycho form. Kinda sucks. I don't know why I'm posting it.

I need to go.

VoltCruelerz
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VoltCruelerz
501 posts
Nomad

Cerberus:
The cannon is harmless!?!?! Have you not noticed what happens when it gets full focus? 1 hit kills.

@Jerkoid:
Dark echoes is a good attack at the beginning, it just never gets very good...

Cerberus_tm
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Cerberus_tm
5 posts
Nomad

@Volt:
Agreed, that's why you need some vitality, to survive the first few rounds before Ultimatum. Then, it becomes harmless; only the Mayor can bother you with his debuffs.

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