So you just got your castle squashed by some clumsy god and with you inside it. Now you're out for retribution and some answers in Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. But how exactly do you do it? To these gods, you're no more significant nor threatening than an ant. Going blindly into the game after your first run likely won't improve your standing.
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That's why raising yourself to near-omnipotence to deal with these smug gods, particularly Eothas in Deadfire, is one thematic way to go about your adventure. That is actually easy to do as long as you follow some of the experts and pundits in the game, some of which are popular such as Fextralife or sin tee. Check out their most exceptional builds so you can finally hand it to Eothas.
Updated November 1, 2021, by Sid Natividad: It's not enough to chase Eothas through Deadfire just once. Going through that ordeal, again and again, is one of the best ways to experience Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire at its fullest. Of course, you will also want to check out some Pillars of Eternity 2 best builds in order to make that playthrough more enjoyable.
Since there are already tons of Pillars of Eternity builds, sifting through the best also ensures that you don't go about those playthroughs clumsily. Luckily, we've added even more Pillars of Eternity 2 best builds or classes so you can expand your horizons or even do some solo party challenges if you want. We have just the right builds for such an endeavor.
15 Paladin/Chanter
Do you want a character who just stands there while every hostile around them dies in a fiery blaze of righteousness? The Paladin/Chanter has you covered. It revolves around abusing the Brand Enemy spell and stacking up the Goldpact Knight and Troubadour multiclass' stacking fire penetration debuffs.
- Class: Goldpact Knight (Paladin)/Troubadour (Chanter)
- Priority stats: Might, Perception, Intellect, Resolve
- Weapon: Magran's Favor, Nerian's Ward
- Headpiece: Any
- Neckpiece: Strand of Favor
- Armor: Patinated Plate
- Rings: Kuaru's Prize, Ring of Focused Flame
- Boots: Boots of the Stone
- Waistpiece: Any
- Handpiece: Woedica's Strangling Grasp
- Cape: Greater Cloak of Deflection
Also, make sure to take these spells, you can find them in both the Goldpact Knight and Troubadour trees:
- The Dragon Thrashed, The Dragon Wailed
- The Shield Cracks
- Their Champion Braved the Horde Alone
- Brand Enemy
- Scion of Flame
- Inspired Defense and Stoic Steel
- Zealous Aura
- Virtuous Triumph
- Weapon and Shield Style
- Deep Faith
- Snake's Reflexes
14 Fighter/Monk Pallid Knight
Lost Sinner is the one responsible for this build and he/she calls it the Pallid Knight. It involves a classic playstyle - big two-handed weapons where the character will take the spotlight and shine in the vanguard of any encounter. It's best to use a greatsword for this one for the added intimidation factor and aesthetics. Cleaving Stance is mandatory here along with Swift Flurry and Avenging Storm.
- Class: Devoted (Fighter)/Hellwalker (Monk)
- Priority stats: Perception, Dexterity, Constitution
- Weapon: Whisper of the Endless Paths
- Headpiece: Heaven's Cacophony
- Neckpiece: Charm of Bones
- Armor: Casita Samelia's Legacy
- Rings: Chamelon's Touch Ring, Entonia Signet Ring
- Boots: Boots of Stone
- Waistpiece: The Maker's Own Power
- Handpiece: Boltcatchers
- Cape: Cloak of Greater Deflection
13 Solo Wizard
You don't actually need to venture far into other forums or guides for a solo role that isn't too complicated. A Wizard has everything and can solo the game. Just make sure to follow the stats, items, and spells below:
- Class: Wizard
- Priority stats: Perception, Intellect, Dexterity
- Weapon: Sun and Moon, Nerian's Ward, Ninagauth's Teaching
- Headpiece: Thaos' Headdress
- Neckpiece: Stone of Power
- Armor: Nomad's Brigandine
- Rings: Kuaru's Prize, Ring of Focused Flame
- Boots: Boots of Stone
- Waistpiece: Girdle of Mortal Protection
- Handpiece: Gauntles of Accuracy
- Cape: Cloak of Deflection
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These spells ensure that you're never a sitting duck in both offense and defense:
- Infuse with Vital Essence
- Spirit Shield
- Llengrath's Displaced Image
- Deleterious Alacrity of Motion
- Minoletta Piercing Sigil
- Llengrath's Safeguard
- Chill Fog
- Combusting Wounds
- Wall of Flame
- Ninagauth's Bitter Mooring
- Ninagauth's Shadowflame
- Ninagauth's Freezing Pillar
- Minoletta's Precisely Piercing Burst
- Delayed Fireball
- Wilting Wind
- Meteor Shower
12 Melee Ranger Stalker
Melee Rangers are usually unheard of as the class gives plenty of opportunities for ranged combat enthusiasts. However, this build makes a good flanker and perfect supplement for your tanks and other frontline characters.
- Class: Stalker (Ranger)
- Priority stats: Dexterity, Perception, Resolve
- Weapon: Mohorā Tanga
- Headpiece: Blackened Black Helm
- Neckpiece: Token of Favor
- Armor: Devil of Caroc Breastplate
- Rings: Entonia Signet Ring, Ring of Minor Deflection
- Boots: Boots of Stone
- Waistpiece: Girdle of Mortal Protection
- Handpiece: Boltcatchers
- Cape: Cloak of Greater Deflection
11 Solo Monk
For another single-class build that doesn't take too much math to pull off, this solo Monk will dominate the late-game with ease. The early- to mid-game leveling can get a bit rough but the payoff is worthy. Just focus on the Monk's offensive abilities and those that grant tons of attack speed from the skills mentioned below.
- Class: Nalpazca (Monk)
- Priority stats: Perception, Resolve, Dexterity
- Weapon: Unarmed Fist, Toutilo's Palm
- Headpiece: Death's Maw
- Neckpiece: Protective Eothasian Charm
- Armor: Devil of Caroc Breastplate
- Rings: Entonia Signet, Ring of Solitary Wanderer
- Boots: Boots of Stone
- Waistpiece: Blunting Belt
- Handpiece: Gauntles of Accuracy
- Cape: Cloak of Deflection
These spells are offensive in nature but ensure that the enemies don't get a chance:
- Swift Flurry
- Heartbeat Drumming
- Stunning Surge
- Raised Torment
- Thunder Blows
- Turning Wheel
- Soul Mirror
- Rooting Pain
- Shared Pain
- Resonant Touch
- Inner Death
- Whisper of the Wind
10 Fighter/Rogue Eder
Eder is one of the best companions in the game not only for his tankiness but also for his flexibility. This build takes advantage of his many aspects. It focuses on critical damage but doesn't sacrifice much durability, making it a great solo class. The skillset is flexible but you want to focus on critical damage for the Rogue class tree and defenses for the Fighter tree.
- Class: Fighter/Rogue multiclass
- Priority stats: Might, Constitution, Dexterity
- Weapon: Dual sabres: Grave's Calling, Tarn's Respite
- Headpiece: Fair Favor
- Neckpiece: Claim & Refusal
- Armor: Devil of Caroc Breastplate
- Rings: Any that grant defenses
- Boots: Boots of the Stone
- Waistpiece: The Undying Burden
- Handpiece: Gatecrashers
- Cape: Mirrorback
9 Paladin/Fighter Pallegina
Pallegina is another character that's also viable as a damage-dealing tank. For this, you'd want to give the Avian character some heavy melee stuff and focus on her brawling abilities. The build also relies on critical damage skills while also making sure that Pallegina supports the party with her robust Paladin auras.
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- Class: Paladin/Fighter multiclass
- Priority stats: Resolve, Perception, Constitution, Might
- Weapon: Whisper of the Endless greatsword
- Headpiece: N/A
- Neckpiece: Precognition
- Armor: Reckless Brigandine
- Rings: Chameleon's Touch, another ring that gives defenses
- Boots: Boots of the Stone
- Waistpiece: The Maker's Own Power
- Handpiece: Boltcatchers
- Cape: Cloak of Greater Protection
8 Rogue/Ranger Maia
For those looking for a class that dishes out huge damage from a safe distance while other party members do the hard work, then Maia's Rogue/Ranger build should perform well. It's a pretty standard ranged DPS build with a focus on dealing as much damage as she can using her skill trees.
- Class: Rogue/Ranger
- Priority stats: Perception, Dexterity
- Weapon: Dual Blunderbuss: Xefa's Empirical Explication, Kitchen's Stove & Arquebus: Dragon's Dowry
- Headpiece: Blackblade's Hood
- Neckpiece: Precognition
- Armor: Sharpshooter's Garb
- Rings: Ring of Minor Protection, Ring of Marksman
- Boots: Boots of the Stone
- Waistpiece: The Marker's Own Power
- Handpiece: Killer's Gloves
- Cape: Mirrorback
7 Debonaire/Beguiler Puppet Master
This build is ideal for anyone tired of direct damage. It's a mix of the Debonaire subclass for Rogue and the Beguiler subclass for Cipher. The main tactic it utilizes is charming enemies so they'll fight for you or face-tank the opponents.
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- Class: Debonaire/Beguiler (Rogue/Cipher)
- Main skills: Roguish Charm, any Deception spell
- Priority stats: Dexterity, Intellect, Might, Perception
- Weapon: Thundercrack Pistol, other one-handed weapons
- Headpiece: Thaos' Headdress
- Neckpiece: High Harbinger’s Robe
- Armor: High Harbinger’s Robe
- Rings: Anything that boosts Rogue/Cipher stats
- Boots: Anything that boosts sneak attacks or speed
- Waistpiece: Sash of Judgment
- Handpiece: Anything that boosts sneak attacks
- Cape: Ajamuut Stalking Cloak
6 Paladin/Rogue Sniper
Want a build that functions like a true sniper that ghosts away after headshots? The Paladin/Rogue sniper is one such marvel. This multiclass relies on sneaking up to enemies, killing them in one shot, and then disappearing using stealth kills. Rinse and repeat until they're all gone.
- Class: Paladin/Rogue multiclass
- Main skills: Flames of Devotion, Smoke Veil
- Priority stats: Might, Perception, Dexterity
- Weapon: Any good Arquebus
- Headpiece: Anything that increases damage but doesn't have a Recovery penalty
- Armor: Anything that increases damage but doesn't have a Recovery penalty
- Boots: Anything that increases damage but doesn't have a Recovery penalty
- Waistpiece: Anything that increases damage but doesn't have a Recovery penalty
5 Devoted Barbarian Whirlwind
Of course, you can't beat the simplicity of a good old-fashioned reckless barbarian. He who doesn't care much about tactics and just attacks continuously. This build was made using a combination of Barbarian and the Devoted subclass for the Fighter; it relies on the Crushing Blow skill that removes recovery time after a kill.
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- Class: Barbarian/Devoted (Fighter) multiclass
- Main skill: Crushing Blow
- Priority stats: Might, Intellect, Dexterity, Constitution
- Weapon: Dual battle axes, Magran's Favor & another axe
- Armor: Devil of Croc Breastplate
4 Devoted Dwarf
Multiclass builds can be easy to mess up. That's why sticking to single classes might be easier if you're just a beginner to the game. For such a character, the classic combination of a Dwarven Fighter never fails to be efficient. The Devoted, being a Fighter subclass is often considered the best by many as it can give fighters an easy critical damage outlet.
- Class: Devoted (Fighter)
- Main skill: Disciplined Barrage
- Priority stats: Might, Constitution, Resolve
- Weapon: Greatsword, Whispers of the Endless Path for maximum damage
- Armor: Anything that doesn't give a Recovery penalty
- Accessories: Anything that reduces Recovery penalty
3 Bleak Walker/Soul Blade Inquisitor
A Paladin that multiclasses with a Cipher that deals massive amounts of damage is often unheard of. That's why this build is a peculiar novelty. It utilizes the focus generated by the Soul Blade subclass of Ciphers. It just so happens that the Paladin's Bleak Walker subclass is focused on dealing damage which in turn, also increases focus for even more raw damage.
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- Class: Bleak Walker/Soul Blade (Palain/Cipher) multiclass
- Main skill: Sworn Enemy, Valorous Echoes
- Priority stats: Might, Dexterity, Perception
- Weapon: Main hand Rapier and another weapon in the off-hand
- Armor: Anything medium
- Accessories: Anything with accuracy bonuses
2 Evoker/Assassin Spellcaster
Looking for that overpowered mage build? Here it is. It's a Wizard/Rogue multiclass that's all about doing tricks while dealing the most devastating field spells. The ideal tactic here is to go into stealth and then cast Evocation School spells to erase enemies without their knowledge of your existence. So focusing on those two ability disciplines is mandatory for this build.
- Class: Evoker/Assassin (Wizard/Rogue) multiclass
- Main skills: Arcana & Stealth trees
- Priority stats: Might, Perception, Intellect
- Weapon: Rust's Stiletto and another weapon
- Armor: Any good robe
1 Streetfighter/Shieldbearer Slayer
This build is actually wacky despite being well-rounded. It takes advantage of the Rogue's Riposte ability where the character needs to stack up more than 200 Deflection so that most enemy attacks will miss and the character gets a free attack every time that happens. To that end, it works best solo where you can kite the enemies and they'll end up dying somehow.
- Class: Streetfighter/Shieldbearer (Rogue/Paladin) multiclass
- Main skills: Riposte, Escape, Sworn Enemy
- Priority stats: Might, Perception, Resolve
- Weapon: Kahua Hozi spear and Cadhu Scalth shield
- Armor: Nomad's Brigandine
- Accessories: Anything that grants additional Deflection
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