Intro
OK, there's quite a lot to do - TBH, I've expected a bigger patch so I haven't written as much before release. Well, give me a week and we'll be quite done here. Let's begin with some starting tips and most characters' DPS stats (more like DPA - damage per action, but DPS is more traditional). That alone should explain enough what's good and what's not.
To give you some measure - one action is worth 14 DPS, anything at that point or above that is good enough to use.
Starting Party
Long story short - your very first squad sucks. It may consist of iconic characters but it has precisely zero synergy with its starting skills. Sure, with enough game knowledge and some luck you can beat the first Act with it, but enough game knowledge and the first squad ever hardly mesh together.
What can you do?
4 position should be occupied by Dismas, his main skill must be Duelist's Advance. It's the most damaging out of his basic skills, also, his ripostes have 33% Combo generation. Combo shortage is the main reason of this party having zero synergy, btw - both MaA and GR need loads of it and this party has almost no way to apply it.
3 position is for the Plague Doctor. Well, she'll go first after the first advance, but she starts there. I would strongly consider giving the very first shrine of the game to her as Plague Grenade is a game changer. Before that, just spam Noxious and Battlefield Medicine - Blinding Gas sucks, even as a combo source.
2 position is Grave Robber. She has no damage without combo so do the not so obvious thing - open each combat with Absinthe. Sure, you don't get the healing, but so what? One dose of Absinthe will make her mega-tanky and she'll absorb lots of early damage this way. Combat-wise, her best skill is Poison Dart.
1 position is MaA. He's just a Crush/Bolster engine, Defender if needed.
Don't forget that each of your characters has a hidden sixth skill - if you pass a turn while below 10% HP (or somewhere close), you'll gain 2 stress and will regen 20% life. Stress can be cleansed, deathblow - not so much.
First 5 mastery points should go into Duelist's Advance, Poison Dart, Noxious Blast, Bolster, Crush.
Tier List And Progression
Tier A: Plague Doctor, Jester, Man-at-Arms.
Tier B: Runaway, Highwayman, Grave Robber.
Tier C: Occultist, Hellion.
Tier D: Leper, Vestal.
Flagellant - can't say yet.
Bounty Hunter is more of a luxury, he's unlocked later.
Good starting unlock sequence is:
Plague Doctor: up to Surgeon.
Jester: up to Virtuoso. 1 Shrine for the Harvest and he's good.
Runaway: up to Arsonist.
Highwayman: up to Rogue.
Plague Doctor: up to Alchemist.
Grave Robber: up to Venomdrop.
Man-at-Arms: up to Vanguard (he's low-ish priority because Vanguard is his only good path and it's expensive)
Hellion: up to Ravager.
Occultist: up to Aspirant.
Leper: up to Tempest.
Vestal: it's ok to simply unlock, her paths are dubious.
Paths should be unlocked ASAP - each path is 25% character efficiency, at the very least, so 4-path team is like having a fifth party member.
Another way to make early runs easier is by unlocking Trinkets. You want to do this in batches of 2-3-4 - unlocked trinket is given for a current run so you can get something imba from the get go. Shaping your squad around received imba trinket is certainly doable. Don't be greedy - don't unlock too many of them simultaneously so this honeymoon period lasts longer.
Pets are very strong but, early on, I'd suggest unlocking Wolf Cub only and using just that.
Combat items-wise, you want to unlock until you get your first Healing Item. Honest HP healing, not status or something. If you don't get it within the first 5 attempts, it's a reason to consider restarting your account. After that unlock, put a pause to unlocking your combat items for a long while - this way you'll get flooded with heals (and it'll feel awesome).
Once you have these basics, go full Wealth, then full Journey. After these, you can finish at your discretion.
Early memories should be given only if character has some imba-quirk - then memorying him and locking that quirk is a good move. Memories themselves are not really worth the early expenditure.
Decent Early-ish Party Builds
Your shrines will wary so I'll list key skills only:
4 - Alchemist Plague Doctor: Noxious Blast, Plague Grenade, Battlefield Medicine.
3 - Virtuoso Jester: Inspiring Tune, Slice Off, Harvest.
2 - Deadeye Grave Robber: Absinthe, Poison Dart, Dead of Night, Pick ot the Face.
1 - Rogue Highwayman: Point Blank Shot, Duelist's Advance.
PD drowns everything in blight and heals, Jester slices and de-stresses, GR Absinthe's and then attacks, Highwayman uses PBS and Duelist to slide back and forth.
Once you have Vanguard MaA, you can swap GR for him - he'll Crush and Bolster. Both builds are fine, it's just a matter of preferrence.
4 - Arsonist Runaway: Firefly, Smokescreen, Cauterize.
3 - Surgeon Plague Doctor: Incision, Battlefield Medicine.
2 - Vanguard Man-at-Arms: Crush, Bolster.
1 - Rogue Highwayman: Point Blank Shot, Duelist's Advance.
Runaway needs 2 shrines to enable Cauterize but it's very much worth it. She does great damage with Firefly. Basic Smokescreen is meh, but Smokescreen upgraded is simply insane - it gives anything. Including Combo tokens for MaA to chomp on. MaA tanks and heals Stress. PD shanks and heals. Highwayman is once again sliding.
Once you get to almost full shrine progression with Runaway and PD (mb 10 hours into the game if you prioritize them), you can play this farming squad:
4 - Alchemist PD: Noxious Blast, Battlefield Medicine, Indiscriminate Science, Plague Grenade, Magnesium Rain.
3 - Virtuoso Jester: Inspiring Tune, Slice Off, Harvest, Encore.
2 - Arsonist Runaway: Firestarter, Searing Strike, Smokescreen, Cauterize, Hearthlight.
1 - Vanguard Man-at-Arms: Crush, Bolster.
The idea is that you Firestarter the Plague Doctor and apply 6 Burning Damage to the entire enemy party with each Magnesium Rain. And you Encore PD with Jester so cooldown ticks faster and so PD is able Magnesium Rain turn 1, Magnesium rain turn 2. This melts the enemies real fast, meaning you farm fast, meaning you get your candles fast. You'll need to prioritize these three with the Shrines but that's ok - MaA, GR and Highwayman can wait.
Once you have Venomdrop:
4 - Venomdrop Grave Robber: Flashing Daggers, Poison Dart, Dead of Night.
3 - Surgeon Plague Doctor: Incision, Battlefield Medicine.
2 - Arsonist Runaway: Firestarter, Searing Strike, Smokescreen, Cauterize, Hearthlight.
1 - Vanguard Man-at-Arms: Crush, Bolster.
Unlike 2-GR, 4-Venomdrop doesn't start with Absinthe - she just spams Daggers.
Unlike the first game, making a single-DoT centric party is not that good of a plan - most DoTs depend on unique trinkets to boost them to full potential, so the more similar-DoT'ted characters you have, the less powers they have. Also, if your team is fully blight-ing, this means you'll have to go double Foetor - because blight-boosting trinkets are only found in the area which is most resistant to blight. Same goes for burn and bleed. And spending two bouts in the area which totally resists your DoT is not a good beginner experience.
If you really love Boudica, she mostly plays with Jester - she can heal some Stress with Raucous (once you unlock that) but not enough to be main Stress Healer, unlike MaA.
4 - Alchemist Plague Doctor: Noxious Blast, Battlefield Medicine, Indiscriminate Science, Plague Grenade.
3 - Virtuoso Jester: Inspiring Tune, Slice Off, Harvest.
2 - Arsonist Runaway: Searing Strike, Smokescreen, Cauterize.
1 - Ravager Hellion: Wicked Hack, Iron Swan, Adrenaline Rush.
Hellion is also greatly boosted by Raucous Revelry and Howling End, her final unlocks. So if you're a fan you'll need to prioritize her as a shrine visitor.
You can also play this squad with Rogue Highwayman with PBS/Duelist rotation - Hellion wants plenty of combo and both Runaway and He-man provide that.
Plague Doctor DPS
Noxious Blast: 2.6 + 3.2x3 = 12.2
Combo: +0.8x3 = +2.4
Noxious Blast*: 3.63 + 4.8x3 = 18.03
Combo: +1.2x3 = 3.6
Alchemist Noxious Blast: 2.8 + 4x3 = 14.8
No combo value against most foes.
Alchemist Noxious Blast*: 3.87 + 6x3 = 21.87
No combo value against most foes.
Blinding Gas: 0.8 enemy actions + 0.5 Combo
Blinding Gas *: 0.8 enemy actions + 0.8 slow + 0.66 Combo
Incision: 4.95 + 2.4x3 = 12.15
Combo value: +0.6x3 = 1.8
+2.475 if Surgeon = 14.625
Incision*: 6.25 + 3.2x3 = 15.8
Combo value: 0.8x3 = 2.4
+3.125 if Surgeon = 18.975
Plague Grenade: (1.575 + 2.4x3)x2 = 17.55
Plague Grenade*: (2.6 + 3.2x3)x2 = 24.4
Alchemist Plague Grenade: (1.725 + 3x3)x2 = 21.45
Alchemist Plague Grenade*: (2.8 + 4x3)x2 = 29.6
Magnesium Rain: (1.6x3)x4 = 19.2
Magnesium Rain*: (2.4x3)x4 = 28.8
Grave Robber DPS
Pick to the Face: 6
vs Combo: 8.5
+2.5 combo value
Pick to the Face*: 8.2
vs Combo: 12.19
+3.99 Combo value
Thrown Dagger: 4.525
vs Combo: 6.275
1.75 combo value
Thrown Dagger*: 7
vs Combo: 9.5
2.5 combo value
Deadeye Thrown Dagger: 5.8
vs combo: 7.8
2 combo value
Deadeye Thrown Dagger*: 8.42
vs combo: 11.17
2.75 combo value
Flashing Daggers: 2.6x2 = 5.2
Flashing Daggers*: 4.35x2 = 8.7
Deadeye Flashing Daggers: 3.3x2 = 6.6
Deadeye Flashing Daggers*: 5.6x2 = 11.2
Venomdrop Flashing Daggers: (1.575 + 1.6x3)x2 = 12.75
Venomdrop Flashing Daggers*: (3.3 + 3.2x3)x2 = 25.8
Venomdrop Shadow Fade + 2x Flashing Daggers: 16.5
Venomdrop Shadow Fade + 2x Flashing Daggers*: 26
Poison Dart: (3.15 + 1.6x3) = 7.95
vs Combo: 12.31 (slow)
4.36 combo value
Poison Dart*: (3.9 + 3.2x3) = 13.5
vs combo: 21.73 (slow)
8.23 combo value
Deadeye Poison Dart: (3.9 + 1.6x3) = 8.69
vs combo: 13.82 (slow)
5.13 combo value
Deadeye Poison Dart*: (5.175 + 3.2x3) = 14.775
vs combo: 23.78 (slow)
9 combo value
Venomdrop Poison Dart: (2.125 + 1.6x3) = 6.925
vs combo: 11.42 (slow)
4.495 combo value
Venomdrop Poison Dart*: (2.85 + 3.2x3) = 12.45
vs combo: 20.44 (slow)
2x Dart* with shadow fade vs combo: 18.1 (mega-slow)
Absinthe: 1.5 Enemy Actions + Heal
Absinthe: 2.25 Enemy Actions + Heal
Glint in the Dark: 5.2
Glint in the Dark*: 7.5
Deadeye Glint in the Dark: 6.225
Deadeye Glint in the Dark*: 9.14
Lunge: 7.2
Lunge*: 10.9
Venomdrop: +2.4 Flashing Daggers value, +4.8 Flashing Daggers* value.
Nightsworn Lunge: 9.7
Nightsworn Lunge*: 12.85
Nightsworn Shadow Fade + 2x Lunge*: 12.85 (not a typo, lol)
Pirouette: 6x2 = 12 + half of enemy action
Pirouette*: 7.75x2 = 15.5 + 0.75 enemy action
Nightsworn Pirouette: 8x2 = 16 + half of enemy action
Nightsworn Pirouette*: 10.35x2 = 20.7 + 0.75 enemy action
Deadeye Pirouette: 8.5x2 = 17 + half of enemy action
Deadeye Pirouette*: 10.8x2 = 21.6 + 0.75 enemy action
Highwayman DPS
Wicked Slice: 6.9
8.625 as pos 1 Rogue
8 under Take Aim*
10 under Take Aim* as pos 1 Rogue
Wicked Slice*: 8.7
10.875 as pos 1 Rogue
9 under Take Aim*
11.25 under Take Aim* as pos 1 Rogue
Pistol Shot: 4.95
6.1875 as Sharpshot
6 under Take Aim*
7.5 under Take Aim* as Sharpshot
Pistol Shot*: 6.9
8.625 as Sharpshot
0.6 enemy actions Combo value
8 under Take Aim*
10 under Take Aim* as Sharpshot
0.8 enemy actions Combo value under Take Aim*
Duelist's Advance: 4.175 + 2x5.4 riposte = 14.975 + 0.66 combo
As pos 1 Rogue: 17.675 + 0.66 combo
Duelist's Advance*: 5.4 + 3x5.4 riposte = 21.6 + 0.99 combo + half an enemy action
As pos 1 Rogue: 25.65 + 0.99 combo + half an enemy action
Take aim: damage buffs + half an enemy action + half your action if blinded
Point Blank Shot: 9.9 + Combo
12.375 + Combo as pos 1 Rogue or Sharpshot
12 + 0.66 Combo under Take Aim*
15 + 0.66 Combo under Take Aim* as pos 1 Rogue or Sharpshot
Tracking Shot: Combo + 0.5-1 action
Point Blank Shot*: 12.7 + Combo
15.88 + Combo as pos 1 Rogue or Sharpshot
13 + 0.66 Combo under Take Aim*
16.25 + 0.66 Combo under Take Aim* as pos 1 Rogue or Sharpshot
Grapeshot Blast: 3.15x2 = 6.3
8 under Take Aim*
Grapeshot Blast*: 5.4x2 = 10.8
12 under Take Aim*
Sharpshot 2x Grapeshot Blast under Take Aim*: 12
Sharpshot 2x Grapeshot Blast* under Take Aim*: 18
Open Vein: 4.175 + 1.6x3 = 8.975
Combo value: +4.8
Open Vein under take Aim*: 11.66 (slow)
Combo value: +10
Open Vein*: 5.4 + 2.4x3 = 12.6
Combo value: +7.2
Sharpshot Open Vein*: 4.05 ++ 2.4x3 = 11.25
Combo value: +7.2
Open Vein* under take Aim*: 16 (slow)
Combo value: +15
Double Tap: 6.3
8.19 vs low life
9.76 as Sharpshot vs low life
8 under Take Aim*
10.4 vs low life under Take Aim*
12.4 vs low life under Take Aim* as Sharpshot
Double Tap*: 7.8
10.14 vs half life
12.09 vs half life as Sharpshot
9 under Take Aim*
11.7 vs half life under Take Aim*
13.95 vs half life under Take Aim* as Sharpshot
Double Cross: 3.15 + 0.25 enemy action + 0.4 action
Yellowhand Double Cross: 3.15 + 0.25 enemy action + 0.8 action
Double Cross*: 4.175 + 0.25 enemy action + 0.8 action
Yellowhand Double Cross*: 4.175 + 0.25 enemy action + 1.2 action
Man-at-Arms DPS
Crush: 5.75
8.625 if Vanguard
Combo value: 0.4 healbot action
Crush*: 7.25
10.875 if Vanguard
Combo value: 0.8 healbot action
Rampart: 4.725 + 0.4 Daze
Bulwark: 7.08 + 0.4 Daze
Rampart*: 5.75 + 0.4 Daze
Combo value: 0.6 enemy action
Bulwark: 8.625 + 0.4 Daze
Combo value: 0.7 enemy action
Defender: 0.5 enemy action
Defender*: 0.75 enemy action
Bolster: stress + 0.25 enemy action + mb 0.5 enemy action
Bolster*: stress + 0.375 enemy action + mb 0.5 enemy action + mb 0.33 action
Hold the Line: 4.95 + 0.25 enemy action
Bulwark: 7.42 + 0.25 enemy action
Hold the Line*: 6 + 0.5 enemy action
Combo value: 0.6 enemy action
Bulwark:: 9 + 0.5 enemy action
Combo value: 0.7 enemy action
Bellow: up to 2-3 actions
Retribution: 10.4
Vanguard: 13
Retribution*: 10.4 + 0.5 enemy action
Vanguard: 13 + 0.5 enemy action
Command: 0.33-0.5 action + 0.5-1 action
Stand fast: up to 1.25 enemy actions
Stand Fast*: up to 1.875 enemy actions
Courageous Abandon: 4.95 / 9.9 / 14.85
Courageous Abandon*: 6.45 / 12.9 / 19.35
Strategic Withdrawal: 4.725 + Combo
Strategic Withdrawal*: 6 + 0.375 enemy action + 1.32 healbot action.
Hellion DPS
Wicked Hack: 6.3 / 7.875 / 9.45
+3.15 combo value
Ravager: 7.875 / 9.45 / 11.025
Wicked Hack*: 8.7 / 10.875 / 13.05
+4.35 combo value
Ravager: 10.875 / 13.05 / 15.225
Iron Swan: 6.3 / 7.875 / 9.45 + combo
Ravager: 7.875 / 9.45 / 11.025 + combo
Iron Swan*: 8.7 / 10.875 / 13.05
Ravager: 7 10.875 / 13.05 / 15.225 + combo
Barbaric YAWP!: 0.2 enemy action x 2
Barbaric YAWP!*: 0.2 enemy action x 4
Combo value: 0.6-1.2 enemy actions
If It Bleeds: 4.725 / 5.91 / 7.09 + 1.6x3 = 9.525 / 10.71 / 11.89
Combo value: +1.2
Berserker: 5.175 / 6.47 / 7.76 + 2x3 = 11.175 / 12.47 / 13.76
no combo value
If It Bleeds*: 4.95 / 6.19 / 7.425 + 3.2x3 = 14.55 / 15.79 / 17.025
Combo value: +2.4
Berserker: 5.4 / 6.75 / 8.1 + 4x3 = 17.4 / 18.75 / 20.1
no combo value
Toe to Toe: 3.15 / 3.94 / 4.725
Ravager: 3.94 / 4.725 / 5.51
Toe to Toe*: 4.175 / 5.22 / 6.26
Ravager: 5.22 / 6.26 / 7.3
Adrenaline Rush: up to 3.2 healbot actions
Bleed Out: 6.3 / 7.875 / 9.45 + 3.2x3 = 15.9 / 17.475 / 19.05
Combo Value: +2.4
Berserker: 6.9 / 8.625 / 10.35 + 4x3 = 18.9 / 20.625 / 22.35
no combo value
Bloodlust* berserker value: 5x2.07 + 4x2.277 = 19.45 (mega-slow)
Bleed Out*: 8.1 / 10.125 / 12.15 + 4.8x3 = 22.5 / 24.525 / 26.55
Combo value: +3.6
Berserker: 8.7 / 10.875 / 13.05 + 18 = 26.7 / 28.875 / 31.05
no combo value
Bloodlust* berserker value: 5x2.61 + 4x 2.871 = 24.534 (mega-slow)
Raucous Revelry: 0.8 healbot action + stress
Raucous Revelry*: healbot action + stress
Howling End: 12 / 15 / 18
Ravager: 15 / 18 / 21
Howling End*: 15.95 / 19.94 / 23.925
Ravager: 19.94 / 23.925 / 27.91
Runaway DPS
Searing Strike: 4.725 + 1.6x3 = 9.525
Combo value: +4.8
Arsonist: 3.88 + 2x3 = 9.88
Arsonist combo value: +6
Searing Strike*: 6 + 2.4x3 = 13.2
Combo value: +7.2
Arsonist: 4.875 + 3x3 = 13.875
Combo Value: +9
Firefly: 3.15 + 2.4x3 = 10.35
Combo value: +7.2
Arsonist: 2.59 + 3x3 = 11.59
Combo value: +9
4-Orphan: 1.89 + 4x3 = 13.89
Combo value: +12
Firefly*: 3.75 + 4x3 = 15.75
Combo Value: +12
Arsonist: 3 + 5x3 = 18
Combo value: +15
4-Orphan: 2.25 + 5.6x3 = 19.05
Combo value: +16.8
Smokescreen: combo + 0.4 enemy actions
Smokescreen*: combo + 0.8 enemy actions + 0.4 action
Hearthlight: 0.5-2 actions
Hearthlight*: 0.5+2 actions + 0.5-2 actions
Ransack: 4.725
Combo value: +7.2
Arsonist ransack: 3.88
Combo value: +9
2-Orphan ransack: 5.61
Combo value: +4.8
Ransack*: 6.6
Combo value: +7.2
Arsonist ransack*: 5.4
Combo value: +9
2-Orphan ransack: 7.92
Combo value: +4.8
Controlled burn: 7.2 + 4.8 per proc
Controlled burn arsonist: 9 + 4.8 per proc
Controlled burn 4-orphan: 12 + 4.8 per proc
Controlled burn*: 9.6 + 7.2 per proc
Controlled burn* arsonist: 12 + 7.2 per proc
Controlled burn* 4-orphan: 14.4 + 7.2 per proc
Dragonfly: (1.575 + 1.6x3)x2 = 12.75 + 0.5 combo
Arsonist Dragonfly: (1.29 + 2x3)x2 = 14.59 + 0.5 combo
Dragonfly*: (2.125 + 3.2x3)x2 = 23.45 + 0.66 combo
Arsonist Dragonfly*: (1.78 + 4x3)x2 = 27.56 + 0.66 combo
Firestarter: +4.8 per target hit for 3 attacks
Firestarter *: +7.2 per target hit for 3 attacks
Jester DPS
Razor's Wit: 4.95 + combo
Razor's Wit*: 6.25 + combo + 0.5 enemy action
Fade to Black: 4.95 + 0.4 enemy action
Fade to Black*: 6.25 + combo + 0.4 enemy action
Slice Off: 4.725 + 2.4x3 = 11.925
Soloist: 6.21 + 3x3 = 15.21
Slice Off*: 6 + 2.4x3 = 13.2 + 0.4 action
Soloist: 7.8 + 3x3 = 16.8 + 0.4 action
Battle Ballad: 0.33-0.5 action
Battle Ballad Intermezzo: 0.775-1.12 action
Battle Ballad*: 0.33-0.5 action + 0.15 action
Battle Ballad* Intermezzo: 0.925-1.27 action
Harvest: (3.15 + 1.6x3)x2 = 15.9 + 0.5 combo
Soloist: (4.14 + 2x3)x2 = 20.28 + 0.5 combo
Harvest*: (3.625 + 2.4x3)x2 = 21.65 + 0.66 combo
Soloist: (4.65 + 3x3)x2 = 27.3 + 0.66 combo
Finale: 9.9
Combo value: +9.9
Finale*: 13.1
Combo value: +13.1
Soloist: +2.62
Solo: 1 enemy action + combo
Solo*: 1.5 enemy action + combo
Intermezzo: +4.8 dmg
Play Out: 0.25 enemy action
Play out Intermezzo: 0.695-0.87
Play Out*: 0.375 enemy action
Play Out* Intermezzo: 0.82-1
Echoing March Intermezzo: 4.8 + 4.8 per movement
Leper DPS
Chop: 9.45
Adjusted for Blindness: 6.615
Combo value: 2.835
Chop*: 11.65
Adjusted for Blindness: 8.155
Combo value: 3.49
Chop* + MaA Command: 8.73
Tempest Chop: 12.56
Adjusted for Blindness: 10.35
Combo value: 2.21
Tempest Chop*: 15.49
Adjusted for Blindness: 12.77
Combo value: 2.72
Purge: 3.15 + corpse clear
Monarch Purge: 3.15 + corpse clear + 0.4 action
Purge*: 4.175 + combo + corpse clear
Monarch Purge*: 4.175 + combo + corpse clear + 0.4 action
Withstand: up to 1.5 enemy actions
Withstand*: up to 2.5 enemy actions
Solemnity: 1.25 healbot action
Solemnity*: 2 healbot actions
Hew: 5.275x2 = 10.55
Adjusted for blindness: 7.38
Adjusted for tempest blindness: 8.69
Hew*: 6.85x2 = 13.7
Adjusted for blindness: 9.59
Adjusted for tempest blindness: 11.29
Revenge: +0.99–1.5 actions.
Revenge*: +1.44-1.95 actions + 0.33-0.5 action.
Intimidate: 1.575 + 0.4 enemy action
Intimidate Monarch: 1.575 + 0.4 enemy action + 0.4 action
Intimidate*: 2.6 + 0.4 enemy action
Intimidate* Monarch: 2.6 + 0.4 enemy action + 0.4 action
Break: 5.75 + 0.5-1 action
Break*: 7.4 + 0.5-1 action
Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2973296992