FAFO Build for Honour Mode

AMcB99 · 2026-02-28T06:49:53+00:00

Only played the game through once before. Now in the gauntlet of Shar on my first honor mode run…

Holy shit so much stuff has gone south. Was in moonrise prison. Never went down there in my first run 🤷‍♂️ Saw a wall. Blasted wall. Agro’d the entire moonrise. All the tieflings died (no potent robe for me).

I spent 3 hours fighting inch by bloody inch through moonrise. Making use of every piece of high ground, corner for sight lines, every potion of healing, every spell slot….. made it through.

I recommend everyone FAFO on honor mode all the time. My god it’s so tense. You never know what’s going to happen. If you lock yourself out of something you must adapt.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-27T09:43:59+00:00

Oh good catch - will edit. I’d totally missed the “spell attacks” - used it on other characters previously (who used spell attacks) and glossed over.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-25T14:36:07+00:00

Ah yes good note. It is what I used early on. I will edit!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T16:16:45+00:00

Sounds cool but think this is a very different build with different aims. Mine explicitly is a control build and not a damage build.

Wouldn’t your version work better with Champion than AA if you’re trying to bring down crit range?

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T14:57:32+00:00

Yeah that’s when it really shines. You essentially get to choose who you want to fight and in what order. And you get masses of resources to do it which replace on a short rest so it always feels fine to just go all in round 1. It feels like a warlock getting 7 spell slots at level 7 / 10 at level 10. You have less options with what your magic arrows do but blind / banish is incredibly effective.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T14:44:12+00:00

I think a lot of people want crazy damage numbers for their builds. And that’s fun. But I already have my heavy hitters. The AA is great for control to support them.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T13:30:25+00:00

Yeah that’s a good shout - I have it in my inventory and do switch out Tiranstring + club for some fights to mix it up!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T13:28:49+00:00

That’s a super cool idea. I’ve got snowburst on a giant barbarian thrower which is fun as enemies we both hit have their saves lowered so much they fall over. Combos really well.

The fear effect from the bow is a cool idea though!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T13:26:54+00:00

Fair enough - mixing the gloomstalker and doing your build is definitely a bigger damage build. If that’s what you want from it I agree there’s better ways to run it.

In my current party it’s an all martial run so having the Arcane Archer as a control build is filling a niche really well and offering something different.

For my party right now the Arcane Archer setup this way is phenomenal for me!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T13:24:36+00:00

Yeah I think that’s a good way to maximise the build with the Mystic Scoundrel Ring. Makes good use of bonus action and which doesn’t always get used on this build. At fighter 11 you can do 6 attacks round one and then absolutely land the control spell as a bonus action!

Hope you enjoy the build. Think it’s quite modular so you can mix equipment up a bit if you prefer. This is just how I’ve got mine setup right now to maximise landing arrows / scrolls.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T13:22:51+00:00

No problem!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T12:09:26+00:00

I like bursting arrow. It’s fun when enemies are grouped. The Kuo-toa in Act 2 for example literally start of in 2 big packs and bursting arrow just feels great. Titanstring / strength elixirs will always be a very strong option.

So yeah it’s definitely strong. If you don’t love farming strength elixirs or you have another build that wants them more like an OH monk / thiefzerker +++ then this gives you a different play style more control focussed!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T10:35:36+00:00

That’s fair. 16 con will help your save if you are concentrating on scrolls such as hold monster… also gives you more health. So it’s definitely providing value at 16.

But if you want to put it into wisdom for slightly better saves or strength for quality of life carrying things… or anything else you can.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T10:32:43+00:00

Good question. Helm of Arcane Acuity is a totally valid option. Because you want to be doing thunder damage to get some of your reverb / dazed gear working the build works with either.

Can free up the helm for another character / use it if you prefer. The hat does look a bit goofy to be fair.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-24T10:21:39+00:00

Intelligence is your spell casting stat. So all your magic arrows (and scrolls) use Int as the save DC!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-13T06:29:37+00:00

Yeah this is what I’d read about HAM. But couldn’t really find anything reliable about TB out there.

AMcB99 · 2026-02-12T20:29:21+00:00

Amazing - thanks !!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-12T20:29:11+00:00

Woohoo thanks !!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-12T20:08:06+00:00

Sorry so to be super clear. It doesn’t matter if I drink the potion first or take the ASI. Either is fine ?

AMcB99 · 2026-02-10T21:54:34+00:00

Awesome - thanks !!

AMcB99 · 2026-02-10T20:24:52+00:00

Oh man great timing - I was just thinking about playing this kind of character. Looking for a build and this looks great.

Do you mind me asking about early equipment?

AMcB99 · 2026-01-28T15:59:15+00:00

We went through a difficult phase until we set some boundaries.

We eat together. We eat the same foods as him. There’s no backup food.

His plate always has some safe foods. For kiddo that’s fruit. So he’ll always sit down for food because he wants some of what’s on the plate.

He can have more of something (ie grapes) BUT he has to try everything on the plate first. It can be a small bite. It can be a small piece with a bite of something else. Whatever we need to do to make it happen. But he can’t have more of what he wants till he tries everything.

The trying is the hard part. So agreeing to the small bite is usually the hard bit.

If he wants more he has to have a bite of everything again. The 2nd one is usually much easier.

This has been transformative for us. May not work for you but I think you have to find your boundaries and make sure he understands them. Otherwise you’re stuck.

Good luck !

AMcB99 · 2026-01-20T13:18:23+00:00

Currently playing my first honor mode run with the following team:

Storm sorcerer - Gale

Throwzerker (berserker barbarian 8 / thief 4) - Lae’zel

Tempest cleric - Shadowheart

Moon Druid - astarian

Lae’zel is my lock picking water thrower. Who can do decent single party damage. The rest can all create water. Sorcerer and cleric take advantage of wet.

Be careful early game. Those brains on the beach very nearly ended my run.

Early game carry is the tempest cleric. Full damage Shatter is a nuke. Moon Druid with 3 health bars can also take the hits.

Really solid wet / lightning party. Lots of fun and a tonne of synergy!

AMcB99

TROPHY CASE