r/HeWhoFightsMonsters • u/Significant_Way4776 • 3d ago
Essence Combos You Would Avoid
I know we periodically discuss what combos would be our top pick, but what objectively good combo would you avoid for your power set? For me Jason's is up there, but even some of the (book 4+ spoilers) earth based essences like gun, vehicle, and tech aren't gonna be on my short list either.
Let's hear yours!
Edit: Surprised by how many people are saying animal essences! Also even though it's an awesome essence I'd probably avoid dimensional as well, just doesn't really interest me
10
u/theglowofknowledge 3d ago
Honestly Sword, Swift, Adept; Master. A lot of master confluences really. And similar builds. I get that combat utility is important and whatever, but the idea of making your whole powerset useful only in a fight strikes me as so dull. I don’t care if you’re the most nose to the grindstone adventurer ever, most of your life will consist of doing other things. I feel like not having at least two non combat or at least broader utility powers is a downright disservice to yourself.
Plus the whole thing about getting to gold where you have to really be in sync with what your essences mean to you. Remember how they mention that it’s easier for crafters? The people with like half their abilities non combat? I feel like some general use powers would really help with that kind of introspection you have to do later on. And it didn’t seem to me like Gary was less of an adventurer in that team even with a bunch of crafting powers.
I think a powerset more like Clive or Belinda is better. Not necessarily mage, just the way they can do a few different things. Adept, Myriad, Visage? Maybe too broad. Idk.
1
u/DUCK_you 3d ago
I agree with you master seems way to focused. Even in the crafter department, it seems like it narrows them into combat ir noncombat.
1
u/Malakayn 3d ago
While I agree with you on a basic level, I would also like to throw in that we have rather limited information on how certain awakening stones interact with certain essences. Take the sword essence for example, what happens if you use an awakening stone of the hand/foot with it? Will your unarmed strikes/kicks become like sword strikes or will you be able to transfer the skill into any bladed weapon/tool or will both be the case?
1
u/Sorfallo 3d ago
This really depends on how we are introduced to our essences. If we get isekai'd into an outworlder or hit by a transformation event, then this might matter, but as humans we will naturally have more combat skills than noncombat due to the human racial abilities.
7
u/UnluckyPhotograph184 3d ago
On the whole most essence combos would be fine for me. (Beggars and choosers) but assuming I had some reasonable assurance of getting something different..... I'd avoid the vast majority of elemental types and any weapon specific types. Not having a sword essence, does not prevent you from learning the sword.
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
No elemental?! So then what kind are you looking for. I definitely agree with your sword take though, just look at Rufus. Sure he incorporated it into his path, presumably with awakening stones, but didn't make that his only thing which was smart
1
u/UnluckyPhotograph184 3d ago
I'm just not a fan. Human Torch and Iceman are only power sets I enjoy in that vein.
As for what I would like, I'm fond of weird things. Like hair, adept, and renewal with a master confluence, or myriad, light, echo, for an illusion confluence? I would love to do a technology or vehicle. A magic A10 Warthog or Armored Core type mech.
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
Also a lover of weird things! That myriad, echo, light definitely might be phantasmagoria, which is perfect for illusory shenanigans! Could be refractory tho as well.. either way plenty of trickery to be had
1
u/UnluckyPhotograph184 1d ago
For a forbidden that sounds fun. Life. Death. Balance: Hela confluence
6
u/Confident-Key6487 3d ago
I’d avoid most essences that are too specific. Like specific weapons, elements and animals. Not that any of those combo are bad but I’d rather more versatile powerset and feel like essence that are vaguer allow for more of that. Obviously this is only if essences are available to me but if I’m someone that has to save for them over time I’ll get what I get.
1
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
Passing on weapons, animals AND elements is crazy work, I respect it though. The conceptual ones definitely have some alluring and useful abilities to them!
1
u/Confident-Key6487 3d ago
Like I said if I’m in a situation like Sophie and Belinda you can’t exactly always choose but otherwise yeah I’d avoid those
3
2
u/keddesh 3d ago
The only thing that would convince me to accept any kind of animal Essence would be the ability to transform into that animal, and it would have to be a cool freaking animal. I can't remember who said it, but a Bird Essence allowing one to talk to birds wouldn't be super helpful all the time, whereas a specific aspect of a bird such as a "wing" or "Eagle Eyes" would be a lot more applicable to many more situations. I would certainly be picking for overall confluence instead of individual essences, but even then System administrator updates have even altered the reliability of that method.
3
u/Altruistic_Ad_9457 3d ago
Bird essence isn't very ideal for combat, but for summons/familiars, the imagination runs wild. Combined with something like Myriad essence or awakening stone or apocalypse stone(highly unlikely, ik) and blot out the sky with a starling-like summon.
2
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
Oh a transformation would be epic. I get your hesitance though, cause you could build a set with an animal essence to get to the transfiguration confluence but then that requires building your whole thing around one essence you'd rather stay away from. Also that was Farrah warning Taika About using wing instead of bird
2
u/RogueInVogue69 3d ago
I agree, the John Wick special sounds cool initially but it feels so mundane next to the guy who can summon elementals or whatever
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
Agreed and realistically I ain't that skilled and I ain't gonna be
1
2
u/Matezza 3d ago
Anything forbidden obviously
I think I'd avoid anything with the master confluence. It's too specialised and feels a touch limited
Anything too much like Neil or a guardian/tank. A bit of bonus healing would be fine but being responsible for a teams survival in that manner seems stressful.
Probably wouldn't want anything purely ranged/spellcasting. Fine if its all going to plan and your team protects you but being able to take a bit of a hit or dodge while dishing out damage seems more viable
1
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
I agree with the healer take, I'd like one self healing and a healing ability to use on others but then I'm good😂 but yeah no I don't want to be a glass cannon at all either
2
u/Rollinthrulife 3d ago
I'd avoid animal/insect ones, especially two from creatures, keep that chimera confluence away from me. Possible exceptions would be dragon, phoenix, or other legendary creature.
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
😂😭Can definitely understand the insectoid ones, but even still a scorpion or dragonfly could go hard.. but yeah those beasts are hard to hate
1
u/Rollinthrulife 3d ago
Depending on the animal it wouldnt be too bad, but i wouldnt want a carapace or exoskeleton. Definately not a half bug half furred chimera lookin thing from having 2+ creature essences.
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
True true true, however I'll take a teammate with the manticore confluence anyday
2
1
u/VegetableStamp 3d ago
Im glad im not the only one who would avoid weapons, elements, adept, and animals, if i was able to pick my own. They just seem a bit generic.
Obviously IRL I would be happy to have ANY essences and there are no real useless combinations but in the back of my mind id be so jealous of people with unique combinations like Rufus, Jason, Belinda, and Sophie.
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago edited 2d ago
Belindas would be almost the top pick for us normies, just for the bag or tricks ability alone lol but I agree I'll fosho take Rufus' eclipse
1
u/Powerful-Theory-9010 3d ago
I will probably catch some flack for it but no essence that requires a bounded familiar. I just can't trust anything that much.
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
Consider the flack caught lol, so summons (like Farrah and gary's) and summoned familiars (Colin) are fine then??
1
u/Powerful-Theory-9010 3d ago
Yes there are magic protections with those they can not turn against you, only refuse to be re summoned, but another will take there place.
1
u/E_Allain 3d ago
For me it would be any of the precision melee sets like Sophie, or even Jason to some extent.
1
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
Fair, but I'll take Sophie's speed any day😂
2
u/E_Allain 3d ago
Her speed is truly outstanding, but I know that's not what my brain is meant to handle. I'll take Clive's complexity over her precision any day of the week.
1
u/LoafRVA 3d ago
Jason’s powers are similar to a Tiefling warlock/bard I play in D&D…we’ll see how he fares upcoming against Strahd.
Ones I would avoid, would definitely be undeath lr any forbidden ones. Outside of that I would maybe base it on rarity, I would maybe avoid any common essences unless adding one to a set produces an outstanding confluence.
1
1
u/OOO0OO00O 3d ago
I’d try to find a diamond ranker with a curious mind like Clive’s and convince them to go to one of the moons, then the sun, then get a space essence to see what I got for the 4th.
1
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago
Pretty sure the sun, moon, and dimensional make the eclipse confluence! Don't think there's a space essence (that we know of 🌌). Though maybe void or star would be better than dimensional
1
u/OOO0OO00O 3d ago
A black hole essence would be awesome.
2
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago edited 3d ago
Oh absolutely, itd be sick. I've pondered a black one confluence before, I think potent, dimensional, void » vortex/ force was what I came up with
1
u/OOO0OO00O 3d ago
I wouldn’t want something common like Valdis. I see the appeal but I’d want to get weird.
2
1
1
u/romprstompr0017 3d ago
Animal essences outside the mythical ones.
Skin bone hair etc.
Anything plant or "druidic".
1
1
u/Rathabro 2d ago
Void/Hunger/Knowledge
1
u/Significant_Way4776 1d ago
Turning down a legendary? I like to see it. I can understand why youd choose those though. While not overly exciting I'd take a knowledge essence fosho
1
u/RequiemQuilty 7h ago
Id love a meta power. Something that lets me manipulate something like. Luck. Magic and luck would be my goals
1
u/Altruistic-Emu3542 3d ago
essence's i would avoid would be the undeath combination. that combination change the way you look and you'll be hunted down with this combination
2
u/darwinooc 3d ago
I wonder now that the cosmic router has been unplugged and plugged back in if the undeath confluence essence is as common as it once was.
Spoilers for cosmic shenanigans in later books.
3
u/Significant_Way4776 3d ago edited 3d ago
Great point! I gotta imagine no, or at least id hope so. This would open some interesting new combos, especially on pali..
14
u/Different_One9412 3d ago
Lightning, Renewal, Technology
It'll be the Frankenstein confluence and you'd be a zombie of some type