Ciphers specialize in Striking and Crowd Control.
The Ciphers Class relies on their mental power to control the mind and soul of their prey. Since Ciphers manipulate their enemies’ soul for their own advantage, they require ‘Focus’ which is gained during combat.
For more help on Pillars of Eternity, read our Chanter Class Guide, Barbarian Class Guide and Companions Locations Guide.
Pillars of Eternity Cipher Class
Unlike other classes, Ciphers can formulate a direct contact with their enemies’ soul and use them to do their bidding. A highly unusual class, Ciphers is one of the most fun classes to play with.
Beginning Stats
Starting Abilities – Power
For this ability, Ciphers need to use Soul Whip to gain Focus and use soul-centered effects to aid allies and vanquish enemies.
- Endurance – 36 + 10/level
- Health – 4 x Endurance
- Accuracy – 25 + 3/level
- Deflection – 20
- Skill Bonus – Lore +1 Mechanics +1 Stealth +1
Cipher Special Abilities
Focus
Ciphers require Focus to execute their most powerful attacks. Each Cipher starts with little amount of Focus which is built by damaging enemies with melee and ranged weapons. Furthermore, there are some minor abilities which also drain focus quickly.
Power
Power not only requires Focus, but also a target (either an ally or an enemy) other than the Cipher himself or herself. Ciphers contain Powers which jump from one target to another and also contain a high damage output.
Soul Whip
Soul Whip is unlocked at Level 1 and creates a force field which damages targets and generates Focus for the Cipher.
Talents
Biting Whip
This talent allows the Cipher to deal additional x1.2 damage with Soul Whip.
Psychic Backlash
This talent allows the Cipher to stun enemies each time they target his or her Will Defense, but at the cost of reduced Accuracy.
Brutal Backlash
This talent further reinforces the effects of Psychic Backlash by dealing damage to the targets along with stunning them.
Draining Whip
This talent allows the Cipher to regenerate Focus more quickly by using Soul Whip.
Greater Focus
This talent adds +10 to the maximum Focus at the Cipher’s disposal.
Cipher Spells
Level 1
Tenuous Grasp
Requires: 10 Focus
This spell Frightens and Confuses enemies for 6 seconds and increases Accuracy by +10.
Antipathetic Field
Requires: 10 Focus
It creates a 15m toxic field between an enemy and the Cipher. All enemies caught in the toxic field takes 10-20 Corrode Damage.
Whisper of Treason
This spell turns any targeted enemy to fight for players’ party for 10 seconds and increases Accuracy by +10.
Soul Shock
Requires: 10 Focus
This allows the Cipher to create a source of Shock Energy all around a targeted ally causing all enemies standing around to take Shock Damage.
Eyestrike
Requires: 10 Focus
With this spell, the Cipher gains the ability to Dazes and Blinds all targeted and nearby enemies for 10 seconds.
Mind wave
Requires: 20 Focus
When casted, this spell causes any targeted enemy to emit Psychic Energy, take damage in the process, and causes all nearby enemies to get knocked out.
Level 2
Mental Binding
Requires: 15 Focus
Mental Binding causes a targeted enemy to become Paralyzed and cause all nearby enemies to take Shock Damage.
Recall Agony
Requires: 15 Focus
When casted, this spell causes any targeted enemy to retake the 30% of the originally dealt damage.
Amplified Thrust
Requires: 15 Focus
This spell removes Psychic Energy from an ally and casts it onto a nearby enemy dealing Pierce Damage and staggering them.
Psychovampiric Shield
Requires: 15 Focus
This allows the caster to steal Resolve from enemies and better Deflect enemies’ attacks.
Phantom Foes
Requires: 15 Focus
This allows the caster to leave enemies Flanked for 10 seconds and increases Accuracy for +5 seconds.
Mind Blades
Requires: 15 Focus
This spell deals massive Slash Damage to the primary target before moving to 5 additional targets.
Level 3
Ectopsychic Echo
Requires: 20 Focus
This spell creates a 12m long wave of Psychic Energy between the caster and an ally which deals Crush Damage to all enemies caught in it.
Puppet Master
Requires: 20 Focus
This negates the target enemy’s Psychic Defense and gives caster the ability to Dominate them for 10 seconds.
Soul Ignition
Requires: 20 Focus
This forces enemies into leaking energy from their soul which catches fire and burns all enemies within the area-of-effect.
Pain Link
Requires: 20 Focus
With this spell, the caster can deal 25% of the damage dealt to the primary target to all nearby targets for 18 seconds.
Secret Horrors
Requires: 20 Focus
This spell Frightens and Sickens enemies for 15 seconds.
Fractured Volition
Requires: 20 Focus
This spell Hobbles and Weakens enemies for 12 seconds and increases Accuracy by +10.
Level 4
Wild Leech
Requires: 25 Focus
This spell allows the Cipher to steal 10 Points of a random attribute from an enemy and grants it to the Cipher.
Body Attunement
Requires: 25 Focus
This allows the Cipher steal 7 Points from the Damage Reduction of enemies and granting them to the Cipher for 15 seconds.
Silent Scream
Requires: 25 Focus
This spell stuns the targeted enemies and deals damage to all nearby enemies for 6 seconds and also contains the chances to cause an Interrupt.
Mind Lance
Requires: 25 Focus
This spell does Pierce Damage to all enemies within the area-of-effect and contains chances to cause an Interrupt.
Pain Block
Requires: 25 Focus
This allows a targeted ally to regain +10 Damage Reduction and +66.7 Endurance over 20 seconds.
Level 5
Borrowed Instinct
Requires: 30 Focus
This is a neat little spell which causes the caster to gain +20 Melee Accuracy, +20 Ranged Accuracy, +20 Deflection, +20 Fortitude, +20 Reflex, and +20 Will for 15 seconds.
Tactical Meld
Requires: 30 Focus
This connects the minds of the caster to an ally and increases Damage by +20 when attacking the same enemy who is also being attacked by the connected ally.
Detonate
Requires: 30 Focus
This deals massive Raw Damage to all the targeted enemies with enemies with low Endurance exploding and dealing damage to all nearby enemies.
Ringleader
Requires: 30 Focus
This allows all the targeted enemies to be Dominated for 10 seconds and Charming all nearby foes.
Level 6
Mind Plague
Requires: 35 Focus
This leaves all the targeted enemies Confused and Dazed for 18 seconds before leaping to additional five enemies.
Amplified Wave
Requires: 35 Focus
This area-of-effect spell deals 25-32 Crush Damage to anyone within the 8.0m radius for 4 seconds.
Disintegration
Requires: 35 Focus
This deals 25 Raw Damage for 15 seconds and drops down the Endurance to 0.
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