Build:Maximum P O K E

Full Build Details
Converting followers

As a new convert yourself, you must see every enemy as a potential target of your glorious P O K E philosophy. Poke them prolifically my sons and daughters. They all want to feel the icy sting of your dagger sink into their back (or front) they just don't know it yet

Damage Calculations from Gear TOTAL POKE ~ 112% increased physical damage
 * Armor + backpack: 47% physical damage
 * Passives: 55% physical damage
 * if Calygrey Bone Cage: 10% physical damage

Damage Calculations with buffs(excluding varnishes) TOTAL POKE ~ 162% increased physical damage
 * Armor + backpack: 47% physical damage
 * Passives: 55% physical damage
 * if Calygrey Bone Cage: 10% physical damage
 * Amplified Discipline: 30% physical damage
 * Physical Attack Up: 20% physical damage


 * Pain: -25% physical resistance
 * Damascene or Masterpiece axe: 25% increased weapon skill damage

~ fully buffed and with Pain/Confusion: Damage example: Opportunist Stab does 852 damage, without varnishes, against Ash Giant Highmonk. That's a healthy amount of damage to "convert" anyone. Damage example: Backstab does 726 damage, without varnishes, against Ash Giant Highmonk.

Gearing up: the beginning This is ultimately a late game build but lets run through what you can do before then:
 * get Talus Cleaver, it applies pain and is pretty good for early game before we have to take it off our action bar
 * create an early Scaled Leather Set and substitute elemental resistance with potions.
 * use whatever MH weapon you want, I recommend Fang Axe -> Tuanosaur Axe or if you'd rather go Two-handed; Tuanosaur Greataxe

Getting a good early dagger:
 * upon leaving Cierzo you can run yourself over to the Royal Manticore's Lair kill the Manticore inside, and acquire a Manticore Tail. (dont worry if you can't kill the Manticore yourself, the Troglodytes in the lair will attack him if they are near enough, get some cheeky hits in while they do, but be careful). Mine the Palladium Vein in the Royal Manticore's Lair for Palladium Scrap. Once you have the Manticore tail and the palladium, craft yourself a nifty Manticore Dagger.
 * for easy Pain and Confusion debuff application head to Levant and get Cannon Pistol and Shatter Bullet. You will use this combo before most fights to apply your debuffs until you can get Maelstrom Blade + Puncture.

Gearing up: Avenger's Endgame - no enchants are required for your armor
 * Zagis' Set will replace your scaled leather pieces
 * Slayer’s Boots are a slight upgrade
 * Brigand’s Backpack for even for physical dmg %. Ask for Storage from the Friendly Immaculate in Caldera.
 * Old Sirocco is an easy place to farm yourself a Damascene Axe or Masterpiece Axe if you're a legacy character. Once Old Sirocco is hostile, make sure you have no active timed quests and assist Josef Dumas in helping "build" your city. The 7 days will reset Old Sirocco, allowing you to loot the Ornate Chest to the right of entrance repeatedly.
 * once you've killed enough mid level bosses, craft yourself a Maelstrom Blade and train in Puncture. At this point you can ditch the Cannon Pistol and swap to your Damascene Axe when using your Dagger skills or after Pain and Confusion are applied.
 * for even more cheeky damage you can create a split and give yourself a Calygrey Bone Cage you got on an alt.

The Pièce de Résistance:
 * the strongest dagger you'll ever need: Rondel Dagger. Enchant that baby with Unsuspected Strength and it now does a whopping 55 base damage! for a dagger! Weapon skills use base weapon damage for their calculations (before adding on other modifiers). That's a whole lotta P O K E.

Passives are Key your physical strength comes from hard work and determination... but mainly it comes from these cool ass passives that say "...increases damage"
 * Shamanic Resonance to buff your Boons.
 * Alchemical Experiment cause what's the harm in a little alchemy in our new religion.
 * Kirouac's Breakthrough cause you're so damned Heroic.
 * Brawns do you even lift... yourself above the peasants who dont believe in the glory of P O K E?

other notable passives
 * Fitness
 * Efficiency
 * Peacemaker Elixir (skill)
 * Armor Training

Combos
if you can knock them down, the damage from your gun and Backstab will most likely kill anything small when using your Damascene Axe or Masterpiece Axe.

Strike 2 times with Maelstrom Blade and a third with Puncture to apply Pain and Confusion, swap to your axe, preform a Serpent's Parry into Backstab and then Opportunist Stab for massive damage, then repeat the combo until serpents parry comes off CD.