On that subject, I actually do lean heavily into barrier! But, I've found that the "Max Barrier" stat is really...weird. Like mine is currently 188,000. I haven't gotten close to that in the many, MANY hours I've played this game so far! Enemies just tear through barrier I build using Tornado Kick and such like tissue paper in the same round I'm building them! I think the highest I've built was something like 40,000-50,000 and that was because I was just farming some lower realm monsters. I personally don't think it's tuned well. I've even got extra barrier on my techniques!
On the subject of Fist being bursty specifically, I guess I can see why it would be from one side with the Flow --> Massive Hit pipeline. I build something entirely opposite, though! I fell in love with Ripple Fist. Don't ask me why, I just love that and acupoint-style combat. Always have! My xianxia fantasy is the acupoint badass doctor! So, I tried to go a different direction with barrier and Ripple Fist generation into Deadly Force buffing for kind of like "outlasting" fights? Similar in style to how a xianxia doctor would fight. I do with Ripple Fist had more support in the movesets, though! I keep opening crystals hoping to see something and it's usually just more Flow support. Makes me a little sad since Ripple Fist does seem like a really cool path to go down!
Oh! Quick question! Can we make multiple characters? Or will the data of our original get erased? I didn't see a "Load Game" in the main menu or "Save" options in the game itself, so I thought I'd ask! I wanted to go back and try out a different type of cultivation from the beginning with what I know now, but I don't want to lose my original character! I don't want to risk it and try without asking and lose the 40 hours I've easily put into my first character already!
You can make multiple characters, just click new game and then when you click continue in the future it'll so all your created ones.
As for fist specific help, come onto the discord. There's always people willing to help with stances. Barrier can get stacked really high when you start combining various multipliers, like buffs to power, fist boost, and crit. In fact late qi condensation you should be able to max out your barrier each round. Again, how to get there requires all sorts of optimisations. Ripple Fist is also a very strong buff, hence it doesn't have a huge amount of techniques that can build it. But you can get it on masteries, which can help with stacking it fast.
