1) The way skill checks work in conversation feels annoying. If I don't have enough strength to pick a certain option, don't even show me that option. It feels like the game is constantly taunting you to spread your karma points around but then punishes you if you do so as that makes your character significantly less viable in combat.
Yeah i am not a fan of that too. Funny thing the editor actually gives you the option to hide lines when you don't meet their skill reqs.
I would prefer if it was hidden but it didn't detract my experience.
2) There's one optimal character build: Rifles, rifles, rifles. Long range? Carry a sniper rifle. Short range, grab an AR and then switch to a minigun. All the other weapon types are subpar compared to rifles.
Not really, no. While rifles are great at medium distances, they get a accuracy penalty up close, where most of the combat takes place, where pistols and submachine guns have higher THC.
Until the Apex mission rifles are the least damaging weapon. The
Colt m23 does 15dmg while the
Enfield AS-7 Shotgun does 18dmg, the
SCK model 100 Submachine gun does 22dmg (2 bullets per 1 AP) and finnaly the
Ruger Super Warhawk Pistol does 16dmg. Then you get you buy the
Ares Alpha that offers 17dmg, placing rifles on the 3rd spot for most damaging gun.
I used to love rifles, they are pretty cool. They are reliable and predictable, the perfect choice for someone who is just starting with his first character and wants to play it safe.
Sitting in the back popping baddies in the head. While there is nothing wrong with such strategy its far from being optimal. In the director's cut, flanking is where the damage is, and the easier way to flank someone is getting up close and personal, where you don't want to bring a rifle. You are going not only going to be less likely to hit you are also going to do less damage. Try making a submachinegun sammy with hight crits, you will never want those rifles back.
They tried to fix this by introducing weapon variety like tasers in the pistol group, or accuracy/different firing modes to some shotguns. Still, what's the point of tasing someone when you can unload full auto on him and kill him outright or in 2 rounds.
The point of tasing someone is that not every enemy goes down in 2 rounds, like bosses and the like. Thats why you have spells like confusion, blindness, petrify and ap draining like lightning balls and bolts. The taser is also very useful. -2ap, of if you score a critical, -6ap may stun your enemy helpless, removing his cover and making him flanked. Now your whole party can have a blast.
Buffs are nice but redundant when you've cyberware and stims.
No they are not, specially when they stack.
Mages damage output shines only for a brief moment in the mid-game and then falls behind again.
There is more to mages than damage, they are also able to provide buffs like accuracy and armor, debuffs like strip armor and distraction.
The AOE spells are incredible useful. Being able to damage 5 opponents at once with a fireball/lightning bolt is damn useful through the whole game.
You can't do that with a rifle.
My street samurai rifleman troll, while very useful, can't hold a candle to this gal.
Chi Focus grants me 2 attacks with 100% of getting a critical. 48 damage for 2 ap was something i got used to.
Shamans suck a bit as there's only a handful useful conjuring spells and spirits are too unreliable unless you pick the creator totem (which is one of the few useful totems in the game, by the way). Deckers are plain bad and matrix segments don't really justify having them around if you ignore story fluff. Riggers scale weirdly but are still worse than other choices and if the drones are gone they're dead weight.
Shamans are a supportive class, but they can still be very useful if built carefully. Their summons are great, they can turn the tide of a battle, yes there is a risk, which is rather small, but i still would take a summon over a drone.
The Deckers suck? Well they look pretty good in the Matrix, where they are suposed to be good. Yes they are never going to be as good in combat as a street samurai, but you can hardly expect that. Still they can be useful with their Mark Target thing.
Riggers look powerful to me. Never played one but my brother does. Losing 1 Ap for another 2 sounds nice. Using ducts to get unexpected flanking shoots is great too.
If i had to play a solo challenge i would probably bring some drones.
I played through this game on hard
Pussy, play it on very hard.
Probably won't make much difference, i haven't tried other diffculties.
