Pillars of Eternity II Fig Update #1: Funded! Subclasses Stretch Goal, Character Import Details
Pillars of Eternity II Fig Update #1: Funded! Subclasses Stretch Goal, Character Import Details
Game News - posted by Infinitron on Sat 28 January 2017, 00:03:03
Tags: Josh Sawyer; Obsidian Entertainment; Pillars of Eternity II: DeadfireThe Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Fig campaign reached its base funding goal of $1.1M today, 23 hours after launching. Although Obsidian weren't caught flatfooted without any stretch goals ready like back in 2012, it took them a while to write the first update. It's here now, with a celebratory Josh Sawyer video and details on the first stretch goal. If the campaign reaches $1.4M of funding, they'll add subclasses (kits, basically) to the game's character system.
Subclasses are similar to kits in 2nd Edition AD&D (featured in Baldur's Gate 2). Our focus has been to give a different flavor to a class through specialization. We want each subclass to do something cool and distinctive that also has a built-in trade-off compared to the base class and other subclasses. For example, if you remember Zahua from The White March, you may recall that he was a drug-addled/enlightened monk of the Nalpazca. If subclasses are funded,you may select the Nalpazca as one of two Philosophies (monk subclasses). The Nalpazca gain greater benefits from using drugs, but their Wound threshold is increased while under the influence.
One of the most popular ranger subclasses on the team is the Ghost Heart Lodge. All Ghost Hearts travel the wilds of Eora alone, their animal companions having died at some time in the past. However, the bond between the ranger and their companion is so strong that the soul of the animal remains tethered to the ranger through the Between. While a Ghost Heart does not have their companion available at all times, they may be summoned as a ghostly Spirit during combat for a short duration. This companion is not considered a Beast, so spells like a druid's Charm Beasts and Hold Beasts will have no effect on it, but a paladin's Abjuration can badly damage or even banish it immediately.
The update also explains how character importing from the first game will work, confirming that imported Watchers will be reset to level 1.
Now, on to importing your PoE1 character! At the start of Deadfire, you will have the option to import a special end of game save from Pillars of Eternity. This will import your Watcher and the choices that you made in the Dyrwood, including quest states, conversation choices, and how you personally dealt with your companions, friends, foes, and orlan babies. The save game is cross platform compatible, so you will be able to import from Mac to Linux, Gog to Steam, etc. This is the first time that the Obsidian team has the freedom to explore this type of cross game reactivity and progression, and we are very excited to add long term choice and consequence to Deadfire.
To address three common questions:
What if my dear friend Aloth "fell" into a Skaenite blood pool?
If you directly or indirectly got a companion killed or never recruited them in your save game, they will not be present in the Deadfire. However...
What if I never played Pillars of Eternity or I want to start a new game with different story states?
During the introduction to the Deadfire, you will be able to establish choices from Pillars of Eternity as though you had played through the game. Importing the save directly is not a requirement for establishing story states.
Am I still 11th/14th/16th level?
As you saw in our intro video, Eothas is very hungry and your soul is delicious. Your Watcher begins again as a level 1 character.
That's kind of a shame. It's been many years since we've had a full-scale high level campaign. Maybe the game will still have a higher level cap than its predecessor did.
Subclasses are similar to kits in 2nd Edition AD&D (featured in Baldur's Gate 2). Our focus has been to give a different flavor to a class through specialization. We want each subclass to do something cool and distinctive that also has a built-in trade-off compared to the base class and other subclasses. For example, if you remember Zahua from The White March, you may recall that he was a drug-addled/enlightened monk of the Nalpazca. If subclasses are funded,you may select the Nalpazca as one of two Philosophies (monk subclasses). The Nalpazca gain greater benefits from using drugs, but their Wound threshold is increased while under the influence.
One of the most popular ranger subclasses on the team is the Ghost Heart Lodge. All Ghost Hearts travel the wilds of Eora alone, their animal companions having died at some time in the past. However, the bond between the ranger and their companion is so strong that the soul of the animal remains tethered to the ranger through the Between. While a Ghost Heart does not have their companion available at all times, they may be summoned as a ghostly Spirit during combat for a short duration. This companion is not considered a Beast, so spells like a druid's Charm Beasts and Hold Beasts will have no effect on it, but a paladin's Abjuration can badly damage or even banish it immediately.
The update also explains how character importing from the first game will work, confirming that imported Watchers will be reset to level 1.
Now, on to importing your PoE1 character! At the start of Deadfire, you will have the option to import a special end of game save from Pillars of Eternity. This will import your Watcher and the choices that you made in the Dyrwood, including quest states, conversation choices, and how you personally dealt with your companions, friends, foes, and orlan babies. The save game is cross platform compatible, so you will be able to import from Mac to Linux, Gog to Steam, etc. This is the first time that the Obsidian team has the freedom to explore this type of cross game reactivity and progression, and we are very excited to add long term choice and consequence to Deadfire.
To address three common questions:
What if my dear friend Aloth "fell" into a Skaenite blood pool?
If you directly or indirectly got a companion killed or never recruited them in your save game, they will not be present in the Deadfire. However...
What if I never played Pillars of Eternity or I want to start a new game with different story states?
During the introduction to the Deadfire, you will be able to establish choices from Pillars of Eternity as though you had played through the game. Importing the save directly is not a requirement for establishing story states.
Am I still 11th/14th/16th level?
As you saw in our intro video, Eothas is very hungry and your soul is delicious. Your Watcher begins again as a level 1 character.
