Underrail: The Incline Awakens

[ST'Ranger]

You are the one who is min-maxing a character for powergaming reasons, and then calling them a scientist.

 

[FeelTheRads]

I'm happy to hear that a veteran player can craft better shields than a level 9 character.

What? Is that sarcasm?
It just surprises me you said that looked like an end game item because then it means what you can craft later must be insane.

I might've overstated the "much better shields looted" part, but they're pretty close. Yeah, most were high frequency, but that's what I wanted anyway.

 

[hell bovine]

You are the one who is min-maxing a character for powergaming reasons, and then calling them a scientist.

Why the surprise? Your argument that one doesn't "need" more intelligence is that the crafting feats don't require more. I'll just repeat myself:

Frankly, for a scientist I want to see a 10+ intelligence genius build, instead of the usual 7 intelligence plus crafting.

If you are dropping the intelligence of your science guy, because you just want to take advantage of crafting feats, well, that's what a lot of build are doing. Nothing special about that.

 

[Gord]

It's not about semantics; I'd really want to hear what makes this character a "scientist" rather than a gunslinger/grenadier/psi user who takes advantage of crafting.
EDIT: For me a scientist in a RPG game is a character created with high intelligence, and not dropped to 7, because "one only needs 7" for crafting feats.

Well, I had a similar idea and made a char with 10 Int. I guess it gives some nice bonuses to crafting skills and my original plan was using chemical and energy pistols (inspired a bit by one of PopeAmole's videos). Also some hacking for good measure.
Ultimately I found myself playing mostly with SMGs and Sniper Rifles, though. They are simply much better than Chemical and Energy Pistols (at least so far).
That might change if I ever get access to high-quality chem/energy weapons but that hasn't happened so far - despite good crafting skills. The parts are just too rare.

 

[hell bovine]

It's not about semantics; I'd really want to hear what makes this character a "scientist" rather than a gunslinger/grenadier/psi user who takes advantage of crafting.
EDIT: For me a scientist in a RPG game is a character created with high intelligence, and not dropped to 7, because "one only needs 7" for crafting feats.

Well, I had a similar idea and made a char with 10 Int. I guess it gives some nice bonuses to crafting skills and my original plan was using chemical and energy pistols (inspired a bit by one of PopeAmole's videos). Also some hacking for good measure.
Ultimately I found myself playing mostly with SMGs and Sniper Rifles, though. They are simply much better than Chemical and Energy Pistols (at least so far).
That might change if I ever get access to high-quality chem/energy weapons but that hasn't happened so far - despite good crafting skills. The parts are just too rare.

Actually, I was thinking (but only thinking, I really don't have time to play another character ), about using a mix of guns, traps and grenades, but without focusing too much on them. Instead it would be sky high intelligence and crafting feats; the trick would be figuring the right combination of items, instead of going for that "maximal criticals" plasma pistols. He would be lacking in AP, an his chance to hit would probably not stellar, but whatever.

 

[ST'Ranger]

I think this might be a misunderstanding, hell bovine. Your points imply that you're under the impression I made that post to inform the hardened veterans of the thread how to craft items. While I realize that a lot of what goes on here is brofist harvesting and/or vets bitching to each other about DC, pretty much every new player to Underrail is going to read this thread (yes, even if they can't brofist your amazing posts) - just like they would have read the early access thread in the past. Not all but most of my posts in both threads were aimed at helping newer or lesser experienced players, answering questions people had about quests or builds etc.

Also, you'll note that isn't the "surprise" emote, though I was definitely surprised you'd say such a thing. If I was powergaming, I'd never post about anything except PSICON and SMG users. Taking a scientist through the game isn't about powergaming, it's about being able to make and use every cool piece of gear available in the game - and starting strong in it right out the gate. If you think some arbitrary number decides whether something is a scientist or not, then you're free to make a 10 INT character and max INT to 18. I'm just using nomenclature that everyone is familiar with.

 

[Blaine]

I certainly hope new players won't be reading all this rubbish. It's 150 pages of spoilers sandwiched between stupid arguments.

 

[ST'Ranger]

Unfortunately that's the state of the thread what with mostly us vets posting.

 

[Old One]

A quick question about JKK missions:

Spoiler

Is there any more to this Vivian Young line? I got back to HQ to meet her for our "date" but she's apparently met some grim fate while I was gone. Her father also denies being her father. It feels like I missed something, or else there are some issues that remain unresolved.

Also, I have to say I enjoyed the conversation with "professor" Hack. I've gone through it twice now, and it's made me laugh both times, which is impressive.

 

[Coyote]

So how many of the Pers/Intim options are fake? I'm convinced that at least a couple of them must be, but for others I'm not sure if my skill was just too low.

Spoiler

Lost Train, guy who sets TNT; the Faceless at Buzzer's shop. I can intimidate both, I had 75, didn't work. For the latter, it makes sense to me that I can't intimidate the guy, but for the former I'm not sure.

Spoiler

• I don't think you can intimidate Mordre, even if you wait until later in the game when it becomes relevant.
• There's a persuasion check to get Gorsky to give you the GMS keycard while he's still in SGS, but you can pass it with 0 persuasion (and you can also get it via the guy who's dissecting a burrower on Agronomy/Pens).
• Elwood can't be intimidated into giving up his keycard.
• Using either of the persuasion options when trying to convince the SGS leaders to help the Black Eels is unnecessary: you'll fail if you don't have enough skill, whereas they'll promise their aid if you say that you're going to leave the politics to them (at least after Gorsky leaves, though I can't imagine that it would play out differently otherwise, given that he's the strongest proponent of helping the Eels).

 

[Lord Andre]

Smart modules and psi band enhancements are killing me. I find worse stuff in shops now then I have on crafted gear from 5 levels ago. It's like the RNG knows my build and decided to fuck me up the ass. I'm still wooping niggers' asses in the street so don't really need the gear upgrade but my OCD is triggered...

 

[Tito Anic]

A quick question about JKK missions:

As far as i know - no

 

[Blackmill]

What's the

Spoiler

Mutagen Puzzle

that people have been referring to? I think I completely missed it even though I finished the game.

 

[Gord]

Spoiler

Problem is, I solved that quest ages ago, so I can't really see all the pitfalls a fresh player might run into.

Spoiler

I don't think there are any. You know that Faceless attacked Core City, so it's your next stop. You know they are looking for some kind of object (if you talked with Dude).
When you arrive in Core City pretty much everyone tell you to go see Arena. After that, Garry tells you to get support from one of the oligarchs.

The problem is that no one tells you how its tied to the main quest, unless you saved Buzzer. Tanner will recommend seeking help from one of the factions in order to find Cornell.

I guess that if

Spoiler

you saved Buzzer it's mostly ok, since you are directed towards CC.
Personally I think the integration of the Arena into the MQ is not very elegant, as there might be players that don't consider their Char an potential Gladiator and thus wouldn't consider doing something that by all means looks like a typical side-quest to earn some money (yeah, sometimes I larp a bit around character concepts, sue me).
But Arena aside, it's all pretty clear.

The real problem happens when Buzzer dies. Unless you do get a hint after all that Foundry is where you should go (and I just missed that hint), the MQ will likely come to a halt at that point (it sure did for me). CC might seem obvious at first, but you can't continue the MQ there, as the whole Cornell/Acid Hunter plot will not trigger if Buzzer is dead.
Instead you need to go to Foundry, talk to the Mayor and the Chief (twice actually, since they will refuse anything the first time) and then solve their little Faceless issue to pick up the loose thread of the MQ again.
The quest in Foundry itself is fine, but the connection needs to be improved.
Something like a dialogue with inhabitants of RC how Buzzer did some business with a group of shady people that afterwards travelled to Foundry or something (and a journal entry) might suffice.

 

[oneself]

How does one deal with industrial bots as a PSI build? My salty tears aren't making them go away.

And don't say grenades. Those hands have never clutched anything.

 

[Blaine]

How does one deal with industrial bots as a PSI build? My salty tears aren't making them go away.

And don't say grenades. Those hands have never clutched anything.

Proxied Implosion and Telekinetic Punch despite its massive damage reductions, then lots of Electrokinesis and strategically-placed Electrokinetic Imprints.

There are only about three of them in DC and I've never seen them respawn, so an extended battle is a-okay in my books.

 

[oneself]

How does one deal with industrial bots as a PSI build? My salty tears aren't making them go away.

And don't say grenades. Those hands have never clutched anything.

Proxied Implosion and Telekinetic Punch despite its massive damage reductions, then lots of Electrokinesis and strategically-placed Electrokinetic Imprints.

There are only about three of them in DC and I've never seen them respawn, so an extended battle is a-okay in my books.

What about plasma sentries. Shields eats up everything.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

I figured out the

Spoiler

mushroom forest

completely by accident. Think I went to pour some coffee and came back and saw the little cutscene. Yeah it's not a good "puzzle". And separate from that, the area itself isn't very fun.

 

[Blaine]

What's the

Spoiler

Mutagen Puzzle

that people have been referring to? I think I completely missed it even though I finished the game.

Spoiler

There are a total of sixteen mutagen canisters designated Echo-1 through Solis-2 scattered around Deep Caverns, usually in groups of two to four, and two crucial terminals/consoles containing hints: the first explaining how to combine the mutagens based on their atom sequences (using negative atoms to eliminate positive, etc.), the second explaining that one particular combination is lethal to any organism. Once the player figures out what the puzzle is all about, uses scientific equipment to discover the mutagens' sequences, and has an idea what the target sequence is, he can solve it.

In fact, I have all the pieces of the puzzle assembled and decoded and am preparing to gas Serbia right this moment. All that remains is some trial-and-error.

Massive puzzle spoiler

 

[ArchAngel]

How does one deal with industrial bots as a PSI build? My salty tears aren't making them go away.

And don't say grenades. Those hands have never clutched anything.

Proxied Implosion and Telekinetic Punch despite its massive damage reductions, then lots of Electrokinesis and strategically-placed Electrokinetic Imprints.

There are only about three of them in DC and I've never seen them respawn, so an extended battle is a-okay in my books.

What about plasma sentries. Shields eats up everything.

Emp Grenade.

 

[oneself]

How does one deal with industrial bots as a PSI build? My salty tears aren't making them go away.

And don't say grenades. Those hands have never clutched anything.

Proxied Implosion and Telekinetic Punch despite its massive damage reductions, then lots of Electrokinesis and strategically-placed Electrokinetic Imprints.

There are only about three of them in DC and I've never seen them respawn, so an extended battle is a-okay in my books.

What about plasma sentries. Shields eats up everything.

Emp Grenade.

I know that one. But that is not the answer I was looking for. What else.

 

[Blaine]

Proxied Telekinetic Punch WRECKS Plasma Sentries, because their shields are able to absorb very little of the low-impact mechanical damage. Works best at high skill obviously, but I can one-hit them every time if I catch them with their shields down, and often even with their shields up.

Also, Electrokinesis seems to do enough damage at high skill to blow at least partway through their shields.

I'm surprised you reached DC without having had to deal with sentries already.

 

[oneself]

Proxied Telekinetic Punch WRECKS Plasma Sentries, because their shields are able to absorb very little of the low-impact mechanical damage Works best at high skill obviously, but I can one-hit them every time if I catch them with their shields down, and often even with their shields up.

You throw one in three turns. Right now I am at RAF and they comes in groups of 3-4 for 3-4 waves.

 

[Blaine]

Ah, that place. I used Hacking to deactivate the alert.

In that case, I'm not sure. Destroying a dozen of them in rapid succession would be a tall order for any build. "Use EMPs" is shitty advice, since with bad Throwing grenades can bounce backwards, ricochet off the floor and hit you in the face, fly out the door, et cetera, and then after you trash your own shield with a bad throw or whatever you still have to wait out the cooldown. I can only imagine the people recommending them have save scumming in mind.

What I would do in that situation is hold out for as long as possible, abusing LOS, slinging Electrokinesis, Electrokinetic Imprint, and Proxied Telekinetic Punch when possible, Force Field as often as possible to grant respite, chow down liberally on drugs, boosters, and hypos, and then finally, if necessary, abuse the exits.

Yes, despite Styg's extensive safeguards to prevent exit cheesing, exits can nevertheless be abused to recharge shields, psi points, etc., as long as you weather the initial enemy salvo upon reentry. It's how I trashed Fort Apogee, so far the only time I've abused exits in my playthrough. Even better, the enemies' debuffs, any still-active Force Fields, etc. will remain as they were.

 

[oneself]

Ah, that place. I used Hacking to deactivate the alert.

I could've. Didn't do it because I wanted the oddity. Can't do it anymore.

Also there is no exit unfortunately and Nevil is of no help whatsoever.

Praying for a miracle.