Powerful build: at what level?

[Deleted Member 16721]

I could care less about "builds", I just make things that are interesting to me, generally trying to pick more obscure options to try and tread a road less traveled. Just for fun. That's why in Kingmaker I made a 5 Archaeologist/4 Rogue/6 Dragon Disciple. Not some perfect min/max build (which I never ever do) but it's fun and interesting to me. Min/maxing is just boring to me, the whole point of an RPG is to flex your creativity with the tools given to you and to just do things that you find interesting. At least, for me it is, your mileage may vary. Creativity, freedom - both very important aspects in RPGs to me.

 

[SymbolicFrank]

I agree. Although I tend to try to make all party members as much as I envision them.

But that doesn't mean, that I won't regret making level-up decisions that don't help with that. Like, armor focus on a cleric, instead of extra channels. I mean, yes, in the long run, it doesn't matter, but it bothers me.

I do like classless systems more, as that allows me to make them exactly as I envision them, instead of picking the best class package available, that won't hurt their abilities. Like the BAB, caster level and animal companion level treadmills (if you start one of those, you should finish them).

 

[luj1]

I feel overanalyzing this topic is causing a counter productive effect. RPGs are best enjoyed spontaneously and without metagaming.

 

[luj1]

... I just make things that are interesting to me, generally trying to pick more obscure options...

this tbh

 

[SymbolicFrank]

I feel overanalyzing this topic is causing a counter productive effect. RPGs are best enjoyed spontaneously and without metagaming.

So, why would you replay any game? Because, it isn't new anymore. And, I assume winning, or at least, playing well aren't part of it?

This kind of focus is encouraging to play any game once, on "story mode".

 

[BING XI LAO]

reddit spacing

 

[SymbolicFrank]

I feel overanalyzing this topic is causing a counter productive effect. RPGs are best enjoyed spontaneously and without metagaming.

"WTF am I reading"

Yes, I did read the first post of "How to play an RPG". And the "Increase difficulty" point opposes all the others. Try to be consistent.

 

[SymbolicFrank]

Just imagine you are a freshly created super-AI and you just got let loose on the internet with the task to learn human behaviour by mimicing ordinary chat and forum users.

And now consider how the internet looks like when you're just a really smart human being. The signal-to-noise level is appalling.

 

[Fairfax]

I'm a Grognard

 

[Funposter]

reddit spacing

well spotted

 

[luj1]

Yes, I did read the first post of "How to play an RPG". And the "Increase difficulty" point opposes all the others. Try to be consistent.

Read the first rule again. Use your intelligence, you are not dumb. If something is hard just adapt and modify your build. Not like your character is immediately broken after the first obstacle.

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

To be honest, I've never played an RPG where my build became so broken I couldn't finish the game. Okay, one time it happened actually, my first time with Icewind Dale. I had poorly built characters and the Ynuxomei battle was just brutal. I probably could have beaten it but I decided to re-roll and start over and it became easier after that. But generally there aren't many CRPGs that I've played where a "bad build" just creates a complete fail-state for you. You can play to your strengths and learn the synergy of your group or character, and make it work. If you use your brain you can figure things out and overcome the challenges, and that's a huge part of the fun of it.

 

[SymbolicFrank]

To be honest, I've never played an RPG where my build became so broken I couldn't finish the game. Okay, one time it happened actually, my first time with Icewind Dale. I had poorly built characters and the Ynuxomei battle was just brutal. I probably could have beaten it but I decided to re-roll and start over and it became easier after that. But generally there aren't many CRPGs that I've played where a "bad build" just creates a complete fail-state for you. You can play to your strengths and learn the synergy of your group or character, and make it work. If you use your brain you can figure things out and overcome the challenges, and that's a huge part of the fun of it.

According to Josh, it is what happens to most people who aren't min-maxing Grognards. They get destroyed by the game, because it is too hard for them. He says he has seen this many times.

On the other hand, again according to Josh, most cRPG games aren't hard enough to punish people who fuck up their build. That's why he wanted the excessive difficulties (path of the damned, heart of fury), so he could have fun with his own games. And "forgetting" that those difficulties, when started with a level 1 party (the less party members, the better), actually make the game much easier in the long run. Because you need to reward those players with vastly more XP and superior loot!

Right?

Yes, really. Ask Roguey.