Underrail: The Incline Awakens

[Parabalus]

Still suffering through stealth/shotty build on DOMINATING. I'm not convinced I can even finish the game like this. Burrowers are practically resistant to my attacks, and there are too many of them to sneak past. I would buy a shield so I could at least resist their ranged attacks but I'm broke. Is Rail Crossing just a bad place to start on this difficulty?

Need you some of those depleted uranium tungsten rounds to punch through their resists, particularly the Warriors. Stealth is good to prepare the battlefield with traps beforehand. Pickpocket is the answer to all early and midgame money troubles; I like to do a grand pickpocket tour shortly after Depot A to get enough money for crafting a good shield and a strong supply of T3-4 nades. Crafted shields are light years cheaper and stronger than ones sold in shops.

Have 0 in both traps and pickpocketing unfortunately. Suppose I can still plant bear traps and frag mines though.

Probably a better idea to go to Core City first, more human enemies there and they give the most loot, plenty of shields there.

 

[Sheepherder]

Still suffering through stealth/shotty build on DOMINATING. I'm not convinced I can even finish the game like this. Burrowers are practically resistant to my attacks, and there are too many of them to sneak past. I would buy a shield so I could at least resist their ranged attacks but I'm broke. Is Rail Crossing just a bad place to start on this difficulty?

I'm playing one myself atm. Did you get SI? On dom non crit shotguns are very lackluster.
If you're using oddity xp, head over to core city and vacuum up all the non combat oddities, then go to foundry and do the same and kill the borers in the mines too for the extra 4 XP. And whatever you do, don't take perfect scattering, it's utter trash.

 

[Alexios]

Still suffering through stealth/shotty build on DOMINATING. I'm not convinced I can even finish the game like this. Burrowers are practically resistant to my attacks, and there are too many of them to sneak past. I would buy a shield so I could at least resist their ranged attacks but I'm broke. Is Rail Crossing just a bad place to start on this difficulty?

I'm playing one myself atm. Did you get SI? On dom non crit shotguns are very lackluster.
If you're using oddity xp, head over to core city and vacuum up all the non combat oddities, then go to foundry and do the same and kill the borers in the mines too for the extra 4 XP. And whatever you do, don't take perfect scattering, it's utter trash.

No to SI - I built a low CON character. Funny you mention that about Perfect Scattering because I'm using a build Fenix posted on the Underrail forums which has it as a selected feat. I have not yet taken it though.

 

[Sheepherder]

Still suffering through stealth/shotty build on DOMINATING. I'm not convinced I can even finish the game like this. Burrowers are practically resistant to my attacks, and there are too many of them to sneak past. I would buy a shield so I could at least resist their ranged attacks but I'm broke. Is Rail Crossing just a bad place to start on this difficulty?

I'm playing one myself atm. Did you get SI? On dom non crit shotguns are very lackluster.
If you're using oddity xp, head over to core city and vacuum up all the non combat oddities, then go to foundry and do the same and kill the borers in the mines too for the extra 4 XP. And whatever you do, don't take perfect scattering, it's utter trash.

No to SI - I built a low CON character. Funny you mention that about Perfect Scattering because I'm using a build Fenix posted on the Underrail forums which has it as a selected feat. I have not yet taken it though.

The feat is shit. It adds 1-2 damage AFTER all the multipliers (weapon skill damage increase, opportunist, sixth shell, barrel stare etc.) take effect, dunno about crit mult. So a 6p shell on average would gain 9 damage, provided all pellets hit and they won't. I tested it on a shooting range target at lvl 22. After 80 shots, no feat - avg damage per pellet was 93, with feat - avg damage per pellet was .... 93.

 

[Alphons]

Underrail wiki is missing a lot of info about Expedition, so I've had a couple questions that I couldn't find an answer for:

-does anything happen if you destroy both Shadowliths, but don't wipe out the natives (another ending)?

-what exactly happens if you steal traitor's radio and turn him in to Briggs (aside from pirates turning hostile)?

 

[Old One]

-what exactly happens if you steal traitor's radio and turn him in to Briggs (aside from pirates turning hostile)?

You upset their plans to abduct the professor, so it never happens. The pirate kidnappers get slaughtered instead. Also, they never block the tunnel leading from the island to their base.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Ultimately, the only thing we're missing at this point is power armor.
Or the ability to add strength enhancing rotors to super steel plate.

 

[Richard Leaks]

-does anything happen if you destroy both Shadowliths, but don't wipe out the natives (another ending)?

They rebuild their society without shadowlith's influence.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

So now you're saying a big challenge needs to be getting thru all this without wiping out the natives, but successfully destroying the shadowliths.

Oh wow Styg is making things tough. What constitutes wiping out the natives?

 

[Sheepherder]

Some screens of shotguns performing on dom. Early game was painful, but after dep a it was mostly smooth sailing.

A mob of Expedition bots.

Spoiler

Before burst.

After burst.

A dreadnought.

Spoiler

Before burst.

After burst.

Not pictured here, bursting down two nagas under the pirate lighthouse and finishing off a third one with a pump shotty. In conclusion, shotguns are at least as powerful as ARs and much more fun.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Damn. Did you just max crits for shotguns?

 

[Sheepherder]

Damn. Did you just max crits for shotguns?

Yeah, with chips and focus stim, the crit chance should be over 95% after I get Scrutinous. One blast from a pump shotty is enough to kill almost everything and if the enemies are close together it's a multikill.

Also, found a bug.

Spoiler

 

[ItsChon]

Yeah, with chips and focus stim, the crit chance should be over 95% after I get Scrutinous. One blast from a pump shotty is enough to kill almost everything and if the enemies are close together it's a multikill.

Yeah, I knew early on that maxing crit on shotguns is undoubtedly the way to go. Great build brother, hopefully you'll grace us with more screenshots.

 

[Sheepherder]

Sure thing, here's Fort Apogee, right after I got Scrutinous. Didn't need to use the store, pillars were enough. Did the fight twice for fun.
Some before/after burst screens.

Spoiler

Before

After

Spoiler

Before

After

Spoiler

Before

After

And a very nearly sixth shell one-shot of a dreadnought.

Spoiler

Aftermath

Spoiler

 

[ItsChon]

Sure thing, here's Fort Apogee, right after I got Scrutinous. Didn't need to use the store, pillars were enough. Did the fight twice for fun.

Hot damn, on Dominating too?! I knew Shotguns had potential, but I didn't realize they could be this good. Hats off brother.

 

[Sheepherder]

Thanks. I'll post Tchort and faceless commander once I get to them.

 

[ciox]

Very nice, at what point do you feel confident in no longer using tungsten shells for tough enemies? Is it when you go over a certain damage threshold, or can crit reliably? Doesn't seem like you need anything more than 6p, since you can obliterate dazeable/stunnable enemies with this firepower anyway.

 

[Alphons]

Sure thing, here's Fort Apogee, right after I got Scrutinous. Didn't need to use the store, pillars were enough. Did the fight twice for fun.
Some before/after burst screens.

Spoiler

Before

After

Spoiler

Before

After

Spoiler

Before

After

And a very nearly sixth shell one-shot of a dreadnought.

Spoiler

Aftermath

Spoiler

Does anyone need more evidence why the correct way is to always GAS THE DRONES?

I'm really interested how you do againt Faceless (propably obliterate them, but oh well).

 

[Sheepherder]

Very nice, at what point do you feel confident in no longer using tungsten shells for tough enemies? Is it when you go over a certain damage threshold, or can crit reliably? Doesn't seem like you need anything more than 6p, since you can obliterate dazeable/stunnable enemies with this firepower anyway.

I never did use 3p shells. They would have been nice to have in silent isle at around level 8, but 6p shell DR/DT reduction was enough after that. 3p daze/stun is meh, too unreliable. I don't think one 3p shell can both daze and stun the same target if more then one pellet hit.
Also, my auto shotty burst thc caps at around 55ish and pump shotty caps at 75ish - low thc is much less painful with more pellets. I can occasionally take potshots at max distance targets at 10%thc and still have a reasonable chance of hitting them.

Sure thing, here's Fort Apogee, right after I got Scrutinous. Didn't need to use the store, pillars were enough. Did the fight twice for fun.
Some before/after burst screens.

Spoiler

Before

After

Spoiler

Before

After

Spoiler

Before

After

And a very nearly sixth shell one-shot of a dreadnought.

Spoiler

Aftermath

Spoiler

Does anyone need more evidence why the correct way is to always GAS THE DRONES?

I'm really interested how you do againt Faceless (propably obliterate them, but oh well).

Actually, protectorate would have been a better choice for this build as their store got a new item which increases a gun's damage by 10% for 50 shots. If it stacks multiplicatively with other multiplers then it'd be an insane boost.

 

[Black Angel]

-what exactly happens if you steal traitor's radio and turn him in to Briggs (aside from pirates turning hostile)?

You upset their plans to abduct the professor, so it never happens. The pirate kidnappers get slaughtered instead. Also, they never block the tunnel leading from the island to their base.

What what WHAT??????!!!!

I never identified the traitor in my last playthrough. What the actual fuck???????????

They rebuild their society without shadowlith's influence.

So now you're saying a big challenge needs to be getting thru all this without wiping out the natives, but successfully destroying the shadowliths.

Oh wow Styg is making things tough. What constitutes wiping out the natives?

There are *ending slides* for the Expedition????????????????????

 

[Wunderbar]

There are *ending slides* for the Expedition????????????????????

i too decided to skip DC after finishing expedition content.

 

[Black Angel]

There are *ending slides* for the Expedition????????????????????

i too decided to skip DC after finishing expedition content.

I kind of didn't skip it. To be perfectly honest, in retrospect, I *think* I've been burned out by all the bad things in the Black Sea. The obnoxious swarms, specifically. It all piles up and then before I know it I just leave the playthrough hanging, my character sitting there in the Institute waiting for me to finally get him down that elevator....

But now, I'm currently enjoying Disco Elysium cleansing my palate, so I guess I'll be finishing that playthrough soon.

 

[Sykar]

I see DC is still as disliked as ever.

 

[HoboForEternity]

I see DC is still as disliked as ever.

it's supposed to be dreadful like you're truly in DC. immersive 10/10 i feel like i relate with my character halfway to insanity.

 

[ItsChon]

I see DC is still as disliked as ever.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The two things that make DC suck so hard are the respawning enemies and the lack of an actual city hub with friendly faces. If the Faceless encampment was more than just an encampment, but a place with actual buildings, people to talk to, and quests to do, the monotony of DC combat and drudgery would be alleviated so much. I usually stop at DC because the encounters aren't very fun, and I get tired of fight after fight with no break. The actual Hollow Earth center is very cool, and I wouldn't change the content (I'd make the maze shorter because fuck that shit, and I'd get rid of the aids respawning enemies in the Mushroom forest too, but that's it).