Gothic 2's combat learning curve and general tips

[Lilura]

No offense but it honestly sounds like you just sort of suck at the game.

Nah, I just know the ranged exploits from having put many hours into the game. I don't deny I've used them, but I don't need to rely on cheese due to lack of skill.

The ranged exploit is also hard to not exploit, its natural for an archer to want to get vertical clearance. Just because the AI is shit and can't always get up doesn't mean I'm gonna jump down and let them hack me up.

 

[nomask7]

Just a minor guibble but, this isn't a strategy game, so the AI isn't meant to be super realistic and super awesome. Part of the fun in games is that you can game them. It's like gaming bitches, really, so it's not that unrealistic looked at in this way. The same way you can short circuit a bitch you can short circuit an orc sometimes. It brings variety and a means to occasionally accomplish things when you have no other means.

Also, if games like this were realistic in terms of AI ability, you'd be hacked to death pretty soon no matter what you did. You'd never be able to beat the game in this life as an ordinary mortal.

 

[Lilura]

Watching the orc pathfinding routines is pretty interesting, you can see that every so often they reset, which I guess is to "unstuck" them from geometry and explains going from twitching violently against a wall to climbing it.

When you played a game for a while and know it intimately, its hard to be immersed anymore and not treat it mechanically.

 

[Correct_Carlo]

Most would probably disagree, but I say use permanent stat boosts as you find them. Gothic 2's difficulty is entirely front loaded so trying to power game it is completely counterproductive. There's all sorts of things that will kill you early on, but a reasonably well-built character should be able to handle everything that the end game throws at you by mid game or so (and once you get Beliar's claw from the expansion content you're pretty over powered anyway). I played this for the first time ever last year and I horded all of my permanent stat boosting items until I would get the best value out of them, but by the time I ended up using them I could already kill basically everything with little problem so I didn't even feel like I really needed them anymore. So I ended up feeling kind of silly for hording as I imagine all those permanment stat boosts might have made the early portions of the game slightly easier/shorter.

Plus, unless you are an OCD freak do not feel the need to clear out every map before starting the next chapter. You really don't even have to engage non-quest related animals in chapter 1 if you don't want to--just run away. There's more than enough experience just from doing main/side quests and killing whatever animals get in your way that you really don't need to grind for grinding's sake. I'd just recommend finishing chapter 1 as quickly as possible (which is really easy to do provided you don't want to be a rebel or a mage) and getting to the expansion content as that's where all the easier monsters to kill are located, along with a whole bunch of easier quests.

 

[Cyberarmy]

I finally got Gothic 2 working on my PC so I gave it a go and played for a few hours. I was mainly just exploring and along the way discovered I'm absolutely shit at swinging a sword (or at first, a heavy branch). Especially if I'm facing more than one enemy. I assume it's supposed to be challenging but do you guys have any advice so that two flying insects don't completely rape away my manhood?

So far, I love the surplus options right from the start regarding entering the city. I bought the pass off of that one douche on a log but then loaded an old save to find other ways. I started working on a farm and that's where I'm at now, trying to track down a merchant with a frying pan for the rude farmer's wife. My goal is to join the militia/king's guard.

So yeah, I'm open to any newbie tips/suggestions and just curious about what you enjoy in Gothic 2. I've been told I should start with the first one but I had already purchased 2 and its expansion (blind buy) some time ago.

Use parry moves against humans and look for an opening to strike. İf they charge get out of their way and try to stab a few times from back. Time your moves too, dont give them a chance to hit you, you are very very vulnerable at start. Most of them can kill/stun you in two successful hits.
Against beast try to time your back-hop. Each beast have different kinds of attack, wolves and snappers easily eat you if you stand when they attack with their ultra bite speed. Just hope back when they try to attack and swing 1/2 times (1 if you want to be safe) And mostly use bows/xbows while hunting beasts. İf you want to be paladin, you'll get some good damaging nukes at mid game. Usefull against orcs.
There are some beasts that you should stay away as a newbie till you get some good armor and weapon. Like shadowbeasts and lizards.
Orcs are easy, they always charge you if you are away from their swing distance. Just sidestep and attack from behind and get back. Don't get caught to their combos, that hurt even in late game.
Don't be stingy with your consumables, eat and drink as you like. Game has lots of them anyway and you are going to have enough money to buy shitloads of potions at later stages. And save any stat uprading food after skills get past 1LP=1SP but you don't really hold onto them till late game. You become godly after best armor and weapons already and paladin weapons dont need high stats.

After learn tactics for each enemy and get some decent weapons game'll get easier. But one simple mistake always led to your ruin in Gothic games. Don't get over confident

Edit: And become skinners appereantice when you had the chance, good profit for all along.