Incline Age of Decadence - Tips, Tricks and Spoilers

[Zed Duke of Banville]

A non-combat playthrough of Age of Decadence is akin to experiencing a computerized gamebook, i.e. a CYOA with the addition of RPG elements such as character stats and inventory. If you choose a combat playthrough for your second attempt, I suggest the Imperial Guard, and this will probably take about twice the amount of time to complete as your non-combat playthrough, with a deep combat system that is somewhat wasted on just a single player-character.

 

[Black Angel]

snip

If this was your first playthrough, I'd recommend going full-combat (Mercenary questline) next, the full-talker (Merchant questline) right after. You would get more familiar with the best thing about the game (combat) and see what different paths has to offer.

Unless you're not that much of a combatfag in the first place.

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

Yeah, of all my playthroughs, the 2 full combat ones (IG and Assassin) were the most entertaining. Being a talker is too much of, click here get teleported here, click here, get killed, put skill points into relevant skills and repeat. Makes you understand why full-talker playstyle was so poorly supported in older titles.

 

[PlanHex]

I think it's all working as intended?
With enough lore and crafting, you should be able to blow up Agathoth to side with Balzaar without fighting, but without CON to withstand Balzaar, I think your only option when siding with Agathoth is to use the spear.

Then I must have reached a dead end - 8/8 in lore/crafting it's still not enough to blow up Agathoth. I don't have the lockpicks skill to get the spear (don't remember how much it was) without passing through the red beams 3 times. And without the spear and without CON, I'm stuck.

Hmm, if you can scrounge up some more points, I think 8/9 or 9/8 can do it, but might be remembering wrong. May also be dependent on your INT...
I'm guessing the 8/8 includes the points gotten at the temple itself?

Can't you pass through the red beams more than 3 times with the use of healing items?

 

[AwesomeButton]

I already left that playthrough, submitted to Agathoth. No, I hadn't enough points for a 9/8 or 8/9, and my INT was 7, the default for a praetor. I guess I could have passed through the beams, but at the time I thought the loss of CON can't be repaired (it did say permanent in the text, I think).

 

[Alpan]

On my current playthrough I've just arrived at Maadoran and am working through the Arena (playing with a combat-focused character for the first time). Can any of the experienced bros here give some tips on how to beat Al-Sahir? No matter what I do, he just chunks me in a turn or two (if I use a bola on my first turn).
I'm an assassin, 5/9/6/8/8/4. Relevant skills are: 6 Dagger, 8 Dodge, 7 Critical Strike, 4 Alchemy and 6 Crafting. I have the Mangudai Ordu Armor equipped (5 DR, no armor penalties). Should I just improve my skills before attempting him again?

 

[AdolfSatan]

You gotta use enhancers for extra ap and as many dirty tricks as you can. Sounds like you're underleveled though.

 

[Üstad]

I'll make 12 str build with atleast 8 con. Of course I'll have to use console for this but I'll remove dexterity for the extra str points, let's see how will it go.

Also I see some of you want to try a throwing build, chakram and pilum has secret passives remember that.

 

[AdolfSatan]

Agesilaus did you try the mods? How are they?

 

[Agesilaus]

Agesilaus did you try the mods? How are they?

Nah I never did. But I have a new laptop now. It's a good excuse to reinstall the game with the mods and give it a spin.

 

[demoman]

On my current playthrough I've just arrived at Maadoran and am working through the Arena (playing with a combat-focused character for the first time). Can any of the experienced bros here give some tips on how to beat Al-Sahir? No matter what I do, he just chunks me in a turn or two (if I use a bola on my first turn).
I'm an assassin, 5/9/6/8/8/4. Relevant skills are: 6 Dagger, 8 Dodge, 7 Critical Strike, 4 Alchemy and 6 Crafting. I have the Mangudai Ordu Armor equipped (5 DR, no armor penalties). Should I just improve my skills before attempting him again?

As it was pointed out above, you are a bit under leveled. Nonetheless, if you wanna keep trying you should use Whetstone your weapon, put the best poison you have on it then reload until you play first.
Use the best Neurostim available to you, position yourself so he cannot reach you immediatly and throw any good acids you have made, bought or found. I don't remember how much DR he has but 2-3 must be enough.
Use anything that you can to delay him, most probably a Bolas or a Bomb, maybe two of them, before he gets close. Then Arterial Strike is your friend. When he is low enough nuke him down with high ACC low DMG attacks (since the acid has hopefully eaten away his DR)

It can probably be done but its gonna take quite a few tries and reloads. Good Luck!

EDIT: IIRC he also uses poisons? Keep a couple of antidotes on you although if you get poisoned twice its probably not gonna go down well for you.

 

[Üstad]

Alright my guy is ready, I'll remove 2 int and add 2 str via console, wish me luck.

 

[Ol' Willy]

EDIT: IIRC he also uses poisons? Keep a couple of antidotes on you although if you get poisoned twice its probably not gonna go down well for you.

AFAIK, everything he uses is poisoned, real pain in the ass.

 

[PlanHex]

On my current playthrough I've just arrived at Maadoran and am working through the Arena (playing with a combat-focused character for the first time). Can any of the experienced bros here give some tips on how to beat Al-Sahir? No matter what I do, he just chunks me in a turn or two (if I use a bola on my first turn).
I'm an assassin, 5/9/6/8/8/4. Relevant skills are: 6 Dagger, 8 Dodge, 7 Critical Strike, 4 Alchemy and 6 Crafting. I have the Mangudai Ordu Armor equipped (5 DR, no armor penalties). Should I just improve my skills before attempting him again?

Maybe try crafting a different armor and try with that, if you can get something with significantly higher vsCS for instance? Otherwise just use all bombs you can find on him and hope he dies, that usually works.

 

[Alpan]

Two more levels in Dagger, a crafted blue steel weapon and +2 AP from neurostimulants did the trick. Great!

 

[Üstad]

Alright my guy is ready, I'll remove 2 int and add 2 str via console, wish me luck.

Okay so here is the update, 1 on 1 fights are easy to beat, but swarms are harder even if they are thrash. Since invested in STR attack oriented character is a must. Ranged enemies are bane of this build because they stagger character make your already meagre amount of action points even less so. I managed to beat al-sahir without bolas but hermon gang was borderline impossible until I invested in alchemy more and liberally used bombs and liquid fires.

Since the game does not allow you to position yourself and throw you swarms of enemies, the game favours DEX builds more than STR builds. It seems getting more damage is not really that valuable as much as multiple aimed attacks stacking, throwing net-bolas and going for executions and being able to use more bombs and other shit due to more action points. Also lot of enemies have high dex, I think majority of soldiers, gangs (squishy assassin types excluded) should have lower dex, for example hermon gang literally alpha strikes you. I know very well we are not supposed to beat every fight but I'm just stating a fact about STR builds.

For now 8-9 dex is optimal if not a must especially for non craft builds due to armor AP limitations. I wonder if we will ever be able to position ourselves after colony ship get finished but I have no hopes.

Anyway I'm gonna make 10 STR double handed axe build with 7 DEX let's see how far will I make it. I'm planning to join boatmen, then betray them for IG, then betray IG for Gaelius will betray him as well if I'm enjoying it. Wish me luck.

 

[agris]

I'm planning to join boatmen, then betray them for IG, then betray IG for Gaelius will betray him as well if I'm enjoying it. Wish me luck.

Miltiades would be proud.

 

[Elhoim]

The betrayal chain I like the most is in the Ordu pass sequence when sent by Gaelius IIRC. There's like 3 or 4 betrayals in a row.

 

[Alpan]

So, about one of the endings:

Spoiler

In the Ascension ending, which one of the seven beings is involved in the final operation? Whose power does the new God exercise? If none of them, where does that power originate from?

I assumed it was Balzaar's power, but there's no characterization in the scene and it is (rather deliberately, I assume) left ambiguous.

Vault Dweller?

 

[Üstad]

Okay so I betrayed boatmen, then betrayed imperial guards then went to harran pass, failed the streetwise check and killed everyone on the harran pass but for what? Only for telling Torghul to go fuck himself.

By the way any way to be preator of house crassus? Without turning Meru into balzaar if there is a way to do so?

 

[shizmoo]

Just beat the game with no dodge or block. Bowmen are beyond annoying with cripple, and rangers in general since its guaranteed damage. Im surprised how much fun and challenging this was, had to reload a lot of some fights and finished others with 1-2 hp. The thieves ambush was a horrible nightmare, didnt even know popping bassar tanks your rep. Two crits and an attack of opportunity kills the big boss in one turn

 

[CappenVarra]

Just beat the game with no dodge or block. Bowmen are beyond annoying with cripple, and rangers in general since its guaranteed damage. Im surprised how much fun and challenging this was, had to reload a lot of some fights and finished others with 1-2 hp. The thieves ambush was a horrible nightmare, didnt even know popping bassar tanks your rep. Two crits and an attack of opportunity kills the big boss in one turn

so basically Widowmaker, except he managed to kill over 300 men? :D

inventory screen?

 

[shizmoo]

I dont know who that is

 

[CappenVarra]

I dont know who that is

the final Madoran arena fight after you return from Gaanezar, based on a player submission to the Murderous Psychopaths Needed thread - seems you missed some content, but Widowmaker also has a 10 crafting Shadavar + Blue Steel Imperial armor

EDIT: https://steamcommunity.com/app/230070/discussions/0/490123197946992902/?ctp=4#c490123197951305085

hence the joke about over 300 kills

 

[Erebus]

I'm trying the game as an assassin and currently wondering about the weapons I want to use. Can anybody tell me what "passive value bonus" is ? And when does "weapon hardness" come into play ?

I've already played the game once (though I didn't reach the end), but it was as a diplomatic Praetor, so I pretty much never got to fight.