KickStarter Solasta: Crown of the Magister Thread - now with Palace of Ice sequel DLC

[Rinslin Merwind]

Why use a dagger when you could go for double rapier

Isn't rapier does not count as light weapon, so rogue cannot attack twice per turn with rapier in both hands? Or this can be bypassed somehow?

 

[Parabalus]

. That subclass is nuts.

How comes? It is just 4 damage and 4 attack at best. It is nothing special. Nothing compared to 5d6 sneak.

Ranger has quite a bit of stuff in the class itself. Hunter's Mark for +1d6, extra attack, fighting style for +2 damage or +2 accuracy (bow or duelling, more if you want dual wielding), healing spells and summons deep late. As a tradeoff the subclasses are all pretty shit, hunter is only +4,5 to damage against hurt targets once per turn for example.
If you take the potent base kit of ranger and put that much more raw damage and accuracy on top he melts enemies.

Damage comparison at level 5, dual wielding Whiteburn and Frostburn dagger for both (I think you can get both very early) and dex+4

Rogue: 2d6+5 + 1d4+1d8+1 + (3d6)
12 + 8 + 10,5
30,5

Ranger: 2d6+8+1d6 + 1d4+1d8+8+1d6 + 2d6+8+1d6
10,5 + 8 + 10,5 + 8 + 10,5+8
49,5

With hunters mark active at level 5, and darkslayer extra damage active ranger outdamages rogue hard
If you do not get the +3 from subclass it is still 30,5 damage against 40,5 if all things hit. Only if you subtract hunters mark (10,5 damage for 3 hits) does the rogue outdamage the ranger at level 5, and only barely. Fighting style two weapon fighting adds full ability score to second hand attack, and one extra attack with all the magical weapons laying around in Solasta is a lot of damage.
On higher level this comparison only gets worse for the rogue, each time proficiency bonus raises he gets +1 damage to each of the three attacks.

Your math on the rogue is off. Why use a dagger when you could go for double rapier and why only 4 dex bonus? Also why calculate it only at level 5 and not at end level to see the total damage output? Also what is this hunter's mark,haven't seen it in the wiki? Is that the bonus for favourite enemies ?

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

Ok tier list time:

Caster tier:
1. Clerics
2. Wizards

Martial tier:
3. Paladin
4. Ranger (dark, otherwise below rogue)
5. Rogue
6. Fighter

Battle clerics are prob pretty high on the martial list too.

Above rogues definitely.

 

[Thac0]

Also what is this hunter's mark,haven't seen it in the wiki?

Strong ranger exclusive spell.
https://solastacrownofthemagister.wiki.fextralife.com/Hunter's+Mark
Math is actually a bit off, because that one takes a bonus action, so you do less damage the turn you apply it.
To do the math properly I would have to do two turns damage comparison, since my ranger rotation was:
Turn 1: Hunters mark + shoot longbow twice Turn 2: Three attacks in melee

Why use a dagger when you could go for double rapier and why only 4 dex bonus?

Because you can get only +4 dex on a point buy character by level 5.
Also you can't wield double rapier unless you disable some rules or take a feat. Whatever you do, the ranger can do the same anyway. Higher damage dice on the weapons is worse for the rogue as the ranger gets to strike more often.

Also as I said, this math gets a lot worse for the rogue as the level gets higher. On max level a well built ranger leaves the rogue in the dust, if you do start with same stats.

Ranger is more clunky to play because no cunning action, also strangely more squishy because no evasion/defense on reaction. But after 5 he hits a lot harder.
Wild card is the poison thing jackofshadows mentioned, I have not seen that in action, but the game has potent poison. Even against all the poison resistant enemies that might give rogue a leg up.

 

[fantadomat]

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

What extra swing? Rogue gets two attacks by the end. How many attacks does the ranger gets in total ?

 

[fantadomat]

Why use a dagger when you could go for double rapier

Isn't rapier does not count as light weapon, so rogue cannot attack twice per turn with rapier in both hands? Or this can be bypassed somehow?

There is a feat that lets you do it.

 

[Parabalus]

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

What extra swing? Rogue gets two attacks by the end. How many attacks does the ranger gets in total ?

Extra MH swing, like fighters and paladins.

 

[Lhynn]

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

What extra swing? Rogue gets two attacks by the end. How many attacks does the ranger gets in total ?

Rogue never gets an extra attack class feature.

 

[Parabalus]

Interestingly in 5E paladins and rangers don't get any more attacks than in Solasta, while Fighters apparently get two more, up to 4x at level 20.

Is that enough to make them compete?

 

[Shrimp]

Why use a dagger when you could go for double rapier

Isn't rapier does not count as light weapon, so rogue cannot attack twice per turn with rapier in both hands? Or this can be bypassed somehow?

There's a fear (Ambidextrous) that gives +1 DEX and lets you dual wield weapons even if they aren't light weapons.

 

[Lhynn]

Interestingly in 5E paladins and rangers don't get any more attacks than in Solasta, while Fighters apparently get two more, up to 4x at level 20.

Is that enough to make them compete?

Feats are overpowered in 5e and fighters get a lot of them. But every class gets more damage in their basic attack as they level up, so its not really that fighters pull ahead.
For instance, cantrips get an upgrade of an extra die every time fighters get another attack. Paladins with a few warlock levels for their cantrip are a staple build. But otherwise they get more and more powerful smites the higher they go in level. Otherwise Paladins usually go for 2 weapons because fishing for crits is important to them, as rolling a 20 and picking a strong smite can basically end encounters no matter how strong the enemy boss is.

 

[fantadomat]

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

What extra swing? Rogue gets two attacks by the end. How many attacks does the ranger gets in total ?

Extra MH swing, like fighters and paladins.

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

What extra swing? Rogue gets two attacks by the end. How many attacks does the ranger gets in total ?

Rogue never gets an extra attack class feature.

I know that,the point is if the ranger gets a bonus action swing. If not then it is not much different than the rogue. Rogue have two attacks because one is a bonus action.

 

[fantadomat]

Interestingly in 5E paladins and rangers don't get any more attacks than in Solasta, while Fighters apparently get two more, up to 4x at level 20.

Is that enough to make them compete?

Feats are overpowered in 5e and fighters get a lot of them. But every class gets more damage in their basic attack as they level up, so its not really that fighters pull ahead.
For instance, cantrips get an upgrade of an extra die every time fighters get another attack. Paladins with a few warlock levels for their cantrip are a staple build. But otherwise they get more and more powerful smites the higher they go in level. Otherwise Paladins usually go for 2 weapons because fishing for crits is important to them, as rolling a 20 and picking a strong smite can basically end encounters no matter how strong the enemy boss is.

Nah feats were pretty shit,liked the 3.5e system a lot more. Also kingmaker have a lot better feat system. Here you get to chose between 2 points or a feat and most feats were meh. You get to do it 3 or 4 times. I pick the two weapon fighting one and the shooting one. It was pretty hard to find good feats,tho table top have a lot better ones.

And yeah everyone is pretty much the same by the end,very dumb experience. Boring system.

 

[lukaszek]

kingmaker

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

There's a survey for content in DLC/updates.
https://forms.gle/ey9gccR8HHXzyjWa9

There's the chance to let them know that they'd better add more classes and more meaningful content, not useless shit like the fucking dragonborns.

Frankly, I'd rather they didn't spend too much time adding more content to Solasta but instead initiate work on a sequel with fundamental changes to the game engine (e.g. larger party size) that won't occur in DLC/updates to the existing game.

 

[Thac0]

Interestingly in 5E paladins and rangers don't get any more attacks than in Solasta, while Fighters apparently get two more, up to 4x at level 20.

Is that enough to make them compete?

Battle master and stronger feats is what makes them compete.
Fighters are good in 5e, usually among the best martials, but again it comes down to implementation.
Fighters unique advantage of getting an ASI/feat at level 6 is borderline worthless. You want the belt of 25 STR anyway, so no reason to raise strength once more. There are only like two universally good feats in Solasta for fighters.
Champion and eldritch knight are two of the worst subclasses for fighters in the entire game, and they are heavily outperformed by the much more flexible battlemaster in the base book. Battlemaster would also adapt really strongly to a video game system, since he works with conditional triggers.

Maneuvers. You learn three maneuvers of your choice. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 7th, 10th, and 15th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Superiority Dice. You have four superiority dice, which are d8s. A superiority die is expended when you use it. You regain all of your expended superiority dice when you finish a short or long rest. You gain another superiority die at 7th level and one more at 15th level.

Examples of strong maneuvers:

Riposte
When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If you hit, you add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

Trip Attack
When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. You add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you knock the target prone.

Commander's Strike
When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one of your attacks and use a bonus action to direct one of your companions to strike. When you do so, choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you and expend one superiority die. That creature can immediately use its reaction to make one weapon attack, adding the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

Precision Attack
When you make a weapon attack roll against a creature, you can expend one superiority die to add it to the roll. You can use this maneuver before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

There is a fuckton of those maneuvers, most either grant you at least +1d8 to damage and a save against a status effect, or even a chance at a completely new attack. 4 of those per combat outperforms the half an extra crit you get from champion hard.
Such a shame that Solasta hates fighters, because Baldurs Gate 3 has the Battlemaster, but he is shit because they fucked up conditional triggers. You have to choose the attack before you strike there, which obviously makes him a lot worse.

 

[Parabalus]

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

What extra swing? Rogue gets two attacks by the end. How many attacks does the ranger gets in total ?

Extra MH swing, like fighters and paladins.

The better weapons you use the worse for the rogue since ranger gets an extra swing.

What extra swing? Rogue gets two attacks by the end. How many attacks does the ranger gets in total ?

Rogue never gets an extra attack class feature.

I know that,the point is if the ranger gets a bonus action swing. If not then it is not much different than the rogue. Rogue have two attacks because one is a bonus action.

Rogues don't get a bonus attack.

The off-hand attack is from having a weapon in the OH, they get that even at level 1 before cunning action. Everyone gets it, even wizards. And rangers.

 

[Polanski]

Almost through this. While I really enjoyed a lot of it, I am just rushing through it to finish it now.

story is really streamlined, with almost no c&c. My characters are lvl 10 for some time now so do doesn’t matter anymore. Most character build decision points are in the first five levels, so level ups are not very exiting from that point. Combat was really good in the first half of the game, but last half it is just ridiculously easy.

sad that such a good little game has an anticlimactic finish.

 

[Cryomancer]

My spell wishlist :

• eldritch blast + repealing blast
• Gust
• Mage hand
• Gust of Wind
  
• Gaseous Form
  
• Pulse Wave
• Sleet Storm
  
• Wall of Sand
  
• Wall of Water
• Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound
• Summon Greater Demon
• Vitriolic Sphere
• Animate Objects
• Control Winds
  
• Passwall
  
• Negative Energy Flood
  
• Wall of Stone
  
• Wall Of Light
• Wall of Force

There are also a lot of spells which I DON"T wanna to see in Solasta due 5E ruining then. Disintegrate, finger of death, animate dead are examples. And sadly some of the bastardization version of my favorite spells are already in game, like cloudkill and stoneskin. There are some 3E spells which would fit the high verticality Solasta like Cyclonic blast. All suggestions of spells rarely available on other CRPG's.

 

[Shrimp]

My spell wishlist :

• eldritch blast + repealing blast
• Gust
• Mage hand
• Gust of Wind
  
• Gaseous Form
  
• Pulse Wave
• Sleet Storm
  
• Wall of Sand
  
• Wall of Water
• Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound
• Summon Greater Demon
• Vitriolic Sphere
• Animate Objects
• Control Winds
  
• Passwall
  
• Negative Energy Flood
  
• Wall of Stone
  
• Wall Of Light
• Wall of Force

There are also a lot of spells which I DON"T wanna to see in Solasta due 5E ruining then. Disintegrate, finger of death, animate dead are examples. And sadly some of the bastardization version of my favorite spells are already in game, like cloudkill and stoneskin. There are some 3E spells which would fit the high verticality Solasta like Cyclonic blast. All suggestions of spells rarely available on other CRPG's.

I'm pretty sure Sleet Storm already is in the game, I think I saw a vendor sell the scroll.

 

[Cyberarmy]

I'm pretty sure Sleet Storm already is in the game

Yeah it's in. Used it a few time, kinda fun.

 

[Thac0]

Disintegrate

What is wrong with that spell? You know that disintegrate is still pretty much best in slot for level 6 in 5e?
Sure it is no longer as strong as in 2e, but I would say due to less magic immunities and the like on enemies it is better in DnD than in Pathfinder.

 

[Ontopoly]

Since we're talking about rule systems... Anyone try pathfinder 2e? Actually seems interesting. Rangers look cool in it.

 

[NJClaw]

Since we're talking about rule systems... Anyone try pathfinder 2e? Actually seems interesting. Rangers look cool in it.

Pathfinder 2E is a nightmare and an unintentional parody of itself.

The edition starts from similar premises to those on which D&D 5E is built (trying to simplify everything as much as possible and making sure that the math always works), but everything is so cumbersome that no sane person would ever play it unironically.

The only good thing about it is that many monsters have interesting unique attacks and features, but you'd be better off just taking those and using them in another system. There are a couple of fun concepts (like successes/attacks becoming "critical" when you exceed the DC/AC by 10 or more), but they're implemented in ways that make their usage extremely unpractical at the table.

 

[Cryomancer]

What is wrong with that spell?

I am used to things that are called "disintegrate" which actually reduce things into ashes. On Arcanum, you can use it on fortified doors to reduce it to ashes. I get that compared to other 6th tier spells, disintegrate deals a lot of damage and that with the hp values of 5e, a OHK spell would be broken, but I like when stuff does in game what they are supposed to do in lore.

Pathfinder 2E is a nightmare and an unintentional parody of itself.

Yep. Is not balanced enough for balancefag. Is not lethal enough for old schoolfags, nor streamlined enough for normies(...) In Simpsons, there is a episode where HOmer tries to make a Car to appeal to everyone which as a result, doesn't appeal to anyone. That is how PF2E is. At least Paizo din't nuked 1e like Woketards attempted to do with 3.5E.

 

[Bara]

Finished the game

The reuse of already explored for side quests felt horrible in this. Especially that one in the lava rivers map where this a obvious strange stone ruins covered by brush you can remove the brush but can't interact with the complete obvious secret panel until you complete the main quest objective of the area go back to a side quest board and then march on back to then trigger obvious encounter after opening the obvious secret panel. There is a good way to do backtracking but this was not it.

If they were that strapped of time and resources they honestly should have just made the game even smaller and do what a lot of DMs do by focusing on one city and one huge or megadungeon. Makes the narrative tighter so your not going from random world map location to world map location and actually spending some time learning about the city, factions, and the world through its many inhabitants and you go out and in of the dungeon. Then after the players finish the dungeon and been fully grounded in the world dive deeper with over world exploration.

Like Temple of Elemental Evil I know everyone says get out of town asap and go to moathouse but I actually liked talking and exploring Hommlet and get the backstory to the temple. I don't even remember the name of the main city in Solasta. Caer something?

As for the story the only faction name I remember is scavengers and snow alliance is because of how basic their names are. I could not tell you whats the snow alliances deal is and the scavengers just... scavenge. Maybe the 5e setting book that was apart of the kickstarter will flesh this out more but the game certainly did not do it much justice.

Mechanically and visually the game is good but I hope the devs step up their game for the dlc and sequels.