Divinity Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition

[Yosharian]

It's accessible.

 

[ScrotumBroth]

Fun > balance?

 

[Great Deceiver]

I have always liked Larian and I thought the first D:OS had some promise, but I quickly lost all hope after playing the EE and realizing they had dumbed everything down and not fixed anything worthy of note.

D:OS 2 had such monumental, fundamental design fuckups that it's impossible to take the company seriously anymore, especially since they haven't been touched in an ostensibly improved re-release.The fact that none of these fucking lemming reviewers even mention something as obvious as the initiative issue is depressing.

They're shooting for the lowest common denominator (aka consoletards and dumbfuck media people), but that's a very nearsighted strategy and I don't think it will pay off in the long run. It might make them bank in the short term, but I don't think it's worth losing the people who have kept you afloat for 15 years over.

This newfound audience may be willing to unga-bunga through one game, but I don't think they'll give two shits about the next one since they have the memory of a goldfish and will almost certainly gravitate towards the next shiny asscreed or cawadooty or whatever inclooooooosive shit is being peddled by the ideologues du jour.

 

[Jezal_k23]

The armor system issues are more obvious than the issues with initiative since sometimes even casual players notice that they made an inefficient party where for example half the party doesn't synergize with the other half.

The initiative issue I suspect casual players don't notice, but nonetheless run the risk of needlessly having several characters invest on wits. They also don't notice their mistake, they're just vaguely aware that the party is not working out and they can't pinpoint the reason why.

I think that's why we have story mode, since Larian chose to introduce it instead of fixing the more obtuse and counter intuitive elements of their combat system (magic and physical damage don't work well together and wits/initiative shouldn't be invested in by more than one character).

 

[a Goat]

Armour is just cancer transferred. From CC spam to nuke->CC spam. Initiative on the other hand is plain and simply poor mechanic meant to make quick nuking impossible, except the only thing it does is giving the enemy ability to do so.

I think that's why we have story mode, since Larian chose to introduce it instead of fixing the more obtuse and counter intuitive elements of their combat system (magic and physical damage don't work well together and wits/initiative shouldn't be invested in by more than one character).

Dunno about the powergamer way of playing the game, but as far as I know from my experience it boils down to - go full magic/physical or go perfectly balanced(2 times magic 2 times physical with reasonably similar dmg output so you always have "can opener" for enemies that have lots of one kind of armour and little of the other). Hybrids are... ehh. I mean you have stuff like Necromancer which mostly does physical damage and gives you lifesteal(on top of several very good buffs and debuffs) so I guess you can ignore lack of scaling and go for it on a warrior but I don't see a reason why would I do let's say Huntsman-Magic combo ever. Maybe one point of fire for haste/peace of mind, but I don't think it's that important.

 

[Ismaul]

I don't see a reason why would I do let's say Huntsman-Magic combo ever

Huntsman gives increased higher ground damage, which works really well with spells when you're appropriately positionned (it's a multiplier to damage). Plus you get access to some great actions like First aid, the one that teleports and hastes you, etc. If you mainly use ranged weapons instead, points in an Elemental skill increases damage made with arrows of this element, for example if you go Pyro with fire arrows, or regular arrows dipped in fire with Elemental arrowheads, etc. Same as before, it's a multiplier to damage, meaning it doesn't just increase your base damage but multiplies it after it's been increased by relevants attributes and weapon skills if applicable. If you don't use those sort of synergies your damage will likely be shit.

I mean you have stuff like Necromancer which mostly does physical damage and gives you lifesteal(on top of several very good buffs and debuffs) so I guess you can ignore lack of scaling and go for it on a warrior

Actually since Necro damage is physical, increasing Warfare is what increases its damage. It's a perfect combo for a physical dmg warrior, you don't ignore scaling at all it synergizes.

The system isn't intuitive nor well explained, but you can build very effective characters and parties of many types if you learn it.

 

[Anthedon]

Does it make sense to pick a second skill when you have summoning or should you bump it to 10 asap for the buffed incarnate? Just started a new playthrough on tactician mode.

 

[ScrotumBroth]

Does it make sense to pick a second skill when you have summoning or should you bump it to 10 asap for the buffed incarnate? Just started a new playthrough on tactician mode.

Are you playing solo or with a party?

 

[Anthedon]

Does it make sense to pick a second skill when you have summoning or should you bump it to 10 asap for the buffed incarnate? Just started a new playthrough on tactician mode.

Are you playing solo or with a party?

With a 4-man party.

 

[ScrotumBroth]

I'd advise against rushing, as you likely have a tank or a melee. CC and displacement skills are far more helpful. Once you feel you've found that sweet spot in terms of battlefield control, go any direction you want.

 

[Incendax]

Having completed both games I can tell you I'd struggle to find even one thing DOS2 does better than Grimoire with any amount of regularity

I haven’t played much Grimoire, but I don’t remember it having a fun elemental interaction system, decent voice acting, 3+ ways to solve every quest, being able to walk diagonally, or blasting Princes of the Universe at full volume the whole game.

Wait. That last one is just me, because DOS2 is basically Highlander.

 

[Ivan]

Does the game go to shit after Fort Joy? I've been enjoying myself well enough, though I would have preferred the care and attention given to the races/background re-directed to something else...

 

[Incendax]

Act 2 is pretty good. The game didn’t go to shit until Act 3-4 before the Definitive Edition. Supposedly they have improved Act 3-4, but I am not there yet in my DE playthrough.

 

[BEvers]

Crossover with Bard's Tale 4, it releases tomorrow:

 

[RK47]

The problem with Act 2 is that most people have a hard time figuring out the 'flow' of the area.
Pay attention to the hostile levels when you enter a zone, if it's 2-3 levels above you, it's better to leave and come back later.

A legitimate complaint in mid to late game is how most of the encounter with few exceptions are resolved in a similar manner. This is very true once money is no longer a problem and traders starts offering those key skill books you needed to complete the optimal opening turn, not to mention the constant 'upgrade shopping' you do upon leveling up.

Few exceptions to 'predictable encounters' include immunities and encounters that simply grants 10,000 initiative to the enemy, ensuring they will always move first. Otherwise, up to Nameless Isle, I've been doing it the same way with Fane's Time Warp opener till I got bored and uninstalled.

 

[Ivan]

Wrapped up Alexander but can't revive main party leader.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[RK47]

Wrapped up Alexander but can't revive main party leader.

I think they revive you automatically when you talk to Malady?
Also, wow you skipped Fane? Probably the strongest cast in game.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[ScrotumBroth]

The problem with Act 2 is that most people have a hard time figuring out the 'flow' of the area.

So retarded...

The game is a treat to explore and feel your way around. Act 2 is possibly the best, although I quite enjoyed all boss fights, especially the last one.
Literally all one needs to do is read what the game presents without any preconceptions and it's flowing naturally.

Also yeah, I didn't fancy Fane my first run, nor the Red Prince, hence two of them are now going Lone Wolf.
Background skills and traits are cool, but really don't make that big of a difference, it's all about mixing abilities and reading each battle.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Literally all one needs to do is read what the game presents without any preconceptions and it's flowing naturally.

that's an interesting way of saying "you gotta follow the rails"

 

[ScrotumBroth]

that's an interesting way of saying "you gotta follow the rails"

Preconceptions. Case and point.

I was going wherever I wanted, not following quest nodes, accidentally stumbling upon and doing quests reserved for later etc. and the game always tied it in neatly without breaking or failing quests.

Had total of two quests not closing properly for the entire game, Fort Joy Arena champion (even tho I've won and got colar removed), and cow people in Act 2 disappeared after curing them, but these are just bugs unrelated to linearity.

 

[Ivan]

This was quite impressive.

If you help the resistance leader before going to the Shrine Hideout, you can skip quite a bit of content/dialogue.

Also, it's nice that if you break the vases in the Braccus Hideout, some NPCs can be pretty dead when you find them.

 

[Ivan]

you skipped Fane? Probably the strongest cast in game.

I had to choose the better of two pompous pricks: Prince or Fane, chose Prince.

Also, is it true that the other 2 compas disappear from the game? Do they not join you on the boat?

 

[Incendax]

Fane makes a great main character, but a shitty companion because of his personality.
Red Prince is massively funnier than Fane, but rubs some people the wrong way.
Lohse is a solid main or companion, if you like the possession story.
Sebille makes an interesting main character, but is pretty stale as a companion.
Ifan has decent writing, but a cliche story and likes you way too fast.
Beast is boring as hell, and needs way more pirate in his pirate.