Divinity Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition

[Zeriel]

Lots of people itt saying difficulty becomes a joke once you hit double-digit numbers.

Lots of people on the Codex find games easy. This process happens with every RPG we play, and I guarantee there will be the same process with the late-game of PoE being trivially easy once the systems are figured out. That's just part of RPGs, it doesn't signify bad design.

 

[Haba]

All the while my pure two-hander fighter can oneshot three enemies with a single attack...

 

[Zeriel]

Wildfire requires intelligence to use effectively, otherwise you fumble on cast, warrior skills require strength to use, otherwise they rarely stun or have the effect they need to have, equipment for both classes require those same attributes. What huge pool of attributes are you pulling from? Because in my game there aren't many and every points counts. Madora outdoes my partner who is a spellsword and so does Jahan who is a pure mage, she often fumbles on wildfire and can't wear all the equipment, of course more levels will buff that, at the cost of health, ap, and initiative, whereas the pure builds will not suffer that and continue to outshine.

There was a bug that everyone thought was a feature where you could get basically infinite attribute-boost books from the End of Time. It's now been patched out, so...

 

[Perkel]

Wildfire requires intelligence to use effectively, otherwise you fumble on cast, warrior skills require strength to use, otherwise they rarely stun or have the effect they need to have, equipment for both classes require those same attributes. What huge pool of attributes are you pulling from? Because in my game there aren't many and every points counts. Madora outdoes my partner who is a spellsword and so does Jahan who is a pure mage, she often fumbles on wildfire and can't wear all the equipment, of course more levels will buff that, at the cost of health, ap, and initiative, whereas the pure builds will not suffer that and continue to outshine.

To cast wildfire without any problem you need 7 inteligence. You start with 5. Get one trait that gives you 1 point, use one stat and voila you can use wildfire at 100% chance of success. Also there is gear which often give youstats like +1 str +1int. So intead of stacking something like +1 speed you get +1 int.

Also 80 or 90% chance of casting spell is still super valuable.

I did something simmilar to my rogue. i gave him geomancy + bully trait. Every turn i cast midnight oil slowing targets and i deal 50% more damage. I also used Forify to jump into few enemies and safely live 2 whole turns of dealing backstab.

 

[Perkel]

This is also why i can't wait for PvP modules and proper support for it in their engine.

Imagine 4vs4 battle with all that combinations.

Also i love that game punishes you if you cast support spells before fight.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

I prefer to get the really good traits though.

But yeah it sounds more doable when I know the actual numbers, guess my co-op partner just sucks.
(womyn.)

 

[Perkel]

I think big part in why DOS combat feels awesome is their approach to effects.

Basically there 2 schools in that rpg design.

First one is numerical driven. So for example to cast successfully some effective spell you need to invest into their school or raise stat like willpower to get trough defenses of even mare kobold. Things like penetration in D&D and so on. So you end up with game that rarely allows for classless approach or to combine different abilities. That is most of RPGs by the way. In this case design allows for trully outlandish spells at cost of very slim chance of happening. Like for example classical finger of death. And since resurrection is costly and you need high level cleric for that it really gives you that DAAAMNNNN SON feeling when you finally pull off that action right.

Other one is what i call effect driven. Which means that if you got that spell or learned it you are adept in it. It means that you have very high chance of successfully putting for example sleep or freeze spell on someone. And in this case it is not spellcaster that needs to specialize in beating character skillcheck but character that fights with mage needs to specialize in his defenses to combat his effects. This type of design treats effects and combat more like chess and those effects are lifeblood of that combat design instead of being 20 roll on your attack annihilating opponent.

This is also why imo why so many people like low level DnD much more than uber high level DnD. Because with low level DnD every spell matters even most shitty one. Casting blind on lvl 5 still can win fight.


This is why DOS abilities are stellar. Each of them works even in end game. Like for example Midnight Oil lvl 1 spell being still very good spell at high lvls.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

I mean, I'll kind of agree in that the game isn't hard to break when it comes to character creation/development, but it's rare for a game that doesn't get easier mid-game for that very reason.

Also, why is this game making me want to play Wiz8?

 

[Loriac]

Lots of people itt saying difficulty becomes a joke once you hit double-digit numbers.

Lots of people on the Codex find games easy. This process happens with every RPG we play, and I guarantee there will be the same process with the late-game of PoE being trivially easy once the systems are figured out. That's just part of RPGs, it doesn't signify bad design.

I doubt it will even take until late game tbh; most modern RPGs designed to appeal to the masses are trivially easy; its why when people try to come up with games that have a higher difficulty level than D:OS they end up saying things like 'Wizardry 6 hurr durr' which is a 25 year old game.

Sawyer is setting out to appeal to a modern crowd, and I'm sure he'll be successful at doing so. A consequence of this however will be a game that is extremely easy even on hard difficulty.

 

[Darth Roxor]

My shit:

Spoiler

Natural 13 dex is just about enough for all roguey purposes and items.

6 base int + 1 from know-it-all + 4 from various items lets me cast all my spells (except invuln, that one is at -20%) with at least 100% effectiveness.

My base constitution is iirc 5, maybe 6, pumped up to 8 with some items for better AP.

Base speed is 9, +3 from items. Gotta go fast.

Perception 10 is base 8 + 2 from items (+2 from lightstepper), and it's usually enough to spot everything important.

Fuck, I even accidentally got str 10 (base 5 + 5 from items) that I don't even need for anything.

Got bitchcraft to 4 to get cool spells and eliminate the AP penalty on high-tier shit. Hydro 2 is enough for basic efficient spells like freezing touch and 2 heals, there aren't many other good water spells so it's prob gonna stay at 2. Same with pyro 2 - wildfire, feuerball, fire ellymental, fire shield and cleansing flame. Was thinking about putting it to 3 to get some of the stuff like the per buff, but eh, not much worth it. Maybe I'll increase it when I get meteor shower or sth Scoundrel above 4 is also not worth it, I currently have everything I need and still have 2 spell slots free (and the scoundrel 5 talent is meh).

Add to that single-handed 3, tenebrium 4, charisma 2 (+1) and some shit in pickpocketing/lockpicking.

Had to get all skilled up at some point because I really wanted to up the magic skills. I sort of regret it right now because I've been dumping skill points into random shit lately anyway just to get rid of them.

The character is good at p. much everything. Haste + bully + backstabs work well at killing shit, lotsa ap and movement make her slippery as hell, hundred million billion disabling skills effectively thin every horde, while some useful support and debuff skills seal the deal. Sure, she might not do the absolutely ridiculous damage Fedora can do at times, but supplying her with tools of doom + killing off stragglers in critical situations is just as useful.

Also wind-up toy

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Darth Roxor

Spoiler

you can trade 1 talent point for 10 skillpoints at the daemon in the homestead, that's a pretty good deal once you have all the necessary talents

my rogue has backstabber and guerilla, she can sneak for 1 AP in combat (has sneak 8, just put void essences on eqipment for +1 sneak each) and then backstab for twice the damage, with mass slow (which is water magic I believe) and bully that would double again, throw in Oath for even bigger lulz; she's so murdering everything

ps for everybody:

Spoiler

you can get branches by using an axe on one of those readily available logs, 2 branches for each wooden lumb, brofist this post if you needed branches and now know how to get them

 

[Darkion]

Sawyer is setting out to appeal to a modern crowd, and I'm sure he'll be successful at doing so.

I keep hoping that is the case but then I have visions of Professor Sawyer presenting things like:

"Okay peeps, on this next scenario we'll extrapolate on Thibald's Third Thaumaturgy Theorem. Won't that be fun? "

Everyone except YouKnowWho: NO!

 

[Infinitron]

And then I realized I just defended a Rowan Kaiser article look what you made me do.

Hahaha I knew it was going to be him before I even clicked.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

And then I realized I just defended a Rowan Kaiser article look what you made me do.

Hahaha I knew it was going to be him before I even clicked.

Do I want to know why this guy seems to have a reputation?

 

[Infinitron]

And then I realized I just defended a Rowan Kaiser article look what you made me do.

Hahaha I knew it was going to be him before I even clicked.

Do I want to know why this guy seems to have a reputation?

Ask sea to link you to the flamewar they had on Gamasutra a few years ago.

Kaiser sees himself as a sort of RPG historian whose job it is to explain the "inanities and insanities" of the genre to the new generation, but he mostly comes across as a poseur. He had a blog about that on Joystiq, although he stopped updating it a while ago: http://www.joystiq.com/editor/rowan-kaiser

(I do appreciate his article about the mid-90s decline of RPGs, because he's the only one who ever bothered to write about that topic and it serves as a good starting point for discussion: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/the-year-role-playing-games-broke/ )

 

[Perkel]

Arena Mod V1.0 - Work in Progress

This mod is a work in progress and there is still a lot to be done.
I am only uploading these files so that others can give me feedback if they wish to do so.

Right now i amworking on a Arena mod that will contain PVP/PVE content. Meaning that player will be able to fight each other in combat. But for now i have little to no knowlage on how to do that right now because scripting is a very unfriendly work of art.

You can download this mod but you wont get any further then the menu since i have not implented any script for players yet. Feel free to open up the files in the editor if you want to have a look.

Also i am looking for anyone thats willing to work with me on this mod. PM if interested

 

[murloc_gypsy]

I'm in Hiberheim at the moment and I just noticed my Knight has been infected with Rot. I have no idea where I got it but it's annoying as hell. From what I understood Blood Stones cure this. What's the nearest place I'll come across one? I've been through the encounter with the Corrupted Initiates in the North but no Blood Stone here. Will Boreas drop one? I've been trying to beat that motherfucker for the last hours. Realized: shitty party. Dumped Madora and got another wizard. At the moment: Knight + 3 Spell-casters. They each have at least three domains covered while one has five. (The one I hired from the Hall of Heroes)

Started fiddling with crafting. Looking good. So-- addictive-- this game, man.

Edit: two -> three; four -> five (spell domains)

 

[Perkel]

I'm in Hiberheim at the moment and I just noticed my Knight has been infected with Rot. I have no idea where I got it but it's annoying as hell. From what I understood Blood Stones cure this. What's the nearest place I'll come across one? I've been through the encounter with the Corrupted Initiates in the North but no Blood Stone here. Will Boreas drop one? I've been trying to beat that motherfucker for the last hours. Realized: shitty party. Dumped Madora and got another wizard. At the moment: Knight + 3 Spell-casters. They each have at least two domains covered while one has four. (The one I hired from the Hall of Heroes)

Started fiddling with crafting. Looking good. So-- addictive-- this game, man.

Just play the game. At this point you should have like 500hp and rot eats like 1 hp every 5 seconds. Which means for 500hp it would take aprox. 2500 seconds or 41minutes.

 

[murloc_gypsy]

I know that. It's just annoying. And I am playing the game, what kind of reply is that?

How 'bout YOU just play the game?!

 

[Perkel]

It means it is connected to plot and your answer is around corner.

 

[Tigranes]

Ignore the Rot, you come across blood stones quite frequently. And, nearest to you,

Spoiler

Boreas' treasure room has one I think, otherwise that mage, what's his name, Maradona Madorana something, his 'office' in the cave. So you're not far from one.

 

[RK47]

eh, Guerilla's not bad.

 

[Gord]

I'm in Hiberheim at the moment and I just noticed my Knight has been infected with Rot. I have no idea where I got it but it's annoying as hell.

My bet is on the staff one of the named immaculate mages drops - the one with the tree-like pet monster.
At least that's where Jahan got it in my game.

 

[Haba]

Yeah, it is that death wand. That was true trolling by the devs, since the wand doesn't say anywhere in the description that it is Tenebrium. The only way to find it out is to talk to the immaculates before killing them.

 

[RK47]