First time playing Planescape: Torment

[mindx2]

Continuing my trip down cRPG history I am now about to start Planescape: Torment for the very first time. I already know how much this game is beloved around here and have actively avoided reading spoiler-heavy threads on the game. Any comments or suggestions before I dive into this little piece of cRPG heaven?

The only thing I'm doing to the game itself is installing the widescreen mod and Ghostdog's UI mod.

 

[DraQ]

Any comments or suggestions before I dive into this little piece of cRPG heaven?

Int and wis. Some cha and dex too.

 

[Someone's Alt]

Take the time to talk to pretty much everyone you encounter, especially party members. It really enriches the experience.

Also, wisdom is by far the most important stat. It gives you a great deal of options in dialogue and XP bonuses. Charisma is pretty much useless because of that (it only gives you the dialogue options), though intelligence can still be useful, particularly if you're playing as a mage. Physical stats aren't too important since combat isn't a very big part of the game. However, it's certainly worth playing through the game again with different builds; different stats will substantially influence the extremely numerous dialogs in the game (even physical stats).

 

[Fat Dragon]

If you're not playing a combat character stay away from thugs because some will attack you on sight. Don't talk to the wandering demons in the town you can piss them off really easily and they'll kill you. Again if you're not playing a combat build save any good magic summoning items (like the one that evokes the killing cloud spell) because there's a lot of hordes to fight late in the game.

 

[Jim Cojones]

Use a sensory stone during playthrough and after finishing share it with us so every Codexer will be able to feel like playing the game for the first time once again.

 

[asper]

A PS:T virgin? You have absolutely NO idea how much I envy you.

It definitely is a "reading" game however. Don't skim the long, long dialogues and descriptions, because that is where the game shines.

Grab the fixpack; it fixes some bugs http://www.spellholdstudios.net/ie/pst-fixpack

It includes Platter's fixpack, which was the standard for ages. Don't install extra content packs (linked on that site) on your first playthrough.

Be prepared! After you finish this game, everything will be crap and your crpg life will go downhill fast.

 

[Jaime Lannister]

Do the optional content (unfinished business pack) It's not a very replayable game and the content doesn't take anything out.

 

[Tigranes]

1. Fixpack.
2. Start with high wis, cha, and reasonable int, dex.
3. Take it slow so that you don't get the urge to skim and rush over long descriptions and dialogues. Read the journal's monster logs; right click on items; talk to random people.
4. Take companions and talk to them.

It's not a very replayable game and the content doesn't take anything out.

It's as replayable as a fine book.

 

[Fat Dragon]

It's not a very replayable game

I disagree. I've replayed it three times and every time I played it I'd always find new quests, stories, dialog options and characters that I'd missed on previous playthroughs. There's an enormous amount of content there but some can be hard to find. I got a good deal of replay value from PST.

 

[Gragt]

If you're not playing a combat character stay away from thugs because some will attack you on sight. Don't talk to the wandering demons in the town you can piss them off really easily and they'll kill you.

You're immortal so what the heck? Just experiment and see what happens, but don't be surprised if you do something stupid and it bites you in ass.

 

[Fat Dragon]

If you're not playing a combat character stay away from thugs because some will attack you on sight. Don't talk to the wandering demons in the town you can piss them off really easily and they'll kill you.

You're immortal so what the heck? Just experiment and see what happens, but don't be surprised if you do something stupid and it bites you in ass.

Kinda defeats the purpose of asking people for tips if they don't give you any tips, doesn't it? :wink:

 

[Gragt]

He did not really ask for what kind of tip though from the last sentence it seemed to be mostly about fan patches and other mods that would make life easier.

 

[mindx2]

Not really looking for anything specific just general comments. However, advice like focus on Wis/ Int and talking to everyone is appreciated. Several have mentioned a "fixpack", is there a site or link someone can provide? If others have used it what does it improve/ fix?

 

[scient]

If others have used it what does it improve/ fix?

A lot.

edit:
Oh and I'd recommend installing UB even for first playthrough. If you want to be really purist then don't install the optional component "Expanded Deionarra's Truth". However, Qwinn did an excellent job putting that together.

In tweaks pack, "Scale of Souls". It's purely an UI mod to display numerical alignment for TNO and morale value for other party members.

 

[Jaime Lannister]

what does expanded dionarra's truth do that's not canon?

 

[Carceri]

Not really looking for anything specific just general comments. However, advice like focus on Wis/ Int and talking to everyone is appreciated.

You needed advice like to talk to everyone in a rpg?

 

[Gragt]

Well Diablo taught me to kill everyone...

 

[scient]

what does expanded dionarra's truth do that's not canon?

It's not that. All the other UB content is restored from files or dialog already in game with maybe minor linking. Expanded Qwinn wrote a large amount of dialog to link a batch already there. The writing style for his content is true to PST form.

16. Expanded Deionarra's Truth mod

I am not including this in the "Recommended" section of the installation procedure because it contains a lot more new content than restored content, but I recommend it anyway. As noted in the partial "Restored Deionarra's Truth Mod" listed above, not every original conversation regarding Deionarra's ultimate fate could be restored because the player couldn't know everything he needed to to have those conversations until it was too late. This mod adds a great deal of new content (including 180 new lines of dialogue) that will allow the player to find out her fate before it becomes too late to do anything about it. Once the new content has been played, about 30-40 more lines of original dialogue will become accessible.

Oh, and you can't kill Wirt and steal his leg in D1.

 

[Carceri]

Well Diablo taught me to kill everyone...

Killing is TEH LAME. Dude, keep up with the news comments.

 

[Longshanks]

Keep the bronze sphere till the end.

 

[Ogg]

Keep everything you find!

 

[Wyrmlord]

Any comments or suggestions before I dive into this little piece of cRPG heaven?

Int and wis. Some cha and dex too.

No, let him decide how he wants to make his character.

He merely needs to know what different attributes do, but he should not be pushed into thinking that INT/WIS build is the one true build.

It is not. Not when you have to fight endless swarms of enemies. Most options that can be opened up with INT can be opened up with WIS as well and vice versa, with only a few being to unique to either.

And while CHA benefits come in far between, they are huge benefits, enough for you to prefer them over INT and WIS in some respects.

So leave it to the player's discretion and his idea of the build he wants to make.

Either way, if he makes a mistake in his character, there are areas with respawning enemies in the game for the sole purpose of grinding levels, so you can correct attributes by those means.

 

[The Vanished One]

Qwinn's fixpack is a must, and I recommend the Tweaks and UB as well.
http://www.shsforums.net/index.php?showforum=551
If you have a widescreen monitor, you'll likely enjoy Ghostdog's UI (same link as above). If you don't, there's also my mod.

 

[JrK]

Don't listen to anyone suggesting high wis/int/cha! In fact, I recommend you to start off with low mental stats and just play a fighter type. You'll play through the game just fine, and stumbling upon a LOT of mystery just because you won't have the stats to explore fully. This will set you up right for a second playthrough in which the enormous amount of 'unlocks' because of high wis etc. will superbly amaze you!

That said, feel free to ignore my advice and just play what you want. Here's some tips though for certain builds:

- If fighter, raise CON first. You'll be undefeatable with insane regeneration.
- If mage, use spells and mage only items to boost your AC. Perhaps dex is a good stat to invest in.
- I personally find thief to be an excellent opportunity for an evil playthrough. Perhaps join the Xaositects if you can. I'd pick a high Charisma for my main mental stat.

 

[BethesdaLove]

spoilers suck