Pathfinder Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Game of the Year Edition

[LannTheStupid]

Guess my ancestors came here because they were in the same boat back then over there.

And now you have nowhere to go. Nice.

 

[Desiderius]

Guess my ancestors came here because they were in the same boat back then over there.

And now you have nowhere to go. Nice.

Nice is a little nippy this time of year, and prone to coastal raiders. Bavarians always have somewhere to go when those become a problem.

 

[Angthoron]

Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader learns from Owlcat’s “past mistakes”

So there is this piece.

One quote I found remarkable:

Shestov says that almost the entire studio got involved with polishing the alpha build before it went to customers: “not just the QA team, not just developers, but the full team of game designers for like, two weeks, just playing the game, just finding things that weren’t behaving as intended and fixing them”.

For me it reads like "We still do not have enough resources to QA the game in normal schedule, and, as the result, pour all the possible men-hours for a milestone release. Don't expect it for a normal game life cycle."

Yup. The game is so fucking uneven in quality.

Act 1 feels like proof of concept. I got a lot of my friends to get the game, and gifted it to a bunch, and had to explain that Act 1 is basically shit but then it suddenly gets good and they just have to get through it.

I mean, just the fucking Deskari vs dragon cutscene alone is like "haha im done" in more ways than one, and it's just the cherry on the sundae.

Did they playtest this part and went OH YEAH THIS IS DEFFO WHAT WE WANT or is it more like they built a vertical slice demo for investors and then ran out of time to fix it?

I love the game but holy fuck act 1 sucks.

 

[LannTheStupid]

Yup. The game is so fucking uneven in quality.

Act 1 feels like proof of concept. I got a lot of my friends to get the game, and gifted it to a bunch, and had to explain that Act 1 is basically shit but then it suddenly gets good and they just have to get through it.

I mean, just the fucking Deskari vs dragon cutscene alone is like "haha im done" in more ways than one, and it's just the cherry on the sundae.

Did they playtest this part and went OH YEAH THIS IS DEFFO WHAT WE WANT or is it more like they built a vertical slice demo for investors and then ran out of time to fix it?

I love the game but holy fuck act 1 sucks.

According to Poe's Law, I probably need to clarify my concern.

I like the game very much. I like the starting cutscene. I like Act 1 . I have nothing against the married couple which is so loved on Codex. I like all of it. So maybe you are barking up the wrong tree.

What I was furious about - and reached the stage of acceptance now - is their internal process of quality assurance. It is not that they do not understand what it is. It is not that they cannot establish it - in the worst case they could have hired a consultant for half a year.

It is that they genuinely believe that the robust QA system that works consistently and predictably is less important than producing content. And/or making fun cosmetics for the people who are dear to them (see Photomode).

At least this is my very strong opinion.

As the result, it does not matter if the game is buggy or is polished to absolute perfection. It means that every change to their codebase could end up with bugs. Which means that at every patch everyone risks that the game will be broken at some point even if it was working before.

Again, for me the game itself is brilliant, fun and engaging. Sorry to disappoint you.

 

[mediocrepoet]

polish american

Disgusting creatures. I avoid them when I can.

 

[Angthoron]

Yup. The game is so fucking uneven in quality.

Act 1 feels like proof of concept. I got a lot of my friends to get the game, and gifted it to a bunch, and had to explain that Act 1 is basically shit but then it suddenly gets good and they just have to get through it.

I mean, just the fucking Deskari vs dragon cutscene alone is like "haha im done" in more ways than one, and it's just the cherry on the sundae.

Did they playtest this part and went OH YEAH THIS IS DEFFO WHAT WE WANT or is it more like they built a vertical slice demo for investors and then ran out of time to fix it?

I love the game but holy fuck act 1 sucks.

According to Poe's Law, I probably need to clarify my concern.

I like the game very much. I like the starting cutscene. I like Act 1 . I have nothing against the married couple which is so loved on Codex. I like all of it. So maybe you are barking up the wrong tree.

What I was furious about - and reached the stage of acceptance now - is their internal process of quality assurance. It is not that they do not understand what it is. It is not that they cannot establish it - in the worst case they could have hired a consultant for half a year.

It is that they genuinely believe that the robust QA system that works consistently and predictably is less important than producing content. And/or making fun cosmetics for the people who are dear to them (see Photomode).

At least this is my very strong opinion.

As the result, it does not matter if the game is buggy or is polished to absolute perfection. It means that every change to their codebase could end up with bugs. Which means that at every patch everyone risks that the game will be broken at some point even if it was working before.

Again, for me the game itself is brilliant, fun and engaging. Sorry to disappoint you.

Bro, I agree. I really do love the game. It's one of the best I've played in years and I'm not kidding.

But their approach to QA absolutely sucks

 

[The_Mask]

Yup. The game is so fucking uneven in quality.

Act 1 feels like proof of concept. I got a lot of my friends to get the game, and gifted it to a bunch, and had to explain that Act 1 is basically shit but then it suddenly gets good and they just have to get through it.

I mean, just the fucking Deskari vs dragon cutscene alone is like "haha im done" in more ways than one, and it's just the cherry on the sundae.

Did they playtest this part and went OH YEAH THIS IS DEFFO WHAT WE WANT or is it more like they built a vertical slice demo for investors and then ran out of time to fix it?

I love the game but holy fuck act 1 sucks.

I'm pretty sure Act 1 was made for the shitheads at Paizo to play and nod in agreement when the 2 ladies hug it out.

I doubt anyone from Paizo made it to the game's final.

 

[Desiderius]

the 2 ladies hug it out

For what it's worth neither one is a lady nor have any pretensions of being one. The whole thing being there is simply forced and disingenuous. Essentially product placement. Beyond being disintegrated with the plot and setting the execution is reasonably discrete and faithful enough to the world games are supposed to exist in some sense to escape from.

Disgusting creatures. I avoid them when I can.

There wouldn't be an America without Polacks.

https://www.nps.gov/thko/index.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_Pulaski

 

[mediocrepoet]

the 2 ladies hug it out

For what it's worth neither one is a lady nor have any pretensions of being one. The whole thing being there is simply forced and disingenuous. Essentially product placement. Beyond being disintegrated with the plot and setting the execution is reasonably discrete and faithful enough to the world games are supposed to exist in some sense to escape from.

Disgusting creatures. I avoid them when I can.

There wouldn't be an America without Polacks.

https://www.nps.gov/thko/index.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_Pulaski

Disgusting country. I avoid it when I can.

 

[skaraher]

Currently in midnight fane in act 3. I liked Ivory Sanctum and Areelu lab as dungeons. The puzzles in Ivory Sanctum werent too retarded. Dont know of it still goes strong in act 4 and 5 but will definitely replay an evil run of the first acts to test the reactivtity.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

YMMW but I've replayed 1-3 several times but quality drop in from act 4 onwards is so bad l I don't even bother trying those.

 

[Desiderius]

I used to get restartitis at entrance to the Fane but difficulty curve is smoother now with DLC. Also helps to get a feel for the layout and save PD for later. Act 4 and 5 really great once you know what you’re doing.

 

[razvedchiki]

anyone found the Wrath of Ancestor dwarven axe?

 

[Desiderius]

anyone found the Wrath of Ancestor dwarven axe?

Not in game AFAICT.

 

[Correct_Carlo]

I'm incredible at this game.

 

[Desiderius]

View attachment 33617

136 AB breakdown:

20 BAB: Slayer
13 DEX: Reduce Person, Ronneck's Sacrifice Relic Boots
1 Size: Reduce Person
20 True Strike: first level Aeon spell, Standard Action
4 Improved Quarry: 19th level Slayer ability, Free Action
10 Touch of Good: Sosiel first level Domain ability, Swift Action via Domain Zealot Mythic
6 Divine Power: 4th lvl Aeon spell, CL18 from Mythic 9
5 Magic Weapon, Greater: 4th lvl Cleric spell from Sosiel CL 23
2 Crusader's Edge: 4th level Cleric spell from Sosiel
3 Order of the Godclaw: Regill Aura, one minute duration w/ 3 activations per rest, HK lvl 10
5 Heroic Invocation: Nenio using scroll crafted by Ember using Encouraging Metamagic from mod and Favorite Meta Mythic
12 Guarded Hearth: Sosiel obtained via alternative capstone mod adding Community Domain, high(er) WIS from Owl's Wisdom, Mass w/ Idealize Arcane Discovery mod on Nenio
3 Demon Slayer Soup: recipe in Act 3 DLC cave
5 Studied Target: Slayer ability lvl 20
1 Haste: Aeon Relic Cloak always on
2 Promise of Power: Bane of Spirit Relic ring activation (Free Action from Lann)
2 Coordinated Shot: Teamwork Feat (from mod, applied via Vanguard Tactician ability and extra activation Slayer talent)
1 Point Blank Shot: Feat
-6 Deadly Aim: Feat
2 Concealment: Improved Invisiblity + Mind Blank, Communal, lvl 4/lvl 9 spell from Nenio
1: Ronneck's Sacrifice doubles Haste bonuses
1: Merciless Shot Ring from Lann ch3 companion quest in Neathholm
9: Mark of Justice ability from Seelah, Swift Action, enhanced by Eagle's Splendor, Mass w/Idealize on Nenio
1: Improved Aeon Bane from Mythic level 5
5: Enforcing Gaze Mythic 9
1: Greater Aeon Bane Mythic 9
5: Ring of Triumphant Advance DLC item doubling Heroic Invocation bonus (doesn't double Order of the Godclaw bonus)
2: Enforced Vigor: Lann Mythic ability triggered by casting Stone Call with Quicken Rod

5 AB from mods adding Feats (that still require spending those Feats and in case of Tactician choosing that archetype + Swift Action (pre-combat) + Slayer Talent), Community Domain available via Impossible Domain

This character has Ever Ready (which would be +9), Snap Shot, Greater, and Opportunist so that's something that comes up a good bit.

I think I should be able to hit around 160 with Hat of Bitter End, Snakeskin Armor, Ever Ready, and turning off Deadly Aim but seems like the point has been made with this team and I'm just ready to finish things out.

Looking forward to Shifter Trickster MC with all-Chaos party. Aru, Wolj, Ember, Wend, and Cam. Should be an interesting and more challenging twist.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I think I might take a break from the campaign and just mess with builds in the Midnight Isle DLC. While I am having good time with the campaign, I find myself constantly theory crafting different builds.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

No doubt we fucked up royally, result being we're ruled by ignoramuses who know nothing but hunting down imaginary nahtzees

I mean, in their defense, real nahtzees are boring and don't have all the cool stuff like jetpack+ powered armor, occult sorcerers trying to resurrect king Alaric, tesla cannons and all that.

 

[Technomancer]

cool stuff like occult sorcerers

Someone hit this barbarian too hard on the dome or they are possibly under profane sorcerer spell.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

cool stuff like occult sorcerers

Someone hit this barbarian too hard on the dome or they are possibly under profane sorcerer spell.

No I missed an "and" after the powered armor

 

[Average Manatee]

I think I might take a break from the campaign and just mess with builds in the Midnight Isle DLC. While I am having good time with the campaign, I find myself constantly theory crafting different builds.

Aye, it's a big problem.

I want to see a D&D game that operates like X-Com, with a high death rate per mission and the ability to constantly put new characters into the party. Which would actually be more true to the original editions of D&D, it was supposed to be constantly deadly and characters weren't expected to survive whole campaigns.

 

[LannTheStupid]

I want to see a D&D game that operates like X-Com, with a high death rate per mission and the ability to constantly put new characters into the party. Which would actually be more true to the original editions of D&D, it was supposed to be constantly deadly and characters weren't expected to survive whole campaigns.

This is what the Helmsman from the Treasure of the Midnight Isles is playing.

 

[mediocrepoet]

I want to see a D&D game that operates like X-Com, with a high death rate per mission and the ability to constantly put new characters into the party. Which would actually be more true to the original editions of D&D, it was supposed to be constantly deadly and characters weren't expected to survive whole campaigns.

I almost fainted from the massive boner this thought gave me.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

Average Manatee I do not know that I can agree. WotR has too much depth of build for that kind of churn. 3/4 of the class features, particularly the powerful late game ones, would never be experienced. For me to enjoy D&D as an XCom like experience, level gain would have to be very brisk.

 

[mediocrepoet]

Average Manatee I do not know that I can agree. WotR has too much depth of build for that kind of churn. 3/4 of the class features, particularly the powerful late game ones, would never be experienced. For me to enjoy D&D as an XCom like experience, level gain would have to be very brisk.

I agree with that. When he says D&D experience, I was envisioning 2E or even BECMI, not 3.XE or Pathfinder.