Eternity Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire + DLC Thread - now with turn-based combat!

[AwesomeButton]

I will do the unthinkable and look up some sort of screen recording software today.

 

[FreeKaner]

I gave Pallegina Whispers of the Endless Paths (Greatsword that attacks in AoE) and build her with retribution, two-hand style, eternal flames etc. and I also took two-hand style with teheku and activate the rod modal. I cast pull of eora and send both of them to attack at the centre of pull of eora and their attacks are like a fireball each time, 50+ damage on 6-7 targets. Only 7 level yet. I also use Kalakoth's minor blights and auto-attack myself with one-hand style and merciless gaze, although it's not as much damage as either Pallegina or Teheku.

 

[Efe]

whispers is bugged and has 0 recovery with flames of zeal for you too?

 

[Grunker]

That's all worth it and I haven't commented on it, but Flames are not IMO

Like I said, at character creation, I had to pick - Flames of Devotion or Lay on Hands. Had to pick one.

Second, I listed those as explanation why I didn't upgrade any of the actives apart from Marked Enemy. This is "where the points went".

But you have both :D ?

I'm sorry if I was being unclear, but that was what I was wondering - if you actually use one or the other, there's upgrades for both that makes sense. Having the unupgraded versions of both seems superflous - there must better things you can do with your time and class resources than switching between those two level 1 abilities?

Oh, I've just started the expansion. I was commenting on the Llengrath-Tayn stuff in the beginning.

I figured, I just kind of enjoyed it. Just like Siege of Crägholdt, I think Deadfire is better when it indulges in this kind of stuff. Much more of the "high brow" stuff were hits this time around, but it is still too emotionally devoid to really provoke something in my cold, dead heart.

I think that for all the hand-wringing and highly detailed explaining we do trying to make sense of why Torment moved us as much as it did while PoE bored us to tears, the main reason is honestly that even while touching on the nature of identity, existance, mirrorverses and planespanning philosophy, Torment at the end is this really interesting story about this really interesting dude and his really interesting friends that we connect with.

I thought about it the other day when re-reading Darth Roxor 's piece on modern RPG writing (which I mostly agree with) and why I disagree with him about Durance. And I do because Roxor's reasoning ("Durance's story sound awesome, but I'd rather be part of it") doesn't really hold - Dak'kon's story is the exact same way. So PoE shines in this nook or cranny, it's not just about falling prey to the things Roxor describes. It's a more fundamental more simple problem of not really being a story but a discussion about concepts - and, as earlier mentioned, even that emotionless story doesn't happen until the last 2 hours of the game.

PoE's "tormentish" themes are never about characters, only concepts. But you want to do that, write philosophy, don't write a story. That shit needs to connect with us.

]No, that's nearly 10% of the party's damage output (8-9% to be exact)

You're not catching my meaning - what would that percentage be without FoD and high Might? I'm betting it wouldn't move much.

Look, what I'm saying is this: in Pillars it's not just the action economy hampering your build, it's the fact that characters are so insanely class resource starved. For that reason, I think logic dictates spending points only on a select few actives and then pumping everything else into stuff that doesn't cost those resources.

Is Exhalted Focus the shit? No, but it's better than nothing, and nothing is what you get with a bunch of actives due to class resources IMO.

One more time - I had to pick either Flames or Lay on Hands when I was creating the Paladin. Given that I have a dedicated healer, I went with Flames. Hence - no opportunity cost here.

But. You. Have. Both. Dude :D

 

[Grunker]

Also Orma your reactions are giving me scizophrenia

 

[Lacrymas]

The fact passive abilites are more valuable because they don't compete for class resources and are always active was brought up in beta.

 

[Haplo]

Still, many active abilities are worthwhile.
If I were building a Paladin, I'd definitely take both FoD and LoH. I'd carefully consider the upgrades though, particularly for LoH, which make it more expensive.

 

[jf8350143]

Did they change the experience system? Last time I played every one of my companion is either the same level or one level blow my MC, but this time When I reach 19, several of them are still levle 16.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I'm sorry if I was being unclear, but that was what I was wondering - if you actually use one or the other, there's upgrades for both that makes sense. Having the unupgraded versions of both seems superflous - there must better things you can do with your time and class resources than switching between those two level 1 abilities?

But. You. Have. Both. Dude

I already explained why. Here it is again:

Flames of devotion - I've picked that so that I have something with which to expend my Paladin points during combat, and it's also useful occasionally, even with the paladin's low accuracy.

I picked Lay on Hands for extreme situations, or maybe I haven't been able to find anything more useful at that levelup when I've picked it. I didn't upgrade that one because my Priest/Druid already comes with The Moon's Light, Nature's Balm, Moonwell, Cleansing Wind by default because of his Lifegiver Druid subclass, and I've picked Restore, Iconic Projection and Consecrated Ground from the Priest side. So, plenty of healing options. Lay on Hands is a backup, if I urgently need someone healed and the priest is busy with something else.

I think that for all the hand-wringing and highly detailed explaining we do trying to make sense of why Torment moved us as much as it did while PoE bored us to tears, the main reason is honestly that even while touching on the nature of identity, existance, mirrorverses and planespanning philosophy, Torment at the end is this really interesting story about this really interesting dude and his really interesting friends that we connect with.

I was thinking about this today, and I think the reason PoE's plot feels like you are going through the motions is because too much is explained and too little room is left for the player to connect the pieces for himself. Involuntarily, I went into comparisons with how Underrail's, AoD's (because I'm also currently playing those) and Torment's plot is gradually revealed. There are no gods skype calls, no narrator hammering "Eothas. Is. Going. To. Ukaizo" x3 (there is actually such a line repeated three times after Margran's teeth), no NPCs yelling in obnoxious voices. But there is a feeling of mystery and a feeling of discovery, and the player's curiosity about the world is what motivates him to keep playing (especially in Torment's case where the combat is a pretty sad picture).

You're not catching my meaning - what would that percentage be without FoD and high Might? I'm betting it wouldn't move much.

I've been playing mostly without using FoD, and having this discussion just prompted me to start using it more.

Look, what I'm saying is this: in Pillars it's not just the action economy hampering your build, it's the fact that characters are so insanely class resource starved.

Not in my experience. One thing I wanted to test with my current playthrough is how are passives-based characters playing. And to me it seems they are playing quite fine, even at the highest difficulty. I barely use Flames of Devotion or Lay on Hands, I picked Lay on Hands at a moment where nothing else seemed worthwhile given my playing style with this character, and I don't really feel starved of resources for him.

This was the reason I wanted to make a recording, so I can show you how I pass a big combat encounter. I think I'll record Rafiq Red Beard's combat - there will be lots of characters on the enemy side. The Paladin/Fighter serves as "Anti-access/Area Denial" by locking enemies and diverting attacks from the other party members. And that's basicaly all he does. If he also scores some grazes and hits, so much the better. I never felt "starved" of points when I had to choose how to upgrade him at level up, nor do I feel that way with him during combat.

EDIT:
I nearly forgot the main thing I wanted to post about - what level should I be when I start Forgotten Sanctum on PotD/Scale All/Only Upwards? I entered the dungeon at level 15 and my first combat was against three Vithracks, one of them with three red skulls, and the other two with three white skulls. They kicked my ass in about a minute, and I went back to collecting bounties :D

 

[AwesomeButton]

Did they change the experience system? Last time I played every one of my companion is either the same level or one level blow my MC, but this time When I reach 19, several of them are still levle 16.

That's a pretty big disparity. Normally, if you take some guy but don't actively use him, he will have fallen behind if you take him later, but a whole 3 levels behind is strange.

 

[Grunker]

I Think level 18 is the recommended level for FS right?

3 levels isn’t that Strange at that level - when Maia left me I put a random joe and he was level 17.

 

[Kruno]

Is it turn based yet?

 

[FreeKaner]

It's possible to not have Maia leave you even if you don't side with RDC by the way, same with Pallegina. However it requires specific choices, in case of Pallegina it even requires you have a specific PoE1 background.

 

[Sabotin]

Huh? Maia was leaving me even for just speaking about the final quest to Huana/VTC, before I even agreed to it xD . I had to put her on the boat to complete the hearing quest, cause it transitions to the finale in the same dialogue...

 

[AwesomeButton]

I Think level 18 is the recommended level for FS right?

3 levels isn’t that Strange at that level - when Maia left me I put a random joe and he was level 17.

I read somewhere that 15 is the expected level, but apparently it was wrong, lol.

 

[Vityaz]

Is the best Pike in the game (Wicked Beast) really unobtainable unless you piss off VTC?

 

[Infinitron]

Alex Scokel post about Forgotten Sanctum villain: https://less-than-hash.tumblr.com/post/181568901795/unmasking-fyonlecg

 

[2house2fly]

Is the best Pike in the game (Wicked Beast) really unobtainable unless you piss off VTC?

there's one cape that's apparently really good, that you can only get as loot from the final boss battle

 

[Safav Hamon]

The senior writer at Insomniac Games (spider-man) voted Deadfire's Nemnok quest her favorite writing of 2018

https://www.pcgamer.com/the-best-writing-in-games-in-2018/

 

[AwesomeButton]

It's what you would expect from the senior writer at Insomniac Games.

 

[Vityaz]

Is the best Pike in the game (Wicked Beast) really unobtainable unless you piss off VTC?

there's one cape that's apparently really good, that you can only get as loot from the final boss battle

Yeah, I found out the pike I wanted is only on one of those captains that spawn if you piss of Vailians for -3. Which really blows, since there are like only 2 good pikes in the entire game.

I just got a mod that spawns them anyway after level 13:
https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/1...ive-faction-ship-battles-now-upgraded-to-v40/

 

[FreeKaner]

This game is ruined by shit music and Outer Worlds will be too. Retard Bell is singlehandedly undermining all the possible atmosphere and ambience of the game.

 

[Curratum]

Justin Bell is just, I dunno, it's just BORING. They could have got any indie composer and he would have done a better job, Bell is just so dull.

 

[Delterius]

Justin Bell is just, I dunno, it's just BORING. They could have got any indie composer and he would have done a better job, Bell is just so dull.

The term you are looking for is 'Hack Fraud'.

 

[AwesomeButton]

The music you can at least turn off. No way to turn off the writing. Just look at this: "They're companions you pick up along the way who don't get the full "companion treatment" of personal quests, deeper relationships, or emotional arcs."

"Companion treatment". Because writing characters is not a creative processs, no, it's a cookie-cutter job. Also, I didn't know that every character is obliged to have an "emotional arc" in order to be a "companion". I've always thought this is something that should or should not be there, depending on whether it fits the character or not.

Tells you all you need to know about Obsidians writing talent.