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

[Morality Games]

The Beast of Winter and the Forgotten Sanctum didn't achieve the quality of the White March but I can't really imagine playing Pillars of Eternity II without them, they're basically the most elaborate and interesting quests in the game.

 

[Litmanen]

The same for the Floating Hangman: I would like to find and conquer it but I don't want to actually ally with the Pirates. Can I do it? Would that give me exp anyway and maybe a good loot (as I imagine)?

Last I played I had to cooperate with one of the two pirate leader to get it. You might even get the key quest item independantly from the pirates but nothing happens. When I got the ship I was still in Onekaza's good grace as nothing during its hunt forced me to enemy myself with any other factions. I even massacred the pirates afterward.

Also I think I blew up the powder magazine after getting the Hangman.

2) yeah, that: I want to level up a bit more, because I'm almost going to Ukaizo but I'm still level 17 (almost 18). I know that I can go in Kazuwari or in Harbinger's Watch or start the quest for the mages DLC (it starts AFTER I get an ally, right?). But I do not like enormous dungeons just with fights fights and fights. I would like also something mildly interesting lore-related or with something else. What do you suggest? How long do they take each?

Each DLCs are fairly long and full of fights even if a very few are avoidable. I would say they are 4 to maybe 9 hours each, probably slightly shorter if you rush.

If I recall right, you might have a point of no return half-way through Beast of Winter, then you must finish the dungeon before being able to get out.

Forgotten Sanctum might have one such point but far far later, at around 90% of the DLC and even then I am not sure.

Beast of Winter and Forgotten Sanctum are the most lore filled, especillay the latter. Those are still big dungeons though, with a good amount of fights. They are not as long as Caed Nua's depths for exemple but have a similar fight density I think.

If you do not like a shitload of combats then avoid Kazuwari because it is mostly focused on that. A quarter of it is text-base events and its last third are optional fights for more loot and challenges. It is not realy a dungeon though and you are free to get the hell out of it during 95% of its duration. I do not know if its theme, and so its lore, would interest you(it's about some of Galawain's secrets and aspects).

The Beast of Winter and the Forgotten Sanctum didn't achieve the quality of the White March but I can't really imagine playing Pillars of Eternity II without them, they're basically the most elaborate and interesting quests in the game.

Thank you both, guys.

In the meanwhile, I had already got the Fonferrus without indeed breaking or making any alliance. I think I'll go solo or with Valian Company. The others are unbereable.
And I think I'll give a try to the other DLCs then, even if OBVIOUSLY in the meanwhile I arrived on Kazuwari for the one you were discouraging me to do (but I didn't know).

 

[Haplo]

Yeah, getting Fonferrus is awesome (also that estoc!).

 

[Piotrovitz]

2) yeah, that: I want to level up a bit more, because I'm almost going to Ukaizo but I'm still level 17 (almost 18). I know that I can go in Kazuwari or in Harbinger's Watch or start the quest for the mages DLC (it starts AFTER I get an ally, right?). But I do not like enormous dungeons just with fights fights and fights. I would like also something mildly interesting lore-related or with something else. What do you suggest? How long do they take each?

Then, maybe level 17/18 is already enough for the endagame in PotD...

Have you explored the whole map and did most of the base game quests?
Even if you're playing with the no-xp-from-bounties mod you should still hit lvl 20 without touching any of the DLCs and being overly completionist.

Btw has anyone tried ranged build (ran/cip or ran/rog) with dwarf and Aamiina's Legacy bow?
10% change for no save stun seems pretty good, especially with driving flight and hunting bow modal - something like poor man's Stormcaller.

Looking for some alternatives for Red Hand for next playthrough.

 

[Litmanen]

2) yeah, that: I want to level up a bit more, because I'm almost going to Ukaizo but I'm still level 17 (almost 18). I know that I can go in Kazuwari or in Harbinger's Watch or start the quest for the mages DLC (it starts AFTER I get an ally, right?). But I do not like enormous dungeons just with fights fights and fights. I would like also something mildly interesting lore-related or with something else. What do you suggest? How long do they take each?

Then, maybe level 17/18 is already enough for the endagame in PotD...

Have you explored the whole map and did most of the base game quests?
Even if you're playing with the no-xp-from-bounties mod you should still hit lvl 20 without touching any of the DLCs and being overly completionist.

Btw has anyone tried ranged build (ran/cip or ran/rog) with dwarf and Aamiina's Legacy bow?
10% change for no save stun seems pretty good, especially with driving flight and hunting bow modal - something like poor man's Stormcaller.

Looking for some alternatives for Red Hand for next playthrough.

I haven't visited all the map yet but I have finished practically every other quest that is not a bounty (or the Mapping the Archipelago ones). And I have the exp mod. I haven't visited places I wasn't supposed to visit, let's say.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Btw has anyone tried ranged build (ran/cip or ran/rog) with dwarf and Aamiina's Legacy bow?
10% change for no save stun seems pretty good, especially with driving flight and hunting bow modal - something like poor man's Stormcaller.
Looking for some alternatives for Red Hand for next playthrough.

I've had a recovery-resetting build with war bows, needs a Barb (reset on a kill) and throw in some multiclass that would add more crits since late game war bows also reset on crit.

I think Poko Harambe ruins have a Pistol that does Paralyze on crit which I would argue is a better effect than Stun.

 

[Desiderius]

2) yeah, that: I want to level up a bit more, because I'm almost going to Ukaizo but I'm still level 17 (almost 18). I know that I can go in Kazuwari or in Harbinger's Watch or start the quest for the mages DLC (it starts AFTER I get an ally, right?). But I do not like enormous dungeons just with fights fights and fights. I would like also something mildly interesting lore-related or with something else. What do you suggest? How long do they take each?

Then, maybe level 17/18 is already enough for the endagame in PotD...

Have you explored the whole map and did most of the base game quests?
Even if you're playing with the no-xp-from-bounties mod you should still hit lvl 20 without touching any of the DLCs and being overly completionist.

Btw has anyone tried ranged build (ran/cip or ran/rog) with dwarf and Aamiina's Legacy bow?
10% change for no save stun seems pretty good, especially with driving flight and hunting bow modal - something like poor man's Stormcaller.

Looking for some alternatives for Red Hand for next playthrough.

Evasive Roll sets up Hand Mortar Disorienting Cone nicely if you can get Accuracy high enough (Powder Burns uses same Cone).

Can go two-weapon with Fire in the Hole and Rogue full attax. I think Strike the Bell applies before the proc.

 

[Desiderius]

2) yeah, that: I want to level up a bit more, because I'm almost going to Ukaizo but I'm still level 17 (almost 18). I know that I can go in Kazuwari or in Harbinger's Watch or start the quest for the mages DLC (it starts AFTER I get an ally, right?). But I do not like enormous dungeons just with fights fights and fights. I would like also something mildly interesting lore-related or with something else. What do you suggest? How long do they take each?

Then, maybe level 17/18 is already enough for the endagame in PotD...

Have you explored the whole map and did most of the base game quests?
Even if you're playing with the no-xp-from-bounties mod you should still hit lvl 20 without touching any of the DLCs and being overly completionist.

Btw has anyone tried ranged build (ran/cip or ran/rog) with dwarf and Aamiina's Legacy bow?
10% change for no save stun seems pretty good, especially with driving flight and hunting bow modal - something like poor man's Stormcaller.

Looking for some alternatives for Red Hand for next playthrough.

Evasive Roll sets up Hand Mortar Disorienting Cone nicely if you can get Accuracy high enough (Powder Burns uses same Cone).

Can go two-weapon with Fire in the Hole and Rogue full attax. I think Strike the Bell applies before the proc.

Concussive applies AoE but isn’t full attack, Wounding Shot is full but not AoE.

Blightmaw is also fun because Corrosive

 

[Desiderius]

Last thing is Arcane Archer with Spearcaster. Use high Arcana (gives bonus to hit on Spearcaster that stacks with AA bonus) to cast Scrolls (sinking merchant ships gives you a lot for free) when not using Imbued Shots.

Once you unlock the Empowerment enhancing abilities Empowered Imbue Missiles hits very hard for single target, Fireball for multiple, and Pull for Crowd Control. Web pretty good opener from Stealth.

Extremely high Accuracy

 

[Piotrovitz]

I've had a recovery-resetting build with war bows, needs a Barb (reset on a kill) and throw in some multiclass that would add more crits since late game war bows also reset on crit.

Reset-on-crit build sounds pretty damn cool. St. Omaku can be grabbed relatively early, then Veilpiercer late game. I think cipher/devoted would work here great - +3 PEN from the start, + 20 acc from borrowed instincts, +25% hit-to-crit from disciplined stikes. Or something mixed with ranger which also can be crazy crit machine.

I'm tempted to go with dwarf + Aamiina, but hunting bows get pretty crappy pen, so most of the time I'd be probably using Essence anyway.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Yeah, Rogue, Ranger or Fighter with Devoted should all work, so I'd just roll with which combo seems more fun to play. I also had Pallegina in the backline with crit aura in and Chanter's shooting speed aura.

 

[Litmanen]

Finally finished!

I haven’t played the DLCs (I was only really tempted by the Mages one) and I reached Ukaizo at level 19, on PotD.

For once in my RPG-life, I must thank my moderate/socialist approach in saving the dragon under Teketaka. I’m not sure I could have survived the fight with the Guardian of Ukaizo, though spells like 'Wall of Colors,' 'Maelstrom,' and my Magran Priest IX/X abilities were truly game-changing.

Great game overall. The companions and their quests were better in the first Pillars, from what I remember. Same for the main story. But the setting and factions' interactions here are much deeper and better. I loved how some choices (like the one in the Watershapers' quest, but not just that) had a significant impact much later in the game.

Too easy if I was able to finish it on PotD (except for the super megabosses like the giant black ooze, the huge steel construct, etc.). I even beat the Kraken on my first try, with no preparation.

Now, for some reason, I feel like starting World of Chaos (yeah, the Hungarian one).

 

[Piotrovitz]

Companions are actually way worse than in PoE1, as said earlier it seems everyone has been californized. Their side quests were ok, though like in first one, they are too short (go to X>go to Y>dialogue with NPC>end)

MQ is pretty ok, gives you actual motivation to push it forward, unlike in one, where you just wandered around and couldn't care less about main plot. My main gripe is that too many fights on the main path are optional and can be unintentionally avoided with minimal investment in passive skills, unless you deliberately choose hostile option in dialogues. Freeing the dragon seems like a common sense choice which probably most of first time players will do, and in reward you are deprived of fight with final boss. Side quests suffer from this as well (death guard in Hanging Sepulchers, sect in Aloth's quest etc etc). You don't even have to deliberately invest in any particular skill to avoid those fights, just spread everything among whole team and eventually you will pass one of the checks that leads to non-violent resolution. That'd be fine if you still had to navigate dialogue tree and figuring right answers on your own (like in e.g. FO1/2).

 

[Yosharian]

Yeah the companions are almost all insufferable.

 

[ColonelMace]

Finally finished!

I haven’t played the DLCs (I was only really tempted by the Mages one) and I reached Ukaizo at level 19, on PotD.

For once in my RPG-life, I must thank my moderate/socialist approach in saving the dragon under Teketaka. I’m not sure I could have survived the fight with the Guardian of Ukaizo, though spells like 'Wall of Colors,' 'Maelstrom,' and my Magran Priest IX/X abilities were truly game-changing.

Great game overall. The companions and their quests were better in the first Pillars, from what I remember. Same for the main story. But the setting and factions' interactions here are much deeper and better. I loved how some choices (like the one in the Watershapers' quest, but not just that) had a significant impact much later in the game.

Too easy if I was able to finish it on PotD (except for the super megabosses like the giant black ooze, the huge steel construct, etc.). I even beat the Kraken on my first try, with no preparation.

Now, for some reason, I feel like starting World of Chaos (yeah, the Hungarian one).

Agree with all of your points.
I also think Deadfire tops PoE1 in the modularity department, thanks to gods challenges and turn-based mode (albeit some more keen on focused and cohesive experiences might understandably consider it a weak point)

 

[Litmanen]

Companions are actually way worse than in PoE1, as said earlier it seems everyone has been californized. Their side quests were ok, though like in first one, they are too short (go to X>go to Y>dialogue with NPC>end)

MQ is pretty ok, gives you actual motivation to push it forward, unlike in one, where you just wandered around and couldn't care less about main plot. My main gripe is that too many fights on the main path are optional and can be unintentionally avoided with minimal investment in passive skills, unless you deliberately choose hostile option in dialogues. Freeing the dragon seems like a common sense choice which probably most of first time players will do, and in reward you are deprived of fight with final boss. Side quests suffer from this as well (death guard in Hanging Sepulchers, sect in Aloth's quest etc etc). You don't even have to deliberately invest in any particular skill to avoid those fights, just spread everything among whole team and eventually you will pass one of the checks that leads to non-violent resolution. That'd be fine if you still had to navigate dialogue tree and figuring right answers on your own (like in e.g. FO1/2).

I don't know if Aloth quest has a violent ending too. I would have honestly liked it more, I was prepared to sweep the Key out of Eora once and for all. But I couldn't find the way. The dragon, I saved him because actually I've detested the Huana from the beginning and didn't want to part with them, so I did everything to break their balls. Plus, I was a good fellow. But it is true you can avoid a lot of fights/solve several quest with quite easy skill checks. I love games where you can do that but, as I said before, maybe here they set the difficulty bar very low.

Yeah the companions are almost all insufferable.

Some of them. Serafen and Eder were not bad. And I would have liked Ydwin to be a true companion more than a sidekick. I used her as pure rogue instead of Xoti (along with Eder pure fighter, Tekehu pure deuid and Aloth pure wizard) and I really loved her.

Agree with all of your points.
I also think Deadfire tops PoE1 in the modularity department, thanks to gods challenges and turn-based mode (albeit some more keen on focused and cohesive experiences might understandably consider it a weak point)

What do you mean with "modularity department"?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

modularity department

Being able to tweak the difficulty to your preference in multiple aspects by way of the gods challenges, for one thing.

 

[Litmanen]

modularity department

Being able to tweak the difficulty to your preference in multiple aspects by way of the gods challenges, for one thing.

Ah, I didn't know about its existence

 

[A-Minish]

Ah, I didn't know about its existence

Probably because in order to access those options you have to click on a decorative element in the UI, it will glow up or lit up while hovering over it. If my memory serves me right, it is the horned head at the bottom of the main menu or something. Easy to miss.

https://pillarsofeternity.fandom.com/wiki/Magran's_Fires

 

[Piotrovitz]

They add some variety, but most of those challenges are for masochists and autists tbh, the only playable ones for normal person are galawain and berath's. What game could use instead are more high level encounters and better xp curve.

 

[Litmanen]

They add some variety, but most of those challenges are for masochists and autists tbh, the only playable ones for normal person are galawain and berath's. What game could use instead are more high level encounters and better xp curve.

I would have appreciate more Eothas', Wael's and Rymrgand's ones, honestly.

And I agree that the game could have managed better the xp curve and the encounters.

Doesn't make any sense that normal encounters (if you exclude the Ukaizo Guardian) are quite affordable and then there are the supermegabosses who represent an incredible challenge.

A bettere balance would have been a good thing.

 

[ColonelMace]

They add some variety, but most of those challenges are for masochists and autists tbh, the only playable ones for normal person are galawain and berath's. What game could use instead are more high level encounters and better xp curve.

I like the concept of these game modes. Reminds me of games from the 90s/early 2000s which sometimes featured whacky game modes (RE2002 invisible mode for instance). PoE1 big heads mode was a throwback to such zany shit from the PS1 era.
I think this sort of easter eggs are always a nice touch.

 

[Cryomancer]

Guys, I'm using the mod to allow watershaper. Does it disables my archivements?

 

[Cryomancer]

Played a bit as a watershaper. Still getting archivements.

Anyone knows where the save is located if I install in Linux on "/home/username/GoG games"? I want to back up my

About watershaper. I really liked it. I mean, Wizards in this game are just a very dumbed down version of 3.5e Wizards. With all cool spells becoming a boring copy, like Malignant cloud VS 3.5e Cloudkill. Watershaper has a lot of cool stuff. Can become a deadly melee wereshark, summon a water clone, crush enemies, freeze enemies, create cold fog that blinds enemies, damage enemies and so on. This class was very cool imo. Playing in VETERAN and the unique mod that I'm using is to allow watershaper PC.

 

[Haplo]

Well, I won't claim a Deadfire wizard holds a candle to a DnD 3.5 wizard.

Still, it has its niche. Combusting Wounds when used properly can rapidly melt a lot of enemies.

The Essential Phantom uses whatever weapon the wizard is using. So you could cast Concelhaut's Draining Touch and summon Essential Phantom before expanding the Touch strike and have it spam those draining attacks.

Shadowflame is a neat combo of damage and CC. Crushing Doom is pretty awesome versus tough enemies. Ninagauth's Freezing Pillar is a great nuke.

And of course, the fast cast buffs are neat, including ones that make the wizard really tough to hit.