Eternity Pillars of Eternity + The White March Expansion Thread

[Sannom]

Casting times and limited per combat casts is exactly what makes the mentioned above lvl 1 Blessing never worth learning in first place, Deadfire's Priests in general are one of the least balanced attempts at balancing Clerics, a few really strong spells and many trap options, looks like Sawyer doesn't really care about average player as much as he says.

What makes Blessing not worth learning is that there is a Lvl 3 spell that is just straight up better, except maybe for duration.

 

[Delterius]

Since Wizards, Priests and Druids operate on the same system, Chanters and Ciphers seem foreign and their ability to go on casting forever is counter to the attrition the limiting camping supplies suggest.

yeah and priest is the actual op caster poe1 lmao

 

[Max Damage]

Casting times and limited per combat casts is exactly what makes the mentioned above lvl 1 Blessing never worth learning in first place, Deadfire's Priests in general are one of the least balanced attempts at balancing Clerics, a few really strong spells and many trap options, looks like Sawyer doesn't really care about average player as much as he says.

What makes Blessing not worth learning is that there is a Lvl 3 spell that is just straight up better, except maybe for duration.

That too, but it's not like Blessing is any good before you can get Dire Blessing either. The way Inspirations work makes most of low tier ones not worth bothering with.

 

[BruceVC]

I just finished White March 1, it was good fun but not very long. Maybe 15-20 hours?

I am going to play 2 now and I will comment in more detail when thats complete

 

[Sannom]

That too, but it's not like Blessing is any good before you can get Dire Blessing either. The way Inspirations work makes most of low tier ones not worth bothering with.

Why ? A +5 bonus to accuracy is nothing to sneeze at this level and the added bonus of a one-time protection against all Perception afflictions is nice too.

 

[Max Damage]

+5 to accuracy feels pretty underwhelming to spend casting time and spell charge on, even assuming low levels. On top of my head, that's one less Restore or Interdiction you'll have afterwards. It and Holy Power are the least impactful lvl 1 spells, but even Holy Power lasts 10 seconds longer at base.

 

[BruceVC]

I just completed White March 2 and like WM1 it was very entertaining, I prefered 2 to 1 overall. It also only took me 20 hours or so

That means I have completed PoE1 in its entirety and I can share my views on the game. Some of this I have already mentioned in a previous post

The most significant positive about this game is Obsidian has been able to create a new fantasy RPG world and different mechanics around ruleset than most of us are use to compared to traditional D&D, I appreciated it but it took some getting use to. So for example any class can basically use any armour or weapon

The combat is a massive and main part of the game and I enjoyed it once you understand how abilities work, I didnt really like how you limited around healing in the normal sense and the whole health vs endurance mechanic was not preferable for me compared to normal D&D similar mechanics. But its not a big deal

My favorite battles were with the Eyeless, I liked paralyzing them or using my Cipher and Stasis Shell to isolate them in combat and I really had fun with the strategic nature of hard battles

Crafting was rewarding and made sense, there was nothing better than finding a high level ingredient like a Dragons Eye and knowing you can gain a major combat upgrade.I also liked how you can find important items to help in combat and increase stats and they not common so you really appreciate finding them

The main narrative was one of the best parts of the game and I found it very thought provoking. I enjoyed most of the lore but I also found myself forgetting things like who a specific deity was, thank goodness for the encyclopedia ...it became my friend on a regular basis

I can understand this game is an acquired taste, its not for all fans of fantasy RPG and the combat can sometimes feel draining, I dont like enemies appearing out of nowhere but its not all the time. I used pause and slowed the speed which allowed me to micromanage my party which I enjoyed

My main character was a priest and the game offered some interesting classes like Cipher which is lots of fun

So in closing, great game and its gets a 75/100 on the globally endorsed "BruceVC game rating system "

Now I plan to play PoE2 after a short break from this type of genre, how is PoE2? What is the consensus, better than PoE1?

 

[Max Damage]

I enjoyed PoE2 much more than first game. Better gameplay, probably worse setting and story.

 

[AwesomeButton]

how is PoE2?

I think it's an improvement in every way and you will like it even more. I'm leaning more towards the TB mode, but I don't know about you.

 

[BruceVC]

how is PoE2?

I think it's an improvement in every way and you will like it even more. I'm leaning more towards the TB mode, but I don't know about you.

I am not sure, Im use to the RTwP so I will probably stick to that? I was reading some negative opinions about TB because PoE2 wasnt designed for that,I dont know how accurate that is?

 

[AwesomeButton]

I was reading some negative opinions about TB because PoE2 wasnt designed for that,I dont know how accurate that is?

By common consensus Dexterity becomes a "dump stat" in TB. I wouldn't say it's that pronounced, first because Deadfire is a game where you can safely build with RP in mind, not minmax, and second, because you have the scripted interactions where Dextirity still counts.

It's really up to personal choice. For me TB was a welcome change towards orderlyness in combat, after having played for 200 hours of RtwP clusterfucks on PotD difficulty. In addition, TB allows you to see the combat animations and effects in all their graphical glory. I certainly didn't feel any encounter becoming significantly harder or easier when playing in TB.

 

[AwesomeButton]

Btw let me send you my portrait pack mod. I could never live with the "water painted portraits" of companions and NPCs, and I've spent some time compiling a list of color portraits for nearly all NPCs. The ones mostly missing are for Orlans and Aumaua. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I find myself reacting much better to the NPCs with more detailed portraits.

 

[Morality Games]

how is PoE2?

I think it's an improvement in every way and you will like it even more. I'm leaning more towards the TB mode, but I don't know about you.

I am not sure, Im use to the RTwP so I will probably stick to that? I was reading some negative opinions about TB because PoE2 wasnt designed for that,I dont know how accurate that is?

Just bear in mind that

(a) there is a button on the interface (available during combat) that lets you speed up enemy turns in turn-based mode. The sooner you realize this the less painful things will be.

(b) it's more fun at high levels when you have a larger toolkit to pull off thoughtful combos that are difficult to execute in RtwP mode.

 

[processdaemon]

I preferred PoE1 to PoE2 but that was entirely due issues with the setting and the companion writing, if you like nautical and/or island settings more than I do you may well like PoE2 more.

 

[adddeed]

how is PoE2?

I think it's an improvement in every way and you will like it even more. I'm leaning more towards the TB mode, but I don't know about you.

I am not sure, Im use to the RTwP so I will probably stick to that? I was reading some negative opinions about TB because PoE2 wasnt designed for that,I dont know how accurate that is?

Turn based really slows down the game as it wasnt originally designed for it.
Real time works much better.
Also PoE2 is probably the pretties isometric rpg ive played, and i liked the island setting with more of a feeling of adventure.

 

[cyborgboy95]

Now I plan to play PoE2 after a short break from this type of genre, how is PoE2? What is the consensus, better than PoE1?

As for me, I prefer Pillars 1 over 2. The fact that you hit the level cap in the sequel too soon and the removal of resource management for combat abilities put a damper on my POE 2 experiences.

 

[Morality Games]

Now I plan to play PoE2 after a short break from this type of genre, how is PoE2? What is the consensus, better than PoE1?

As for me, I prefer Pillars 1 over 2. The fact that you hit the level cap in the sequel too soon and the removal of resource management for combat abilities put a damper on my POE 2 experiences.

The structural concept behind the sequel leaned into Fallout: New Vegas in the sense that:

(a) the main quest is short

(b) it's expected you'll interact with and probably work for all or the most of the factions at some point (they have the best, most lore intensive content and best items relative to the other quests outside the DLC, so why not?)

(c) the game is pretty much based on sailing around questing and exploring, gaining experience and gathering equipment until you finish your builds and/or get bored and decide to finish the main quest

 

[Haplo]

Well, I'd say PoE2 is more of a sidegrade, then a straight upgrade, but overall I rate it higher - and have trouble going back to PoE1 with PoE2 existing.

The good:
1. Itemization,
2. Multiclassing, much more involved character building, class/ability/item synergies,
3. Encounter design is better, less trash fights,
4. Central hub is much better and larger (maybe too large if you try to take it all in one go),
5. Exlploration,
6. More and better story book segments,
7. Graphics.

The neutral:
1. Ship combat and management is undercooked for such a central feature, castle management was actually better,
2. TB mode made by an intern over a weekend - huge lost opportunity to make something great (only a couple simple changes away),
3. The exploration is neat, but many locations are tiny,
4. The DLCs, while mostly neat, are generally not on WM level (still worth playing, particularly the Forgotten Sanctum and Beast of Winter).

The ugly:
1. Main quest,
2. Move to per encounter ability system and consequently loss of unique class identities and even less attrition, nerfs of some classes and playstyles (somewhat enforced by the multiclassing options),
3. Removal of the Health/Endurance dynamics - though you may actually like it,
4. Companions are overall worse.

 

[AwesomeButton]

BruceVC , here you go: https://mega.nz/file/Wc53zYBI#INsxQ9z-w7eoQdgVqb_uac-148oLarJDMUC5ymAs9k4

Most of these were picked and cropped as I've been playing the game and some portrait strikes me as very ill-fitting. Two or three I've taken from another portrait mod, including the animal companion ones. Since I never planned to release this as a mod, and likely will never finish it, I never took the trouble to source each portrait, so probably some of them are comissioned work, or someone who drew it in deviantart or someplace would raise hell if I release it on the nexus.

"The beast of winter" is a collage I made myself from a bison picture.

5. The DLCs, while mostly neat, are generally not on WM level (still worth playing, particularly the Forgotten Sanctum and Beast of Winter).

For me the DLCs are a must-play.

 

[Lacrymas]

The DLCs are still good, just not on the level of WM1.

 

[BruceVC]

I cant explain enough how much Im loving PoE2, its almost like Obsidian listened to my criticisms with PoE1 and addressed them. Im only 9 hours in but already I can appreciate the differences

There lots of small things I love which I consider an improvement for my gaming preferences and they include

• you can select a different class if you want for companions when they join which is a small but significant change. I decided to be a Cipher for my main class so I made Serafen a Barbarian and he is one of my tanks
• I prefer how the Heath mechanics work
• It looks like you have Romance, finally !!!
• I love Xoti and her cute Southern accent
• I like the whole idea of a ship and island exploration design, I have always liked Pirate RPG

And then I did install several mods that include Enhanced User Interface which is a huge feature because now I can easily access lore and mechanics and I have much better understanding of these things

I really enjoyed PoE1 but I completed it without a good understanding or remembering all the lore and how ruleset mechanics work together, now that uncertainty is easy to reference

One of the best things about PoE2 is its apparently longer than PoE1 and Im planning on doing as many side quests as possible so I get a full experience with this game

 

[Grunker]

The DLCs are still good, just not on the level of WM1.

Survivor DLC is baed, ice dlc is mediocre and forgotten sanctum is cool. Nowhere near PoE1’s IMO

 

[Haplo]

• I love Xoti and her cute Southern accent

Well, that's a first.

 

[Quillon]

• I love Xoti and her cute Southern accent

Well, that's a first.

I don't particularly like her but she doesn't look out of place either knowing that she's from southern america in eora. I think people overlook PoE doesn't take place in medieval europe, sawya's flipping the map trick worked

 

[BruceVC]

Oh and other things I like, Obsidian gives you choice of RTwP or TB and then level scaling which I said a resounding NO !!!!

Why would you ever want level scaling, it utterly destroys the point of open world risk vs reward. I always want to know that there are enemies that must annihilate me if I try to attack them on lower levels

I like the skull system for quests and enemies, thats a good enough guide me