Underrail: The Incline Awakens

[Tigranes]

Second one is more engaging. The goal is simple - not to get hit. Here, pure damage output matters less as long as people can't hit you back. Underrail sports the wide selection of various means for that: simple pumping up your MPs so you can run from any danger, breaking the LoS, bear traps, wide assortment of crowd control grenades and caltrops, various PSI abilities, passive weapon bonuses and such. See sniper? Get in cover. See the guy with sledgehammer? Incap or trap him. See crossbow user? Fix him in place and finish him off. See the group of people? Trap the chokepoints, drop caltrops, start the fight with molotov to heat up the party, when they get uncomfortable close to you - flashbang. Given the choice between trading shots and retreat, always retreat, unless you are sure than you won't take much damage (or malign stat effect) and will kill the guy soon. Never stay in enemies attack range. If you are pressed up against active and dangerous enemy, you either kill him in the current turn, or disable him/run in cover.

That's what I was attempting to do with my first character. I suspect I did a big dumb by pumping Perception above all else though and never leveled Throwing. Probably need to restart.

I suspect you'll be fine once you work it out - the game isn't easy by modern standards and like any complex game has its own quirks you need to get used to. Feel free to share your build or specific issues in the thread. https://underrail.info/build/

If first time, you're on what, Hard/Oddity?

Normal/Classic - I've restarted as a melee guy with more focus on crafting and the game already feels nicer to play.

I can't recommend Oddity highly enough on Normal/Hard. It's well designed, the game's balanced for it, and it probably trains you to collect crafting ingredients, whereas trying to kill every critter around isn't the most fun.

Anyway, normal is easy enough that you can fool around a bit and get the hang of it. It does require some metaknowledge to understand the right crafting skills & thresholds for your build - e.g. the 20 chem for molotovs, 15 bio for psi boosters, or mech+elec for electrocharge weapons.

 

[ItsChon]

Its been a while since I've played, can I rush to get the Naval Mines to stop the native attacks? I doubt I'm strong enough to take out all the Natives right now.

 

[Ol' Willy]

Finished abandoned waterways facility near Junkyard recently... Can't say that I liked it much. Entrance forces naval combat on you and I'm not a fan of that; as soon as you disembark it goes better. I liked the bit when the way back is blocked, but then comes the biggest asspain: areas are separated by small waterways and game forces you to use shitty junk jets. Gee, it's so great to have the vehicle with the durability of origami crane and below 50% THC.

There's so much loot around, my man, but it's pain to collect it since you can't bring your jet past the first location. Unique jet parts are nice, but they're too big for my current jet and only really rarer high-quality components there are fabrics. Found one of 172 quality there. Sadly, I wanted high-quality black cloth but there was none.

 

[Trashos]

I just did the Health Center. Technically, it is the exact opposite of "show, don't tell". But it is done very well. It is chilling. So good job.

 

[Trashos]

In terms of jet ski combat, especially when pirates get the jump on me, they throw some grenades that screw both me and my jet ski. I barely survive, probably due to Stoicism, and can then win or escape, but I need tons of resources to fix all the damage done to the jet ski.

Is this the way it is supposed to go or am I doing something wrong?

EDIT: Hmm.... I probably need to pass through with very low battery, so that EMP grenades do not translate battery into damage.

 

[Sheepherder]

T.knives have been very viable so far, just very slow at the start. I'll finish the game with them alone. Getting close to Magnar now.

I couldn't do enough damage to get past the Iron Heads with my throwing build, and that was with a throwing spear. Maybe I fucked something up, but how were you able to deal enough damage? I didn't use poison, so that's probably what fucked me right?

Against Balor, throwing knives themselves did single digit damage. But even 1 point of damage is enough to apply poison. Without poison, that fight would have been undoable.

 

[Tigranes]

Got me a nice galvanic vest + crab shell for 77% electricity, I'm sure I could jack it up higher, but it'll do. Horti Center was no problem since I jacked up to a modest 150+ stealth for Epione Lab.

Not sure how to tackle the SRO assault with sword boy, though. First zone I solo'd with group Enrage, but the second zone you have no choice but to walk into a fence, turrets, and then enemies coming in streams - I can manage somewhat until the snipers arrive and then they one-shot me from two screens away basically. Not sure how to control the battlefield beyond fire.

 

[Fedora Master]

Im starting to get it.

 

[ItsChon]

Not sure how to tackle the SRO assault with sword boy, though. First zone I solo'd with group Enrage, but the second zone you have no choice but to walk into a fence, turrets, and then enemies coming in streams - I can manage somewhat until the snipers arrive and then they one-shot me from two screens away basically. Not sure how to control the battlefield beyond fire.

I just did this attack at level 20. I just took a ton of meds and a root soda to get early initiative, ran in and stunned the turrets with Elecetrokinesis and flurried one of them, my Energy Shield (1200 capacity) was enough to easily tank the Heavy Soldiers for a round, and then I flurried both the turrets down and just put myself in Stasis, the other Free Drones took care of the rest. After you take down the auto turrets, the rest should be easy. I didn't have to fight Snipers though? Maybe I got a lucky enemy composition?

 

[ItsChon]

Not sure how to tackle the SRO assault with sword boy, though. First zone I solo'd with group Enrage, but the second zone you have no choice but to walk into a fence, turrets, and then enemies coming in streams - I can manage somewhat until the snipers arrive and then they one-shot me from two screens away basically. Not sure how to control the battlefield beyond fire.

I just did this attack at level 20. I just took a ton of meds and a root soda to get early initiative, ran in and stunned the turrets with Elecetrokinesis and flurried one of them, my Energy Shield (1200 capacity) was enough to easily tank the Heavy Soldiers for a round, and then I flurried both the turrets down and just put myself in Stasis, the other Free Drones took care of the rest. After you take down the auto turrets, the rest should be easy. I didn't have to fight Snipers though? Maybe I got a lucky enemy composition?

Walking into the Protectorate base myself and clearing it without the Free Drones was honestly easier tbh. You can go right up to the auto turrets, EMP the one on the right with the two soldiers, and destroy the one of the left quickly. Since you'll start combat close range, more time to deal with the enemy before reinforcements arrive.

 

[Tigranes]

ItsChon I didn't know the enemies get semirandomly rolled, but on Dominating I'm finding what seems to be 10+ enemies including Major Clifton, and at least two snipers. I can manage enemy flow with fire, EMP turrets / shields as necessary, and generally manage the situation, but it's really tough being 3 AGI meleeman in open ground and losing to a sniper I couldn't ever actually see. At least with the Dreadnought in the first map you can prep for it and one-turn flurry it down or stun it.

For some mysterious reason this guy still hasn't picked up Stasis, though, so I guess that's my solution.

 

[Ramnozack]

ItsChon I didn't know the enemies get semirandomly rolled, but on Dominating I'm finding what seems to be 10+ enemies including Major Clifton, and at least two snipers. I can manage enemy flow with fire, EMP turrets / shields as necessary, and generally manage the situation, but it's really tough being 3 AGI meleeman in open ground and losing to a sniper I couldn't ever actually see. At least with the Dreadnought in the first map you can prep for it and one-turn flurry it down or stun it.

For some mysterious reason this guy still hasn't picked up Stasis, though, so I guess that's my solution.

If you have decent thought control, PSP is a pretty good counter to snipers/crossbows/hammers and other things like that.

 

[ItsChon]

ItsChon I didn't know the enemies get semirandomly rolled, but on Dominating I'm finding what seems to be 10+ enemies including Major Clifton, and at least two snipers. I can manage enemy flow with fire, EMP turrets / shields as necessary, and generally manage the situation, but it's really tough being 3 AGI meleeman in open ground and losing to a sniper I couldn't ever actually see. At least with the Dreadnought in the first map you can prep for it and one-turn flurry it down or stun it.

For some mysterious reason this guy still hasn't picked up Stasis, though, so I guess that's my solution.

Ah the 3 AGI is rough. And I just realized there isn't random rolls, but you probably didn't discover the spy yet, which is why the outpost is so well defended.

 

[Trashos]

The ferryman... was interesting. I need to re-read my Epicurus, but there are probably more influences there.

He has also met

Spoiler

Hank Wardell.

He did help "lift my burden", so at the very least he is coherent! Only made it to Philosophy II, though.

 

[Ol' Willy]

but there are probably more influences there.

Samsara, obviously.

Sukhāvatī ?

 

[ItsChon]

Nietzsche and Laozi come to mind.

 

[Trashos]

What concept of Nietzsche, "the eternal recurrence"? I do not really see it.

 

[Ol' Willy]

I just did this attack at level 20. I just took a ton of meds and a root soda to get early initiative, ran in and stunned the turrets with Elecetrokinesis and flurried one of them, my Energy Shield (1200 capacity) was enough to easily tank the Heavy Soldiers for a round, and then I flurried both the turrets down and just put myself in Stasis, the other Free Drones took care of the rest. After you take down the auto turrets, the rest should be easy.

Last time I did SRO for some reason Protectorate was still not hostile to me. So I just left those loosers outside, waltzed in, disabled turrets with switch and cleared the place.

 

[ItsChon]

What concept of Nietzsche, "the eternal recurrence"? I do not really see it.

It has been months since I last played Underrail, but I specifically remember there being connections to Nieztsche in his philosophy. I'll get there soon and I'll lyk once I'm reminded.

Does anyone know if you kill the natives or plant mines to stop the Native attacks, whether or not Aegis gets wiped out or not once you join the pirates?

 

[Ol' Willy]

Does anyone know if you kill the natives or plant mines to stop the Native attacks, whether or not Aegis gets wiped out or not once you join the pirates?

I culled all savage bosses, joined pirates and Aegis was untouched. Was forced to finish them off myself.

 

[Fenix]

Sell Glider and ACORN

So I guess specializing is the wrong way to go about this?

Absolutely not. I'm always playing specialist and everything is fine.

Not sure how to tackle the SRO assault with sword boy, though.

Same as I did it with fist guy - lotsa reloads. Most difficult fight in the game. Also I did it without revealing the spy on purpose.
First disable turret with EMP, then shock second turret with tazer and elimnate it on turn1.
Next turn you need to forget about turrets, and chop-chop the incoming protectorate troops, hopefully cut through them and run to the room with a switch, where you can have at least some cover.
And yet Kokoshka STILL died anyway, cause game decided to exit combat mode, and while I was trying to recharge the shield, he ran in real-time to a last plasma turret, which cut him in half...

 

[Yaz]

The ferryman... was interesting. I need to re-read my Epicurus, but there are probably more influences there.

The Ferryman was super fresh the first time I got to interact with him. I can only envy the people going into this for the first time.

PS: A bit of Schopenhauer there, as well.

 

[Trashos]

Another awesome dungeon, JSHQ! I had multiple heart attacks inside (and outside!), but eventually I figured it out. About every dungeon in this expansion is better than the previous one.

A bit of Schopenhauer there, as well.

I have not read Schopenhauer. But if I see Epicurus, others see Nietzsche, and you see Schopenhauer, then I guess we should name the hoppers Epicurus, Nietszche and Schopenhauer, even though we are going to eat them later.

 

[Ghulgothas]

Another awesome dungeon, JSHQ! I had multiple heart attacks inside (and outside!), but eventually I figured it out. About every dungeon in this expansion is better than the previous one.

Now's a good time to start exploring the Northern Coast if you haven't already. There's some good exploring and battling to be done there as opposed to pirate country and the festering swamps of the Southern Coast.

 

[Yaz]

I have not read Schopenhauer. But if I see Epicurus, others see Nietzsche, and you see Schopenhauer, then I guess we should name the hoppers Epicurus, Nietszche and Schopenhauer, even though we are going to eat them later.

I know Schopenhauer's ideas weren't particularly novel - they were in the West, though. Can't really put it down to any single one of them, either. But I still like it.