is it correct that the stats only serve as tresholds for the feats?
That's a big part of what stats do, but there is more to them. For example,
there are direct stat checks in the game. Eg, if you have PER 8, you can see a door that you wouldn't see otherwise, if you have AG Y, you can jump over a specific river, STR allows you to wield certain weapons and wear certain armors, DEX reduces the AP cost of light weapons like pistols, fists, knives etc.
But another very important aspect of ability stats is that
each stat helps specific skills. For example, AG helps Stealth, Dodge, Evasion. So when you invest 10 skill points in Stealth, your effective Stealth (ie, the 2nd column on the skills screen) is greater when your AG is greater. This is very important for your weapon of choice as well: PER helps Guns skill, DEX helps Throwing, certain guns, and certain melee weapons, Will helps Psi etc. Sledgehammers, for instance, benefit from STR.
It is a lot to take in, and I think the best way to go about it is to see in action in your playthrough. But I suggest you make sure the stats and skill that affect your main weapon are attended to. This is the most important bit.
I what exactly the game expects of me aside from the fact that it isnt friendly to people that skill to much at once. I dont need a full min maxed build but a few pointers what works would be great.
Well,
one way to go about it is to pick a decent build from the web and see how it goes. In my view, new players should pick something simple, not something too elaborate. I generally suggest stealthy SMG for early runs (it supports a commando playing style: get in, grenade, finish them off with SMG), but not everyone is going to like the same thing.
But if you want to do it yourself, then
try to come up with something and post it here for feedback. It may be hilariously wrong, but that's OK, you are going to learn by the answers. Like I said, make sure the main stats and skills that affect your main weapon are attended to.
As for the other skills, you have several ways to go about it.
A) You are going to be getting 40 skill points/level after level 1, and you can invest 5 skill points/level in any skill (again, after level 1). So pick 8 skills you want to care about, and max them every level. This is not necessarily optimal, but it is a decent way to start.
B) Choose some skills you care about and invest just enough so that the effective skill increases 5 points per level. How much you need to invest for this to happen depends on your ability stats. Exception: Always max the skill that affect your main weapon. This is generally a decent way to think of what is expected of you regarding skill investment, even if it is not always optimal.
The game *generally* expects your attended skills to increase by 5/level in terms of effective skill, and it also expects your main weapon skill to always be maxed.
