Underrail: The Incline Awakens

[Mr. Pink]

How may waves of exosoldiers do I have to kill? I think I've killed five waves but I'm starting to run out of ammo

 

[Zeem]

I get a headache thinking about all the backtracking to vendors after every fight

Speaking of vendors, what is the official codex(tm) position on the salesperson feat that scales off your mercantile? I hate having heaps of stuff I can't sell.

All mercantile feats are useless since they don't do anything you won't get just by waiting.

 

[Piotrovitz]

Damn, I'm just before Depot A and still missing 8XP to get to lvl 8 and get Spec Ops - the only quest left are Silent Isle/Blaine/support for Eels/Free Maura. Not sure where to farm the rest - I got 2 missing beetle brains but guess that's all. Cleared the lower passages from lurkers too - any idea where I can score something? Never had this problem before, I always hit lvl 8 just before Depot. Guess I got uber unlucky this time with random drops.

Also, I haven't looked into some important thresholds and kinda fucked myself a bit - can't craft SMG with muzzle brake, since it requires 45 mechanics and I'm 4 points short. Thankfully I saved game on each lvl up, so can go back and bump it (but then again, I will have to farm similar frame and muzzle brake, ehhh).

 

[Serus]

I get a headache thinking about all the backtracking to vendors after every fight

Speaking of vendors, what is the official codex(tm) position on the salesperson feat that scales off your mercantile? I hate having heaps of stuff I can't sell.

All mercantile feats are useless since they don't do anything you won't get just by waiting.

Many feats are "useless" since they don't do anything that you won't get just by doing stuff like reloading. With some builds all you really need are 3 or 4 crucial feets. At least that's my guess.

 

[lukaszek]

Damn, I'm just before Depot A and still missing 8XP to get to lvl 8 and get Spec Ops - the only quest left are Silent Isle/Blaine/support for Eels/Free Maura. Not sure where to farm the rest - I got 2 missing beetle brains but guess that's all. Cleared the lower passages from lurkers too - any idea where I can score something? Never had this problem before, I always hit lvl 8 just before Depot. Guess I got uber unlucky this time with random drops.

Also, I haven't looked into some important thresholds and kinda fucked myself a bit - can't craft SMG with muzzle brake, since it requires 45 mechanics and I'm 4 points short. Thankfully I saved game on each lvl up, so can go back and bump it (but then again, I will have to farm similar frame and muzzle brake, ehhh).

cant remember specifics, on dominating id enter depot as lvl9-10 i think? 8tics missing seem like a lot.

tell us which monsters are you missing. Perhaps you can farm some burrowers? Hoppers?

Silent Isle/Blaine/support for Eels

why not finish those? You will also get faction emblems this way if you are missing stealing.

 

[jackofshadows]

Damn, I'm just before Depot A and still missing 8XP to get to lvl 8 and get Spec Ops - the only quest left are Silent Isle/Blaine/support for Eels/Free Maura. Not sure where to farm the rest - I got 2 missing beetle brains but guess that's all. Cleared the lower passages from lurkers too - any idea where I can score something? Never had this problem before, I always hit lvl 8 just before Depot. Guess I got uber unlucky this time with random drops.

Also, I haven't looked into some important thresholds and kinda fucked myself a bit - can't craft SMG with muzzle brake, since it requires 45 mechanics and I'm 4 points short. Thankfully I saved game on each lvl up, so can go back and bump it (but then again, I will have to farm similar frame and muzzle brake, ehhh).

You can farm like hoppers or other critters you miss any xp like syphoners. Or you can simply enter Depot A and get there some XP, plenty of it is very accessible, especially if you have steath skill. Postpone steamrolls for later.

 

[Piotrovitz]

Silent Isle/Blaine/support for Eels

why not finish those? You will also get faction emblems this way if you are missing stealing.

I'm kinda dreading the Silent Isle and the Goliath there and wanted to farm some good SMG frame/muzzle brake and stockpile on W2C ammo, but due to fuckup with not raising mechanics enough I have to reload previous lvl up and bump it more. Same with tailoring, I've neglected it too much and may not be able to craft decent siphoneer leather, which always makes Depot easier.

Damn, totally forgot that hoppers have this sweet 2xp oddity, I'll take a trip to mushroom cove - thanks bros

 

[Piotrovitz]

Ah fuck it, I can't reach lvl 8 to get Spec Ops and am just getting more and more frustrated.

I don't have any decent SMG yet, due to not pumping mechanics enough, so am rolling with some looted 7.62 Marauder/shock steel knife. Can't really farm burrowers' oddities cause I'm too weak - even single siphoneer is a challenge without having to bombard him with molotovs. And Silent Isle is completely out of question with my current gear.

I'm thinking about restarting, but perhaps this build is still somehow salvageable?

https://underrail.info/build/?BwcLBwMFAwUtACYAGQAALSUgAAAmABMAHAAAACcAAA4rwqM5GRZP37w

What I would change here:

1. Postponing investment in TM for later - Psycho-Contraction is available only in Rail Crossing anyway. Limited Increment is sweet for lowering molotovs cooldown, but those 35 points in TM would have more value added in mechanics/tailoring I guess.

2. Opportunist - I'm starting to see how lack of it at this stage seriously cripples this build. Not sure whether to dump Sprint or Hit and Run to make a room. Probably the latter, because Sprint has saved my glass cannon ass too many times. Hit and Run was always super useful for my SMG runs on Hard, but on Dom I guess it's a luxury I can't afford, at least not at the beginning.

3. Melee - perhaps 25 is too much at this stage and I should start pumping it only after I raise guns to 80 for Commando? I wouldn't skip it completely at the beginning, since it helped me with rathounds and lurkers a lot - not sure how I would make it money-wise if I had to shoot everything.

4. Mercantile - 14 points to get all the rewards from Jonas, but I don't think it was worth to pump it at this stage.

Any tips are more than welcome. And thanks for all the advices so far - love ya buddies!

 

[jackofshadows]

I'm thinking about restarting, but perhaps this build is still somehow salvageable?

Looks very salvageable Even though both sprint and hit&run seems excessive indeed (I'm playing with h&r but I run metal armor). TM skill investment is a mistake yes but 40 skill loss i.e. 1 level up isn't a deal breaker either at this point. You have the stealth (craft/buy skill+ gear if you need to) so you can just run through Depot A with no problems except perhaps you need to learn more how to abuse shit a little bit: like that sentry is running circles - you wait for it in stealth, enter combat as it's about to bumb into you, taser him (not having it is an omission by the way), burst/burst, next turn just walk away and close the door. Etc. You don't have to take out all the muties. The easiest way to do Depot A is to pump hacking a bit (don't remember the threshold, did this time w/o pumping it) and turn the turrets off > take the access card and just walk around for the mcguffin. One time I crafted a sniper rifle just to shoot down those turrets by abusing your turn (by the way if you hadn't rebind enter combat, by now, do it, helps a lot, persobally have it on "e" and relocated utility slots by one on the righ).

Opportunist - dunno, playing w/o it just fine, since I won't have supressive fire.

Melee - I was pumping it every level actually since with high dex it outruns guns value fast even with vers penalty. Plus was using melee a lot until level 8 and after Depot A grabbed the power fist so was using it even later against weak opponents.

Mercantile I was pumping it every level until 73 - at the beginning on DOM it's harsh otherwise.

Edit: oh and Silent Isle note that you can involve captain into helping you, kite the rats a bit and he'll shoot them (bugs are too strong) so you can then stealth around the bugs and steal the shipment. At least that's what I did.

 

[lukaszek]

Ah fuck it, I can't reach lvl 8 to get Spec Ops and am just getting more and more frustrated.

I don't have any decent SMG yet, due to not pumping mechanics enough, so am rolling with some looted 7.62 Marauder/shock steel knife. Can't really farm burrowers' oddities cause I'm too weak - even single siphoneer is a challenge without having to bombard him with molotovs. And Silent Isle is completely out of question with my current gear.

I'm thinking about restarting, but perhaps this build is still somehow salvageable?

dude, you got stealth. Sneak into depot and obtain plenty oddities without combat. Also there is unique smg for you to grab there. Pick your moment of going murderhobo

 

[BING XI LAO]

Stunner lasor pistol so OP that this fight was segmented into 3. Each group died too quickly to alert the next. Oyensorm didn't get to summon the Wyrms and I got to see the cool idle graphic where he's immersed in black emanation

 

[Piotrovitz]

(by the way if you hadn't rebind enter combat, by now, do it, helps a lot, persobally have it on "e" and relocated utility slots by one on the righ).

Why's that, to be able to start combat quicker than by pushing enter? Not sure if I get it.

dude, you got stealth. Sneak into depot and obtain plenty oddities without combat. Also there is unique smg for you to grab there. Pick your moment of going murderhobo

Thanks to both of you guys, for all the tips and encouragement - I hoped that this build may still be salvageable by trying to sneak by and grabbing K&H.

I'm thinking about restarting anyway - taking both Sprint and Hit and Run was too much, especially that it's gonna be a feat-hungry build compared to the one I ran with on Hard, and I don't want to run gimped and regretting not taking Opportunist/Recklesness/Commando instead, which would make things way easier.

 

[Piotrovitz]

Opportunist - dunno, playing w/o it just fine, since I won't have supressive fire.

It syngergizes with suppresive fire nicely, but works on it's own as well, especially with the necessity of bear traps/throwing nets usage on Dom.

And holy fuck, the taser - I completely forgot about it's existence, since I never used it even once on Hard

 

[lukaszek]

I'm thinking about restarting anyway

always the best answer

 

[Piotrovitz]

Yep, what would life be without chronic restart syndrome.

 

[jackofshadows]

Why's that, to be able to start combat quicker than by pushing enter? Not sure if I get it.

Yes, that simple. Also I rebind 7-8-9 to more convenient hotkeys.

I'm thinking about restarting anyway - taking both Sprint and Hit and Run was too much, especially that it's gonna be a feat-hungry build compared to the one I ran with on Hard, and I don't want to run gimped and regretting not taking Opportunist/Recklesness/Commando instead, which would make things way easier.

You could do that, ofc but personally I'm not even sure what to grab past 20 lvl and the enemies die very easily so.... Clearly this isn't the most feat-hungry build I ran. That said, with contraction the mobility would become really fucking excessive having those two feats.

It syngergizes with suppresive fire nicely, but works on it's own as well, especially with the necessity of bear traps/throwing nets usage on Dom.

Only in early game. I still use bear traps occasionally but that's not a nessesity, even vs stalkers (use caltrops instead since again, I'm wearing steel).

And holy fuck, the taser - I completely forgot about it's existence, since I never used it even once on Hard

I love that thing so much. It doesn't even need big investments (since only the initial damage scales but cost scales as well so usually I end up using a very basic taser even in late game) even though almost every build could use high electronics skill. A dirty kick replacememt basically but with utility slot cost instead of a feat and it also works against robots (plenty of bosses are males though).

 

[Piotrovitz]

You could do that, ofc but personally I'm not even sure what to grab past 20 lvl and the enemies die very easily so.... Clearly this isn't the most feat-hungry build I ran. That said, with contraction the mobility would become really fucking excessive having those two feats.

Yeah, I guess in the long run things would probably smooth out but still, it's a waste of feat I could spend on some QoL one, like paranoia or interloper. Or even pack rathound : <

I love that thing so much. It doesn't even need big investments (since only the initial damage scales but cost scales as well so usually I end up using a very basic taser even in late game) even though almost every build could use high electronics skill. A dirty kick replacememt basically but with utility slot cost instead of a feat and it also works against robots (plenty of bosses are males though).

Are any of the early vendors even selling this thing or do I have to buy blueprint and pump some electronics?
Don't think I've ever seen it in Ezra's or Katherine's stock.

 

[jackofshadows]

Are any of the early vendors even selling this thing or do I have to buy blueprint and pump some electronics?
Don't think I've ever seen it in Ezra's or Katherine's stock.

No one is ever selling it. You must craft it yourself but investing something like 20 skill points is enough (less even with higher int).

Yeah, I guess in the long run things would probably smooth out but still, it's a waste of feat I could spend on some QoL one, like paranoia or interloper. Or even pack rathound : <

Eh, pack rathhound with this STR level is a waste I'd say. Especially now when there's a belt +50 weight which is essentially the same for stocking purposes. Paranoia - you won't see stalkers anyway with this PER on DOM. I like interlooper a lot so yeah but not for me personally this time - stealth penalties are too big for me to go around in stealth all the time. Then again, no idea what to pick so might as well do that.

Expose weakness is useful but awkward to actually use to I'll pass on that too. There's plenty of ways to deal with the most armored guys anyway. Premeditation for stasis - silly imo. Probably will take future orientation for full tm house so to say (pchyco-temporal acceleration is good so I already have it).

 

[Piotrovitz]

Alrighty, I'm ready for starting again - sprint will go out in favor of opportunist + will skip investing in TM so early and spread the points over mechanics/tailoring/electronics.

Two last questions:

1. Is pumping spec points in versatility worth it to get 0.8 multiplier, or with high dec the 0.6 will be enough to have guns on reasonable level?
In your high dex pistol build posted few pages ago I saw you pumped it to 10/10, which is pretty steep investment that could be used for bumping e.g. opportunist or suppresive fire.

2. Is pickpocketing worth it? Think I read somewhere that 50 points is enough to steal ammo. Not sure how tough the economy is on Dom, especially for bullet starved SMG build. Is this something worth considering?

 

[jackofshadows]

1. Is pumping spec points in versatility worth it to get 0.8 multiplier, or with high dec the 0.6 will be enough to have guns on reasonable level?
In your high dex pistol build posted few pages ago I saw you pumped it to 10/10, which is pretty steep investment that could be used for bumping e.g. opportunist or suppresive fire.

Yes. THC will be lacking otherwise and so you'd need to close distance all the time... which is possible with SMGs so you could do with investing say 5 or even none into vers. But the practical difference is big.

2. Is pickpocketing worth it? Think I read somewhere that 50 points is enough to steal ammo. Not sure how tough the economy is on Dom, especially for bullet starved SMG build. Is this something worth considering?

50 is definitely worth it (especially so with dex oriented char although me still rarely invest into it). Ammo/other consumables is one thing but what's really useful are oddities some of them should require much more than 50 though. Anyway, not a nessesity. Economy on DOM is harsh but not that harsh. But as a huge bonus pickpocketing allows you to

Spoiler

solve the professor kidnapping quest very early and w/o breaking a sweat, getting really nice vehicle again, early on. As an option, I've seen some guys here are love to do it

 

[lukaszek]

1. Is pumping spec points in versatility worth it to get 0.8 multiplier, or with high dec the 0.6 will be enough to have guns on reasonable level?
In your high dex pistol build posted few pages ago I saw you pumped it to 10/10, which is pretty steep investment that could be used for bumping e.g. opportunist or suppresive fire.

it boosts both damage and thc, there are some build defining specs but honestly they are quite rare and can be viewed as something extra. In general im quite annoyed at them mostly offering 1% boost to something

2. Is pickpocketing worth it? Think I read somewhere that 50 points is enough to steal ammo. Not sure how tough the economy is on Dom, especially for bullet starved SMG build. Is this something worth considering?

cant imagine underrail run without sneaking and pickpocketing. Its not just about money(although that too) but also about getting items early and oddities.
You can get 7xp early in junkyard by stealing faction emblems. Then 6+3(aegis?) in core city and some extra from pirates. There is at least 1 hobo in smelting town who got oddity and in general they can be found quite randomly.
Whats more, since you are running versatility, its especially valuable early game as you can steal decent shock knife - check all the pockets, especially boat captains. You are looking for knife with high shock values that will make beting robots easy.

Actual value is not straight forward, I usually set it high enough to steal aegis insignia in core city.

 

[Old One]

I started playing this again after a long hiatus. It's stunning how much stuff has been added or changed.

 

[Machocruz]

Also started playing this again after a months hiatus. I had obsessively played up and through the notorious Depot A, then for whatever reason I stopped.

I haven't played a RPG this alternatively punishing and rewarding since Wizardry 7 (the 2010s for me). 80 hours so far and currently running between Core City, Foundry, and Rail Crossing to do whatever quests that I can manage (i.e. able to beat enemies with lots of reloading) with my sub-optimal but workable build. It's also taken me that long to gel with and understand how to use said build more effectively. In short he is lvl 12 SMG main with level max or near max points in Guns, Throw, Stealth, Traps, Mechanics, Chemistry, some wasted points in Melee I never use, and half hearted points in Dodge+Evasion and Intimidation. Just started putting points in Tailoring as well. A couple wasted feats and base attributes that are a little too even with each other.

On a side note, when people say you can "just sneak bro" through Depot A, they aren't lying. That wasn't my experience even though I was at max point cap for the level and had significant gear bonuses. But then a couple days ago I realized I'm an idiot and it doesn't mean just having high sneak lol. I saw one guy do it on dominating and he also had high LP, Hacking, and some kind of psi ability that let him get more mp in TB mode (which I didn't avail myself of then) and remain stealthed, which was very useful in getting past mutants/dogs camping an exit, occasions where high Stealth alone is not enough.

Anyway, at least on normal, I think anyone with a decent understanding of RPGs and who takes time to look thoroughly look through chargen, especially feats, can make a good enough build for normal difficulty. What I see as the main cause for difficulty and frustration for many is how enemies are place in the world rather than the combat itself. On one screen you can be evaporating a group of enemies, then just one or two screens away will be one guy who burns you down in one turn. There is no clear way to proceed for the first time player, so it's a process try to do a quest/area, get beat down at every turn, realize you are out of your depth, then have to find somewhere else. Couple with a slow movement speed and size of places, it can be a slog. Feels like I've spent most of those 80 hours reloading fights and looking around for anywhere I can make progress. That's with an inefficient but not totally retarded build can only imagine what it's like for normies coming from normie games where even retard builds can win.

But then after hours of muthafucka trying to ice-skating uphill, I'll get on a mini-tear of pushing people's shit in and all feels right in the world. Still with at least 3 attempts and lucky RNG moments, but I just tell myself that's the intended experience and everyone goes through this. /copium

At least I can say this is one game that makes me question where I sit on the hardcore-casual spectrum. Honestly wouldn't mind more direction and a more conventional approach to area difficulty, less trial and error. What's there is doable, but so far it's been a hell of a time sink that feels more like a long puzzle game than an adventure. I spent my playtime yesterday navigating Lower Underrail and I didn't know whether I was impressed or annoyed by how much of it there is. I was there for hours just going through new screens, and everytime I thought it was going to lead me back to a familiar area, there were more paths going into the unknown. Again, impressive but daunting.

So my concise review so far is: top 5 build heaven game, addicting abuse/reward loop, too big for combat gaem, structure is weird and annoying, top tier crafting in RPG but also tedious, integration between charbuild-combat-gear is pro shit, getting sneak killed in one turn is the worst, can't stop playing.

 

[Yosharian]

I find managing crafting components to be utterly tedious, that's my biggest issue with the game tbh

 

[Parabalus]

I find managing crafting components to be utterly tedious, that's my biggest issue with the game tbh

You can do disassemble spec or CE to remove the tedium.