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[Durante]

Of course you'd say that. ;p Although I don't agree at all. There's nothing really tactical about "don't use any of your abilities, or simply waste them until the fake health bars are gone". This is why the Adept in Mass Effect 2 was awful to play, and they at least had Warp and Warp combos to quickly strip armor. So far, that doesn't exist in this game.

The strongest CC right now is Teleport and Netherswap, with the occasional earth spells (or Spider Legs) for oil. Now imagine a group with 2-3 Rangers that can use those abilities. They blow up casters almost instantly due to the low armor, and for melee they can simply slow them, push them away or teleport (or just go invisible) themselves. The only time direct damage or hard CC (which already fucking requires a multihit combo) spells matter much are against enemies that have no armor to begin with.

I strongly disagree. It doesn't make it so that you shouldn't use your skills, it makes it so that you need to consider another layer when making decisions about which skills to use and which enemies to engage. The planning when fighting groups (in terms of both positioning and skill use) has the added element of thinking about which of your characters primarily do which type of damage, and which enemies have physical, magical or no armor.

In D:OS1, after the start, in most our battles the strategy was "pull them together & nuke them with everything". It's a testament to how well-designed the system was (and is) that the tactical execution of that strategy had so much variety and complexity that it was still rewarding and fun. But in D:OS2, there's also a larger variety in strategy due to the armor system -- at least so far.

Maybe I'll change my mind another few dozen hours in. But I don't think so.

 

[Sanctuary]

I strongly disagree. It doesn't make it so that you shouldn't use your skills, it makes it so that you need to consider another layer when making decisions about which skills to use and which enemies to engage. The planning when fighting groups (in terms of both positioning and skill use) has the added element of thinking about which of your characters primarily do which type of damage, and which enemies have physical, magical or no armor.

In D:OS1, after the start, in most our battles the strategy was "pull them together & nuke them with everything". It's a testament to how well-designed the system was (and is) that the tactical execution of that strategy had so much variety and complexity that it was still rewarding and fun. But in D:OS2, there's also a larger variety in strategy due to the armor system -- at least so far.

Maybe I'll change my mind another few dozen hours in. But I don't think so.

Yeah, I get how it should add an extra dimension to the combat in theory, yet it's still more efficient to just blow them up with physical attacks, use summons and Teleport (which isn't just for CC, it's also to bring the squishy casters to your melee character). The same isn't true for the enemy forces though that typically outnumber you, which means they have more opportunitues to strip your armors away (which you then either need to replenish or simply heal through) than you do to them.

 

[carlsojo]

Is there anything I can do for the Bear

Spoiler

Cub

?

 

[JC Sera]

Is there anything I can do for the Bear

Spoiler

Cub

?

you can

Spoiler

comfort

him
thats about it

 

[Artdayne]

Of course you'd say that. ;p Although I don't agree at all. There's nothing really tactical about "don't use any of your abilities, or simply waste them until the fake health bars are gone". This is why the Adept in Mass Effect 2 was awful to play, and they at least had Warp and Warp combos to quickly strip armor. So far, that doesn't exist in this game.

The strongest CC right now is Teleport and Netherswap, with the occasional earth spells (or Spider Legs) for oil. Now imagine a group with 2-3 Rangers that can use those abilities. They blow up casters almost instantly due to the low armor, and for melee they can simply slow them, push them away or teleport (or just go invisible) themselves. The only time direct damage or hard CC (which already fucking requires a multihit combo) spells matter much are against enemies that have no armor to begin with.



Constitution only seems to matter for gear requirements. Otherwise, if you aren't raisng your main stat, Memory and Wits are better.

What difficulty are you playing on?

If it's something less than tactician I simply disagree with you. If it is tactician, I think the mode is overtuned more so than there being a problem with the armor system. I think classic is quite reasonable at least for me about mid way through act 2.

It's simply not true that you don't use your abilities until armor has been depleted, that's only the case for CC and status effects, and plenty of times you'll use the status effect abilties when you know that they don't have enough armor to withstand your entire attack. My pyro wizard shreds magic armor quite easily on most targets. My 2 handed Knight and Rogue both shred physical armor quite easily. I still use CC a lot you just cannot mass CC 2-3 enemies on the pull like you could in DOS 1.

 

[Labadal]

My issues so far: I don't like the armor system. I felt this way from the start. It doesn't feel well thought out. You have to wait until you whittle down P/M armor before getting any advantage of crowd control effects. I'd rather have seen that armor as extra health.

Bugged quests. After leaving the first area, I had six quests that I could not progress further. These were all quests that I actually did all the steps for, but they did not update.

Other than that, 30 hours spent on the game since release. (One restart included.) I'm having fun, but combat was better in the first game. All in all, still a great game.

 

[robotzombie]

Okay, so I'm trying to think of what I want my team to be and I'm almost confident in this:

Main character dual wielding dagger scoundrel/polymorph - for this should I take sneaking, thievery, or both? Also, for stats, All finesse and some memory? Anything else?

for the rest of the party I'm thinking this (any suggestions on where to put stat/skill points for these guys, please let me know):

2 hander warfare/necro

Cleric type person, tanky shield using healer hydro/geomancer

For the final character, I kind of don't know, I'm guessing a full mage so pyro? Or maybe a summoner? A suggestion for a good build to round out the team in this final slot would be great.

 

[OverturePT]

I'm enjoying this game even more than the first one and that's also thanks to the armor system. Wouldn't want it any other way now.

 

[Deleted member 325805]

Is this game extremely hard or am I doing something very wrong? I'm playing on normal difficulty and I'm at the bit with the

Spoiler

houndmaster at Fort Joy in the prison

and I just get shit on, I'm level 2 and they're level 3, is level that big of a deal? Their attacks just do so much more than mine, I can't even kill one of them before I'm wiped out. It feels like I'm missing something major here.

 

[Ozigizo]

Is this game extremely hard or am I doing something very wrong? I'm playing on normal difficulty and I'm at the bit with the

Spoiler

houndmaster at Fort Joy in the prison

and I just get shit on, I'm level 2 and they're level 3, is level that big of a deal? Their attacks just do so much more than mine, I can't even kill one of them before I'm wiped out. It feels like I'm missing something major here.

It does matter, but your gear does as well, especially early on.

Try seeing if you can find anything better.

 

[Deleted member 325805]

It does matter, but your gear does as well, especially early on.

OK my gear is basically what you start with, I haven't done any crafting as I don't know how to make gear (if you even can). I look in the trade windows occasionally but everything is always way too expensive.

 

[Cameron122]

Wish there were more dragons in DM mode

Real talk I'd buy DLC that was just more content for that, like stuff that maybe doesn't fit in the main campaign

 

[electroflame]

OK my gear is basically what you start with, I haven't done any crafting as I don't know how to make gear (if you even can). I look in the trade windows occasionally but everything is always way too expensive.

The game is fairly difficult early on, but stealing is the best early-game option in regards to gear. Pickpocketing is crazy good to get some decent skills/gear. My preferred way is to have one party member talk to the target (to make them face away from a safe pickpocket location, and to keep them locked in place) and have the other three pickpocket the target. Get the other three party members as far away as you can before you switch back and end the dialog. Pretty risk-free, and extremely useful for getting some stuff to sell or use.

Alternatively, you should probably be at least level three before heading in there. There's probably some quests you missed in town that could help you level up.

 

[Kalentan]

So I made Fane my healer lol. I imagine that will bite me in the ass eventually.

 

[CrichtonKicks]

Are all of those paintings that you pick up safe to sell? The way the game talked about their eyes following you I wouldn't put it past Larian to come up with another use for them.

 

[Stiler]

So I made Fane my healer lol. I imagine that will bite me in the ass eventually.

As long as you don't have him heal himself lol.

 

[texhnolyze]

Act 1 is done, clocked at 31 hours on Steam lol. I did restart after I reached Fort Joy but that was only after 2 hours or so.

Post act 1:

Spoiler

So I'm stuck with only 4 Origins after the event in The Vengeance? Man, I was looking forward to switching my party between them for different formations and purposes. That last battle was intense though. I had to restart to reorganize my party and their spells/item.

Anyway, how do I store items on the ship? There's something called 'storage box' below the deck, but I don't think I can store anything on it. There's also 'store item to The Vengeance' menu from inventory, but it doesn't seem to work either.

 

[MisterShine]

Main character dual wielding dagger scoundrel/polymorph - for this should I take sneaking, thievery, or both? Also, for stats, All finesse and some memory? Anything else?

A point or two in sneaking is all you need. You need to use your party to keep people away from you, that's the important part of sneaking. Thievery is a good use of your skill points assuming you don't want persuade on your main guy. Stats are mostly dex + wits. Wits not only lets you go first (good for ruining a mages day before his first turn) it also increases your crit. Mem you can do maybe 12-13 by end of act 1 as you need it?

2 hander warfare/necro

Str + con + wits. Avoid necro skills that scale off of int, but you should level up your necro to at least 3 or 4 before taking your warfare above 1 - each point gives you a 10% absorb to all your hits. I stopped at 5 before upping warfare.

For the final character, I kind of don't know, I'm guessing a full mage so pyro? Or maybe a summoner? A suggestion for a good build to round out the team in this final slot would be great.

Summoner/Ranger would be good here, stacking physical damage in a group seems like a good strategy so far from what I've seen. Give him a bit of other casting skills as you see fit but focus on summoning: the faster you get to summoning rank 10 the faster your Incarnates go Super Saiyan.


Hope this helps!

 

[Burt]

Say what you want about armor, but I think that everyone can agree on the fact that there's nothing more annoying in the game than decay.

 

[Twinsen343]

How good is the loot you come across from the Wits skill?

I put a few points into it then going back over all the spaces and have come across some really really nice loot.

The game is so dam good, that level of uniqueness is so refreshing, I play for hours and it feels like 20 minutes passes.

 

[fluffydelusions]

That one fight with the

Spoiler

clay statues

in the cemetary was so annoying.

 

[robertoci]

Umm have I encountered a weird bug or have I just fucked something up along the way?

ACT 1 ENDING SPOILERS

Spoiler

Both Lohse and Beast died after the boat attack from Hammer, I just had a journal update letting me know that they died lol, could it be that they weren't in my party when the attack happened?

I'm not overly fussed as it means I don't have to keep changing party members but both of them had pretty decent gear on them that I coulda used on others haha

If anyone knows the answer please let me know!

 

[texhnolyze]

Umm have I encountered a weird bug or have I just fucked something up along the way?

ACT 1 ENDING SPOILERS

Spoiler

Both Lohse and Beast died after the boat attack from Hammer, I just had a journal update letting me know that they died lol, could it be that they weren't in my party when the attack happened?

I'm not overly fussed as it means I don't have to keep changing party members but both of them had pretty decent gear on them that I coulda used on others haha

If anyone knows the answer please let me know!

Yeah, that seems to be how it's supposed to be, not a bug. I addressed it in my previous post above too.

 

[robertoci]

Yeah, that seems to be how it's supposed to be, not a bug. I addressed it in my previous post above too.

Damn that sucks

Oh well, still having a great time with it, put 35 hours into it so far and for me it's a huge step up from the first game.

 

[Scuffed]

This game is great 10/10 for me so far.

 

[Kadin]

Never played the first game and I'm installing via Steam right now. Is there anything wrong (other than possible shame) with starting at the easiest difficulty? Keep seeing things indicating it can be pretty difficult and I'm not the greatest with managing multiple characters.

 

[Moff]

Is this game extremely hard or am I doing something very wrong? I'm playing on normal difficulty and I'm at the bit with the

Spoiler

houndmaster at Fort Joy in the prison

and I just get shit on, I'm level 2 and they're level 3, is level that big of a deal? Their attacks just do so much more than mine, I can't even kill one of them before I'm wiped out. It feels like I'm missing something major here.

I had the same experience

1. it is not an easy game. there are fewer encounter than in other rpgs but they are well crafted and supposed to make you think about them and not just breeze through them.

2. you need gear and skillbooks. do some quests, steal stuff from people. make sure most equipment slots from your party are equipped with at least something. do all the quests and pick up everything for money to trade and to level up.

3. the houndmaster is still a challenging fight. try to lure them to one of the cells so you are in control and not them. I think I did it at level 3 or 4.

 

[Kalentan]

So uh... Is there any way to revive people without scrolls? I just killed the 'ambush' frogs and well. Only Fane is left alive cause the poison. I'd rather not redo the fight.

 

[Kard8p3]

holy fuck the

Spoiler

voidwoken deep-dweller

fight is hard as fuck

 

[Leetums]

So this is my 3rd time restarting the game, ive pickpocketed what i feel like is every character in fort joy, ive talked to everyone, i feel like ive done everything, and wound up leaving by

Spoiler

teleporting out

When i get to the other side im level 3, full party, but i cant for the life of me even stand a chance in any of the fights in

Spoiler

the marsh

so i turned the difficulty down, but now im level 3 fighting level 6s and winning and it makes me feel like im cheating or that im blasting through content i shouldnt be able to beat. Am i doing something wrong? Should i be a higher level when i leave fort joy?

 

[fluffydelusions]

This game is great 10/10 for me so far.

Same

EDIT: BTW so far is it only the one review out from that Italian site?

 

[carlsojo]

Is this game extremely hard or am I doing something very wrong? I'm playing on normal difficulty and I'm at the bit with the

Spoiler

houndmaster at Fort Joy in the prison

and I just get shit on, I'm level 2 and they're level 3, is level that big of a deal? Their attacks just do so much more than mine, I can't even kill one of them before I'm wiped out. It feels like I'm missing something major here.

Skip it for now. It's a tough fight.

 

[fluffydelusions]

Is this game extremely hard or am I doing something very wrong? I'm playing on normal difficulty and I'm at the bit with the

Spoiler

houndmaster at Fort Joy in the prison

and I just get shit on, I'm level 2 and they're level 3, is level that big of a deal? Their attacks just do so much more than mine, I can't even kill one of them before I'm wiped out. It feels like I'm missing something major here.

I was having trouble with that fight on classic mode...ended up being my party composition. Changed it up to:

Conjurer
Ranger
Fighter
Enchanter

and breezed through it first try. Obviously there is more way than one to do it that's just how I rolled.

 

[Venfayth]

Someone on the reddit told me how to complete my quest....man come on for my quest I had to have 40 wits to uncover it fair enough you have change skill points on the boat but no one playing would ever have 40 wits thats insane.

How far along in the game are you roughly?

 

[Golden_Pigeon]

I'm enjoying this game even more than the first one and that's also thanks to the armor system. Wouldn't want it any other way now.

I feel that the armor system solve the weakest point of the (great) combat system of the first one.

 

[Massicot]

Anyone know where to use the second arena key? I found a secret room to the right but there's nothing in there..

Edit: Hatch near where Murga started.

 

[Kalentan]

Is there any possible way to switch difficulties? Tactician might be a bit much for me. Makes every fight feel like a boss fight.

 

[fluffydelusions]

Is there any possible way to switch difficulties? Tactician might be a bit much for me. Makes every fight feel like a boss fight.

Settings > gameplay

 

[Leetums]

Is there any possible way to switch difficulties? Tactician might be a bit much for me. Makes every fight feel like a boss fight.

You can freely switch difficulties, even mid fight. Buuut, you cant do it on tactician, once you pick tactician youre stuck with it (Atleast im pretty sure thats what i read elsewhere in the thread). Its under the gameplay settings though for future reference.

 

[Kalentan]

Settings > gameplay

Sadly you can't on tactician. Is there any mods maybe?

Like maybe I'm not supposed to fight him yet but the Magister Houndmaster is my same level but he can destroy my entire party in 2-3 turns.

 

[fluffydelusions]

Sadly you can't on tactician. Is there any mods maybe?

Like maybe I'm not supposed to fight him yet but the Magister Houndmaster is my same level but he can destroy my entire party in 2-3 turns.

Ah didn't know it doesn't work on that mode. =\

 

[Lanrutcon]

I'm starting to think the ideal party is pure physical with utility magic like teleport and invisiblity. The further I get into the game, the less point I see in trying to smash through two inflated bars instead of just one.

I'm also becoming a big fan of just walking around with a scoundrel, initiating bullshit fights, then noping out with invisiblity. So many fights are a shitload easier if you don't fight them from where you initiate them normally.

Anyone found an ingredients vendor in act 2, btw?

 

[Megasoum]

I'm really tempted to get this game but like with all the tactical RPGs I see I get super intimidated lol.

I remember starting the first game when it originally came out but only played a couple of hours.

I've thinking about going back and playing the first one recently but now that the sequel is out I'm tempted to just go straight to it.

 

[epmode]

I've been playing through Dishonored before starting this for real. Just from reading impressions, though, I have a question.

I understand why Larian would introduce a magic armor mechanic. It makes sense to limit the more overpowered CC strategies from the first game. What I don't understand is why they'd also introduce a regular armor bar. It sounds like it needlessly penalizes parties that split physical and magic damage. Could anyone explain how it benefits the game design?

 

[Massicot]

Anyone know where to use the second arena key? I found a secret room to the right but there's nothing in there..

Edit: Hatch near where Murga started.

This results in getting another key I don't know where to use, lol. This game.

 

[fluffydelusions]

I'm really tempted to get this game but like with all the tactical RPGs I see I get super intimidated lol.

I remember starting the first game when it originally came out but only played a couple of hours.

I've thinking about going back and playing the first one recently but now that the sequel is out I'm tempted to just go straight to it.

Do it! You have 2 hours to test it out anyway...don't like it just refund.

 

[justjim89]

Boy, these fights against

Spoiler

Trompdoy in Braccus's vault

are no joke. And it's a prime illustration of how inflated the enemy's armor is compared to what you have available, even though I'm at the same level with them. Not to mention they're all bullshit ambush fights. Hopefully the loot in here is good.

Side note,

Spoiler

after the first surprise fight against Trompdoy, I attacked the version of him that appeared and started gloating, and then killed him in a fight. Have I screwed up and made future non-hostile versions now hostile?

Obligatory screenshot of my party, currently level 5 and with the best gear I could steal and buy. My main character is a custom undead shadowblade.

 

[AnathemicOne]

Boy, these fights against

Spoiler

Trompdoy in Braccus's vault

are no joke. And it's a prime illustration of how inflated the enemy's armor is compared to what you have available, even though I'm at the same level with them. Not to mention they're all bullshit ambush fights. Hopefully the loot in here is good.

Side note,

Spoiler

after the first surprise fight against Trompdoy, I attacked the version of him that appeared and started gloating, and then killed him in a fight. Have I screwed up and made future non-hostile versions now hostile?

Obligatory screenshot of my party, currently level 5 and with the best gear I could steal and buy. My main character is a custom undead shadowblade.

No you haven't there's 3 main fights you have to do, you just added an extra mini 4th one haha

 

[Deleted member 325805]

Stopping for tonight (oops it's 4am). I've never really played this type of game before so it's all very overwhelming and I feel so stuck. I can't beat the

Spoiler

Hound Master

, I failed the

Spoiler

Arena

without realising it was a one time deal (it still shows on the map), the quest marker still shows at

Spoiler

Stingtail

even though he's dead so I'm not sure how to continue. I feel like I've uncovered everything on the map that I can and I've tried to speak to everyone. My gear is woeful still but I managed to hit level 4. Overall I'm enjoying it though so I hope I can get past this.

 

[fluffydelusions]

Stopping for tonight (oops it's 4am). I've never really played this type of game before so it's all very overwhelming and I feel so stuck. I can't beat the

Spoiler

Hound Master

, I failed the

Spoiler

Arena

without realising it was a one time deal (it still shows on the map), the quest marker still shows at

Spoiler

Stingtail

even though he's dead so I'm not sure how to continue. I feel like I've uncovered everything on the map that I can and I've tried to speak to everyone. My gear is woeful still but I managed to hit level 4. Overall I'm enjoying it though so I hope I can get past this.

What's your party makeup? I had trouble on that

Spoiler

houndmaster

fight too then I changed my party around and it was quite easy.