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[Branson]

So I know you can create the two characters up front. But can you at some point create all 4 party members? Or are the other two always NPCs you meet?

 

[razgriz417]

You need 5 for the books+scroll combination iirc, rest you can make with less but your lvl of crafting affects what scrolls you can make. If you just buy a scroll on a vendor, that's not relevant.

For Pixie Dust, other than checking the materials vendor(water/air spell vendor in cyseal and witch/scoundrel in silverglen), you can make them, and they're actually very easy. You need moondust or bonedust and combine it with stardust. Now moondust is rare since it's moonstones grinded down with a mortar(all the dusts are btw), but bonedust is basically any bone stuff, so skulls and crap, you should have a ton if you hoard stuff like I do. Then stardust is an herb, you get quite a few from looting them, you can also buy some and they're like 2g, so make sure you grab them. Combine the 2 dusts and you got pixie dusts, then it's pretty easy from there. Also elemental halls vendors sell books and restock every level, so that's a good way to get your common books later on, however this has limited uses I find.



Yeah no restock, so you buy them only once, which is great since restock broke the balance and felt annoying if you wanted to min max since you had to hit it asap and then hit it every level and spend all your early gold into it constantly.



I assume it's a drop only, somewhere. There's a few of these still it seems. It wasn't on the various vendors I've checked so probably the case. Can't craft it either since it's scoundrel. Elemental Tortoise for warriors looked like the same deal, not sure if archers have one of these too as I don't play one. Mages have a bunch but you can craft them using scrolls you find/craft earlier than you find the books(so for example if you want fire elem before you do the fire area you can still make one or the 2 witchcraft summons which are acquired super late compared to their levels).

Edit: Actually there was this one place in the original where you had to pick one of the 3 physical classes books, like some library thing with puzzles I remember vaguely, I think back then it was Barrage for archer, forgot the other 2, but wouldn't be surprised if that's where it is.

Thanks for the tips! Turns out I'm rank 4 now (picked the wrong option in a conversation and it reduced my crafting :/) so it'll be a bit before I can craft some spell books.

 

[ant_]

Can anyone help me beating the giant robot at the beginning of the game?

Spoiler

I keep trying Sleepy Sleepy Happy but I'm either out of range, or when I'm close and and it seems to work he still uses his weapons.

 

[Maybesew]

So I know you can create the two characters up front. But can you at some point create all 4 party members? Or are the other two always NPCs you meet?

You meet them.

 

[Eusis]

I don't really understand the question/issue. It can be both things simultaneously.

I was thinking more along the lines of, say, if really modernizes that type of design and does it well for this generation, or if it touches on it and merely does an OK job, but ends up excelling in other areas so well that it's a moot point. Though I haven't played through TOO much of Ultima VII, but I got the impression that was lauded mainly for a large, highly interactive world, and some impressions of the latter parts of the game made it sound like there wasn't as much in the world past chapter 1 but the battle system was amazing enough to keep carrying it anyway.

 

[Sanctuary]

The ranged aiming is beyond frustrating.

1. Geometry fucks you over because the trajectory path is from just above your knee (makes zero sense).

2. Some spells keep saying that you cannot see your target, while if you switch to a different spell, you can hit them. Not talking about area of effect spells hitting either.

3. While trying to focus on the same target with a character using multiple ranged attacks per turn, you cannot keep the target indicator locked, even though you are hovering on the enemy. After the first shot, the red circle will unceremoniously yank itself into a new position, depite the fact that you never moved the cursor.

4. With the above issues, trying to click on an enemy to fire in battle is pointless. At least half of the time you'll end up walking towards them instead.

This game has so many GREAT things going for it, but it also is severely lacking in polish in many areas. I'm actually surprised this stuff made it in to the "Enhanced" edition.

 

[Miker]

Battering Ram is the only one, it's good as it moves pretty far and knockdowns everything in your path, but you can only move in a straight line so objects blocking you force you to go around before using it. Air magic has some stuff, Teleport is too expensive to use if you're short on AP but there's a thunder jump thing which I have no idea how it works since I never want my mages to jump into stuff.

Hybrids tend to be kinda bad early on. And later on. I don't think it works very well other than having like 7int to cast a few novice spells with a decent chance. Later on you can compensate with gear somewhat, but in general you're losing main stat or speed for those additional stats so it's always a trade off. There's some good novice spells you can use with low int, but you're never going to be both a good caster and a good melee. Speed is too important and you don't get nearly enough stat points.

This really seems to be the case so far. I might try and get some +SPD accessories to make my character more viable, or maybe just respec later.

 

[NoWayOut]

Quick question... I noticed that some of the party members have a sort of green circle beside their portrait. What does it mean?

 

[Ourobolus]

Quick question... I noticed that some of the party members have a sort of green circle beside their portrait. What does it mean?

Leadership bonus.

 

[RandomSeed]

Quick question... I noticed that some of the party members have a sort of green circle beside their portrait. What does it mean?

Somebody probably has the leadership ability. Bonus to hit%, damage, etc.

 

[skyhaven]

\Madora as a 'low investment hybrid' is pretty perfect.
There are certain things even low level magic can help a warrior like her:
1. Aeromancer
Air Jump: For mobility purpose, she can now close in without wasting the battering ram on a single target.
Blitz Bolt: Even a low level blitz bolt can electrocute a pool of water that Jahan conjured earlier. It's not the damage we're after, it's the stun effect.
Teleport: Grabbing a guy from 15m away and dropping him next to you is better than running towards him and 3 mates. Bonus point if you drop him on top of electrocuted pool of water/blood.

2. Geomancer
Summon Spider: Cheap tank, cheap damage when you don't want to take the risk of going in. Can weaken tough mobs, immune to poison and has no problem damaging mage-types.
Midnight Oil: Conjure it on a pack of enemy, toss a candle with 2 AP. Oiled and Burn combo.
Boulder: Same thing as Midnight Oil with a little Earth damage thrown in for 5 AP.

3. Scoundrel
This one is tricky, but Adrenaline (Level 3, 0 AP) never fails with low DEX and gives 50% AP immediately and penalize you in the next turn by taking away 75% AP. Useful when you need AP to something to do something RIGHT NOW.

Fast Track is 2 AP gamble for low DEX char to gain Haste at the start, I say it's way worth it. Activate Encourage first for a bonus chance of triggering it. A hasted Madora is a dangerous Madora.

 

[NoWayOut]

Leadership bonus.

Somebody probably has the leadership ability. Bonus to hit%, damage, etc.

Thanks. If more then one has it, does it stack?

 

[Ourobolus]

Thanks. If more then one has it, does it stack?

No, it takes the highest value.

 

[Sanctuary]

You need 5 for the books+scroll combination iirc, rest you can make with less but your lvl of crafting affects what scrolls you can make.

What actually determines the school you'll create with paper? The old recipie said that it used to be Pixie Dust and a sheet of paper (can be any, including those you've picked up that have text or orders on it) would generate a random school.

Now though, 100% of the time all I get is Witchcraft when combining Pixie Dust with paper. It's not random either, since I used up 28 dusts making sure. So either something is buggy with that, or the old formula no longer applies.

Does it require essences? If so, that kind of sucks.

 

[skyhaven]

What actually determines the school you'll create with paper? The old recipie said that it used to be Pixie Dust and a sheet of paper (can be any, including those you've picked up that have text or orders on it) would generate a random school.

Now though, 100% of the time all I get is Witchcraft when combining Pixie Dust with paper. It's not random either, since I used up 28 dusts making sure. So either something is buggy with that, or the old formula no longer applies.

Does it require essences? If so, that kind of sucks.

I can confirm that Pixie Dust + Scroll = Witchcraft.
You can simply check your recipe and it does say it's Witchcraft.

 

[Sanctuary]

I can confirm that Pixie Dust + Scroll = Witchcraft.
You can simply check your recipe and it does say it's Witchcraft.

I know that it gives Witchcraft, I just said that it did. The old formula listed said that it gave a random school. Now though, it's fixed.

 

[Pyros_Eien]

I know that it gives Witchcraft, I just said that it did. The old formula listed said that it gave a random school. Now though, it's fixed.

Hmm not sure how old it was, but pixie was witchcraft even in the original. Maybe the list you're checking was done when crafting wasn't well researched? You use essences for the others. Essence of fire for fire etc. You can't make just random scrolls of anything, they have to be of a specific school. Pixie does make magic unlock scrolls also though, which aren't school specific and can't be used with books, they're for opening magic locks.

http://divinity.wikia.com/wiki/Crafting_(Divinity:_Original_Sin) has a very detailed list of stuff, even if it's all text and stuff. There's a PDF with pretty pictures but I found it annoying to use. That doesn't have the new recipes since it's the old wiki, new recipes are in the patch notes though(and I copy pasted them a few pages ago, faster to go find the patch notes on larian forums however).

 

[quackamole]

As someone who likes RPG but not a big fan of super hard games... I don't think I am enjoying the game as much as I think I should. Some of the fights are simply too annoying/hard, and I am playing on the explorer difficulty which is supposed to be for someone who don't want to worry about difficult combat. Yeah right, you can still easily die to shit like getting wet and then chain stunned.

There also aren't enough stuff to do to level your characters up.

Spoiler

I'm still in the beginning area and I am fairly stuck. I cleared out the west and north undeads, and the beach to black cove. I am half way to level 7 and can't proceed further, because the level 8s at the church destroy me, the baron guy in the villa also destroy me, and of course the source abomination guarding black cove also destroy me by 1 shotting my fighter as soon as the fight starts because you can't have a game without the enemy getting the first move of course.

I wouldn't mind a super casual difficulty where enemy does half damage and have half the HP. Because I am barely scrapping by in some fights as it is when I just want to go around beating stuff feeling like a hero. Oh well I guess this genre of game is not for me anymore.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I'm doing a fighter/assassin/mage/rogue team right now. I'm still at level 3 as I haven't had enough time. Any tips on how to build this team when leveling up?

 

[Freaking Limit]

Finally finished the western beach at level 4 on tactician. I was worried about the warnings before going in that I was too low leveled, but it turned out fine. Its pretty awesome how the AI reacts to environmental effects, like forcing enemies through a choke point full of poison gas or tricking enemies to go around the long way only to chase them down.

I had a question though. Right now, I'm running a Cleric focusing on Man-at-Arms and Strength and a ranger/witch using crossbows, special arrows and magic. Right now its mainly witchcraft (oath, malediction, summon undead), but I recently got some pyro/geomancy spells (burn my eyes, flare, bounder drop). I also have the ranger with me, but shes been acting more as a pack mule than a real ally.

So, the problem: my special arrows seem to be so much more useful than any of the magic (beyond witchcraft). So far the only benefit I've gotten from magic is that what I have now isn't a straight line, so I can attack around corners, but while the damage isn't bad (8 dex, 11 int, 8 perception) they don't feel all that useful. Am I just using the wrong spells, using them wrong or are the special arrows just that good? I'm planning on learning Rapture for charm, but I also have Charm Arrows so I winder if its worth it.

 

[Nete]

So, the problem: my special arrows seem to be so much more useful than any of the magic (beyond witchcraft). So far the only benefit I've gotten from magic is that what I have now isn't a straight line, so I can attack around corners, but while the damage isn't bad (8 dex, 11 int, 8 perception) they don't feel all that useful. Am I just using the wrong spells, using them wrong or are the special arrows just that good? I'm planning on learning Rapture for charm, but I also have Charm Arrows so I winder if its worth it.

There are some really powerful spells (Destroy Summon, Death Punch, the high level elemental spells and most Pyro things), but overall arrows are a better source of pure damage... at least while they last

Where magic excels is on all the alternatives it gives you on each element and situation, and especially in crowd control and party support. Aerotheurge and Hydrosophist, for instance, are an incredible source of amazing utility spells at any level, and even the offensive ones gives you a great crowd control.

 

[Pyros_Eien]

Finally finished the western beach at level 4 on tactician. I was worried about the warnings before going in that I was too low leveled, but it turned out fine. Its pretty awesome how the AI reacts to environmental effects, like forcing enemies through a choke point full of poison gas or tricking enemies to go around the long way only to chase them down.

I had a question though. Right now, I'm running a Cleric focusing on Man-at-Arms and Strength and a ranger/witch using crossbows, special arrows and magic. Right now its mainly witchcraft (oath, malediction, summon undead), but I recently got some pyro/geomancy spells (burn my eyes, flare, bounder drop). I also have the ranger with me, but shes been acting more as a pack mule than a real ally.

So, the problem: my special arrows seem to be so much more useful than any of the magic (beyond witchcraft). So far the only benefit I've gotten from magic is that what I have now isn't a straight line, so I can attack around corners, but while the damage isn't bad (8 dex, 11 int, 8 perception) they don't feel all that useful. Am I just using the wrong spells, using them wrong or are the special arrows just that good? I'm planning on learning Rapture for charm, but I also have Charm Arrows so I winder if its worth it.

Well spells don't need arrows, which means you don't have to craft/buy stuff and what not and just play the game. There's more variety of effects in spells, including buffs, summons, heals and such. The control spells also tend to be more reliable than the arrows in terms of chance to affect enemies.

 

[skyhaven]

Special Arrows take upon the user's DEX to determine success chance of applying the effect - hence Rangers need DEX. Wizards need INT to apply the effect and reduce cooldown length.

They're both decent options, but the Arrow disadvantage is AP usage and crafting component cost. I would say in non-EE playthrough, Rangers are extremely useful to have, I don't know about it now with the skill shuffling, I'll give it a look someday.

 

[flyinpiranha]

So ... it looks like there's no way to 'recharge' wands skills? Is this true (that's stupid as shit) or am I just not finding it (I'm stupid as shit)?

 

[razgriz417]

So ... it looks like there's no way to 'recharge' wands skills? Is this true (that's stupid as shit) or am I just not finding it (I'm stupid as shit)?

I feel like the point of wands is to use its guaranteed basic attack for dps and maybe debuffs, not the charges, with rank 3+ dual wield it only costs you for AP

 

[Pyros_Eien]

Na you can't recharge them. They're meant to be used as a temporary or exceptional measure, similar to scrolls(though technically you can kinda stack a large amount of scrolls while wands are always 3 charges). Luckily the stats on the wands themselves are mostly garbage other than health or leadership, so I haven't found it a problem to switch wands whenever, although I think I'm gonna get int on them soonish. I don't really use the spells either cause I have the actual spells most of the time, did use water of life a couple of times when I was doing a lvl 13 boss at lvl 10 to unlock respecs because I forgot to buy the book.

You can get other items that permanently unlock skills as long as they're equipped, but they're rare.

 

[Sanctuary]

Hmm not sure how old it was, but pixie was witchcraft even in the original. Maybe the list you're checking was done when crafting wasn't well researched? You use essences for the others. Essence of fire for fire etc. You can't make just random scrolls of anything, they have to be of a specific school. Pixie does make magic unlock scrolls also though, which aren't school specific and can't be used with books, they're for opening magic locks.

I already figured it was essences through experimentation, but they aren't exactly easy to come by yet, and I've been purchasing every one that appears.

Anyway, here's the thread with the recipie I was talking about. The game came out in June, and his last edit was in July. No idea if he was just posting early beta recipies and then didn't change them if they were changed upon release.

http://larian.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=511616

 

[skyhaven]

I feel like the point of wands is to use its guaranteed basic attack for dps and maybe debuffs, not the charges, with rank 3+ dual wield it only costs you for AP

It's pretty cheap way to use it as scrolls except you need the required skill points in the school of magic for efficient AP usage.

 

[flyinpiranha]

I feel like the point of wands is to use its guaranteed basic attack for dps and maybe debuffs, not the charges, with rank 3+ dual wield it only costs you for AP

It's pretty cheap way to use it as scrolls except you need the required skill points in the school of magic for efficient AP usage.

I still think limited use weapons are one of the worst mechanics though. Make it once per fight, or can only recharge in town ... just irritating after I went dual wield wands.

 

[UberLevi]

I'm currently dual wielding swords and wands. I'm debating whether or not to replace the wand altogether and start opting for shields (I'm a battlemage type character).

 

[shmoglish]

I got the Black Gate open, but in the same room there's also a door that goes down to the harbor where I remember you finish the quest for

Spoiler

the singing head.

Can't seem to figure out how to open it.

Hm... Checked a guide and it says the key is in the room I mentioned in my first answer (that's the room before the Harbor). Maybe you just didn't see it?

 

[Nyx]

What a game!

Nearing lvl 5 and

Spoiler

I just killed the ghoul that guarded the lighthouse for a quest

Made me a Pyro/Geomancer and Marksman, so far so good.

 

[Lanrutcon]

What a game!

Nearing lvl 5 and

Spoiler

I just killed the ghoul that guarded the lighthouse for a quest

Made me a Pyro/Geomancer and Marksman, so far so good.

Get your Marksman 1 rank of Scoundrel, then get skill books for the self haste and invisibility Scoundrel skills. So worth it.

Unrelated:
Someone mentioned in the thread that special arrow % is determined by Dex. Everything I can find on the subject, plus my personal experience, says no. Consumables work completely independently of the person using it. So scrolls don't work off int, grenades/arrows don't work off dex, etc.

 

[Nyx]

Get your Marksman 1 rank of Scoundrel, then get skill books for the self haste and invisibility Scoundrel skills. So worth it.

Unrelated:
Someone mentioned in the thread that special arrow % is determined by Dex. Everything I can find on the subject, plus my personal experience, says no. Consumables work completely independently of the person using it. So scrolls don't work off int, grenades/arrows don't work off dex, etc.

Thanks, sounds like a good plan!

 

[danowat]

Just finished the "Worlds a stage" quest, and I have a question.

Spoiler

Is it possible to steal headless Nick by attracting the crowd by your own performance?, I nailed both the one man and two man show, but I never got more than half the crowd to attend, and the only way I could get the entire crowd to go was to get Gallagher to bring the crowd to Cecil.

 

[Nyx]

I really love the little quest summaries in the log btw, means I can skip dialogue whenever I don't feel like reading it and afterwards see a summary of what was said and what needs to be done next in the log.

 

[Doc_Drop]

Can anyone help me beating the giant robot at the beginning of the game?

Spoiler

I keep trying Sleepy Sleepy Happy but I'm either out of range, or when I'm close and and it seems to work he still uses his weapons.

Getting rid of the mages quickly will mean that the robot can't recharge attacks etc. If you are getting wiped though, I'd recommend levelling up in other fights and quests first.

 

[Lanrutcon]

Can anyone help me beating the giant robot at the beginning of the game?

Spoiler

I keep trying Sleepy Sleepy Happy but I'm either out of range, or when I'm close and and it seems to work he still uses his weapons.

Character X with strength of telekinesis picks up oil barrel.
Character X gives oil barrel to Character Y with Scoundrel 1 and Walk in Shadows.
Character Y with Scoundrel 1 uses Walk in Shadows and places an oil barrel at the feet of a mage, then falls back to the party.
Repeat until each mage has an oil barrel.
Character Z with Fireball (scrolls or spell) starts fight by fireballing the barrels.

So now you don't have mages in the fight. How about the robot?

Blitz Bolt (scrolls or spell) or stun arrows (single or cloud). Robot is weak to Air. Solo'd the robot with my archer character in order to save the villagers.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

I forgott how "FUCK YOU" this game can be.

Spoiler

Walked around, saw a campfire, went near it. Suddenly 4 archers pop up on a hill and 4 other warriors around me. That was a pyrrhic victory.

Also that big Fire dude near the church? Fuck him

Spoiler

Not the twins, the other guy. I was one level above him, he just saw me, waddled near me attacked once and killed off half my team. Had to freeze him to even have a chance. Bastard!

Can anyone help me beating the giant robot at the beginning of the game?

Spoiler

I keep trying Sleepy Sleepy Happy but I'm either out of range, or when I'm close and and it seems to work he still uses his weapons.

Spoiler

Make sure you discharge him too. Everytime those skeletons use an electric spell on him, they charge him up. Also, don't use electric spells yourself.

 

[Pyros_Eien]

Just finished the "Worlds a stage" quest, and I have a question.

Spoiler

Is it possible to steal headless Nick by attracting the crowd by your own performance?, I nailed both the one man and two man show, but I never got more than half the crowd to attend, and the only way I could get the entire crowd to go was to get Gallagher to bring the crowd to Cecil.

Spoiler

Did you pay Ghallager to help you with your performance? I did that and the whole crowd came for my show. That said it's not very important since as you said you can do the other sidequest too.

 

[danowat]

Spoiler

Did you pay Ghallager to help you with your performance? I did that and the whole crowd came for my show. That said it's not very important since as you said you can do the other sidequest too.

Lol, yeah, that makes sense!!!

 

[Doc_Drop]

This got me from the original version; If I use a bloodstone, does it

Spoiler

unlock another room at the end of time or is that only the other stones? I got near the end in the original release but messed up collecting stones and opening rooms

Ta

 

[Snakethesniper]

Any tips for the rougue early level? I remember that a good strategy is to have high stealth so you can hide in combat before and after attacking an enemy (bonus from guerrilla + they can't find you after), but obviously early level that's not possible and even if I attack from stealth I can't one-shot the enemy and what happens next is that my rogue is targeted and probably die.

 

[jb1234]

Has anyone gotten to a point where they can give impressions on the alleged improved writing? I liked the battle system of Original Sin quite a bit but the story just wasn't holding my attention.

 

[Lanrutcon]

Any tips for the rougue early level? I remember that a good strategy is to have high stealth so you can hide in combat before and after attacking an enemy (bonus from guerrilla + they can't find you after), but obviously early level that's not possible and even if I attack from stealth I can't one-shot the enemy and what happens next is that my rogue is targeted and probably die.

They nerfed stealth a lot, btw.

Would suggest you use grenades until your dude has more skills and gear.

 

[Doc_Drop]

Has anyone gotten to a point where they can give impressions on the alleged improved writing? I liked the battle system of Original Sin quite a bit but the story just wasn't holding my attention.

It feels good,it's like a reorganisation of some of the same plot points. Information is delivered earlier and is less obtuse. I'm only 10-12hrs in and already it feels like everything is making a lot more sense. There are more notes in more obvious places to read and on a whole it feels a lot more transparent to me. Whether or not you find the story good/engaging is another thing though,but I already am more invested than my playthrough in the original version

 

[danthefan]

Tried tactician mode.

Got rekt.

Think I'll start again.

 

[Johndoey]

Okay so adding more points into a spell school only lets me learn higher tier spells or does it confer bonuses to the spells I already have? Ex. Does my Flare get better if I go from pyro 1 to pyro 2, and are there higher tier versions of the same spells.

On that note should I branch my magic user from the two starting elements? Is summon spider actually bad or am I just bad with it?

 

[His Majesty]

It also reduces the amount of AP needed for high level spells.

 

[SeeNoWeevil]

Why are the wikis so poor for this? Any good places that go into detail about the mechanics?

Still can't decide if I want to stick with controller or mouse. Mouse UI is a bit small on a TV though.