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[Torraz]

Has anyone with an ati 5700 series been able to use the skyrim fxaa injector? Using it makes the game crash without an error before starting. I think this is going to be the first and last ati card...

 

[Hobbun]

I'm about 2 1/2 hours into the game and really loving it so far. As for the difficulty, I am on hard and I am not finding it too easy in any sense. The beginning tower was not too bad, but I ran into Kobolds a couple times in the beginning mine. The first encounter I was able to deal with them alright, but the second (larger) group handed me my ass.

But I am an older gamer, and I don't crave the high difficulty like Demons Souls and it would take me awhile to get to that skillset again if I did, so I am fine with how difficult the game is right now. From what I am hearing in how the game gets harder out, I think I will not have any shortage of challenge.

Thanks Ken, Curt and Bob for a great game!

 

[Barack Lesnar]

wat

Alchemy is more effort but way more powerful than Blacksmithing. If you want to be powerful, take Alchemy first. It's basically a never ending stream of health/mana potions, -50% damage taken, unbelievable damage stacking, instant on-demand Reckonings, and consumable skill points for passing skill checks.

"Alchemy way more powerful than Blacksmithing"... uhh no. :lol

I don't even pick up potions anymore. I see tons of master potions drop and never pick em up unless it's an XP or persuasion boost. Blacksmithing (comboed with a high quality sagecrafted gem) makes you such a god that you don't even have to use potions (both in terms of health/mana and damage). I kill everything on the screen in just a few seconds with custom mastercrafted prismere gear and am also indestructible with huge amounts of resistances and life *flex*. I've got like a total 70% critical chance or something ridiculous like that. Alchemy is only helpful early on and early mid-game where there's actually some semblance of a challenge. If you really need potions you can buy almost any potion you want (including master quality) from vendors or get them from drops. With so much gold you can buy them in mass no prob.

I can't even remember the last time I used a health potion. In fact I was thinking to sell off all my potions to make room in my inventory, it would free up like 10 spaces.

 

[scy]

Numerically/statistically speaking, Alchemy offers way more bonuses than Blacksmithing does if you go through potions like crazy. Blacksmithing is just simpler to get to a comparable point.

Both are ridiculous if you go all out on using them.

 

[ParityBit]

Numerically/statistically speaking, Alchemy offers way more bonuses than Blacksmithing does if you go through potions like crazy. Blacksmithing is just simpler to get to a comparable point.

Both are ridiculous if you go all out on using them.

It is so hard to balance this. You have to make the effort/worth balance. On the flip side if you make it too weak and worthless, no one will do it.

Action RPG's are the hardest games to balance I think.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

The fact that you have to actively pop and create potions makes that untrue. With godly mastercrafted gear you can just plow through the game without any effort.

 

[Dresden]

I think you can make potions that fill up your Fate bar with Alchemy later, which would make it the most powerful tree for that alone.

Or just be like me and max out Persuasion and Stealth first.

 

[scy]

The fact that you have to actively pop and create potions makes that untrue. With godly mastercrafted gear you can just plow through the game without any effort.

Which is why I said numerically or statistically; Alchemy will plow it harder. Spamming potions is a greater hassle though since Blacksmithing is basically set and forget.

And, really, Blacksmithing isn't that much better than drops it's just that a lot of the drops just itemize their bonuses poorly; since you're crafting the stats, you can actually do the broken things without hoping for RNG to get you what you need.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

I kill mobs just as fast without Reckoning mode on, just saying. In fact it might even be faster since Reckoning slows down the game and if you choose to do the QTE.

 

[Dresden]

If we're arguing about just what kills shit fast, then you can just max out Sorcery and spam meteors with no need for messing about with crafting.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Also don't forget you have to find reagents or buy them and then go and craft at the alchemy bench, as well as pop them during battles. All that micromanagement is a waste of time, imo, when you can put on some badass mastercrafted gear and roll through the game with ease, while having a ton of fun and no micromanaging.

If we're arguing about just what kills shit fast, then you can just max out Sorcery and spam meteors with no need for messing about with crafting.

True, Sorcery is so broken that it's not fun at all to play so I've ignored it. Had a pure sorcery build and just "RT+X" and cleared entire mobs with Tempest or Meteor. Got boring so fast.

And, really, Blacksmithing isn't that much better than drops

No, it's vastly superior to drops if you use master and flawless components.

 

[scy]

True, Sorcery is so broken that it's not fun at all to play so I've ignored it. Had a pure sorcery build and just "RT+X" and cleared entire mobs with Tempest or Meteor. Got boring so fast.

And according to elsewhere, Might is broken too so ... I guess that leaves just Finesse but Finesse has Shadow Flare and Spreadshot as big guy killing shotgun shots so...

Never level up playthrough! Only way to balance things!

 

[Dresden]

No potion, no reckoning, bare hands, no armor.

 

[Torraz]

Also don't forget you have to find reagents or buy them and then go and craft at the alchemy bench, as well as pop them during battles. All that micromanagement is a waste of time, imo, when you can put on some badass mastercrafted gear and roll through the game with ease, while having a ton of fun and no micromanaging.


True, Sorcery is so broken that it's not fun at all to play so I've ignored it. Had a pure sorcery build and just "RT+X" and cleared entire mobs with Tempest or Meteor. Got boring so fast.


No, it's vastly superior to drops if you use master and flawless components.

Sounds like full finesse with bow and charged shot, a bit less effective than what you describe.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

And according to elsewhere, Might is broken too so ... I guess that leaves just Finesse but Finesse has Shadow Flare and Spreadshot as big guy killing shotgun shots so...

Never level up playthrough! Only way to balance things!

Yeah honestly I regret going through so many sidequests. I've completed like a hundred side quests/faction missions and just a handful of main quests and am lvl 29 with like a million in the bank. I always do this in RPGS, so obsessed with loot, it's pathetic. I'm gonna stick with main quests for the next few hours at least.

 

[scy]

No, it's vastly superior to drops if you use master and flawless components.

Nothing you can create is superior to drops in terms of the actual value of the bonuses. You just get to place what you want to make a piece of really good equipment without the RNG doing it for you. This is more noticeable on Uniques which have a flat-out better base damage value than their material equivalent Rares along with access to higher values on their bonuses.

Stuff you make is better than stuff you find for the most part just due to the itemization being better (i.e., nothing but +Crit% and Physical/Elemental Damage Resistance and all of them using the maximum you can do) but you don't actually get to make things with higher possible bonuses than what could be found. And then Uniques have a better pool of stuff to use on top of that.

Edit: And for reference, I've beaten the game and I've been dismantling things since about hour two of the game. I've kept nearly every Unique I've found as well for the sake of comparison and because I wanted to collect them all.

Also, I use "just" but, yeah, placing bonuses how you want is ridiculously amazing for min/maxing. I just mean that you don't get to craft, say, +10% Crit in a slot while drops are limited to +5% there. If you can craft that into a slot, so can item drops.

 

[matmanx1]

Good combos for Hammer and Chakram together? I'm sure they exist I just haven't worked them out yet.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Nothing you can create is superior to drops in terms of the actual value of the bonuses. You just get to place what you want to make a piece of really good equipment without the RNG doing it for you. This is more noticeable on Uniques which have a flat-out better base damage value than their material equivalent Rares along with access to higher values on their bonuses.

Stuff you make is better than stuff you find for the most part just due to the itemization being better (i.e., nothing but +Crit% and Physical/Elemental Damage Resistance and all of them using the maximum you can do) but you don't actually get to make things with higher possible bonuses than what could be found. And then Uniques have a better pool of stuff to use on top of that.

Edit: And for reference, I've beaten the game and I've been dismantling things since about hour two of the game. I've kept nearly every Unique I've found as well for the sake of comparison and because I wanted to collect them all.

What do the individual bonuses matter in this discussion? Any single piece of equipment I've crafted with a high quality base item + master/flawless components + a top gem is better than everything you can find drop-wise. I'm talking about the whole item, not specific bonuses.

 

[scy]

What do the individual bonuses matter in this discussion? Any single piece of equipment I've crafted with a high quality base item + master/flawless components + a top gem is better than everything you can find drop-wise. I'm talking about the whole item, not specific bonuses.

Semantics, mainly. You can tailor make equipment to be amazing. I'm just pointing out that Blacksmithing doesn't actually let you do anything above and beyond what drops have access to, you just get to piece them together to make the absolute best out of the options.

And then Uniques are better than what you can craft, assuming you can find something that boosts exactly what you want. Typically weapons but there's a few pieces of Armor I've found that you just cannot match.

 

[GeoramA]

I love Detect Hidden. On the Warsworn Road Patrol mission with Ost Ordura, I just found this badass shield through a hidden wall that offers +1 to all my might abilities.

Love this game so much.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Semantics, mainly. You can tailor make equipment to be amazing. I'm just pointing out that Blacksmithing doesn't actually let you do anything above and beyond what drops have access to, you just get to piece them together to make the absolute best out of the options.

And then Uniques are better than what you can craft, assuming you can find something that boosts exactly what you want. Typically weapons but there's a few pieces of Armor I've found that you just cannot match.

Uniques are purples, right? All pale in comparison to crafted gear once you get blacksmithing maxed and get later in the game, but I did use them a lot before that. A few have gotten sort of close but still no dice. It may be a matter of me finding the uniques while being a much higher level than the area targets.

By the way, post a couple screenshots (link them, don't img tag), I'd love to see some sick loot.

 

[Risible]

I can't even remember the last time I used a health potion. In fact I was thinking to sell off all my potions to make room in my inventory, it would free up like 10 spaces.

Same.

I tanked the

Spoiler

Balor

straight up. He couldn't overcome my health regen nor the damage mitigation from my armor and destiny.

I just took out the

Spoiler

Witch General, whatever his name was

and I'm barely bothering to block when I'm fighting. I straight up tank pretty much all non-boss enemies without a shield at this point.

With good gear Alchemy becomes worthless, can't remember the last time I drank a potion.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

I'm just going to avoid Blacksmithing I think. I don't want to run into a similar situation as with Skyrim's trade skills, where doing them was equivalent to turning on god mode and making everything feel really pointless.

 

[scy]

Uniques are purples, right? All pale in comparison to crafted gear once you get blacksmithing maxed and get later in the game, but I did use them a lot before that. A few have gotten sort of close but still no dice. It may be a matter of me finding the uniques while being a much higher level than the area targets.

By the way, post a couple screenshots (link them, don't img tag), I'd love to see some sick loot.

Well, there is a loot level cap for areas. And despite all this, I do use mostly crafted equipment since tailoring things to my build beats out slight edges here and there on the bonuses, though there's the occasional drop that's just really good.

And I'll get some shots of stuff when I get off work.

I'm just going to avoid Blacksmithing I think. I don't want to run into a similar situation as with Skyrim's trade skills, where doing them was equivalent to turning on god mode and making everything feel really pointless.

If you don't try to break things (stack Regen, Physical/Elemental Resistance, Crit% or Damage%), it's not ... that bad. Does kind of take the fun out of a lot of the loot as it takes some really good RNG luck or a Unique to make anything comparable.

 

[Rokam]

You're forgetting the most important reason not to use blacksmith created gear.
Looks > Stats.

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

I'm just going to avoid Blacksmithing I think. I don't want to run into a similar situation as with Skyrim's trade skills, where doing them was equivalent to turning on god mode and making everything feel really pointless.

That's kind of how I feel about it. I'm not investing any time into Blacksmithing because I feel like it takes away some of the fun of chasing after new loot. Sagecrafting is a nice middle ground for me because I can just move gems to new items if I like them better than what I have equipped and they have gem slots.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Well, there is a loot level cap for areas. And despite all this, I do use mostly crafted equipment since tailoring things to my build beats out slight edges here and there on the bonuses, though there's the occasional drop that's just really good.

And I'll get some shots of stuff when I get off work.



If you don't try to break things (stack Regen, Physical/Elemental Resistance, Crit% or Damage%), it's not ... that bad. Does kind of take the fun out of a lot of the loot as it takes some really good RNG luck or a Unique to make anything comparable.

And that was the main problem with it in Skyrim. When you know with 100% certainty that you will never find anything even remotely as good as what you already have on, you lose pretty much any desire to keep exploring and looting things. That's not good in a game heavily focused on loot and exploration.

Then there's the factor of the combat just becoming pointless since you can't die. It's one of the bigger issues (but by far not the only one) that killed Skyrim for me.

 

[scy]

And that was the main problem with it in Skyrim. When you know with 100% certainty that you will never find anything even remotely as good as what you already have on, you lose pretty much any desire to keep exploring and looting things. That's not good in a game heavily focused on loot and exploration.

Then there's the factor of the combat just becoming pointless since you can't die. It's one of the bigger issues (but by far not the only one) that killed Skyrim for me.

All of my future characters I'm limiting myself to Blacksmithing 4 along with the whole no potions. Sagecraft use is debatable. I'll deal with the whims of the RNG gods to see me through the game :x

 

[windz]

All of my future characters I'm limiting myself to Blacksmithing 4 along with the whole no potions. Sagecraft use is debatable. I'll deal with the whims of the RNG gods to see me through the game :x

After reading through this thread I think I may go with something similar. Not really wanting to become untouchable. Limited (if any) blacksmithing but I will do sagecrafting, as I have a tradeskill itch in video games that I need to scratch. I'd do alchemy if there was an easy/quick hotkey accessible way to pound potions on cooldown and go about it that way. Playing on PC, so yeah...there isn't, so screw alchemy. A shame, too, I'd like to be able to hotkey all my various potions shift 1-7 or ctrl 1-7 or something but alas, no dice .

 

[NoirVisage]

And that was the main problem with it in Skyrim. When you know with 100% certainty that you will never find anything even remotely as good as what you already have on, you lose pretty much any desire to keep exploring and looting things. That's not good in a game heavily focused on loot and exploration.

Then there's the factor of the combat just becoming pointless since you can't die. It's one of the bigger issues (but by far not the only one) that killed Skyrim for me.

i appreciate how blacksmithing breaks down components from other weapons rather than depending on general items to determine base stats, coming across loot that has certain attributes you want for a dream item you plan on smithing is always a joy. However, I don't like the randomness of what it gives you when you salvage, higher levels of the smith skill should at least guarantee the base components, if not the special modifiers like elemental damage or bleeding..

 

[Dresden]

Real men don't craft anything! (Admittedly I hate crafting in any game and this was a nice convenient excuse for me.)

 

[scy]

Real men don't craft anything! (Admittedly I hate crafting in any game and this was a nice convenient excuse for me.)

I took Blacksmithing from the start but didn't craft anything until I realized I had the same set of Faeblades for like 15 hours :| My first playthrough Faeblade/Chakram luck was pretty awful until near the end. When I switched to Daggers.

I must have gotten every possible Staff Unique in the game though.

 

[CTE]

I love breaking shit down and making new better items. One of my favorite parts of the game. Especially once you get more than 3 parts to use.

 

[Log4Girlz]

I'm finding that I'm never using my sagecraft ability, few items with sockets and the ones that have them are underwhelming...should I go blacksmithing?

 

[Boss Man]

I'm finding that I'm never using my sagecraft ability, few items with sockets and the ones that have them are underwhelming...should I go blacksmithing?

I think they work best together actually.

 

[Log4Girlz]

I think they work best together actually.

I've put a ton of points into detect hidden...I would have to sacrifice that or sagecrafting...I feel that I use the latter less frequently

 

[QisTopTier]

Is there any way to play this game in windowed mode? >.>

 

[jet1911]

I love breaking shit down and making new better items. One of my favorite parts of the game. Especially once you get more than 3 parts to use.

Yep. Find amazing loot -> salvage it -> make better kickass item

Love it!

 

[Deified Data]

Picked it up last night, but didn't get the chance to play until this morning. I played with the character creater a bit, ended up rolling a lady dokkalfar (sp?) with magical rogue aspirations. Played the tutorial for 20 minutes or so before I had to go to work, and here I am. I think I'll reroll once I get home, if only to mess with the options a bit and choose a new patron deity. All in all, it's a blast. =) The camera doesn't annoy me nearly as much as I thought it would, given the complaints. Stealth is fun - greatly enjoy the cinematic deathblows.

So far my only real complaint is that the aiming system seems a little vague/obtuse. It appears to be automatic, as far as I can see. Is there a way to change your target? Is there an easier way of aiming spells other than pointing yourself in the direction you want to fire and hoping the reticule settles on the enemy of your choosing? Do the amount of available arrows increase as you put points into finesse?

A little late to the party, but I'm looking forward to digging in.

 

[CTE]

I've put a ton of points into detect hidden...I would have to sacrifice that or sagecrafting...I feel that I use the latter less frequently

I have high detect hidden and blacksmithing. Low sagecrafting. Wouldn't change that part if I could. Happy I went the route I did now. Was having a hard time picking at the start.

 

[Log4Girlz]

Picked it up last night, but didn't get the chance to play until this morning. I played with the character creater a bit, ended up rolling a lady dokkalfar (sp?) with magical rogue aspirations. Played the tutorial for 20 minutes or so before I had to go to work, and here I am. I think I'll reroll once I get home, if only to mess with the options a bit and choose a new patron deity. All in all, it's a blast. =) The camera doesn't annoy me nearly as much as I thought it would, given the complaints. Stealth is fun - greatly enjoy the cinematic deathblows.

So far my only real complaint is that the aiming system seems a little vague/obtuse. It appears to be automatic, as far as I can see. Is there a way to change your target? Is there an easier way of aiming spells other than pointing yourself in the direction you want to fire and hoping the reticule settles on the enemy of your choosing? Do the amount of available arrows increase as you put points into finesse?

A little late to the party, but I'm looking forward to digging in.

I love trying to finish off an enemy who has a sliver of health only to have another asshole come near and have my character smite him instead with lightning, only to have the first asshole then hit me. WTF.

 

[Mindman]

I just wanna come in and say...

FAE BLADES ARE AWESOME

 

[Log4Girlz]

I just wanna come in and say...

FAE BLADES ARE AWESOME

I love my ginormous hammer.

 

[Deified Data]

I love trying to finish off an enemy who has a sliver of health only to have another asshole come near and have my character smite him instead with lightning, only to have the first asshole then hit me. WTF.

Hah, so I take that to mean there's no elegant solution to my problem? Ah well, I'll get used to it.

 

[Log4Girlz]

The combat reminds me of monster hunter...I just wish there was more challenge and consequence for sloppy attacking that seems fair....like aforementioned game.

 

[AEREC]

Im loving this game but some of the NPC dialogue and the way it is presented is really odd. I feel like you get options that relate to things you havent seen or been introduced to yet in the game.

Was talking Luminsta? (faeweaver outside Diendhill) and she was saying something about

Spoiler

how I died and she took the cards from my hand

(spoilered in case it was a spoiler) and I have no clue what she is talking about.

Alot of NPC conversations seem to go like this.

 

[serotonina]

Was talking Luminsta? (faeweaver outside Diendhill) and she was saying something about

Spoiler

how I died and she took the cards from my hand

(spoilered in case it was a spoiler) and I have no clue what she is talking about.

Have you paid attention to the intro?

 

[Sir Garbageman]

Real men don't craft anything! (Admittedly I hate crafting in any game and this was a nice convenient excuse for me.)

Agreed. It's extremely rare I craft anything in any RPG outside of the braindead simple stuff like potion crafting in DA:O.

Been rocking might / sorcery, wielding greatswords and chakrams. Persuasion and detect hidden for skills.

 

[Duki]

Hah, so I take that to mean there's no elegant solution to my problem? Ah well, I'll get used to it.

yeah the aiming system is pretty garbage for thew bow ive found. works much better with magic for some reason

i mean by the end youre not exactly having to aim magic at anything but early on

 

[Arken2121]

I made the mistake of forcing AA since the beginning of my play through and my fps was <30 until today when I turned it off and now it runs perfectly! Never trusting AMD with that anymore! =)