phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Mar 14, 2017 14:16:25 GMT -5
The expression was one of surprise and drool.
Crafting definitely changes the game. I have had too many experiences of random loot leaving you high and dry. For example, little parry and dodge gear at the end of episode 1 and through 2 that leaves your Avoidance character flimsy.
Also, tuning sp drain onto current weapons as opposed to praying for the right weapon drop is a godsend for efficiency.
Or late game, elevating crit levels on equipment is tantalizing.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Mar 14, 2017 11:44:21 GMT -5
These items are 😳.
Crafting in Ep 3 and 4 will totally change the game experience judging by these items. The dagger on my dodge Kincaid would be insane.
So excited to give a whirl once my phone updates.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Mar 2, 2017 6:58:18 GMT -5
Interesting ideas in this thread.
I can see a reason for game symmetry since players can do it. Cursing attacks already have two barriers, so I worry about them being too difficult. Especially for cursing melee attacks that may depend on cursing to live. Like reckoning a seer lord and having it fail.
Limited attribute points are a major concer as we already need to focus on accuracy and HP already which takes characters into their 40s to max. Willpower only gets any points after other essential attributes.
From an iron man perspective I would loath something that introduced more variability in the mix. The seer lords or weaver are already very dangerous. A chance for curses to not apply could be frustrating since AP is capped and when facing armies of enemies, certainty is critical for making decisions. Or even the Baron who I frequently extend a character out to drop a -Ap curse on. Given his range, this takes careful planning and maneuvering that is already risky. A failed curse compounds the issue.
Willpower already is doing triple duty as Res, curse Res, and magic damage min. Maybe add a feature to intelligence since it is the only attribute with one function?
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Feb 9, 2017 20:56:33 GMT -5
I think it is some combination of when you talk to hagathrun and when you talk to Nikolai.
I have been able to get the quest successful if you save Gholla but avoid the temple of law entirely until after CoD. You still get to choose on hagathrun but Nikolai's fate is sealed according to the quest log as you share the news of Nikolai's death.
Every time I do the temple of law before CoD, the quest fails to resolve. A shame because the Edict armor is pretty sweet. I would like to test matrims theory and still get the armor 😉
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 27, 2017 8:40:09 GMT -5
One of the gate switches in the upper right map triggers a back attack. The party mentions something about being cornered and then they assault.
The only chance I had was to have had warders shield cast and maybe tamilin could have dodged one of the attacks.
Just really unfortunate placement the way my party and enemies spawned allowing the spider host to close enough to close the distance and still get three full melee attacks.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 27, 2017 7:12:06 GMT -5
And another ironman party bites the dust! The UF is a deadly environment in all degrees despite being experienced there. In this case, in the Smith's Hoard there is a switch that when activated triggers a battle in which the enemy goes first. A Spider Host sauntered up and hit my Tamilin three times for over 700 damage in total. Ouch.
I had forgotten about that switch and wasn't fully buffed after the last battle. May be a warning text from the characters could be supplied to give people a chance to buff? Any battle that places such dangerous enemies that close to the party and lets them attack first is automatically deadly.
Now...I know I can beat my old high score provided I actually survive the trials of the game. Do I replay the party or attempt a new party of Vraes or Strickening group. I have yet to be satisfied with a version of Vraes and have been inspired by others on this forum to attempt a tank/juggernaut character with the original party. Use Tamilin/Kjartan to beat down enemies to low levels and let Vraes finish with juggernaut and charge ahead in battle. No berserk to weaken his defenses. Or a classic Strickening party. I have little experience with Fyona in this game to date.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 25, 2017 9:22:22 GMT -5
Selen is my girl and I'll always support any buff to her abilities. That said I don't think critical damage is the big issue between her and Tam but that Tam's new and improved TK skill with the ability to -2AP and add additional cursing effects to huge numbers of enemies sort of stole a lot of the thunder from Selen's Pinning Shot. PS was great (still is) but 3-5 extra range doesn't make up the difference in how much AP it can strip and numbers of targets it can affect and that's without looking at the SP needed to power either talent. All that said perhaps the best solution is to finally see a long overdue rework of Selen's Steel and Shadow talent which has always been a bit of a lame duck. I would push back on this and say the range of bows gives great coverage that compensates ToS update. Given tamilin is less hardy, hitting those enemies in back is critical. Think necromacers or wolfken shaman that are well out of range of throwing knives. Also, PS strips parry as well so it is immensely useful for melee units. Playing tamilin now the difference in Acc and hits is noticeable. And lastly, while expensive, PS 8 gets extra square impact greatly extending number of enemies hit. In Ep 3/4, I found it to be well worthwhile for the cost. The -res on ToS really only shines with Strickening. On its own, it is neglible. The -2 ap is useful but also limited by range. I find the two talents to be reasonable overall, similarities but different as well.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 23, 2017 7:46:23 GMT -5
Coming back through Brellim pass after the respawn, I am finding enemies of lvl 23 indicating a player lvl cap of 20.
Edit. Lowlands pass had a similar lvl 23 enemies. Prospectors pass respawn has enemies of lvl 28/ player lvl 25.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 22, 2017 10:41:57 GMT -5
matrim As a comment on the sequence of darkmoss areas, if one does do talia and the Krete chieftains earlier, yo can boat to brunehorn after agreeing with Elias, do prospectors and clear the UF and then do the two darkmoss areas at a higher level. I think your route is still better for max xp, but this is one alternate route if someone values boat travel but still gives a chance for high xp on the two darkmoss map respawns.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 22, 2017 7:30:38 GMT -5
A couple of points. DoS also gives move and stealth for which tamilin needs to spend on black night to achieve, evening out that piece.
Also FB can be used with 1 ap attacks for mega damage as well as dual wield combinations. AS is for 2/3 ap bows only. Direct comparisons are hard.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 20, 2017 10:59:28 GMT -5
Will be there in a week or so. I have the UF to face. Shudder...
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 20, 2017 6:48:03 GMT -5
Static xp award: visit Elias after Gholla, get 500 xp, I think this is the right amount
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 19, 2017 15:02:18 GMT -5
This is a very minor point but upon seeing the braeys shrine in braeyshelm, Kyera/Fyona say they would like to visit after the Lodge Negotiations. To my knowledge there is no triggering follow up at the shrine.
I always imagined this scene like that in oskahold when Kyera meditates at the town shrine. It triggers character scenes or dialogue options.
Mostly, I want this as I always like the flavor these scenes provide the game 🙂
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 19, 2017 14:09:50 GMT -5
Thanks.
I am trying to build a mental map of the XP gap. Given the most important thing is to kill all monsters the XP difference from a maxed map or 1 level below is small, 1 xp per monster per level difference. This excludes monster bonuses. Given any monster kill works to advance your level and that we have kill some enemies below the cap, the total benefit seems to be at the margins.
Lvl 29 is roughly where I end up at the end of EP 2 if memory serves.
Given the inherent game to game variability, this may fall within the noise. Example, after multiple Ep 1 completions, my score can vary as much by 4 M (159 M to 163 M) with the same party and same play approach.
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phaze
Exemplar
Posts: 368
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Post by phaze on Jan 19, 2017 11:12:25 GMT -5
matrim With this XP set-up, what is your total with an EP 4 group all content completed? I have not optimized my Epic score max party in this way, so I am curious as to what your final level and XP amounts are. I have a new party started in Ep 2 that will improve over my old score, but you likely have me beat in the XP totals 😉 Maybe my vampire Kyera can be efficient enough to reduce nearly all camping in Ep 3/4. In this playthrough I will kill tevensa for the Heartbeats and high sp drain. Looking at your map list and level, are you able to achieve a max monster level on nearly all maps in Ep 2? There might be some gain in tackling parts of the UF at 24 after the Orcs, but also riskier since the UF is easier with EP 3 equipment and higher player levels.
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