termokanden

Yep, the cipher party member is actually excellent. She's missing an important 2nd-level power (Mental Binding), but you can just give that to her when you level up.

Thanks, that's what I thought. Instead of Blast + Penetrating Blast, I could get bonus spells that will be per-encounter. They should do better damage. Already been through the game, so being a bit weak in the early levels really doesn't scare me.

Cipher because it's so new and shiny. Fun being able to spam spells. I recommend playing on a higher difficulty than you normally would if you play a cipher though...

I'm about to embark on my second playthrough of this wonderful game, and I've decided that I want to fully explore the wizard class. I did have Aloth with me last time, but honestly I never used him all that much (my cipher main basically just butchered everything). I have the following questions for all of you experienced wizard-players: 1. How useful do you find Blast and Penetrating Blast late game? The damage seems low, and you get per-encounter spells. I do not like Dangerous Implements so I won't be using that one. 2. Do Blast + Penetrating Blast work with the blights you can summon? That could make it worthwhile. 3. I assume Distant Advantage works with spells. But what about Mob Justice? Does it work with spells, and does it stack with Distant Advantage. Any input is appreciated

I would like to know this as well. I do know that people will recognize you if your reputation is high/low, so there's that, but whether it gives you any actual mechanical advantage, I do not know.

They don't have powerful summons or CCs early in the fight when you most need them. That's why their extremely powerful spells aren't too much. You have to survive long enough to even use them, and then you only get one for a long while.

Chanters are fine. It takes a while to get to 3-4 phrases, and by then you'd expect the spell to be pretty damn good, and they are. Ciphers are fine as well IMO. I've made fighters and rogues that were just as powerful - the fighter was nigh unkillable and the rogue's DPS was crazy (dual-wielding stilettos with Reckless Assault, Savage Attacks, Deep Wounds and all the crit talents on a hearth orlan is devastating).

There's a very good reason you can't spam traps. Anyone who has played a high-level thief or thief multi in BG2 knows why. I took down the final boss of ToB with traps alone. Destroyed the end boss of Watcher's Keep with traps. Sure the traps were too powerful, but it's also because they were spammable.

The summoning items are lovely, but 3 shades might be a tad too much. I use the cloak that summons a beagle and love it. It's not too powerful, but it can be a life saver when the game does its cutscene -> start fight with bad positioning nonsense.

OP pretty much listed my favorites. I'm especially surprised at how much I enjoy the new camping supply system. I was sure I was going to hate it, but I decided to give it an honest try and it turns out I'm playing the game in a more enjoyable way.

People are just riling each other up like crazy there (and here for that matter). I know that's how it works, but it always makes me sad to see it in action. Obsidian worked with a backer to change his offensive joke. All actual game content apart from that one stupid joke is intact. Can you seriously say the game is any less of what was promised to you because of this?

There's a thread about this already. Apparently, as long as nobody sees you killing them, you should be OK.

I visited KiA for the first time and... I'm never going there ever again. Jebus! Doesn't look to me like an attempt at defending Firedorn, but maybe I'm missing something.

Oh it's just an old Diablo joke

I don't even have to click a cow 500 times?

I have The Secret Patch too. Wonder what it does!

Stupid question: What the heck is KiA? Do I event want to know?

Well, can't say I disagree. As I've said a few times before, I love the keep, the design, the dungeon, most everything about it. It's just the punishing, nonsensical mechanics surrounding taxes and hirelings that bring it down. Who even cares that someone can click "rest" a billion times and get rich in a singleplayer game? Well, I guess someone did!

I keep getting drawn into this debate. It just saddens me to see one of my favorite developers get dragged into this situation where they absolutely can't win no matter what they do. I'm a terrible man, but I don't think I deserve to die just yet. Also, you'll have to catch me first!

That's the most sensible thing in this thread so far, except for the part about cute cats sleeping in a sink. Going to do just that and I hope this whole situation calms down soon.

I'm seriously hoping the rest of this thread will be about cats now. It's just far more constructive.

You just made me look up Josh Sawyer's cat on google. Thank you for that. I think it's very cute, by the way, but I just love all cats.

This is exactly why I don't identify myself as a gamer. That's pathetic.

Seems like you're missing out because of a stupid joke. Is that really a good choice? I understand that people are upset (OK, I actually don't, because I thought the joke was in bad taste as well, so good riddance!) but it seems like you're ruining your own gaming. There's a full game to enjoy and as far as I can tell, it doesn't have any sort of political agenda.

Hope it works out. I played a lot with a bow as well and I find the blunderbuss better now with Penetrating Shot.