evilcat

Rangers are good. It is quite fun class, they have powerup special attacks, penetrating arrows for some aoe potencial, stun on hit as CC, and pet still takes one spot at the front line. That is good mix. Probably the main problem with Rangers is that there is no stats for "pet dmg done" so there is no clear number how good pet is. Pets aslo move faster, so they are fast to fronline, but in the same time are to fragille to be first to engage, so there are some tricks like putting it in backline, or longer stealth for them, or temporary switching off pet AI. If not stormcaller Ranger can use firearms just as well. If you ally Dozen then Cloudpiercer is good, but not better than Stormcaller. Sample build:

But pirates are part of eora setting. Pirate Maerwith is already in. (there is also one bounty i think) Also Deadfire Archipelago pirates are part of lore. If future PoE will be anywhere near Pearl Coast or Vailian Republics (with tradeship and coast villages) that would make natural habitat for pirates.

Sidequest vs mainquest 1. Sidequest allow to show piece of setting, which does not exacly fit mainstory. 2. Sidequests are optional. So we dont have to do them. And this is good to be able to skip content which we do not enjoy. 3. Some players enjoy "open world", kinda like TES. There is some value in running around exploring the game world. Plaing/Exploration is reward on its own. 4. Sidequests allows to pack gameplay/narration enought for one game session. So we have feeling of finishing one chapter. Endless Path - it could have ended at level 10 or something (and have more tasts in it). It serves its purpose as sandbox to use all our combat abilities, and a bit retro dungeoning. But there could be less levels in it. Unfortunetly promise must be keep. Nevertheless moving some of the level from Endless Path to differently themed dungeon/tower/ruins would be a option. Karma system is better than paragon <-> renegete. Xp for kills cause problem, since it is desired (by me ; -) that quests have non lethal resolution. It is enought that not slaying everything results in less loot. The current system is optimal (Xp for discovering monster).

For PoE2 im in theam "Vailian Republics" - Republics would probably provide many factions, ploting, intrigues and backstabing. - Ancenze Fortress, Steel Crown Tower, Dulani Keep, Lake of Drowned TOmbs, More Eir lanhaft, obliatory underwater level <- that would make decent set of location for game. - We can have ship as stronghold, with party as crew. And use it for fast travel, pirate hunting, or trading. (also tresure digging) - Chance for save export, so some stuff will matter. Like who is in command in Defiance Bay or trade deal. Also biger chance to see old chaps (Pellegia, Aloth, Eder, Hirvalis, Devil)

First, so there will be more? Not saying no to that. The good thing about more expansions is that it will give more fun in the late game when all talents are in place and we can enjoy our build fully. Also each expansion gives time to improve basic game, stuff like talents, stronghold, etc. Maybe next one could be in Bael Marsh. Marsh and swamps could make different scenery. And such spooky terrain for sure have ruins to explore.

I used Kana as weapon and shield frontman, with Galant Focus (that is almost as "better song"), and quickslots, Song: Quicness+LittleDragons+Save/Will song. At least it feel fun enough to not make me kick him out. Problems: 1. Class mechanic scaling. Most classes get more powerful as level progress. Rogues hit harder, caster have so many spells they will sooner run out of health. But chanters, they get more powerful songs/invocation but cant cast them more, but less. 2. Spells /encounter. It is big power spike after level 9 for regular casters. 15 spells (ring included) per encounter for free. It is hard to competite with that with any class. 3. Chants are not that powerful. Defensive chants are nice, but we may as well chain cast Circle of Protencion and Blessing. And that would be more or less the same, but Priest can then bring much more, chanter not so much. 4. Gimmick tier 2 chants. It is hard to find good power up song on tier II, frightened is good, but Ilia is a gimmick, frosttrail is a gimmick, 12 is gimmick, So at levels 5-8 chanters do not get "new toy". 5. No class talents to push them somewhere. Cipher talents at least do something. Side note: There could be a statistic "healing done", i always wondered how good are beloved spirits. Chant time could be fixed for 4sec each tier. If i wanted dragons last 8 sec i would sing it twice in a row or something. One way to improve is to give more talents, like: Summoner - Your summons last twice as long (timer) Master of puppets - You can summon two sets of summons Gate to spiritworld - 1/encounter. Summon "something" random creature or group of them. Could be wreith or ogre. Encore! - 2/encounter. Usable after using invocation. Allows to instantly regein freshly used stacks. Trance - when chanting gain bonus DR Crescendo - each chant give you stack of bonus attack speed and weapon dmg. The longer you sing, the faster you hit. Talents which buff all chants with small but often useful effects. Something like Galant Focus. Song of Freedom - All chants provide +15 defence bonus against mind control. Inspiration Song - All chants provide +5 Accuracy. (we can make Galant Focus official chanter talent) Talents which altering chant range: Echo - Your chants have +50% linger time Broadcast - Your chants have +50% range New Chants to choose from, especially at tier II Stinging Words - aoe dmg chant, which deals corrode and piercing dmg to enemies Soothing tune - chant which simply heals allies with meaningful endurance amount. Xuirp on red hot rooftop - Allies get bonus action speed. (haste)

White March was great: 1. Difficulty spike, level 7, dont fool me, that was very strong level 7. 2. Some sidequests have interesting twists in it, like one with Priests. 3. Weapons trully epic. The introduction of Grey Sleeper or that G. helmet made it clear that is one epic weapon here. 4. Narration with dwarf ghosts and floating text set the mood. Like in some space horror game. 5. The returning theme of fire tonued beast and faceless army. 6. The whole Duran Battery Stronghold have some nice design, there was walls, throne rooms, armoury, mines... 7. I liked Devil of Caroc as personality.

Concept: Frontine Druid who serves as tank, blocking path for enemies, have high enought deflection and concentration to be hit, and keep casting without interupts. Hard difficulty. Spells like Storms, Blights, Sunbeam, Autum Decay, Moonwell, Worlds Maw would be our trade tools. Race: Wild Orlan - seems to have most defensive trait, and there is so many stats important that wearing dandy hat is important. Stats: Might 15 Con 10 Dex 10 Per 12 Int 16 Resolve 15 Skills: Knowlede, Survival, Atletics 3 Talents: 2. Weapon and Shield Focus 4. SUperior Deflection 6. Hearth of the Storm 8. Cautios Attack 10. Galant Focus 12. Weapon Focus Peasant (Staff, and hatchets, and claws) - hittin things sometimes would be nice 14. Bonus spell 4 - or another defensive Spiritform: Bear - not only DR but also roar. Weapons: Set I - Weapon (hatchet) and small shield Set II - Staff Other items: Dandy Hat is the best hat (also resolve) He Carries Many Scars Thoughs?

Druids makes good "starter class", player can easly bear early game, spells just keep coming, druid is not tight on talents, so can always get the what you want. You can build up spiritform but in the end spells are better, and staff is also good, and spiritform pass quickly so it is not really worth it.

If there was a wish to add more race, more godlikes is a good bet. Could be Avian godlie to start with, since they are already in game. I wish there was some plot for Godlike PC. Like NPC reacting in special way, or special quest to earn divine favour, or special talents which may turn the table a bit. (opening some other combos) or just pure flavour, like Fire Godlike: Fun of Flames 2/encounter.

General notes: - There are limited instances where Tanking is possible due to doorways or bridges. Elsewhere openspace and many monsters and always some of the will sneak arround tank. - Fighters works better as "bruiser" Deal dmg but take some hits no problem. Have emergency shield in second slot. - For tank purpose better is Paladin or Chanter. Most the 1st, since it has trait increasing defences, also provides auras and buffs for party. So even with little dmg it is useful. - Any front fighter could have secondary set of weapon with shield (even better with bash enhancement) to switch if things et hot. On 3rd slot could have ranged heavy hitter (rifle, pistol, arbalest) for initial shot and then switch. Builds: Rauatai Pirate Captain Story: We are piratte on break, after ship being lost in card game. Now we are on the quest for money to buy another, or collect enouht Xuirp Spears to build one. Important, always be drunk. We use dual sabers, but also have pistol and weapon and shield. Role: DPS Fighter who dosnt give a !@#$ Class: Fighter Race: Island Aumaua Deadfire Archipelao Stats: Might 20 Con 10 Dex 15 Per 13 Int 10 Resolve 10 Skills: Atletics 3 Knowledge 8 Survival high (too keep us drunk) Abilities: 1. Knock down 3. Disciplined Barrage 5. Weapon Spec Ruffian 7. Armored Grace 9. Confident Aim 11. Ubroken 13. Sundering Blow Talents: 2. Weapon Focus Ruffian 4. Two weapon Fghting 6. Weapon Mastery Ruffian 8. Vulnerable attack 10. Savage attack 12. Apprentice Sneak Attacks Notes: You can swap Two Weapon Style to Two Handed Style, and Weapon Focus Ruffian (and others) to Weapon Focus Soldier. It is decent build on Eder as well. Another Build More on tanky side. Get hit, support others. Bacon of Hope Race: Moon Godlike from nowhere (any origin) Class: Paladin Darcozzi Stats: Might 18 Con 10 Per 10 Dex 10 Int 15 Resolve 15 Skills: Atletic 3, High Knowledge and Survival Abilities: 1. Lay of Hands 3. Zelous Focus 5. Liberating Exhortion 7. Reviving Exhortion 9. Coordinated Attacks 11. Healing Chain 13. Sacred Immolation Talents: 2. Weapon and Shield Style 4. Critical Focus 6. Inspiring LIberation 8. Deep Faith 10. Superior Deflection 12. Enigma Charms - charming enemy could be potencially disturbing to enemy. Note: In second arms slot keep rifle or Estoc, and if nobody pas attencion switch to it to speed killing up.

I wonder if it was possible to make a game without hardgate Twin Elms. Possibly yes. In the end that would only require some alternative dialogues and forcing encounter during travel to Twin Elms after 2nd Act. 3rd Act is not big enought on its own. And after act 2 PC may be not in mood for more errands.

First toon was Wood Elf Cipher with pistols. Best class ever. Can pew-pew and still cast some nice spells.

General Objection. Obsidian did what they could. The result is that there is no cut-off DLC, aressive preorder, microtransactions or patchin multiplayer. Game came sooner than laiter. It is still expanding, and there is high chance there will be more. That is good result. Killing monsters for loot and xp is part of genre. Sometimes there is just plot to justify saughter. But it is also fun, since there is no point in creating balanced and deep character creation system if there is no instances to use this combat abillities. For pure story i have telltale games. The good thing about endless dungeon is that i can go down after some less combat oriented quests in Defiance Bay. There are some interesting side quests, llike lord of barren lands - the fact Player can choose aproach, and then... decide lord is not that bad. Crucible Knight storyline has some modern theme in it. Defiance Bay throope investigacion was a bit different from day to day tasks. Skaen temple or LIghthouse have some little twists in it. There are smaller and bigger quests, and having them both gives narration to exploration. Or... just go optional with wildness and dungeon. Now it is even easier to skip big part of content and still finish the game. And that is cool. Always some people will like it or not, and best aproach is to just give choice what to do and what skip. Winter March is a game changer. It gives big sidequests, fortress location is big and fits the story. Little ghosts telling stories is climatic. It is even in no-grassland territory. Stronghold is work in progress. There are rumours they will add some miniquests to it. Wasnt missing faction presence. Probably Defiance Bay isnt that much in the centre of whole game.

Analizing toolbar icons: "some kind of chaaarge 2/encounter and healself 1/encounter" nice You had my attencion, now you have my interest. Hilvaris: arent they clickies from Greenstone stuff?

There is definetly not enouht talking swords As favorite weapon it would be Cloudpiercer, since the zapp factor is nice visually. It feels powerful. There was a missing opportunity of some very cool weapons being just sold in local trader (not even elite one) or just lying around, blade of underground was rare exeption. In v1 there was a problem of lack of trully epic weapons with legend and everything, but Soulbond weapon and G. helmet fixed that. There is some potencial of cladhailat as a way to present the weapon. However it comes from very obscure dungeon. I prefer high level of craftity since that avoids situacion of "Best weapons are Greatswords, so i will use one again".

Lets be a bit racist: There could be a subtype of Humans with trait "get a bonus talent at level 1", since: - Having all humans have same trait is not exiting - Wood Elf, Island Aumaua, Boreal Dwarves already have equivalent of free talent (sometimes literally). - Some classes (mostly martial) are more talent starving, and having some space to play with less popular talent could be rewarding. - Being versalite and keen learner fits humna lore. - Level 2 talent comes rather fast and initial talent selection is limited, so it will never be spend on something very strong what others cant get.

A couple of tips: Race: Wood Elf - have so much bonuses to ranged it is not fair. Island Aumaua - if you go for one this juggler gunner, firing switching to another gun, repeat 3 times. Boreal Dwarf - his natural enemy is sometimes useful Human - is in no way beneficial, since race trait is weak and it will not trigger in an reliable way for ranged. Class: Cipher - you only shoot half time, and a lot of action is spell casting. But it is one of most fun classes. Rogue - sneak attack works at range as well as special attacks, Ranger - ability Swift Aim makes gunning better. Also Wounding shot works great with heavy hitter. (the heavier the better) Note: with any class look for abilities "one powerful hit with bonus dmg" since reload weapons have higher base, and rifle have greatest. So we can use that for Ranger's Wounding Shot or Paladins Flames of Devotion. Secondary Weapon: Blunderburst for low DR targets. Important Talents: - Weapon Focus Ruffian/Soldier - Gunner - Penetrating Shot - very important since thid DR 15 enemies are pain - Marksman - Arms Bearer - if you want to weapon juggle. Party tips: - Durance could be fellow Gunner with Margana blessing and rifle, give him Galant Focus for extra +4 Acc. Sample Ranger Ranger imho is best, since it has shooting written in the name. Also swift aim, wounding shot and staler link are hard to beat in gunning department. Race: Wood Elf Deadfire Archipelago Stats: Dex 20 Perception 19 Might 18 Int 10 Con 8 Res 3 Pet: Wolf (dps pet) Anitope/Bear (defensive pet) Abilities 1. Wounding Shot ! 3. Swift Aim ! 5. Stalker Link ! 7. Driving Flight 9. Marked Prey 11. Stunning Shots ! 13. Predator Sense Talents: 2. Resilent Companion ! 4. Weapon Focus Ruffian ! 6. Penetrating Shots ! 8. Swift and Steady 10. Visious Companion 12. Merciless Companion 14. Gunner ! - Important Early Weapon: Disappointer and Forgivness come very early. Feel Free to change anything you dont like. It is your character.

Monk tanks. New meta.

I understand that AI do not use toolbar since thats are limited resources. And it is hard to make it work in acceptable manner. SInce in toolbelt the have all kind of stuff like heal potions, speed potion, res scroll... I think it would be impossible for devs to program AI to use it in acceptable manner since ai never knows if aim going to use healin from potion or from other character. That would require aproach similar to Dragon Age.

Eder do not need to be tank, can give him 2 weapons or one big, and heavy armour. That would make him sturdy enought while still dishing ok dmg. With Paladins, something like this: Stats: MIght 18, Int 15, Resolve 15, Rest 10 Race: Moon Godlike is fun, but other options are also ok. Order: rpg pick (but Bleak Walkers have least synergy) Skills: A lot of points into Knowledge for scroll use (also helps with some dialogues), Atlethic 3. Some sneak. Talents: Sword and SHield style, Critical Focus, Deep Faith, Weapon Focus (Soldier), Vulnerable Attacks Important abilities: Lay of Hands, Zeleaous Focus, Coordinated Attacks, Gear: Shields with Bash, Weapons with status efects. Skills/Talents/Abilities could be easly retrained, so no need to think too much about them early.

As far as classles system goes: I liked it in Shadowrun Dragonfall, in Divinity Original SIn and in Dragon Age. So it is something i can play with. However... that will be a lot of devhours to implement, and i have some other wishes. I do not think it will definetly be better, more like restart from base 0. At least current system is somewhere, i think it is in better spot than at release. Most of my balance wishes are close to: 1. Make weak abilities/talents stronger 2. Add ne talents/abilities. And introducing new system postpone this two. Classless system leaves little space for class gimmicks like focus, or wounds, or chants. If classles system may be implemented do it to the end. With full freedom, not half way. At least there will be space for some eldricht knight. EDIT: Smart as Barbarian - There could be a single talent "Carnage range increase by +100%" which is just additive with int bonus. So it will be totally fine to have modest int and still have ok range, or go for kingsize with smart barbarian. And as a cherry on the top (of Barbarian): - Overpowered blows - your critical strikes have chance to trip enemies. Since every stick now have some kind of stun, we can as well make it class feature. Also it is good idea to even things with casters. Fighter love: Ability: Bash - any shield fighter uses is now bashing. It scales somehow with levels or with shield type. Talent: Like a Bell - all shield bash hits dazzle target for 3sec.

As selfish wishes go, mine is: Druid: - Add some Shapesfiter focus talents like "Your spiritsfit last twice as long" or "You can sfits twice during battle". We paid for it with talent so that is fair. It is up to discussion if usin druid to just punch things in the face is best what you can bring, but for sure it is fun.

Yes. Even more yes on normal. You may not clean completly lv 3rd (with ogres) just find the stairs down. Pet: Bear is most bulletproof.

Player would probably ingore it, since everything we do is epic and legenedar and we are almost gods in fantasy world. And i must say that current system wored for me. I run into Craghold at level 6, was royaly stomped by two mercenaries. Got the idea that i will come back at level 11. So current setup isnt such a problem. Other option would be to postpone Craghold invitacion. Will it hurt if get a messee 2 level after?