evilcat

Maybe i am missing something, or this was mentioned before, but with all changes, expansions, and stuff... is there a chance to add option to talk over Thaos? It is good tradicion cRPG that game is more than never ending slaughter, and quill is more powerfull than sword +5. And that would make sense, THaos did horrible things for so long, and he is possible aware of that, maybe PC could convict him that change and cycle of life is inevitable? Or that his protecting humanity is harming them anyway, so there is no difference, and better to just rest. And then... dependin of our alligment there will be final note (cruel or passion or rational...) This would be cool if all this storing alligment points was useful at last in one epic rap battle. To be more precise with won rap battle Thaos is dead but statues got very agry, so there will be final battle. This is good idea since: - Players wish that. We will see how many. - It provides another option to "win" the game. For each, own kind of porn. - It is educational. Delivering the messege that the game is not about good stats. - Increase value of preious decisions and building up PC personality (being consistent) - Fits the settings where nothing is set in stone, and everything is a bit gloom and ambvalent - It gives a choice fight or talk, not talk, talk but we will fight anyway. At this is all about choices. What are the reasons: - Gods are not gods and THaos knows it - His protecting humanity brings equal amount of suffering - People did a fair amount of bad in the name of gods (could mention skaen hiden temple or Roderick) - People did some good from themselves (need some help bringing good example, maybe if PC is champion in more than one region) - Life is pointless and its all about fight and winning (cruel waaaagh) - Soon someone else will question the order and this will be constant fight. - With each life cycle people are smarter with the experience of past (so rational) - Apeal to his pride as noble race, and point out that he was tool to machine. There would be a need to cross match it with some deciosions in game and reputacion. A lot of work. But i think it is worth.

It is fun to tal with Hylea if you have Pellegina in party. The good thing about non DnD rpg is that there is less good vs bad, more cruel, passionate, rational... so nobody tells you "yes you are beacon of hope, take a cookie". I killed the dragon, since why not, but it is actually cool that you can finish the quest with just talking.

Perception change affects everyone. Tanks or offtans in the same way and even interupt builds. If the change applies to all summons (from items as well) its ok then. Mabe the timmer will be 60 sec which will be like whole fight, or summons will die from dmg in that time anyway. It dosnt matter if build is popular or not, there should always be variety of possible builds. Summoning from chanter is worth one item slot, spending a whole party slot for that is ok in single player game if someone enjoys that, but there are other options more useful. Being able to summon ogres after 20 sec of combat have drawback of fight being already controled by blast abilities of real casters. Generally chanters are second tier class. Playable but not impressive. Perception change does not influence them. And summon timer is a nerf but dosnt matter. The class will remain in second league. In patch notes is written summon timer is for both item and chanter summons, so it is general change to summons being less important, and cant do exeption for chanters.

There is also option that defender nerf is red herring. Every major patch or expansion will have some bugs or imprefections, so it is easy to add some unnnecessery change for players to beach about, forgiving all other imprefections. Then the nerf could be tuned down, and everyone will feel better. That brings crowd control to new level. ;-)

The problem is that devs are wasting resources on something which is not a problem. Fighter's Defender was a problem? Have i miss a memo? Not sure what was purpose of the change, but the result will be: Fighters will be skipped from part outside RP reasons. There will be more place for monk or Barbarian. Maybe that is the idea, they are planning new Monk and Barbarian companions, and want Eder to pass into shadow to let new stars shine. ;-) And the final result will be setting on full caster party just as easiest way to play. More interesting aproach would be releasing set of abilities/talents for fighter improving crits (chance/multiplier) for weapon group. So if someone want dps fighter here comes more tools for that. Even better ability for crit chance and talent for crit multi (as upgrade to said ability for said weapon group).

It dosnt matter what Fighters are supposed to be. And its better if single class could be specialized in many ways. Someone complained about fighter tank >paladin tank, so they nerfed fighters. Each nerf to fighter/paladin is one step more to glorious priest/druid tanks. And in theory Fighters could be Offtank dps (dps which not break when hit). There is several talents/abilities allowing to rapidly regain health, or come back from dead, or wear heavy armor and still hit faster.

OP could add Heal increase for Might as utylity. IMHO too much complaining. The change with Perception and Constitucion is generally good. + Less stacking deflection which frees 7 points for something else. + Constitucion buff hurts dump con more which is good. + Perception as stat for crit builds, or CC spec. Generally new split is as good as stat bonuses could be. In theory there could also be a change when inteligence gives bonus to crit multiplier (you know when it hurts). But maybe that would make int too good or something.

I would rather see something like: Defender: +2 engaded , -20% AS (can't stack with other stances, but can with short term effects like vigorius defense) Wary Defender: +5 to all defenses when Defender. That would make more sense. Worse than now, but still good. With stats from OP people will figure out some way with Hold the Line and Cautions Attacks. Mix it with Priest with high resolve and serve and as punch bag + provice some nice buffs. Generally nerfing fighters will not make Paladins or Chanters better, just will encourage caster tanking, caster dps, caster everything. Futher more mixing Engaded bonus and deflection malus is not good design. Maybe for Mons it will be ok (they like being hit), but not fighers. From one side i understand the resoning of the change. That with just 1 ability + 1 talent we have similar effect to literally 6 neutral talents (in fact still better). But some of this talents are rather bad ;-) From the other side i do not see what exacly planned change will improve and how it will make my gameplay better. Fighters are no1 in tanking? I used Pellegria just since it was funnier (on hard). Others are using chanters since its more effective, and there is even more options i suppose. Fighters are better than Paladins and Chanters? Chanters are weak since they have no class talents to improve chanting or encourage some gameplay, and their chants /invocations are unimpressive, and they can invocate after 12 sec at best which is a bit late. And stacking 2 low level chants is like 1 spell from caster. Paladins are weak since NPC Paladins do not benefit from conviction (seriously something could be done about it, at least for Pellegina). Other than that Paladins are not extra weak. Every issue of Paladins could be solved with changing numbers of current class abilities/talents. Adding more abilities/talent. Possibly there could be more weapons with +1 engagements, so you could have decent 3 without defender. Game is already in the state when i ended with 4 casters and 2 martials since martials does not bring much. Pushing it more is not good, since there are only 4 casters classes and repeating classes is a bit boring.

Nerf to wary defender looks a bit too soon. With expansion update maybe its better to just add stuff, and see how it works out, and then nerf whoever is on top. I would never guess that fighters are so good, it always looks that casters are game changers. Knock Down is cute, but Slicken is a bit better. With enought nerfs to fighter, there will be just more reason to tank with Caster. From the other side, there is enought bragging about solo abilities Fighters have. Also Defender + Wary Defender is still better than Hold the Line + Cautions Attacks.

But that is what you can do RIGHT NOW, 'Important to all classes' doesn't mean the same as important for every application. Might f.ex. while good for every class doesn't do anything for non-damage/healing abilities so if you want to focus on that might can be deprioritised in favor of perception if you want to do lets say a CC wizard. Same with perception if you're going to play a priest who only heals and buffs since none of your casts are going to go up against a defence. Want to focus on singe-target damage? Then prioritise might/dex/per over Int. But why? What for? Is it worth the effort? For me: So far perception is not important outside tanks. Interupts are single target, and are generally balanced by resolve of target. For CC purpose there are better aoe picks. Ok it is fun to have 2WF with stilletos and lock down target but it is not needed since best CC is death. Increasing Acc will make it more interesting. And opens some synergy with all this abilities "trade Acc for..." If it was from the release i doubt anyone will notice the difference or suspect it is not best options ever. What i really miss is that 0-10 deflection is taken from the mechanic, so everyone will be easier to hit.

On hard is not required. You can go with natural spread and companions. I take away 2 points from stats i dont need that much (to , but that is not dumping.

I use Kana as mixed warrior. With Soldier weapon set, and Arsenal. With albaster, greatsword, and hatchet shield. Feats for 2H fighting. I use Eder as full time tank so Kana is trying to dps/body block. Chants: Set I: Blesses was... At the sight... Dull the edge (for stack building) Set II: Sure handed Ila... Dull... (for volley) Invocations: Summons: Sceletors (almost not use) Wyrms (used a lot) Utylity: Hel Hyraf, The thunder, At the Soun of voice (basicly debuffs/stuns) I think it works. Good thing is it does not require much attencion and is swinging the sword, while tanking some hits. Full tank options looks more interesting, since free up party slot for more dps while providing useful aura (so better than Eder, or allows to play Eder as DPS ;-) something to look forward with companion retrain).

I dont think radical change in chanter mechanic is needed. Current mechanic make sense even if its not most easy to use class mechanic (Cipher mechanic is funnier). Also game should encourage different ways to play class, one way is chanter buffbot, but the other is berzerker spreading dragon breath and fear around him. Its more about having enought talents, chants, invocations to make allow specialization. So far chanters cant specialize much, and cant improve own class abilities (unlike other classes) so they may look inferior. Maybe event a talent which will allow to start combat with 3 stacks is not so out of question. The need to build chants is beatiful but also prohibiting. ( And keeping the idea of chanter not being able to start combat with stacks is like sticking to the idea that casters spells should be always per rest or no free focus for ciphers, or Barbarians only with 2h weapon. Even in current system there is a point when chants will be good enought, with just picking right numbers. Or increasing variation of chants to open more roles. Like chant regenerating health to allies, so if we build that way we can skip priest and go chanter.

I think that enchanting system could be more elastic, and more giving. So you could reforge your sword and swap enchantments. Or even add more enchantments options in the future (not priority but why not). There could however be limitacion of doing it at blacksmith or in stronghold not on the field. Reasoning: - Crafting costs, so swaping enchantments with the mood will sunk our gold. - Our heroes are shoting lazors from eyes halfgods kicking bottoms of dragons. With wisdom/mechanic of 10 or more. They are competent enought. - Mistakes happens. And there is a pain if someone for example enchanted wrongly Hold Wall wrongly at low levels, and cant swap it. Also there is no difference in betwean learning on own mistakes or checking up most optimal build/enchantment on internet/wiki. Its all about fun in the end. Im against enchantment skill. One companion would be design for crafting duty (probably Pellegrina) and that would be end. Not bringing much. Im all for more complicated crafting system, with wide selection of buffs, and ability to name our masterpiece. Which is exacly what White Marches will bring.

Honestly i will be happy if companion AI will just autoattacking with whatever stick they have in hand. It was horrible experience to have half of party staying empty circle. Unfortunetly all the real issues i have, are already planned ( which was: - More influencial consitucion (5% bonus) - Single unstealth - AI - Retraining - more companions. So there is no real issue. However i can think of "more things", talents, abilities, items. So builds which was possible in theory could be work more. It would be also nice if Pallegina has some inherit conviction (and maybe even piced order) so you could have Palladin in party without a need to play one.

Or maybe not. Sure some retrain cost is ok. Everyting costs. But why make it prohibiting? It is one feature which is very easy to ignore. And in SP game we can;t blame people how to play and shame them for having fun.

Adding more ideas: Maybe instead of Accuracy bonus just +1% crit chance (if that alone is not enought then +0,01 crit multiplier mod as well) I think it will be less significant. With Accuracy, everyone wants accuraccy. Casters or CC to. And it will change the current balance of defense. With crit chance this will just increase dmg in game which could be balanced with constitucion giving 5% HP per point. For autoattackers Perception is anyway more useful than resolve. For tanks having opportunity to applly on crit effects may be interesting. From the other side +1Accuracy also makes sense. Since this will allow classes with inherit low tohit have better chances for some autoattacing. In that case flat +1 seems to be better. That would make Perception like must have stat for casters... but that would be more tradeoff betwean Might/Inteligence/Perception/Resolve/Dex. (Still dump con thou) Maybe that would lead to distincion: For Blaster Caster Might + Dex, for CC Percepction+Inteligence... Flat Acc bonus is not that bad, at worse it will give +10 Acc but... for the cost of something else. But it seems to be more important to buff Constitucion since this is a dump stat. It could be either changing +5%. INT have similar mod and nobody complains. Or make it +0,5 Endurance per level per point. So it will benefit/hurt squishes more. From the other side % is PoE way of class bonuses. And 5% is always more than 0,5. High endurance is a advantage of some classes so making this inherit bonus less important is nerfing them. I dont like situacion "why to tank with Paladin, when i can do just fine with wizzard?" So overall +5% Endurance is better. Maybe there is a space for talent: "Toughtness: Get +2 endurance per leve" (or flat 10 + 1/level). So squishes could be less squishy, while big guys will not need it and can spend talnet on something else.

Making chanters start with initial number of stacks will kill the idea of class. ;-( Making high level phrases give more stacks would make low level pointless. ;-( All invocations costing same will make low level summons less valuable. ;-( So there is no easy answear. Things which will change situacion (not saying improve): - Add talent/ability which increase duracion of lingering effect. That would not help with stack building but will make easier to keep 3 phrases active, and thats buff for Chanters anyway. - Modify Constitucion to 5% per point bonus, which would mae fights a bit longer. Which is good idea anyway considering planed perception change. - Add abilitty "Encore". 3/rest. After casting invocation you can tap Encore to regain stacks instantly. - Add ability "Trance (passive): As long as Chanter is singing (or under influence of own song) receives bonus +5 to dmg reduction". Which would improve Chanter ability to be front fighter. Again nothing connceted with stack building, but buffs chanters and make them more on pair with fighters. - Or abillity "Wardance (passive, kindoff): After casting any Invocation Chanter receives bonus to accuracy and dmg for short period." Chanter has this issue that have no class abillities as other classes do. So they can;t get much better since there is no feat to pick. ;-(

Respec is coming with the expansion / patch 2.0. Starting companions at LVL1 is already available, but you have to enable it in the options menu. Thanks, i havent noticed this tickbox. That helps a lot.

Is there a chance for respect option? At least for abilities, talents, skills, spells. And for NPC. Maybe as stronghold upgrade? Trainer near arena or something. The alternative would be that when you find companion it has set only 1st level, and after that has just XP, so player need to pick stuff from level 1 to now.

The points are good. But im all for Perception change (as long as its just +1% per point not 2). That would give more options and harder choices when building character. Right now going all Might on dps (or even not) does not feels like balanced. WIth dex and Int (if caster). There is big question how would caster look in expansion. Generally higher levels buff Casters more. Maybe, if we already buffing Perception, maybe as well buff Constitucion to 5% per tick. There will be more hits, so more hp would help. And far less "con is a dump stat" aproach.

In every Paladin life comes time of crisis of faith when he or she question the choosen path. It is important to remind why you become Paladin in first place. Maybe wanted to make the world a better place now! Or seek for adventure and glory (Paladins are tolerant in that regard)... Oh wait, we are talking about gaming. ) With mechanic every class can do it, but... rogue with right orgin is 2 points ahead. And you its more optimal to choose some 2 characters for traping purpose, and on rest focus more on athletic, knowledge and survival. So some roleplaying solves a confusion. Even more if we think that our fihter can do traps, since... was crafter in old times, but then came war and everyone became fighter willingly or not. Everyone can do most of the same... but sometimes not. And some classes are better at other things. As Priest you can swing Sword as much as Paladin but... Paladin just hits things more often (higher accuracy), and is hit less (much better defence). As Fighter you can pewpew, but there is not much class specific talents which support that very much. And you waste inherit fighter ability to tanking/offtanking. Some solution would be rising difficulty level. Since on normal the game could be chaotic but succesful. But on hard it is easier to find purpose in dedicated tank. Or having some ranged characters pewpewing from backrow with lighter armor, and not blocking themselves in tight corridors. Or well placed caster death zone (multiply aoe spells immobiliting enemies in area and dealing dmg). Another aproach to Paladins: I havent play much with them. But maybe they bring just too little in comparison to other options. Tanking with fighter is more pleasant, and to some degree more fun, since tripping enemies over is fun and usefull. Paladin healing will not obsolete Priest, and with Priest in party is not that needed. Paladin dps is not as high as Rogue and no AOE, you cant even buff it much. Aura is comparable to Chanter, exept its harder to switch aura. And in most cases single spell from full caster outclass it.... You can play paladin and it will be fun, or play something else and not miss much. About some game design: Encumbrance - outside survival games there is little fun in having limited inventory. Acid arrows - we can always imbue weapon with element and call it flaming arrows. Or with higher level cap there could be a new talent for flavored arrows. There need to be new talents anyway. Priest vs Paladins - Player Paladin does better job at tanking i suppose. But there is whole topic of balance of classes. And generally casters get alot with levels, and its hard to balance that with more martial classes. On the bright side, it is SP game so balance is not that important. Priest/Paladin NPC devotion - that is some problem, that NPC cant gain devotion as player character, maing npc Priest/Paladin just weaker. Maybe there could be some NPC only feat grantnting devotion or something.

Cipher is very pleasant ranged dps, but this is half caster class, and more power comes from spells than from pewpewing. For pure pewpew fun Ranger have is more focused, and more martial ranged than caster.

If you have some higher level save you can buy mercs of high level and just test different builds. Everything could be fun. Ciphers are fun, since they have easy class mechanic (mana from dmg). And limited spell selection is easier to grasp. Druids are fun since they can roar, and are literally beast in combat. Rogues are fun, since deal great dps, and watching for debuffs on target make them more comples than fire and forget. Paladins are fun, since as player character can stack Order affiliation for better bonuses. ... It;s easier if you can roleplay a bit, and just decide "I want to play Dwarven Barbarian from White Marches since that is how i roll".

I am all for romances in both ways as long as you can really mess up and got companion so mad it will drop your party, or just crush it to the point "Just focus on the mssion, and when will done i go." ) Or... put a romance where tension is growing and growing, but without a bang. Just tension. What would happen next is up to player imagination and some weirdo fanfiction. ;-) Or... put a romance dialogue options, but it will never lead to anything since companion is so bitter and with horrible experience that for all romantic talk will answear "Oh really, do you say that to all chantress?" ) Generally romances add immersion, there is proved link betwean life thrating adventures and possibility of love interest so it is totally in place in epic adventure, and if someone dont like it... can skip it. So as long as there is no forcing romances down the throat no harm done.