Parasol_Syndicate

Yeah, I'm reconsidering what I said before. Raedric is clearly operating like North Korea; maintaining a massive armed force, and bleeding the countryside dry to do it. There simply is not enough room in the keep for that many bodies. A conventional Thayn would have 1/2 to 1/3 the men, and probably the high priest would live with the erl. I suspect that a good erl would still grant their thayns knights, though.

I don't think it's accidental that you spend the majority of the game in regions without strong authority. That way your adversaries have to strike directly, and not through sympathetic lords and magistrates. That might be a very short game! I think theres a good chance some of Raedric's heavies are knights, they're just in a knightly order of Berath, and probably live closer to templars. He is the rightful lord, and does have a senior priest on the premises.

According to this: http://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Free_Palatinate_of_Dyrwood there are 7 Erls throughout the Dyrwood. Raedric is probably a pretty typical Thayn in terms of territory and forces, if not personality. At a guess, some of those champions of Berath at his call are knights, presumably without lands of their own.

This thread is Coxfithers.

As someone who has never felt the need to recruit GM, I feel that may have been slightly intentional. GM's anonymity provokes a strong response, and you either want to investigate her, or ignore her. Contrast Durance, who is such a blatantly offensive guy, yet has the conviction to demand your attention. Makes me think that MCA thinks companions needn't be for everyone- which is, at the very least, an interesting idea.

Having seen what Avellone is capable of when he's allowed to write games, I'm inclined to believe him. He seems like a smart enough guy to not muddy the bathwater needlessly, so I take this to be an honest assessment. Doesn't mean that POE is unplayable, or even that the decision to use someone else's story was the wrong one.

It seems to be THE persuasion stat. Every time you want someone else to do something they'd rather not, it'll be a RES check. The choice often comes down to having good RES, or being unpersuasive, since there is no social 'skill'.

On the one hand, I don't particularly want a rogue. On the other, getting anyone else's mechanics up to max is pretty painful. Are there any items which boost mechanics, other than the random-drop gloves?

The first Witcher is indeed pretty exemplary on the regional fantasy scale, if we weren't stuck with the shallow, Mary Sue-ish protagonist. Would almost be better to play as Leo, to get a clean slate. Expert Mode: We'd make our own witcher, and get randomized mutations each time.

I've found the opposite. You don't need to have the NPC with you, but you need to talk to them about it, or else their quest won't change. Pallegina, Sagani, and Hiravias at least have to be at certain places at certain times. If they aren't, they get unresolved endings.

I agree, to some extent. There isn't any interplay across regions. No one except the town crier references Gilded Vale. Despite the majority of Glanfathans being elves, elves live everywhere and are equal in status among humans. Even the podunks of the Dyrwood are ludicrously cosmopolitan. Coastal Aumaua are specifically noted as being rare, yet there's one in the first village you come to. I certainly DON'T miss the fantastic scale, or feel the need for a major war. but some of the larger context seems to be missing in action.

Alls I'm sayin' is that none of those are casters. Meaning the pool of INT dumping classes is relatively small, and the OP is erroneous.

Interesting that there's been no discussion of barbarians, thus far. That said, I personally wouldn't want a paladin who couldn't aura the entire party.

I like that Magran and Wael grant their priests ranged weapons bonuses. I'm a bit hesitant to put my main healer near the front line.

Yeah, Neverwinter 2 is fantastic in that regard. Like when you meet Edario at a lowly level 5, and learn he's floundering, selling this stuff in a small town. It's not your problem, and you have other stuff to do, but it's there. The amount of time between information and reaction makes that world feel exceptionally alive. But I'll take what I can get, and perhaps the update improves things.

I'll admit the stronghold content is the one that really tickles my fancy. More roleplaying, more content, and more options would do much to improve POE in my eyes.

That is indeed what I was referencing. see 'other party members and buffs'...

The developer post was that a specific Barbarian build cosplaying a Swiss pikeman works well with other party members and buffs. Stop the presses. Not really the raging frontline damage machine the class features suggest.

Almost becomes a self fulfilling prophecy, because anyone armed with only hatchets is going to very careful in a fight.

Carnage isn't even a good ability- it just has the potential to be. Sneak Attack, and Ancient Memory are good, because they don't require stat investment to perform. Constant Recovery is good, because it helps the class fulfill it's role. Carnage costs stat points to deal damage everywhere except where you want it, and utterly flatlines against most of the difficult, high DR fights.

Darcozzi Paladini are a joy to play for anyone who's ever wanted to be Don Quixote.

I can confirm that the appeal of the Knock Down ability is finding enemies and knocking them down. Take that away, and you have a trap masquerading as a class choice.

5% Per point of CON, not 3. But quality post all the same, Gairnulf. Gets into some of the longwinded explanations at the heart of that class's sorry state. Me, I'm more concerned about Barbarian PCs, and adding them to a full party than Solo play- and I'm still not seeing them as worthy investments. One of my bigger issues is that an intellectual barbarian with poor determination, as the game mechanics encourage you to make, is absurd. To model a base, primal state like berserking or frenzy with mere cunning and reasoning is ignorant of the very appeal of the class!

http://fairbowshop.nl/images/bogen/VanHelsingxbow_3.jpg Probably not the easiest thing to build, or certainly to enchant, but you can get two shots quickly with it.

Durance adds an area heal and interdiction every battle, which is a huge shift in party survivability. Give him a gun or crossbow and he'll probably do some incidental damage without risking himself, too.