blotter

I'm not sure if this is intentional or not, but given the degree of clipping that's involved, I figured it's possible that you didn't actually mean to give death godlikes access to at least some of the different beards. Here's a screenshot of an orlan death godlike with his beard and mustache poking through his carapace: The only facial hair-styles that don't clip for them are the chin curtain beard and the mustache, highlighted below:

Here are a couple more: and

Here's one from a saved game:

Whenever I load my game on the Poko Kohara island (missing string *186), my Death Godlike's portrait changes to a smiling female boreal dwarf portrait. The issue can be resolved by switching to another portrait, but saving and loading again seems to revert back to the boreal dwarf lady. You should be able to replicate the issue by loading the savegame file in question; I couldn't upload it here, so I'll link to it instead - https://www.sendspace.com/file/wd2dj1 DxDiag.txt output_log.txt

One of the first things I did as a Shattered Pillar/Soul Blade was slap around my party members to see if I could generate focus/wounds outside of combat (I couldn't, unfortunately) and I can confirm that you can kill random villagers and Chieftan Ruanu, at least.

I've added/updated information on the list based on the answers from Q&A 7. For the time being, I'd rather play the beta than write about it (I'm not sure why I didn't see that coming on the 14th), so I'm just adding a couple links to videos others have made of the Deadfire beta.

I bought Pillars 1 through GOG the Deadifre DLC Pack's available as a free download, though you'll also need to download the latest patch for PoE/White March (if applicable). If you use Steam, the Deadfire DLC Pack is here.

Today's Q&A has provided more information that would definitely be worth adding to the original post. That said, I'm planning to wait on two things before updating the initial post: 1) the beta, which will provide us with a lot more information starting tomorrow, and 2) (hopefully) Fereed's transcript, so I don't have to work as hard lining up sources for everything I jot down.

Xaurip tongues and staves. The spears look like standard ones to me though.

You're right. To get the souls you need, completing the gods' quests (e.g., the Nest Above the Clouds, A Servant of Death, etc.) is enough. You don't have actually make a pledge to any of the gods to deal with the souls the way they want you to. I've completed a playthrough back in March or April this year without making any promises to any of them and thus without gaining any boons.

That is a fair point, but even so, I think there is some room for compromise between totally generic shared multiclass abilities and hyperfocused multiclass abilities that are possible only for specific class combinations. For example, subtle variations in ability mechanics based on the classes used to qualify for them might be possible, similar to what we see with some soulbound items in Pillars 1. A mix between multiclass abilities which have varying specificities is another possibility if more than one ability per combination is considered (and having only one per each would also mean there's a high chance of completely missing what players who chose the combinations are looking from them, which could be pretty disappointing as well). I think a lot of it comes down to the design of the abilities in question, though. If their base mechanics allow them to play out in different ways in relation to the features of the classes involved (not that I can come up with a good example on the spot, unfortunately), then it may not matter as much if others can get the same ability since the class combinations would introduce unique and hopefully interesting variations in their use. That said, going this route would just be exchanging one challenge/potential obstacle to the introduction of multiclass abilities for another, since making a smaller number of shared abilities with meaningful class-based variations in mechanics could actually be harder than making more multiclass abilities that don't have that requirement.

I like the idea of multiclass abilities, but as others have said, there's no indication that they'll be introduced into Deadfire and there are good reasons not to expect them. Some that haven't been mentioned are questions as to which power source applies to the ability (if that matters), whether a sufficient range of these abilities could be introduced without encroaching on the features of other classes (as per the example I provide below), how the existence of multiclass abilities might exacerbate balance issues where class combination synergies are concerned, and whether adding them into the mix would disincentivize single class selection to an unacceptable degree (whether in terms of balance or in terms of making single class character options potentially seem "boring"/neglected by comparison). That said... In reference to: There are ways of approaching it that could potentially require fewer of them to be created while also expanding the range of potential class combinations that can select them. For example, let's say they wanted to introduce some kind of Blazing Onslaught attack ability (ignoring for the moment that it sounds like a total ripoff of Flames of Devotion): for its requirements, they could have a list of fire spells from the wizard's, priest's, and/or druid's spell lists that qualify, and similarly have a list of melee attack abilities from the barbarian's, fighter's, or rogue's lists that would qualify. Of course, if a prospective combination ability involved class-specific resources, like Wounds or Phrases, the classes and class combinations that could select it would necessarily be limited, but otherwise, the prerequisites for such abilities could potentially be a fair bit more flexible. A similar but different concept that might be easier to implement is multiclass talents, which passively boost existing class abilities or features in some way that's related to the other class in the pair, like a priest/fighter talent that brands your engaged targets with the symbol of your faith (which wouldn't necessarily need to be anything more than flavor text in practice), increasing the duration or intensity of spell-based afflictions you impose upon them while you continue to engage them.

I've always favored animancy being tied to skills (and possibly a background) and equipment rather than tying it to the class format so I'm glad there aren't any plans to make it one aside from the pet-based approach, which doesn't seem to have gained much traction. Here's some potentially good news for would-be modders out there: Sawyer expects the process of making custom subclasses to relatively easy (compared to BG II, at least). Edit: Looks like Sawyer also posted a dialogue sample.

Yeah, the closest I've seen to any dictate for fair play among the order is the fact that they condemn Deceptive/Shady behavior. Given that the game obviously doesn't make your Watcher count as more Deceptive/Shady when you have them attack creatures while they're vulnerable to sneak attacks, that's obviously a weak link anyway. I had assumed that rather than representing a stringent code of honor per se, the Kind Wayfarers' drawback was related more to empathic hesitation when faced with weakened targets. That's pretty nonsensical as well, of course, given that a Watcher of any other subclass can raise their Benevolence through the roof presumably without suffering from similar setbacks. It'd also make them the only subclass that forcefully embedded a specific personality trait into every character who chooses it, as opposed to merely encouraging/discouraging such traits like the Faith and Conviction and Holy Radiance class abilities do. If it actually is supposed to be about honor, then I'd say it'd make more sense if applied to the Shieldbearers since they a) were founded by a group of knights and b) are charged with brokering peace or protecting those who would do so, perhaps indicating that they'd be the most likely to employ nonlethal means of handling threats.

Probably not. The Shattered Pillar subclass generates Wounds based on damage you deal to enemies, but it requires you to damage enemies with melee weapons/fists. Actually, if you have her gain proficiency in Scepters and use them for Dangerous Implement (I think that was its associated modal), then you might be able to get the Helwalker monk subclass to work in your favor; your Might would increase with each Wound, and according to the , each Wound increases your incoming damage by 5%, making it easier to get new Wounds via Dangerous Implement and thus raise your Might even higher. That's a pretty good deal if you can reliably avoid damage from other sources in most cases, and actually a way I had never considered to potentially sidestep the subclass' drawback. There's still the question of how useful the monk class' other abilities would be to a character who focuses on ranged combat, though.

I'm referring to different time zones. It's November in Australia right now, for example.

Here's a nice, creepy glitch in time for Halloween (where I live, anyway).

This was discussed on pages 2 and 3 of PugPug's Rundown of Companions/Sidekicks thread. To summarize, multiple past updates and Q&A responses explicitly state that relatively open multiclassing is intended to be an option even for characters, like Pallegina and Aloth, who have only one choice in regards to their single class progression; for example, Aloth would have to be a Wizard, but he could be a Wizard/Barbarian, Wizard/Cipher, or whatever else. However, there is some current dispute as to whether that still holds true based on more recent updates: some people argue that Sawyer's responses from his Tumblr page implicitly suggest that this is no longer the case, while others who have read the same information are less convinced of this change. At this point, there haven't been any explicit statements from Sawyer or other developers (that I've come across, at least) which confirm or deny that companion multiclassing options are going to be restricted more than they would have been prior to the change in how multiclassing works. Not too long ago, Wormerine mentioned having submitted a question about this to Sawyer's Tumblr page, so that might eventually change. The extent to which the tradeoff in power versus versatility impedes tanking ability depends on the extent which tanking itself depends on ability scaling/progression. If lower level options remain effective, having more of them could make up for having less powerful ones. It's also hard to say how much anticipated/unexpected synergies may end up skewing the balance, which is something they're keen to look into for during the Beta.

For damage and control, Paladin/Cipher (probably Soul Blade) may be the way to go. I had previously wondered whether Flames of Devotion would generate Focus. If the ability still just adds burn damage to a full attack, it might generate increased Focus even if the burn damage itself doesn't apply to its generation since it may still work like it did in Pillars 1: granting an accuracy bonus that'll amount to more damage by virtue of fewer grazes/more crits anyway. Even if FoD itself doesn't facilitate cycling between it and the Soul Blade's Soul Annihilation ability as smoothly as we might like, there's still Sworn Enemy, which increases incoming damage to an enemy that will also apply to standard attacks and thus Focus generation (it may also retain a fairly long duration, even if it doesn't still stick around for the duration of the battle or until the enemy dies as it did in Pillars 1). In Pallegina's case, if she remains a member of the Brotherhood of the Five Suns, her subclass is most likely oriented toward striking anyway: Wrath of the Five Suns is still a burning missile shooting upgrade to Sworn Enemy, and if Vielo Vidorio makes it into the second game, it'll probably increase party attack speed when using FoD like it did before (though I'd expect tweaks to its mechanics in accordance with the power level progression system). Adding Cipher to this obviously expands control options via abilities like Whisper of Treason, Mental Binding, and so forth, while powers like Psychovampiric Shield, Body Attunement, and Borrowed Instinct will boost tanking potential, though whether this will merely compensate for lower average Endurance and possibly lowered average defenses or grant tanking abilities that exceed those of a single-classed paladin remains to be seen. The Cipher multiclass would also provide a few more options to augment companions' combat potential through abilities like Going Between, Tactical Meld, Defensive Mindweb, and Reaping Knives, along with other options that take advantage of coordinated movements/positioning, like Amplified Thrust, Ectopsychic Echo, and Amplified Wave. If Pallegina ends up with the Kind Wayfarers, multiclassing as a Rogue (Street Fighter) may help to compensate for the Wayfarers' lower damage against particular targets since she'll regularly be in the thick of things as the party's tank. While this multiclass choice doesn't add much in terms of options to boost the performance of other allies, the Rogue half of the equation will presumably introduce some good options for weakening enemies. Also, Coordinated Positioning may allow you to take advantage of more opportunities on the battlefield while potentially helping to keep weaker party members out of danger. A Paladin/Skald multiclass might also work fairly well. Beyond the expansion of continuous options for boosting companion performance that a Chanter's Phrases add in general, there are, as mentioned above, a number of Paladin abilities boost Accuracy and thus critical chance, while the power level progression system may allow talents like Critical Focus to scale beyond the limits they had in Pillars 1. This means that the Paladin side of the multiclass may allow the character to more reliably land melee criticals to generate Phrases than most other front-liners (though I'd expect Rogues to do better here), which would, in turn, further boost damage potential indirectly by allowing the character to make use of offensive Invocations more frequently (especially since those are cheaper for Skalds to begin with). Paladin/Stalker could be an interesting multiclassing choice as well. The bonuses the Paladin and their companion gain to Deflection and Armor Rating are obviously complementary to tanking, and Paladin abilities by their nature provide a wealth of options for making the companion even more formidable while they're both close together. Abilities like Binding Roots and Takedown might help a bit with control options, while Wounding Shot, Stalker's Link, Predator's Sense, and Marked Prey will help to boost damage. If Pallegina's a Kind Wayfarer, then it's possible that her subclass' damage penalty against targets who are vulnerable sneak attack sneak attacks won't carry over to her animal companion at all. Throw in the Merciless Companion talent and that might help balance things out a bit more. Of course, all of this assumes a lot about which abilities will carry over from Pillars 1 and how they'll work in Deadfire. I'd also say that most if not all of these combinations don't make a whole lot of sense for Pallegina specifically in terms of her history/personality, but I guess that could also depend on how you interpret/explain them.

Yeah, I think it is a mask. More specifically, it looks a lot like the hooded masks that you can lift from the bodies of Leaden Key members in Pillars 1. But then again, it could also be a construct, seeing as what's visible of the shoulders and chest appear to be the same color as the face.

I think that what Lephys is saying is that in many games, even when dwarves are nominally distinguished from humans on the basis of race and culture, the differences are so minuscule in practice that they tend to seem more like little, stocky humans than a truly distinct species. In the Pillars games, that might even be deliberate insofar as the setting's emphasis lies more on differentiation through cultures (which typically cross racial lines in Eora) than races, but by the same token, dwarves would hardly be the only ones affected by this approach. Edit: Upon rereading his post, I'd say I missed the point. His statement that Relates to issues of visual character design/racial phenotypes rather than personality or culture.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I'll update my initial post to link to it and the reddit AMA for good measure.

Yeah, but the execution of that encounter would probably depend a lot on the buildup, I think. Perhaps it would involve an extended preamble in which you first investigate a series of bizarre murders and track presumed culprits. When you finally do come across it, maybe you wouldn't even recognize it as being alive until it stirs after you kill the person who seems to be the true suspect (who seemed poised to become an Effigy in order to throw you off the scent of the real one behind the scenes, perhaps barring a successful Religion check). What would be even more epic is the option to become the Effigy yourself in an effort to gather enough power to make Eothas pay for what he did to you (if you make the appropriate sacrifices, have the appropriate dispositions, and a relatively cordial relationship with Skaenites). It's a pretty drastic option, especially considering the assured death that lies at the end of it, and the associated character model changes ensure that it'll never happen unless they have everyone switch over to a single shared Effigy model, but a guy can dream.

Fair enough. I actually think that the Readceran (Adaryc) denies being plagued by memories the way the Watcher is, but I'm not sure and even if he did, I wouldn't put it past him to deny it out of shame or fear if it was true. While it is the Awakening itself that is the source of the Watcher's impending doom in the game, it's also true (if memory serves) that being a Watcher makes Awakenings more traumatic and invasive. Playing the game, I didn't get the feeling that memories and experiences from Awakenings were often so devastating - even a fairly severe case like Freyol (the pale elf lady from the Sanitarium who could no longer abide her present lifestyle after remembering her previous life's wealth) seemed much more lucid and intact than Maerwald or the Watcher after a bad end. In that sense, you could definitely consider the problem to be an interaction of the two conditions, but the remedy only needs to focus on the memories from the Awakening. (Edit: err, like Enoch said)

No. The Watcher is still a Watcher at the end of Pillars 1. The cause of their descent into madness wasn't their abilities as a Watcher but rather unresolved conflicts from past lives that their Awakening brought back to the surface.