neotemplar
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Posts posted by neotemplar
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Yeah, technically a newbie is just a newcomer, right? So you stop being a newbie very soon, just as time passes, but you still remain a noob in terms of your skills and your general approach, for there is always someone greater.
So my solution to that and my personal point of view on that - it is just a timepoint when some good TASTE for the genre is formed, and universal RPG principles (choice and consequence, factions/forces opposition, a personal role in the greater story) start to take over munchkinism and irrelevant behaviour. There begins the Role.
It's like reading to me. Literacy is one thing, good literature taste... almost unachievable.
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Well, I was a teen and went to school during the Golden Age of CRPGs (Infinity Engine+Fallouts), a lot came from discussions among friends, classmates. I could never master BG or Fallout 2 without sharing tactics. So, I guess firstly RPGs taught me to seek knowledge and experience and use one's good example. At the time Internet was very rare in my region, there were printed magazines with walkthroughs. They helped a lot, I usually followed them directly in my first run, then I tried to do it my way. And finally, the idea of "Roleplaying, not Powerplay", once again from the community, and I still follow it, helps a lot against frustration that there is always someone who knows all this better than me.
Skills, hmm...
Fallout 1 and 2 - multiple path to solve a problem, attention in dialogues, planning character ahead
BG 1 and 2 - importance of math models, of understanding the mechanics
Arcanum - lorehunting and the habit to learn as much as possible about the world around before any decisions
Planescape: Torment - I think this ideal game gives it all
I can't say I got a lot from Morrowind or Gothic, I enjoyed them, but they are no match for the previous ones in terms of forming my game personality.
And Vampire the Masquerade - a trait to seek good options and solutions even in darkest circumstances, also it taught to follow the rules, and still find a way to feel free.
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Well, I know some tricks with a certain civil-grade carbine at the shooting range, but still if they gave me a military-grade sniper rifle, it would indeed have more ACC and more DAM even in my hands, no matter I will take it for the second time in my life.
Modals are not about being better in standard usage, they are about unusual usage, as I see them.
Anyway, in this game even fighter's or barbarian's abilities are the results of magical soul energy, so you are free to explain almost every aspect via this soul energy usage.
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I see modals as results of training, because their effects can be explained using real life physics, weapons don't get supernatural.
Like dagger was really used for parrying, mace used against armour, windmill strike being a real thing.
Of course some modals can be criticised from the real-world point of view, but in general they can be achieved with real life weaponry without any magic.
Soulbound weapon bonuses are magical and based upon weapon being semi-sentient, like in some real-world legends (the Sword-in-the-Stone was able to detect the real throne heir).
So, being proficient is being able to use the weapon in an unusual way and do some tricks with it. Like IRL unusual knife holding, advanced rapid reload, etc.
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Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice had a surprisingly strong effect on me, both in general and in "peak" moments.
The only game of 2017 with any real impact on me.
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Is there a full list of weapon modals anywhere?
Would be very nice if someone made it.
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Good news for you:
According to the Beta in POE2: Deadfire (judging from the twitch stream) the situation will in general shift to your preference.
Traps can be detected both by skills (so they are highlighted by red) AND by seeing actual details over terrain (cords, wires, plates etc).
Traps can (still) be seen an disarmed in combat
There is no more need to spend all the time in "sneak mode + fast speed mode" combo.
But of course the game is still punishing for blind rushes in terms of mobs (which is ok and realistic tbh).
Hope that warms a little bit
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Yes, sorry, no perception needed - strictly mechanics
And detection in stealth mode is still the best, because outside of it only low-level traps are spotted
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Well, traps as a part of a combat encounter or at least as a threat during the fight will come from time to time, but it happens in dungeons, and imho you are usually warned by design, narrative and atmosphere. So the level design itself tells you - it's an old, dangerous place, time to switch to rogue-like tactics.
In areas like Scaen cult dungeon, Endless Path, old ruins or bases of half-crazy mages you are supposed to expect traps, do reckon, using a char with high perception, sneak and mechanics ("thief") or a pair of chars, if this skills are distributed among several party members, you check everything until the mobs block all the possibility to go further. Then you call the party for a wipe and switch to rogue-like again.
Anyway, the traps can be detected and disabled in-combat, and it usually won't take long, they bring xp, can be sold and used as your own traps. All you need to do is move in sneak mode when the area itself is trying to tell you to do this. Use fast speed mode (D key) to not get bored by slow movement. There are also ritual scrolls to boost mechanics and sneak and rooms for rest with bonuses, better use them if traps are expected.
In open areas fast engage is usually painless.
And traps that block the whole corridor completely are few, there is usually a possibility to pass them using a safe spot.
Also it may be a good idea to disable party AI in dungeons, preventing their free roaming and target seeking.
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Unlike European and American empires, past and present, maybe they're not hellbent on genocides and expansionism.
Bad, bad west, oh yes. Africa and Asia had no less empires, genocides and expansionism - if not more.
If the nation is not about expansion you need a solid lore reason - why is it so. In any other case there would be expansion wars if they may be profitable.
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There are any number of explanations for this, but perhaps the simplest is this: strength and size is nowhere near the most important attribute to success evolutionarily speaking, and even less so when it comes to the success of civilisations (Romans were, on average, smaller than Gauls for example).
In this case romans had superior military and economy. This could be if aumaua fought vailians, okay.
But Rauatai is 2nd tech civ in the world, after Vailian republics, matching power level with Aedyr (in-game description).
Evolution is not about strength, I agree, but about optimal adaptation.
So maybe they just didn't have a goal for huge imperial wars, no reason, so no challenge to adopt to, no need to form central government and go militaristic. Historically the main reason for war was slave capture. Maybe it is more effective to keep aumaua slaves than any captured lesser species.
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What prevents Aumaua from military dominating the globe?
Each time I see them, and now being triggered by the size of their kids (see Josh's tweeter) I always wonder - what is their flaw that prevents them from evolutionary dominating all other races and finally absorbing them?
If seen through the modern-day common evolution theory it can be:
- slow breeding cycle, difficulties with child birth rates
- vulnerability to some disease, framing the total population (child diseases included)
- genetic flaws (syndromes) like rapid aging, long brain development or short reproductive age (child genetic flaws incl.)
- social ideology that prevents expansion, pacifistic religion etc.
- low level of tech until the very last era (see Asian tigers or Latin countries rapid advancements)
- low level of biological organisation, biological individualism (imagine sentient, but territorial tigers or bears), inability to conduct collective tasks like wars
- high social fragmentation, clan/cast/tribal systems where all conflicts go between Aumaua and there are no resources for foreign activity
I guess for Huana it is the last one. Huana are too social fragmented to avoid the colonisation.
But what about Rauatai monarchy? They could easily wipe the world but they don't.
And please don't start with "gunpowder equals all".
a) gunpowder battles were often solved in melee until WW2 (or later)
b) even with heavy armor obsolete, body mass still matters a lot
с) there are non-combat military tasks where str/con influences the result greatly (rapid marches, carrying heavy equipment, transporting goods and ammunition, rowing the ships)
And anyway - what prevented them from total domination in pre-powder times?
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Wow, that's so detailed, thank you!
I basically get the idea now.
There are still several weak spots in this story for me, but they are acceptable and not worth further discussion.
So now the character makes way more sense.
Love this forum.
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How do you understand his story and conflict and what is your opinion on him? Why did he suddenly change his attitude towards Magran so radicaly? What needs to be done to calm him down and balance "the angry one"? Why is Magran tolerating his behaviour and keeps aiding his powers?
Have you finished his personal quest?
Yes. But I didn't understand his conflict and this 'finish' is basically just my interpretation given to him. Like, I can say that Magran is ok and never abandoned him, or I can say she is a bitch. Or I can say relax, gods always play people like toys. But I don't even know if I said correctly. What is the meaning of all his story? I don't even get why he is mad at Magran for being left alive.
Let's say I take a train and the cart goes off-rail. All my co-passengers die. I survive. I start to hate God and curse him/her/it. It seems weird. Then I meet a guy he gives me his point of view (any point he wants, based only on his judgements). I change my view of me God. WTF is going on here?
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Hello!
Please help me understand Durance the Priest.
I've completed PoE+WM1+WM2 twice, both in Russian and in English, and I understand all my companions, their inner conflicts and usually I am eager to help them to feel better. But I really failed to understand Durance, his inner conflict and his ark in general.
The writing for Durance is very strange, being smart enough (I hope so) I completely sink in his speeches and lose all sense of reality
And I rage, lose my interest and spend the rest of the game like "Just do your support stuff and shut up, and we'll be fine, okay?"So, can you please explain what the hell is wrong with him, why is he so angry and frustrated, what is his conflict, and in general - how do you "feel" this character?
What I managed to understand:
1) He has a serious inner conflict shown by his sleepless nights, looking into one point, attempts to avoid the topic in dialogues and overall angry and aggressive behaviour.
2) He has huge troubles with his deity Magran, and even if Magran blesses aggressive and passionate behaviour his attitude towards her seems way too much even by her standards (words he uses to call her and his judgements of her are very rude and seem uncommon among other Magran followers so I guess it is not a style of worshiping her).
3) He played a big role in the creation of the Bomb, and Magran responded to his prayers and gave him enough of her energy to channel into the bomb. So at this point she was with him, answered his prayers and all was well.
4) After the detonation something happened in Durance's mind - he somehow re-evaluated both Magran and the Bomb, now feeling bad about this deed.
5) He turned away from the deity and curses her, but she seems unwilling to abandon him - when talked to at Magran's Fork he manages to lit the statue up, and this can be performed only by priests with great faith and Magran's favour as we learn from the female priest in the city, he is not losing his powers, his staff burns indicating Magran presence in him, and he says "I saw you in flames", which imho means "in a spiritual link with my deity".
6) And after learning all that I completely sink in his dialogue lines and can not form a picture.
I thought - maybe Russian localisation lacks something and for my 2nd run I went in original. Once again I understand every companion and feel empathy for their troubles. But Durance is again annoying and crazy.
How do you understand his story and conflict and what is your opinion on him? Why did he suddenly change his attitude towards Magran so radicaly? What needs to be done to calm him down and balance "the angry one"? Why is Magran tolerating his behaviour and keeps aiding his powers?
I always get this feeling that I talk to a madman and try to understand what lacks any sense.
Thanks in advance
And I rage, lose my interest and spend the rest of the game like "Just do your support stuff and shut up, and we'll be fine, okay?"
Chanter Subclasses Discussion
in Backer Beta Discussion
Posted
So, may I ask some noob questions?
Is beckoner better as a tank or as a far-away shooter/caster?
Want to try him, it seems he must be durable - if he goes down (by AoE or by enemies if the group formation goes to hell) - summons will disappear, so should I multiclass him with unbroken or paladin, go pure chanter or use him from afar (maybe add ranger or rogue for good missile damage)?
What is best if I plan to use summons?
Can anyone say anything about beckoner-wizard combo? Lack of summons was the upsetting thing about wizards in POE1, so maybe we can fix it now?