Opheleus

While I would welcome both Durance and Zahua with open arms, I think having new characters would be the best thing for a potential third game. Carrying Eder over would make sense and I wouldn't mind that, but none of the other Deadfire companions were interesting enough to bring back. I'm also of the opinion that none of the sidekicks were particularly captivating, and so I have no real interest to see them return - as fully fleshed-out companions, or otherwise.

Xoti makes me wish the Blood Pool was a thing in Deadfire.

Deadfire had by far my least favorite story and companion roster of any cRPG I've played, which is a shame - as the first game ranks highly in both. I appreciate the improved mechanics that came with it, but I can forgive a subpar system if the RPG aspect of a game is well-done (Planescape: Torment being a good example of this). So more than anything, I'd like a return to the writing, themes, and personalities found in the first game. The more general stuff aside, I'm also hoping that they do away with the gods - not necessarily as a whole, but dancing to their strings for the third time would be a bit tiresome, for me at least. However, even that would be tolerable if the aforementioned disappointing elements were remedied.

It's just flavor. That's just his way of reminding you to do the quest. I left it alone until way later in the game and didn't suffer any timed consequences.

Tyranny > PoE1 > Deadfire

I think that's the point. They're *not* all-powerful, they're *not* omnipotent, they're not really any better than Kith. They're not *actually* gods. They call themselves gods and they have immense power, but all they actually are is sentient complex constructs built around philosophical ideals--and they were built by Kith hands around Kith philosophies, so they are in the end every bit as ****ty and flawed as Kith. That's self-evident, but it doesn't change the fact that Obsidian transformed them into one-dimensional caricatures of what they were in the original game and what they could have been. Instead of a rich, layered reflection of the ideals of an advanced ancient civilization, we get a bunch of petulant teenagers. Whoever was in charge of Deadfire's overall narrative design can't be the same person who worked on the original Pillars (and they're most likely anime aficionados). Yep. A thousand and one souls produced... Teenagers? Mmm, tastes like advanced civilization to me.

I got this ending by never using Tekehu - he spent the entire game on the ship - and choosing the "Teheku might find this interesting" option during the Ukaizo weather orb fiasco. I also released the dragon under the Watershaper Guild.

Meh. Both "sweetness and light" and "darkness and death" would be too cliche. I hope he's just an ordinary guy, going about his day, looking for a really good cup of coffee. Good coffee is hard to find, man. I never saw Dorn as "darkness and death" - nor as a cliche. In fact, I think he's one of the few interesting and well-written evil NPCS companions in any RPG. All of the godlike in Pillars feel too "ordinary" to me. Pallegina? An anti-god gal with feathers. Teheku? A blue bloke with tons of pride. I'd like to see a godlike that exhibits some of the qualities of their godly parent, and Rymrgand's views, ideals, and personality are unique in the relative bland pool that is the other gods.

I don't find any of the sidekick previews we got particularly interesting, at least not enough to warrant a promotion to a companion (granted, PoE2 companions aren't fantastic either), but Rekke could be a useful lore-dump, and his background is the most unique. He could give us a sneak peek into what else is out there, and hint at a potential future setting (assuming PoE3 ever happens).

Assuming he's a companion, here's hoping he's more Dorn Il-Khan and less "Yeah, I'm a Rymrgand godlike, but I wanna spread peace and happiness."

I thought Wael and Magran were among the most interesting gods in PoE1, but after Deadfire - the only one that I liked was Rymrgand. He's the only one that felt like a true all-powerful being, and he's one of the only two gods that actually kills you if you piss 'em off. The gods in Deadfire suffer from overexposure, and honestly - after the mystique and great wrath they exhibited in the previous game - I think they were poorly written in the sequel. The constant bickering, whining, and flying off the handle is very reminiscent of a popular high schooler, and not very god-like. I guess they were going for a more Greco-Roman style of deity, but even if that were the case, the Pillars gods fall short; the Olympians plotted, warred, and manipulated one another constantly, but they were never subservient to the whims of mortals, and they never lost their composure during one of their get-togethers. PoE1 gods were closer, in that regard.

You're doin' God's Magran's work.

My first playthrough I did 0 ship combat, all resolved via forced-boarding and regular combat. Everyone had 10+ days of injury time, eating hardtack and drinking water, and had nothing to boost their morale. Two crewmembers confronted me and threatened to rebel, so I used my Cipher mind-tricks on 'em, and while it got them to stand down it also made everyone else concerned. Nothing happened until right before I sailed to Ukaizo - two started to clamor for mutiny, and when I tried to Jedi mind-trick them again, one of the formerly neutral crewmembers yelled "He's trying it again. Kill them!" and the entire ship rebelled. They chose poorly.

I judge games based on how entertaining/engaging they are, and how well they compare to other, similar games in their genre. I wouldn't pit this game up against Skyrim, no sooner than I would against The Witcher 3; too many variables that don't match up. That's why, when it comes to CRPGs, I compare them with one of my all-time favorites: Dragon Age: Origins. Since we're just talking about the main story here (and by extent, the side quests) I won't mention the companions and combat - both of which are important but not as relevant here. In DA:O your character has great incentive to pursue the main quest line: not only is your life and the lives of everyone in Ferelden on the line, but your character is one of the few who can actually stop the Archdemon. PoE1 also has good incentive, as your character is directly tied with the antagonist and is running out of time. Deadfire forces you to follow Eothas for no real reason, since your actions and desires have little effect in the end. The whole "get your soul back" is a really lazy way of turning you into a bloodhound, and I'm still unsure as to why Eothas even cares as much as he does about the Watcher and their opinions. Surely there were greater Watchers before ours, and it's just weird that a deity of that magnitude (he's clearly superior to the other gods) puts so much stock in a single mortal. In regards to the side-stuff, DA:O's side-quests fit perfectly into the main plot; you're basically recruiting different factions to help you in the final fight, while solving their particular issues in the process. There's visible change in the factions, and your actions not only shape their future but also change how they aid you. PoE1 worked here as well. Most of the (major) side-quests revolve around animancy, and since animancy is at the root of all issues - especially in the main plot - it makes sense that your actions shift different people's/factions' opinions on it, one way or the other. More importantly, since one of the Watcher's main goals is to stop their descent into madness while learning about themselves and their situation, interacting with and aiding these other factions gives the Watcher a chance at gaining more information. Obviously this changes on a second playthrough - as dealing with Thaos would solve everything right off the bat, but there's no way of knowing that at the start, and the Watcher's actions are logical. Deadfire's factions are great; they're full of interesting NPCs and each faction feels uniquely different from the rest - even their goals don't fully overlap. The problem stems from the fact that, despite the Watcher's best efforts, every faction ends on exactly the same note as it began. Sure, you might be able to pick from 2 different leaders for a few of the factions, but you never get to install any real changes. You're just another tool in their grand plans, and the worst part is - you don't even really need their help. Since you can get to Ukaizo alone, helping out the different factions serves only to hasten your monetary gain. If you make a character that has a background with one of the factions - or really agrees with their goals and ideals - then sure, you might feel more loyalty to 'em. For every other kind of Watcher - there's no reason to go against your morals and side with any of the unwavering powers. The ending also felt rushed and unfulfilling. Origins ends with the death of the Archdemon, the halt of the Blight, and the Warden a hero - whether alive or dead. PoE1 concludes with a huge revelation, the permanent end to a once-immortal and powerful foe (unless you send him back to the Wheel, I guess), and the improvement or demise of many lives in Dyrwood and the surrounding area - dependent on the Watcher's choices. Deadfire ends with the death of some ancient robot that likes to talk, a chat with a god that lets you slightly alter his original plan (for some reason), and largely unchanged factions - aside from some becoming stronger while others take a back seat or retreat. Oh, and for some reason, the leader of the most powerful faction meets you on Ukaizo, and despite being on relatively good terms with them throughout the game, having vital information about what happened with Eothas and what's to come, and posing no real threat to them (assuming you simply sailed off alone) - they resort to suicide; 'cause, let's be honest, after surviving a god and an ancient robo-dragon, instigating a fight against the Watcher is the most blatanty suicidal and nonsensical decision one could make - especially when it's done by a formely competant and intelligent leader. That being said, I enjoyed Deadfire, and because of that I can overlook some of its glaring issues and shortcomings when compared to other games in its playground. It's the same reason I enjoyed Skyrim, despite the fact that it was Oblivion's lesser in many regards - main story included. However, none of that excludes the game from criticism. Plus, I haven't even seen any extreme cases of people bashing the game or its main plot. You don't have to agree with someone's opinions to understand 'em, just like you don't have to read and engage with posts that claim PoE is sexist; chuckle, and move on.

Huh, I figured they'd stay on the ship. If that's the case, then yeah - some warning would be nice. Never fun to get Solas'd.

Mellow Mercer: Still my favorite companion. He's PoE's Alistair, and I always had Alistair in my party. British Mercer: He's a'ight. Don't have strong feelings for him one way or the other. Martial Marisha: Interesting, neat concept, not as cool as her brother - sleepy Seitz. Obscene O'Brien: Eh, the pirate-talk got kind of old after a while. When it comes to insults, I prefer more "You'll choke to death on three pounds of steel" and "Oh, you witch-****er!" less "Well, glaze me ****in' balls with Nutella, Cap'n, and call me a righ' ol' soddin' saddlebag." Tenacious Travis: Really cool design-wise, but didn't really hook me - but he tried. Loony Laura: While she felt pretty vital to the main plot, she is everything that Durance is not. And for that reason, I'm out. I'm-the-only-non-CR-VA-in-the-entire-companion-cast: I dig her anti-god(like) attitude and her loyalty, but other than that I'm pretty neutral on her. Sidekicks All: Better luck next time, scrubs. All-in-all, an okay roster. Definitely nowhere near the quality of the first game. Eder, Zahua, Durance, and Legion are still miles above the rest.

Do Godlike taste like the regular members of their specific kith race, or does being a Godlike spoil - or perhaps enhance - the meat? These are the questions that prevent me from getting a full rest and recovering all of my spell slots.

In regards to scripted events and dialogue, from personal experience: - Ciphers can still do some neat tricks - Paladins can heal/shield NPCs (and certain Orders can complete some quests differently) - Wizards can use their spells to trick, distract, and scatter NPCs I could be wrong, but I don't think any class in Deadfire has as much utility outside of combat as the Cipher did in PoE1; they were practically essential.

The companion stuff is bugged, hence why their first words to you upon meeting them are "Do my personal quest" and "Lemme smash." I've never been courted by any crew members, despite trying my best to flirt with my ogre cook. Haven't come across very many NPCs that bring it up either, outside of the brothels and that creepy old ****er in the bathhouse. The nude models are... Barely visible, and they're confined to the bathhouse (unless you found a nudist colony somewhere). Just zoom out while you're there if it bugs you that much.

1. If Od Nua lived and ruled before the creation of the gods, then we can assume there was a cycle, just not a very reliable one. If he's post-creation, then I imagine life and death worked like they do in any world/setting without reincarnation, gods, and an afterlife: life is created by mortals, and their bodies and souls fade upon death. A soul can be destroyed, as seen with Thaos. The biggest question is whether or not the In-Between was a thing prior to the gods, or if it was a creation of theirs or Thaos'. If it was present, it would be another piece of evidence to support a reincarnation cycle being around before the gods. 2. Maybe. Waidwen's Legacy was caused by the trapping of souls, and Berath (I believe) says that Eothas' actions would cause some of the souls to be stuck in the In-Between. However, since life was clearly a thing before The Wheel, it might be that without the gods' meddling - the "natural" cycle will once more take place. This might mean that souls will be reincarnated, but in a more unpredictable manner. Alternatively, it might mean that new souls are formed and the old ones simply disappear/die out - thus ending reincarnation, but not necessarily life itself. The worst-case scenario is that the gods buggered the cycle beyond natural repair. There might've been a system in place, but if they took over and changed it - now that they're gone, the old one might not be able to resume. If this is the case, then it's even more important for Animancers to take control of the cycle, since they'll basically be the only hope left assuming new souls can't be created. If the old cycle is done for, and the new one disappears, then that might be it for Eora. However, I don't think that's the case... Eothas gives you the option to sway him, and among those options - the two biggest ones are (paraphrasing): "Give us a head start" and "I want you to end it all". Since you can convince Eothas to help and one of the endings is him raising Engwithan ruins for all to explore and learn from, there must be a way to "fix" the cycle - or continue it via Animancy; thus, Waidwen's Legacy 2.0 shouldn't be a thing. 3. Some of them like challenges and trials - so they can't help themselves, while others care for kith and might give 'em the benefit of the doubt. Kith created the gods and The Wheel once, no reason why they can't do it again. Dyrwood was a lot less progressive and highly superstitious. It also had an ancient, immortal narcissist screwing them over at every turn and feeding the flames of suspicion. Without him and the Leaden Key (and Ondra), kith could've and probably would've reached and perhaps even surpassed Engwithan-level Animancy. The VTC under Castol seem especially keen on advancing the field, and with the Deadfire being more open to it - and now with the Engwithan ruins being uncovered - Animancy might advance quicker than ever before. The rate of advancement is obviously dependent on a lot of stuff, and if the kith races/factions don't make peace they might destroy themselves before solving the puzzle. This task becomes even more difficult if new souls can't be created, 'cause that would mean - like you've said - that they'd have to solve the issue before the last of them died. However, we've seen a number of characters that defied death and extended their lives via magic and other means (but mostly magic), so their cooperation could go a long way in aiding the survival of the kith. Obviously a lot of this is speculation and interpretation, but to be fair - we don't have a whole lot to go on. If anything, Deadfire has made things even more confusing. That's why I kind of like the "end it all" ending; it's dark and gloomy, but at least it makes sense and leads to a lot less headaches. That being said, I really enjoy PoE lore - mainly the PoE1 stuff. Not a giant fan of the representation of the gods in Deadfire; I much preferred their mystique, even after the big reveal.

Eora - Made a nice story - And so you wake to a sleepless world, the In-Between of life and death. Follow your memories. You have been here before. "That's not what my hair looked like in character creation... I chose black, that's ginger." Eora - Made a nice story - And so you wake to a sleepless world, the In-Between of life and death. Follow your memories. You have been here before. "...Elves look a bit small in plate armor, I think I'll just go back to human." Eora - Made a nice story - And so you wake to a sleepless world, the In-Between of life and death. Follow your memories. You have been here before. "Ehh... Arcane Knight is cool, but I dunno if I want to constantly focus on buffing myself. Crusader would probably be better." Eora - Made a nice story - And so you wake to a sleepless world, the In-Between of life and death. Follow your memories. You have been here before. "... Darcozzi. Darcozzi - right? Darcozzi. Yeah, Darcozzi." 7 setunim retal "I should've gone Wayfarer... Mother f-" I know thy struggle all too well...

Thaos ix Arkannon.

Vampire. Others: xauvrip is pronounced 'kobold' laugufether: 'sahuagin' Don't try to tell me your knock off of a knock off is something special and unique. I expect that they can't use those names because they were created by D&D. I'm not really sure why they couldn't use the word "vampire", since it's hardly a D&D name. And possibly some of the undead and spirit names as well. But some of them may have been created by D&D. And perhaps the devs just wanted to avoid the entire name issue entirely and just came up with new names. I think that you're wrong to give them a hard time on this. It's not their fault that they have to worry about little things like copyrights, etc., unless you want to blame them for not licensing D&D in the first place to make PoE. A kobold is a creature from German folklore; I don't think WOTC can trademark that. Hell, most D&D creatures are ripped from myths and folklore. I think they just wanted to separate themselves and their world from D&D as much as possible, but you can only do so much - especially if you're keen on using iconic monsters. Anyway, on-topic, I burned them all in righteous fire. Except Copperhead.

I played a very anti-god Watcher, and she began to court me right off the bat. Then, despite keeping my said disposition, she wanted to make it official shortly after we arrived in Neketaka.

In terms of the main story, I think PoE 1 did it better; there was more incentive to pursue Thaos than Eothas, and I enjoy playing the "nobody that works to become somebody" character more than the chosen one or famous hero. That's why I absolutely loved the Warden in Dragon Age: Origins, while not being a huge fan of the Inquisitor. I also found it odd that the Watcher is so famous in Deadfire, but no one (aside from the gods) mentions - or even knows, to my knowledge - that you stopped Thaos and uncovered a grand truth lost to time. What exactly is the Watcher famous for, then? Being the lord of Caed Nua, sure - but so what? Lots of lords out there, this one just happens to see spirits. Their biggest known feat would probably be resolving the Hollowborn crisis, but even then - to the wide world - the Watcher is just one of many moving parts that lead to solving the issue; this is especially true if you defended the Animancers and pushed for advancements in the field. It's just weird that the Watcher's biggest feat - a potentially world-changing revelation - is tucked away and never explored aside from a brief mention during the conversation with a humanoid bug. As for the faction stuff, I think it was done well. All of them had interesting characters and plots, and I found myself agreeing with some of their ideologies and goals. However, as someone who plays mostly good characters, I found it difficult to fully side with any of them, and in the end decided to sail off alone. I would've liked the option to change our chosen faction for the better. For example, if we dedicated ourselves to the VTC's cause, it would've been nice to get the chance to sever their ties with the slavers and get them to stop exploiting the Huana tribes. As it stands, the most you get to do is decide on the leader, but the factions as a whole don't waver from their starting paths - and in the end the Watcher is forced to adapt to them and their beliefs instead of vice-versa; which begs the question, why aid them at all if they'll force you to betray your ideals? It's not like they aid the Watcher in any significant way if the latter remains loyal. Getting to Ukaizo solo is easy by end-game, and the factions will be as they are with or without you, so despite being well-done I think, by the end, joining any of them fully loses a lot of appeal and incentive. Pretty decent for a second playthrough, though. Before I forget, there's also the matter of the gods. Purely personal preference, but after interacting with them throughout the game, rolling a priest (for RP purposes) became a lot less appealing. Even in the first game, after finding out the truth about them, there was still some amount of mystery and intrigue surrounding 'em. They weren't there at the start, but they were still shadowy entities with lots of power, as demonstrated in their oaths and wrath if the Watcher broke said oaths. In Deadfire, they're little more than roided-up high schoolers; constantly bickering, stroking their prides and soft egos, and getting worked up over a single mortal. Wael was one of the more interesting gods in PoE1, and I remember scrambling to find any bits of lore I could about 'em, and then when you finally get to meet the God of Mysteries in Deadfire, they turn out to be a giant crybaby, constantly wailing over their precious secrets being spilled by the other gods (mainly Eothas). Nice to know all-seeing/all-powerful beings can't keep their composure. Also never understood why Eothas cared so much about the Watcher and their opinions, to the point of potentially changing parts of his goal to suite their needs and desires.