Alesia_BH

Gratzi, Boeroer, Enhual, and Serg! Our Sagani thanks you. And I think our Itumaak may even let you pet him! Best, A.

Ashoka: Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer- Entry 7: Heritage Hill Do you know what time it is, boys and girls? That's right: It's zombie apocalypse time! Yay! Ashoka and friends just completed the Heritage Hill quest. This was fun. It was easy enough that we were never in danger, but challenging enough to make things interesting. It was a lovely little vacation- despite the fact that we were surrounded by dead people and all. In the opening fight by the gate we let Team B fight an air war with the undead ranged fighters while Team A ground through the melee foes. Here we see Team A breaking through, closing for the finish. No real damage here, aside from a pair of opening necrotic lances. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/xr/ygqu5vxwqzyu.jpg Moving through the graveyard, we used our now standard bulldozer tactic: we let Ashoka's defenses, and our support priests' spells, keep Ashoka on her feet, while Ashoka's Strange Mercies, in turn, heal everyone else. It's kind of hard to stop. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/n9/jwfyg9mzig5m.jpg Things did get a little interesting when we accidentally pulled two crews at once. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/t6/uvjnadm9zybw.jpg Things got more interesting when I neglected to lasso Aloth, leaving him endangered. Fortunately, the solution was simple. Since there were so many low powered enemies on the field, we got everyone into Strange Mercy range and let Ashoka mow the ninnies down, tossing healing to everyone. Concecrated Ground kept Ashoka well. A Witdraw kept Aloth safe. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/jo/wb7042m182cr.jpg No significant damage, by the end. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/rf/oukwgaf0yzir.jpg The limit to the bulldozer method is Ashoka's health, as opposed to her endurance. We ran up against that boundary in the quest's central battle: the brawl at the base of the tower. The issue was that I underestimated the health damage dealing capacity of these blokes. Here we see the early stages of the fight. All is seemingly well, but, in truth, I've erred by ignoring the ranged casters. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/nn/t2bg3zujnhuq.jpg Eventually, we were forced to toss Ashoka a Withdraw. And once Ashoka was out of the action, damage began to accumulate on the others. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/2b/5ema9q5hezd6.jpg This could have been avoided had we chosen to be freer with our spells. Lesson learned: Against enemies that damage health, skimping on spells can end up being false economy. Whether you spend your spells, or take health damage, you'll have to rest. Might as well cast. Into the tower. On level one, we let Ashoka, Eder, and Cassia engage in melee while Ogrnd and Sagani provided ranged support. Aloth and Itumaak circled around and took out the mage. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/pb/1iyzfyixldvp.jpg Straight bulldozer on level 2. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/8u/zb2ezby4aw84.jpg After chatting with Incantha, destroying the machine, and rescuing Saeda, we claimed the quest's grandest reward: the spider figurine. Admittedly, Eder found the process of claiming said reward something other than rewarding. This was the only knockout of the quest and the only knockout that any current member of the crew has sustained. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/4n/71qsgoa0lw08.jpg The party is currently celebrating at the Goose and Fox. Eder is drinking for free tonight: he earned it. Best, A.

Ashoka: Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer- Entry 6: Temple of Woedica Progress! Ashoka has completed the Temple of Woedica quest and reached level 5. Upon arriving in Defiance Bay, we recovered Ossric's family armor, choosing the peaceful option. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/7t/w12oop9rdibh.jpg We retrieved our quest reward, left the city, completed some minor tasks in the Guilded Vale area, and then, finally, descended into the catacombs. The party now tends to divide itself into two teams. Team A consists of Ashoka, Eder, and Cassia: Team B Ogrnd, Sagani, and Aloth. Itumaak moves between the two. Both teams contain a priest, meaning both have their own Concentrated Ground and Inspiring Radiance. Team B is squishier, but they can also deal damage quicker, and Ogrnd, with his shield equipped, is serviceable as an emergency tank. Both groups are self sufficient, although Team B could, in theory be over run. Here we see an ideal situation, with Team A, aided by Itumaak, engaging in melee while Team B provides ranged support, enhanced by Ogrnd's spells. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/0n/klt684d0e7p5.jpg Of course, it can't always work that way. Sometimes Team B will have to engage enemies at close range. That's exactly what we did in the focal battle of this quest: the troll/sporeling encounter over by the Woedica hood. We could have used the bridge here, but I was very confident heading into this fight and I saw it as an opportunity to practice open field, close quarter tactics in a safe environment. I'm glad I did that. The battle was satisfying, fun, and educational. We took our Rest: Accuracy v Primordial bonus and ate some food. We then engaged with Team A leading the way. Concerated Ground from Cassia and Strange Mercies from Ashoka -combined with high deflection and heavy armor- made Team A very nearly untouchable. At this stage, we see Team A making progress on the sporelings, while receiving support from Team B. The line is starting to break now, though, and Team B will soon have to defend itself. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/a0/m30r07yjqsw1.jpg Ogrnd fires up Consecrated Ground in preparation for Team B's stand. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/ze/k2ylnzmvje61.jpg Looking good- although that troll on Sagani will soon become a problem. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/4l/7bdj1phj652k.jpg Sagani, whose bow is no longer needed, breaks for safety while Team A finishes up its foes and prepares to join Team B to close. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/7a/8lq365zcjon4.jpg Ogrnd takes a well earned Withdraw after heavy tanking duty. Sagani re-engages, now at a safe distance. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/c7/owcnvbilv594.jpg Fin! https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/g8/b69gvrnyglnb.jpg A little sloppy -that troll should have never reached Sagani, for example- but passable and satisfying. We're getting better. I'll fill you in on the level up choices and recent item moves in our next post. Toodles-doodles! Best, A.

I thought that, too, when I first started playing. I see it differently now. Losses in Pillars of Eternity tend to be deaths by a thousand cuts. Lost attacks can add up and subtlely tip the math against you. And even if nothing catastrophic has happened, you can slowly, gradually, find yourself at a dog-in-a-burning house moment. https://imgur.com/a/ZkuUOhx As in BG, I find it wise to understand the mechanics of incoming attacks, note the defenses they target, and buttress those defenses whenever possible. But it will take time -possibly a lot of time- to understand every attack and counter. That insight underlies the approach I've taken to learning the game. Stage 1: Use a dual-paladin, dual-priest, high deflection, heavily armored party to insure high damage absorption, along with abundant healing and resurrection capacity- allowing me to view a lot of content and study attacks, while staying alive and making progress. Stage 2: Leverage accumulated knowledge of attacks to develop focused (as opposed to brute force) defensive strategies and re-allocate resources towards offense as knowledge permits use of subtler defensive methods Stage 3: Find an optimal balance between broad based defense, battle specific defense, and offense So far, it seems to be working- I'm definitely making progress. We'll see how it goes. Best, A.

Quick Note on Ashoka's Game: As some of you know, I have, in recent years, taken to announcing theme songs for my NR characters. By title alone, it should clearly be Dilettante off St. Vincent's album Strange Mercy. But since that song doesn't really work, I've decided to go with Fear the Future by St. Vincent- the title here alluding to fact that even if we somehow, someway make it through PoE, we'll have to face PoE 2: Deadfire, a game that I don't even own yet. This shouldn't be taken to imply that the run is hopeless. Rather, it's intended to highlight the extent to which this run will have to be a communal effort, if it is to be a success. So yes, gentle friends: keep the tips and advice flowing. Let's get there! Best, A.

Ashoka: Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer- Entry 5: Caed Nua Part 2 We made it! https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/bb/nh9zgs74k53f.jpg And with surprising ease. It turns out Maerwald is a push-over even on hard, after all. First, the spiders. Eder and Ashoka formed a wall here, allowing Aloth, Cassia, Kana, and Ogrnd to plink away in safety. Since Eder and Ashoka both have low deflection scores for this stage of the game, they were nearly untouchable. And any damage that Eder took was quickly healed by Ashoka's Strange Mercies. Easy-breezy. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/m6/gbupxs7ne6zw.jpg Maerwald, too, was easy-breezy. We attempted to implement Enuhal's suggestions, but it didn't work out quite as planned. Maewald got stuck behind a flame bright, and so we had to fight them together, despite our best efforts. No matter. An opening salvo, including double Divine Marks from Ogrnd and Cassia, eliminated Maerwald before he could take offensive action. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/cm/hh0vaxh6dlqe.jpg Just clean up after that. Yippy-skippy! https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/op/0m9i2mf7gych.jpg The attentive ones among you will have noticed that we have a new party member, Sagani. I usually don't use Sagani, but since we have a couple of runs active featuring rangers, I thought I'd take the opportunity to learn the class. I'll be relying heavily on Serg and Enhual for tips on building her. Tell me what level 4 Sagani should look like and we'll go from there Oh! And if anyone has a comprehensive list of Defiance Bay delivery quests, now is the time to share. We bought the labrador retriever- he's totally our mascot now. We'd like to fetch, fetch, fetch all day long. Best, A.

Excellent work, Enuhal! I definitely intend to borrow your Maerwald strategy. I picked up a number of other tricks as well. Great post! Cheers, A.

Ashoka: Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer- Entry 4: Caed Nua Part 1 With the party anxious about the assault on Caed Nua, Cassia called in a favor from the secret circle of Eothasian priests. Somewhat to her surprise, they sent the hearty and hale, former Deadfire Archipelago raider, turned shining light of Eothas, Ogrnd. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/0f/zczrzrh51uin.jpg The first battle on the grounds of the keep went well, for the most part. The spirits murdered Kana like he was Durance off in the woods thinking he was going to get some, but aside from that, it was all good. Divine Marks from Cassia and Ogrnd kept the spirits a' droppin'. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/67/34vkpe3poql5.jpg (Kudos to Aloth for pointing his butt in the right direction this time.) https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/39/52bl4nbdxnx4.jpg To the flame brights. This was easy. (And, yes, yes: I can take a hint. Add a burning lash or two...) https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/vr/4breq8h7pz0a.jpg Right! Onto the Showdown in Hoedown Hall (Are hoedowns even a thing in medieval halls?). This went pretty well, actually. No one got murdered- not even Kana. In preparation for battle, we used the Rite of the Untamed Wild to get everyone to Survival 4 just before resting. That meant Accuracy v Spirit all around, on top of Laborer's Rest. When we awoke, we ate some yummy-yums and headed into the fray. Predictably, the spirits came straight for Kana. In the early stages of the fight, we concentrated on keeping Kana on his feet, while eliminating the phantoms one by one. Inspiring Radiance from Ogrnd, and double Divine Marks from Ogrnd and Cassia, allowed us to make quick progress. Ogrnd tossed a Suppress Affliction in the hope of getting Kana back in the game, out of stun. This worked (maybe, I guess?). But he was still getting hammered (and not in the good way). https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/ce/gkb7zyfwkbnd.jpg Frustrated, Ogrnd tossed Kana a Withdraw so we wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/yr/yc8jsm3epn5p.jpg Freed to focus on killing, the party did just that. Here we see Ogrnd using his last Divine Mark while Cassia, now tapped at 2, adds some gratuitous buffs. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/y6/vst4z9t1c18s.jpg Arcane Assaults, Combusting Wounds, and Minor Missles from Aloth helped Ashoka and Eder clear the field. And now for the finish- with Kana back in the action. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/w3/9ta29raraa93.jpg Fin! https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/bz/koe4c8cdn7pc.jpg That felt good! Next stop: the dungeons. If you have any advice on facing Maerwald, now is the time! Best, A.

@Borco. Thanks for stopping by! It's good to hear from you. And, yes: It would be great to see a run from you! I can understand why you lost interest in PoE the first time. For long, long, long time Baldur's Gate players such as ourselves, PoE was bound to feel odd, even disappointing, at first. That's not because there's anything wrong with PoE, mind you, it's simply because BG has -for our micro-community of almost absurdly devoted players- become an undeniable and incomparable standard. Once you get past the comparisons, though, and accept PoE on its own terms, it's pretty cool. The story is great, and the combat is engaging enough to sustain interest for at least a few NR runs. It's worth trying. Anyhoo, please do get in on the action. Enuhal, Serg, and I could us some company. And since Semiticgod is still noodling around, prepping, I'm all alone on Team Neophyte. Fire it up, B! @Hulk'O'Saurus. I'm glad the challenge is taking off, too, although we still have progress to make. Right now, this feels a bit like a group of tight-nit kids who have ridden their bikes to another neighborhood to play somewhere else for a change. If this challenge is going to endure, we'll need to recruit some resident PoE players. A little skill demonstration could help -and I certainly could benefit from a tutorial or two- so, by all means, feel free to share a video, when you get the chance. Your support and participation is appreciated- whatever form it may take! @Jaheiras Witness. Thanks for the tips! I've been using food items since my first play-through. They made sense to me, given the math, but I feared I was alone in the dark on that. Glad to hear that it's a well regarded move. As for the Minor Ring of Defecltion, I'm aware that it will become obsolete, based on my prior playthroughs, but in NR play an item that helps at a particular stage -whether that stage is early or late- can be worth the cost. We don't have the luxury of focusing exclusively on endgame power, as you well know! Anyhoo, thanks again! @summatsupeer. Thank you for the comment. And welcome to the party! Any chance that you'll enter a character?

Yeah. I'm worried about the fight in the main hall. But where else can we go at this point?

Ashoka: Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer- Entry 3: Madhmr Bridge and the Eothasian Temple After consulting with an affable yet regal chap, and a disciple of a woman warrior from a distant, nay, forgotten realm, Ashoka recruited Kana and visited Madhmr Bridge before descending into the Eothasian ruins. At Madhmr Bridge (and on the roadway there) it was Cassia's time to shine. She defeated the last spider... https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/n3/al7zsdziv2m4.jpg seemingly all of the looters... https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/dq/otf9kc7rxx2g.jpg https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/v9/rr5drlmgin1b.jpg and, finally, the xaurip high priest. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/8d/3vvg6d9opvcv.jpg You go, girl! But take it easy on the killin'- you can't pile all the bodies all the time. Leave some for the rest of us kind folk! All of these fights were completed without #per/rest spells, IIRC, save the xaurip high priest. We were headed back to the Hound anyways, so there was no downside to letting Cassia and Aloth razzle-dazzle. Cassia went Armor of Faith->Blessing->Holy Radiance, Aloth added a spell or two, I think, but he may not have gotten past his AAs (This battle ended sooner than expected). Near Madhmr Bridge, Kana used his summoning chant for the first time and we got to see one of the many RPG notification lines that would be way cooler in real life than it is in a video game. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/lj/xaagtrodt5t8.jpg Anyhoo. With Madhmr Bridge complete, Ashoka and crew found themselves flushed with coppers and on the brink of level 4. We purchased a Minor Ring of Deflection, along with some food, and headed into the temple. The temple quest was a mixed bag. We completed our first semi-major quest, which was cool. But we also suffered out first knockout, which was not cool. First the good stuff. Our first fight took place in the spider room. We used an archway to good effects here, allowing us to take down a gaggle of spiders with ease. Ashoka used her Flames of Devotion, Eder brought Knockdown, Kana fired away with his arquebus, and Cassia did the Cassia thing: killing things with a dead guy's staff. Everyone is on point expect for Aloth who is, I don't know, pulling an Agnetha? https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/sq/zk4qiztqg7i4.jpg Level ups all around soon after. Ashoka took Strange Mercy; Eder took Sword and Shield Style; Aloth added Penetrating Blast and Curse of Blackened Sight; Kana chose Reny's Ghost and Weapon Focus: Solider. Cassia leveled up, too, but she didn't get to choose anything, since she had reached 3, not 4. The only other battle of note on level 1 was an encounter with four skuldrs. The first two were taken by the door, the last two in open field. This proved much easier than expected. No real damage here- despite Aloth going all Agnetha again. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/t0/pu1c78ent6it.jpg Ok. Onto level 2. On level 2, we took on very nearly all comers, save the skuldr king who was left for another day. Against the spirits, we maintained a tight formation (and, no: I'm not talking about Aloth's butt this time...). Strange Mercies from Ashoka kept everyone healthy and happy. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/t3/npzdc0qyltjt.jpg Things didn't go floey until the battle near the inner sanctum. Kana was stunned by a phantom very nearly immediately and then he was doused with aerial ooze from the slimy-slimers. Cassia, wearing chain, couldn't bring her Holy Radiance into play soon enough and Ashoka's Strange Mercy arrived a millisecond too late. This was our first knockout of the campaign (but surely not the last). https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/ft/2uib7bey51mw.jpg The prebuffs here were Resting Bonus: Spirit Accuracy, Resting Bonus: Laborer's Rest, Ale, Sweet Rautai Pie and Savory Pie. We also ate the Duc's Meatloaf and Pearlwood Chicken left over from the Tenfrith quest. Spells cast included Armor of Faith->Blessing->Holy Radiance from Cassia and Arcane Assualt->Combusting Wounds->Necrotic Lance->Minor Missiles from Aloth. All except Kana finished near full health. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/sf/rwc5mk1gy0oh.jpg Final fight: cloak spirits. Standard tactics here, no damage worth reporting. We again finished near full health, thanks to Strange Mercy. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/8c/k7qscmix66zm.jpg Our next stop is Caed Nua. Wish us luck! Best, A.

Noted. It probably is wise to complete a full run before NRing (although I always admired Grond0's approach: his first completed BG playthrough was a NR- it took many, many months). I was just eager to see you posting Feel free to share your early discoveries. I'd love to hear them. We can use the "Any interest in starting a No Reload Challenge?" thread as a temporary Adventurer's Lounge. Best, A. (Oh! And, yes, people do frequently use full custom parties. But the NPCs are well written and they have quests. With the exception of Durance -who makes Anomen look like Chris Pratt- they're fun to have around.)

Veteran friends! Heeding Jaherias Witness's advice, we headed south to Mahdmr Bridge before entering the Eothasian Temple. We now have ~2300cp to spend before descending. What's the better investment at this stage? Cape of Withdrawl (for Aloth) + Blunting Belt (for Ashoka) or Minor Ring of Deflection (for Ashoka)? I'm leaning towards Minor Ring of Deflection now, Cape of Withdrawl ASAP, and Blunting Belt later. Does that make sense?

Yeah. I read that enemies in the expansion break off more readily. I feel like they're doing so now in the main game, too, but the effect is subtle, if it exists at all. It may just be power of suggestion. I'm not sure.

Thanks Jaheiras Witness! (And, btw, great stuff, Enuhal! I'm really looking forward to following you and Serg. I expect to learn a lot!) Cheers, A.

Personally (and respectfully) I disagree with this. I think those talents are a waste when there are so many other great talents to choose from. Just because your tanks are engaging additional enemies, that doesn’t stop those additional enemies breaking off and going after your backline characters anyway (and they DO do this all the time). All that happens is your tank character gets a disengagement attack on them as they break off, which does a little bit of damage. And now your squishies are in trouble Is it just my imagination or does White March make a difference here? I feel like enemies are peeling off and switching targets more now that I've installed White March.

Enuhal is here! Wow! This is getting awesome! Semiticgod, you need to get in on the action! Play on easy. Use a paladin or fighter. Lag Ashoka's entries. You'll probably die (as will I), but you'll have a chance. PoE NRing is hard, initially, coming from the BG world, but it gets much, much easier with the right character and a few "ah, ha!" moments.

Ashoka: Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer- Entry 2: Magran's Fork, Black Meadow, and Anslog's Compass Heading south from Guilded Vale, the party soon encountered Durance: a Magranite who closely matched Cassia's description. Cassia, needing confirmation that she had found the right target, encouraged Ashoka to let him join. The expanded team then headed east to Black Meadow, hoping to find Tuatanu's crate. In Black Meadow, we found three trolls (one more than I expected, based on my experience on normal). Ashoka and Eder engaged while the casters took position. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/6m/si450t54wfwa.jpg A wandering troll forced the casters to scatter and reposition, but in the end the team prevailed using solely per encounter abilities: Flames of Devotion, Knock Down, Holy Radiance, and Second Wind https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/ft/qasfcl4af8eo.jpg To the north laid the bandits and Tuatanu's crate. Ashoka and Eder engaged as planned, but a positioning error put Durance in danger. This worried Cassia because she hadn't yet confirmed that he was indeed the Magranite she was looking for. Having cast Armor of Faith, followed by Blessing, Cassia deployed her Holy Radiance to keep the priest alive. Meanwhile, Ashoka and Eder whittled away with Flame of Devotion and Knock Down. Aloth went Arcane Assault->Combusting Wounds->Minor Missiles. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/rt/zv95dkcbc9vl.jpg After taking down the melee chargers, the team closed in on the archers and finished while Durance took refuge under Withdraw https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/s0/t1xh68j0wz5c.jpg That night, at camp, Cassia began to work her charms on Durance. It wasn't long before she had elicited a braggart's confession. Later in the eve, the two slipped off into the woods together. In the morning, Cassia alone emerged, bearing Durance's robe and staff. The party asked no questions, but they knew the deed had been done: the Magranite was no more. Ashoka had mixed feeling about this, but her sympathies laid with her fellow runaway, Cassia. After returning Tuatanu's crate, Ashoka purchased the Outworn Buckler. The party then headed south to Anslog's Compass, seeking to proffer a potion for the sister of a fallen comrade, Calisca. In Anslog's Compass I not only noticed but felt the difference between Normal and Hard. The xaurip battle was far more challenging than I had anticipated, due to the presence of a skirmisher and multiple champions. Skirmisher's stun on hit. And while that isn't nearly as bad in PoE as it is in the Baldur's Gate world, it can be a problem. As those who've followed my BG runs may recall, I tend to take fewer screenshots when battles feel out of control. I only have one screenie from the xaurip battle- guess what that means (and guess what Ashoka is beginning to think of me, her untutored pilot...). https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/vu/vbdsg0ngx99x.jpg The battle wasn't too bad, but it could have went smoother. I just muffed up our positioning, making it hard for us to concentrate fire and quickly eliminate priority targets, notably the stunning skirmisher. That aside, the fight went reasonably well. We prevailed with no knockdowns and little endurance lost. Cassia cast Armor of Faith->Blessing->Prayer Against Fear->Holy Radiance; Aloth went Arcane Assault (2)->Necrotic Lance (1) ->Combusting Wounds (1)->Minor Missiles (3); Ashoka and Eder deployed Flames of Devotion and Knock Down, as per usual. They also cast Second Wind. The lesson here is that positioning at time of engagement is far more important in PoE. It surely becomes intuitive to veterans, but for novices like myself, it requires a bit of thought. Strategic positioning is the pre-buffing of PoE. Ok! South to Ranga and her goody, goody juice! Fresh off a rest, the party took down the guls with ease, using standard per encounter ability tactics https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/9c/qh2wcnarejb0.jpg The party rested again, nonetheless, prior to the dank spore encounter, because I had neglected to give Ashoka and Cassia their resting accuracy bonuses. With the party fully rested, the sporelings posed no threat, although Ashoka did take some damage, on account of getting flanked. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/e9/brd8fleeqwn3.jpg Approaching Level 4, the party is currently contemplating it's next move. I typically do the Eothasian temple at this point, but after the xaurip fiasco, I'm a little hesitant. I'm considering picking up Kana first. Thoughts on this, my veteran friends? Is the temple quest significantly more difficult on Hard? Best, A.

Welcome, Vanyel54! Please do feel free to join us in the Challenge thread! Right now, we have a small group of players from the BG No Reload community participating, with some of us effectively finding our way in a new game. We'd love to see new faces from this forum join in on the fun!

I don't have a problem with running and repositioning. The related mechanics are susceptible to abuse, however. If, for example, 5 members of your team are knocked out, it's possible to send the last member away, ending combat, reviving and healing all the others. That can effectively turn a jog into the PoE equivalent of the old BG Greater Restoration. I don't allow my teams to do that. Once combat has been initiated, I prefer to let it resolve, one way or another. I'd rather die than exploit that mechanic. (And Btw, thanks for the awesome tips, Jaheiras Witness!)

Agreed. Healing potions are less powerful in PoE, but there are still a lot of healing options. Ashoka, as a Kind Wayfarer, has some nice healing talents available to her: 1) Strange Mercy; 2) The Sword and the Sheperd; 3) Lay of Hands (available to all Paladins)

Absoutely. 100%. (I have found one powerful escape based tactic, but I find it far too cheesy to employ. It's unsatisfying and definitely a subversion of developer intent.)

Ok, everyone! Meet my character: Ashoka the Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer Paladin https://imgur.com/jgB7srQ Game Version: 3.7.0.1318 with White March I & II Difficulty: Hard Settings: Maim Before Death: On; Injuries: On; Expert Mode: OFF Mods: None Character Description: Ashoka is a pale elf. But she is not like any pale elf you're likely to have met. Ashoka is not graceful; Ashoka is not elegant; Ashoka is not restrained- nor is she somber, deferential or demure. Born to an unknown father and a mother who died in child birth, Ashoka was raised by everyone in her tribe and at the same time by no one at all. Ashoka wanted for nothing (receiving a touch of generosity from everyone can add up to a lotl) but she had no one to guide her and teach her. Sleeping alone, playing all day, and being mischievously silent (if undeniably charming) around any and all adults, Ashoka became unique, to put it positively, and, well, strange to put it less so. The problem, in the end, is simple: Ashoka never grew up. And even when she was a child, Ashoka played, far, far too much- especially by Glamfallen standards. Ashoka's energy, ebullience, and youthful whimsy have made her, in the eyes of her tribe, totally and completely unreliable- even if she can be and is faithful, dependable, and kind. Misunderstood, and uninspired by the ways of her people, Ashoka did what no pale elf women do: she set off on her own, at an astonishingly young age- seeking freedom and the time and space to become the woman she feels destined to be: a shinning light of kindness and joy, and the rarest of rare things: a woman who always plays, yet is entirely independent. In need of an identity, and with fond memories of a visit from an friendly itinerant adventurer in her youth, Ashoka has taken to calling herself a "Kind Wayfarer." In truth, she doesn't know what that is. Gaming Notes: After years of participating in the Bioware BG NR Challenge, I'm very excited to begin my first public Pillars of Eternity No Reload. Some misguided souls may think of me as a skilled BG player. I am not a skilled PoE player- not in the least. I've been playing PoE for a little over a week now, and the learning curve hasn't necessarily been made more gentle by my BG experience. Some things carry over, but many things don't. And old habits die hard. This game will, hopefully, be my fourth completed play through and second no reload (first on the hard setting). My odds are, I suspect, very, vey low. I have completed a NR on normal, but I have never even tried hard. I have no idea what to expect. My character will likely die, but I'm ok with that. In a thread like this, someone has to be the first to die. It might as well be me. In light of my inexperience with the Unity engine -and my belief that learning from one's peers is a great way to grow- I invite anyone and everyone to offer feedback. Tell me what I'm doing wrong. Teach me. Condescend to me. Treat me like a child. Because, like, Ashoka, I very nearly am- at least in the world of PoE. So, without further adieu, let's begin! Ashoka: Pale Elf, Kind Wayfarer- Entry 1: Caravan Camp to Magran's Fork Ok. I was hoping to RP this run, but since I'd like to make progress quickly, and RPed journals seriously slow me down, I'm going to use a stripped down, tactics oriented writing style. Some of you have seen me do this in the BG challenge, so you know what to expect. Apologies to those who were expecting more. Note, though, that I really, really, really hope to RP my characters going forward and I'd love to see others do the same. With that out of the way, let's get started! Once more unto the breach, dear friends! The first area, caravan camp, is super-safe for no reloaders. With Calisca by her side, Ashoka took down the young wolves (there's two on hard), using Flame of Devotion and Knockdown. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/jc/48559bz5papg.jpg Ashoka then attended to some early item tasks. As a White that Wends paladin, Ashoka started with padded armor and a two-hander. Unfortunately, that's pretty much the opposite of what I'd like to see her rock. Emptying the open container at camp, and looting the abandoned corpses by the river, gave Ashoka just enough resources to buy a third lock pick, a set of brigandine armor, a small shield, and a sword. Suitably equipped, and with potions of minor endurance and minor regeneration on hand, she was more than ready to take on the first Glanfathan crew. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/ei/e25rbf4afejo.jpg Back at camp, charging the Glanfathan leader with Athletics 2 allowed Heodan to escape hostage-hood without injury. Heodan did take some damage in the fray, but he was never really in danger. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/rk/s2vgw8jxjc0a.jpg (Quickly equipping a bow immediately after the fight allowed Ashoka to save Heodan in the dialogue cut.) On to area 2, the refuge cave. The refuge cave, like caravan camp, is super-duper safe. I can't imagine losing a character here. Ashoka was pleased to find a xaurip spear (for the accuracy) and a mace (for the DR bypass). With the xaurip spear equipped, Ashoka started critically consistently under Flames of Devotion and started rivaling Calisca in kill frequently. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/si/eica3gcd2lmq.jpg We collected the Minor Cloak of Protection and rolled out, exiting over the tiles, disabling the traps by lighting the lanterns. The spiders were no concern. Area 3. Biawac-Land. After looting Calisca and Heodan's corpses, Ashoka collected all the ingredients she could and headed south. We took our first level up here, choosing Sword and Shield Style. In the Valewood, we headed directly south, only fighting the isolated outlaw along the road. Happily, she posed no threat. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/dq/jotzjg7ms8c5.jpg To Guilded Vale! In Guilded Vale, we immediately added Aloth and then solved the miller dispute, favoring the miller. We then spoke to the dead dwarf. Here, Ashoka reached Level 3. She took Zealous Endurance and allocated her skill points to Survival and Athletics. Aloth leveled up, too, taking Mechanics, Necrotic Lance and Combusting Wounds. Next, Ashoka added Eder. And with both Eder and Aloth at her side, she was ready to return to the Valewood to rescue Tenfrith and pick up Fulvano's Gloves. She grabbed the gloves first. Eder and Ashoka formed a wall at the archway, allowing Aloth to blast away behind. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/jd/lui0d8l2k9zt.jpg No damage, by the end, but Ashoka did use Second Wind. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/yr/zfdnth8tfyze.jpg Bandits. Ashoka used Flames of Devotion and Eder used Knock Down, while Aloth used Arcane Assault from a comfortable distance. No real damage here. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/3d/2iafez45l802.jpg Upon returning to the Black Hound, Ashoka collected her reward for liberating Tenfrith. She also met a young woman named Cassia. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/fk/n6o6trykf1c0.jpg Cassia is a runaway, like Ashoka. After falling on hard times, Cassia was taken in by a secret circle of Eothasian priests, seeking retribution for the worst atrocities of the Saint's War. Rumor has it that one and only one of the Godhammer bomb's creators yet lives, and that he is a Magranite priest with lascivious tendencies. With her background as a hunter, her warehouse of charms, and her fiery red-locks, Cassia was seen as the perfect weapon to assassinate the man who built a perfect weapon. She was hastily ordained and sent off on her mission. (If you've inferred that Cassia's real mission is to rescue me from Durance's gravelly voiced, pseudo-social-darwinist horse-pucky, you're totally right...) The party is now enroute to Black Meadow, seeking Tuatanu's missing crate and the rogue Magranite. https://us.v-cdn.net/5019558/uploads/editor/9v/dhccbzal734g.jpg Best, A.

Question, everyone! How do you post screenshots in this forum?

This is where we honor our heroes, our scions, our fallen. May we remember them all! The Pillars of Eternity Saga No Reload Challenge - Hall of Heroes/List of Honorable Mentions/The Graveyard.