demon72

Some more Questions: 1. killing both, Raedric and Kolsc? ...after I came to the conclusion , that both are not worthy to rule: will I miss something in the game or run in any bigger problems that way? will you find anyone else in the later game, who can rule Gilded Vale? 2. What should be the next quests to get more experience? after finishing... Valewood Gilded Vale (without Temple) Esternwood Magran's Fork Anslög's Compass Black Meadow Temple Gilded Vale Caed Nua Raedrics Hold ...my MC is L4, rest of the party is L3, what would you recommend as next steps? side quests: Dyrford main quest: never far from the queen Endless Path: desperate measures other? Bounties are a little bit to strong right now, final battle from "desperate measures" is hard, but might be doable with some luck... 3. Reputation (MC): does the reputation of the MC has just an effect, if the MC is Priest or Paladin? does a Palaladin/Priest (Merc/Companion) get affected by the reputation of the MC? how much should you care about the "right" and the "wrong" reputation if the MC is Priest or Paladin? does all reputations that are not favored or disfavored have any effect? 4. Party Reputation: what effect has the party reputation? what is the difference if I'm "hero" in Gilded Vale or not? are there any places where the reputation really makes a difference? 5. Adventures: I read somewhere, that a Compagnion will get between 15% and 50% additional XP - will that Compagnion gain more XP that way, as a Compagnion in the party? could I also use Mercs for Adventures or only Compagnions? 6. Pets: what are pets good for? will there be any pets that have boni or effects?

as I didn't found any information on this: how long is a stronghold "turn"?

are there any recommendations what to do first with Od Nua? ...or better not spending any copper on Od Nua until you bought better items?

what is the best decision with Maerwald?

...loaded an older save an added 5 instead of just 2 Mercs when entering the black hound the first time - what a difference, more or less a walk in the park with a party of 6... Some more Questions: 1. Health are there any spells that restore the health of your party not just restoring the endurance? As with just restoring endurance the risc of getting killed seems to increase significantly! 2. What's next? after finishing... Valewood Gilded Vale (without Temple) Esternwood Magran's Fork Anslög's Compass Black Meadow ...what should be the next steps? Temple in Gilded Vale Caed Nua anything else? 3. Reputation (MC): does the reputation of the MC has just an effect, if the MC is Priest or Paladin? does a Palaladin/Priest (Merc/Companion) get affected by the reputation of the MC? how much should you care about the "right" and the "wrong" reputation if the MC is Priest or Paladin? does all reputations that are not favored or disfavored have any effect? 4. Party Reputation: what effect has the party reputation? what is the difference if I'm "hero" in Gilded Vale or not? are there any places where the reputation really makes a difference? 5. Time: is time relevant for any quests? does time has any effect (besides random loot)? 6. Compangnion: can you miss their personal quests if you wait to long? ...or complete some main quests at which point is the Compangnions XP set? If you talk to them the first time or if they join the party the first time? 7. Save-Games: where does PoE "hides" your savegames (with steam)? They are always hard to find if you use steam, but in this case I have no idea where else to look!

I noticed - but I just didn't found that many "simple" quests so far... ...but didn't thought about stealing the crate! Chillfrog helps much!

are there other (easier) quests that could be done first? ...as in the bandit camp there are also enough enemies with ranged weapons... EDIT: and I'm quite curious how to solo this battle...

I restarted with a party of 3 (will add the other 3 on L5 or 6). Schemer's Needle (L3) Druid (L2) Wizard (L2) ...trying to do some "harder" mission fights (e.g. the Bandit Camp in Black Meadow) to gain XP - I'm curious about a few issues: how do you manage to get 2 or even 3 buffs before you got overrun? how do you target offensive spells efficiently? (there is so much delay, that I try to calculate where the enemies will be, but most of the time my party is already sorrunded... what are good offensive priest spells on L1 and L2? ...so far I start combat from 12m with a ranged weapon and instantly starting to buff - but if I'm lucky, I get 1 buff without getting interrupted / attacked! ...or is the Bandit camp just to early and I better do other quests first (but Temple of Eothas doesn't seem to be much easier - and "a Mother's Plea" is already finished)...

...by witch stats / abilities is the chance to detect hidden stashes determined?

what I understand so far is, that... the MC gains more XP then the active party-members the active party-members earn more XP as the passive party-members in the inn a smaller active party gains more XP then a larger one ...but does the number of passive party-members has any influence on the ammount of XP? ...and is it known, how big the effects of 1.-3. is? ...and does staying on a lower as possible has any effect like in IWD2?

As I'm still L2, I think I will restart with the following party: Priest: Boeroer - Schemer's Needler (MC) Paladin: Boeroer - Ploi Druid: Heldred - Malakai Chanter: Heldred - Cira Wizard: Heldred - Tyrus Cypher: Heldred / Melee-Tank-build - but still guessing about the basic stats...

...as I just found the page with bonus abilities for the MC, I now understand why especially Schemer's Needler should be MC!

Could the following be somehow plausible for the cypher-build? assumed base stats for hedreds Cypher-build: Starting ATTS: MIG 16, CON 7, DEX 16*, PER 14, INT 16, RES 9 *15+1 from Deadfire hedred posted following stats: Ending ATTS: MIG 19, CON 10, DEX 17, PER 17, INT 19, RES 10 on items I just found +3 CON from Marked Amulet. From enchanting / forging I couldn't find any further stat increases? Original Build by Hedred: NAME: template RACE: Human Meadow BCKG: Deadfire - Mercenary CLASS: Cipher Ending ATTS: MIG 19, CON 10, DEX 17, PER 17, INT 19, RES 10 SKILLS: Stealth 3, Athletics 8, Lore 10, Survival 8 ABLTS: Fighting Spirit, Second Wind, Soul Whip, Torrent of Flame, Firebrand, Harbinger TLNTS: Vets Recovery, Weapon and Shield, Weapon Focus Ruffian, Savage Attack, Superior Deflection, Biting Whip, Draining Whip, Greater Focus WPS: St. Wygelts (superb/vessel/fire/durg) + Redfield (superb/durg) / Silver Flash or Scon Mica (note: if limited enchanting resources, could use Blesca or Mataru clubs, and swap shield) ITMS: Sanguine Plate Helm (head), Sanguine Plate (chest), Marked Amulet (back), Guantlets of Swift Action (hands), Royal Deadfire (waist), Shod-in-Faith (feet), Ring of Prot/Ring of Deflect (fingers) SPELLS: Eyestrike, Tenuous, Whisper, Amplified, Mental, Mind, Psycho, Puppet, Secret, Soul, Lance, Between, Scream, Instinct, Detonate, Ringleader, Tactical, Wave Disintegrate, Plague, Stasis, Parasite, Mindweb, Reaping ACC: 99 / 90+ (depends on enchants) DEF: Defl 115, Fort 92, Refl 132, Will 92 PWR TEAM: 8 PWR INDIVIDUAL: 7

thanks for all that help! ...it's mentioned somewhere, but... a) ...I didn't recognized this as ability b) ...it was not clear that this effect is that good Resumee: my young elvish druid girl now has to shapeshift to an old wildboar! that's me... ...but don't worry, I'm still playing parallel... ...just want to learn the mechanics as good as this is possible in one run for PoE II, as I plan to spend some more time on this one. As I want to use the Cypher-Build here - could you be so kind and roughly estimate the used base stats? And is there any reason to use an Island Aumaua for the Priest (Sidra) that I just don't understand or could I also (or even better) use a Hearth Orlan or an Elf for that build? EDIT: do you think it's possible to adept Schemer's Needler to that party concept (all builds extremly tanky) or even mix it up with the Sidra-build? I somehow get catched by the Schemer's Needler idea... EDIT2: does the Death's Usher effect of the Death Godlike triggers often, when it is used on a wizard?

Both?! What is the second one? I just find the "boar regeneration"... ...and as far as I understand this one, it gives "just" +2 Endurance every 3 seconds when shapeshifted, so depending on INT (assuming that INT increases shapeshifting) maybe 14 or 15 endurance per encounter - or is this calculation wrong? I assumed that "+7 to all" would save you more then 14-15 endurance per encounter - but no idea... about Stag Carnage, I'm not sure if there are not better abilities to learn... maybe stupid question - but is there any difference between the Boar- and the Stag-attack? ...both have 16-25 piercing with average speed? EDIT: is it possible that a Cipher casts "reaping knives" on a shapeshifted druid? ...as the druid will have "two weapon style"?

thanks for all that information! at first I expected, that the stag defense (+7 to all) might be a better choice, but good to know, that this is wrong.

...is shapeshift to "Boar" recommended for this build or does this choice doesn't matter much? ...especially as shapeshift to "Stag" seems to me the better option? ...and what is so great about "Cladhaliath"? ...are the following 3 spears not the much better choice? Treave's Conqueror Spear The Vile Loner's Lance Danulya

just tested it, guess this decision is based on the fact that shapeshift is very powerfull right from the start and you can sell more stuff to heodan that way to get all mercs early... EDIT: any idea on the other issues? especially: let Heodan get injured to get rid of Calisca via camping early - for more XP in in Cilant Lis?

...and I would be really interested for which reasons the Druid is chosen as MC? I have no idea which class would profit most from the MC-boni... ...as the Paladin has more balanced stats, I would guess this would be the natural choice?

that's possible. as said, my last CRPG was ICWD2 and there you could make tons of serious mistakes. Guess you can't respec race and subrace?

no idea if heldred is still active in this forum, but I would be very interested, which part of these builds are more or less optional and which ones are mandatory... Especially how much flexibility in Race-selection is possible - as all builds are Godlike or Aumaua? I understand, that it's part of the concept that all builds go for one-handed & shield... ...but are there any builds that could also use dual-wielding and/or two-handed without killing the concept? At which point do you "buy" the Mercs? I'm on L2 when I arrive at the Black Hound and Mercs costs 250 on L1 (5x250=1.250) - somehow curious as someone postet, that you would need 2.500 for 5 Mercs - as you buy them on L2 that way... ...seems that I missed the right strategy on Encampment and Cilant Lis - is it possible to get to L3 when soloing ? I would have expected, that you better avoid all XP in Valewood and Gilded Vale until you bought all Mercs? We Toki gives +30% to all damage or why is this Axe used by a Wiz?

...so I could also pick the one or the other build from there without getting any problems? ...as the builds seems to be quite different as the ones listed here and I'm not sure if I understand all made decisions. Especially the number of Godlikes as I found many comments about great head-gear in the DLCs.

...I was just looking around a little bit deeper in this forum and found that one: if these builds are that good as stated, why they never made it in the build list? is this post still actual? do you agree on the made observations? are casters really that powerfull? and where do you get all these portraits?

Kalakoth blaster wizard - do I find this build somewhere? Kalakoth minor blights - is this a spell or an item, as I don't find it in the spell / item list? But I guess this would be a ranged-DPS Wizard? As said, I have absolutely no idea - but are there not already enough DPS-builds in that party-setup? I would tend to go more in a support-Caster (CC or whatever fits best) direction... ...if a wizard is the wrong choice for that, I would also be fine with a Druid or 2nd Cleric - but it would feel somehow strange, not to have a wizard in my party... ...alternative I could go all-in for melee and take a tanky spellsword (but no idea if this party would survive PotD that way). But the caster decision interacts somehow with the Cypher-build - if this will be melee or ranged... ...and what caster-role a Cypher could provide...

I would like - but I'm still that overhelmed with all that new mechanics that I feel quite lost... ...and it's about 20 years ago that I played Icewinddale - BG even some years more (not that would even help much, as everything seems to have changed meanwhile). Party set-up should be more or less the following: 1. Paladin: Ploi - Wood Elf - MC - Sword & Shield Tank 2. Cleric: Schemer's Needler - Hearth Orlan - still quite unsure if this is "enough" cleric - dual-wielding - DPS & Cleric 3. Barb: Cauterizer - Coastal Aumaua - 2-handed, max DPS 4. Chanter: Chillfog - Pale Elf - Sword & Shield - 2nd Tank & Debuffer (at least my understanding of this build) 5. Cypher: - maybe ranged - what will this one be best in as caster? 6. Wizard: - still no idea what would fit best for this party, but as I already got Aloth, this will be the last decision I guess. Which one would be best to cover Mechanics? For 5. and 6. I would prefer to take a Moon Godlike and another Elf or Human 5. ranged Cypher - but would a Moon Godlike be a good choice for a ranged-build? 6. maybe a CC-wizard or a spellsword? A Moon Godlike Spellsword could be nice - but I guess this would make the party much to melee-heavy? OR (and maybe better): 5. A melee Cypher (off-)Tank - Moon Godlike, but will this build still get fast enough focus without retaliation? 6. Wizard - Wood Elf - full caster - would guess CC could help that quite melee-heavy party a lot