Malaconia

I just wanted to thank you both for your input. It helped me reach a decision. First of all, I'll start with veteran. As I mentioned earlier I prefer to have my party rest as little as possible and I am not too fond of load games either. Overleveling is always a problem. On hard, even upscaled, chapter 3 was laughably easy after White March. I was actually starting to get bored with fights that were over in a matter of seconds while my party sustained practically no damage at all. White March 2 was fine, but again upscaled chapter 4 was a breeze with even the last boss fight being unable to damage my party. I never had much of a problem with afflictions, but that was mainly thanks to Durance, who was my favorite companion and the only one who had a permanent position in otherwise varying party composition. I guess I'll alternate between Veteran and PotD if needed, even though I usually don't change difficulty midgame. I chose Bleak Walker/Black Jacket. I think my main character becomes more of a jack of all trades this way, which may suit a first playthrough best, as I don't know for sure what I'll face. Also I want to dual wield sabers and blunderbusses and I missed the limitations of assassination, nor did I really remember how short a range two meters is in this game, even though it is kind of obvious. Invisibility followed by assassination might have become too repetitive, nor do I really like the glass cannon aspect of that sort of character, especially when hearing that in this game opponents pursue weaker party members even more zealously. Being Black Jacket is more consistent with how my character was in PoE 1 and unlike Assassin makes her closer to the "never back down from a fight" Bleak Walker, who is unafraid to get her hands dirty in a straight up melee. Perhaps I'll create a hireling Assassin instead, as I am still interested to see how the class plays.

Starting PoE 2 for the first time. Here are my questions. Is PoE 2 still easier than PoE 1? I am asking this because I found PoE 1 on upscaled hard difficulty to be just about right during it’s hardest fights. Still I didn't lose a single fight aside from one particular wraith ambush in the Durgan's Battery. Got it with second try. My playstyle has some additional self made limitations that make the game a bit harder. I don't sleep. Well I do, but my party doesn't, not until my gaming session is over. I've played this way since Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale days. I went through Durgan's Battery and Abbey of the Fallen Moon with a single rest. Those places I considered challenging. I don't want to give up on this playstyle and PotD isn't for me if it requires a lot of resting between battles. So, with this in mind, would you recommend Path of the Damned upscaled or do you think veteran difficulty might be enough of a challenge? As for the classes. In both cases I will specialize in sabres and guns, just as I did in PoE 1. I am also keeping the attributes from PoE 1. Character is a Pale Elf with Might 15, Dexterity 8, Constitution 8, Perception 16, Intelligence 15, Resolve 16. She worked just fine in PoE 1. I shot a couple of guns with FoD and then rushed in to battle with dual Bittercuts once my tanks had tied most of the enemies. For the Bleakwalker/Assassin I was thinking the following abilities. 1. Flames of Devotion, Lay on Hands & Escape 2.Fast Runner 3. Arms Bearer. 4. Smoke Veil & Dirty Fighting (So, mainly shooting FoD from invisibility.) 5. Two Weapon Style. 6. Backstab 7. Blinding Strike & Gouging Strike (Dual mortars. Does the Blind and DoT get applied to AoE attacks?) 8. Eternal Devotion 9. Defensive Roll 10. Inspired Faith & Scion of Flame 11. Zealous Aura 12. Exalted Focus 13. Smoke Cloud & Deep Wounds 14. Two-handed style. 15. Greater Lay on Hands 16. Improved Critical & Virtuous Triumph For the Bleakwalker/Black Jacket I was thinking a quick burst damage with three sets of dual wield guns and then a charge in to battle with dual sabers. This one is closer to my playstyle in PoE 1. 1. Flames of Devotion, Lay on Hands, Disciplined Barrage 2. Arms Bearer 3. Deep Faith 4. Fighter Stances & Two Weapon Style 5. Confident Aim 6. Zealous Aura 7. Disciplined Strikes & Penetrating Strike 8. Eternal Devotion 9. Greater Lay on Hands 10. Quick Swith & Charge 11. Inspired Faith 12. Scion of Flame 13. Conqueror Stance & Armored Grace (Is Armored Grace recommended with Dual Wield and Miscreant's Leathers?) 14. Mob Stance 15. Weapon Specialization 16. Reaping Whirlwind & Virtuous Triumph. I guess the question is if either one of the builds is less than optimal, especially if I choose to play on PotD and/or if some of the abilities I've chosen are subpar or bugged.