Elerond

No, but I feel totally within my rights for calling out a name that sounds stupid. And fampyr sounds stupid. Fampyr is actually only one of their made up monsters whose name don't sound stupid or weird in my ears, but that maybe that is because I am Finnish and it sounds about same as our word for vampire (vampyyri), if you drop final syllabe.

What it now let you find information from souls of dead people, which let you progress in story and solve and do things that weren't necessary part of main plot, but still quite important part of the story as whole. But maybe those things don't count.

I find this review lacking objectivity, which just show how corrupt gaming media is these days. In my opinion we need much better journalistic standards and we should all boycott this media outlet until they fix their review standards... Isn't that the line we should use these days or did that already drop out from fashion?

Crating is in the game because it was feature that backers requested during Kickstarter and Obsidian promised one. Upgrading your weapons and armors with exceptional/superb enchantment is may not be necessary, but very helpful thing to do as is to give your weapons lash enchantments and your armors attribute boos enchantments. Food and Potions gives temporal boost that in certain play styles gives your character/s massive edge in next encounter. They can become quite important if you play with party which don't have characters that are able to boost your characters. But you can survive with out them if you want, but using them would make your life easier and in end game you don't fall short of them if you so desire. Scrolls give spells to those members of party that don't normally have access on them or they give your wizards/priests/druids more spells to cast without need to rest. But you can survive without using them, but using them probably will make your life easier. Crafting system was much more powerful initially, but backers with beta access felt that it over shadowed unique items that you can find, which is why it was heavily gimped before release.

It is better than any other Sabre or Battle Axe in the game in my opinion, only Wē Toki's special enchantment Disorienting together with Piercing Lash We Toki doesn't have those enchancement's in the release version (I assume you're talking about the beta where it was awesome). It just has overbearing now. I looked them from strategy guide (which seems to have quite lot false information in it, I feel bit bad for all those people that bought hard covered copy of it) as I hadn't picked it up for any of my characters as I haven't used Battle Axes with any of my characters..

It is better than any other Sabre or Battle Axe in the game in my opinion, only Wē Toki's special enchantment Disorienting together with Piercing Lash comes close to be as useful as Reliable + Annihilation combo in Resolution. Draining in my opinion is not that good enchantment at all. Of course sometimes getting endurance back is nice, but most times it isn't that exciting. Although some could argue that The Flames of Fair Rhîan's fireball granting enchantment is good, but I don't have found it to be that useful.

It technically does 2 attacks one with 50% of damage against 25% of DR and one with 25% of damage against 25% DR. Which will produce same result as 75% of damage against 50%, except in cases of high DR compared to damage. 10 damage against DR4 would produce following 10*0.5-4*0.25 = 4 | 10*0.25 - 4 * 0.25 = 1.5 total 5.5 == 10*0.75 - 4*0.50 = 5.5 Against DR 10 result would be 10*0.5-10*0.25 = 2.5 | 10*0.25 - 10 * 0.25 = 0 Total 2.5 == 10*0.75 - 10*0.50 = 5.0 Against DR 12 result would be 10*0.5-12*0.25 = 2 | 10*0.25 - 12 * 0.25 = -0.5 Total 2 == 10*0.75 - 12*0.50 = 1.5 Test in game show that damage from every lash is calculated separately Test target has DR 21 against pierce and DR 16 against burn Hit roll graze Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash and Flames of devotion + intense flames - done by paladin Original Damage: 9.1 Damage after DR: 1.8 [Min] Burn damage: 0.5 (100% damage - 75% DR would produce 9.1 - 16*0.75 = -2.9, but actually there are three lash hits, which do with Flames of Devotion 9.1*0.5 - 16 *0.25 = 4.55 - 4 = 0.55 | with Intense Flames 9.1 * 0.25 - 16 * 0.25 = 2.275 - 4 = -1.725 | with Burning Lash 9.1 * 0.25 - 16 * 0.25 = 2.275 - 4 = -1.725 | Total 0.55 damage which is rounded as 0.5 in combat log.

Every player character becomes watcher

Sad ending of PC that can't cure their condition, because they decided not to trust certain person:

...someone that is not you, I suppose? How do you think that I know that is option that you can choose and what choosing that option will bring?

If somebody wants to absolute evil bastard then promise to all the gods that you will do as they ask with souls and then choose one of the options that don't fulfill any of those promises and see Dyrwood suffer like nothing ever before.

Yess nerf the uber op classes, Paladin, Ranger, Monk !! Nerf them to the ground .. Wait ... what ?! If there is bugs behind game mathematics, then those should be fixed and then classes effected by should be checked and re-balanced if there is need, because if mathematics don't as developers intent then it is much harder for them to make corrections in game balance. Buffing of classes you mentioned (ok not monk as they are seen as quite good class by many) has been asked by quite lot already.

It is said in game that being awakened and watcher means that you eventually lose control of yourself over your past lives and you can't do anything to prevent that. It don't mean that you lose your mind, even though it seem like that for other people. Being awakened is not that bad and it seem not to be that uncommon in Eora, like for example Aloth is awakened, but he don't have same problems that you have even though his past self takes over sometimes. It is also hinted that Aloth is somewhat special case. Also Thanos is awakened and he seems to be able to work normally, although some people would argue that he is bat **** crazy. Watcher is ability to see past lives of others and in some case experience them by yourself, end game also implies that with enough power watcher can manipulate souls and even destroy them at will. Through the game PC seems first to be bit disoriented by their ordeals and only seek to make sure that they are OK, but when PC learns more and experiences more (especially dreams that aren't shown or told always to player) they start to get worried over their condition, and this is not helped by fact that most entities that have some knowledge about your condition seems to think that you are doomed and many even say that there is no cure, which seems to drive PC become more determined to find Thanos, which is probably also influenced by PC's past life as inquisitor and past life's relationship with Iovara. Although depending on what PC does these things aren't portrayed to player in most clear ways and this was not helped by some bugs that made it possible to PC to skip over some storyline in way that isn't logical or coherent and in some cases possibility to multiple choices in same plot point which made especially Journal look bit weird.

There is transparency in the maps, as you can see your characters through any map object that obscures them. I would guess that they actually use transparency/alpha layering to make it so that characters appear to be behind objects on map even though they actually walk over them. But I admit that transparency of object could benefit from tuning bit so that you see your characters clearer or they could but transparency slider in options so that players can tune it themselves to fit their tastes. Pre-rendered backgrounds make it too time and resource consuming to produce maps where you can turn camera, when we speak games that use axonometric projection and have hand finished maps, even though you could argue that it is technically possible.

Supposed to be. The "No Bad Builds"-thing never gets old. There is bad builds, but all combinations that you can do in character creation are viable with right builds. Which of course don't mean that they are equally good, but there will not be situation where you find that your character is just useless. In this game like in games that it's inspired by itemizations is most important thing for character build, and character's stats, abilities and talents are just used to optimize build, so if you want optimal build of some sort then stat distribution in character creation will lock you down in certain path (only difficulty level that needs heavily optimized characters is Path of the Damned, but of course optimized characters will make game easier on lower difficulty levels too) and not picking right abilities and talents can destroy your build in sense that you don't get most optimal build. Every single class has it optimal roles in the party and it could be argued to end of world which class is most optimal for certain role as people's opinions, experiences and tastes are quite different in these matters. Although in some cases you can use mathematics to so that at least certain situation certain classes are just better than others. And of course if you don't build character towards certain role they are usually bad in it regardless how optimal that role is for that class. If you don't have deep knowledge about mechanics behind PoE following roles are probably most safest picks for the classes. Fighter: Pure tank/Tank DPS Monk: Tank DPS Barbarian: Tank DPS Paladin: Support Tank Chanter: Support tank/pure support Priest: Pure support Wizard: DPS CC Druid: DPS CC Rogue: Ranged DPS/Melee DPS Ranger: Ranged DPS Cipher: Ranged DPS/DPS support So in short: There are builds that are bad when you count all aspects that go in the build, but you aren't able to screw yourself too much over in character creation, except if you play in PotD difficulty, OPs Paladin build at least stats wise should work in PotD. I wouldn't recommend playing game in PotD difficulty if you want focus on story aspects of the game, because it emphasis combat so much more over other aspects of the game.

Especially on time when they try to build their new official canon. Maybe after all the movies in new trilogy has been released and their tv series Rebels has run its course they probably could be willing to let people to produce products based on Legends' stories. Although in that point I don't know I anybody would be anymore interested of such instead of new game series that would be counted as part of official canon.

Would you then remove slash or pierce from swords' damage types?

It seems that in critics all damage modifiers are added together before they are used to multiply weapon's base damage. Because I my character with might 10 and with no talents or abilities that influence damage that weapon does, using superior sabre with +0.5 critical damage multiplier can do less damage [32.1] with critic than double of minimum damage shown in weapon profile [weapon profile shows 19-28] (which shows weapon damage bonus from superior enchantment already added in it) 19*(1+0.5+0.5) = 38 (13*1.45 = 18.85 -> 18.85 * (1+0.5+05) = 37.7) 13*(1+0.5+0.5+0.45) = 31.85 I think that they should change Battle axes to two handed weapons, because then it would differentiate them better from other weapons, because there is no slash only two handed weapon and its critical multiplier bonus would make them in same way special as reach for pikes and longer interrupt time for morning stars (they probably would become weapon of choice for hard hitter melee rogues). Now they are somewhat weaker version of sabres.

Any single one, you can even buy every single item in the game and enchant all of them, okay not really because you run out ingredients, but you have enough money to do it, although this may have changed as they changed how much merchants that give you discount pay for items that you sell them. But for example I had over 300k coins in one point of the game after I had upgraded stronghold to max, and then I bought all the ingredients that I found and I still had over 150k, and then I used them to make potions, foods, scrolls and enchant my weapons and armors until I run out of ingredients and I still had over 50k coins. Biggest problem is usually that you run out quite fast some ingredients that let you do superb enchantments.

She murdered a lot of people because they endangered her Hort. I mean how would you react if armed looters stormed into your Child's Room? She was the one who invaded the place, though. It is called active self defense in this days, she just did preemptive attack to ensure safety of her family

Target 1 Slash DR 7 Fire DR 12 Hit rol hit : Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash Total Final Damage: 19(18.8 ) Slash Original Damage: 18.4 Damage after DR: 14.4 Burn damage: 4.4 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 0.25 x 18.4 = 4.6 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.25 x 12 = 3 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 4.6 - 3 = 1.6 Formula's prediction don't match with reality Hit roll Hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash + flames of devotion + intense flames Total Final Damage: 35(34.6) Slash Original Damage: 18.3 Damage after DR: 14.3 Burn damage: 20.3 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 18.3 x (0.5 + 0.25 + 0.25) = 18.3 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.75 x 12 = 9 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 9.3 Formula's prediction don't match with reality. Target 2 with Slash DR 10 Fire DR 8 Hit roll graze: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash Total Final Damage: 3 (3.1) Slash Original Damage: 9.6 Damage after DR: 2.6 Burn damage: 0.5 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 0.25 x 9.6 = 2.4 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.25 x 8 = 2 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 0.4 Formula's prediction don't match with reality, but result is close Hit roll Hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash + flames of devotion + intense flames Total Final Damage: 24(23.6) Slash Original Damage: 18.1 Damage after DR: 11.1 Burn damage: 12.5 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 18.1 x (0.5 + 0.25 + 0.25) = 18.1 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.75 x 8 = 6 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 12.1 Formula's prediction don't match with reality, but result is close Target 3 has Slash DR 10 and Fire DR 7 Hit roll Hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash Total Final Damage: 14 (13.6) Slash Original Damage: 17.9 Damage after DR: 10.9 Burn damage: 2.7 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 0.25 x 17.9 = 4.475 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.25 x 7 = 1.75 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 2.725 Formula's prediction matches with reality in precision used by combat log. Hit roll Hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash + flames of devotion + intense flames Total Final Damage: 31 (31.3) Slash Original Damage: 21.8 Damage after DR: 14.8 Burn damage: 16.5 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 21.8 x (0.5 + 0.25 + 0.25) = 21.8 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.75 x 7 = 5.25 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 16.55 Formula's prediction matches with reality in precision used by combat log. Target 4 has 14 Slash and Fire DR Hit roll hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash Total Final Damage: 7 (6.6) Slash Original Damage: 16.9 Damage after DR: 5.9 Burn damage: 0.7 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 0.25 x 16.9 = 4.225 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.25 x 14 = 3.5 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 0.725 Formula's prediction matches with reality in precision used by combat log. Hit roll Hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash + flames of devotion + intense flames Total Final Damage: 21 (21.5) Slash Original Damage: 21.5 Damage after DR: 10.5 Burn damage: 11.0 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 21.5 x (0.5 + 0.25 + 0.25) = 21.5 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.75 x 14 = 10.5 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 11.0 Formula's prediction matches with reality in precision used by combat log. Target 5 has 0 Slash and 5 Fire DR Hit roll hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash Total Final Damage: 17 (16.5) Slash Original Damage: 12.7 Damage after DR: 12.7 Burn damage: 3.8 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 0.25 x 12.7 = 3.175 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.25 x 5 = 1.25 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 1.925 Formula's prediction don't match with reality. Hit roll Hit: Hatchet with DR bypass 3 and burning lash + flames of devotion + intense flames Total Final Damage: 43 (43.5) Slash Original Damage: 18.2 Damage after DR: 18.2 Burn damage: 25.3 Formula's prediction for burn damage before DR: 18.2 x (0.5 + 0.25 + 0.25) = 18.2 Formula's prediction for DR against burn damage: 0.75 x 5 = 3.75 Formula's prediction for realized burn damage: 14.45 Formula's prediction don't match with reality. Targets 1 and 5 whose results are those that don't match with formula's predictions in any way both have Scion of Flame talent, which seems to make character having it take quite lot more burn damage than what they should. And because target 1 was also in my Lead Spitter test, which probably explains unexplainable results in that test too. EDIT: So I would say that there is bug, but it is not in Flames of Devotion but in Scion of Flame talent

I tested Lead Spitter with burning lash, exceptional, and Slaying(kith) enchantments: Characters used in testing: Paladin with flames of devotion and intense flames and no other abilities, talents or items that should play factor in this. Flames of Devotion description is +50% +25 burn damage Fighter with weapon specialization ruffian and confident aim, no other abilities, items, or talents that should play factor on this. First test target has Piercing and Burn DR 12 (11.8 for pierce and 12 for fire in combat log) Lead Spitter damage with burning lash (roll was hit) - done by fighter Original Damage: 18.2 Damage after DR: 13.5 Burning lash damage: 4.3 (18.2*0,25 - 12/4 = 1.55, which don't match with this result | 18.2*0.25 - (12-7)/4 = 3.3, which don't match with this result | (18.2*1.25 - (12-7))/4 = 4.4375, which don't match with this result) Lead splitter damage with burning lash and flames of devotion + intense flames DR Bypass 7 (roll was hit) - done by paladin Original damage: 12.9 Damage after DR: 8.1 Burning damage 11.9 (12.9*0.50 + 12.9*0.25 + 12.9 * 0.25 or shorter 12.9 - 12*0.75 = 3.9, which don't with this result | 12.9 - (12-7)*0.75 = 9.15, which don't fit with result | 12.9*2 - 12 = 13.8, which don't fit with the result) Lead splitter damage with burning lash and DR Bypass 7 (roll was hit) - done by paladin Original damage: 14.1 Damage after DR: 9.4 Burning damage: 2.7 (14.1*0,25 - 12*0.25 = 0.525, formula don't match with this result | 14.1* 0.25 - (12-7)/4 = 2.275, don't match with this result) Second test target has DR 21 against pierce and DR 16 against burn Hit roll graze Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash and Flames of devotion + intense flames - done by paladin Original Damage: 9.1 Damage after DR: 1.8 [Min] Burn damage: 0.5 (9.1 - 16*0.75 = -2.9, formula don't match with the result) Hit roll hit Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash and Flames of devotion + intense flames - done by paladin Original Damage: 10.7 Damage after DR: 2.1 [Min] Burn damage: 1.4 (10.7 - 16*0.75 = -1.3 formula don't match with the result) Hit roll hit Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash and Flames of devotion + intense flames - done by paladin Original Damage: 12.2 Damage after DR: 2.4 [Min] Burn damage: 2.1 (12.2 - 16*0.75 = 0.2 formula don't match with the result) Hit roll graze Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash - done by paladin Original Damage: 8.2 Damage after DR: 1.6 [Min] No burning damage (8.2*0.25 - 16*0.25 = -1.95, formula matches with the result) Hit roll graze Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash - done by paladin Original Damage: 9.2 Damage after DR: 1.8 [Min] No burning damage (9.2*0.25 - 16*0.25 = -1.7, formula matches with the result) Hit roll hit Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash - done by paladin Original Damage: 13.4 Damage after DR: 2.7 [Min] No burning damage (13.4*0.25 - 16*0.25 = -0.65, formula matches with the result) Hit roll graze Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash - done by fighter Original damage: 12.5 Damage after DR: 2.5 [Min] no burn damage (12.5*0.25 - 16*0.25 = -0.875, formula matches with the result) Hit roll graze turned hit by confident aim Graze was done with Lead Spitter (DR bypass 7) with burning lash - done by fighter Original damage: 16.2 Damage after DR: 3.2 [Min] Burn damage: 0.0 [combat log shows + 0.0 burn damage instead of not showing anything like in no burn damage hits] (16.2*0.25 - 16/4 = 0,05 formula should show 0.1, but maybe there is problem in rounding somewhere) So it seem that according these in game results that formulas 0.25x original damage - 0.25 x target's fire DR and 1 x original damage - 0.75 x target's fire DR don't predict correctly results for lash damage that are done with using Lead Spitter, if I didn't blundered something in my calculations.

That makes FOD really bad on Blunderbusses. I would say that way they do the mathematics makes flame of devotion better with blunderbusses, because as far as I know their mathematics with DR by pass goes (Original DR - DR bypass) * 0.25 for lash damage. For example in case DR 13.5 and DR bypass 4 (which is bypass that blunderbusses have at default) DR would be (13.5-4)*0.25 = 2.375 Damage range would be 6*0.5 - 9*0.5 = 3-4.5 So final damage would be (3-2.375) - (4.5-2.375) = 0.625-2.125 (rounded in some way probably 0.6-2.1) If it was calculated like any other damage DR would be 13.5-4 = 9.5 Damage range would be 6*0.5 - 9*0.5 = 3-4.5 So final damage would be (3-9.5) - (4.5-9.5) = 0 - 0 with minimum damage 3*0,2 - 4.5*0.2 = 0.6-0.9 [minimum damage is not currently applied in lash damages as far as I know] If it was calculated as damage multiplier which result is halved before damage reduction DR would be 13.5-4 = 9.5 Damage range would be 6*1.5*0.5 - 9*1.5*0.5 = 4.5-6.75 So Final damage would be (4.5-9.5) - (6.75-9.5)* = 0 - 0 with minimum damage 4.5*0.2 = 0.9 - 1.35. [minimum damage is not currently applied in lash damages as far as I know] Although If it was calculated as damage multiplier and result is halved after all the reductions it would offer better results, but only if min damage was applied, which is not currently case with lash damage. DR would be 13.5-4 = 9.5 Damage range would be 6*1.5 - 9*1.5 = 9-13.5 So Final damage would be (9-9.5)*0.5 - (13.5-9.5)*0.5 = 0 - 2.25 with minimum damage 9*0.5*0.2 = 0.9 - 2.25. [minimum damage is not currently applied in lash damages as far as I know] Normal damage to blunderbusses in this scenario is following DR would be 13.5-4 = 9.5 Damage range would be 6-9 So Final damage would be (6-9.5) - (9-9.5) = 0 -0 with minimum damage 6*0.2 - 9*0.2 = 1.2-1.8 So if devotion would add just half of done damage then it would be (1.2+0.6) - (1.8+0.9) = 1.8 - 2.7 And I devotion would add half damage before DR it would be in other words it was 1.5x damage multiplier (9-9.5) - (13.5-9.5)= 0 [1.8 with min] - 4 Now total damage that blunderbusses do with flames of devotion in this scenario is (1.2+0.625) - (1.8+2.125) = 1.825 - 3,925 [which is quite close to case where flames of devotion is just 1.5x damage multiplier]

I didn't really care about Leaden Key and their plots in one way or another on my first playthrough until they decided to destroy everything that I had carefully build up in Defiance Bay after that point there was only one thing that I wanted to do and that was to kill every single one of them especially their leader, just because their actions made me feel that I had wasted tens of hours of playtime.

There is no precise location where you can find them I think, as I think that they are their random items list where they generate loot to some containers in world. And with those items there is possibility that you don't find any them during one playthrough and then on next playthrough you can find 2 or even 3 copies of them.