Rosveen

More importantly, higher INT increases duration of spells - so it actually makes DoTs weaker if it's total damage over time.

Considering that pause is legit gameplay (managing inventory, combat positioning etc.), it makes perfect sense to take it into account.

I played GTA when I was about 8, my cousin showed it to me. I don't remember much, but I maintain this was the root of my love for free-roam open world games (which fully blossomed four years later when I discovered Morrowind). Unfortunately, I didn't have similar experiences with Baldur's Gate, which I played many years after its initial release - and it took me three tries to get into it because it was so dated. Look at me now, throwing all my money at Pillars and Torment. Pillars of Eternity is mature because of its themes and character stories, not superficial features like gore and profanity (which are handled quite well nonetheless, all swearing I saw fit into the setting and wasn't there just for the sake of looking "mature").

I picked rogue because there are no recruitable companions with that class. All the others you mentioned can be found in the game, so why not just make them part of your team and learn all classes this way? My next playthrough will probably be cipher.

double post

I'm tempted to ask how you discovered that all spiders are straight, but maybe it's better not to know...

Early game is pretty hard, some encounters aren't meant to be tackled right away. The bear is one (pretty much impossible solo), also wolves and bandits on the same map if you aren't prepared. There's nothing wrong with your character if you couldn't defeat them, that's just how they're designed. There will be a few such encounters later on too. You say the mage guy, did you pick up Eder in Gilded Vale? He doesn't have much to say the first time you talk to him, but you can recruit him after talking to the hanged dwarf. Also, there's a chanter right outside the gates of Caed Nua, so you may want to run for him and then backtrack to the forest area you passes.

I lost two grappling hooks. I'm not sure about the others, I've never has a chance to use them - I had the opportunity, but I passed what I assume was a Might check instead.

Agreed. Some themes the game touches upon are far darker and more difficult to explain to children than swearing. And aside from dialogues and stories, which can't really viably be changed, there are places like the brothel in Ondra's Gift, which would also have to modified to remove offered services.

Thank you. I returned to Caed Nua and the prompt appeared. I must have missed it the first time, but it's strange that I couldn't talk about it outside that location.

I think player experience influences the early game quite a lot. I mean, we have threads about how it's too easy on Hard and then people who are properly challenged on Normal. After spending 20+ hours in the game, I'm now comfortable enough with the mechanics that I'd have far less trouble with Raedric at 3-4. But when I started, I was going in completely blind (all tooltips turned off) and was still figuring out the ins and outs of the game when I got that quest. No wonder I got slaughtered. People who learn faster would perceive it differently.

Level 5 if you want to do it comfortably, but it's possible earlier, might just take a few reloads. I finished it with a team of four characters at level 4.

Use high speed mode (D). It brings sneaking speed to normal walking speed.

He couldn't talk to Maerwald for obvious reasons. I talked to him later, but didn't get any relevant dialogue options. Now I've finished more than half of Defiance Bay and he still isn't talking. Was there a conversation prompt in a specific place that I missed or does it just take so long?

I save compulsively, so I will always have dozens of saves to fall back on if something goes wrong. But I haven't encountered any major bugs yet and I can't be 100% sure about my characters' stats because I don't know what they're supposed to be, but they don't look unusually high or low.

Yes. Of course, I'd still learn every class because I enjoy it, but it irritates me that I have to manually manage every single action.

And you can't grasp the very simple idea that actively encouraging players to have sex with prostitutes in order to get resting boons might not be the brightest of social commentaries there is.The game also encourages me to murder people for money, loot amd fame. It's a roleplaying game. Don't metagame it, if you think prostitution ia bad, just don't sleep with prostitutes. Besides, IIRC there is no indication whatsoever that doing it will give you a stat bonus. I don't think you have to sleep with Serel during that quest?

The guide is describing how to make a generic 'AoE Control/Damage Build,' not giving Aloth's stats. This. It gives suggested races, culture and attributes for the PC or a custom hireling.

I'm mildly arachnophobic and those bears terrified me more than spiders. They moved so unnaturally, I felt like I was fighting a puppet master planning to tear me limb from limb. *shudders*

Gaun's Share. It's Fine, Draining and converts 30% grazes to hits. Very decent weapon.

There isn't. I'm okay with it, I only regret a little that I won't get the Kickstarter backer achievement if I ever buy another copy on Steam.

I think it's a carry over from some other RPGs, where the children were all immortal and then the devs tried their absolute hardest to make them as irritating as possible. I know it's dangerous to mention Bethesda around these parts, but... "Another wanderer, here to lick my father's boots." I still never tried to kill him, though. It just isn't my natural reaction to people who irrtate me, lol.

I didn't even notice. Maybe because I don't feel an overwhelming urge to go out and slaughter every child I see.

About 14 hours, everyone at level 5.

Erm, resolution? Is there anyone who still plays Baldur's Gate without the widesreen mod? Or an assortment of other fixes and enhancements, for that matter. Beamdog's versions are nice if you want to install and jump right into the game, but they don't really offer much more than modded originals. To answer the OP's question, I must honestly say: play them all. The order doesn't matter. I would play BG1 before BG2 just to know the whole story and to import my character (I use the Trilogy mod for a seamless experience on BG2 engine). However, BG2 is a great game even on its own.