PrimeJunta

Yes it does. The actual calculation is somewhat more complex because of the variable damage range, grazes, and crits, but the same principle applies. The damage multipliers matter much more than you'd think, largely due to DR and grazes. They're valuable. Anything that buffs ACC is at least as or even more valuable.

Just higher value. They very much do not suck. Most damage multipliers stack, and most tough enemies have significant damage threshold, so those talents are very valuable. To break it down: suppose your base damage is 10, and you're fighting an enemy with DR 10. That means that your normal attack will do 0 damage. Take Soul Whip (*1.2), Enchant (*1.75), and Vulnerable Attack (DR bypass 6), and suddenly you're doing 17 damage.

To be fair, I'm not using rote pre-buffs in BG2 anywhere near as much now that I learned to play it properly. Circle of Protection from Evil maybe, but that's about it. Evertyhing else I use situationally. The problem with AD&D prebuffs is not that they're mandatory, but that they can be used in a rote and boring way, and their benefits are so obvious that many if not most players end up using them that way. In my opinion all that's needed to fix that is to nerf the durations, which P:E already did. There's no point blowing a half-dozen spell slots on buffs for a single fight, unless the fight is a really climactic and hard one, in which case it becomes cool.

^ What he said. Just please don't do it again.

Annnnnd, here we go again. Once more around the block... Edit: Plz mods, make that Official Social (In)Justice thread. We really need to keep this sort of thing contained. TYVM.

LOL

Haha I would get murdered hard on Expert Mode I'm pretty sure. If you switch on all the "moar difficult plz" options, then don't complain about the difficulty.

+1 about the objection to extremism. And yes, there have been examples of it from both sides of the fence. If you tabulated it though, I'm pret-t-t-ty certain the GG side has the achievement for Most Lives Ruined (or at least Seriously Negatively Impacted). Haven't seen a pro-feminist video game where you get to punch Thunderf00t in the face yet.

The ranger isn't bad now actually, once they removed the shared health pool which made it really super-fragile and un-fun. I'm quite enjoying having Sagani in the party, so much so that I might roll a ranger of my own at some point. Coordinating with Itumaaq is fun and with a couple nice talent picks (Penetrating Shot FTW) the damage output is pretty nice too.

You're talking about Gamergaters, right? 'Cuz that's standard procedure for them.

And if you are a paladin or priest you should get the debuff "not a virgin", which will, if you don't seek forgivness for your sins, turn you into a Blackguard. Also, is this serious? First the rage over a "transphobic" joke, which seems to have died down the last couple of days, or have just been limited to twitter, and now people are upset about prostitutes in a medieval fantasy world? As if the Goldpacts or the Bleak walkers are virgins "Passionate" is one of the favored dispositions for the Darcozzi Paladini. Somehow I don't think they need to pay for it much though.

Pre-match staredown.

I'd say level 3-4 is about right. Past that and it becomes a cakewalk.

I would have you know that in Finland, the only socially acceptable way to deal with an angry bear is to challenge it to a wrestling match.

For every self declared feminist you bring who campaigns against prostitution I'll raise you one who hails prostitution and porn as a symbol of female empowerment and autonomy. Which is why his point is simply silly. Prostitution is controversial, far from being a one-sided affair. And since Obsidian probably doesn't want to and definitely can't resolve the matter, the only PC thing this would bring about is simply omittance. And omitting things for fear of controversy is detrimental to the idea of art. I actually don't object to prostitution, in the game or IRL. Many things related to it, for sure, but there are plenty of sex workers who enjoy their jobs and I think it would be silly for me to tell them what they should think. But that's a tangent. I'm just pointing out the nerd rage produced by someone objecting to it... and then them calling the other side touchy.

Yeah I know. Damn girls demanding we take down that sign from the treehouse door.

@jacksj1 What penalty would you give armor, then? It wouldn't be any more fun to have everyone in full plate either IMO.

FFS PJ you're a smart guy with lots of interesting thing to say, but your constant partisan sniping is getting old. Finding the SJW thing boring doesn't immediately put you in the GamersGate side of the fence. Stop straw-manning. I know, 'cuz I'm finding it boring also. Regrettably it's still necessary. I'm not ashamed of my allegiance though. Proud Communist, feminist ally, and social justice warrior here.

About fifty pages worth of two locked threads says "yes," @Sacred_Path. I mean sure, there are people who take the SJ thing a bit too far maybe,* but that's peanuts compared to the sheer amount of venom the GamerGate side of the fence can muster up. *F.ex. P:E should be commended for having such diverse and interesting companions as Kana Rua, Sagani, and Pallegina, all backed up with fully fleshed-out cultures based on precedents rarely used in fantasy cRPG's, rather than admonished for having too many white males.

Or howabout the Cleverly Marketed but Ulitmately Misleading thread? I believe my title is more accurate.

Uh... yes?

I'm pretty sure the DoT is applied per tick. What I don't know is how long the ticks are. This should definitely be better documented.

This place also needs the official Whaa it's Nothing Like Baldur's Gate thread.

Uh... yes? Here's a hint though: if you want to take things more slowly, just recruit one or two companions and flesh the party out with hired adventurers of the classes you're interested in.

Personally I'd rather ignore the hyper-touchy SIJW's who turn the Internet into a bonfire of nerd rage every time someone voices an objection to something. But I'm willing to contain my side to one thread if you're willing to contain yours.