Heijoushin

I am! With a stat that actually adds to accuracy, builds focused on crits have a lot more potential. Makes me want to replay the game just for that! So... when does this next patch get to gog?

Just curious, how many times did you replay pillars? Do you think it has lots of replayability? If not, what would give it more?

If you actually read/listened to the dialog with the dwarf woman hanging from the tree, rather than clicking through (which is what you had to have done in order to miss this), then it wouldn't be so confusing. Oh man, you're cold.. I did read it, but I seem to have forgotten (^_^;

Uh... there are plenty of non-amazing skills that aren't necessary. Those two at least allow you to use sneak attacks through status afflictions. That's not so bad if you have nothing better to take.

Don't worry, it's just temporary. As soon as you reach the next big city, Defience Bay is unlocked again.

Not really. It's pretty clear when you're going into the final dungeon. Just make time for Endless Paths before that.

The *machine* doesn't turn you into a Watcher, surviving the biawac does. Seeing Thaos is what triggers the Awakening. This is all fairly explicit. Okay, so the Biawac turns you into a watcher? So why does the player survive the biawac when no one else does? Everyone you meet seems to believe that biawacs are usually pretty fatal. If biawacs sometimes result in watchers, then there should be more lore surrounding that. Your character is obviously a special snowflake, but its not very clear as to why.

Well, POE is all about Defensive Character vs. Damaging Character. Frustrating sometimes, but perhaps more interesting than D&D rules, where every fighter could be all-rounder gods of combat.

Yup, I agree with the above post. In fact, now that I think about it, why does that funny machine even turn you into a watcher? (or awaken you?) It's all pretty vague. And while we're nitpicking, how come the main character never eats those berries or drinks the water to fix their stomach bug in act 1?

lol, to everyone seriously discussing this: I think the OP was joking... Where's your sense of humour?

Are we playing the same game? o_O Yes we are Okay, there are some cruel people but there are also a lot of morally grey quests with two sides.

Can you actually do that? Sacrifice a party member to the blood pool in game? Well, canon is what the writers say it is. If it's a direct sequel, then it will probably be assumed that you recruited all party members and that they survived.

I think there was a +2 int helmet in The Dozen's weapon shop. Could be wrong though...

No. Heavy armour just makes them slower. So their rate of fire will be slower. Unless you want some kind of speedy gunner wizard, it's not really a big deal. Also, when it comes to effective spell use, I think timing and placement is more important than speed.

Maybe you should take a look at the talents and decide based on that? I don't think there are many terrible people in the game personally. Most quests just have two different sides with two disagreeing points of view. I haven't tried it, but I think it would be difficult to play a cruel character. After all, adventurers go around helping people... how else do you get quests?

Well, it's true that he's not as mentally strong or driven as Thaos. But his other half makes up for that:) And surely he grew magically powerful while adventuring with the player character? I think "Wizard beaten by this father with split personality" screams villain material.

Really! That's quite interesting! I assumed that if you did his quest, it would turn out the same way. Props to Obsidian!

In the end, it's not really that complex: Since buffs cancel each other out, I just basically set it up that my main character has +2 (or +3 if I can get it) for every stat. Anything else is just bonus.

It's going to be Aloth! In his post game scene, it basically says that he sympathizes with Thaos's goals, if not his methods. He takes up Thaos's mantle and sets out to finish his "mission" of stopping animancy so people won't discover the truth about the Gods. And well, he was a Leaden Key member. I think he'll make a great villain. Aloth: Please, do not hinder me! Or I'll shove tha blade up yer arse, ya cothfixer!

As others have said, Watchers eventually go mad. But this was a weak thing to drive the plot, since most players find it fun to be a watcher. I suppose they wanted a very personal motivation, so you could conceivably play an evil character, but I would have much preferred a straightforward "cure the hollowborn" plot (since there's not much room to be evil anyway) It also broke my immersion. You arrived at Giled Vale and get questioned by that painful deputy guy, right? I didn't want to tell him anything (since its obvious he's hanging suspicious people) and yet to advance the plot you have to ask him about soul specialists!

Yeah... it's like... I was surprised that he was a traitor, but since there's only one wizard companion, I'm not going to kick him out of the party (does anyone?) so it does all seem pretty underwhelming.

I know you haven't mentioned them, but I would consider Rogue. There's no permanent rogue companion (just a temp one) and they require micromanagement to function well. I found it very worth while playing one. Otherwise, yeah, Ciphers have great spells. I'm not too wild about the monk myself. I wouldn't worry too much about stats. Although there is no all-in-one charisma stat, for dialogue, you use: Perception to notice things Intelligence to make intelligent comments Resolution to lie and mentally intimidate Might to push people around (in dialogue) - bully style Still, whatever you choose, you'll get some unique dialogue options, so don't let it bother you too much.

I doubt it somehow. It's a key item after all. Still, that ooze is hardly a big deal right? With such an extreme play-style, I think you'll run into a few minor problems.

Yeah... I hated getting charmed, so I tried mental fortress... didn't seem to help much.

I liked Sagani least. Not useful in a fight, a long-winded boring quest and just... boring. I suppose she breaks the dwarf stereotype of beer, mining and blacksmithing... only to be a stereotypical hunter/Inuit girl. @b0rsuk: Yup, read the Blade Itself. I love Joe Abercombie's work. They should have him write for the next PoE.