JFutral

I think this is a two part post, one UI feedback and the other a bug. I don't remember Xoti taking a drug, but there could have been something I thought was a potion but was a drug. So it still isn't always clear graphically what is a potion and what is a drug. But I am still not convince she took a drug. If I care enough I may load a previous save to verify she had a drug in her inventory. Generally I avoid drugs in the game, but sometimes I succumb in the harder fights and this was one of those. All the same, the icon for the drug crash was the generic white box, red border and 'X' icon. Joe

As they are presented, I could have enjoyed any of them, I think. But as they are fleshed out in the game, I don't like any of them. I could role play in PoE1 enough to enjoin one of the factions—if I considered myself primarily chaotic mercenary the Dozens make sense; if I am thievish, capitalistic rogue, the Doemenels work; if I am a lawful fighter/paladin the Knights work. Even if any of these factions are ineffective, there was a core I could adhere to that was agreeable as a PC. In this game at some point in the relationship all of the factions deviate from what I would want to associate myself, no matter how I role play my character. They are all scheming, conniving scum. Effectively, ethically and morally, they are all the same. I'm not sure how to reconcile this as I do want to try an ending with an ally. I won't even get into the "gods". I still want to side with Eothas in the end no matter how I play my character, unless I go pure evil. Joe

I didn't do a speed run, but about what I would consider half way through, I pretty much didn't care anymore about the factions or even the bounties or side quests anymore, and just plowed through the main story line. I didn't even hit the level cap. I also went with the story line that didn't have the PoE1 companions. I thought that might have affected it, but so far with my next runs I don't think I missed anything. The positive result, though, has left a great deal of the world to explore this playthrough, so that's the upside. I don't feel like I am playing exactly the same game as I did with PoE1. I do feel like there should have been a pro-Eothas faction that either sought to disrupt my progress or maybe even eventually join against the rest of the world. That could have introduced some more points of conflict other than the sidebars with the other "gods". Or maybe there was and I missed it? The Dawnstars? Anyway. Good run down, Maxquest. Joe

How is it a hidden effect if it's in the skill description. Cool. It wasn't noted in the beta. Glad to see it made it to a description. Joe

There are a few "hidden" benefits to many skills, like Alchemy heightening the effects of drugs and potions. This would not have surprised me if it had been true. Joe

That's what I have found, too. Joe

I went it alone my first playthrough and rooted Eothas on, too. Didn't like any of the factions. I would have evn sided with a True Neutral if there was such a thing in this universe. In terms of diplomacy, though, has anyone tried dumping all their skill points into diplomacy to see if things come out different? Joe

Wait. So you're saying you haven't actually played the game and you are basing this on hearsay even though there are an abundant number of posters who enjoy the game? You don't actually know how hard PotD really is or isn't? Hmm. Joe There's also a sizable number of posters that have severe issues with the game. It's not hard to then draw the conclusion that the game may not be worth buying in its current state, especially given how Pillars went from "kinda ****ty" on launch to "pretty okay" by the end of the White March DLC cycle. I like that "sizable". Keeps it ambiguous enough as to not commit to "overwhelming" but makes it sound substantial. I can find people who don't like just about anything for just about any number of reasons. If the overwhelming posts were complaints and the consensus was that it sucks, the position of "I ain't buyin'" might have more merit. It's just ridiculous to not buy something based on a subjective, yet most vocal, of opinions. That said, I will take a whole lot more seriously the people who have purchased the game and THEN complained than someone who sits on the sidelines and gripes. Like I've said before, my daughter didn't get to complain about some food until she at least tasted it first. But, THAT said, I do long for the days when there was a such thing as demo versions of games. I guess, however, that probably takes almost as much effort to develop and support as the full game. Anyway, I just think posting negatively about a game you haven't played is a waste of bandwidth and energy. Joe

Wait. So you're saying you haven't actually played the game and you are basing this on hearsay even though there are an abundant number of posters who enjoy the game? You don't actually know how hard PotD really is or isn't? Hmm. Joe

I was just thinking the other day how I enjoyed when my weapon had an elemental enchantment that it would smoke from the fire, or drip from the corrosive, or whatever was appropriate for the enchantment. I don't see that any more. Joe

OO! Or make that a personal assistant you have to hire. And maybe they level up, too. A good personal assistant not only knows where to buy things, they know how to get discounts! Or even find things that aren't "for sale". But do they tag along or stay on the boat? Joe

Oh, God, so much this! Even when I have to level up a companion/sidekick/hireling when I recruit them. Joe

You know, one thing I have noticed is that this play through, whether because of Obsidian's RNG or PotD, I have discovered far fewer capes, cloaks, gloves, or bracers of anything. I have rings and necklaces for days. PoE1 used to do that to me, too. There were a few items each play that I couldn't swing a stick without hitting one, like the Troll belt for instance. Joe

This is my first playthrough with the PoE1 companions. So far Pallegina is whiffing just about everything. I mean, I know it is PotD difficulty, but heck even Xoti is hitting things better than Pallegina. Right now she is stillusing a two-handed sword (I recently got a Fine one). Right now I have a fighter/barbarian, Eder as a rogue, Xoti as priest, and Aloth as a wizard. I just recently picked up Pallegina, so I am not too long in Nekataka. Are there better weapons for her than the ones she came with or has proficiency? Even when I cast Sworn enemy, Flames of Devotion, and use the aura that boosts accuracy, she's swinging for the fences, but hitting nothing but a noisy out. I'm doing something wrong, I'm sure. Joe

Could it be that your power supply was getting the battery really hot? Some do that and that doesn't really work well when you're gaming and are continuously connected to the powernet. That's possible. I didn't do a ton of trouble shooting and no deep dive kind of things. I just went with the first possible solution after reading about others who experienced a similar issue and solved it with a larger power supply for the 1050ti in an external box. It seems to have solved the problem. It is connected via Thunderbolt 2. I don't know how much power it may be pulling from the laptop through that. Joe

I got an eGPU with a 1050ti to use for my, um, uh, cad work (cough, Deadfire, cough). I read that a smaller power supply was fine than the max suggested most of the time. Maybe that is true. It was shutting down after about 5 minutes fairly regularly no matter how much I tuned back the graphics. Obviously I needed the suggested power supply. And my laptop does not go all jet engine on me any more when I play, either. Take that for what it's worth (which if it doesn't describe your system, its not worth much). Everybody's system behaves differently, no doubt. Joe

That in itself is probably bad enough. But there is also often a lag when the game decides it wants to pause and when you want it to pause. that REALLY throws things off. I know I don't have the most current laptop, but it is still an i7 dual core. Joe

Oh, wait. This time I did get some fancy cake from Hylea that has three uses. Yip. Joe

I really expected more people to hate me, but that didn't seem to be the case. At most there may have been a snarky comment or two. This time through they seemed to be reserved more for Eder than me. Joe

I'm trying my first run-through with another back story (the one assuming I adhered to Hylea's request on PoE) so I don't know the differences much yet. This is only my third playthrough. The only difference I have played far enough to notice is companion differences, like choosing between Maia and Pallegina (since no companions carried over there was no Pallegina). I am wondering if I will hit Berath's curse where I have to kill 75 things to get restored. Someone elsewhere (and I may have misunderstood him) said that they chose a backstory that didn't have legendary armor and I was a bit confused or surprised or some combination there of. That's what really made me wonder what the differences would be. The main reason I went with "Everything went pear shaped but you still pulled it off" was I wanted a difficulty that wasn't simply about harder battles. There is no imagination in that. I want the story itself to be harder, choices to make a bigger difference other than simply alliances. (I went without any alliances the first time and I don't plan on alliances in the two playthroughs I am working through now. I didn't like any of the groups. They were all too corrupt for my PC. I was even ready to join Eothas and take on the other gods). Joe

Where is the 30% figure from. I find that fascinating. I am less interested in multiclassing these days. I'm a big fan of the passives. Anything that automatically makes my characters better without having to select something while fighting makes play easier for me. I'm just lazy that way. Joe

My first play through I couldn't resist the "Everything bad" back story option since I wasn't interested in importing a PC from PoE1. Did anyone else start with this? Is there a list of implications of each back story option and how they affects the game? Joe

Wait. There is a backstory option where there is no legendary armor? Joe

Believe it or not, it was the wurms causing me grief. They could hit me from off screen so I couldn't even target them with my bow slinger (Eder). I had to draw everyone up two sets of stairs and around a corner so the wurm stayed out of the picture. I also intermingled the boar and panthers with my group so when the drake breathed fire it hit them as well. Don't get me wrong, it took resting with the right food, and drinking healing potions like a sailor and cast healing like a regenerating troll, but I finally did it. Level three devoted sabre barbarian, Eder as straight rogue (swapping between sabre/shield and warbow as needed) and Xoti as straight priest (swapping between melee and crossbow as needed) and many prayers to the RNG gods and goddesses. Joe

I still have no idea how people beat that with a level 2 monk. EZ --- it's not consistent, needs luck with rolls OMG! I had no idea you could drag stuff onto the portrait like that! Of course. Good job BTW. Joe