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Hello there, I'm planning on playing through as a Chanter, but don't want my character to end up with a build too similar to Kana Rua, as he seems like the kind of guy I might like to go adventuring with down the line. Does anyone know what abilities / talents he already has when you meet him, so that I can avoid having two identical chanters in my party? If anyone wants to post the same for other NPCs too feel free!

Devs-- Thanks for making this game. It brings back the texture and feeling of the games I loved so much, like BG2. However, it seems that you missed the opportunity to incorporate some of the best elements of games over the past 8-10 years, most notably advanced/highly customizable AI for the characters. While some players want to micromanage each NPC within each battle, many others do not wish to do so. As it stands, combat becomes laborious. Even (due perhaps to the work of modders) BG2 had highly customized AI options. PoA has none? Please consider a patch to remedy this. This is PoA's only failing. Thanks, Daniel

If anyone here knows the Traveller system, we're going to be running a first time campaign (new to me as NPC wrangler assistant to the GM). Our first mission is set aboard a Rama sized System Compliance System, the Rumsfeld class ship Regime Change. System Compliance Systems are designed to take away the 'home advantage' when pacifying a planetary system, by delivering a continent-worth of firepower, troops, and manufacturing capacity. A Rumsfeld is a creature of pre-Imperial myth that would speak in riddles then strike down people at random by staring at them. The players will be required to sort out an issue with manufacturing of a product. I don't want to go into spoilers, but I'm going to need some: - workers - a couple of interesting agents provocateur - some ship's marines - a squad of aliens - some gangsters

Obsidian are quite good at providing a logical reason for the protagonist attracting followers, but what of more traditional forms of cohesion, that of financial renumeration? It may be more appropriate for some followers than others, the more mercenary of personalities, but even the most personally involved and charitable fellows will need a little pocket money. These will presumably be potent, skilled individuals whose services are in the world of Eternity quite highly valued, so their aid should logically be recompensed. Indeed if ones adventures become increasingly fraught with danger might the price of their assistance increase? Infiltrating the dreaded Onyx Citadel, infamous stronghold of the immortal Plague that Walks, should be judged as a little more risky than storming a back alley thumpers flophouse. Wouldn't a smart companion demand a few more pennies for this task? Indeed while recieving the quest ones followers could chip in to the conversation and demand better compensation, they are after all putting their lives on the line. Could you fall into debt with your companions, or knowingly decieve them and withold their pittance, thus affecting influence. Or might you have such a golden tongue as to persuade great loyalty, for the most meagre of purses. What of companions who have no control over their purse-strings, might they draw on their leaders credit, maybe even dip their fingers into the parties assets when no one is looking. Could this add another layer of personality and role playing in to the party dynamic? What say you gentles all, yay, nay or piffle?

I was thinking about some of my favourite experiences playing infinity engine games and something really sticks out: some of the most immersive experiences were those where I was able to influence the thinking and character of NPCs. Anomen from BG2 really sticks out. Your choices in the game completely determine his fate. For me, the positive outcome he experienced on my second playthrough was made all the more powerful because in a previous playthrough I allowed him to fall down a dark path. It was a well executed piece of story-work - the implications of your decisions were foreseeable but not obvious, and by the time you see the full outcome of your words, the seeds are long planted and outside of the salvation of a quick-load. I would love for this to explored more deeply in RPGs... PE seems like a great opportunity. Imagine being able to influence NPCs to change alignment. Much of George R.R. Martin's success as an author is due to the fact that his characters can be viewed in different lights, with very few of them having a true alignment as such. Classic D&D seems to veer towards a more Tolkeinian nature - your characters and their alignments are carved out according to the rules, in opposition, with polarity such as Good vs Evil, Lawful vs Chaotic generating all conflict. Before people jump up and point me to the 'No Good or Evil Choices' thread, hold up. I'm not necessarily talking about player decisions, i'm talking about the characters around them and how they might change. I would love to see a more malleable approach to NPCs in gaming. Besides immersion, such an approach allows for greater flexibiity in party formation. For e.g. Minsc is an awesome character but unfortunately incomptable with an Evil BG2 playthrough. Surerly a scheming, intelligent player should be able to turn him over to the dark side, via manipulation and taking advantage of that bump to his head?

It really stunned me when I saw soooo much detail in Assassin's creed 3. A dog chasing a cat ( with nice animations ) sooo many animals in the wilds. The taverns are so damn atmospheric with ppl drinking,dancing,singing,playing instruments and playing board games and so on and the cities so full of ppl of life it is AMAZING. The atmosphere of the game is incredible every one is doing something and talking to each while in rpgs ppl mostly walk,talk and well thats it. The closest to Assassins creed atmospheric cities was imho Witcher 2. I would be amazed if someone would actually make a triple AAA rpg ( which is nearly impossible ) on the engine of Assassin's where the cities would be finally crowded and HUUUUUUGE. IT WOULD BE AWESOME. It is sad that that Assassin which actually doesnt need this kind of things can afford it and crpgs do not .

I don't enjoy the idea of being overshadowed by my party members. That's mildly discouraging when they're another class, but when they're the same class it gives you the feeling of "why bother". I do enjoy some ego flattery, after all. Edit: I meant companion characters, obviously non-companion NPC's could be quite challenging

Well, I saw the kickstarter update, and I figured, lets start a discussion on character and companion archetypes! So which archetypes interest you the most? We've probably seen a few of these in past games, and maybe we'd like to see some of them return in some spirit or another! If you have one in mind and it's not in the list, post it here and add it to the discussion!

I really wish the portrait of the npc you were talking to appeared next to the dialogue, but more than that, I wish there were more than one portrait; different ones according to npc disposition: one sad, one happy, one angry, etc. The idea for this came from Fallout, I loved the talking heads on that game and getting that feeling of "****! The dude's pissed!" before he even said anything. On the other hand regular npcs didn't have much to differentiate themselves. Limited resources, i know, which is why I think static portraits might be an affordable alternative. Of course I don't expect this for every npc, I sure rather have no portraits for random npcs if it might get me more portraits for companions. What is your stance on portraits, not only this, but in general?

For my sins, I'm starting this topic based on some things I've seen in other folks' threads. What I'd like to see is a living world where stuff happens that doesn't relate entirely to my character. On the other hand, I don't want to feel like I'm constantly missing content. There's a reason the PC is the mover and shaker in cRPGs.... the players want it that way. However, if you make the PC part of a larger movement, or at least an independent operator amid larger movements, then you have more leeway. What I'd like to see is other groups trying to accomplish things. We have factions, and that provides at least some of the other groups working on their own ends. Celsius had his own take on this: http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60534-player-the-only-competent-force-in-the-universe/ What I want is for the player to either be in competition with another adventuring group or cooperating with them. If they are at odds, then both groups can vie for both items, objectives, vital information, and other things. If the groups are cooperative, I'd like to see the other group be able to borrow npcs (for either martial prowess or vital non combat skill), items, share information, and help in any other number of ways. The PC and the other group can accomplish more and perhaps have their own relationship that begins in one way, perhaps cooperative, but ends another way, enmity born of betrayal perhaps. Alternately, the groups could start at odds and then fall in together either for practical reasons or personal friendship. Here's another thing. I remember having to sacrifice stats and other goodies for my companions in both PS:T and BG2. That's going to be the typical good/evil sort of choice with which folks identify. What I'd like to see is something entirely. You can sacrifice a companion not for selfish vs selfless reasons but because you have a choice between saving thousands at the cost of one or perhaps it could serve the greater good in one way or another. I tell you what folks committed to playing a good two shoes character won't bat an eye at losing some stats to be able to show their 'golden haired savior' capacity. The same player will agonize over choosing between personal love and friendship and the community. Here's something similar: There's an NPC companion with a special skill, such as pathfinding, tracking, and hunting. The party is in a bind because the enemy is chasing them. The companion, being a noble bastard, decides to throw off the trail of the enemy. He volunteers to do so and the PC discusses the issue with him. If the companion goes, he cleans up the party's trail, creates a new trail for the enemy, and draws as many of them off as long as he can. It could be a simple skill check affected by things such as: loyalty to the PC, loyalty to the party, skill, stamina, and any other number of factors. Alternately, the companion says he's going to draw them off, but just runs away to save his own skin. That's always an option. I'd like the PC, from the very beginning, to feel like he's a part of the world rather than central to its every working and I'd like the game to reflect that fact in a variety of ways.