A call to all true Ascetics or: Another Naked-Solo-Challenge

[Harpagornis]

The updated rules:

 

1. Complete the game without wearing any armor, boots, gloves, helmets, or accessories in combat -> Weapons, Potions, Scrolls and Pets are ok - how cool is this?
2. Path of the Damned or Triple Crown Solo -> Chose your destiny

3. No Berath Blessings -> we want it the hard way no?

4. No retraining -> reskilling is for the weak!

5. Upscaling for all enemies -> the bigger the better

6. Collect all bounties -> you gonna hate this for sure

7. Finish the main game plus the DLC´s -> we like it all

8. Chanters are banned -> Sorry, no I-Win-Button this time @Reent

9. No AI scripts -> But letting your dog play is still okay!!!

 

Opinions on the rules? Still too easy? Should we use Deadly Deadfire Mod? Is the integration of consumables making the challenge too easy? Should TCS be optional?

Edited August 22, 2018 by Harpagornis

[mant2si]

With new rules will work BDD + Potion of Last Stand combination, yesterday I tested my Harbinger of Doom build without DD mod, and it steamroll most of High Level fights, now the biggest problem is Arcane Dampener , because of it I died 1 - 3 times 

[Harpagornis]

Yeah, the new rules mostly feel "too easy" which caused me to start playing again without any items and DD hardcore mod installed. The very beginning is quite brutal after dying once against the very first boar (no monastic training!) that had three skulls. However: Most enemies are just plain red. Finally the surrounding feels menacing again even though the open world should give us still enough room for easy quests. The XP decrease makes everything a bit slower so i switched back to Mechanics to get another XP option. I dont know if the big bosses will be killable but even if not - hey - happiness is the way. Especially when death is lurking around every corner. No?

 

My Dwarven Devoted/Priest of Skaen proves to be very effective so far easily punching down the bigger essence spirit at level 3 or the adra slime (STR 20!). He got level 7 after reaching Neketaka with Natures Resolve already collected. Lets see if we can get at least level 10 before sailing out again...

 

P.S. Your Harbinger of Doom is a really cool build @mant2si - maybe i should try it out in the next time. We will see!

Edited August 24, 2018 by Harpagornis

[mant2si]

Yeh, but you can't play with DD and God's challenges together I planning to do solo naked run after first mega boss release, because I not sure if classes with limited resource (Devoted/Skaen) can handle such long fights

At first I will do official TSC naked with gods challenge and then will try to do DD mod. But DD mod is much more harder, I'm not sure that you can kill bosses without consumables

There always exist Shepard with Red Hand + White-leaf  + Boar that can survive near infinity time and has 80% crit chance

Edited August 24, 2018 by mant2si

[Harpagornis]

Naked Challenge with all 10 God Challenges will most likely be insane. Too bad i cannot get in touch with Magrans Challenge. I like my pause button too much!!!

 

If Naked + DD is getting too tough later on then its always possible to drop back to consumables. Or just press the i-win-button and play with a Chanter!

Edited August 24, 2018 by Harpagornis

[Harpagornis]

Just a quick question: Is there any downside when getting the wrong dispositions with regard to your god? Looks like i am just too nice to everyone around - which should not please Skaen a lot. Will he debuff me at some point if i dont get cruel?

Edited August 24, 2018 by Harpagornis

[mant2si]

Just a quick question: Is there any downside when getting the wrong reputation with regard to your god? Looks i am just too nice to everyone around - which should not please Skaen a lot. Will he debuff me if i dont get cruel?

You will lost only lash on summoning weapon and little bit healing from Radiance 

Edited August 24, 2018 by mant2si

[Zap Gun For Hire]

Yeh, but you can't play with DD and God's challenges together

 

Just takes a simple tweak in global.gamedatabundle, FWIW.

 

Change "DisableMods": true,

 

to  "DisableMods": false,

 

in line 135.

 

This does require modifying the base game file, and as such many folks might find the idea distasteful/not appropriate.

 

But if one REALLY wants to play the difficulty enhancing mods and the challenges at the same time, that's how it's done.  Then it just takes self-control not to use the mods that make the game easier.

 

====

 

As for the Naked Run itself, as the person who found the info in the game data in the first place (though not the concept, as that was all Harpagpornis' brilliance ), I do wonder if it's actually ever going to be enabled.  It might have been an idea at one stage of development but not followed up on.  I mostly say that because the placeholder trigger for the achievement enabling (don't hire any companions/sidekicks/custom adventureres) doesn't match at all the concept as described in the stringtable (don't wear armor/boots/shields/etc).

 

Still it might in fact just be a placeholder trigger there and whenever Obsidian finishes the code to track Naked Runs, it'll be updated with the appropriate trigger.  And even if it isn't it gives a nice baseline for this thread to follow as a sort of Ultimate Challenge.

[Harpagornis]

Thanks for that info @Zap Gun For Hire. So Naked + DD (or other mods) + TCS indeed IS an option even though it might be hard as hell - maybe even impossible for some upcoming bosses (Chanters i do not count!). Without the ability to reset bigger fights the Devoted/Priest will also be doomed but - at least for the moment - i will keep on playing with naked + DD only. Allowing consumables will most probably be a backup option for the future. We will see!

[Harpagornis]

I have been playing around a bit - still without finishing the game...

 

The bad thing:

The endless DoT´s of Rogues (Gouging Strike) and Paladin (Brand Enemy) are just stupid and should be banned from any (naked) challenge.

 

The good thing:

I have written a mod regarding Druid Spiritshifting. @Reent you will love this one!

It puts back the Spiritshift scaling with Power Levels and also modifies Spiritshift Weapons (except for Stormblight) to Unarmed. Say hello to Devoted/Shifter!

 

You can find the mod here: https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity2/mods/213/?tab=description

 

Happy hunting!

Edited September 1, 2018 by Harpagornis

[InsaneCommander]

3. You may use gold for quests, resting or visiting brothels.

 

I'm gonna go play my own challenge with a Black Jacket and hookers!

[Harpagornis]

I heavily worked on the True Spiritshift Mod adding several small boni to make Druids (Shifters!) much more viable even for naked runs.

 

With a Devoted/Shifter i now get the following numbers at level 20 (no items or consumables):

 

AR: 14 (Bear 16)

PEN: 16 (Shifted only)

Duration increased by 45% (plus INT)

Healing when shifting: 60 (+ MIGHT bonus)

Stag Defense buffed to +20

 

Base Damage increased from 13-19 to 14-19. Not much difference.

Spiritshifts Forms now also deal slash/pierce damage for better utility.

 

Lots of small buffs that made my early game using PotD like a walk in the park. I havent tested boss fights with a naked setup but i hope that Druids will be now (even) more fun to play. Or are the buffs a bit over the top? Any advive @mant2si?

Edited September 3, 2018 by Harpagornis

[mant2si]

Hi, sorry I ended with you challenge after trying to kill BoW dragon ;D Obsidian working hard to make game difficult for solo players

I tried Druids but even with Gear they suck Try (Berserker or Monk or Paladin)/Shifter - Devoted is very slow and don't have enough Action Speed to clear most of the fights

 

Edited September 3, 2018 by mant2si

[Harpagornis]

I tried a Berserker a week ago but - holy cow - he felt so fragile that i died to enemies where a Devoted was just laughing at. Maybe i played him just wrong. I also hate the confused stat and even more the hidden HP bar. Brrrrr. Monks are interesting with regard to their "unlimited" resources even though they lack healing options. Paladin on the other hand has no Monastic Unarmed Training so if spells/spiritshifting wont kill enemies he seems doomed. But maybe not many enemies will survive his onslaught!

 

Why fighting the BoW dragon if you can talk him down? Words are always stronger than swords. Well. Sometimes.