How is the difficulty in 4.0?

[Ashray]

I haven't played since release and I remember the devs saying they were still working on tweaking POTD. How is it now?

 

Pillars 1 POTD got pretty easy towards the end if you did all the side content. Is it the same in Deadfire too?

 

I'm currently replaying Pillars 1 on POTD with a reduced XP mod and it seems to be in a good place so far.

[Boeroer]

It's harder overall but still becomes easier and easier the further you level.

 

That is because (as completionist) you will be overleveled for most later content.

 

Most DLC stuff can be a good challenge though if you start them at the recommended char levels.

Edited December 13, 2018 by Boeroer

[xzar_monty]

Most DLC stuff can be a good challenge though if you start them at the recommended char levels.

 

I seriously dislike metagaming. Does the game itself give you a hint as to when would be a good idea to do the DLCs?

[Boeroer]

Kind of.

[xzar_monty]

I seriously dislike metagaming, but well-phrased ambiguity is always good.

[Frak]

Aw, I wouldn't say you get a hint as to when to do the DLC without metagaming the quest journal.

 

I haven't done Beast of Winter nor SSS, but BOW basically starts by getting a letter when leaving Port Maje. No "Come at 8 pm, wear a dinner jacket!", but more "I' like to see you at your discretion".

[hilfazer]

How's Veteran without level scaling in 4.0?

[Ancelor]

How's Veteran without level scaling in 4.0?

this...would I still need deadly deadfire or something similar?

[Boeroer]

If Veteran is too easy I would pick PotD. And then, if that's too easy as well I would think about Deadly Deadfire and stuff - but only then.

[Ophiuchus]

I started a new POTD/upscale playthrough last night and did my usual Port Maje -> Neketaka for mechanics gloves and bounties -> Sandswept Ruins routine and decided to stop in at the eotens down the road. I can normally take them out with a party around level 7 but struggled around 8; and it seemed like they used new or enhanced abilities. Like Boeroer said, the game will get progressively easier as you acquire more levels and resources so I can't see the changes being super impactful. I'd say the difficulty feels just right for the highest option.

Edited December 14, 2018 by Ophiuchus

[Ashray]

Good to know. This is a problem I’ve faced with many recent games. They get too easy towards the end and I either lose interest and stop playing or blitz through just to get it over with.

[bringingyouthefuture]

I think I am level 16 (maybe 15) and got past the first section of BoW pretty easily so maybe somewhat overlevelled, but am okay with that I had enough tough fights getting there that I feel like I deserve a break lol

 

They are claiming that the Forgotten Sanctum is the highest level challenge:

 

"Encounter the highest-level challenges yet faced by the Watcher and their companions."

 

And I think 3.1.something beefed up the very last part of the game but not sure haven't gotten there yet ... but if those two things pan-out will walk away pretty impressed ... I did play with an experience reduction mod which I really enjoyed, made me really work for some of those early levels but that isn't everyone's cup of tea.

 

Then there is the God Challanges ...

Edited December 14, 2018 by bringingyouthefuture

[Clawdius_Talonious]

Obsidian has done a wonderful job making the game more difficult, I started a new character "all scaling up only" on just Veteran difficulty and I'm having nice spots of reasonable challenge that make fights I never found interesting a lot of fun. I just did the Old City and there is kind of a culminating fight with a big mob down there that was awesome, but all across the board in every location and every fight I've been in the difficulty is challenging but not terribly frustrating on Veteran. The occasional mishap and I'll have to load, or when I fail to see how flawed my strategy is the game is quick to point it out.

 

Obsidian has made Veteran a joy to play, I can only imagine that Path of the Damned is finally living up to that name as well. I'm loving 4.0 in every way, even though I've been replaying content I've already played over 10 times. I played eight characters before Beast of Winter launched, and experiencing things at a more challenging difficulty makes the content feel amazingly fresh. 

Edit:

I'm normally not one to play above normal difficulty the first time through, and I did that in Deadfire but it was really, really easy to do things way above my pay grade and get crazy loot as rewards for things I never should have been able to kill in a million years. The Reckless Brigandine was a piece of armor I usually went for at level 6 or so (most of my characters started at 4, so straight off the back of Port Maje basically) and I didn't go until level 8 this time and it was a lot harder than it used to be. I couldn't use the same pull tactics I was used to, it took creativity and perseverance to get it done.

Edited December 14, 2018 by Clawdius_Talonious

[Ashray]

I think I am level 16 (maybe 15) and got past the first section of BoW pretty easily so maybe somewhat overlevelled, but am okay with that I had enough tough fights getting there that I feel like I deserve a break lol

 

They are claiming that the Forgotten Sanctum is the highest level challenge:

 

"Encounter the highest-level challenges yet faced by the Watcher and their companions."

 

And I think 3.1.something beefed up the very last part of the game but not sure haven't gotten there yet ... but if those two things pan-out will walk away pretty impressed ... I did play with an experience reduction mod which I really enjoyed, made me really work for some of those early levels but that isn't everyone's cup of tea.

 

Then there is the God Challanges ...

 

Could you link the xp mod please? Thanks!

[dukeisaac]

For me, POTD (main story upscaled) with Woedica, Ondra and Skaen's Challenges and the reduced xp mod is the perfect way to play.

 

I'm having a blast in my current playthrough.

[Starwars]

How does the Woedica challenge feel? I'm generally much more of a per-rest type of guy but turning everything in a per-encounter type of game to per-rest seems like a broad stroke.

[Frak]

For me, POTD (main story upscaled) with Woedica, Ondra and Skaen's Challenges and the reduced xp mod is the perfect way to play.

 

I'm having a blast in my current playthrough.

 

I'm trying to kill my restartitis, and have decided to try the first full run with Skaens and Ondra. Might even try Wødica. It seems fitting.

[asnjas]

Good to know. This is a problem I’ve faced with many recent games. They get too easy towards the end and I either lose interest and stop playing or blitz through just to get it over with.

This is fully remedied by scaling but players complain about that too.

[uuuhhii]

mostly not very difficult

but the hp of those spider feels too high

[anameforobsidian]

The Forgotten Sanctum definitely seems tougher than the other two.  Lots of nasty boss fights, and most of the bosses feel pretty high in HP.  It wasn't upsetting, but it was difficult.  However, my party was less than optimized (Fassima really seems pretty terrible mechanically).

[dukeisaac]

How does the Woedica challenge feel? I'm generally much more of a per-rest type of guy but turning everything in a per-encounter type of game to per-rest seems like a broad stroke.

Huge fan. To me, it took care of the game's attrition problem, ensuring every fight counts. Resting is now a real decision, as good food is rare and there are a limited amount of inns to rest at (most being in Neketaka).

[Bleak]

Why is it that games like BG or PT got difficulty and xp req scaling right and we now need this despicable anti-RP mechanic called "level scaling" to keep the game interesting?

[Frog Man]

Why is it that games like BG or PT got difficulty and xp req scaling right and we now need this despicable anti-RP mechanic called "level scaling" to keep the game interesting?

Hey dude what’s your address so I can mail you a bag of my crap?

Edited December 26, 2018 by Frog Man

[Bleak]

 

Why is it that games like BG or PT got difficulty and xp req scaling right and we now need this despicable anti-RP mechanic called "level scaling" to keep the game interesting?

Hey dude what’s your address so I can mail you a bag of my crap?

 

 

I don't see why you would bother.

[Wormerine]

Why is it that games like BG or PT got difficulty and xp req scaling right and we now need this despicable anti-RP mechanic called "level scaling" to keep the game interesting?

Did they though? I remember specifically BG2 having disappointingly easy crit path in the 2nd half and really pathetic final boss. The first half of BG2 is gold though.

 

I also never found BG2 frustrating even if it was to easy, as the game used little imput from the players - put two figurines by each other and see who stands at the end. Some spells were needed here and there for more major fights.

 

Gameplay (read: “combat”) in PT was crap anyway so it didn’t really matter - the easier the better.

 

PoE rely more on skill use, so when you win fights without using those, the impression is less “boy, I am so good by putting all strength into my fighter!” And more: “I am clearly overpowered for that encounter”.