Leveling question

[Morozzs]

I played the game for a while but dropped it because of real life issues. Now I'm planning to return and start over. The thing is, I know there are problems with overleveling in this game, and I would hate reaching max level before the end. There are some mods which reduce XP gains by a certain percent, but I'm curious, does anyone know the approximate value if I'm gonna do a completionist run with all DLCs and reach level 20 just before the end? 20%, which Deadly Deadfire offers, seems not enough.

[bringingyouthefuture]

I am using a mod I think at 25-27 percent reduction (I can check for sure later on) on PoTD upscale difficulty only and I am pretty much at the last portion of the game and I am about to hit level 20. It is possible that I might no be able to level up all my companions and sidekicks, though I haven't quiet finished yet so not 100 percent sure.  I believe it will be close anyway like Level 19 for everyone with my main party being 20 (or 20 all around but again haven't finished yet).  That being said I haven't done the SSS DLC (but I believe the recommended level is 16 for this) nor the Forgotten Sanctum (recommended level 18).

 

My guess is you could push it to 30 percent pretty easily, but going higher might start to stretch it.  If someone who completed all quests and tasks can give you their experience total (if it keeps count after level 20 still), I am sure you can do the math and figure out the correct percentage you want pretty easily.

 

Though that being said it was nice when I hit level 19 to finally get to use the higher tier spells, so I am looking forward to the DLCs and last section of the game at full power.  I don't think I would go as high myself as 30 percent for a reduction, but 25 worked nice (it might be 27 I forget), and might even drop it to 20 for my next play through.  The experience mod kept a lot of fights interesting and made me appreciate the easier fights I am also a non-rester as much as possible and like to get through areas / Dungeons / Quests in a single go (which I couldn't do with Beast of Winter for the record but it was close!!) so there is that too, often my take on difficulty isn't the norm.

Edited April 8, 2019 by bringingyouthefuture

[Morozzs]

Thanks! I'm non-rester as well. Always been in Baldur's Gate, always in PoE  . A pretty typical situation is "Wow, my whole party is at 30% hp and I have two magic missiles left... It's fine, I'll manage somehow."
I was thinking that 30% reduction would be a good choice, and judging by your experience it is indeed a nice spot. Unless someone provides some additional information, I'll probably go with it.
 

[xzar_monty]

Which mods are you using, by the way?

 

I tried editing the file itself, as per instructions on these forums, but it didn't work: the game hangs upon starting.

[Morozzs]

I use Deadly Deadfire. I just edit values in experience.gamedatabundle file (Pillars of Eternity II Deadfire\PillarsOfEternityII_Data\Override\DeadlyDeadfire4\design\gamedata).

 

Basic multipliers in non-modded game: QuestXPMultiplier: 1.35, CombatXPMultiplier: 1.25.

[xzar_monty]

Oops. Sorry, I misread you. Ignore.

Edited April 9, 2019 by xzar_monty

[bringingyouthefuture]

So checked and am definitely using a 25 percent reduction.

 

 

So without finishing the SSS and FS DLC, Splintered Reed, the final faction quest of my choice, and the final quest of the game (I have pretty much done everything else, maybe missed one or two),

my main character is a few experience points shy of level 20 (189,371).  Just doing the math if you added another 5% reduction my character would have just hit level 19 (178,000 approx).  Some of my party members are still level 17 though, again I don't think I will be able to level up everyone to 20.  I don't know you may be able to go to 35 percent ... from what I hear there is a lot of experience in SSS, I read somewhere you can even gain two levels but my experience even with BoW is that I gained a level for the DLC - so if you count the two DLCs - that is at least two levels left to gain. 

 

So if I played a 35 percent reduction from the start, that would put me right now just below Level 19 on the high end of 18 - so with two DLCs left and expecting at least a level each - that would mean level 20 right before the final section of the game I don't know though its tough to say

 

Edit:

 

At 35 percent it may also make some areas really tough.

Edited April 9, 2019 by bringingyouthefuture

[Jayd]

Overleveling isn't a problem with the game. Some people (like me) prefer reaching max level relatively early so that we have a good amount of time playing with an optimal build that we planned out. And there's plenty of content that is a suitable challenge for max level parties. It's a matter of preference and not everybody can be satisfied. 

 

Ignore this - I'm only posting so that market researchers stumbling on this thread don't think the leveling speed is universally recognized as a bad thing. Hope you find the right values for your mod!

[asnjas]

Overleveling isn't a problem with the game. Some people (like me) prefer reaching max level relatively early so that we have a good amount of time playing with an optimal build that we planned out. And there's plenty of content that is a suitable challenge for max level parties. It's a matter of preference and not everybody can be satisfied.

 

Ignore this - I'm only posting so that market researchers stumbling on this thread don't think the leveling speed is universally recognized as a bad thing. Hope you find the right values for your mod!

Nah, you good. Op uses words like problem instead of preference to describe the leveling speed. The door was opened before you even got here.

[bringingyouthefuture]

Yes not a problem just that the game levels up really fast for some people ... but easy to fix! so kudos to Obsidian for giving so many options!!!

 

edit - also the post said overlevel not underage ...

Edited April 10, 2019 by bringingyouthefuture

[Frak]

Some people (like me) prefer reaching max level relatively early so that we have a good amount of time playing with an optimal build that we planned out. And there's plenty of content that is a suitable challenge for max level parties. It's a matter of preference and not everybody can be satisfied.

 

*Bro-fist*

[Morozzs]

Thank you all for the answers.

Yes, it's a matter of preference for sure, but it still pains me that that in a game with a perfect tool to make everyone happy, which is Berath's Blessings and Magran's Challenges, there is no such an option. It's not like I'm the only person who becomes bored when the sense of progression is gone, hence the popularity of difficulty mods. I'm sure an additional Challenge would have helped a lot - I mean, it's feels more appropriate to reduce XP via in-game GUI rather than messing with files and mods. At least for me.

[xzar_monty]

While waiting for Deadfire's next patch, I've been playing Pathfinder: Kingmaker a bit. The comparison is fascinating: I've had to do a lot of work to even get to level 4 in P:K, and leveling up always feels good, because you have to put in the effort. Whereas in Deadfire, you can hit approx. level 7 or even 8 by basically just walking around after the first island. That does feel a bit cheap to me.

 

(Overall, Deadfire is by far the superior game, but leveling up is too easy and fast.)

[Jayd]

While waiting for Deadfire's next patch, I've been playing Pathfinder: Kingmaker a bit. The comparison is fascinating: I've had to do a lot of work to even get to level 4 in P:K, and leveling up always feels good, because you have to put in the effort. Whereas in Deadfire, you can hit approx. level 7 or even 8 by basically just walking around after the first island. That does feel a bit cheap to me.

 

(Overall, Deadfire is by far the superior game, but leveling up is too easy and fast.)

I like that early leveling via talking phase (very glad it happens very early), and I always take the Berath Blessing that starts me out at level 4. I just don't enjoy doing a lot of fighting at very early levels in RPGs generally. I feel like I am slogging through, waiting to get to the good stuff.

[xzar_monty]

Fair enough, I've got no problem with that. What I think is slightly problematic is that the game does indeed offer you things that make leveling up even quicker than it usually is (as you just describe), but to make things even a little more challenging, you'll have to use a mod. It's like: leveling up is dead easy to begin with, and we can make it even easier, but not harder.

 

It's as if Obsidian really does go out of its way to handle its customers with kid gloves, when it comes to difficulty or challenges. I don't like it. And, again, let me reiterate: I don't like this aspect of the game. Otherwise, it's great. Except for the bugs, of course.

 

Pathfinder: Kingmaker is punishing, maybe even excessively so, I'm not sure yet. In Deadfire, you have to look really hard to find a challenge.

Edited April 10, 2019 by xzar_monty