Questions from a new player

[SeraphimJMF]

I've played kotor 1 and I'm familiar with all the d20 system mechanics, but I was wondering if some of you more experienced and knowledgable players could answer a few of the questions I have.

 

To what extent do things like awareness, a higher wisdom, and a higher intelligence effect conversation options?

1. Is it based on the modifier

2. Does having 10 intelligence, let's say versus 8 intelligence, is there a difference? Do different options appear at 14 vs 18? What have you noticed during your many play-throughs of the game?

3. Is the awareness to sense motive scalable or constant like security would be (as you level up do you need to keep increasing awareness to have the same ability to sense a motive during a conversation?)

 

What is your favorite set-up for the starting attributes of a guardian weapon master? Later in the game, is it better to use master flurry, master power attack, or master critical strike?

 

I know that in the first game you can only use the main character at the workbench. For the purpose of making lightsaber components and other items in KotOR II, can you use other party members?

 

I also have a question about lightside enlightenment. I see it under Jedi Master. Is that something that only they get, or is it a different ability than the force power (Can all LS characters use this power?)

 

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me, I really appreciate anyone taking the time to answer one or more of the many questions I have. (Especially the one about the intelligence, wisdom, and awareness effects on conversation).

 

 

Btw if any of you want to chat about the game, star wars in general, or anything feel free to IM me on aim, my screenname is SeraphimJMF and I'm usually on.

[Ekkest]

I know that in the first game you can only use the main character at the workbench.  For the purpose of making lightsaber components and other items in KotOR II, can you use other party members?

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Yes.

[11XHooah]

What is your favorite set-up for the starting attributes of a guardian weapon master? Later in the game, is it better to use master flurry, master power attack, or master critical strike?

 

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I usually like to set up my attributes equally, which is setting them up to 13 each. Then you get a blend of strength, dexterity, wisdom, etc. As for skills, I like to spread out the points so I have many different skills to start out with, instead of unloading all the points onto a certain one. As for later in the game, my preference is to invest in the flurry attack. In my opinion, it does more damage

 

BTW, good luck on the game. Just hope you can evade the bugs and glitches that seem to plague the game.

[Andkat]

If you attempt to utilize other party members for item creation, only your characters abilities will be factored. Awareness and Intelligne (along with WisdoM0 net numerous conversation solutions and options. I like Master Power Attack and Master Flurry. "lightside enlightenmnet" is an endgame LS pwoer that activates your highest tier of three basic Forcepowers (force speed, force aura, and force sheild. So, for example, if you have Knight speed, master force shield, and no force aura, you would simultanously activate force speed and master force shield, but not force aura, since you lack it. master recieve Force enlightenemnt, which improves certain aspects of your allies and your character (SIthlords recieve a similair power that impacts the same stats, but is an offensive power that is utilized against enemies, and thos stats are lowered).

[Dodecahedron87]

Those are good questions about checks in conversations. I don't know about the skill requirements, but I do know that your actual stat is important for certain checks. For example, you need 15 INT (or possibly 16, not totally sure) to unlock a certain conversation option with T3-M4, (but you can use equipment or force powers to raise your INT before attempting this check). I believe, but am not sure, that there is a fixed level that your skill must be to pass each skill check in conversation, and in this case, your skill includes the ability modifier.

 

I am pretty sure you can do more damage with Crit than you can with Flurry, assuming you have Master Speed and double lightsabers (or double-bladed). Of course, Crit has a bigger drawback too (-5 AC), but this really shouldn't be too big a problem. I don't know if Power Attack can be better than Crit or not. I intuitively think not, but I haven't seriously looked at it.

 

You are confusing "Light Side Enlightenment" and "Force Enlightenment," which are actually different things (an easy mistake, obviously). Light Side Enlightenment is a feat that affects your companions alignments. Force Enlightenment is a force power that combines three buff spells. Only Jedi Masters get LS Enlightenment, but all light-side exiles get Force Enlightenment.

 

On workbenches: If you use your party members to BREAKDOWN items, it will use the main character's skills (to be precise, the Repair skill). However, you can use your companions' skills just fine to CREATE items. I have no idea why it is this way: it just is.

 

I hope this helps.

[SeraphimJMF]

Those are good questions about checks in conversations.  I don't know about the skill requirements, but I do know that your actual stat is important for certain checks.  For example, you need 15 INT (or possibly 16, not totally sure) to unlock a certain conversation option with T3-M4, (but you can use equipment or force powers to raise your INT before attempting this check).  I believe, but am not sure, that there is a fixed level that your skill must be to pass each skill check in conversation, and in this case, your skill includes the ability modifier.

 

I am pretty sure you can do more damage with Crit than you can with Flurry, assuming you have Master Speed and double lightsabers (or double-bladed).  Of course, Crit has a bigger drawback too (-5 AC), but this really shouldn't be too big a problem.  I don't know if Power Attack can be better than Crit or not.  I intuitively think not, but I haven't seriously looked at it.

 

You are confusing "Light Side Enlightenment" and "Force Enlightenment," which are actually different things (an easy mistake, obviously).  Light Side Enlightenment is a feat that affects your companions alignments.  Force Enlightenment is a force power that combines three buff spells.  Only Jedi Masters get LS Enlightenment, but all light-side exiles get Force Enlightenment.

 

On workbenches:  If you use your party members to BREAKDOWN items, it will use the main character's skills (to be precise, the Repair skill).  However, you can use your companions' skills just fine to CREATE items.  I have no idea why it is this way: it just is.

 

I hope this helps.

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You helped me a lot, thanks very much

[Andkat]

I dont beleieve stat modifiers are factored into conversation checks (exclduing, perhaps, persuade). Power Attack increases critical multiplier, so a crit that would normally do 50 would instead deal 100 damage (and may trigger knockback).

[Dodecahedron87]

I dont beleieve stat modifiers are factored into conversation checks (exclduing, perhaps, persuade). Power Attack increases critical multiplier, so a crit that would normally do 50 would instead deal 100 damage (and may trigger knockback).

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You may be right about stat modifiers in conversation. I was thinking about Persuade, which does include the stat modifier. At least it does in KotOR 1, from which I remember using Master Valor to pass some of the harder checks (Matale and Jagi in particular).

 

What you say about Power Attack crits is not exactly correct, though. Power Attack crits increase the multiplier by 1, usually from x2 to x3. Thus, if a normal crit did 50 damage, that means the base was 25, so with Power Attack it is 75 damage, not 100.

[Can't Think Of A Name]

I usually try and buff my INT so that I can get a lot of skill points, but there are only 2 places where I remember getting a new choice because my INT or Skills were high. One is on Peragus and your repair skill has to be high, and the other is during your first conversation with Atris. That's triggered by your INT.

 

:ph34r:

[SeraphimJMF]

I usually try and buff my INT so that I can get a lot of skill points, but there are only 2 places where I remember getting a new choice because my INT or Skills were high.  One is on Peragus and your repair skill has to be high, and the other is during your first conversation with Atris.  That's triggered by your INT.

 

:ph34r:

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I tested this with T3-M4 on the ebon hawk. I spoke to him and looked at the dialogue options. Then, I cast master valor and spoke with him again, and another int option showed up.

[Cloris]

High awareness is good too, especially when dealing with the droids on Nar Shadaa. It also can open up some conversation paths. Along with making it easier to avoid mines.

 

Cloris

[mandalorian_supercommando56]

when and where do you find mandalorian armor??

[Jediphile]

On stats:

 

I usually try to spread out my stats a lot to being with. I know most people don't, but I don't feel there is one stat you can "cannibalize" for the sake of the others in the KotOR games - they're all fairly important. So since placing stats above 14 costs two "increase points" instead of one, I never put any of my begining stats above 14. Even then you still can't put them all at 14, so it's still a choice. I generally find that I want high Intelligence for skills and conversation options, Wisdom for conversation options and force points, and Charisma for force powers and reaction modifiers (Charisma is a highly underrated stat). I put them all at 14 to begin with in both KotOR games (beginning as Scout in KotOR1 and as Jedi Sentinel in KotOR2). I want a bonus to hit points from my Constitution, so I usually put that at 12 so I at least get a +1 bonus. That leaves one stat at 14 and one at 10. In KotOR1 I tend to choose Dexterity over Strength and vice versa in KotOR2. This is because in KotOR1, you basically have automatic Weapon Finesse with your lightsaber, but not in KotOR2.

 

After that I tend to raise Intelligence to 16 as I progress in KotOR2, then I begin building Constitution (since you need Con 18 for the best implants. Once you have that, you've progressed so far in the game, that the further choices don't matter so much). In KotOR1 I tend to build mainly Dexterity and two increases of Wisdom instead.

 

In KotOR1 this approach allowed me to finish all quests where skills were relevant (repairing HK-47 to full strength, interrogating the Mandalorian prisoner on Korriban...). In KotOR2 skills are far more important, and so focusing on Intelligence was even more rewarding.

 

I always favor Flurry over Critical Strike and Power Attack, since Critical Strike doesn't work the way it does in the tabletop RPG and Power Attack seems most efficient only against those enemies that you can defeat most easily anyway (it has a noticeable to-hit penalty in favor of increased damage, but that damage you'll want against the toughest opponents, and with the attack penalty, you're not going to hit them in the first place...). Still, your mileage may vary, and many people seem to favor Critical Strike, so maybe I'm wrong. I can only say that I always choose Flurry and never regret it.