Can we really play the whole game with just one character?

[Isometric Chicken]

I'm not usually one that bothers go on forums, but in this case, I'll make an exception. The reason is I've been looking forward to Pillars of Eternity since it was first announced, and I was really looking forward to going back to an old-school Infinity Engine-game again. With a new engine, but still. However, recently a friend told me about an interview with Obsidian, where it was said the game can be finished with just one character, as each class has skills to make the rest of the classes not quite as necessary. So a fighter can heal, and stuff like that.

 

The question is: Is this true? I really, really hope not. The main reason why I loved Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Greyhawk; Temple of Elemental Evil and so on was because a group was essential. Not one class could solo the game on its own. To me, and just about everyone I've talked to, that's the core of games like this. And with PoE being old-school and all that, how can it ignore the whole core of the genre? If we can finish the game with just one class, we're left with a dialogue-heavy Diablo. No one wants that. I hope.

[Namutree]

The old IE games could be completed with just one guy. Heck I beat BG1/BG2 with just one guy. If the same is true with PoE I wouldn't be surprised.

[Messier-31]

 So a fighter can heal, and stuff like that.

 

There is no healing magic in the game.

 

Also:

 

PC Gamer: Party combat is a big part of the game, but you’ve also said it’s possible to play the game solo. Do you think this will be fun, or is it for masochists only?

Josh Sawyer: It’ll be hard. I’m sure people will find certain classes and builds that will make it easier than others. Especially once you’ve already played through the game, and you have the metagame knowledge, it becomes a lot easier. I think the enjoyment comes from the fact that it’s a unique challenge on its own. Some people will say, I don’t know how to play through this whole game with a priest or a wizard, but I’m going to figure out how to do it. It will be pretty challenging, especially at certain points. We’re planning to use a sliding experience system, so if you have a single character they’ll gain levels more quickly than if they were with an entire party.

If you don’t want to have six characters in your party you can have four, or two, or you can just go by yourself. We’re not discouraging this, but also the combat isn’t balanced around it. You can try it, but we’re not going to spend time figuring out if it’s viable to play through the whole game with a single character. It should be possible, but we’re not putting a lot of time into it.

 

Source: http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/04/18/pillars-of-eternity-interview-josh-sawyer-on-world-building-magic-psychic-warriors-and-more/

Edited May 1, 2014 by Messier-31

[constantine]

Yes, they can be completed. In fact, I soloed them during my first playthroughs.

 

PoE was announced to be able to be completed with 1 guy, but only recently it was said that they cannot be sure whether this will be feasible after all, in particular it was announced that some parts will be very challenging for solo gaming. They also announced that it will not be their focus to test whether or not a solo playthrough is possible. Naturally, some classes will have it worse than others.

 

What we know is that EXP gained will be more the less party members one has, so playing solo will lv-up your character quite fast.

[Tamerlane]

However, recently a friend told me about an interview with Obsidian, where it was said the game can be finished with just one character, as each class has skills to make the rest of the classes not quite as necessary.

This sentence right here is just such a lovely contrast to the surprisingly common complaints that PoE's classes look too rigid and role-defined.

[rjshae]

Playing with a single character seems much less tactically interesting. Yes it has a challenge aspect, but you lose the elements of interplay and trade-off between the different class' combat capabilities.

[Lord Gorchnik]

Yeah not so sure about a one-man run.  Sounds interesting, but I think I might try a 2 man party first.  Who knows.  Assuming this game sells 6.9 million copies then when the inevitable expansion/sequel comes we might see some expanded gameplay ideas.

 

Personally I just can't wait to get my hands on this version.

[Bryy]

 

 So a fighter can heal, and stuff like that.

 

There is no healing magic in the game.

 

Also:

 

PC Gamer: Party combat is a big part of the game, but you’ve also said it’s possible to play the game solo. Do you think this will be fun, or is it for masochists only?

Josh Sawyer: It’ll be hard. I’m sure people will find certain classes and builds that will make it easier than others. Especially once you’ve already played through the game, and you have the metagame knowledge, it becomes a lot easier. I think the enjoyment comes from the fact that it’s a unique challenge on its own. Some people will say, I don’t know how to play through this whole game with a priest or a wizard, but I’m going to figure out how to do it. It will be pretty challenging, especially at certain points. We’re planning to use a sliding experience system, so if you have a single character they’ll gain levels more quickly than if they were with an entire party.

If you don’t want to have six characters in your party you can have four, or two, or you can just go by yourself. We’re not discouraging this, but also the combat isn’t balanced around it. You can try it, but we’re not going to spend time figuring out if it’s viable to play through the whole game with a single character. It should be possible, but we’re not putting a lot of time into it.

 

Source: http://www.pcgamer.com/2014/04/18/pillars-of-eternity-interview-josh-sawyer-on-world-building-magic-psychic-warriors-and-more/

 

I'm sure it will have an acheivement linked to it, and I will get it.

[anameforobsidian]

 

 So a fighter can heal, and stuff like that.

 

There is no healing magic in the game.

 

That's true in lore if not in gameplay.  There's no healing potions at all.  And I don't believe the lore has much if any magical healing, but there are actions which restore stamina, and stamina is another health bar.

Edited May 2, 2014 by anameforobsidian

[Messier-31]

I'm sure it will have an acheivement linked to it, and I will get it.

 

AFAIK there are no achievements in the game.

[StromIV]

 

I'm sure it will have an acheivement linked to it, and I will get it.

 

AFAIK there are no achievements in the game.

 

Wha...  But I want my "You completed the tutorial!" achievement!

 

Anyways, I don't doubt that someone would find a way to complete this with just 1 person in their party anyways.

[Messier-31]

Wha...  But I want my "You completed the tutorial!" achievement!

 

May I ask why? A waste of time and resources if you ask me.

[StromIV]

 

Wha...  But I want my "You completed the tutorial!" achievement!

 

May I ask why? A waste of time and resources if you ask me.

 

I was making a joke about it.  I get tired of those types of achievements personally.  I like achievements where you have to do something that is outside the scope of normally playing the game anyways.  The 'You killed your first monster" type achievements are dumb fluff in my opinion.

Edited May 2, 2014 by StromIV

[rjshae]

I was making a joke about it.  I get tired of those types of achievements personally.  I like achievements where you have to do something that is outside the scope of normally playing the game anyways.  The 'You killed your first monster" type achievements are dumb fluff in my opinion.

 

Optional achievements that appear as trophies in your Stronghold might be appealing, especially if they had subsequent ramifications.

[Bryy]

 

I'm sure it will have an acheivement linked to it, and I will get it.

 

AFAIK there are no achievements in the game.

 

All Kickstarter backers will receive a special Kickstarter only in-game achievement and item.

[Lephys]

^ Was not aware of the existence of that official line. Thanks for sharing, ^_^

[BrainMuncher]

I'm not usually one that bothers go on forums, but in this case, I'll make an exception. The reason is I've been looking forward to Pillars of Eternity since it was first announced, and I was really looking forward to going back to an old-school Infinity Engine-game again. With a new engine, but still. However, recently a friend told me about an interview with Obsidian, where it was said the game can be finished with just one character, as each class has skills to make the rest of the classes not quite as necessary. So a fighter can heal, and stuff like that.

 

The question is: Is this true? I really, really hope not. The main reason why I loved Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Greyhawk; Temple of Elemental Evil and so on was because a group was essential. Not one class could solo the game on its own. To me, and just about everyone I've talked to, that's the core of games like this. And with PoE being old-school and all that, how can it ignore the whole core of the genre? If we can finish the game with just one class, we're left with a dialogue-heavy Diablo. No one wants that. I hope.

I believe what they are trying to say is that the game is designed for party play, but they're not going to stop you from trying to play with only one character if that's what floats your boat. It will probably be very difficult though.

 

Same as BG, IWD etc.

Edited May 2, 2014 by BrainMuncher

[Tamerlane]

 

Wha...  But I want my "You completed the tutorial!" achievement!

 

May I ask why? A waste of time and resources if you ask me.

 

 

Useful from a data-collecting perspective, I bet. How many people bought the game and never played it? Well, let's just look at how many people don't have the "turned the game on" achievement.

[Bryy]

Also, out of all the miniscule, trivial things to complain about wasting time or resources, achievements are at the top of the list. 

[J.E. Sawyer]

I believe what they are trying to say is that the game is designed for party play, but they're not going to stop you from trying to play with only one character if that's what floats your boat. It will probably be very difficult though.

 

Same as BG, IWD etc.

 

Yes.  The game doesn't structurally require you to take on additional party members to complete it.

 

On a related topic, I keep seeing people say there isn't healing and there aren't healing potions in PoE.  This isn't true.  There are no abilities or items that heal Health.  However, there are plenty of abilities and several items that heal Stamina.  Fighters have a slow Stamina regeneration effect during combat, spellcasters have a variety of Stamina recovery spells/powers, and there are consumables that can recover Stamina.  Health is the resource that only comes back with rest and rest always replenishes all Health.

[Sarex]

On a related topic, I keep seeing people say there isn't healing and there aren't healing potions in PoE.  This isn't true.  There are no abilities or items that heal Health.  However, there are plenty of abilities and several items that heal Stamina.  Fighters have a slow Stamina regeneration effect during combat, spellcasters have a variety of Stamina recovery spells/powers, and there are consumables that can recover Stamina.  Health is the resource that only comes back with rest and rest always replenishes all Health.

 

The more I read about it, the more I think that health/stamina system is seriously over designed. Either way it's gonna take some getting used to.

[Valorian]

What confuses you about the stamina/health system? It has a clear purpose.

[Sarex]

What confuses you about the stamina/health system? It has a clear purpose.

 

Nothing confuses me, I just think it isn't needed.

[Karkarov]

 

What confuses you about the stamina/health system? It has a clear purpose.

 

Nothing confuses me, I just think it isn't needed.

 

Well it is a little late in the game for that, you will get used to it.

 

Personally I hope it turns out to be next to impossible to solo the game.  I never got why people even tried.  The game isn't more fun that way, the story is no different, etc etc.  So if it comes about that soloing the game is actually something that can't be done I will be perfectly happy with it.  Even if it is doable and there are big achievements with it that let me brag to my friends and flount my gamer cred .... I still won't even bother trying it.  It is a party based RPG, why would I ever want to play it without the depth of an actual party and the fun that adds to the combat and story?

[Valorian]

Nothing is "needed" Sarex, but it's beneficial for the game. It separates, generally speaking, hit points into a tactical element (stamina) and strategical element (health). Since you suffer only 1/4 of damage to your health and stamina does regenerate after combat, you don't have to rest after every battle, but you still have to pay attention to your health.