The 8 Companions

[IndiraLightfoot]

More on the word "Caroc". Possibly, it's using Old Norse roots instead, and then it would mean an islet in a marsh or some wetland. In Yorkshire, you often see place-names with "Carr", which is a word that many Scandinavian languages still use today for smaller marshes or marshy woodlands. Compare Swedish "kärr" and  Icelandic "kjarr".

[Zwiebelchen]

Hmm... is it just me or does PoE expect me to make at least 1-2 additional NPCs in the adventurers hall?

 

8 companions is extremely limited considering that we can take 5 of them with us.

 

If you need a cleric and a thief, there's basicly no options other than Eder and Cadegund. I mean... it would be okay for the release to just have 8 companions, but I really hope they deliver a good amount of new companions in further patches or addons, just to allow the player to build a full party without lifeless automatons from the adventurers hall.

 

 

I think it's a safe bet that all the characters the TO listed ARE the final 8 companions that will be in the game. I don't think they would do any more dramatic content changes at this state of game developement (it would be unreasonable to do that).

 

 

I'll probably do my first run with the PC (Mage), Eder (Rogue), Pallegina (Paladin), Cadegund (Cleric), Forton (Monk) and Sagani (Ranger), assuming that all of them are compatible to each other (and a "good" playthrough).

 

That leaves me only with 3 companions to "discover" for my second playthrough. :/

[Kjaamor]

Hmm... is it just me or does PoE expect me to make at least 1-2 additional NPCs in the adventurers hall?

 

8 companions is extremely limited considering that we can take 5 of them with us.

 

That leaves me only with 3 companions to "discover" for my second playthrough. :/

 

Once upon a time I argued that 8 was sub-optimal. A lengthy internet argument followed.

[Sensuki]

8 is fine. I'd hope that we get a Barbarian, Druid and Monk companion in the Expansion.

[Suburban-Fox]

You know, I actually preferred RPGs when there wasn't this whole "tank, healer, damage dealer" hard segregation of roles. The characters simply were who they were, and while it's true that some classes more naturally fitted certain roles, it was by no means a requirement - it certainly wasn't hard-coded into the system. I really don't like terms like "ranged DPS", "melee DPS" and "crowd control".

 

Declaring a wizard to be "crowd control", and building the game accordingly, means he can't do anything other than...well, control crowds. No utility spells like Light, Knock, Detect Magic, etc. Rogues now have one function, and it isn't the function that rogues were originally designed for - they're not scouts, locksmiths or trapsmiths anymore, they're "melee DPS". Fighters are now required to run with only one build: heavy armour, and either a big weapon or weapon and shield. You can't build a fighter as a duellist, a skirmisher or a bowman anymore, because they're meant to be "tanks".

 

I hope Obsidian aren't going to force these roles upon characters, because an RPG character is supposed to be about so much more than a specialised role designed for optimum combat effectiveness.

[aluminiumtrioxid]

You know, I actually preferred RPGs when there wasn't this whole "tank, healer, damage dealer" hard segregation of roles. The characters simply were who they were, and while it's true that some classes more naturally fitted certain roles, it was by no means a requirement - it certainly wasn't hard-coded into the system. I really don't like terms like "ranged DPS", "melee DPS" and "crowd control".

 

Declaring a wizard to be "crowd control", and building the game accordingly, means he can't do anything other than...well, control crowds. No utility spells like Light, Knock, Detect Magic, etc. Rogues now have one function, and it isn't the function that rogues were originally designed for - they're not scouts, locksmiths or trapsmiths anymore, they're "melee DPS". Fighters are now required to run with only one build: heavy armour, and either a big weapon or weapon and shield. You can't build a fighter as a duellist, a skirmisher or a bowman anymore, because they're meant to be "tanks".

 

I hope Obsidian aren't going to force these roles upon characters, because an RPG character is supposed to be about so much more than a specialised role designed for optimum combat effectiveness.

 

They are most definitely not, and you're supposedly able to build quite effective characters who have nothing to do with their class' classification, but there are certain abilities that wizards get for free which predispose them towards doing damage to grouped enemies, just like fighters get free tanky abilities etc.

 

On the other hand, out of combat utility now springs entirely from skills, so your fighter will be just as effective (ok, a bit less effective because certain classes gain certain small bonuses in certain skills) in picking locks as your rogue, if you wish to specialize him that way.

[Sensuki]

By the way there's two new portraits in here: #3 and #6

 

[PrimeJunta]

You know, I actually preferred RPGs when there wasn't this whole "tank, healer, damage dealer" hard segregation of roles. The characters simply were who they were, and while it's true that some classes more naturally fitted certain roles, it was by no means a requirement - it certainly wasn't hard-coded into the system. I really don't like terms like "ranged DPS", "melee DPS" and "crowd control".

 

Declaring a wizard to be "crowd control", and building the game accordingly, means he can't do anything other than...well, control crowds. No utility spells like Light, Knock, Detect Magic, etc. Rogues now have one function, and it isn't the function that rogues were originally designed for - they're not scouts, locksmiths or trapsmiths anymore, they're "melee DPS". Fighters are now required to run with only one build: heavy armour, and either a big weapon or weapon and shield. You can't build a fighter as a duellist, a skirmisher or a bowman anymore, because they're meant to be "tanks".

 

I hope Obsidian aren't going to force these roles upon characters, because an RPG character is supposed to be about so much more than a specialised role designed for optimum combat effectiveness.

 

I don't think you need to worry. JES has said repeatedly that playing a class against its type is perfectly doable, it just won't be optimal. 

[HoonDing]

Devil of Caroc is from Discworld.

[Messier-31]

A placeholder then?

[Barothmuk]

I too will echo the sentiments of everyone else by saying 8 is a fine number. I doubt all of the companions will 'mesh' appropriately so we will probably have to use 2 or 3 HoH followers and I have no problem with that.

 

I will go against the grain however and hope we get Forton over some Drizzt Do'urden godlike.

Edited May 27, 2014 by Barothmuk

[Mannock]

I'm doubting the devil of Caroc too. The entire name is somehow out of place, compared to the other names we've seen so far. Also, Caroc seems to be a card game within the Discworld setting, where the devil is one of the cards in the deck (if I understood it correctly).

 

I do not doubt however that we'll have a fighter companion. I feel fairly certain the companions will cover all the four basic classes.

[Gromnir]

Hmm... is it just me or does PoE expect me to make at least 1-2 additional NPCs in the adventurers hall?

 

8 companions is extremely limited considering that we can take 5 of them with us.

 

If you need a cleric and a thief, there's basicly no options other than Eder and Cadegund. I mean... it would be okay for the release to just have 8 companions, but I really hope they deliver a good amount of new companions in further patches or addons, just to allow the player to build a full party without lifeless automatons from the adventurers hall.

 

 

I think it's a safe bet that all the characters the TO listed ARE the final 8 companions that will be in the game. I don't think they would do any more dramatic content changes at this state of game developement (it would be unreasonable to do that).

 

 

I'll probably do my first run with the PC (Mage), Eder (Rogue), Pallegina (Paladin), Cadegund (Cleric), Forton (Monk) and Sagani (Ranger), assuming that all of them are compatible to each other (and a "good" playthrough).

 

That leaves me only with 3 companions to "discover" for my second playthrough. :/

iwd games had no joinables. am not gonna bother counting storm o' zehir "companions." ps:t had seven companions, yes? nwn2 had fourteen or fifteen companions... our memory seems to be missing one. mask of the betrayer, whose companions Gromnir found disappointing save for ammon jerro, had six. maybe add kotor2... 11 or 12? regardless, nwn 2 appears to a bit o' an aberration for obsidian black isle. having fewer companions won't make the companions better, but am thinking it is safe to say that the more companions a developer adds, the less they can be developed. am thinking that obsidian has received most of their positive feedback from companions of ps:t and motb, so perhaps they is skewing more towards increased development. 

 

is unlikely that we will have a party of more than three or four companions at any given time, so eight companions is likely to take us a couple playthroughs-- that or some frequent party juggling. 

 

one quibble:

 

"Dwarf Rangers were not possible in 2E AD&D and almost never seen in 3E/3.5E, so it's a breath of fresh air." 

 

in our experience, dwarf rangers in 3.0 and 3.5 were increasingly common. the pathfinder iconic ranger is a dwarf, for example, and pathfinder were officially ogl 3.5 at its start. with the seemingly endless race variations, you can play a 3.0/3.5 dwarf with no dex penalty. also, perhaps sadly, 3.0 ranger were initially only worth taking a handful o' levels, and dwarf had fighter as favored class-- made for ideal min/max. as such, in our experience, dwarf rangers were hardly rare in 3.0 and 3.5.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Mannock]

 

 

is unlikely that we will have a party of more than three or four companions at any given time, so eight companions is likely to take us a couple playthroughs-- that or some frequent party juggling.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

What makes you think we will only have three or four companions at any given time?

[Gromnir]

 

 

 

is unlikely that we will have a party of more than three or four companions at any given time, so eight companions is likely to take us a couple playthroughs-- that or some frequent party juggling.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

What makes you think we will only have three or four companions at any given time?

 

...

 

not know what you will do, but Gromnir will only have three or four.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[rjshae]

The Devil of Caroc was listed as having the highest kill level, IIRC. That suggested to me it was either the PC or his animal companion.

[Lephys]

If that's the character's "name," does everyone just call that character "Devil"?

 

"Welcome to the Devil estate! I come from a long line of Devils! I'm Devil Jr. Esq. IX!"

[Sensuki]

That screen is a mock up. Look at the values they're all unrealistic (total time 72 days, longest party member 32 / Accuracy 35 Defenses 60-80 ... yeah right)/

[Hiro Protagonist II]

That screen is a mock up. Look at the values they're all unrealistic (total time 72 days, longest party member 32 / Accuracy 35 Defenses 60-80 ... yeah right)/

 

Someone could have been playing the game, in game time 72 days, and changing out party members which is why the longest party member is 32 days.

[Sensuki]

True, but Accuracy 35 doesn't match Pallegina's defenses. 35 Accuracy will seriously struggle to hit all of her own defense values.

 

The attack resolution system is for every point difference between accuracy and defense, in the defenses way means that there's 1% chance less that the attacker will hit.

 

35 vs 35 = 5% miss, 45% graze, 45% hit, 5% crit

35 vs 63 = 33% miss, 45% graze, 22% hit

Edited May 28, 2014 by Sensuki

[Hiro Protagonist II]

I did notice that before and assumed who ever is playing the game would be swapping out and testing all the characters/companions. Devil of Caroc being the one who's been in the party the longest for whatever reason, mostly for testing purposes I assume.

 

As to the whole Defence thing. No idea. The screen shot does say 'Work In Progress' so maybe that side of things was still being fixed at the time.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Hiro Protagonist II

[Gromnir]

True, but Accuracy 35 doesn't match Pallegina's defenses. 35 Accuracy will seriously struggle to hit all of her own defense values.

 

The attack resolution system is for every point difference between accuracy and defense, in the defenses way means that there's 1% chance less that the attacker will hit.

 

35 vs 35 = 5% miss, 45% graze, 45% hit, 5% crit

35 vs 63 = 33% miss, 45% graze, 22% hit

am not seeing anything absurd. d&d base thac0 for a 8th level fighter were 40% yes? a base 35% is not far off, is it? also, given that her stats is not dex focused, and as josh has been using silly mmo vernacular, we could assume that pellegrino, or whatever her name is, is a tank or maybe even a buffer or heals as 'posed to some kinda dps. this would explain focus on defense stats. additional, if the "R." for accuracy is for ranged, perhaps she currently has a weapon equipped that ain't ideal. 

 

dunno. however, am not all that shocked by 35% as it is actual kinda close to what one would expect from a baldur's gate character of same level. 35% sounds bad, but is single +1 on a d20 away from the base thac0 of a d&d fighter o' same level.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

 

is unlikely that we will have a party of more than three or four companions at any given time, so eight companions is likely to take us a couple playthroughs-- that or some frequent party juggling.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

What makes you think we will only have three or four companions at any given time?

 

...

 

not know what you will do, but Gromnir will only have three or four.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

Gromnir I wouldn't advise that, I know the game won't have Romance but don't let that disappoint you or make rash discussions around the number of companions you choose. Remember multiple companions means more party interaction and spending time on companion side quests which enhances the overall game

[Sensuki]

dunno. however, am not all that shocked by 35% as it is actual kinda close to what one would expect from a baldur's gate character of same level. 35% sounds bad, but is single +1 on a d20 away from the base thac0 of a d&d fighter o' same level.

 

HA! Good Fun!

She also gets +10 Accuracy from an active mode or ability, without that her accuracy would only be 25 which is impossible (+18 from Dex and +21 from being level 8, plus class starting bonus, and item bonuses. So I'd say it's a fake.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Sensuki

[Jotra]

Surely "The Devil of Caroc" refers to the PC? That was my assumption.

 

It's not for multiple reasons. Check the update 70 yourself if you wanna figure out why.