Appeal to Obsidian: Don't Change PoE Abilities

[Sammael]

Ah, the infamous Landsknecht incident... as bad as it was, I think it was one of the triggers that pushed IWD2 towards 3E rules, which made it a much better game. 

[Osvir]

Let's pretend the Attribute/Abilities screen does not exist, instead, you simply choose an archetype to begin with, and then you pick your choices along the way.

Your Muscle Wizard that beats everything up with flaming fists (I.E. You've just successfully Multi-Classed to a Monk/Wizard Level 1). How? By picking the right gear and the right spells, attributes makes difference. I feel this system allows me to create my type of Wizard.

Has anyone who built a Muscle Wizard tried making a purely INT Wizard with the same build in spells and gear? I.E. built the opposite of Muscle Wizard but with the same gear.

The concept I play/flirt with here is to make Attributes almost only affect Out of Combat personality and Skills. Which they almost already do.

I feel the attributes should define who the characters are, and leveling up defining what sort of spells, magic, you choose to build, strengths/weaknesses within an archetype. If a Muscle Wizard is too beefed up for melee combat, tone it down a little bit, but keep the theme. If Chanters can cast 3 permanent op Skeletons that are badass, tone it down a little, keep the theme (which they have already said too, Chanters will most likely get 1 Skeleton). 18 15 Skeletons will remain in memory <3 but Chanters and Wizards still have many options, allowing you to build the Class in various ways to make it become like you want it to become.

I talk about this in the Druid "Good Mechanic or...?" thread as well, where the options to build the "Developing Character" in your own way is slimmer.

I feel the combat is challenging at some times, and easy at other times. Tried Solo, 5 party and 6 party. Regardless how I build, some times it is a bit tough, and some times it is a breeze. Or a bug, or a mistake, or not fully understanding the system, or messing up. I've also messed up some builds and ideas, we've got to consider that we're facing Level 5 challenges in the Beta as well, and that my "mistake builds" may have been more viable if I had started as a Level 1 against Level 1 challenges.

The idea with Attributes affecting mostly your avatar, your character: You start as an average joe Fighter, a physically built guy, and on level 2-3 you're maybe as strong as a village Guard. Or a well trained Bandit. Meaning, starting Attributes don't mean *cough* anything in combat, because it is in levels that your character is being "built", "buffed", "trained", and gear, spells, talents, abilities. Attributes should prioritize OoC abilities, primarily, and then you can tone down strength of the abilites (such as Chanter skeletons, Wizard Muscle, Corrosive Siphon, Cipher has something too etc.).

Attributes is a cosmetic. Or it could be, that's how I view it. In these so called roleplaying games you become stronger as you journey and level up, not what you started as. Some Attribute builds may have a tougher initial time, but could probably eventually pull through and be a viable character. I mean, if that's what you want. They define the narrative as well.

In reality, this is the system we have, but the balance lies perhaps in abilities, skills, talents and spells (general "level up" system), and not in attributes?

Edited August 25, 2014 by Osvir