So I just started looking into the companions trying to get an idea of what my first party might look like and make some tentative decisions on what class to play first when I realized there is no rogue companion available. (gasp)

 

Now I understand that any class can boost mechanics which is I suppose the only essential rogue skill needed but I'm thinking my main character is probably going to have other skills I am more interested in boosting for story/RP reasons (lore I'm looking at you here) so the next thing that comes to mind is perhaps one of the other companions may be able to fill our mechanics role.

 

Has there been any indication that any of the companions might already be geared up to fill this slot?

 

Does it seem odd to anyone else that they are not supplying a rogue companion?

Chanters, Ciphers and Wizards also start with a bonus to Mechanics and there appears to be one of each as a companion so one of them should do.

The Cipher with biting whip also gets a bonus to damage and apparently has slightly better deflection than the rogue so you may be able to build a rogue like character from that class. High DP, Mechanics for Traps/Lockpicking, useful spells/abilities & reasonable stats for melee fighting.

Priest of Skaen with Prey on the Weak.

I don't see a problem.  That's what the adventures hall is for.

I'm holding out hope that Edér will actually be able to end up as either a Fighter or a Rogue depending on your choices when you meet him, or something like that.

That being said, judging by what we actually no, there's not really anyone to fill the shoes of the rogue, unfortunately. None of the known companions (which should unfortunately be all of them, in their shallow glory) appears particularily skulk-y or rogue-y, really.

I would be very surprised if none of the companions functions as ranked up in Mechanics, though. Kana Rua as a chanter is likely ranked up in Mechanics, although I'd be surprised if he isn't majoring in Lore, judging by what we know of him. Durance, while a Priest, is another likely candidate, being that he runs around with a firearm and his faith appears fairly technically minded (although mostly aiming towards warfare, so it might not be applicable to Mechanics as used in PoE).

I'm holding out hope that Edér will actually be able to end up as either a Fighter or a Rogue depending on your choices when you meet him, or something like that.

Yeah Edér is a funny guy.  Back when his name was Adair he was a fighter.  Then they changed him to Edér and said he was a rogue.  Based on the last stream though he is back to being a fighter again.

I'm pretty sure Edér will stay a fighter from now on based on some comments by one of the devs that he'd been switched as they needed a tougher party member who could withstand a fair bit of damage at the point you meet him in the game. It sounds like he may be one of the earlier party members you meet.

Sounds like I'll be rolling a rogue then.

It'd be interesting if Edér is a Rogue who is merely pretending to be a Fighter (using Fighter style+abilities, but attributes support a Rogue character better).

His lore/story would have to support it of course, but it could give the Player the option mid-game through Edér questline or progression, allowing the Player to change his Class from Fighter to Rogue (he could start over at Level 1 and get Level Ups to the same level as his Fighter class).

Why am I speculating/brainstorming about this? Well... Edair was a Fighter, then Edér became a Rogue, then later he became a Fighter again. He sounds/reads like a "Male Thief" soundset as well, which might be why they made him a Rogue (before making him a Fighter again). This would solve a lot I think, if Obsidian has chosen to do this (still just speculation, probably a 99% chance they haven't done like this).

If the Player chooses to make a Rogue? They can keep Edér a Fighter. But if the Player makes a Fighter, they could mid- to late-game change Edér into a Rogue (to spice up the party). It all depends on his characteristics of course, and his background/story and so on *shrug*

I'm really hoping a companion will fill that gap - the way classes are set up hopefully it will not be too difficult to adapt a companion to handle the mechanics of locks & traps if you don't want to make a PC rogue or take an adventurers hall stick figure rogue that gets 0 personal reactions from anyone.

I'm guessing that Luckmann has it right. Durance, as a Priest of Magran may have an affinity to mechanical objects.

They've kept multiclassing secret, secretly. Edér is actually a fighter/rogue. Fighter/rogues were a classic "rogue that doesn't suck at fighting" in Icewind Dale so it makes sense to bring it back in PoE for one of the potential party members.

They've kept multiclassing secret, secretly. Edér is actually a fighter/rogue. Fighter/rogues were a classic "rogue that doesn't suck at fighting" in Icewind Dale so it makes sense to bring it back in PoE for one of the potential party members.

we must have missed the smirking emoticon, yes?

 

HA! Good Fun!

the reason we is serious contemplating "rolling" a rogue for our first poe character is not 'cause o' mechanics skill, but 'cause o' mechanics AND stealth. be able to scout and disarm traps while stealthy is a capacity we would want at least one party member to possess. rogues is the most obvious choice.

 

converse, given the history o' obsidian games, am suspecting that beyond crude combat and mechanical checks, there will be an emphasis on so-called role-play choices. am predicting that checks for intelligence will be frequent. lore skill checks will also be common. is doubtful that perception is a You Win attribute as wisdom were in ps:t, but am guessing that perception, even while no longer being the accuracy attribute, will be cursed by many poe players who chose to make it a dump stat.  

 

our problem is obvious in that we is having difficulty envisioning a capable rogue character that emphasizes intelligence and perception for attributes and is having skills enough to satisfy stealth, mechanics & lore.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

the reason we is serious contemplating "rolling" a rogue for our first poe character is not 'cause o' mechanics skill, but 'cause o' mechanics AND stealth. be able to scout and disarm traps while stealthy is a capacity we would want at least one party member to possess. rogues is the most obvious choice.

 

converse, given the history o' obsidian games, am suspecting that beyond crude combat and mechanical checks, there will be an emphasis on so-called role-play choices. am predicting that checks for intelligence will be frequent. lore skill checks will also be common. is doubtful that perception is a You Win attribute as wisdom were in ps:t, but am guessing that perception, even while no longer being the accuracy attribute, will be cursed by many poe players who chose to make it a dump stat.  

 

our problem is obvious in that we is having difficulty envisioning a capable rogue character that emphasizes intelligence and perception for attributes and is having skills enough to satisfy stealth, mechanics & lore.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Indeed this is the main reason why I am hopeful that at least one companion can handle the stealthy rogue duties so I can construct my PC to get the most out of the RP factors. Of course I am also assuming we will have full control over leveling up companions and also hoping my non-rogue rogue companion is among the first I encounter so I have as much control over their skill choices as possible.

our problem is obvious in that we is having difficulty envisioning a capable rogue character that emphasizes intelligence and perception for attributes and is having skills enough to satisfy stealth, mechanics & lore.

Does one of the attributes now affect number of skill points? If so, I completely missed that. Or else, I'm possibly missing something else here... o_o

you is making assumptions. if there is no rogue companion, then to fulfill what we believe is essential role o' the stealthy trap disarming (essential for Gromnir,) we needs have either our main character, or some other character spread their limited pool o' skill points 'tween stealth and mechanics. however, for rp reasons, we very much wish for our main character to at least have high lore. am not seeing how to make such a character in poe. without a poe rogue companion, a seeming odd omission, we is facing a difficult choice between making our first character what we wish from a role-play pov, versus having him fill what we feel is a traditional gameplay role. is not that an ability is tied to skill points. is that w/o a rogue companion, we is trying to stretch skill pool in an impossible way.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Ohhhh! No, not assumptions. Misunderstandings. My apologies, as I did not see the "& lore" part at the end there. Thus, I thought the conflict was focusing on Intelligence and Perception, while somehow still having enough skill points for Stealth and Mechanics.

 

Please, carry on. *bows out*

I'm still of the belief that Durance will fulfill the mechanics role in the party's companion roster. He is a Priest of Magran and in the world lore, his order is known for their affinity and familiarity with firearms and bombmaking.

 

That's my admitted assumption anyway.

I'm still of the belief that Durance will fulfill the mechanics role in the party's companion roster. He is a Priest of Magran and in the world lore, his order is known for their affinity and familiarity with firearms and bombmaking.

 

That's my admitted assumption anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV2DaY4hLUI?

 

that kinda thing?

 

in our beta play, we haven't noticed a mechanics skill boost for our play o' priests o' magran.  if such exists, we could easily give enough stealth to durance so that he might fulfill our desired stealthy-trap-disarming-guy role.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps am serious considering a priest o' skaen character for our first poe game. the thing is, we is much dubious that we can squeeze out the requisite lore, stealth and mechanics. 

Edited February 4, 201510 yr by Gromnir

I think Sagani will likely have stealth and survival as her default skills, so it shouldn't be too hard to switch the survival for mechanics. At least that's what I plan on doing.

the new beta build has tuned the skill checks for stealth and mechanics making both more challenging.  have a rogue would appear to be even more valuable if one wishes a party member who could possible disarm traps without needing to leave the protection o' stealth.

 

HA! Good Fun!

Considering the game is not supposed to be level scaled (with the possible exception of some parts of the main quest line) I wonder if we are going to find traps similar to those in the BB where if you could not disarm them after locating them you had the choice to trigger them (didn't try this) or simply make your way around them (carefully - one character at a time) since they did not cover the entire pathway.

Unfortunately we won;t have a companion of each class

Edited February 5, 201510 yr by Sedrefilos

Unfortunately we won;t have a companion of each class

 

Well you could have one of each class over the course of the game by swapping them out and using adventurers to fill any gaps.