Companion recruitment and XP Banking Inquiry

[EricKei]

Just curious if anyone's had experience with either of these:

 

On my next run, I would like to snag all of the "story" companions at level 1, so as to better control their leveling. My question is, is their base level dependent upon my MAIN character's level at the time they are found, or on the average of ALL my characters' current levels and/or the highest one? e.g.: If my main is level 1 and the rest of my group is level 4, will the new Companions be level 1, or closer to level 3? It seems to be based on the main only, but I was wondering if anyone's actually tried just not leveling the main while leveling the others, just to see what happens.

 

On a related note: Older versions of D&D, both on computers and in PnP -- a clear influence on this game -- discouraged people from "banking" EXP levels. They did this by making it so you lose excess EXP when leveling up, if you have enough to go up more than one level (it drops you down to 1 EXP short of the second level, the rest is lost). This was, in part, a money sink, as leveling costs quite a bit of coin in those games; it also forced your characters to take a break and find/go back to a decent-sized town for some downtime. In other words, let's say you need 5,000 total EXP to reach say, level 2, and 10,000 total EXP to reach level 3, and your current EXP is 12,000. When you click the level up button, you will end up as level 2 with 9,999 current EXP -- the "extra" 2,001 EXP would simply disappear. Does this game work that way, or will you end up as level 3 with 12k EXP?

 

I ask because, if this game allows you to bank EXP, it would simplify getting those post-Caed Nua allies at level 1. FWIW, planning to play a ranged Rogue, so his relative fragility won't be too much of an issue. That, and damage output in this game depends quite a bit on simply having a decent weapon; at low levels, a Fine Hunting Bow should be plenty for him unless the mobs simply run past the tank.

 

Thanks!

Edited April 3, 2015 by EricKei

[Ceranai]

Just curious if anyone's had experience with either of these:

 

On my next run, I would like to snag all of the "story" companions at level 1, so as to better control their leveling. My question is, is their base level dependent upon my MAIN character's level at the time they are found, or on the average of ALL my characters' current levels and/or the highest one? e.g.: If my main is level 1 and the rest of my group is level 4, will the new Companions be level 1, or closer to level 3? It seems to be based on the main only, but I was wondering if anyone's actually tried just not leveling the main while leveling the others, just to see what happens.

 

On a related note: Older versions of D&D, both on computers and in PnP -- a clear influence on this game -- discouraged people from "banking" EXP levels. They did this by making it so you lose excess EXP when leveling up, if you have enough to go up more than one level (it drops you down to 1 EXP short of the second level, the rest is lost). This was, in part, a money sink, as leveling costs quite a bit of coin in those games; it also forced your characters to take a break and find/go back to a decent-sized town for some downtime. In other words, let's say you need 5,000 total EXP to reach say, level 2, and 10,000 total EXP to reach level 3, and your current EXP is 12,000. When you click the level up button, you will end up as level 2 with 9,999 current EXP -- the "extra" 2,001 EXP would simply disappear. Does this game work that way, or will you end up as level 3 with 12k EXP?

 

I ask because, if this game allows you to bank EXP, it would simplify getting those post-Caed Nua allies at level 1. FWIW, planning to play a ranged Rogue, so his relative fragility won't be too much of an issue. That, and damage output in this game depends quite a bit on simply having a decent weapon; at low levels, a Fine Hunting Bow should be plenty for him unless the mobs simply run past the tank.

 

Thanks!

very easy to test this just next time you level up check your exp afterwards. I dont think it does penalise banking but i could be wrong

[durbal]

Yes, you can 'bank' XP.

 

Companion recuitment is based off main character's level.

[Matuse]

From what I've been able to tell, companion recruitment is based on character XP, not level. What I tried was:

 

Finish starter dungeon, DO NOT TAKE LEVEL UP, go rescue chef dwarf in first area after starter dungeon, then head straight to Gilded Vale and pick up Aloth and Eder. Because you need to talk to the dead animancer, you need to rest in town before the dream shows up. That means collecting the XP for rescuing the chef and the XP for talking to the animancer, and that was enough to push my main character to level 3. Still sitting at level 1, I talked to Eder, and he entered the party at level 3.

 

When in a different playthrough I skipped rescuing the dwarf and still only had enough xp for 2 (although this time I took level 2), Eder entered the party at 2.

 

 

It's also not always fully beneficial to get them at super low levels. Eder in particular gets a free talent if you get him at level 3 instead of level 2.

[Zaruthustran]

Can you elaborate on the free talent? What is it, and what make "free"?

[Matuse]

You only pick talents at even levels. Eder at level 3 gets "Weapon Focus: Brigand" that he doesn't have at level 2. Then when he gets level 4, he gets another talent.

[EricKei]

Interesting. Sounds like a reportable bug to me Might wanna send them a save of the "level 2" version if you still have it. I was planning to start over after this patch anyway (I used the prepatch version to experiment..which mostly meant 'seeing which factions I could tick off the most').

 

thanks, all!

[EricKei]

Hrm, it seems the forum puts a time limit on edits. Anyhoo:

 

Tested both of the above -- Matuse appears to be correct. I did a run through of the starter area, ending with juuuust over 3000 EXP when I recruited Eder (just enough for level 3). Even though my chara was level 1, Eder was level 3. Note that Aloth (grabbed just before this) was level 2 but about 300 EXP short of level 3. I tried loading an earlier save --- IfI level up to 3 before grabbing either one, then I go an sleep in the Inn *without* triggering Aloth's fight (there's an upstairs entrance for a reason ), then take Eder, Aloth is level 3 with EXP similar to my main's. Bit of column A, bit of column B, I suppose.

 

Banking is confirmed too I leveled from 1-2 (at that same EXP point amount), and the game simply had me do the level 2-3 upgrade immediately after the 1-2 upgrade, without leaving the leveling screen.

Edited April 3, 2015 by EricKei