Best stats/class for a Conversationalist build?

[Bawtzki]

Crossposting this from steam forums:

 

 

 

With the patch imminent I was thinking of starting a new character and use the knowledge of the game I've gained so far to optimize things a bit. My idea was to go with a tank character because Resolve and Perception are important for them and they both show up in dialogues a fair bit. From my limited experience of the game it also seemed like having two tanks would be very useful for controlling the fights, at least I had some issues with Eder as the only tank in my previous save. What I'm looking at right now is this:

Human Paladin - Shieldbearers of St. Elcga (Goldpact is the alternative, roleplaying purposes only)

Might 10
Constitution 10
Dexterity 10
Perception 18
Intellect 11
Resolve 19

Since I haven't finished the game yet I'm not really sure if some of these stats are too high (perception especially) while some (int) might be too low. I want to cover as many conversation options as possible while still having a combat ready character that doesn't completely suck.

I'm also unsure about secondary skills - stealth proved to be pretty useful for a tank character from a gameplay perspective but I'm guessing Lore would be best for conversations?

I'm especially interested in opinion from people who have already finished the game or are close to finishing - if you could shed some light on the needed stats for late game conversation skill checks, that'd be great.

 

After doing some more reading I noticed that Might, Resolve and Intellect are the most frequent checks in conversations. Can someone who has finished the game already confirm this? I only got to Defiance Bay in my previous save so I don't have first hand information, but in hindsight, it seems to hold true for the first half of the game. Are there any better options for a conversation focused character (that's not too terrible at combat) than what I've written above? Fwiw, I plan to play on Hard.

[Ganrich]

Perception and resolve happen a good bit, so does intellect and might, con and Dex I am unsure about. I know dex happens in scripted interactions.

 

I know priests get some based on deity, and Paladins based on their Order. I can't remember which Order I saw the most. I played a Chanter Tank on my play through, and can say resolve and Perception have some cool things, for sure. Also, Ciphers get some cool dialogue moments as well. FYI, some of the later checks require 19 in a stat IIRC.

 

That is about the best I know of atm. I had the option so anything I didn't meet requirements for didn't show up for my first play through. So, some of these are observations from early in the game (Pre-Defiance Bay).

 

EDIT: If there was something in conversation that cam up the most... I think it was the Lore skill. It came up a lot IIRC.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Ganrich

[mazeltov]

All the mental stats are checked frequently. Several 18/19 Per checks just up to Dyrford Village, several high Res checks. Survival appeared a handful of times. Int checks have tended to be lower, but as I often point out in these threads, you will miss checks by running low (e.g. 11) Int. Six or so points of Int can be acquired by Defiance Bay, depending on how hard you want to metagame the dialogue system.

[Ganrich]

To bounce off of mazeltov.  Yeah, many requirements mid to late game are 18-19 or more.  So, you won't see everything no matter what.  I am sure every attribute has some silly high checks toward the end.  So, you will have to play multiple games with varying stats/skills/classes to see most everything.  

[Lasci]

I think I've only seen two with dexterity. 16-18 scores in intelligence, resolve, and perception all comes up frequently though.

 

Might happens a lot, but the highest I've seen it is 16, I think, and frankly they're all usually something along the lines of, "I'll kill you if you don't do what I say!" which isn't entirely conversational.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Lasci

[sterrius]

My conversational build 

It Works with everyclass as long you dont go Tank!  Recommended going ranged for safe purposes. 

15 - 3 CON - 15 - 15 - 15 - 15

With items you can go to 17 in everything.  This should give you enough for 90% of the conversations in the game.  For the other 10% go fo food or rest. Just save often and reload if you find a conversation that need 18, 19 or 20. 

The only problem with this build is very low fortitude and low Health and Endurance.  But you can fix both as you get items. 

[PugPug]

Awesome; I was wondering the same thing as the OP.

 

I know priests get some based on deity, and Paladins based on their Order. I can't remember which Order I saw the most. I played a Chanter Tank on my play through, and can say resolve and Perception have some cool things, for sure. Also, Ciphers get some cool dialogue moments as well. FYI, some of the later checks require 19 in a stat IIRC.

 

Oh, I didn't know there were class options. I was thinking of player a Cipher anyway.

But I was also curious what classes worked will with well-rounded stats or these particular stats. Mostly Perception, Intellect and Resolve, it sounds like. But I was thinking Ciphers wanted Might and Dexterity for building Focus.

 

 

Six or so points of Int can be acquired by Defiance Bay, depending on how hard you want to metagame the dialogue system.

 

How do you raise stats after character creation?

[Valeris]

 

How do you raise stats after character creation?

There are severel items in Defiance Bay that grant bonuses to hit.

One in easy to acquire, the quest starts in Goose & Fox- Inn and grants you +2 INT/+1 Resolve upon completion.

[Odd Hermit]

Wild Orlan Paladin tank build

 

2 might

18 con

3 dex

20 per

15 int

20 res

 

 

That's what I'm rolling with anyway. Chose Kind Wayfarer for goody-two-shoes options going to faith and conviction bonuses.

[Lasci]

Items raise stats after character creation. You don't get extra attributes as you level.

 

Perception and resolve would go well with a tank -- a fighter or paladin would probably be best, but a chanter can work just as well. I wouldn't worry about intelligence; it needs to be higher than you can get it for dialogue options. But get resolve and perception to 18-20 for a tank and keep the rest of your stats relatively even.

[PugPug]

Items raise stats after character creation. You don't get extra attributes as you level.

 

Perception and resolve would go well with a tank -- a fighter or paladin would probably be best, but a chanter can work just as well. I wouldn't worry about intelligence; it needs to be higher than you can get it for dialogue options. But get resolve and perception to 18-20 for a tank and keep the rest of your stats relatively even.

 

Higher than you can get it? You mean higher than you can get it without specializing, I assume?

[Gromnir]

suggested attribute spread for talky character

 

m 10

c 10

d 10

p 16

i 16

r 16

 

we got builds for melee rogues and combat priests and paladins that all work with such a spread... 'cause as we has noted 'bout 100 times, the starting attributes have less impact on the relative combat efficacy o' a character than many posters believe.

 

isn't too hard to functional boost each o' the mental attributes by 2-3 by mid-point o' the game, so you got all the 18-19 stuff covered. 

 

warning: keep in mind that more than a few o' the high perception and high resolve options, particularly in companion dialogues, appear to be "traps" for wont o' a better descriptor.  

 

HA! Good Fun!

[ErlKing]

Cipher with WIld Leech power can drain random 10 random attribute points from companions...

[pstone]

m 18

 

c 3

 

d 3

 

p 18

 

i 18

 

r 18

 

works well with fighter, barbarian and paladin, or any ranged character (ranged rogue, ranged ranger, caster). I would take cipher, they seem to get the most interesting class-based dialogue options.

 

Be hard to hit, hit hard yourself. Hitting hard is imo. better than hitting often due to DR. Being hard to hit is imo. better than being durable.

 

Medium stats don't unlock much dialogue, so getting really high makes more sense than being decent in an attribute.

Edited April 4, 2015 by pstone

[Daemonjax]

In Fallout you could do basically see everything there was to see with one well-built smooth talking character, but I think in this game it would require two playthroughs... one as a tank and one as a dps character.

[Trauma_Hound]

Suggested Attribute Spread for Talky Character ... Console Command your attributes to your liking ...

[Shadenuat]

Maxing Might/Dex/Int/Resolve evenly and dumping Con&Per makes for a lot of options in dialogue and provides good damage for a ranged character.

[Odd Hermit]

Worth noting there's an inn in one of the Defiance Bay locations that gives, IIRC, +4 int.

 

So high Per/Res and medium Int + 4 and you can hit most of the mental-based dialogue checks.

[GreatBeyonder]

Resolve is still THE Convo stat, as far as actually convincing people you're right.

[Bawtzki]

Thanks everyone for information and suggestions, some really good (if a little extreme) ideas there. I'll probably stick with my original plan but dump a few more dex points and put them into intelligence and cover the rest with inn bonuses and items.