My main two gripes with this game

[eLPuSHeR]

Hello.

 

First of all I have to say PoE is a wonderful game. It's exactly what was promised and more. Anyway, even if I haven't finished it yet (Act 2), these are my two main complaints.

 

1. Forced companions. I hate when you create a custom companion and he/she is always one level below. On the other hand, the game forces you to create just one main character and fill your roster with predefined NPCs which most of them suck by the way. I would have preferred to create, three or four companions, and have one or two extra NPCs for the ride. To each its own I guess.

 

2. I am not very fond of magic characters and I feel magic sucks in this game overall, for the particular reason 90% of spells force you to get into melee range for casting, thus enabling baddies to get to you up close and personal. No good at all. Non buffing spells don't feel specially powerful either (at last for me). Last try was with Grieving Mother. Meh. Not impressed at all.

[b0rsuk]

What you're looking for is not companions, but thugs and mercenaries. You can hire those at any inn using "Hire adventurer" option. They are one level below, but that's only initially. That's a small price to pay for a fully min-maxed henchman, isn't it ?

 

With Grieving Mother, try Ectopsychic Echo or Antipathetic Field. This thing can often kill an entire encounter by itself, on Hard.

Edited April 15, 2015 by b0rsuk

[eLPuSHeR]

Yes, you are right. But most of the time my roster is full due to predefined characters.

[pacman]

Sorry but I completely disagree.  Custom companions are quite a lot stronger than the ones you get for free, and starting one level below doesn't really matter.  You can easily fill up with custom characters very early on if you don't buy things.

 

Magic classes are very strong.  Put them behind the tanks, and have them wear some decent armor if they are getting hurt.  Ciphers are absolutely straight up ridiculous if you know which powers to use.

[Serdan]

Yes, you are right. But most of the time my roster is full due to predefined characters.

Then dismiss the ones that you are not interested in.

[Jimmysdabestcop]

Yeah I created 2 characters at the first inn. The 1st 3 NPC's come quick. But unless you bum rush the rest there is a huge gap. But I think PoE gives you the flexibility of going ala IceWind Dale full custom party or BG 1/2 full npc party. Then I just swapped out one of the created characters to complete NPC quests and once those quests were done send the NPC back to camp and bring out the made character again.

 

I wanted to play a Fighter but I abosutely wanted a Rogue. So the Rogue adventurer has been in my party the entire game so far on Act 3. I actually love the way the rogue is on PoE. So much better here then in a lot of other cRPG's

 

 

Now about spells it is a big change from DnD games. Where most buffs lasted hours and hours. You could just prebuff all the time. And you could basically buff you Wizard/Sorceer or Cleric to be as good or better then a front line fighter. PoE is just different.

[LadyCrimson]

While it doesn't bother me much, I don't really understand why the hired Inn-companions are 1 lvl behind. A balancing thing?

I've had a hired Fighter since clvl 4 (so he was 3) and now I'm lvl 10 and he STILL hasn't "caught up." But he does fine even so, thus even if it's a tad annoying it's not that big a deal.

[b0rsuk]

Rumor has it it's because they're going to be ridiculously min-maxed, and they can stand a little setback like that. Hire them at level1 and you won't be getting level0's ;-).

[LadyCrimson]

Rumor has it it's because they're going to be ridiculously min-maxed,

Mine aren't.   

[eLPuSHeR]

 

Yes, you are right. But most of the time my roster is full due to predefined characters.

Then dismiss the ones that you are not interested in.

 

Yes, but they all have ongoing quests that I would like to solve (getting xp).

[Eos]

The experience malus shouldn't really be that much of a drawback. As said, your created hirelings are probably superior in terms of stats/talents anyway and eventually everyone gets to be level 12 anyway.

 

But do I understand that correctly: you think magic and especially Cyphers are underwhelming? What kind of planet-melting, galaxy-destroying powers do you expect from your magic users?

[eLPuSHeR]

It's not the magic power per se, but that you need to get up close and personal for casting some spells. That and many spells have a tiny cone and you have to take into account friendly fire too.

 

Another minor gripe is that sometimes I can't see a thing of what's happening on the battefield because of light effects. But that's another question.

Edited April 15, 2015 by eLPuSHeR

[trashmyego]

If you have an issue with the spells that have to be cast at closer ranges, or that have cone/aoe effects, then don't use them. It's not like you're at a loss for spells to use. But from the way you explain things, it sounds like you just don't have any interest in dealing with the drawbacks that are inherent with such strong spells. It's called balancing. And I'm really blown away by how many people claim magic isn't powerful in Pillars, it's ridiculously powerful if used correctly. 

[jools1980]

Hello.

 

2. I am not very fond of magic characters and I feel magic sucks in this game overall, for the particular reason 90% of spells force you to get into melee range for casting, thus enabling baddies to get to you up close and personal. No good at all. Non buffing spells don't feel specially powerful either (at last for me). Last try was with Grieving Mother. Meh. Not impressed at all.

 

 

I have to disagree. There are a few close-up spells, and a lot of long distance. There is generally a decent balance between single-target, aoe, and "cone/fan/trajectory" spells (directional aoe? not sure what to call these), depending on which caster class we're talking about. I find that there are enough long range spells, both single-target and aoe, to satisfy my appetite for destruction.

 

I play as a melee and I keep GM and Hiravias as casters in my party: the former has some nice (read: devastating) single-target spells and the ultra-cool single-target-then-bounce Mind Blades, while the latter has a few very useful long-range aoe damage spells, a few healing ones, can shapeshift into a death-dealing beast, and is very very flexible in its usefulness.

 

Otherwise, you can just use Aloth as the stereotypical "glass cannon": let your melees engage the enemies first, make sure you keep him way at the back (some mobs tend to rush casters no matter what, if they're "near-ish"), and once the fight has started let him drop fireball after fireball, or those magic missiles/necrotic lance (if you need single target). I personally don't like him as a companion and I find him way less flexible than GM or Hiravias, hence my decision to leave him out of the party, but that's personal preference really.

Edited April 15, 2015 by jools1980

[Exyll]

Mage spells require them to get WAY too close to the frontlines to cast them, I like all my people to level at the same time 

Wha tI do for new games is run right thru that starter location, collectiing everything as I go but engaging no enemies, get to town sell everything

(anyone know how much that Engwithian gem is worth? I use it to get the cloak, which is worth 300 alone) Usually I have juuuuust enough to buy 5 companions.

Then the adventure begins

Edited April 15, 2015 by Exyll

[Jimmysdabestcop]

Yes, but they all have ongoing quests that I would like to solve (getting xp).

 

 

But you don't need all of them in your party at the same time to solve thier side quests. Just add someone to party finish the quest for the Act you are in. Then send him back and get a different NPC. Rinse and Repeat.I mean if you want to do all of of their quests you have to do that anyway since there are more than 5 NPC's.

 

So feel free to add a created character or 2 and just add them into the rotation.

[SlayerDorian]

Mage spells require them to get WAY too close to the frontlines to cast them, I like all my people to level at the same time 

Wha tI do for new games is run right thru that starter location, collectiing everything as I go but engaging no enemies, get to town sell everything

(anyone know how much that Engwithian gem is worth? I use it to get the cloak, which is worth 300 alone) Usually I have juuuuust enough to buy 5 companions.

Then the adventure begins

Nice, I'll have to try this on my next playthrough.  Currently my custom party members are of varying levels due to my funds not quite being enough right away.  I know it'll even out just fine later on, though.  There is no shortage of exp to be earned in this game.

[Empyron]

The experience malus shouldn't really be that much of a drawback. As said, your created hirelings are probably superior in terms of stats/talents anyway and eventually everyone gets to be level 12 anyway.

 

But do I understand that correctly: you think magic and especially Cyphers are underwhelming? What kind of planet-melting, galaxy-destroying powers do you expect from your magic users?

 

Have you ever heard of a man named Steven Strange?