First run at this game, a little overwhelmed making my cipher

[azmodael]

Hello community,

 

I am a long time RPG player, including both computer and PnP RPGs. Thus I have experience with these types of games. However...

 

I do feel a bit overwhelmed, mainly by the lack of proper descriptions in this game. I decided to start with a ranged Cipher character. I read a few threads around this forum and have an idea what talents/spells are good picks.

 

Skills, however, are a mystery to me. I want to ask - how many points does a character get? Because I want to put a few points in Athletics, Mechanics, Stealth, Lore... you get the idea.

 

Now, I understand it might be better to focus and use NPCs to fill the holes, but I have no knowledge of what NPCs there are.

 

My question is - between how many skills can I split my points and still function late game? I was thinking of getting Mechanics max, Lore up to 10 and some points in Stealth and Athletics. Is it doable?

 

Also how's that for an attribute spread for my Wood Elf (i really really like the female elf model) Cipher:

 

Might 16

Constitution 5

Dexterity 15

Perception 8

Intelligence 17(+1)

Resolve 16

[MoxyWoo]

Skills, however, are a mystery to me. I want to ask - how many points does a character get? Because I want to put a few points in Athletics, Mechanics, Stealth, Lore... you get the idea.

 

- 3 points Athletics is pretty mandatory.  Mechanics is nice to have on one character to get to 10 in it total (save points) but it doesn't have to be your main.  I'd also say for a Cipher at range the Lore skill is nice for scrolls, but they rarely have nothing to do.

 

Now, I understand it might be better to focus and use NPCs to fill the holes, but I have no knowledge of what NPCs there are.

 

-NPCs are Wizard > Fighter > Priest > Chanter early gotten.  So I like to make one custom character at the inn.

-Ranger > Druid > Cipher > Paladin.  This can vary a little bit on picking order, though the ranger is usually gotten first.

-Bigger meta sense:  1 tank, 2 bad offtanks possible (Chanter not statted for it, Paladin is just a mess), 4-5 dps/support.

 

My question is - between how many skills can I split my points and still function late game? I was thinking of getting Mechanics max, Lore up to 10 and some points in Stealth and Athletics. Is it doable?

 

-6 per level up, with 11 level ups.  66 points total.  1+2+3... etc for the ranks and then add in bonuses. For a Cipher who has +2 in Lore/Mechanics, buying 8 ranks is 36 points for each.  That said, rest bonuses, items, etc can get you further.  Personally I like leaving Mechanics up to a NPC because Lore helps conversation, and actually having some survival is handy for unlocks as well.  There was maybe 1? mechanics related conversation.

 

Also how's that for an attribute spread for my Wood Elf (i really really like the female elf model) Cipher:

 

-Looks great!  And have fun!

Edited April 26, 2015 by MoxyWoo

[Jimmysdabestcop]

If you are going full ranged Cipher you don't really need Resolve. Since you will be back in the line. And Cipher have good range on spells. No matter what you will be squishy. So might as well drop Con all the way to 3 instead of 5. Max Int, Dex, and Might. Per and Res can stay 10.

 

Talent you take marksman first more accuracy for spells just like the wood elf's racial bonus. Then you could weapon focus soldier and use either the Arbalest Arquebus. Now some people like to go Blunderbuss because you can recover Focus faster. But unless you are playing potd I never needed to recover focus that much.

 

The Cipher has a lot of AoE disabling spells. Paralyze or Prone etc. Then later mass confusion. Which will allow the rest of the team to take them out pretty fast. I rather have my Cipher hitting as hard as possible with the ranged weapon. Getting focus wasn't even an issue for me on hard.

 

Either way you will still need the Gunner talent as well for faster reloads on all crossbows and guns. So marksman, gunner, and whatever weapon focus talent. The rest can be your cipher talents. increase max focus and focus gained per hit etc.

 

You also pick up a Priest. Dont under estimate his trap spells. They even work on bosses. Pretty disabling. I played more disabling spells/attacks then mass AoE damage spells overall I guess.

[Crucis]

Hello community,

 

I am a long time RPG player, including both computer and PnP RPGs. Thus I have experience with these types of games. However...

 

I do feel a bit overwhelmed, mainly by the lack of proper descriptions in this game. I decided to start with a ranged Cipher character. I read a few threads around this forum and have an idea what talents/spells are good picks.

 

Skills, however, are a mystery to me. I want to ask - how many points does a character get? Because I want to put a few points in Athletics, Mechanics, Stealth, Lore... you get the idea.

 

Now, I understand it might be better to focus and use NPCs to fill the holes, but I have no knowledge of what NPCs there are.

 

My question is - between how many skills can I split my points and still function late game? I was thinking of getting Mechanics max, Lore up to 10 and some points in Stealth and Athletics. Is it doable?

 

Also how's that for an attribute spread for my Wood Elf (i really really like the female elf model) Cipher:

 

Might 16

Constitution 5

Dexterity 15

Perception 8

Intelligence 17(+1)

Resolve 16

 

Skills:  Like Moxy said, 3 points in Athletics is essentially mandatory.  That said, you shouldn't feel obliged to take them all at once.  But do get them fairly quickly in your progression.  Below 3 points in Athletics, the best way to describe such a character is that they're out of shape and get tired easily.  At 3 points, characters are in pretty good shape and won't tire easily.

 

Don't bother putting points into Mechanics, unless you intend to make the character a traps and locks master.  And then you'll need to start pumping something like over 80% of your skill points into the Mechanics skill to be good at it.  It's basically an all or nothing skill.  It's not a skill that worth putting a couple of points into. 

 

I personally think that having a few points in Stealth is useful, though it can depend on one's personal play style.  Do you like sneaking around on maps, or do you just boldly go where no one has gone before?    If you're into the sneaky method, then having some stealth on everyone is good.  And it doesn't hurt to have one character who is excellent at stealth for the sake of being a scout.

 

Lore can be useful for being able to cast spells from scrolls, so a few points in it is useful.  It's something like 2 points in Lore for every scroll spell level.  That is, if you have only 2 points in Lore, you can only cast level 1 spells from scrolls.  Everyone doesn't need a LOT of Lore, though it doesn't hurt to have someone with strong Lore skills.

 

Survival isn't a critical skill, IMO.  There are dialog options tied to it (ditto for other skills).  And Survival extends the duration of various potions and "food" potions.  That said, you can get by just fine without any points in Survival.  It's not a bad place to put a spare point or so here and there though.

 

As for Skill points, you get 6 skill points per level when you level up.  And you do NOT have to spend them.  If you don't spend them, they carry over to the next time you level up, which is important because each point in a Skill gets progressively more expensive in terms of skill points.  So after a while, you'll see that it takes more than 6 skill points to by a point in a a skill.  So you need to save the your earned skill points for the next level up when you'll have more than 6 and be able to afford that more expensive next point in Mechanics or whatever.

 

 

 

As for Companion NPCs, there are 8 of them.  A Fighter, a Priest, a Wizard, a Chanter, a Cipher, a Druid, a Ranger, and a Paladin.  They're all playable as is, in spite of the claims of others.  And IMO, the Paladin, named Pallegine, is entirely playable.  Some people seem to have the opinion that unless a Companion is an epitome of min-maxed stathood, then that Companion is useless, sucks, and all other sorts of hyperbole.  Don't listen to them.  None of the Companions is perfect, but they're all completely playable as is. 

 

 

And yes, a Wood Elf is a very good choice for a ranged Cipher.  Heck, a wood elf is a solid choice for any character you intend to be a ranged combatant.

[azmodael]

Thanks everyone for the insights.

 

Main reason I got high resolve is because I read that it is involved in conversations. I can optimise for DPS on my NPCs, I want my main character to experience the most out of the writing style, but without gimping him totally by getting perception AND resolve.

 

I think I will drop mechanics altogether and level it up on an NPC - will probably buy a Rogue and make him scout + spotter. I will try giving every character a few points in stealth see how it goes - might equip guns/X-bows on all characters and open with stealth salvos on enemies