Custom Party Required?

[septimusiv]

Hi Guys,

 

This is my first post here I am an old player and went through all Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Torment and family:)

 

I have played pillars at Normal level, not finished yet, but kind of randomly. I would like to start it at higher difficulty.

 

Do I actually need a party made all of members I created as I've read a few times, or can I actually go through it with the NPCs I meet in the game, maybe respeccing them?

 

Thanks!

[septimusiv]

Hi Guys,

 

I am playing POE on normal level and it's pretty smooth although my party and gearing are quite messy.

I would like to start over at a higher difficulty level, but would like to understand if I can play with the companions I find in-game (my favourite option), possibily respeccing them, or I if I necessarily need to create a customize party as I've been reading.

 

Thank you!

[servantrider]

I have a file going on PotD difficulty and I'm using all the scripted partymembers and I've made it to chapter 3 and finished the White March expansion. The optional bosses have given me some trouble and there were two I don't think I can defeat.

[Rosbjerg]

You can't respec the companions you meet ingame, only the player character and those you create in inns.

 

But you can complete the game, on any difficulty, with the story companions you meet in the game. The companions you meet in the expansions work in the main game too and vice versa.

[KDubya]

You can re-spec the story companions and select their talents and abilities from level one onward. You can't change the story companion's stats without using an editor like the IE mod.

 

Try not to re-spec Eder as he will lose his free talent.

 

The story companions level one ability can't be changed. Eder always has knockdown, Kana takes the summon skeleton not the phantom. You can re-spec Durance and get rid of his level 3 Bullheaded talent which previously was the main reason that I got the IE mod

 

I like to hire two or so mercs while I am level two when I first arrive in Guilded Vale. This gets me five guys right off the bat. As I add story guys I can drop the mercs. I make a ranger and when I get Sagani I send the merc away.

[wanderon]

I also use a mix of companions and mercenaries early on until I can fill the party out with companions - this also means I have extra people (the dismissed mercs) to handle jobs associated with the Keep.

 

I started on Normal but moved up to Hard after a few restarts.

[VahnXIII]

To echo what was stated above, you CAN re-spec talents of companions (ex. weapon expertise, spells, sword and shield, etc.). You can enable this in the options screen.

 

You CANNOT change the story characters' attribute scores (might, constitution, dexterity, perception, intellect, resolve).

 

You CAN go through the game at a higher difficulty level with the story characters. A lot of people create their own team of adventurers at a higher difficulty level because they can min/max their attribute scores (create a character with 18 might, 3 constitution, 19 dexterity, 17 perception, 3 intellect and 17 resolve as an example).

 

They essentially have "dump stats". Personally, I've never played a customized party and was never partial to the min/maxing. Then again, I tend to RP a little more than the average player and could never bring myself to play a character that can kill anything with one swing of the sword but can't read a single word from a book.

 

Never enjoyed having a party comprised of inhumanly strong village idiots and anorexic spell casters of doom. 

Edited September 6, 2015 by VahnXIII

[septimusiv]

Thank you so much guys! I prefer having game npcs too!