Is there a reason Boots of Evasion exist?

[spardeous]

This is quite literally the worst item and the biggest waste of a slot I've come across so far in Pillars.

[wanderon]

What's not to like? A nice pair of boots you can wear until something better comes along for that monster reflex boost and then grab 110 c for them which will almost pay for a nice room bonus someplace.

 

Win/ Win eh?

[Leferd]

What's not to like? A nice pair of boots you can wear until something better comes along for that monster reflex boost and then grab 110 c for them which will almost pay for a nice room bonus someplace.

 

Win/ Win eh?

Then again, to be fair...Only +2 to Reflex is pretty weak. Maybe bump up the reflex bonus a bit?

[Elerond]

 

What's not to like? A nice pair of boots you can wear until something better comes along for that monster reflex boost and then grab 110 c for them which will almost pay for a nice room bonus someplace.

 

Win/ Win eh?

Then again, to be fair...Only +2 to Reflex is pretty weak. Maybe bump up the reflex bonus a bit?

 

 

And usually when you find a pair you have already found better boots for everyone.

[Teioh_White]

I always just sorta took them as basically hitting the 'lose a turn' option when opening the RNG (well, day based) loots. Instead of just having nothing on some days, you get a extremely weak item when you could've instead gotten a nice ring of deflection at least.

[spardeous]

Why are they even considered magical? They're about 1/8th as effective as a minor magical item, marginally boosting your ability to react by *gasp* providing slightly better traction than a bare foot!

Jokes aside, they're basically just boots.

Edited September 16, 2015 by spardeous

[wanderon]

They are the booby prize - no game should be without some!

[drunetovich]

As we have lots of "of protection" capes\rings that give +5/+10 to every def, the value of items that give single def stat at +2/+3 is questionable at best. Would really like to see items that could boost single def for +20/+30 as opposed to items that give +10 to all.

[Infinitron]

They're so bad this thread might belong in the Tech Support subforum.

[Vorad]

They are the booby prize - no game should be without some!

Hey I got those nice boots of +1 constitution those are really awsome since not only you get a +2 on your fortitude but you also get some minor health that could save you from lethal damage as well... now those are the true booby prize! aaaaand you get them early game! HA!

[Rathlord]

Counterpoint- not every item in an RPG needs to be min/maxed to be the best possible use of the slot. I'm still using these on my 11th level party because I haven't found "awesome" boots for everyone, and my casters don't usually use rings or caps of protection.

 

Honestly, I'd rather see boatloads more of this kind of thing and less of the OP insta-best-in-slot items. Then getting magical items could be a bit more common, and getting *awesome* magic items could be awesome again, instead of "oh cool Ring of Protection #5, now I just need 1 more."

[Pelmaleon]

Like Rathlord said, not every unique item needs to be good, great, or insanely powerful in a single player game. This item (and others) flesh out the magical world a bit more by putting in items enchanted by lowly wizards. It's a nice, immersion-building touch by the devs.

[spardeous]

Like Rathlord said, not every unique item needs to be good, great, or insanely powerful in a single player game. This item (and others) flesh out the magical world a bit more by putting in items enchanted by lowly wizards. It's a nice, immersion-building touch by the devs.

I don't find them to be immersion enhancing. If they were going for immersive, why is body armor the only thing that affects DR? Why not helm/gloves?

 

Why can't we enchant items? Why is enchanting so poorly implemented that PCs can't compete with bum wizards?

 

"Honestly, I'd rather see boatloads more of this kind of thing and less of the OP insta-best-in-slot items."

 

It's sad that this sort of thing is a problem in a game that claims to promote class diversity - my level 14 party on POTD doesn't have a single class-restricted item equipped, it's pretty much the same build on every character. In fact, the only thing stopping me from replicating the same build on every character is item availability. In terms of equipment, what is best for the goose is best for every other goose in the world.

 

Edited September 17, 2015 by spardeous

[Heijoushin]

Are we still discussing this? There are plenty of crappy items in RPGs. Like clubs. Just curious, does anyone ever build a club wielding character?

 

And as others have said, you don't get a lot of boots in the beginning. In fact, even end game, there aren't a lot of great boots in this game.

[Katarack21]

Why are they even considered magical? They're about 1/8th as effective as a minor magical item, marginally boosting your ability to react by *gasp* providing slightly better traction than a bare foot!

 

Jokes aside, they're basically just boots.

 

Uh...no....they increase your reflex, man. You see that +2 to reflex? It makes you move just slight faster when reacting on reflex. The best tread in the world won't do that, that's minor magic.

 

I usually get this item and socket it on somebody while I wait for something better to come along. It's not great, but it's not supposed to be great, it's a lowbie item. Everybody forget that NWN has Boots of Reflex +1?

Edited September 17, 2015 by Katarack21

[Teioh_White]

The only thing I really find annoying about the boots is that they can take the spot of a much better item, one that will last you the rest of the game, like Gauntlets of Accuracy or a Blunting Belt. And even then, that mostly bothers me, as if you don't try to game the 'random' loots, you can easily end the game with a team with some members slots having nothing or filler like boots of evasion, even as you approach the final dungeon.

 

If it's taking the place of something like a minor ring of deflection, that you can pick a few up normally, and would later upgrade out of anyways, it's a fine booby prize. When it's taking the spot of something that you can get 0-1 of normally, and there's no non random way to get one, it's irksome.

 

Ideally, I'd still keep the random system in place, but have some endgame merchant that has the rare items you 'whiffed' on with them for sale for very high prices, so you're not screwed entirely for not wanting to rest at the end a dozen times. By the time finish up Act 3 and move towards Act 4 (WM), i'm generally so overflowing with cash, it'd also be nice to have a cash sink at the end.

[Infinitron]

 

Why are they even considered magical? They're about 1/8th as effective as a minor magical item, marginally boosting your ability to react by *gasp* providing slightly better traction than a bare foot!

 

Jokes aside, they're basically just boots.

 

Uh...no....they increase your reflex, man. You see that +2 to reflex? It makes you move just slight faster when reacting on reflex. The best tread in the world won't do that, that's minor magic.

 

I usually get this item and socket it on somebody while I wait for something better to come along. It's not great, but it's not supposed to be great, it's a lowbie item. Everybody forget that NWN has Boots of Reflex +1?

 

 

+1 in a D20 system is equivalent to +5 in Pillars of Eternity...

[wanderon]

The only thing I really find annoying about the boots is that they can take the spot of a much better item, one that will last you the rest of the game, like Gauntlets of Accuracy or a Blunting Belt. And even then, that mostly bothers me, as if you don't try to game the 'random' loots, you can easily end the game with a team with some members slots having nothing or filler like boots of evasion, even as you approach the final dungeon.

 

If it's taking the place of something like a minor ring of deflection, that you can pick a few up normally, and would later upgrade out of anyways, it's a fine booby prize. When it's taking the spot of something that you can get 0-1 of normally, and there's no non random way to get one, it's irksome.

 

Ideally, I'd still keep the random system in place, but have some endgame merchant that has the rare items you 'whiffed' on with them for sale for very high prices, so you're not screwed entirely for not wanting to rest at the end a dozen times. By the time finish up Act 3 and move towards Act 4 (WM), i'm generally so overflowing with cash, it'd also be nice to have a cash sink at the end.

 

Where is it written that every gamer must find every single item in a single playthrough of every single game - if thats the case why not just put the items into their inventory at level x and do away with random loot altogether or better yet just put it all in a huge pile on the opening screen and let the player choose exactly what they wish to use right from the start.  smh 

[Teioh_White]

I'm a big fan of doing away with random loot altogether. RNG is a terrible system, and a dev any game should try hard not lean on it. But kudos to taking 'I dont' like RNG' and going all the way to 'I want every item at the start.' Maybe those boots of evasion give a minor boost to leaps of logic as well.

[wanderon]

I'm a big fan of doing away with random loot altogether. RNG is a terrible system, and a dev any game should try hard not lean on it. But kudos to taking 'I dont' like RNG' and going all the way to 'I want every item at the start.' Maybe those boots of evasion give a minor boost to leaps of logic as well.

 

Could it be because it sounds like the reason you don't like random drops and less than stellar equipment is because you only want all the best equipment all the time and from there it's not much of a leap at all to just provide it at the start?

[Katarack21]

 

I'm a big fan of doing away with random loot altogether. RNG is a terrible system, and a dev any game should try hard not lean on it. But kudos to taking 'I dont' like RNG' and going all the way to 'I want every item at the start.' Maybe those boots of evasion give a minor boost to leaps of logic as well.

 

Could it be because it sounds like the reason you don't like random drops and less than stellar equipment is because you only want all the best equipment all the time and from there it's not much of a leap at all to just provide it at the start?

 

Or maybe it's not about "having the best equipment all the time" and more about "never having equipment that is entirely useless"?

[wanderon]

 

 

I'm a big fan of doing away with random loot altogether. RNG is a terrible system, and a dev any game should try hard not lean on it. But kudos to taking 'I dont' like RNG' and going all the way to 'I want every item at the start.' Maybe those boots of evasion give a minor boost to leaps of logic as well.

 

Could it be because it sounds like the reason you don't like random drops and less than stellar equipment is because you only want all the best equipment all the time and from there it's not much of a leap at all to just provide it at the start?

 

Or maybe it's not about "having the best equipment all the time" and more about "never having equipment that is entirely useless"?

 

 

That would depend on whether we use the internet definition of "useless"  = anything not awesome or the actual definition which clearly would show a use for:

 

1)even a small amount of increase in reflex as it is entirely within reason to speculate that it is possible that could make the difference between passing or failing a reflex check

 

2) if your reflex is already over the top it can be sold for 100c with which you can purchase any number of useful things

 

Thus in reality they are  not in fact useless at all.

 

In fact one might further speculate that even if the boots had no bonus to reflex at all that they could be used simply to cover the adventurers feet until such time that he found something better to wear - there are in fact many adventurers young and old that take great pride in outfitting their characters properly with nice looking equipment whether or not it adds anything other than that or not.

 

Useless? I think not...

[spardeous]

 

Why are they even considered magical? They're about 1/8th as effective as a minor magical item, marginally boosting your ability to react by *gasp* providing slightly better traction than a bare foot!

 

Jokes aside, they're basically just boots.

 

Uh...no....they increase your reflex, man. You see that +2 to reflex? It makes you move just slight faster when reacting on reflex. The best tread in the world won't do that, that's minor magic.

 

I usually get this item and socket it on somebody while I wait for something better to come along. It's not great, but it's not supposed to be great, it's a lowbie item. Everybody forget that NWN has Boots of Reflex +1?

 

I think you need to stop and consider what saves are actually measuring.

 

instinct is only a small part of it, and there's no guarantee that boosts are even referring to instinct alone. By the logic you're purporting here, rocket skates would not affect your reflex score even though they would most likely cut reaction time in half. By the same logic, having a sheet of tempered metal between your head and a club moving at 80 MPH doesn't amount to any meaningful difference. Shoes? "Naw man, they just keep your feet warm."

 

Yea, it's hard to imagine why athletes and soldiers wear helmets, gloves, and shoes. I mean, what are they trying to prove?

Edited September 17, 2015 by spardeous

[Rathlord]

 

Like Rathlord said, not every unique item needs to be good, great, or insanely powerful in a single player game. This item (and others) flesh out the magical world a bit more by putting in items enchanted by lowly wizards. It's a nice, immersion-building touch by the devs.

I don't find them to be immersion enhancing. If they were going for immersive, why is body armor the only thing that affects DR? Why not helm/gloves?

 

Speaking of faulty logic and this thread:

 

"X" doesn't increase my immersion, therefor "Y"

 

Is not a particularly compelling argument. Yes, helms and gloves not giving DR might sacrifice some immersion for the sake of gameplay balance. But, sorry, you don't get that as an excuse to discount having anything add immersion to the game.

[Rathlord]

Or maybe it's not about "having the best equipment all the time" and more about "never having equipment that is entirely useless"?

 

 

See, min/maxers make a lot of excuses for what they do. Like this excuse. They aren't useless. The only time they are useless is if you've been incredibly lucky or you've been gaming the random drops and finding everything on the wiki. Sorry, I don't feel as if the devs should be compelled to balance the game around that. For all players who don't min/max, these boots will be useful in plenty of their playthroughs. There's nothing wrong with being a min/max power gamer at all- I find myself drawn to it sometimes, even- but don't pretend like this is anything other than what it is. You want every item drop to be something really strong. It's bad game design and it's poor for game balance.

 

This is a great proof of gamers having no idea what goes into good and balanced gameplay. If you make all of the loot incredibly powerful and available easily as is being argued in this thread, you might as well just delete the stats from the gear and roll it into the character. If you don't, you either have game balance requiring you to get said loot, or you have people being ridiculously strong and broken because we have the loot (which is already somewhat an issue).

 

tl;dr gamers don't know what they want and thank Gabe for devs that realize that.