Permanent paralyze by critter?

[Bleak]

I know this game isn't balanced around solo play but I have played solo in every other crpg out there but never encountered this kind of thing. How am I supposed to beat Xuarip skirmishers? They always seem to hit, always paralyze on hit, refresh paralysis duration on hit and there seem to be no diminishing returns of any kind. It seems ridiculously overpowered.

 

I have a wizard, I cast arcane veil and mirror image before it hits me, I cast curse of blindness on it and still I always get permanently paralyzed. Is a priest a must-have? Is there no other way for me to beat this thing?

 

Can't you balance it a little for solo without affecting group play? For example by having a "lone wolf" talent, active only when you are alone, that raises your resistances to these ridiculously overpowered CC when one does not have a priest around?

[PrimeJunta]

Summons.

[Bleak]

Summons.

 

I am a level 4 wizard, don't have any :/

Is it possible to go through the first areas with a wizard? 

 

By luring trolls to the bandit camp, luring spiders into the almighty stags, somehow I managed to get to level 4. I have had a good time until now, it was hard yes and I reloaded a LOT, but these skirmishers just feel broken...

 

Also I have 16 perception and it seems like only 4/10 spells hit. Any tips on that?

 

Edit: Ah just met the phantoms. Same thing it seems.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Bleak

[Infinitron]

Where are you in the game? Go do something else, get some levels.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Infinitron

[Bleak]

I have cleared the surrounding forests. I only can go to Caed Nua/Anslog's or Raedric's hold from what I can see - I am level 4 with 2.5k for the next level.

But Caed nua has phantoms which do the exact same thing as skirmishers. 1 hit = death, since they perma-stun you.

 

I use Eldritch aim so that the blind hits them all... arcane veil etc... Even when blinded though they still manage to hit me and it's game over. Even if they didn't manage to hit me there is no way I have the firepower to kill them all in the short time they are blinded (int=18).

 

I almost never give up but these status effects look ridiculous to me. Has anyone played potd solo wizard? The difficulty is just right in all other encounters but I can't see any way to overcome these 1 hit kill creatures. Am I missing something here? 

Edited November 30, 2015 by Bleak

[Doppelschwert]

It sounds like you are playing the game blind, that is, you haven't played it before?

 

Solo potd is mostly about using metagame knowledge and sneaking away from fights that are difficult to take on, especially early. You're not supposed to kill all the creatures at that point, since the majority of exp comes from quests, not encounters.

 

You should see if there are some items that lets you use summons and use scrolls to get past Caed Nua, afterwards the game gets easier. There is also a thread about potd solo if you use the forum search that has some tips.

 

If you can't do it, then you should consider playing on a lower difficulty.

I mean, what do you expect if you insist on playing solo in a game that is balanced for group play on the highest difficulty ?

People that are not used to the game struggle on this difficulty even with a full party.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Doppelschwert

[Bleak]

The difficulty feels good in general - except the monsters that perma-stun you. If I reduce the difficulty everything else would feel too easy. For example a group of 5 shadows is just at the right difficulty and the fight will be enjoyable. But a skirmisher or a phantom alone would kill me without me being able to do anything.

 

I've sneaked through the levels in raedric's hold, killed the zombies and whatever else I could etc. Can I go to new areas without doing Caed Nua? I searched for walkthrough guides to see if I am missing something but I only seem to be able to find class guides or Paths guides.

 

I also have the same stats as this guy here https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/78467-class-build-wizard-solo-potd/. 

Thanks for the replies btw.

[PrimeJunta]

 

Summons.

 

I am a level 4 wizard, don't have any :/

 

Buy an item for it. It costs a bundle, but if you scrimp/save/murder backer NPC's for their fancy gear you ought to be able to scrape it together.

[Bleak]

 

 

Summons.

 

I am a level 4 wizard, don't have any :/

 

Buy an item for it. It costs a bundle, but if you scrimp/save/murder backer NPC's for their fancy gear you ought to be able to scrape it together.

 

 

Aha! Yes I saw that 5k figurine at the shop but I am a little short on cash. So they have expensive stuff on them? Thanks for the tip!

 

PS: Something should be done about these creatures though, they are definitely broken, it's not a matter of difficulty anymore. 8 second duration stun being refreshed even before it ends without diminishing returns and being able to keep you perma stunned even while blinded is perhaps a bit too much for a critter. I have played almost every crpg out there and this is the most irrational mechanic I have seen.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Bleak

[Fenixp]

It's not a bad design in a game which is designed around party play as opposed to solo play. Paralysis of some party members introduces new challenges you need to overcome. You're right that it would be bad design in a character action game, but Pillars of Eternity is not that.

Edited November 30, 2015 by Fenixp

[Bleak]

It's not a bad design in a game which is designed around party play as opposed to solo play. Paralysis of some party members introduces new challenges you need to overcome. You're right that it would be bad design in a character action game, but Pillars of Eternity is not that.

 

True, but it would still be nice if it was balanced a little more for some solo play without affecting group play, perhaps with a solo talent. Other crpgs weren't balanced for solo either but even if they were hard to solo they weren't downright impossible. At least with a wizard, from what I can see here on the forums it isn't a very powerful class and not very suitable for soloing.

 

PS:Killing backers reduces my reputation

Edited November 30, 2015 by Bleak

[anameforobsidian]

Wizards are super, ridiculously powerful in a party.  Slicken alone is amazing crowd control for the entire game.  That doesn't make them the best soloing class.  I've found that classes with escape moves and high damage work very well.  However, people have soloed the game with every class. 

[PrimeJunta]

True, but it would still be nice if it was balanced a little more for some solo play without affecting group play, perhaps with a solo talent.

You need to build a solo character differently than a party character. In particular you can't afford to dump your defences.

 

Other crpgs weren't balanced for solo either but even if they were hard to solo they weren't downright impossible. At least with a wizard, from what I can see here on the forums it isn't a very powerful class and not very suitable for soloing.

It's not impossible and wizards aren't weak. There are plenty of people here who have soloed successfully with a wiz at all difficulties. Here's a thread with someone doing a Triple Crown Solo with a wizard: https://www.reddit.com/r/projecteternity/comments/3fwc9c/triple_crown_solo_wizard_help_needed_in_temple_of/

 

Also, don't forget that you're not actually _obliged_ to kill everything in the game.

 

Edit: here's another discussion with someone casually mentioning they did a TCS with a wiz https://www.reddit.com/r/projecteternity/comments/311q2e/triple_crown_solo_builds/

Edited December 1, 2015 by PrimeJunta

[Bleak]

Hm interesting, want to see how they managed to kill the phantom groups at caed nua. 

I killed the phantoms in the courtyard but I used a very cheesy kiting method which I am not happy about.

Sword and shield hmm...I will try to find a wizard that has passed that spot. Maybe confusion is the key to beating these things.

 

PS: The spell miss rate though is horrendous. Approximately 1/5 spells hit my targets with 16 perception... and not much better rate with eldritch aim on. Never had problems with difficulty, it's ok if I don't play as I should, die and reload but I am tired of reloading because of spell misses tbh, I'll just roll another class, this one just feels broken.

 

Edit: Rolled a barbarian - feels way easier.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Bleak

[Bleak]

 

True, but it would still be nice if it was balanced a little more for some solo play without affecting group play, perhaps with a solo talent.

You need to build a solo character differently than a party character. In particular you can't afford to dump your defences.

 

Other crpgs weren't balanced for solo either but even if they were hard to solo they weren't downright impossible. At least with a wizard, from what I can see here on the forums it isn't a very powerful class and not very suitable for soloing.

It's not impossible and wizards aren't weak. There are plenty of people here who have soloed successfully with a wiz at all difficulties. Here's a thread with someone doing a Triple Crown Solo with a wizard: https://www.reddit.com/r/projecteternity/comments/3fwc9c/triple_crown_solo_wizard_help_needed_in_temple_of/

 

Also, don't forget that you're not actually _obliged_ to kill everything in the game.

 

Edit: here's another discussion with someone casually mentioning they did a TCS with a wiz https://www.reddit.com/r/projecteternity/comments/311q2e/triple_crown_solo_builds/

 

 

Actually he is dying in temple lvl 1 on the first link. I have completed the temple. And in the second link he is playing on normal. And both are before nerfs.... I doubt a wizard can do it atm.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Bleak

[brindle88]

Wizards are super, ridiculously powerful in a party.  Slicken alone is amazing crowd control for the entire game.  That doesn't make them the best soloing class.  I've found that classes with escape moves and high damage work very well.  However, people have soloed the game with every class.

 

Has anyone soloed the game with a barbarian on POTD? Would be hard.

[Bleak]

 

Wizards are super, ridiculously powerful in a party.  Slicken alone is amazing crowd control for the entire game.  That doesn't make them the best soloing class.  I've found that classes with escape moves and high damage work very well.  However, people have soloed the game with every class.

Has anyone soloed the game with a barbarian on POTD? Would be hard.

 

 

Almost all TCS I have seen are barbarian...

[anameforobsidian]

 

Wizards are super, ridiculously powerful in a party.  Slicken alone is amazing crowd control for the entire game.  That doesn't make them the best soloing class.  I've found that classes with escape moves and high damage work very well.  However, people have soloed the game with every class.

Has anyone soloed the game with a barbarian on POTD? Would be hard.

 

 

I did it before expansion came out.  Moonlike barbs have high surviveability.  I used the rush talent to pull enemies / run away.  Add in some retribution gear, and you have a lot of health and damage.

Edited December 2, 2015 by anameforobsidian

[brindle88]

 

 

Wizards are super, ridiculously powerful in a party.  Slicken alone is amazing crowd control for the entire game.  That doesn't make them the best soloing class.  I've found that classes with escape moves and high damage work very well.  However, people have soloed the game with every class.

 

Has anyone soloed the game with a barbarian on POTD? Would be hard.

 

Almost all TCS I have seen are barbarian...

Can you post any links to prove this?

[Bleak]

 

 

 

Wizards are super, ridiculously powerful in a party.  Slicken alone is amazing crowd control for the entire game.  That doesn't make them the best soloing class.  I've found that classes with escape moves and high damage work very well.  However, people have soloed the game with every class.

Has anyone soloed the game with a barbarian on POTD? Would be hard.

 

Almost all TCS I have seen are barbarian...

Can you post any links to prove this?

 

https://steamcommunity.com/app/291650/discussions/0/618458030661948964/?l=polish

 

Here's one of the top results - don't have time to search for the others I have seen but you will find them easily with a google/youtube search.

[brindle88]

 

 

 

 

Wizards are super, ridiculously powerful in a party.  Slicken alone is amazing crowd control for the entire game.  That doesn't make them the best soloing class.  I've found that classes with escape moves and high damage work very well.  However, people have soloed the game with every class.

 

Has anyone soloed the game with a barbarian on POTD? Would be hard.

 

Almost all TCS I have seen are barbarian...

Can you post any links to prove this?

https://steamcommunity.com/app/291650/discussions/0/618458030661948964/?l=polish

 

Here's one of the top results - don't have time to search for the others I have seen but you will find them easily with a google/youtube search.

On my solo play throughs ( and other peoples attempts) I found it incredibly hard to solo with a barb, far harder then other classes.

 

It must have taken these people a really long time to complete this using the barb to solo ........a really long time