Josh Sawyer Pillars of Eternity 2 Tease Thread

[PangaeaACDC]

Is his first name Geralt?

[Elric Galad]

Or Swietlny.

Swietlny Mieczyslaw.

[Infinitron]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ1Lq9sgZcB/

[Gfted1]

Bug or no it looks cool. They should turn it into an end game high level ability. The earth splits open at the feet of your enemies and fire and stone explode forth...

[anameforobsidian]

Bug or no it looks cool. They should turn it into an end game high level ability. The earth splits open at the feet of your enemies and fire and stone explode forth...

 

People already complain about the game being too flashy.  (I would like it too.)

[DreamWayfarer]

People already complain about the game being too flashy. (I would like it too.)

On the other hand, people would never complain again about it not being epic enough. Even if it was completely useless, I'd use it for the lulz.

[Messier-31]

[Infinitron]

Mechanics teases: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3706905&userid=17931&perpage=40&pagenumber=14#post464465285

 

 

RE: some of the mechanics chat in the past few pages:

 

* Straight percentage damage reduction leads to weirdness where it's more effective, e.g., to hit someone 10 times for 12 damage than once for 100 damage. It also can only "grow" so much over time and can lead to extreme damage inflation. I think it may be better to separate penetration from damage and allow relative penetration vs armor to regulate how much damage gets through (as a percentage). It would also likely be much easier to understand on the fly.

 

* Druids and priests having too many spells and too many redundant spells (especially priests) is a common complaint that we'd like to address.

 

* I don't think we need more classes, but more opportunities for distinctive types of characters within classes/subclasses. And multiclassing -- as long as we can mathematically address the common problems with A/D&D multiclassing, where they either wind up as supreme beings or piles of poo poo.

 

* We have some cool ideas for enchantment that could allow unique items to remain unique but grow (to a limited extent) within their niche.

 

[Suen]

 

Mechanics teases: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3706905&userid=17931&perpage=40&pagenumber=14#post464465285

 

 

* Druids and priests having too many spells and too many redundant spells (especially priests) is a common complaint that we'd like to address.

 

NOOOooo

Remember Deus Ex Invisible War lesson.

There is more to skills and spells than just the effect.

[WorstUsernameEver]

I don't think slightly thinning the spell selection for a couple of classes in a class-based game can be compared in completely eliminating skills and rolling them into augments (among other things) for a single-character first-person game.

 

As for whether that will work or not, I'm only in favor of reducing the spell offering of druids and priests if they actually make room for more distinctive abilities and playstyles. Right now, they do feel like differently themed variants of wizards to me, as in, you have three classes that focus predominantly on Vancian spellcasting. We'll see how that changes (if it changes at all) in PoE2 or however it'll be called.

Edited September 22, 2016 by WorstUsernameEver

[SkySlam]

 

* We have some cool ideas for enchantment that could allow unique items to remain unique but grow (to a limited extent) within their niche.

 

This looks EXTREMELY promising.

Vanilla items were really bland, then the White Marches spiced them up a lot. If the trend goes on, I believe that itemization in PoE2 will be magnificent and a kind of mini-game in its own.

[Loren Tyr]

I'd be quite for reducing the number of spells a Priest has in particular (and revamping the mechanics, but different discussion), if this coincides with different types of Priest (in their chosen God) get much more distinctive than they are now. Such that they really feel and play differently from each other much more, rather than each getting just a couple of optional talents and a unique spell thrown in and are otherwise pretty much the same.

[Infinitron]

Got more info on the new armor mechanic: http://jesawyer.tumblr.com/post/150827276636/i-think-it-may-be-better-to-separate-penetration

 

The idea is that each weapon or ability has a Penetration value for the damage types it does.  This is compared to the Armor Ratings of a target for each damage type.  The difference determines if all damage gets through, a portion of damage is absorbed, or the majority of damage is absorbed (e.g. 100%/66%/20% damage).  Of course, a target could still be Immune to a damage type.

 

There are a few potential advantages to such a system.  If Penetration and Damage are unrelated, low Damage, high Pen attacks and high Damage, low Pen attacks can exist (the former could sort of exist with Bypass in PoE, but it’s not necessarily intuitive).

 

With Pen/Armor Rating being compared, it would also be clearer to players when a damage type is great/okay/unsuitable.  Again, you can figure it out in PoE, but it’s less intuitive and mushier.

 

Lastly, it could help curtail Damage inflation.  In PoE, Damage output needed to rise to match both DR and Endurance increases.  If Pen is used to overcome AR, Damage would only need to rise to match Endurance.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Infinitron

[demeisen]

I hope they don't go too far in spell pruning.  Having a large selection is fun.  If nothing else, it helps replayability, since I can depend on different ones for a subsequent game.

​

​Removing a little near-redundancy might be OK, if in exchange we can have some nice non-combat utility spells.  *cough*lightspellsandpitchdarkdungeons*cough*.

​

​

Edited September 23, 2016 by demeisen

[Suen]

I don't think slightly thinning the spell selection for a couple of classes in a class-based game can be compared in completely eliminating skills and rolling them into augments (among other things) for a single-character first-person game.

I'd agree, but I don't believe Obsidian will go for a slightly thinning.

 

Having seen what they did to the magic system, or the hacking job to the spells lengths (curse that putrid fart that is the slow-mode), when I hear "let's cut something" I have no optimistic view on the matter.

[Infinitron]

wut

[Sannom]

 

I don't think slightly thinning the spell selection for a couple of classes in a class-based game can be compared in completely eliminating skills and rolling them into augments (among other things) for a single-character first-person game.

I'd agree, but I don't believe Obsidian will go for a slightly thinning.

 

Having seen what they did to the magic system, or the hacking job to the spells lengths (curse that putrid fart that is the slow-mode), when I hear "let's cut something" I have no optimistic view on the matter.

 

The spells' length have been reduced to avoid pre-buffing, not to make it easier or more streamlined. As for the magic system, I agree that it must be changed for the druids and priests, they have none of the limitations that Vancian casters usually have.

 

As for whether that will work or not, I'm only in favor of reducing the spell offering of druids and priests if they actually make room for more distinctive abilities and playstyles. Right now, they do feel like differently themed variants of wizards to me, as in, you have three classes that focus predominantly on Vancian spellcasting. We'll see how that changes (if it changes at all) in PoE2 or however it'll be called.

Agreed, it would be best if priests and druids could get a specific magic system like what happened with the chanters, ciphers and monks.

 

When it comes to Vancian casters, at least the Wizards still have some limitations (four spells of each level available at a given moment and spells that must be gained through leveling or grimoires), the druids and priests don't have any!

[IndiraLightfoot]

 

I don't think slightly thinning the spell selection for a couple of classes in a class-based game can be compared in completely eliminating skills and rolling them into augments (among other things) for a single-character first-person game.

I'd agree, but I don't believe Obsidian will go for a slightly thinning.

 

Having seen what they did to the magic system, or the hacking job to the spells lengths (curse that putrid fart that is the slow-mode), when I hear "let's cut something" I have no optimistic view on the matter.

 

 

Indeed. There can never be too many spells in a CRPG hearkening back to the golden oldies. Please, hands off of our assorted spell collections!

[Lychnidos]

The issue with priests and druids is a compound one, lots of spells and all of them learned instantly.

[Phenomenum]

It's will be great if priests gather some spells each level (2 or 3 spells maybe), which allow focus them on differerent tactics, depending of chosen god.
E.g.:
Magrans priest focusing on attack buffs and fire damage
Vael priest focusing on distracting enemies spells
Scaen priest focusing on domination and confusion spells

Eothas priest focusing on defensive spells and buffs
And so on.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Phenomenum

[Infinitron]

https://twitter.com/jesawyer/status/780928764205109248 What the...
 

Edited September 28, 2016 by Infinitron

[Infinitron]

https://twitter.com/jesawyer/status/783043550820769792

 

[Sedrefilos]

My finger is already over "sprint screen" key, waiting till I encounter this quest in Pillars 2. I think I'll cut it and cast a levitation spell on it to keep it in place (my finger I mean ).

[Infinitron]

The Instagram version shows more: https://www.instagram.com/p/BLHUr3EAi22/?taken-by=jesawyer1975

 

Artisans District of Revua?

Edited October 5, 2016 by Infinitron

[Sedrefilos]

The Instagram version shows more: https://www.instagram.com/p/BLHUr3EAi22/?taken-by=jesawyer1975

 

Artisans District of Revua?

So the villain is in the Vailians huh? (see what I did there? )