[Speculation] Starting Level, Imported Equipment and More

[JerekKruger]

So from the second stretch goal we know that the unstretched level cap in Deadfire was going to be 16. This is the same as the level cap in PoE if you have both expansions which suggests to me that the level scale is a different one to that in PoE. What I wonder is at what level a new character will start Deadfire at and whether imported characters will start any higher than newly created ones. Here's how I see it:

• Option one: every character starts at level 1. This is probably the best option from a balance perspective but it leads to a bit of a disconnect when compared to the Watcher in PoE, particularly if the player played one or both of the expansions. Of course I would assume level 1 would be scaled up in power, but I doubt Obsidian would make a level 1 with 6+ abilities so it's still going to feel like a downgrade from the end of PoE.
• Option two: we start somewhere around level 6-8, a bit like in BG2. If this is the case imported characters could perhaps start higher on the scale as they have done in games like MotB or BG2, though if the scale is a new one then it might be better (from a difficulty balancing perspective) to have them all start at the same level. The problem with this is that it puts up a barrier to entry in that character creation becomes a lot longer (significantly more choices need to be made), but it's a low enough level that it shouldn't be too slow so hopefully wouldn't put off too many potential new players.
• Option three: perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps Obsidian are sticking to the same level scale as PoE. If this is the case I'd suspect that newly created characters would start at level 12 (max level without expansions) but that imported ones would be at whatever level they were when they finished PoE. The reason I doubt this route is that the length of character creation becomes a significant barrier to entry (I never played MotB, despite knowing it was excellent, because my usual hesitance over creating characters was ramped up to 11), balancing difficulty will become a lot harder when you have characters ranging from 12-16, and for those who do import a level 16 character it leaves very little levelling progression to look forward to.

Thoughts?

 

Next up, on the topic of importing characters, I wonder how the huge collection of gear most people built up in PoE will be handled. In BG2 its disappearance was handled by having the character start the game imprisoned and having their gear sold off (though I don't quite believe Irenicus would care enough about money to sell gear) but the premise of Deadfire doesn't seem to lend itself to that so readily. If an imported character does get to import all their gear then that's one more pretty huge power disparity (probably more than the difference between level 12 and 16) that Obsidian have to balance difficulty around. What do people think? Will Obsidian find a way to remove most/all gear from the Watcher or will we be starting Deadfire with lots of cool stuff?

 

Finally, companions. If we hit the 1.8 million stretch goal (which seems all but inevitable at this point) we'll be getting a seventh companion. What I am wondering is if that's seven in total, or seven new ones. The reason I am not certain is because of a Tweet (I think) Josh made saying that if you sacrificed a companion to the Effigy in PoE you shouldn't expect to see their return in PoE2. At the moment it looks like we're getting three returning companions (Aloth, Edér and Pallegina*) but that could be cut down to two by Effigy sacrifice, and realistically down to one depending on Aloth's ending (I won't spoil, but one of his endings doesn't really fit with him returning in my opinion). If those three are counted in the seven companions then their absence would be a pretty big hit to the number of companions in the game. What I am wondering is whether perhaps the seven refer to seven new companions excluding Aloth, Edér and Pallegina. Thoughts?

 

*I'm actually really pleased to see Pallegina's return. Her character wasn't well developed in PoE but I liked the idea of her and he VA and model were cool. I hope she'll get a chance to properly shine in Deadfire.

[Ganrich]

They've said Eothas saps your soul when he wakes up, and leaves you close to death. This will leave players starting from level 1, again. Those are the broad strokes, but we don't know more details for spoiler reasons according to Josh Sawyer.

 

Edit: gear is an unknown. I don't want to start at level one and be twinked with a bunch of high level gear, but ymmv.

 

Edit 2: I should have finished the post. I'm sorry for that. Companions are Eder, Aloth, and Pallegina + 3 more (4 when we hit Xoti's stretch goal), and there may be an eighth "if" they have another companion Stretch goal.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Ganrich

[Ganrich]

And they just hit the Xoti stretch goal. So, the 3 returning companions + 4 new companions is the current number.

[CottonWolf]

You may not lose all your progress in 1 depending on how you do it. There are talents that you could get through quests that they might let you keep. Gift from the Machine, the gods boons from the endgame, etc. We'll see whether they strip literally everything.

 

Also, before the Xoti goal, presumably if you'd not recruited the original 3, there wouldn't even have been a full party's worth of companions in Deadfire.

Edited January 31, 2017 by CottonWolf

[Archaven]

You may not lose all your progress in 1 depending on how you do it. There are talents that you could get through quests that they might let you keep. Gift from the Machine, the gods boons from the endgame, etc. We'll see whether they strip literally everything.

 

Also, before the Xoti goal, presumably if you'd not recruited the original 3, there wouldn't even have been a full party's worth of companions in Deadfire.

 

Yeap.. that is kind of ridiculous if you asked me. You wouldn't even have a full party if Xoti goal was not hit. Perhaps that's also ONE of the reason to reduce the number of characters to 5 if all previous companions: Eder, Aloth, Pallegina were not present in Deadfire.

[Varana]

I thought restarting at level 1 was a known fact?

 

That thing with the gear: The way you're asking should make the answer pretty obvious. No, we won't keep that high-level gear.

How stuff gets removed? By being a new game. *poff*, it's gone.

[Sedrefilos]

No need for speculation. Sawyer confirmed we start at level 1 and companions are around level of pc the time we meet them.

[Ganrich]

 

You may not lose all your progress in 1 depending on how you do it. There are talents that you could get through quests that they might let you keep. Gift from the Machine, the gods boons from the endgame, etc. We'll see whether they strip literally everything.

 

Also, before the Xoti goal, presumably if you'd not recruited the original 3, there wouldn't even have been a full party's worth of companions in Deadfire.

 

 

Yeap.. that is kind of ridiculous if you asked me. You wouldn't even have a full party if Xoti goal was not hit. Perhaps that's also ONE of the reason to reduce the number of characters to 5 if all previous companions: Eder, Aloth, Pallegina were not present in Deadfire.

Aloth is impossible to miss, but you can not accept him (I believe) into the party or kick him out. He might still show up even if you did one those things, though.

 

Eder is really hard to miss.

 

Pallegina is easy to miss.

 

I highly doubt many, if any, people missed all three in their play through. Even still they might show up regardless unless you sacrificed them or they were killed. So, I think they will show up unless they are dead. They will likely have something to say if you didn't part on the best of terms, though.

[JerekKruger]

No need for speculation. Sawyer confirmed we start at level 1 and companions are around level of pc the time we meet them.

 

My bad, I only discovered that Deadfire had been announced yesterday.

 

I am glad we're starting at level 1 as the level scale in PoE felt fairly bloated by the end of the expansions.

[Archaven]

 

 

You may not lose all your progress in 1 depending on how you do it. There are talents that you could get through quests that they might let you keep. Gift from the Machine, the gods boons from the endgame, etc. We'll see whether they strip literally everything.

 

Also, before the Xoti goal, presumably if you'd not recruited the original 3, there wouldn't even have been a full party's worth of companions in Deadfire.

 

Yeap.. that is kind of ridiculous if you asked me. You wouldn't even have a full party if Xoti goal was not hit. Perhaps that's also ONE of the reason to reduce the number of characters to 5 if all previous companions: Eder, Aloth, Pallegina were not present in Deadfire.

Aloth is impossible to miss, but you can not accept him (I believe) into the party or kick him out. He might still show up even if you did one those things, though.

 

Eder is really hard to miss.

 

Pallegina is easy to miss.

 

I highly doubt many, if any, people missed all three in their play through. Even still they might show up regardless unless you sacrificed them or they were killed. So, I think they will show up unless they are dead. They will likely have something to say if you didn't part on the best of terms, though.

 

 

Aloth is interesting one.. will we be seeing Iselmyr again?

[Ganrich]

You really can't have Aloth without Iselmyr. So, I'd say absolutely. I think Iselmyr is too integrated into him to have him be cured or anything like that.

[amazeing4art]

What's the latest news with character migration to Deadfire and general reward talents? Has Josh or anyone spoken lately about being able to keep things like Gift From the Machine, Dungeon Delver, Song of the Heavens, Mental Prowess, etc?

 

Personally I think it would be really great if you got to keep those earned talents ... would be a minor perk for those of us who played through the original Pillars all the way. And be nice for continuity of your character. None of those talents are class specific either. I suppose carrying them into Deadfire could be restricted to importing from POTD playthroughs, possibly.

[blotter]

Some of them will be reappearing, but Sawyer said you won't necessarily have them from the start. Rather, you might regain them as you advance in level or through the story.

 

As far as specifics go, I think that Gift from the Machine and the Effigy's Resentment were mentioned as examples (probably also the gods' blessings, but my memory's less clear about those). I hope they transfer them all over, but at the moment they appear to be leaving themselves some leeway in regards to which reward talents make it back.

[Aleh1811]

they said the size of the game is roughly the same as the original which without expansions is only 12 levels. deadfire is suppose to be 20 levels, does that mean we will level up extremely quickly or the cap will be very hard to hit?

[FlintlockJazz]

they said the size of the game is roughly the same as the original which without expansions is only 12 levels. deadfire is suppose to be 20 levels, does that mean we will level up extremely quickly or the cap will be very hard to hit?

More adventures and things to do within those areas mayhaps?  Athkatla in Baldur's Gate 2 was pretty dense with the adventures within it, maybe they are going for a similar level of density.

[Ninjamestari]

No to imported equipment and level, I want a clean start.

[Sedrefilos]

they said the size of the game is roughly the same as the original which without expansions is only 12 levels. deadfire is suppose to be 20 levels, does that mean we will level up extremely quickly or the cap will be very hard to hit?

Well with uncharted islands in, I thing it'll be larger than the 1st.

[Tigranes]

Option 1. 

 

Just make a good game. Why do I need experience and items from POE1? I got my enjoyment out of those things during POE1, I'm excited to play a new game and level up and get new items. No need to create balance headaches.

[Leeuwenhart]

 

they said the size of the game is roughly the same as the original which without expansions is only 12 levels. deadfire is suppose to be 20 levels, does that mean we will level up extremely quickly or the cap will be very hard to hit?

Well with uncharted islands in, I thing it'll be larger than the 1st.

 

Its been said that leveling up will go faster

[boffmoffet]

I am really hoping that the Berath's Breath or whatever they are calling New Game+ will feature the ability to select a POE1 soulbound item to start with.

 

*edit AFTER your first playthough, I am a big proponent for clean slate starts for balance sakes.

Edited March 3, 2017 by boffmoffet

[injurai]

Starting items should be briefs and bras. You start the game drunk in the last hand of a game of strip poker. You've lost your items and armor. Defeated, you struggle your way out the back door of the bar only to notice the sunrising and the née poker minute crew sailing away with your ship.

​

​"He Watcher!" Cries someone to your right. "Long time no see, not since Eothas caught up on his sleep. Something you seem due for yourself. Say... where's your pants?" Edér eyes you top to bottom. You pass out.

[rjshae]

All of your prisoners have been released from the Caed Nua gaol and they now proceed to thoroughly beat the living snot out of you. 1 injury per prisoner.

[rjshae]

Okay, so a question occurred to me: during my current play-through I never recruited Pallegina as I'm doing the run with a different cast of characters. Does this mean that she will be effectively "dead" during PoE2? Or can I meet her anew with a clean dialogue that doesn't assume prior knowledge?

[JerekKruger]

Okay, so a question occurred to me: during my current play-through I never recruited Pallegina as I'm doing the run with a different cast of characters. Does this mean that she will be effectively "dead" during PoE2? Or can I meet her anew with a clean dialogue that doesn't assume prior knowledge?

 

My guess: she'll be alive, but I doubt Obsidian will have included a "never met" clause so she'll probably act like you've travelled together. Of course, they might read this and add one in now.