Best Skills to get?

[prototype00]

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

[Yosharian]

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

 

Hmm, I suppose it depends on what skills the companions start with points invested in.

 

I do know that party contribution to skills functions like this:

 

Total party points/contribution to skill check person

1/1

2/2

4/3

7/4

 

So for example if you have two NPCs that each have one point in Alchemy, that's a total of 2 points, and you get an additional 2 points to your skill check.

 

You start to lose efficiency at 3 points and beyond.

[prototype00]

 

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

Hmm, I suppose it depends on what skills the companions start with points invested in.

 

I do know that party contribution to skills functions like this:

 

Total party points/contribution to skill check person

1/1

2/2

4/3

7/4

 

So for example if you have two NPCs that each have one point in Alchemy, that's a total of 2 points, and you get an additional 2 points to your skill check.

 

You start to lose efficiency at 3 points and beyond.

Hmm, there’s got to be a mathematically superior way to distribute skills...

[Juodas Varnas]

 

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

 

Hmm, I suppose it depends on what skills the companions start with points invested in.

 

I do know that party contribution to skills functions like this:

 

Total party points/contribution to skill check person

1/1

2/2

4/3

7/4

 

So for example if you have two NPCs that each have one point in Alchemy, that's a total of 2 points, and you get an additional 2 points to your skill check.

 

You start to lose efficiency at 3 points and beyond.

 

God, that's such a weird bloody system.

 

So the best way is to have 2s on everyone and everything? 

[Yosharian]

 

 

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

Hmm, I suppose it depends on what skills the companions start with points invested in.

 

I do know that party contribution to skills functions like this:

 

Total party points/contribution to skill check person

1/1

2/2

4/3

7/4

 

So for example if you have two NPCs that each have one point in Alchemy, that's a total of 2 points, and you get an additional 2 points to your skill check.

 

You start to lose efficiency at 3 points and beyond.

God, that's such a weird bloody system.

 

So the best way is to have 2s on everyone and everything?

No, not exactly

[Maxzero]

 

 

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

 

Hmm, I suppose it depends on what skills the companions start with points invested in.

 

I do know that party contribution to skills functions like this:

 

Total party points/contribution to skill check person

1/1

2/2

4/3

7/4

 

So for example if you have two NPCs that each have one point in Alchemy, that's a total of 2 points, and you get an additional 2 points to your skill check.

 

You start to lose efficiency at 3 points and beyond.

 

God, that's such a weird bloody system.

 

So the best way is to have 2s on everyone and everything? 

 

 

No it's total. You want your whole party total to have 7 to get the +4 bonus.

Edited May 10, 2018 by Maxzero

[prototype00]

So... every character has a main skill that they boost pretty high while trying to get around 2 in their off skills to get the full +4 party bonus?

 

Sounds legit.

 

Any skills that are preferably on the MC?

[Juodas Varnas]

 

 

 

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

 

Hmm, I suppose it depends on what skills the companions start with points invested in.

 

I do know that party contribution to skills functions like this:

 

Total party points/contribution to skill check person

1/1

2/2

4/3

7/4

 

So for example if you have two NPCs that each have one point in Alchemy, that's a total of 2 points, and you get an additional 2 points to your skill check.

 

You start to lose efficiency at 3 points and beyond.

 

God, that's such a weird bloody system.

 

So the best way is to have 2s on everyone and everything? 

 

 

No it's total. You want your whole party total to have 7 to get the +4 bonus.

I don't get it.

[Yosharian]

 

 

 

 

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

 

Hmm, I suppose it depends on what skills the companions start with points invested in.

 

I do know that party contribution to skills functions like this:

 

Total party points/contribution to skill check person

1/1

2/2

4/3

7/4

 

So for example if you have two NPCs that each have one point in Alchemy, that's a total of 2 points, and you get an additional 2 points to your skill check.

 

You start to lose efficiency at 3 points and beyond.

 

God, that's such a weird bloody system.

 

So the best way is to have 2s on everyone and everything? 

 

 

No it's total. You want your whole party total to have 7 to get the +4 bonus.

I don't get it.

 

 

Ok example:

 

MC has 6 points in Persuade.

 

Teammate 1 has 2 points in Persuade, Teammate 2 has 2 points in Persuade, others have no points.

 

Total teammate contribution is 4 points.  Put that through the thing I wrote above, that translates to a bonus of 3 towards the MC's roll.

 

So the MC gets 6 + 3 = 9.

 

Now imagine if everyone on your team (besides the MC, who has 6) has 2 points in Persuade.  That's 2 points per person, multiplied by 4 (4 supporting allies) that's 8.  However, 8 points is only worth a contribution of 4, because as the contributing points rise, the actual contribution falls dramatically.  So 6 + 4 = 10.

 

Here, a developer posted this:

 

 

(Total Companion Skill, Assist Bonus)

 

1, 1

2, 2

4, 3

7, 4

11, 5

16, 6

22, 7

29, 8

 

And I extrapolated this:

 

1, 1 100%

2, 2 100%

4, 3 75%

7, 4 57%

11, 5 46%

16, 6 38%

22, 7 32%

29, 8 28%

 

efficiency in terms of points invested vs skill boost result

 

So the most efficient method is to have a maximum of 2 points from any supporting companions, in any combination (so one supporter with 2, or two supporters each with 1), and it goes down dramatically from there.

Edited May 10, 2018 by Yosharian

[Dralec]

Ok Yosharian, but does it work like that only for the MC or also for the companions?

 

Say, the MC has 2 in Insight and a companion 7:

In a conversation check, will I count as a 6 (2 +4 from party assist) or as a 9 (the companion takes the lead and receives assist from the MC: 7 +2)?

 

It matters a lot... If it is the first case then it means that the MC should have points in around 4 or 5 skills and the companions should be specialized, and if it is the second then the MC can be specialized too without issue.

[Maxzero]

Ok Yosharian, but does it work like that only for the MC or also for the companions?

 

Say, the MC has 2 in Insight and a companion 7:

In a conversation check, will I count as a 6 (2 +4 from party assist) or as a 9 (the companion takes the lead and receives assist from the MC: 7 +2)?

 

It matters a lot... If it is the first case then it means that the MC should have points in around 4 or 5 skills and the companions should be specialized, and if it is the second then the MC can be specialized too without issue.

 

I am pretty sure companions don't take the skill checks in conversations.

 

Only when you specifically select them in an event (eg Athletics test, etc).

Edited May 10, 2018 by Maxzero

[Dralec]

Thanks for the answer Maxzero.

 

So that means that the MC should absolutely not be specialized in the passive skills...

[Yosharian]

Yeah I think for most interactions it has to be the MC, but for those scripted interactions you can use anyone.

[prototype00]

Do you get the bonus from the party during regular interactions? (Not Scripted Interactions)?

[KDubya]

Also remember that Perception now governs finding traps and hidden items not mechanics. In Beta you needed 16 Perception to spot everything, not sure how high it needs to be to find everything but having a few things locked behind some really high number would not surprise me.

 

I'm also unclear on how best to skill the MC and the team - specialize all, jack of all MC with specialists, everybody jack of all?

 

Also I'm not sure how high you need to take something, will there be skill level 22+ checks basically an optimized background and class with 100% skill placement or is a 10-12 sufficient?

[Maxzero]

Thanks for the answer Maxzero.

 

So that means that the MC should absolutely not be specialized in the passive skills...

 

Actually he should be speced into the passive you don't have many party members with points in.

 

For example say your other 4 companions have 7 points total in Diplomacy and you have 1 yourself.

 

1+4 = 5 Diplomacy total.

 

To get to 6 Diplomacy either you would spend 1 point to make it 2+4 or your other members would have to spend 4 points to get to the 11th level breakpoint to make it 1+5.

 

So it's a lot more efficient for you to spend 1 point then your other party member to spend 4. Of course you only get 1 point a level...

[Maxzero]

Also remember that Perception now governs finding traps and hidden items not mechanics. In Beta you needed 16 Perception to spot everything, not sure how high it needs to be to find everything but having a few things locked behind some really high number would not surprise me.

 

I'm also unclear on how best to skill the MC and the team - specialize all, jack of all MC with specialists, everybody jack of all?

 

Also I'm not sure how high you need to take something, will there be skill level 22+ checks basically an optimized background and class with 100% skill placement or is a 10-12 sufficient?

 

Apparently the top required Perception is 20.

[Tomice]

I like the system. It allows me to distribute skills as they fit to each characters lore, and it makes sense to have a bit of a skill on multiple characters.

No longer are some skill worthless on companions, no longer do you need to max one skill on each individual.

 

It still makes sense to max skills I really care about on the watcher.

[Enoch]

Rather spoilery, but somebody on Reddit has mined the game files to show the number and range of skill checks:

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/projecteternity/comments/8i76al/deadfire_dialogue_options_report/

 

Which links to:  https://wiki.fireundubh.com/deadfire/dialogue-options

Edited May 10, 2018 by Enoch

[TuffMcHardcore]

Party assist only works if your teammates are within 2 metres of the mc, just fyi. This messed me around a bit but I've tested it.

 

Hopefully it's a bug and not an intended feature

[mrmonocle]

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

xoti - FULL RELIGION the rest doesn't really matter that much

[Melusina]

Just wondering how people are building skills? I’m probably going to put:

 

Insight/Diplomacy and Mechanics on the Watcher (these seem to need rather high checks)

 

Athletics / Survival on Eder

 

Alchemy / Religion/Metaphysics on Xoti

 

Athletics / Diplomacy on Pallegina

 

Mechanics / Stealth on Maia Rua or Aloth

 

But I don’t know whether to max or spread out?

 

You want insight and diplomacy on your main. Eder should invest in mechanics and Xoti on Athletics.

[prototype00]

Why Athletics on Xoti? I was going to put it on Pallegina for that Uber Shield she gets.

[Stasis_Sword]

Are there any team wide checks in this game? Like anyone who doesn't have X survival or athleticism gets injured? Otherwise focus areas for each companion seems to be the way to go.

[CountGrishnackh]

Are there any team wide checks in this game? Like anyone who doesn't have X survival or athleticism gets injured? Otherwise focus areas for each companion seems to be the way to go.

Only a Few Atheletics Checks as far as i've seen.

Since im putting at least 3 Athletics on everyone not really a problem.

 

 

For Primary Skills 3 Acrobatics should be a given on everyone, i found 3 Stealth to pretty nice for positioning. Got up to 10 Stealth on my mainchar before i stopped because it really doesnt matter if she only stays invisible for 10 seconds once 10 enemys look straight at her. Mechanics max on another charakter (lockpicking is not stealing and will not aggro anyone). Everything else is pretty optional. Alchemy seems to be rather powerful if you like to micro or go solo.

Secondary skills: Social Skills on main char. In Ordner of most Frequent to least: Diplomacy and Insight, Bluff, Intimidate. Can raise 2 different skills on every follower.

Skill Assist: Efficient for 2 or 4 Points on assisting characters.

Some Items Scale with Skillevel. So far i've seen: Religion (Xotis Lantern), Acrobatics (Some Heavy Armor), Metaphysics (Don't Remember the Item).

 

Possible Distribution:

 

Main Skills:

Char 1: 3 Athletics, 10 Stealth

Char 2: 3 Stealth, 3 Athletics, max Mechanics

Char 3-5: 3 Stealth, 3 Athletics

Fill Remaining Points as you see fit (all Acrobatics for the Lazy ones)

 

Secondary Skills

Mainchar: 50:50 Diplomacy, Insight, 1-4 Bluff or Intimidate

Sidechar 1: Streetwise+Survival

Sidechar 2: Religion+Metaphysics

Sidechar 3: History+Bluff or Intimidate

Sidechar 4: 2 Points in every Skill (upgrade to 4 later in the game, social skills first)