Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) Help/Tips/Tricks Survivor skills - useful?

I've seem a lot of discussion here about one hand versus two hand weapons, the best magic spells, bows versus crossbows versu melee etc. Occasionally someone mentions using sneak (Kiya used it to clear out a sector for example).

I rarely see the survivor skills mentioned much other than the perennial "how do I get out of sneak mode" question. I have yet to see anyone discuss a DD type survivor who relied on traps to survive and prosper (and this is for very good reason, of course).

Has anyone done very well putting a large percentage of their skill points into survivor skills (I'm referring to combat related skills not things like disarm traps and alchemy)?

I'm trying to psych myself up for yet another game and want something different - my thinking is a pure mage (almost all points in int and con unlike my usual battlemage who has good agility and fair strength) and/or pure archer (almost all points in agility and const - yes I know that means most crossbows can't be used without strength enhancements). But I would consider a pure survivor-type if it didn't involve too much sneaking - which I lack the patience for. I do <smile> have some experience with the class in DD though it was my least favorite there.

I must admit, I didn't find a use for any of the skills, and I would not even contemplate playing a Survivor.

The game is very combat heavy, and it seems to me that any character who cannot pull their weight in a fight is just not worth having.

I do not believe there is any point in the game where a Survivor could honestly be said to be more useful than any other class - yet there are certainly points where the Warrior and the Mage excel.

The fact that the Lock Pick skill is bust just makes it worse.

<nods>

That pretty well sums up what I thought but I figured I would ask.

Thanks.

I don't know about the BD survivor and traps, because the way the traps worked changed somewhat, but the DD survivor skill scorpion trap was invaluable at dispatching tough enemies. one could conceivably survive on that skill alone IFF you have enough traps.

DD Scorpion Traps were ludicrously overpowered - like Frost weapons. I avoided both because they made the game pointless from my POV.

<nods in agreement>

I only used the scorpion traps one game - when I was trying (to test some theories about how the xp system worked) to get a survivor to the final battles at an obscenley low level and I needed every edge I could get. All my other games I started the game over when I died and didn't restore a prior save - to put more challenge in the game (as I do with BD) - that game I even let myself continue after I died a few times.

I don't recall the level I finished at but it was so low people here were demanding screen shots 'cause they didn't believe me <grins at the memory>.