Larian Studios Forums Divinity - Original Sin Divinity - Original Sin - General Balance Suggestions / Ideas

The intent of this ability is to make a char much stronger, on the cost of survivability. As it is now, there are (more or less) easy ways to make up for the vitality loss, by evening it out or through resistances. Also, it can give insane amounts of AP since it doubles -any- kind of AP Recovery (+2 from lone wolf becomes +4, +3 from Haste becomes +6).

My suggestion would be that Glass Cannon doesn't reduce vitality, but instead makes the chars vitality a set amount that isn't affected by modifiers anymore. For example, vitality = level x15. That would result in set 75 HP on Lv5, 150 HP on Lv10 etc, unaffected by CON or Lone Wolf. Thus the char would be an actual 'glass cannon' at any point in the game, also adding in the resistances suggestion below. As for the insane amount of buffed AP, I think its fine if it still doubles the 2 AP from lone wolf - since LW wouldn't be as attractive anymore with Glass Cannon when it can't even out the vitality loss anymore. But it shouldn't affect the amount of AP given by temporary buffs - Haste.

When one learns about crafting, they soon figure out how to maximize Resistances. From that, it isn't very hard to get over 100% on every Resist, making one invulnerable to most damage types (except physical / witchcraft). Most enemies lose their threat, danger and challenge if they can't damage at all anymore. Even Lava which would normally mean certain death, ends up healing instead.

My suggestion: Implement diminishing returns on resistances (should be mentioned in the tooltips when hovering over the resists, for clarity). For example, make a soft cap at 75% Resistance. From there on, it takes 2% of the resist to increase the actual value by 1%. Thus, one would need a total of 125% resist stats on gear / buffs to become immune to that damage type. Then a stronger cap at 100%, so for each further 1% one would need 3% in stats. This way, it would still be possible to get over 100% resist, but it would take more to actually reach that point.

Example:
Actual Resistance | Amount needed in gear / buffs
50% | 50%
75% | 75%
90% | 105%
100% | 125%
110% | 155%
120% | 185%

Thus, it would still be possible to reach immunity to a damage type, just a bit harder. And much harder to reach a big amount of healing from a damage type.

Enemies need to be smarter in how to react to player actions. Once you learn how the enemy AI reacts, it becomes very easy and less challenging with each further battle. One very broken mechanic with this is invisibility, allowing fights where the enemies don't react in any way.

Suggestion: Tell the enemies to mark the spot where a player character went invisible, and to throw an aoe attack at that spot if they are able to (just once. if the invisible player moved away, they shouldn't spam that spot with all they got. just one aoe to try revealing the player, if he went invisible at the end of their turn). Also give some Monsters (the stronger ones, small / big bosses) some skill that reveals invisible targets within a radius (something like 8m aoe radius, with the monster as center), and make them cast it if a player went invisible. This could also be turned into a witchcraft spell 'True Sight' or something, for players to use. Alternatively, it could be a passive effect on some Monsters, shown by a buff symbol for clarity.

Another thing is enemies and player resistances. If the enemy shoots fire, and the skill does no damage or heals the player. Using it once is fine, since logically the enemy / monster wouldn't know about the resistance. But after that you should let the enemies realize that this skill / element won't work, and to not use it again against the same target.

If Attack A on Target Y has no effect, or heals Target Y, do not use Attack A on Target Y again.
May still use Attack A on Target X or Z, or use Attack B or C on target X.

Also smarter pathing / reactions towards environmental effects would be advisable. A enemy in the middle of a burning ground shouldn't walk if it damages them. Would also be interesting to give enemies options to remove or change environmental effects 'intentionally'.

If Ally X stands on burning ground (If burning is harmful to Ally X), and water/ice spell is available - use on burning ground. (for enemies)

Is a bad idea in a game where the supply is 'limited'. I know it isn't really limited, considering store refreshes. But.. how to put it.. you're limited to a certain amount of loot for clearing a certain amount of content. It isn't possible to repeat content to get more loot. This leads to either save/load reloading the loot of a boss or treasure chest, or players having to do with what they get. Which can be fine - but more often than not, a player ends up feeling sub-optimally geared. Either crafted 'whites', or random rolled 'shinies'.

My Suggestion: Implement some form of 'smart loot'. When the loot of a boss or a chest is determined (usually on loading screen, I assume), make it check on the player's party. Make each part of loot randomly select one of the chars in the party, then check which stats and/or abilities this char has put most points in. Then generate a piece of equipment that would fit / enhance those stats.

Example: Party of 2 kill a boss that drops 3 pieces of loot.

Loot 1 - picks char A. Is a warrior type, has much points in STR, CON, SPD, one-handed, shield, blacksmithing etc. Loot 1 generates a item that fits that kind of char, maybe a sword, a mace, a shield, a heavy armor, a belt, or bracer (no two-hand weapon, no cloth or leather armor, no bow or crossbow). Generally something that kind of char could use, with a priority to stats that this char already put points in.

Loot 2 picks char B, maybe a mage. And does the same. Checking stats, generating a item that fits. It may be stronger or weaker than what the char is using currently - but it certainly wouldn't be something totally random that is definitely useless on this kind of char.

Loot 3 picks either char A or B, or goes totally random. Random items aren't always bad - sometimes they have just the interesting combo that is useful. But the major part of the loot should be 'smart' and fit to the chars looting it.

Bosses and certain chests are expected to feel rewarding - so make sure they feel that way. Make at least one legendary guaranteed when its a boss or chest that took a lot of effort to get to / beat.

More unique items. They don't have to be equal / stronger than legendary, but made with predetermined, good stats that are certain to be useful. Also equipment with big upsides along with a downside can be interesting - a dagger that guaranteed poisons any enemy hit with it, but also keeps its user poisoned whenever its drawn.

Can make a char way stronger than intended, if they are bought regularly / as soon as possible in the game, and on each refresh of the trader.

Suggestion: Decide on an amount you (the developers) want the players to be able get extra stats through gold. Lets say you want them to be able to get up to 4 stat points, and up to 12 skill points in that manner. After using 4 books of the same kind on the same char, the 5th one says something like "I've already gained all the knowledge I can from these books.", without consuming the book. This allows the player to get those points on any char they want, and on as many companions / henchmen as they can afford, but limiting them in making a char go beyond intended boundaries. The numbers are just examples, might as well be limited to 1, 2, or 10 books.

There's also leech, which can make a char nearly unkillable since the talent restores most of the damage taken, since there are so many sources of blood that can trigger the leech heal.

Suggestion: I think the intention of leech should be to sap the life force of enemies through their blood - not to regenerate from one's own spilled blood. Thus it should only trigger when standing in the blood of an enemy, or when within 3m range of a bleeding enemy / enemy that splashes blood from an attack. This would limit the talent to only work with enemies that actually have blood, and not with things like skeletons or plants. Though the main overtuned aspect is the healing from one's own blood, which should be removed. Maybe increase the heal effect a bit, since the opportunities for it to be useful would be more limited and thus should be more appreciated when they happen.

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