I want to start by saying that I really enjoyed the game so far (more so towards the end). I also want to say that this playthrough was on Explorer difficulty.
[b][u]Attribute System:[/u][/b]
Currently the attribute system seems to work like this:
For everything except Memory and Constitution, there is a minimum and maximum bound on each attribute. The minimum bound is the least benefit you can get from an attribute and the maximum bound is the most benefit you can get from a stat. The "minimum" bound happens at 10 (you can go below 10 and suffer higher penalties).
These are set in stone and do not change based on level. What changes every level is the distance between the minimum bound and the maximum bound. This causes a change in step size. The distance between them is 4 * characterLevel. Thus the step (benefit per point spent) is equal to benefitAtLevelOne / characterLevel. This applies to everything except Memory and Constitution. (Yes, even Wits. Your critical chance will fall every level unless you sink into Wits every level.)
What this means is that every level, the points you have already spent count for less. It also means that to maintain [u]baseline[/u] (note: it is not possible to maintain maximum bonus without the use of gear) you must spend both of your attribute points every level.
That's for the baseline, what if you were above or below the baseline at some point? If you were above the baseline then your bonus will become smaller and smaller with each level unless you sink 2 points into the stat every level AND find a way to get 2 more points of the stat on your equipment every level. If at any point you fall below the baseline it is not possible to reach the baseline again without the use of gear and/or the Bigger and Better talent.
Right now, the system feels really bad. Unless you are constantly finding better bonuses on equipment and sinking all your attribute points into 1 attribute, you will gradually get weaker and weaker each level. This applies to damage, crit chance, dodge rate, movement penalty reduction (heavy armor) and accuracy.
The current system severely limits what can be considered viable builds. Anything that needs more than 1 attribute is not viable. In the long run you become weaker and weaker until you just aren't useful anymore.
That being said, I think I get what Larian is going for. They want to make players chase after the damage bonus on skills each level. In DOS1 you could make cookie builds too easily; builds that would dip there hands in multiple roles while still being able to be maximally effective.
Here is my suggestion for the attribute system:
For everything except constitution, memory and wits: raise the initial baseline, broaden (upwards) the baseline each level, keep the decreasing step towards maximum bonus with each level. Written using conditionals, something like this:
const baseline = 14;
level = characterLevel
attribute = attributePointsSpent[Attribute];
if (attribute < baseline) {
bonus = maxReduction / (baseline - attribute);
}
else if (attribute < (baseline + level * 2)) {
bonus = 0;
}
else {
bonus = maxBonus / level * (attribute - (baseline + level * 2));
}
In this way, once you reach the baseline, you're there. Your stats won't get worse with each level unless you were pushing beyond the baseline. Furthermore, you still need to sink a lot of attribute points to reap bonuses. You shouldn't need to be a specialist to be an average Joe but you should need to be a specialist to be better than the average Joe.
For Wits: decrease the bonus per point and make it like Constitution and Memory, not scaling of the bonus based on level.
[b][u]Abilities:[/u][/b]
I didn't play around with this much. I quite literally soloed Explorer mode, picking up one NPC just for teleportation purposes. What I can say is that Huntsman is utterly broken. There were maybe 3 fights where I took damage.
Using the bonuses from pumping pure huntsman, I was able to safely damage enemies from much further away than they could hope to reach me. Pair this with sneaking and I could essentially take my time shooting everyone dead because no one was close enough to stop me from sneaking.
Once I got snipe, it was really over. Blood Oath + Snipe w/ sneak (double damage) + 56% bonus damage due to height advantage and I was easily hitting enemies for 500~700 damage. All from extreme distances.
Afterwards, I could just sneak and wait for my cooldowns to come back up. I could even engage fights from far enough away that killing just one enemy would end combat because none of the other NPCs had ever detected me.
I was also pumping Sneak as my Civil Ability and I want to say that it felt too strong but there are some enemies that seem to naturally see through it (they would phoenix dive right on me or throw grenades with pinpoint accuracy on me while I was sneaking). I also feel like it may have felt strong simply because of how I was pairing it with the brokenness of huntsman.
My suggestion: nerf huntsman. I love archers. I play an archer in every game that will let me play one. It's broken. I can engage from extreme safety while doing extreme damage and have extreme CC potential for anything that does get too close thanks to special arrows. Right now, there is literally no drawbacks to pumping full huntsman, sneak and finesse.
I really enjoyed my first playthrough and I look forward to my tests in classic mode and the playthrough I have planned with 3 of my friends. The game is great and relatively bug free. I can't wait to see DOS II's story and what it looks like when all of the systems have been fleshed out.
PS: Please fix hiding helmet causing baldness. I don't like leaving helmets on but I don't want my character to be bald.
