Larian Studios Forums Divinity II The Dragon Knight Saga / Flames of Vengeance (English) Divinity II - The Dragon Knight Saga Who wish to play next time DKS on Hardcore style ?

Hi,

to be sort, first have a look at the link below so you've an idea what I mean .
Link: Hardcore Gothic challenge .. rules, benefits, etc ...(scrow down on the page!)

So I don't want to copy the Hardcore Gothic rules. I want to make my own rules, but with the help of you all here.

I wish to make the rules a little bit less difficult to survive.
Example ? your hero(ïn) has 3 or 7 lives, not only 1. So after the third life (or 7th), your hero can't reborn and you must start from Level 1 (Farglow).
Each time you die you must write down for yourself (and put it on this topic or another one) and important is : be always honest to yourself, this kind of hardcore challenge is NOT a battle against other forummembers, but just a funny thing to play and have fun and FEEL the Benefits of playing this way a RPG, like for example the DKS !

I'm planning to start in a few months (or longer) a brand new hero(ïn). An Archmage Priest it would be ... perhaps .

All suggestions for "rules" are welcome !

Joram & his newborn (fe)male hero who's waiting to start his/her adventure in Rivellon ...

I fall in lava too much to play this way
I'll "just" keep playing on nightmare mode.

But for such a gameplay, I guess a Priest-Mage would be a very good idea (and a warrior a very bad one).

So you finished Flames of Vengeance with Jurdenson?
And you didn't tell us all about it in your 'hardcore' topic?

I don't know if in the FoV part there are also places with "lava" ... ? ... but so far I played the whole Ego Draconis part and only twice died because of hot lava ...

But because of the hot lava and the poisonous cloud after you get the battle tower I wish to make the rule to have more than 1 life, otherwise it's TOO difficult (or almost impossible?) to reach a nice high level before it's totally Game Over !
Perhaps make a special "lava rule" ? Burning to death by lava don't count for losing a extra life ?
and there're enough very dangerous enemy bosses to loose a life ! (thinking of Amdusias, Zagan or some of the FF bosses ... !)

But I'm sure it is possible to survive (except for the lava) the whole DKS if you play very careful and be very patiently to plan each next move ! You've to make a good strategy every time again !


Okay, let me start so everyone can give suggestions/comments :
First time you start the DKS on this Challenge Mode it's nice we can read :

• Some introduction of your hero (and of yourself if you wish) : which kind of Build you start, which kind of difficulty (go for nightmare mode, it's most fun on this kind of Challenge), etc ...
• Perhaps a serious and/or funny to read "roleplaying story" ?
• Make always a unique title with the name of your hero in it so everyone can follow who you are (and don't have to guess about) .
• If you want Help with your Skills and/or Stats etc, ask and write down your current statistics so other people can help you .
• Please don't say things like (for example) "Don't take that skill, it's useless!" .. but give constructive tips !

Just 3 simple rules.

• You've 7 lives. Each time you hero die you must Set in Stone some data . ONLY when you're burned to death by "lava" you don't loose a live !
• No reloads for better stuff or changing the way a quest goes on !
• No Cheating (or modding the game!), that's No Fun anymore. No one will win a bunch of carrots or exploding respect for killing Amdusias at level 10

Set in Stone the Time & Place you Die

• Name of your hero
• Your current level (time)
• Cause of death : ... (place)
• How many lives left? (number between 6 and 1 - if '0(zero)' = simply write down :'Game Over')
• A personal poetry or note about the killing blow . Be creative !

So, all comments are welcome .

The waiting hero who ever start on Challenge Mode ...

Noooo ! ... Jurdenson is still walking somewhere in Aleroth City ... level 36 only ...
This topic I start now already to Plan in advance my next Challenge Mode

I'm sure new ideas can plop up in other 'minds' ... that can be nice or fun ... isn't it ?

True enough, nothing wrong with planning ahead!

Here's an idea for a pretty hardcore character: you're a Dragon Slayer who has vowed never to kill.

This means that you must complete your quest by ensuring it's only your summons, your creature and the enemies themselves that do the actual killing. You would have to charm enemies so they kill one another; blind them so you can sneak past; hide in shadows while your summons deal with your opponents etc., but you yourself must never use weapons or offensive magic.

To be honest, I'm not sure you could actually finish the game this way – I can imagine a few boss fights that would be pretty nigh impossible – but it would definitely be an interesting challenge!

In that case how about moding it to cannot attack with a weapon you can attack only with magic

All I want is having Fun and feel & experience the benefits of playing Hardcore Challenge Mode .
AND very important is that you must be HONEST, always. Honest with yourself, otherwise you cut in your own flesh and spoils all the fun for yourself (and for other people too, I'm afraid).

No modding, the game is good like it IS, no ?
Hmm, you give me a new idea Divine Avenger :
also a nice idea to write down "extra rules" in your personal Introduction, but first remember : it's a pure personal choice to make extra rules you like/wish to try :
Examples :
1) a hero who has vowed never to kill (Macbeth) ... I gonna make a study about how that fits in a strategy plan
2) a hero who never attack an enemy with weapons, only with Magic !
3) a hero who never use Magic ...
4) etc ... etc ...

The three basic rules remain valid,
so all "extra rules" you write down in your Introduction you do it only for yourself.
You do a "promise & swear" ... to follow your own extra rules !

More suggestions ?

I did'nt mean modding as in cheating I ment tweaking Mcbeth's idea

Thanks for helping me with idea's I really appreciate that!

I think I make a real Priest. All the Priest skills I may take as much as I can/want .
Olny with a few skills of other 'classes' ...
I start as a Ranger (Archer/Hunter) so before my hero take over the Battle Tower he use Poison Arrows (it also 'stun' enemies a little bit) and later on take Stun Arrows to help my summonned allies. And to make more allies I use as much as I can Charm.
I take no warrior skills except 1 point in Rush Attack because it's funny and handy to "fast run" and supprize an enemy & Charm or Blind him ... ...
Healing is one of the Mage skills I surely take 2 or 3 points in.

I gonna try to use a Bow as my only weapon and for the rest it's all about Summon allies and use some Magic, but not sure which spell to take as my only attack spell ... but I think I go all the way for Magic Missile !

If I can't Charm, Blind, Stun, Polymorph or use Fear when 1 or more enemies are close by, it's time to ruuuuunnn fast ... !!
Or jump in the river or high in a tree !

The only Passive Skills I take are maybe Evade & Ranger Stealth.

So. Let's Start !

Gaspard is (for now) a male archer, and will be trying Hardcore style (nightmare mode of course).
Two tweaks on the rules.

I won't count instant deaths (lava or poison) in death toll.
I will only use passive abilities, besides the summon creature.

Right now he is level 4, no death.

Hi melianos,

only passive abilities? How do you mean? Only passive Skills or do you mean something else ?
I'm curious, that's me

With my current L36 hero I'm already "try out" a more Priest like build to expertice the "feeling" and so far I love that build more and more ! It's so delightful to see enemies suffer this way:
stunned, blinded, polymorphed ... and great to build up a bigger group of allies via Charm !

Now I did not need to use Firewall or Explosive Arrows anymore! So next time I go to unlearn all skills for a second time .

The only attack skill I use now (but not really needed, in fact) is Thousand Strikes, just because I love it to see my hero do the moves of this skill !!

And since my hero equip the Mana regeneration Belt (together with the Ring of the same Set) of the Aleroth Archmage Set .. my manapool can't be a "dry pool" ...

Only passive skills.

And I got my first death against Arben ghost, at level 7 (firewall hurts. A lot).

Good luck with your re-born archer Gaspard !
It's nice to see other gamers also wish to play Hardcore Challenge Mode ! Hope more gamers try it out ! I'm sure it's a special experience you never "feel" that before ! Knowing it is Game Over after the 7th time killed ... so you must be always careful ! But it's also fun to know you may take "now and then" some risk because of the 7 lives !

But Gaspard, I can't "force" you to write down in a post your specific list (Set in Stone) each time after you're stone dead, but you MUST do it right now, it's a RULE
If you wish Gaspard, you can make your own topic about your adventures. I love to read your adventures !

I wonder if the passive skill "Evade" works for all kind of incoming attacks (like firewall)? Have somebody examinate the effect/impact of this Skill?

So kind Gaspard, since you're being a Ranger, you take Ranger Stealth, Ranger Strength, .. ? ...
Or maybe also Mana Leech and/or Life Leech ? ...

Or do you use now and then melee weapons and go for some of the weapon expertise skills of the Dragon Slayer class ?