Some minor theft and at level 3 I've run out of skill slots to use, maybe you've just been really really unlucky? I've actually been meaning to ask or check if it was possible to add more than 9 slots, or additional bars. Not too hopeful about it though given how they're already saying ui scaling would be really hard to implement. What I noticed helped a lot for cash was taking the crafting components, crafting whatever I could then vendoring that stuff.
I've looted the free stuff at the docks (well not the fish racks), I've looted the barrels and crates around town. I've played enough to know where the secrets are and I've looted the chests scattered around outside of town. I've looted the lighthouse. I've looted the secret crypt. I've solved the puzzle of the burial mounds and looted the treasure there too. I haven't been everywhere and looted every possible crate and barrel, but I've done pretty much all of the stuff my level or lower. I have not gone on the beach to the Black Cove or beaten the Sparkmaster.
I haven't been buying potions, I just use the Regenerate spell to heal after combat, that's not where my money's been going.
I did loot the Legion chests in the camp and Barracks, and stole a few things from Esmerelda's shop because she bugged out and refused my trade offers. I should not be forced to rob every house blind to keep up.
As to unlimited quantities off skillbooks, I figure only a few per vendor is fine since there's likely going to be more than one area to buy stuff from, rather than our little start town. Or perhaps add skillbooks to loot tables, or fill up some of those empty bookshelves you find everywhere.
I wouldn't mind spellbooks being added to loot tables. Not every vendor has to sell spells for levels 1-20, but I don't want to have to travel across maps and loading screens in search of skillbooks because the vendor only has one.
Maybe instead of starting gold though the people saving the burning ship could be thankful for your help and give you a little there?
NO. Not 'instead of' starting gold. The burning ship quest is optional and failable. That's not an acceptable substitute.
Do you actually want this game to be a challenge?
Yeah, I do. I don't agree that this is the best way to implement said challenge.
I don't think that's an issue, you can make plenty of money by searching crates, plus raiding the table in the place where the imp magics youAlready addressed. Most crates are empty or drop crafting components. Yeah, you can rob the table, but the Homestead is your home, and it feels well, lame stripping everything from the table there and selling it. I'm sure you'll call me an idiot for that choice, though.
Considering you want to start with loads of money I would suggest that you are expecting lots of dropsI'm expecting a bit more than what we're getting now, yes.
You haven't checked all of the vendors then, you should look at the guy in the market on the potions stall, he has loads of stuffI know him, he sells air and water spellbooks mostly, and wizard stuff. Not weapons or armour.
Maybe that one vendor does, but others may well sell that book tooThat's back to random chance of it appearing in inventory, which is not a good way to let you build the character you want. Right now, if I made a starting character a Warrior, they would compete with Madora for exclusive rights to the skillbooks Aureus has. EDIT: It's fine that they compete for who gets first choice. It's not being able to get it at all for the other one that I object to.
I don't think you need to start with any gold, maybe it would be a good idea to have some gold as quest rewards to give you a boost that way.
I also don't think that vendors should sell unlimited quantities of items, it's not realistic in any way and I'm sure once the game is released there will be other vendors and areas where you can get duplicates of skills. You should have to make tough decisions about how to build your party, just because a game says it lets you build your character however you want, doesn't mean that you should be able to get every skill straight away for every character.
I do think the enemy drop rate does need to be increased a bit though.
I wouldn't mind getting some gold as some quest rewards, definitely.
I agree that unlimited quantities of items in general is not needed. However, there's no good reason why Vendors should NOT sell unlimited quantities of skillbooks. Skillbooks are the only way to learn Skills, which is key to character development. You already have to spend money buy them. Choosing which books to buy with your limited resources, and who should get priority is the hard choice you have to make. Not being able to buy the book at all isn't a choice, it's the opposite.
Having to travel to other towns to get skillbooks is adding inconvenience for the sake of rather pointless 'realism'. That's a no-no.
