Hello and thanks for reading.
Let me start by saying that I have the awful habit of agonizing over RPG character creation and attempting to "metagame" my choices so I pick what will be maximally effective. My fear is that I'll make decisions I'll regret later or, worse, will make the game unplayable.
In the interest of avoiding this, I've read a whole bunch of beginner's guides and the like. But I've struggled to get definitive answers on a number of critical areas and I'm hoping you can help.
One thing I'd ask is that you avoid any spoilers in your responses I'm just looking for general guidance.
1. To steal or not to steal? Multiple guides strongly advise stealing. I'm fine with this, but does it just give you a critical edge you need or make coin not matter and seriously undermine the challenge? I'm a big believer that a balanced challenge keeps games fun.
2. Are non-combat Personality abilities worth investing points in? I'm inclined to invest in skills like charisma to get the most out of NPC interactions, leadership to buff the party and bartering, if I choose the honest path and not steal (see #1 above) (and I don't know about "lucky charm"). But many RPGs don't really reward you for these social skills can I afford to take them here or should I focus on combat abilities?
3. Should my main characters know Craftsmanship abilities or leave this to companions or hirelings? Crafting and blacksmithing look like good fun, but are these better left to companions or hirelings so my two main characters can focus on combat? What about loremaster and telekinesis, since these are abilities that get used "in the field" are these worthwhile for main characters?
4. Are any of the "Nasty Deeds" abilities worth taking? I know you can destroy most (maybe all) locks if you're willing to invest the time and won't get caught, but if you plan on going the thieving route (see #1 above), it seems like lockpicking would be very satisfying (especially as I've read that some folks have gone to lengths like carrying locked chests around since they don't have the skill, which seems silly). Beyond stealing, sneaking has obvious uses for scouting and in combat. Does the coin you'll earn sneaking essentially make pickpocketing irrelevant?
5. What are the advantages/disadvantages of stealth vs. invisibility? The game includes both sneaking(the "Nasty Deeds" ability) and multiple-use invisibility via the Scoundrel skill "Walk in Shadows" and the Aerotheurge skill "Invisibility". Is one better than the other for stealing and/or scouting? Is one better than the other for combat? I know certain talents, like Guerrilla (50% damage bonus), only work with sneaking/stealth; are there any that only work with invisibility? And are there any non-talent bonuses for attacking from stealth and/or invisible (I know sneak attacks are 100% crit, but you don't actually need to be in stealth or invisible for this, just positioned behind the enemy with a dagger)? Any clarification you can offer on this would be greatly appreciated.
At this point I'm inclined to create a bow-using scout character (modified ranger w/stealth or invisibility and lockpicking) which is why I'm particularly interested in learning about non-backstab attack bonuses from stealth or invis. and a wizard (glass cannon-type with elemental damage focus). Obviously, if I want to cover non-combat abilities (e.g., leadership, loremaster, lockpicking, sneaking) with both that's going to leave me pretty thin on the crucial combat abilities. This is why it'd be greatly helpful to learn if they are useful or not and/or whether they can easily be covered by companions/henchman and so are wasted on the two main characters.
Looking forward to your feedback. And any tips on topics I didn't cover above that are well worth considering are certainly welcome.
Thanks,
Geezer
Last edited by Geezer; 25/08/14 06:54 PM.
