Larian Studios Forums Divinity - Original Sin Divinity - Original Sin - General Self-imposed Challenge design discussion

TL;DR
Here's a ruleset that doesn't require modding, feel free to discuss
- savepoints shall be made only at any questlog update (bloodstones and diaries can help you set up custom savepoints).
- no extra attribute point shall be had (no demon trade nor books).
- max 2 (harder), 3 (default) or 4 (easier) base point shall be had in skill branchs, and each skill branch is exclusive to one character only.
- only starter talent shall be taken; or alternatively (easier) glass cannon shall not be taken.
- only common and unique gear (under level 20) shall be used, and maybe magical (easier), and maybe rare (easier again).
- no elemental shield shall be used, and no summon or terrain modifying spell (rain, oil, ...) shall be cast outside of combat, unless from a scroll.
- golden crockery and paintings shall not be used for profit.

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Hello everyone, I just completed the game in hard mode with two lone-wolf / glass cannon characters (because I read it was powerful, before creating my characters), a man at arms with shield and a mage, and I was thinking about how to make the game more challenging without modding (yet): just with self-restrictions.

Since it's only my first playthrough, I'm not sure about the effectiveness of the rules I will be proposing in a moment, so I really welcome analysis.


#1 - Save-scumming

In order to have the perfect "game", I used save scumming a lot (to have legendaries in chests, and to win rock/paper/scissors games). And in order to play the most carelessly possible, I quick-saved before any fight. So I thought about various "game saving" rules, and the best one I found was saving only when the quest log updates (limited amount of saving point possible, correctly spaced between each others).


#2 - Attribute points

I think the attribute points progression is good, but one could choose not to use any book that gives free attribute points, nor use the demon bargain (5 skill points for one attribute point). There's also a book that gives one INT for the price of one PER, which seems fine to me if only one is used. Furthermore, supplemental attribute (and skill) points can be obtained through gear, but that will be adressed in the gear section.


#3 - Skill points

In order to limit the skill point amount, in order to penalize a bit the late skills (especially the elementalist/witchcraft ones), and finally in order to force characters to choose between skills/spells, the most potent rule I found is to limit the max amount of points one can invest in a skill branch. 2, 3 or 4. I'd personally start with 3 because I would not really see a difference with 4. Also, in order to avoid overspreading with the unused skill points, and in order to avoid potential focusing on unbalanced skills (same unbalanced skill spam from all the characters), each skill branch should be exclusive to one character.


#4 - Talent points

If one follows the skill points limit rule, there's not much to be done about talents but to exclude glass-canon. It's easy to limit oneself to the only 2 talents you can have at character creation (you cannot then pick glass-canon). I have no opinion on lone-wolf taken without glass canon, so I think it could be taken for now (in a 2 or 3 characters game). I was thinking of excluding talents alltogether, but I think it might gimp rogues, so starter talents are good.


#5 - Gear

Gear control is very important because it gives a lot of attribute points and skill points. Easy rule is to limit oneself to anything under legendary, or under rare, or under uncommon. I think unique items are fine with the exception of the crafted ones (buffalo sword and sword of the planets) since those can be crafted above level 20. I'd personally go with a common/unique-only rule.


#6 - Elemental shields and summons

Two very game-changing but weird spells were, for me, the elemental shields and the summons. The damage the shields absorb is insane (it's another whole health bar?). I used them everytime: one extra health bar (which is way more than the heal spells from hydro), 50 elemental resist, immunity to status effect and 20% chance to inflict this status to attacker is alot just for 5 AP.

I think summons are fine, but summons seem to have high amount of perception (I've read it here and tested it) and can be used to detect everything in the game. So I think summons should not be used outside of combat, unless summoned from a scroll.

It has been suggested to treat terrain modifying spells (rain, oil, tornado, etc...) like summons: never out of combat, unless from a scroll.


#7 - Stealing

Especially in Cyseal, it's ridiculous how easy and potent it is to steal. Very quickly anyway, money is no trouble in the game, so ultimately a rule about stealing is not really relevant, but maybe it would be good to have one to make the whole Cyseal experience different.