zephro
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Post by zephro on Sept 12, 2023 13:59:37 GMT
While I’m doing my best to avert my eyes from any spoilers, I actually kind of love the fact that there are things players might completely miss and only pick up in a second (or third) play through. I’m sort of formulating a plan now to try to keep on the right side of certain characters in this play through, so I can focus on gaining the approval of others if/when I come back again. Tangentially, I’ve also come to realise that I probably should have met a chap called Gale on my travels by now, but somehow I haven’t!? I think I might try backtracking a bit…! It seems especially true I'm the second or third act. As I could tell I was going to hit the level cap so just ditched stuff to follow the bits I actively wanted to follow. Being a conpletionist in one playthrough probably isn't how it should be played. |
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alastair
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Post by alastair on Sept 12, 2023 14:13:29 GMT
He's hiding in a 'hole' of sorts... And now that I've looked it up, he is voiced by the guy who plays Kit Marlowe in Upstart Crow and the explorer in the first Paddington film.  |
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Sept 12, 2023 14:48:51 GMT
And gives off strong vibes that you think his surname ought to be Baltar. Gale Baltar.
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Post by 😎 on Sept 12, 2023 14:58:41 GMT
The Moonrise Tower battle after you free the Nightsong is a bit bollocks. All the Harpers block the corridor so you either have to jump around or barge them out of the way with charge or something. Plus the baddies all have bad AoE attacks. |
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Sept 12, 2023 15:48:56 GMT
The Moonrise Tower battle after you free the Nightsong is a bit bollocks. All the Harpers block the corridor so you either have to jump around or barge them out of the way with charge or something. Plus the baddies all have bad AoE attacks. oh they were always miles behind me so I couldn't let them absorb the aoe for me. Fucking cowards. |
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Frog
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Post by Frog on Sept 12, 2023 16:16:25 GMT
They didn't make it to the battle in mine, was probably easier without them there. The enemies just got hunger of hadar locked and murdered. Barely anything made it through.
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skalpadda
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Post by skalpadda on Sept 12, 2023 17:07:35 GMT
It's insane how much better Shadowheart is as a Light Domain Cleric rather than her default Trickery. I barely used the Trickery stuff at all in my first playthrough. Light Domain on the other hand gets stuff like: A reaction to force disadvantage on attack rolls against any party member.
A Channel Divinity action that deals radiant damage in a huge radius. That's two AoE nukes that don't cost a spell slot every short rest.
Freaking Fireballs, and later Flame Strike, Wall of Fire and Destructive Wave.
Extra damage on Cantrips, just in case you run low on spell slots.
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Sept 12, 2023 17:23:07 GMT
Yeah but I refuse to respec her that way until you know when.
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Frog
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Post by Frog on Sept 12, 2023 17:50:04 GMT
War clerics are fairly decent too depending on how your party is built. Heard really good things about tempest as well, you are basically raiden.
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skalpadda
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Post by skalpadda on Sept 12, 2023 18:23:03 GMT
Yeah I kept Shadowheart pure Trickery Cleric on my first run for RP reasons. This run I'm not as fussed.
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Post by UncleLou on Sept 13, 2023 9:02:20 GMT
I think I'll take the plunge today and get the PS5 version - I've had the PC version since the first day of early access, and just about finished act 1 in the release version before the holidays a few weeks ago, but I actually prefer the gamepad controls/UI for the most part, and it's not running *too* well on my old PC.
Anybody else did just that and wants to speak now, or forever... etc.?
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f00b_inc
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Post by f00b_inc on Sept 13, 2023 9:23:24 GMT
I think I'll take the plunge today and get the PS5 version - I've had the PC version since the first day of early access, and just about finished act 1 in the release version before the holidays a few weeks ago, but I actually prefer the gamepad controls/UI for the most part, and it's not running *too* well on my old PC. Anybody else did just that and wants to speak now, or forever... etc.? Very tempted to double dip and get the PS5 version also (cheaper than buying a new PC!) as I don't think my Steam Deck playthrough will survive the slowdown when I finally make it to Act 3! |
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dogbot
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Post by dogbot on Sept 13, 2023 10:05:25 GMT
I started the PS5 version last night. It's a very long time since I played one of these (2) and I was immediately reminded of the value of: Watching where you walk Not always immediately jumping in and twatting stuff Saving often  Plays really well so far. Combat was nice (apart from the aforementioned badly-judged twatting) and the movement and camera options great. Looks fabulous, too. Bloody work. |
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alastair
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Post by alastair on Sept 13, 2023 10:12:45 GMT
I've made it to the Underdark...
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Post by trafford on Sept 13, 2023 11:35:54 GMT
I've made it to the Underdark... Mmm, think I found a backdoor entrance to that place. I was loving the exploration, locked wardrobes, ladders downwards, lots of loot then a team wipe. Great game, but I won't be heading back down there in a hurry. |
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alastair
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Post by alastair on Sept 13, 2023 12:12:34 GMT
There are a lot of mushrooms/fungi...
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MolarAm🔵
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Post by MolarAm🔵 on Sept 13, 2023 12:32:46 GMT
They're nice mushrooms though.
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Post by killerbee on Sept 13, 2023 20:30:36 GMT
I’ve met - and recruited - Gale now. It’s surprising how much the game makes me agonise over decisions… I think there’s such a gamer instinct to just gather quest objectives and try to complete them all; to do everything every NPC ever asks of you… but here, actually realising that NOT helping that prisoner escape (you know the one…), or resisting one character’s urging to murder someone else, are also valid choices, and (from what I can tell so far) might spin me off down a very different path, is actually quite cool. |
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alastair
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Post by alastair on Sept 14, 2023 7:57:19 GMT
I’ve met - and recruited - Gale now. It’s surprising how much the game makes me agonise over decisions… I think there’s such a gamer instinct to just gather quest objectives and try to complete them all; to do everything every NPC ever asks of you… but here, actually realising that NOT helping that prisoner escape (you know the one…), or resisting one character’s urging to murder someone else, are also valid choices, and (from what I can tell so far) might spin me off down a very different path, is actually quite cool. I had just this experience last night. Helped one NPC, did a side quest and got a nice reward. Not much later a second NPC essentially said, "Kill that other guy for me." Umm, no thanks. Cue fight. First NPC happy when I told him. |
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dogbot
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Post by dogbot on Sept 14, 2023 8:21:15 GMT
Ah, yes. I'm definitely enjoying feeling the weight of my choices. Usually revolving around wondering if I might have needed that person lying there in a pool of blood later on. I'm trying not to just kick off with everyone who doesn't immediately aggro when they see me (see below) but some of the NPCs are just... As a result of time away from things DnD related, I'd also forgotten how tricky it can be to play a low level mage. I've died a lot, so the quicksave has been really useful. I also really need to focus on what I'm doing and not be in a rush, because yesterday instead of speaking to the person I thought I was aiming at, I picked up a sword from the floor, which was stealing and I was immediately given the option of going to prison or fighting my way out. Yay. So I went to prison (for a bit) |
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askew
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Post by askew on Sept 14, 2023 8:50:45 GMT
Heh. Rested in the Last Light Inn (yes, I save-scummed because I could not be doing with battling 20 NPCs ) and when I returned I was on the roof of the building. |
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zephro
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Post by zephro on Sept 14, 2023 8:53:56 GMT
I'm playing way straighter good this time, no dodgy dealing through problems and no tadpoles. The Dark Urge really makes it feel like Baldur's Gate, as I've worked out what the twist is. Well I think so.
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Post by gibroon on Sept 14, 2023 9:02:10 GMT
I've pretty much finished with Act 2 now after Ketheric fight etc, so I wandered to the edge of the map to go to Baldurs Gate area but was told I was underlevelled for the next area. I'd thought I had pretty much rinsed everything but will go and fight some more stuff to level up.
Currently about 75% through level 7. I take it level 8 is good enough for Act 3?
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MolarAm🔵
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Post by MolarAm🔵 on Sept 14, 2023 9:07:32 GMT
I am so very much looking forward to a Dark Urge playthrough. I'm being relatively good this time around (aside from loading up on as many brain worms as I possibly can), but some of the Dark Urge interactions sound absolutely delicious.
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skalpadda
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Post by skalpadda on Sept 14, 2023 10:27:17 GMT
I'm finding it difficult to do really bad stuff most of the time, so the major outcomes in this playthrough haven't been particularly different from my ultra-good first playthrough. There's just been a lot more sassiness and casual murder along the way. If I wanted to go really dark with the bigger plot stuff I'd probably have to do another one as a cartoonishly evil character, and ditch all the companions and play with hirelings. Just can't bring myself to be that mean. I've pretty much finished with Act 2 now after Ketheric fight etc, so I wandered to the edge of the map to go to Baldurs Gate area but was told I was underlevelled for the next area. I'd thought I had pretty much rinsed everything but will go and fight some more stuff to level up. Currently about 75% through level 7. I take it level 8 is good enough for Act 3? Probably, but if you rush to the end of some quest lines you're going to end up in some very difficult fights. There's loads to do in the city though and I was lvl 12 long before I reached the end, so there's room to catch up if you need it. |
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Post by Vandelay on Sept 14, 2023 10:45:44 GMT
I'm finding quite a bit to do in Act 2. I'm surprised some people considered Act 1 is all about exploration and the other 2 not so much; seems to be plenty to explore for me here and I imagine the city will provide even more. By its nature, there are probably a lot more hostile characters about in Act 2, but still plenty of encounters to have. Met with a couple of interesting characters last night. Managed to convince a mad doctor to get his minions to slice him up and a really gross bartender. |
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Garfy
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Post by Garfy on Sept 14, 2023 11:18:44 GMT
Met with a couple of interesting characters last night. Managed to convince a mad doctor to get his minions to slice him up and a really gross bartender. Yeah the Thorm family are the best part of act 2. And that's saying something when the whole thing is as strong as it is. |
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skalpadda
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Post by skalpadda on Sept 14, 2023 12:05:14 GMT
Grr, think I found an annoying bug. Lae'zel has a headpiece that gives +1 to INT, WIS and CHA saves and a staff that gives +2 to all saves. But then I looked at her character sheet.
Inspecting the stats shows that they're there but not added to the total. Maybe it's just how it's displayed?
But then I unequipped and equipped her chest piece (which shouldn't affect those saves) and now the other gear effects *are* correctly included in the total.
Would be fine if this was a one time glitch, but it seems to reset back to showing the lower value randomly. I have no idea if this is a UI glitch or if I'm not actually getting the saves in combat. Guess I'll have to pay attention to the combat log once I have another fight.
So I looked at Shadowheart's saves. She's getting +1 to all from her shield and another +1 from a cloak. It displays correctly.
But when I unequip the shield and cloak they're gone from the list, but the total is still the same as if they were equipped.
Sorry I know this is boring but I find it unreasonably annoying. Hope it's just a UI glitch, otherwise gear that improves saving throws is unreliable at best.
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Post by UncleLou on Sept 14, 2023 12:26:37 GMT
If it's any consolation, I neither find it unreasonable that you're annoyed, nor do I find it boring - it's the kind of stuff that can drive me mad because I am not sure if I misunderstand something, or if it's a bug. |
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skalpadda
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Post by skalpadda on Sept 14, 2023 12:37:16 GMT
Well I just threw a lot of spells at Lae'zel (don't know why I didn't think of doing that immediately) and it seems like she is getting the correct saves in the combat log calculations even when they're not showing as they should in the UI. So that's good at least.
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