Tips On Character Creation
JuliusBorisov
Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,758
We've tried to not give away spoilers but yet to help people trying the game for the first time or returning to it after many years, and published an article about creating a character in PST:EE.
http://blog.beamdog.com/2017/04/tips-on-character-creation-in.html
We would be happy to learn how players prefer to distribute attributes and what class you prefer to choose for TNO.
http://blog.beamdog.com/2017/04/tips-on-character-creation-in.html
We would be happy to learn how players prefer to distribute attributes and what class you prefer to choose for TNO.
13
Comments
Newbie and/or 2nd playthrough - Fighter; starting STR 15
Just why? - Thief
I'm curious what an ideal mage stat allocation would be. I know that by leveling up, the Nameless One can get stats over the normal 18 limit. Since you can't do this in any of the other Infinity games (as far as I know), I kind of rushed Intelligence up to 21 (my intelligence surpasses those of normal mortals, I will THINK you to death!). Though, after reading this guide, I'm starting to think I just gimped myself regarding wisdom. Any advice on what I should be focusing on? My current stats are as follows:
Strength: 9
Intelligence: 21 (23 with tattoo)
Wisdom: 12
Dexterity: 18
Constitution: 9
Charisma: 9
I'm not against editing these stats if I REALLY messed up.
First, regarding character creation and classes:
* The most powerful (and it feels like "game guided' choice) for your character is Mage. Keep in mind that with weaponization being more geared to edged and fist as the higher damage/overpowered weapons any of the three classes can get the best weapons, and there are no real HP problems whether you're a mage, thief or fighter, so really front line combatting as a mage is no real difference than front line combatting as a figther at least in the latter stages of the game. As well, combat just isn't a huge thing in PST:EE.
* Thief is MUCH MUCH MUCH More powerful than anyone gives it credit for. I always had the same thought on thief for years till I did a test run through the game as one. Generally in most cases assuming you can properly "pull" mobs to your party instead of just rushing in on them, thieves are just OP. Backstab is rediculously powerful when you're only facing one or two creatures at a time.
* Really, warrior is the flattest character class in the game and I feel like it gets the least "love". Both Mage and Thief have significant amounts of Armor Class enhancing items while Warrior gets a bit shafted in the AC department. I guess the additional hit points you gain from the warrior class might make some difference, but if you follow the standard game progression you're not going to get access to thief or mage classes till you're close to 7 anyway, and that means you already have more than half of the warrior's base HP anyway.
* Stats wise (see stats below) the game HEAVILY favors a mage player, SLIGHTLY favors a Thief player and PUNNISHES THE HELL out of a Warrior player.
And on to stats. This has some significant information regarding many of the stats in the game, if you like to "figure it out yourself" or be surprised, you probably don't want to read this spoiler. If you are a powergamer / munchkin much like I am and won't be happy if you don't complete the game with as much beatdown as possible, information in spoiler here will assist you with that.
* Wisdom is BY FAR the single most important stat in the ENTIRE game.
--> Almost every stat check in the game is reached or beaten with a high wisdom.
--> Even most stat checks that are NOT wisdom REQUIRE a high wisdom FIRST before you can get to the ACTUAL stat check (such as all the pick pocket checks).
--> There are hidden benefits to wisdom that you aren't going to find documented many places. Such as: There is a bonus to hit applied through wisdom (I THINK? I could be wrong on this one), there is a bonus XP gain applied through wisdom, and (and this was a surprise to me) there is a bonus DAMAGE DICE MOD applied to wisdom. I won't detail what that means, but for those of you playing with a high wis, pay attention to the damage your weapons are doing...particularly high dice number, low dice size weapons (e.g. 3d4 vs 1d12).
--> Finally, ultra-high wisdom is one path to the "best" ending of the game.
* Intelligence is the second most important stat in the game. Not that Int has any hidden bonuses, but pound for pound taking wisdom off the table, there are more (and more important) stat checks based off of Int than any other stat other than wisdom. If the stat check isn't wis, in most cases it's INT.
--> Again, an Ultra-High Int is another path to the "best ending" of the game.
* Charisma is the third most important stat in the game and may ARGUEABLY be second. Again, this is just based around the number of stat checks and dialog options a high CHA opens up.
--> Yea, another path to the best ending of the game.
* Dexterity is the fourth most important stat in the game but really is ONLY important for it's Armor Class Modifier (with no actual "armor" in the game accessible to TNO to get the lowest possible AC's you're going to need a high dex...though nothing above an 18 is needed in this case) UNLESS you're planning on playing as a thief, in which case a high dex comes into play for specific thief beneficial stat checks...assuming you have a high wisdom first.
From there, Constitution is next, but it's only benefit is purely in the HP side of things, it has no dialog stat check that I know of.
The most punishing stat in the game is Strength. First, attempting to get an 18/00 strength off of character creation wastes more points than any other build attempt...buffing from 18 -> 18/00 requires an additional 5 character point expenditure that no other build in the game requires.
The typical issues of "weight limit" and "inventory size" and things of this nature in other games that make strength a required stat are pretty non-existent in PST:EE. While a high strength does get you great combat bonuses, it completely gimps your character in the rest of character creation...
If you're going for strength in your build, do not go past 18, the cost/benefit doesn't merit it. Once you hit (I think) level 7 in Warrior you'll get a strength bonus that will take you directly from 18 to 19, thereby skipping the need for expending points at the 18/33, 18/66, 18/90...etc. levels.
Unless you focus purely on the combat stats of Strength, Dex and Con in which case you really do hurt your ability to do just about anything in the game. That said, there is a "best ending" condition through the game without high "mental" stats, so you really aren't gimping yourself here either.
Best Stat Period - Spoiler alert
Wisdom is the best stat for any character hands down. Check out the "stats" spoiler above in my last post for more information but it's stacked with bonuses so much more than anything else in the entire game.
As to stats over 18, yes, you get one stat point to spend per level of TNO in your HIGHEST class (so if you are a 7 warrior and 6 thief and 5 mage, you get a stat point if you go from 7 to 8 warrior, not if you go from 6 - 7 thief for instance) and 25 is the cap.
The highest stat check in the game is a 24. Benefits beyond this are diminishing returns.
Unless you're already well into the game you're probably no where near getting close to "out of levels" so I really wouldn't worry about your character as he stands right now.
This is what I do:
for all classes
I always start with 15 INT, since you can pass most of the checks early in the game, and you'll be able to reach 18 with the tatoos.
13 to CHARISMA is my starting point, and usually I don't spend any more points in it, since I always buy tatoos.
You have only 2 points left...
Fighter
Strenght or Constitution.
If I want to reach a high strenght I put the 2 starting point in strenght and every level up point in strenght until I reach 18. From now on every other level up point are going into Constitution
Or, and this is my best option, I give everything to constitution!!!
A very high regeneration rate makes you almost invincible.
Once I reach the MAX const, I start giving points to dex.
Tatoos:
First I buy +1 and +2 Int, then +1 and +2 Char, finally +2 Const.
Every other one come after those ones.
Mage
From now on I alternate CON, DEX with some CHAR later in the game.
Remember: a mage can use the friend spell.
Tatoos:
First I buy +1 and +2 Char, then +1 and +2 Int, finally +2 Const.
Every other one come after those ones.
Thief.... I can't say.
Never played a thief yet.
TIP:
I always buy as soon as I can all the increasing stats tatoos!! And I use them on TNO according to any situation.
You don't need a high dexterity (or strenght) to be a good Rogue, nor you need a high strenght (or dex) to be a good fighter.
I'm not saying it's not useful, what I'm saying is that it's not crucial.
So feel free to build it the way you like.
everythingour prime stats.In other words, meta with discretion lol.
Also, I am thinking about doing a run starting with 13 in everything but 10 Con, to pass a bunch of early-game checks. Good idea or bad?
As for the second, if that is what sounds fun to do, do it. Don't spend eternity in analysis paralysis purgatory like me lol.
My stat array is usually 18 WIS (hands down most important), 18 INT (second most important) and then some CHA or DEX. I tend to go for 17 DEX, then work on STR & CON. Might prioritise STR now, though.
Getting your other two classes to level 6 gets you 10 stat points -- enough to turn a 9 into a 19.
There is a limited number of quests for XP in the game obviously, but not enemies. Especially when clearing out Undersigil.
If I were to try out a Fighter, I'd still keep the same initial attribute spread. First level-up point to bring INT to 16, the rest to physical stats.
specializations, tattoos, dialogues...
I think you can increase your wisdom by a lot, but i'd like to know the exact number. maybe you can even hit 24 or even 25 wis by just picking up these bonuses, no?