From what I read, they simplified the sneak attack in the game if compared to the tabletop version of Pathfinder. Not criticizing the decision to simplify- I criticize the implementation, and also highlight the very fact the PnP rules are changed for a videogame. I heard so much about the second argument recently in the wake of BG3, so sorry for bringing this up.
@JuliusBorisov Flanking (catching enemies flatfooted) in Pathfinder: Kingmaker was actually oversimplified to make it less demanding for players. The game just needs to have at least two people attack the same opponent. The PnP rules of flanking on the other hand requires your party to have a special formation to do this.
If you're interested: there's also a Proper Flanking mod on the nexus to "houserule" it back to its PnP roots.
From what I read, they simplified the sneak attack in the game if compared to the tabletop version of Pathfinder. Not criticizing the decision to simplify- I criticize the implementation, and also highlight the very fact the PnP rules are changed for a videogame. I heard so much about the second argument recently in the wake of BG3, so sorry for bringing this up.
Well, only because they changed an rule, doesn't means that it was an good decision. IMO it made sneak attacks too broken in certain situations. From the party and against the party.
I an not sure if they fixed, but from what i remember, ranged touch attack spells that "divide" the damage can get sneak bonus many times in a single attack. If the spell X deals half fire, half unholy damage and trows 3 rays at the enemy. you get 6 times the sneak attack as an ARCANE TRIKSTER. That is ludicrous OP. A lot of people criticized then for simplifying this rules ( https://steamcommunity.com/app/640820/discussions/0/1734342161865511910/ )
An interesting comment from TaKoDancer has Pathfinder: Kingmaker 22 Oct, 2018 @ 4:23am
"being able to get full sneak attack dmg on all ranged attacks(plus ray spells, or all for level 10 arcane trickster) by just having 2 front liners threatening the target is pretty... well overpowered
hell just taking a SINGLE level in rogue for most characters greatly boosts ur DPS by wayyyyyy too much"
You want to get crazy sneak attacks? Once you get level 10 arcane trickster you can sneak attack with any spell. They get impromptu sneak attack as modal ability, too. So you can chain lightning everyone on the map with an impromptu sneak attack. I abused the hell out of that in my no reload game. Even a lowly fireball gets awesome again if you use it as an opener, since it'll count as a sneak attack.
You want to get crazy sneak attacks? Once you get level 10 arcane trickster you can sneak attack with any spell. They get impromptu sneak attack as modal ability, too. So you can chain lightning everyone on the map with an impromptu sneak attack. I abused the hell out of that in my no reload game. Even a lowly fireball gets awesome again if you use it as an opener, since it'll count as a sneak attack.
Yes, due the fact that sneak attack is different than on pnp, is broken as *****
You want to get crazy sneak attacks? Once you get level 10 arcane trickster you can sneak attack with any spell. They get impromptu sneak attack as modal ability, too. So you can chain lightning everyone on the map with an impromptu sneak attack. I abused the hell out of that in my no reload game. Even a lowly fireball gets awesome again if you use it as an opener, since it'll count as a sneak attack.
Yes, due the fact that sneak attack is different than on pnp, is broken as *****
That's the reason I haven't been taking Nok-Nok lately, as I feel like I'm just a little hero when compared to a big hero like him
Bought the game a few weeks ago started with my standard fighter run to get a hang of the mechanics, inventory administration, etc. and after reaching level 8 I started the run I intend to go to the end of the game. I'd like to make a few comments:
1) Character creation is overwhelming for a newbie. Enter any class and it gives you 3 or more options about archetypes, choose a race and some have as many or more subraces. With no manual to refer to it can get a newbie completely lost.
2) Kingdom administration. I didn't really like that part that much. Not enough to set it to full automatic but I just keep it at the lower difficulty not to bother me. I'm actually considering going full automatic this time.
3) Still about classes some synergies are not obvious without a manual forcing you to read every class description. For instance you can give a level of vivisectionist to your low int fighter character so that he gets a +8 str mutagen and sneak attacks.
4) Overall I really like the game and I am having a lot of fun with it but this game needs an in game encyclopedia or at least a manual.
It's true that the character creation could feel overwhelming for someone new to the game and/or Pathfinder. But they offer you both pre-made characters as well as quick-generation options to help with that.
Completely agree about manuals/encyclopedias though. Now at least there are some basic wikis to look at. Back when it came out you had to look at the Pathfinder srd pages and hope whatever you were looking for wasn't one of things they had edited for the game.
It's true that the character creation could feel overwhelming for someone new to the game and/or Pathfinder. But they offer you both pre-made characters as well as quick-generation options to help with that.
Completely agree about manuals/encyclopedias though. Now at least there are some basic wikis to look at. Back when it came out you had to look at the Pathfinder srd pages and hope whatever you were looking for wasn't one of things they had edited for the game.
The Wiki is vastly improved since the last time I looked at it, but still nowhere near the level of the one available for Pillars of Eternity. And most games I like to play essentially REQUIRE wikis at some point. My wiki bookmarks folder is almost two dozen sites large, and this one just got added recently. For a long time, it was pretty bare bones. But yes, this game DESPERATELY needed a manual. I mean, the ones for the Infinity Engine games were essentially D&D sourcebooks and were hundreds of pages long.
I remember when manuals were actually a part of the game in physical format, with backgrounds, story, stats for your characters/unities, etc. They added content to the game they were not just there to explain things.
Yeah, it was easier to advice with the manual while you had the game on the screen, or read the manual until the game installs. But there are fewer and fewer games with physical copies (for PC) so manuals are off the menu. And I think it would be worse in the future.
It would not kill them to have a complete guide ingame in the menu or something.
Guys, my desktop is broken. Pathfinder Kingmaker works well in a 10yo notebook with intel graphics(Linux)? I obviously own the game, but is 40 GB to download and i don't have good internet. Even on desktop, some loadings was very long...
@SorcererV1ct0r Depends. I run Kingmaker via PlayOnLinux (Wine) on a five year old desktop with only a few frame drops in comparison to Owlcat's native Linux build. I imagine if your notebook meets the minimum requirements it should run if you disable most of the graphic eye candies.
Guys, my desktop is broken. Pathfinder Kingmaker works well in a 10yo notebook with intel graphics(Linux)? I obviously own the game, but is 40 GB to download and i don't have good internet. Even on desktop, some loadings was very long...
It's definitely greatly improved since release. Most of the maps load in just a few seconds on my nvme solid state drive, and it does things like keep the kingdom UI in memory, so kingdom management loads much quicker. They've also added exits from each of the areas in the capital that let you just exit to the overland map. You can also just buy build points in the kingdom interface, now too. So in addition to reducing the load times, they've added a lot of quality of life improvements to cut down the number of load screens you have to sit through.
I'm finding they've actually increased the difficulty in a lot of areas in the EE. A lot of spots that were just trash fights are now actually challenging. So far I haven't found Tenebruous depths that interesting, it seems the standard overly long dungeon crawl. I've only killed the first boss, so far, though. Watcher's Keep was the only long dungeon crawl I really enjoyed, since every floor was unique and interesting, and broke from the standard kill everything in your path. It does kind of almost feel like there's too much loot now, with the additional encounters and areas. There's also a wandering merchant with new gear you can bump into, whose inventory changes throughout the game.
Also no idea if spells like blade barrier and wall of fire work with sneak attack. I'm doing an arcane trickster run right now, but I'm vivisectionist/sorcerer, so not the best thing to play around with that.
Depends. I run Kingmaker via PlayOnLinux (Wine) on a five year old desktop with only a few frame drops in comparison to Owlcat's native Linux build. I imagine if your notebook meets the minimum requirements it should run if you disable most of the graphic eye candies.
Thanks a lot. One more question. How i mod the game on Linux? I really wanna Try the Witch class that an modder added to the game and yes, i will create an male witch if i can install Call of the Wild > https://www.nexusmods.com/pathfinderkingmaker/mods/112
I already completed the game as an Sorcerer and loved the experience. IMO the devs should add Witch as an DLC and add an Witch companion, since there are no pure arcane caster companion(Octavia is multi classed) and Witch is vastly different than other arcane classes that are present on D&D with an unique power(HEX) and unique mechanics(Familiar to "attune spells", an mysterious patron who affects her in many ways)
The mod allso adds Hunter, Witch, Skald and Bloodrager classes. Classes unique to Pathfinder that IMO should be added in a future DLC too.
But the mod to add this classes adds a lot of feats and rage powers
Extra Hex,
Accursed Hex,
Rage Casting,
Raging Brutality,
Blooded Arcane Strike,
Riving Strike,
Feral Combat Training,
Coordinated Shot,
Bonded Mind and Share Spells
New features:
Share Spell for animal companions,
Animal companions can now equip belts, bracers and amulets.
New spells:
Hex Vulnerability,
Shillelagh,
Flame Blade,
Deadly Juggernaut,
Virtuoso Performance,
Plant Shape I, II and III,
Giant Form I and II,
Shapechange.
@SorcererV1ct0r You have to install the Unity Mod Manager to mod Pathfinder: Kingmaker. And that program sadly won't natively run on Linux (thus me playing it via PlayOnLinux). Once installed all you need to drop the files into the Mods folder.
I can also recommend the Eldritch Arcana and Advanced Martial Arts class bundles to the mix as well.
One more question. I an re playing the game, i an at STAG lord at moment and purchased ALL DLC's. Do i need to re start the game to see the DLC content?
No. But I recommend playing Varnhold's Lot prior to the Varnhold Vanishing chapter, since it will place additional items 'round the place. Afaik visiting the new DLC dungeon within the main campaign will only work if you side with Varn and not Vordakai. But I could be wrong.
The first ten or so levels of the Teneborous Depths will be accessible in chapter two. And you can gradually travel deeper with each additional game chapter.
The Tielfling NPC will be unlocked when Jamandi gives you the title of Baron. By then a new location will be revealed on your map for starting her quest.
Well... I finally beat the game. Yikes. That took a loooooong time. I'm going to offer up some of my opinions in the form of pros/cons (many entries will be found in both, I think).
Top line: Good game. B- or a B overall. Glad I played it.
Obvious spoilers ahead. Read at your own peril.
Pros:
Engaging world - I originally thought I wouldnt like it as much as Forgotten Realms, but it grew on me
Some strong characters/companions (Linzi, Nyrissa, The Tiefling twins, Nok-Nok)
Interesting premise - I enjoyed being wrapped up in the millennia long struggle of Nyrissa
Engaing combat - Game went all in on combat, and mostly succeeded
Charming graphics - I like the way the world looked/felt
Branching storyline - It was convoluted at times, but it kept my attention (and not all games do anymore)
Choices matter - Huge implication in almost every companion quest
Good exploration system
Cons
Pacing - Yikes. The game has some pacing issues. Some quests move along quickly and you feel in control, but then there would be long stretches of tedious kingdom management. Or at the end of the game - some of the combat and dungeon crawls in the House at the End of Time and Cursed Queen took FOREVER.
Companions/Characters - As some were good, others were pretty one note. Amiri? No thanks. Harrin? My nihilist 15 year old self would have loved you (In fairness, he got better after his companion quests).
Tedious combat encounters - I dont mind challenging fights, but there were some that were just frustrating. The undead wizard in Vordekai's tomb, or the Troll Chieftain who heals to full hp if you didnt happen to know to kill him first, as examples.
Lockpicking - One try per character? It made the game into a bit of a save-scum fest that it didnt need to be
Branching Storyline - I like some parts of it, but sometimes it just got a little over the top.
Choices matter - They can matter too much. Things like going into a room in Vordekai's tomb killing the chance to have Tristian break the Eye of Abaddon and therefore preventing you from getting the Briar and having a shot at the hidden romance? Lame. Lame. Lame. If innocuous choices are going to have impact on the end of the game, then they should probably build in opportunities to redeem yourself, or a "3 strikes" kind of system.
Poorly executed content - Turns out that even though I was on the path to romancing Kanerah, if you dont ask to sleep with her (a prompt you have practically all game) exactly between getting rid of the Sweet Teeth but before going to the Southern Barrens per their chapter 4 companion quest, the romance breaks and you're stuck. Whoops. Didnt know that was a thing until MUCH latter. This is just one example.
If you want to keep your companions at the end, you have to be pretty much a paragon for them at every turn. It honestly makes me wonder if an evil play through would be gratifying at all. Half of my companions would turn against me or just die in the House at the end if I hadnt wisened up and started playing my Lawful Neural Monk as a Lawful Good one. This is a miss opportunity. The only one that is done relatively well here is Jaethal.
I'll leave it there. The con list is longer, but I have more things to say about what I'm dissatisfied with than what I enjoyed, which is pretty standard for reviews. I did honestly enjoy the game, and will probably play it again (with some mods) sometime down the line.
Guys, an update. The game is running on my extremely old notebook, with an problem. The game crashes a lot during loadings. Mainly on my main city.
And BallpointMan, i strongly disagree. Din't found the kingdom management "tedious" and is non mandatory n the game. Don't agree with "frustrating battles", mainly because since is RtWP, you can retry few moments later and don't think that "choices matter too much", honestly, is finally an game where the choice matters is not just an illusion of choices.
This is the most immersive and best cRPG since BG2.
IS offtopic and i know that will probably never happens, but IMO Beamdog should adapt NWN1 to modern graphics and modern ruleset. Imagine playing the tons of Aurora modules with an CryEngine graphics...
@SorcererV1ct0r Keeping the kingdom management UI in memory is a togglable option in the options menu. That might free up some memory and help with the crashing.
I've got a new laptop coming this week, myself, so I'm curious how the game'll run on it with just the builtin intel graphics.
And BallpointMan, i strongly disagree. Din't found the kingdom management "tedious" and is non mandatory n the game. Don't agree with "frustrating battles", mainly because since is RtWP, you can retry few moments later and don't think that "choices matter too much", honestly, is finally an game where the choice matters is not just an illusion of choice.
To be clear - those were just my opinion, but I want to be clear on a few things:
I liked the hard battles, but some went beyond the pale (into bad design territory - like the Trobold boss fight).
Kingdom Management isn't bad, but year 4.5 is the same as year 1.5, so it got tedious.
I like having choices that matter. I don't like the idea that a dialogue choice I made in chapter 2 about something that I thought was unrelated to the main plot would have SIGNIFICANT ramifications on my ending in chapter 7 (100 hours later). Choices should matter, but there's definitely a rabbit hole in which they matter too much, or are not intuitive enough. Some choice in this game are like that (and others are great.)
And BallpointMan, i strongly disagree. Din't found the kingdom management "tedious" and is non mandatory n the game. Don't agree with "frustrating battles", mainly because since is RtWP, you can retry few moments later and don't think that "choices matter too much", honestly, is finally an game where the choice matters is not just an illusion of choice.
To be clear - those were just my opinion, but I want to be clear on a few things:
I liked the hard battles, but some went beyond the pale (into bad design territory - like the Trobold boss fight).
Kingdom Management isn't bad, but year 4.5 is the same as year 1.5, so it got tedious.
I like having choices that matter. I don't like the idea that a dialogue choice I made in chapter 2 about something that I thought was unrelated to the main plot would have SIGNIFICANT ramifications on my ending in chapter 7 (100 hours later). Choices should matter, but there's definitely a rabbit hole in which they matter too much, or are not intuitive enough. Some choice in this game are like that (and others are great.)
I gotta say, I love most of those points you didn't care for. The fight at Trobold is tough, but it helps harden you for tough fights to come. I think the first time I must've died like 10 times during that fight. I dig the kingdom management, since it comes in breaks. Sometimes I even get annoyed main quest stuff comes up and I have to break away from building the kingdom. Most of all, I absolutely love that choices made throughout the whole game can come back to haunt you way later. For me that adds a huge amount of replayability, since you can get things to play out differently. I'm much more of the lockout content with choices type, and have to do a different run to get at other content. Probably why I liked Tyranny so much.
I like having choices that matter. I don't like the idea that a dialogue choice I made in chapter 2 about something that I thought was unrelated to the main plot would have SIGNIFICANT ramifications on my ending in chapter 7 (100 hours later). Choices should matter, but there's definitely a rabbit hole in which they matter too much, or are not intuitive enough. Some choice in this game are like that (and others are great.)
Well, depending the choice, it makes perfectly sense. The history is replete of small changes leading to bigger things. Look to WW1/2. The assassination of an single Archduke lead to the two biggest armed conflicts on human history and an reshape of the power to be more concentrated on north america and ussr.
And DrHappyAngry, thanks a lot. Anyway, i an liking the kinecticist. IMO an Witch would be better due the lack of pure arcane companion. There are two clerics, zero druids and one hybrid arcane caster in your companions. For me who enjoy play as an sorcerer, this isn't an problem. But for those who don't like to be an sorcerer/wizard, this is a problem. Wtich will also introduce people to an more unique pathfinder class.
Personally, I love some of the tough boss fights in the game that marks the entrance to a new chapter: The trobold fight, the double BloomPlant fight, Stag lord fight...
Also....
In the Trobold fight you can even make Tartuccio and the troll king fight each other, so you have only half of the fight ahead of you... In the same fortress, you can instakill the troll miniboss that killed Ekundayo´s family if you use daylight, without even land a hit on it
I think many people uses too freely the term "bad design" when talking about this game. It is not a bad design to have tough fights, battles that require some trick, level your party up, different tactics, access to some equipment. I do not think this is a bad design, I think they design it exactly that way.
Have only one/ two options for advisors, and some of them can even leave so you lose them forever? That you could call a "weird" or "bad" design choice( they already address it in the last patch). Have a tough fight? Not much IMHO.
It is not "you cannot kill swarms with an axe, the game is badly designed" and stuff like that, It is just that they have hard fights or fights that need some trick or strategy or simply you have to come back later with more equipment, a different party or more levels.
In Darksiders II you die a lot, It has nearly impossible enemies if you fight them head-on. You can even die if you open a chest and it bites you. And nobody calls it bad design because after the first game you actually expect a hard game because developers did it that way.
Well, this can be a hard game in higher difficulties.
Ed: Also I forgot, I already said that but this game had one of the most faithful depictions of the kingdom management of the tabletop game, and I love the game for it. Also, they improved a lot the kingdom management since game release (mostly better UI and fairer rules =( ). And you can disable it whenever you want. In "efortless" you simply cannot lose.
I think many people uses too freely the term "bad design" when talking about this game. It is not a bad design to have tough fights, battles that require some trick, level your party up, different tactics, access to some equipment. I do not think this is a bad design, I think they design it exactly that way.
Have only one/ two options for advisors, and some of them can even leave so you lose them forever? That you could call a "weird" or "bad" design choice( they already address it in the last patch). Have a tough fight? Not much IMHO.
It is not "you cannot kill swarms with an axe, the game is badly designed" and stuff like that, It is just that they have hard fights or fights that need some trick or strategy or simply you have to come back later with more equipment, a different party or more levels.
.
Well - of course, you don't have an indefinite amount if time. So "come back later" isn't always an option. I think the term bad design is warrented in some cases. That fight in trobold is one of them.
I Pointedto another instance of what I think constitutes bad design - like when a romance breaks because you need to spawn an event by taking a specific action in a very specific time frame with no hint or suggestion whatsoever that this is necessary. Then the game doesn't even tell you the romance is broken (and, in fact - leads you to believe it's still in play until the final chapter. Oops).
I don't think it is a terrible sin to say this game has some rough edges. It has a pretty bad reputation of bugginess. It's hard to say what all I ran into that was buggy, since I don't know exactly what was always supposed to happen.
In the end, Owlcat made an ambitious, and good game. Not great (in my opinion), but good. I liked this game more the PoE1 - and I suspect I'll like it more than PoE2.
On a separate topic - has anyone gone full evil in the game? Was it a satisfying play through?
I want to try a neutral evil Nccromance/Cleric/Mystic Theurge type character. My only worry is that with the way the companions line up, especially in the end, if it will be too much of a hassle.
Comments
If you're interested: there's also a Proper Flanking mod on the nexus to "houserule" it back to its PnP roots.
Well, only because they changed an rule, doesn't means that it was an good decision. IMO it made sneak attacks too broken in certain situations. From the party and against the party.
I an not sure if they fixed, but from what i remember, ranged touch attack spells that "divide" the damage can get sneak bonus many times in a single attack. If the spell X deals half fire, half unholy damage and trows 3 rays at the enemy. you get 6 times the sneak attack as an ARCANE TRIKSTER. That is ludicrous OP. A lot of people criticized then for simplifying this rules ( https://steamcommunity.com/app/640820/discussions/0/1734342161865511910/ )
An interesting comment from TaKoDancer has Pathfinder: Kingmaker 22 Oct, 2018 @ 4:23am
"being able to get full sneak attack dmg on all ranged attacks(plus ray spells, or all for level 10 arcane trickster) by just having 2 front liners threatening the target is pretty... well overpowered
hell just taking a SINGLE level in rogue for most characters greatly boosts ur DPS by wayyyyyy too much"
Yes, due the fact that sneak attack is different than on pnp, is broken as *****
That's the reason I haven't been taking Nok-Nok lately, as I feel like I'm just a little hero when compared to a big hero like him
1) Character creation is overwhelming for a newbie. Enter any class and it gives you 3 or more options about archetypes, choose a race and some have as many or more subraces. With no manual to refer to it can get a newbie completely lost.
2) Kingdom administration. I didn't really like that part that much. Not enough to set it to full automatic but I just keep it at the lower difficulty not to bother me. I'm actually considering going full automatic this time.
3) Still about classes some synergies are not obvious without a manual forcing you to read every class description. For instance you can give a level of vivisectionist to your low int fighter character so that he gets a +8 str mutagen and sneak attacks.
4) Overall I really like the game and I am having a lot of fun with it but this game needs an in game encyclopedia or at least a manual.
Completely agree about manuals/encyclopedias though. Now at least there are some basic wikis to look at. Back when it came out you had to look at the Pathfinder srd pages and hope whatever you were looking for wasn't one of things they had edited for the game.
The Wiki is vastly improved since the last time I looked at it, but still nowhere near the level of the one available for Pillars of Eternity. And most games I like to play essentially REQUIRE wikis at some point. My wiki bookmarks folder is almost two dozen sites large, and this one just got added recently. For a long time, it was pretty bare bones. But yes, this game DESPERATELY needed a manual. I mean, the ones for the Infinity Engine games were essentially D&D sourcebooks and were hundreds of pages long.
This applies to spell that lasts for several rounds? So can an spell like wall of fire sneak attack? hu3hu3hu3
Yes, modern gamers have little attention spam...
It would not kill them to have a complete guide ingame in the menu or something.
It's definitely greatly improved since release. Most of the maps load in just a few seconds on my nvme solid state drive, and it does things like keep the kingdom UI in memory, so kingdom management loads much quicker. They've also added exits from each of the areas in the capital that let you just exit to the overland map. You can also just buy build points in the kingdom interface, now too. So in addition to reducing the load times, they've added a lot of quality of life improvements to cut down the number of load screens you have to sit through.
I'm finding they've actually increased the difficulty in a lot of areas in the EE. A lot of spots that were just trash fights are now actually challenging. So far I haven't found Tenebruous depths that interesting, it seems the standard overly long dungeon crawl. I've only killed the first boss, so far, though. Watcher's Keep was the only long dungeon crawl I really enjoyed, since every floor was unique and interesting, and broke from the standard kill everything in your path. It does kind of almost feel like there's too much loot now, with the additional encounters and areas. There's also a wandering merchant with new gear you can bump into, whose inventory changes throughout the game.
Also no idea if spells like blade barrier and wall of fire work with sneak attack. I'm doing an arcane trickster run right now, but I'm vivisectionist/sorcerer, so not the best thing to play around with that.
Thanks a lot. One more question. How i mod the game on Linux? I really wanna Try the Witch class that an modder added to the game and yes, i will create an male witch if i can install Call of the Wild > https://www.nexusmods.com/pathfinderkingmaker/mods/112
I already completed the game as an Sorcerer and loved the experience. IMO the devs should add Witch as an DLC and add an Witch companion, since there are no pure arcane caster companion(Octavia is multi classed) and Witch is vastly different than other arcane classes that are present on D&D with an unique power(HEX) and unique mechanics(Familiar to "attune spells", an mysterious patron who affects her in many ways)
The mod allso adds Hunter, Witch, Skald and Bloodrager classes. Classes unique to Pathfinder that IMO should be added in a future DLC too.
But the mod to add this classes adds a lot of feats and rage powers
Accursed Hex,
Rage Casting,
Raging Brutality,
Blooded Arcane Strike,
Riving Strike,
Feral Combat Training,
Coordinated Shot,
Bonded Mind and Share Spells
New rage powers:
Terrifying Howl,
Taunting Stance,
Unrestrained Rage,
Quick Reflexes,
Atavism Totem, Lesser,
Atavism Totem,
Atavism Totem, Greater,
Spirit Totem, Lesser,
Spirit Totem,
Spirit Totem, Greater.
New features:
Share Spell for animal companions,
Animal companions can now equip belts, bracers and amulets.
New spells:
Hex Vulnerability,
Shillelagh,
Flame Blade,
Deadly Juggernaut,
Virtuoso Performance,
Plant Shape I, II and III,
Giant Form I and II,
Shapechange.
I can also recommend the Eldritch Arcana and Advanced Martial Arts class bundles to the mix as well.
The first ten or so levels of the Teneborous Depths will be accessible in chapter two. And you can gradually travel deeper with each additional game chapter.
The Tielfling NPC will be unlocked when Jamandi gives you the title of Baron. By then a new location will be revealed on your map for starting her quest.
Top line: Good game. B- or a B overall. Glad I played it.
Obvious spoilers ahead. Read at your own peril.
Pros:
Cons
I'll leave it there. The con list is longer, but I have more things to say about what I'm dissatisfied with than what I enjoyed, which is pretty standard for reviews. I did honestly enjoy the game, and will probably play it again (with some mods) sometime down the line.
And BallpointMan, i strongly disagree. Din't found the kingdom management "tedious" and is non mandatory n the game. Don't agree with "frustrating battles", mainly because since is RtWP, you can retry few moments later and don't think that "choices matter too much", honestly, is finally an game where the choice matters is not just an illusion of choices.
This is the most immersive and best cRPG since BG2.
IS offtopic and i know that will probably never happens, but IMO Beamdog should adapt NWN1 to modern graphics and modern ruleset. Imagine playing the tons of Aurora modules with an CryEngine graphics...
I've got a new laptop coming this week, myself, so I'm curious how the game'll run on it with just the builtin intel graphics.
To be clear - those were just my opinion, but I want to be clear on a few things:
I liked the hard battles, but some went beyond the pale (into bad design territory - like the Trobold boss fight).
Kingdom Management isn't bad, but year 4.5 is the same as year 1.5, so it got tedious.
I like having choices that matter. I don't like the idea that a dialogue choice I made in chapter 2 about something that I thought was unrelated to the main plot would have SIGNIFICANT ramifications on my ending in chapter 7 (100 hours later). Choices should matter, but there's definitely a rabbit hole in which they matter too much, or are not intuitive enough. Some choice in this game are like that (and others are great.)
I gotta say, I love most of those points you didn't care for. The fight at Trobold is tough, but it helps harden you for tough fights to come. I think the first time I must've died like 10 times during that fight. I dig the kingdom management, since it comes in breaks. Sometimes I even get annoyed main quest stuff comes up and I have to break away from building the kingdom. Most of all, I absolutely love that choices made throughout the whole game can come back to haunt you way later. For me that adds a huge amount of replayability, since you can get things to play out differently. I'm much more of the lockout content with choices type, and have to do a different run to get at other content. Probably why I liked Tyranny so much.
Well, depending the choice, it makes perfectly sense. The history is replete of small changes leading to bigger things. Look to WW1/2. The assassination of an single Archduke lead to the two biggest armed conflicts on human history and an reshape of the power to be more concentrated on north america and ussr.
And DrHappyAngry, thanks a lot. Anyway, i an liking the kinecticist. IMO an Witch would be better due the lack of pure arcane companion. There are two clerics, zero druids and one hybrid arcane caster in your companions. For me who enjoy play as an sorcerer, this isn't an problem. But for those who don't like to be an sorcerer/wizard, this is a problem. Wtich will also introduce people to an more unique pathfinder class.
Also....
I think many people uses too freely the term "bad design" when talking about this game. It is not a bad design to have tough fights, battles that require some trick, level your party up, different tactics, access to some equipment. I do not think this is a bad design, I think they design it exactly that way.
Have only one/ two options for advisors, and some of them can even leave so you lose them forever? That you could call a "weird" or "bad" design choice( they already address it in the last patch). Have a tough fight? Not much IMHO.
It is not "you cannot kill swarms with an axe, the game is badly designed" and stuff like that, It is just that they have hard fights or fights that need some trick or strategy or simply you have to come back later with more equipment, a different party or more levels.
In Darksiders II you die a lot, It has nearly impossible enemies if you fight them head-on. You can even die if you open a chest and it bites you. And nobody calls it bad design because after the first game you actually expect a hard game because developers did it that way.
Well, this can be a hard game in higher difficulties.
Ed: Also I forgot, I already said that but this game had one of the most faithful depictions of the kingdom management of the tabletop game, and I love the game for it. Also, they improved a lot the kingdom management since game release (mostly better UI and fairer rules =( ). And you can disable it whenever you want. In "efortless" you simply cannot lose.
Well - of course, you don't have an indefinite amount if time. So "come back later" isn't always an option. I think the term bad design is warrented in some cases. That fight in trobold is one of them.
I Pointedto another instance of what I think constitutes bad design - like when a romance breaks because you need to spawn an event by taking a specific action in a very specific time frame with no hint or suggestion whatsoever that this is necessary. Then the game doesn't even tell you the romance is broken (and, in fact - leads you to believe it's still in play until the final chapter. Oops).
I don't think it is a terrible sin to say this game has some rough edges. It has a pretty bad reputation of bugginess. It's hard to say what all I ran into that was buggy, since I don't know exactly what was always supposed to happen.
In the end, Owlcat made an ambitious, and good game. Not great (in my opinion), but good. I liked this game more the PoE1 - and I suspect I'll like it more than PoE2.
I want to try a neutral evil Nccromance/Cleric/Mystic Theurge type character. My only worry is that with the way the companions line up, especially in the end, if it will be too much of a hassle.