Divinity: Original Sin 2

Rime · Sep 27, 2017

General Antony said:
Story is pretty nonsensical. Inventory management is atrocious. I read that crafting is both amazing and utterly worthless so I have no idea what to keep out of the hundreds of at-first-glance worthless pieces of shit I'm collecting.

All characters should specialize on the island. Focus on one school, then get a few points in a second school. You do not have the +Skills gear or the higher tier skills to make spreading your points all over worth it. Enemies are always challenging, but if you scout around, you can easily outlevel them (except for the 'final fight' of each act).

AOE attacks that only hit enemies will say that they only hit enemies, all others hit everyone in the area.

Story spoilers below... all of this can be found out through the game...

This is TL;DR version that I have learned from reading the lore in the game.
Super God.
Made lots of little gods (The Seven) and the Eternal (his children).
Fane/Eternals discover that there is a HUGE barrier of source that surrounds their entire world. They want to gather it/use it, to make everyone equal to the Super God.
The Seven do not like this idea. Decide to take out the Super God so they can get rid of his children.
Eternals discover that the Void is behind the Source Wall, which is weakened by their tampering.
The Void offers to become their patron/protect them. - Some speculation is that the Void is the Super God/His remains.
People who follow him want to kill the Seven permanently.
Every X-Amount of years, a Godwoken is born. They 'harness' the powers of all seven Gods and use it to push back the Void.
Lucian fucked everything up by killing all of the other Godwoken so that his son would eventually ascend to become the bearer of all of the Gods powers/Use it for his own ends to become THE God.
Dallis wants ALL of the Gods gone as they grant Source abilities.
Source abilities attract the Voidwoken, who serve the Void (and eat normies/gather Sourcerers to feed their young).
The Void wants to reclaim all of the source so it can enter the world.
According to the followers of the God King, they will then be reborn in paradise.
According to other sources, the Void will just erase everything.

---Also---
The Voidwoken ARE the Eternals, they were warped/changed to be what they are by the Void.

Inventory management is spot on. It needs a search function.

Other than that, this is probably the best turn based CRPG since BG2:ToB.

edited: Added bit about what the Voidwoken are.

reavor · Sep 27, 2017

for sure RPG of the year, and it definitely improved on the previous. still find the voice acting lacking, and in general I think pretty ridiculous that there is this strong drive to voice act everything in modern RPGs, when it then impacts the dialogue writing. counting the last few years Pillars still holds the #1 spot for me.

Rime · Sep 27, 2017

Pillars had lore that was clearer, for sure. But I felt the base game was lacking something - White March DLC was A++ for that game, though. In the original campaign, I was not much impressed.

It also had so many frelling loading screens. Every building had it's own loading screen. While they only took 3-5 seconds, when a quest would often require you to go through 4-5 loading screens to do, it got really irritating.

But the DLC story was pretty aces, I have to admit.

Caliane · Sep 27, 2017

turbo said:
I will admit i didn't like the first one very much for a couple of reasons I won't get into and I very seldomly give a glowing a review for a game without being very critical but man...if you enjoy RGP's and have not bought this yet, FUCKING DO IT. I may play 1 single player game a year that i'd ever even say is a 7/10 for my own likes and this is just such an amazing game (don't start you first game on tactician wiithout reading any wiki's and then come crying pacing is bad or its too hard, start up can be rough if you have no clue and just try to straight out dps fights without strategy or leveraging the great tool sets they give) but once it opens up abit, man thiis is just such a fucking rewarding feeling.

As mentioned over and over, the level of fucking detail and different interactions based off choices you make in dialog/actions as well as who you talk with is mind blowing and it ALL seems so organic. I never read walls of text or listen to long audios in any of my games but i'm even stopping to read this shit. Just in the first part of the game I have had what...5 restarts (2 as part of work laptop with sync issues) and all 5 times i've found so many different things to do or interactions just in the first part before you get on the boat. I mean people who you thought were nice town folk you can piss off and get in a fight and kill and get uniques, other monsters like the larva queen actually talk to you (with pet pal) who fucking is some great lover who is now looking for a husband....who you can get exp for going that route then can turn around and kill her for more exp and loot any way etc etc. Its just batshit crazy after seeing pieces of shit like FF15 (?) that were on such solid rails your only choice in 60 hours was which hot pockets to microwave.

Has its quirks but probably the best single player game i've played since...shit D2? (Disagae 2 the semi recent sequaly to origina Disgaea and fuck off it was amazing!!!!). These are the games you can only pray word of mouth gets them an extremely large amount of sales to continue to support the development of games like this. Fuck your AAA games on rail. Give me shit that i can figure out ways to break the game and find OP combos etc....i just wish mages had some better options for mass damage without blowing up my whole god damn fucking map. I am always a wizard in games but just hate the chaos they bring, think i might switch my rogue out of my team (just about to hit boat again) and give a mage another shot. Abit early but still want to try a crit build with them using a human and stacking crit so i can glass cannon/magic crits and go BOOM~

Is there any healing related abilities that scale with int in the game or is everything skill with actual type of magic skill level?

Dont be afraid to use potions.
lesser+lesser=healing potion, healing+healing=greater healing potion, greater+greater=huge healing potion, etc.
They are pretty cheap and common.

My hydro mage is really coming into her own finally. She was really dragging behind previously. party is 2h war, rogue, summoner, hydro/aero mage.
Rogue has been #1 the entire time really. 2 teleports with no effort. huge movement, huge damage. 2h war was going slow, but took off since getting him 2 teleports as well. (cloak and dagger, pheonix dive.) great cc, and aoe, if less raw damage then the rogue. Summons are op from the get go. The ability to do phys or elem as needed. power/farsight infusions.

hydro though, was slow. Rain powerlevel varies. early it puts out fire/poison ground effects. but, in general, you dont have enough ice spells to freeze on call without aid. Shock pairing hits allies too much. I ended up focusing on hydro largely due to this. also, the need to get other secondary skills... hydro gives armor of frost.. but, since shes primary mage... 1 geo for fortify as well. and 2 poly for spread your wings, to get her a teleport.

Hail strike, and ice fan suck. 3 ap. This leaves early hydro sucking. you hit CD's and have nothing left to cast, and that high AP cost. Hydro turns around with global cooling, and winter blast though.
WB is 2 ap, 3turn CD, and larger aoe withOUT friendly fire, and 2 turn chill.
Global cooling is 1 ap, 3turn chill, 3turn cd, MASSIVE aoe around caster, freezing all surfaces. like entire screen massive. damage is low, but again hits everything on screen.
Rain+global cooling is now super effective for freezing the entire room. (+immune to slipping boots)

Also grabbed cleanse wounds hydro/war and aero/war bubble breathing.
Cleanse wounds is a point blank massive heal/cure. cures disease, decay(huge) heal amount is huge. atm, 350 vit for example, at level 12. while winter blast is 150ish, for example. can potentially 1 shot an undead on a crit with it.
Bubble can let you pass through deathfog appearently. (going to grab tornado when I can as well of course.)

Genjiro · Sep 27, 2017

Tried summoner and quit. It was just way too fucking easy. Trying to do a harder mode then just cheesing it seems counter-intuitive.

Nirgon · Sep 27, 2017

This game neckbearded enough? I'm hoping too complex for normies? Looks hype.

GA where's yer boy he playin this or what?

Gravel · Sep 27, 2017

It's definitely complicated and has a steep learning curve.

Probably took me about 3-5 hours before I really figured out the systems.

Even at about 30 hours in, I'm still a bit overwhelmed with all the skills and what I want to use.

Droigan · Sep 27, 2017

Rime said:
Inventory management is spot on. It needs a search function.

I hope they will patch that in, because oddly enough there is a search function in the craft recipe section. Just type in "a" and it will list all recipes with anA in it, and it automatically narrows the search as you write more letters.

Adding that feature to the main inventory system would be great. Maybe even add on it to the point where you could select between name or effect.

I'm around 5 hours into Act 2 now. Guessing around 40 hours played so far in this run. I'd now argue that Fane is the most important member to add to any party due to his morph skill. IE: I don't have the Red Prince, met a named beetle thing that didn't want to talk to me, as it was in a language I didn't understand. Travelled to boat, quickly specced Pet Pal on Fane, triggered his Lizard morph. Beetle now talks to me and trigger a quest that gave me quest info for loot chest and some lore.

Talking to your party also gives quest updates on others quests, can bypass fights, find locations... There is so much content.... everywhere. And nearly every bit of content has some lore attached to it. So far, this is easily my GOTY, and looking at the rest of the releases this year, not sure what can contend with it except perhaps South Park. Ni-No Kuni 2 might have had a chance too, but that is delayed until 2018

@UT though, as to co-oping the game. It is doable, but you can miss content. Watched some co-op streams, and you don't have to follow each other. Someone can for instance trigger a NPC fight through conversation that you are too far away to be a part of and suddenly enter combat. EDIT: Not to mention all the times I reload to see "what happens if I...", would be unacceptable to most people, and I wouldn't play it any other way. Don't think I could co-op this for a first play through. That said, it's probably really fun to do if you just do it somewhat of an Iron man style and accept that "well that happened, lets deal with it". /edit

My suggestion would be to figure out which 4 origin characters you are playing in the co-op run (I HIGHLY suggest using them since their stories are large and can really impact NPCs, there are entire areas tied to them. Lohse for instance, which is my main, seem to have an origin story that flat out overarchs the "main" story). Then, combine that with a single player game where you go lone wolf with just two main party members, picking the two you don't have in your co-op party. That way you will have two fairly unique games going.

Utnayan · Sep 27, 2017

Droigan said:
@UT though, as to co-oping the game. It is doable, but you can miss content. Watched some co-op streams, and you don't have to follow each other. Someone can for instance trigger a NPC fight through conversation that you are too far away to be a part of and suddenly enter combat. EDIT: Not to mention all the times I reload to see "what happens if I...", would be unacceptable to most people, and I wouldn't play it any other way. Don't think I could co-op this for a first play through. That said, it's probably really fun to do if you just do it somewhat of an Iron man style and accept that "well that happened, lets deal with it". /edit

My suggestion would be to figure out which 4 origin characters you are playing in the co-op run (I HIGHLY suggest using them since their stories are large and can really impact NPCs, there are entire areas tied to them. Lohse for instance, which is my main, seem to have an origin story that flat out overarchs the "main" story). Then, combine that with a single player game where you go lone wolf with just two main party members, picking the two you don't have in your co-op party. That way you will have two fairly unique games going.

This sounds like a good idea. I am going to have two games going in Tandum. I started the SP last night but it was later so I didn't sink a lot of time into it, and then the coop night which as of now is a firm 7-10 central on Wednesdays. I know TJT and Goshie have played quite a bit so far of the single player so if we move slower, I think they will be fine with it. It will be super fun just to have a scheduled game night for me that is static as long as we can keep it going

It also shouldn't surprise anyone I picked "Jester".... And that has been hilarious so far even just on the boat which I didn't get off yet. I have been reading everything I come across. I love I could have missed some things already even on the ship and probably did. The outlying character trees and decisions even then, if that is an example of what is to come in mass, was absolutely awesome.

Runs very well too. I still haven't upgraded my PC rig - 2500k 8 gb, have it on an SSD and 1070 GTX. Seems to be very well optimized. But looks stunning.

goishen · Sep 27, 2017

Yah, I have been playing, and have only just arrived at Reaper's Coast. Well, actually I'm still on the boat, but... I have no problem with taking my time, I'm playing blind and there could be some options that I'm sure that I missed that y'all will see/have done. It's like I'm 44 hours in and am just now seeing Chapter 2? Hell yes. Sign me up for some more of that.

Utnayan · Sep 27, 2017

See you guys tonight!

Pyros · Sep 27, 2017

Utnayan said:
It also shouldn't surprise anyone I picked "Jester".... And that has been hilarious so far even just on the boat which I didn't get off yet. I have been reading everything I come across. I love I could have missed some things already even on the ship and probably did. The outlying character trees and decisions even then, if that is an example of what is to come in mass, was absolutely awesome.

You can and should probably take multiple tags. Not necessarily all of them(not even sure you can), but like slap some scholar or mystic or whatever on top so you get more options than just Jester. Alternatively pick an Origins, I know Lohse has Jester, and they have their own stories which are pretty interesting and add some content for everyone(new fights and some insight into the main story).

ronne · Sep 27, 2017

Caliane said:
Dont be afraid to use potions.
lesser+lesser=healing potion, healing+healing=greater healing potion, greater+greater=huge healing potion, etc.
They are pretty cheap and common.

My hydro mage is really coming into her own finally. She was really dragging behind previously. party is 2h war, rogue, summoner, hydro/aero mage.
Rogue has been #1 the entire time really. 2 teleports with no effort. huge movement, huge damage. 2h war was going slow, but took off since getting him 2 teleports as well. (cloak and dagger, pheonix dive.) great cc, and aoe, if less raw damage then the rogue. Summons are op from the get go. The ability to do phys or elem as needed. power/farsight infusions.

hydro though, was slow. Rain powerlevel varies. early it puts out fire/poison ground effects. but, in general, you dont have enough ice spells to freeze on call without aid. Shock pairing hits allies too much. I ended up focusing on hydro largely due to this. also, the need to get other secondary skills... hydro gives armor of frost.. but, since shes primary mage... 1 geo for fortify as well. and 2 poly for spread your wings, to get her a teleport.

Hail strike, and ice fan suck. 3 ap. This leaves early hydro sucking. you hit CD's and have nothing left to cast, and that high AP cost. Hydro turns around with global cooling, and winter blast though.
WB is 2 ap, 3turn CD, and larger aoe withOUT friendly fire, and 2 turn chill.
Global cooling is 1 ap, 3turn chill, 3turn cd, MASSIVE aoe around caster, freezing all surfaces. like entire screen massive. damage is low, but again hits everything on screen.
Rain+global cooling is now super effective for freezing the entire room. (+immune to slipping boots)

Also grabbed cleanse wounds hydro/war and aero/war bubble breathing.
Cleanse wounds is a point blank massive heal/cure. cures disease, decay(huge) heal amount is huge. atm, 350 vit for example, at level 12. while winter blast is 150ish, for example. can potentially 1 shot an undead on a crit with it.
Bubble can let you pass through deathfog appearently. (going to grab tornado when I can as well of course.)

Rogue really falls behind warrior at the very endgame unfortunately due to the way runes work. Warrior just becomes "the best" by a pretty wide margin because you can slot x3 15% physical +3str runes in to their weapon, then x3 40% armor +3str runes in to their shield and have them run around at 85str. They hit harder with that much str scaling than any 2h weapon does, and have close to 10,000 physical armor with shield throw oneshotting a bunch of shit. There's also a unique shield you find that sets perma deflect and returns 40% damage received, and your sword+board warrior suddenly can solo every encounter in the game.

Rogues just can't compete with the rune stacking, since the only +damage +finesse rune adds poison damage instead of physical, which splits their damage up too much and doesn't work vs undead etc.

Runes in general are just wildly inconsistent and unbalanced. Masterwork runes are basically the only ones that matter, with fire runes at a distant second to slot in to amulets for +crit chance.

Hatorade · Sep 27, 2017

While big damage is fun I have Red Price sword and board, his armor and magic shield is insane. Run in, taunt, pick off everyone with my damage dealers as they try to take down Red.

ronne · Sep 27, 2017

Hatorade said:
While big damage is fun I have Red Price sword and board, his armor and magic shield is insane. Run in, taunt, pick off everyone with my damage dealers as they try to take down Red.

Yea I used him primarily for tanking most of the game, but now with all the rune stacking he just does more damage than everyone by a huge margin. His shield toss is over 6000 physical damage and he's at like 55% crit, it's actually ridiculous.

Hatorade · Sep 27, 2017

ronne said:
Yea I used him primarily for tanking most of the game, but now with all the rune stacking he just does more damage than everyone by a huge margin. His shield toss is over 6000 physical damage and he's at like 55% crit, it's actually ridiculous.

Even one handed? Wow.

Skanda · Sep 27, 2017

Yeah, that shield throw can get crazy with a good shield.

ronne · Sep 27, 2017

The unique shield you get in act4 has 3 rune slots and provides almost 5k armor just on its own yea, it just scales better than 2H does getting to slot 6 runes between mainhand and shield.

Kiroy · Sep 27, 2017

ronne said:
Rogue really falls behind warrior at the very endgame unfortunately due to the way runes work. Warrior just becomes "the best" by a pretty wide margin because you can slot x3 15% physical +3str runes in to their weapon, then x3 40% armor +3str runes in to their shield and have them run around at 85str. They hit harder with that much str scaling than any 2h weapon does, and have close to 10,000 physical armor with shield throw oneshotting a bunch of shit. There's also a unique shield you find that sets perma deflect and returns 40% damage received, and your sword+board warrior suddenly can solo every encounter in the game.

Rogues just can't compete with the rune stacking, since the only +damage +finesse rune adds poison damage instead of physical, which splits their damage up too much and doesn't work vs undead etc.

Runes in general are just wildly inconsistent and unbalanced. Masterwork runes are basically the only ones that matter, with fire runes at a distant second to slot in to amulets for +crit chance.

Ya I just got that shield, it's also not hard to get pretty high crit on warrior either + shield throw is probably the most OP skill in the game maybe minus what i'm hearing about the spider (i havn't played summon at all).

ronne · Sep 27, 2017

For all the broken rune stacking you can do, the end fight is still pretty tough at least.

Endings all appear the same regardless of if you submit to Dallis to be purged or not, so it's basically just an easy or hard switch for the final fight. Resisting means everyone is hostile and you have to deal with Lucian/Dallis/Braccus/Leviathan all at the same time and oh boy is it a mess.

I wonder if we'll see DLC to finish the Malady story? Or did I just fuck up someplace and miss out on what her problem actually was?

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Divinity: Original Sin 2

Rime

reavor

I'm With HER ♀

Rime

Caliane

Avatar of War Slayer

Genjiro

Ahn'Qiraj Raider

Nirgon

Log Wizard

Gravel

Mr. Poopybutthole

Droigan

Blackwing Lair Raider

Utnayan

F16 patrolling Rajaah until he plays DS3

goishen

Macho Ma'am

Utnayan

F16 patrolling Rajaah until he plays DS3

Pyros

ronne

Nǐ hǎo, yǒu jīn zi ma?

Hatorade

A nice asshole.

ronne

Nǐ hǎo, yǒu jīn zi ma?

Hatorade

A nice asshole.

Skanda

I'm Amod too!

ronne

Nǐ hǎo, yǒu jīn zi ma?

Kiroy

Marine Biologist

ronne

Nǐ hǎo, yǒu jīn zi ma?