You're good to go without the need for any mods. Perhaps just watch a bit of Cohh's second playthrough to get up to speed with game mechanics / kingdom management, some character builds etc. This is a HUGE game, and begs for replays with all the choices you can potentially make.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker
- Thread starter Pookie Bear
- Start date
You're good to go without the need for any mods. Perhaps just watch a bit of Cohh's second playthrough to get up to speed with game mechanics / kingdom management, some character builds etc. This is a HUGE game, and begs for replays with all the choices you can potentially make.
I started the first part of the game about 3 times before I settled on what I wanted. There is however an opportunity to officially respec your character as part of the game not too long after the start, so you can chop and change from that point onwards if you need to tweak things.
Modwise, there is a handy camera rotation mod I used, and another to unlock the zoom level. Camera rotation should really be in the game as default because all the maps/building etc are fully textured from all angles, its not like the game is optimized to not texture objects which will never be seen. Plus big trees can get in the way of the view from time to time, being able to rotate the map clears things up. These will be on Nexus mods. I also used the turn based combat mod, not need now of course, and the Bag of Tricks mod which does loads of things, although I am not sure that has been updated for the latest release.
BTW, a character with the ability to get a pet is a very good idea.
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 3,909
Well, I rerolled an eldritch scion, which looks like a fighting magic using type of character. Thought I'd have a very quick dip into the game to see how it plays, and then I looked at the time and two hours had gone past somehow. Ah, it's one of those games, I see...
It looks good so far anyway. I like the sound of the zoom mod, as I have found myself constantly getting the urge to try to zoom out further than the game lets you. Camera rotation sounds good too. Like you say, odd it wasn't put in by the devs, really.
I still don't really know what's going on, really. Lots of swinging and missing, which reminds me of Fallout 2, so it's already making connections to the classics
Permabanned
Hmm, bit hit and miss for me. First side quest, cant kill spider swarms. Next area, insanely tough manticore. No AI for party? Seems have to micro manage them all.
Feels a bit rough, even though its pretty old now. Ah well, no other RPG's to play, will soldier on a bit.
Feels a bit rough, even though its pretty old now. Ah well, no other RPG's to play, will soldier on a bit.
Anything you can do to increase your attack bonus will help with the swing/miss. Applies to both melee/ranged and ranged spells. The char build guides I used were all about maximising this stat more than anything. The other thing to make sure of is to level up persuasion on your main character, and make sure you continually level up perception a char which you will be keeping in your party either all time time, or on your main char, as perception is needed to spot hidden items and even some locations on the map. It is optimal to let certain companions specialise in two or three skills, so most skills are covered by the party. Athletics and mobility are used quite often I found, but you don't need to put these on every companion, it is usually OK to let one or two chars specialise in either of these, so they can deal with the circumstances which need these skills on behalf of the whole party. Also, make sure you understand about how sneak attacks are implemented in the game, these radically increase your attack potency, and it is not just all about stealth. If I remember correctly an enemy just has to be threatened by having a melee char next to them, then any char capable of delivering sneak attacks gets their sneak bonus, including mages and archers etc. It is another recommended tactic when building characters.
Ah yes, spider swarms, or any of the swarms. These are absolute ********. You need some kind of fire based area attack to deal with these. Fire bombs, or even the basic torches you find used as melee weapons deal with these swarms as I recall, although that might have been trolls now that I think about it. One of the beginner tips is to keep the torches you find throughout the game. But anyway, the swarms are probably one of the hardest enemies to deal with throughout if you are not prepared for them, and there are a few types.
Permabanned
Did manage to kill one swarm with spells and alchemists fire but I am just going to come back later.
Yup, swarms can be damaged with AoE / splash damage, either from spells or thrown objects like the alchemist bombs. Elemental weapons eg. sword with fire enchantment work, too. Standard weapon attacks don't work. The everlasting torches you get at the beginning of the game work - just equip them into weapon slot 2 and use them when required ( which isn't very often - 110 hrs into the game and I've only fought swarms a handful of times. )
I'm about 250hrs in, and although I have a nicely levelled party of tank, healer, DPS. I'm considering restarting from scratch because the kingdom management side completely passed me by. I can travel wherever and smack whatever but I can't complete a simple event or project no matter what.
I'm loving the interface and it's spiritual similarity to Baldurs Gate. This could be a big old timesink for me over Christmas for sure.
I'm loving the interface and it's spiritual similarity to Baldurs Gate. This could be a big old timesink for me over Christmas for sure.
Just got my capital started up.
I'm still yet to get used to combat and have mostly just been autoing stuff. I wish there was the option to create scripts for characters like in Pillars because there's a lot to manage
I may try turn based see how that feels
I'm still yet to get used to combat and have mostly just been autoing stuff. I wish there was the option to create scripts for characters like in Pillars because there's a lot to manage
I may try turn based see how that feels
Permabanned
Have switch to turn based due to no AI.
oh my god yes. Occasionally there is loot or doors obscured by the default angle which you can only tell are there from looking at the dungeon map. If it's loot on the edge of the screen you have to move your mouse along the obscured black areas until you find it.
Guys prioritise events on the kingdom screen as these can fail if not done in time, wish I knew this too.
Only place I've met swarms is fangberry cave so far, what a ball ache. Trivial when you have the spells though.
One more tip, wisps will murder you with their lightning so try to get a party member with communal RESIST energy.
edit: another thing I wish I knew was the fact that you can be presented with dialogue options such as lawful good, neutral good, evil etc and then have a response with none of these traits. If you choose a response with none of the traits you can sometimes expand the dialogue which will then change your response to the situation. It really isn't as simple as choosing the "right" option.
Don't bother with buying rations unless you are heading into a dungeon.
I believe there is a sort of AI, you can nominate a default action and they will do that when in combat if AI is switched on. I think a little icon kind of slides out sideways from the main toolbar with whatever action you set, like cantrips for mages, or melee for fighters etc. I only realised what this side icon was for many many hours into the game and I never really used it since I played the game in turn mode from the start. It's no Baldurs Gate in that regard.
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 3,909
Yeah... I found that area last night. I'd levelled up to lvl3 by the time I got there and it was still rough.
I went in with 18 alchemical fire that I'd been given and never used. Came out of the last fight with two left. As I had no other way of beating the swarms I was getting a bit twitchy as they dwindled down.
Every other fight has been fairly easy so far*, but a swarm of small spiders was on the verge of wiping my party and left me with my off-tank on 2HP.
* Well, except for that group where you rescue Octavia and the guy she's with. I wiped there twice as my tanks got feared, and ran off leaving my squishies to be cut down, before I twigged how to prep for managing cause fear.
Still totally bewlidered by all the build and levelling options, but I have been really enjoying this so far. I always intensely micro-manage my fights in RTwP games, so it's all been smooth sailing. Might give turn-based a whirl sometime though.
Soldato
I tend to send my Rogue in first by stealth if you can spot them first, that way you get off your ranged attacks as a surprise round.
Pause before you attack to set your magic user to throw in an AoE spell too. That way it all happens at once.
At least this worked before the turn based system was created.
Pause before you attack to set your magic user to throw in an AoE spell too. That way it all happens at once.
At least this worked before the turn based system was created.
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 3,909
Yeah, I've not been getting this quite right. I've been using stealth, but then attacking with the whole party and that seems to ruin the surprise. Next time I load it up, I will try just using my ranged characters to initiate from stealth. I don't know if I'll need to disable party AI to stop my melee companions charging in, though. Might have to do some experimenting.
I don't have any magic AoEs yet, though. I have Octavia as my sorc but I've already ticked off with her low CON and constant needing to rest, so I may make do with hybrid casters only and see how that goes.
Soldato
Don't forget that your total party weight/encumbrance means they will move slower on the map. Some items are not with keeping hold of such as hide or leather armour and clubs as their value to weight ratio is poor.
The fun really starts when you get Nok-Nok. I think he's my favourite character.
The fun really starts when you get Nok-Nok. I think he's my favourite character.
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 3,909
Like I do in most RPGs, I've been trying to figure out the optimal value to weight ratio of all the gear that's lying around. I probably am carrying too much at the moment, but I feel a bit strapped for cash so am hoarding everything worth about 10g or more. This game is not very generous on encumbrance at all, I've noticed.
One other issue I have with party-based games like this is that I form an attachment to the first party set-up I fall into (both emotionally and tactically), and just bench all the characters who turn up later in the game. This time I can't wait to get rid of Jaetha, who seems almost a damage-dealer and almost a support healer but not good at either, and Octavia, who has horrible stats and low CON and HP and not a great spell selection so far either. Don't know where my AoE damage will come from, though, unless there's another soceror around?
One other issue I have with party-based games like this is that I form an attachment to the first party set-up I fall into (both emotionally and tactically), and just bench all the characters who turn up later in the game. This time I can't wait to get rid of Jaetha, who seems almost a damage-dealer and almost a support healer but not good at either, and Octavia, who has horrible stats and low CON and HP and not a great spell selection so far either. Don't know where my AoE damage will come from, though, unless there's another soceror around?
I only ever pick up weapons / armor worth over 100g, anything lower I don't bother with unless they are baubles. I then sell them immediately to the nearest vendor.
I find melee dies very quickly in this game (maybe I'm not specialising them correctly?) so I only really have valerie as a tank. I usually have my solid team of: Me, valerie, jubolist, harrim(might ditch him for tristan), Linzi and the last slot I swap characters in and out depending on if I have a quest for them or where I'm going.
I find melee dies very quickly in this game (maybe I'm not specialising them correctly?) so I only really have valerie as a tank. I usually have my solid team of: Me, valerie, jubolist, harrim(might ditch him for tristan), Linzi and the last slot I swap characters in and out depending on if I have a quest for them or where I'm going.