Topic Discussion on Balance for game

[jack1974]

I am thinking if to add autohealing in Easy/Normal after each battle. Not 100% of HP/SP, but 50%. I know, it will make everything easier but maybe for people playing in Normal would be better ?
edit: Okay no, that's a bad idea since the restless trait then would make no sense and even going in taverns to heal better if I keep the balancing only in enemies' stats. I've reduced the overall stats in Normal slightly (will be live in next update).

[fabulaparva]

Playing devil's advocate here: don't some RPG sites review games played on Normal? I think that Normal is easy enough already now, but then again, I'm one of those crazy NM players who takes Hard-mode for relaxing......... Aaaaaaanyway, what I was going to say is that I don't honestly think that Normal as compared to Normal in RPGs in general needs to be made any easier. If you're comparing Normal to Loren Normal then you'll be back at square one = "no challenge", I fear, if the game's going to be reviewed on Normal. I think the problems at this point would be if EASY was too hard or NM too easy. One can always switch from normal to easy for a few fights without losing anything. And one can always switch from NM to Hard without losing anything (even bragging rights are off the table since this is not MMORPG )

-Capt. Obvious out!

[rooke30]

I'm currently playing through on normal with little planning on where I spend my attribute points (the extra point makes things a little forgiving) and no tactics in battle. I'm surviving. Just completed all quests in the first area by mindlessly rushing through the battles and with no healing skills on my characters. I think I've used 4 or 5 minor healing potions total.

I really don't think the auto-heal thing is needed for normal difficulty, but I've been playing RPGs for 20 years now so I'm probably used to how things operate.

Easy is supposed to be easy, normal is supposed to provide some challenge and hard is supposed to be difficult. I fear you're trying to remove all challenge from the normal difficulty level which would be a shame.

But once again I mostly play RPGs so maybe I'm not the sort of person the "normal" difficulty is aimed at

[Anima_]

I dont have any idea what to put for points for my althea the hunter seeing as I can only guess agility and constitution. I am guessing that the game uses a diablo style where everyone needs mana to funnel their attacks even warriors. Im just not used to it.

Any info?

It works the same as in Loren. SP are used for all skills.

[deathknight1728]

So what are the ideal stats for warriors (Rangers) rogues (Hunters) and the works. I think I can figure out druid and spellcasters but what about the ones mentioned.

I would likely focus on strength, constitution, skill for warriors so that they get defense from skill, damage from strength and health from con.

For hunters I would focus on constitution for health, strength for damage and agility for speed.

Am I doing anything wrong or should I get a few points into the magic ones?

[fabulaparva]

I don't put much points on constitution for my hunter. YEs, a few points, but the areas I want her to have oomph are strength, strength and strength. Agility helps, too,especially if you don't have druid with them early on who could cast Eagle's Grace on them... plus I invest some points in Will so there's enough energy for the strong hunter attacks. You can get gear with magic points to help your hunter better withstand magical attacks or later in the game, you could invest one skill point to the wizard or elementalist trait if you feel that the hunter is still too vulnerable against those.

Hunter can also be used in the front row with only slight boosts to Skill and Health...if your enemy has mainly warriors hitting the front row, just place the hunter (thief class) to any other square than the one directly opposite of it...thieves suffer less damage from warriors when there's distance between the thief and the warrior, and with the Hide in Shadows on, I've actually had my Hunter tanking in the front row against two warriors while my warriors heal in the back with Riley's/Druid's help

Ranger can have many designs depending on whether you want them to be a shield wall/tank that withstands both magical attacks and melee dmg (constitution, skill, arcane) or a fast-hitting dmg dealer (agility, strength, some constitution and skill).


EDIT:Here's one of my level 15 Hunters. Built on NM/Hard, so I've only got 5 attribute points per level. Her brother is a druid, that's why I have less point on Agility than I would have if her brother was a ranger and couldn't boost her speed.

Spoiler:

[jack1974]

Just came back from parents. Beside visiting them, I also took the opportunity to watch my brother play SOTW "live". He never played it before, though he plays RPGs usually. So is not a newbie, but not a veteran either. The perfect candidate for Normal difficulty. Well, he went to the end of act1, WITHOUT SAVING ONCE. I told him to equip properly, but apart that he jumped on every battle. He had an interesting approach with Druid/Ranger, putting all points in Magic for Druid and Attack for Ranger, he was able to nuke enemies quickly.
After that experience I agree with fabula, Normal doesn't need to be made easier, otherwise I'll read again on review sites: "pro: nice story bla bla. con: too easy"

[deathknight1728]

One thing I dont understand is the apparent lack of stats choices that work to choose for each character


Lets see-


Skill-Useless

Agility-Minorly useful

Constitution-A few points every once in a while

The only stats that are useful on a major basis for warriors are strength for damage and will for magic points. This is based on the interpretations of people here.

If the game has those stats that arent as useful why would you put them in?

[deathknight1728]

Im going to come back later and try for better loot for the whole party. I will try the strength and will combo for warrior and Strength/agility for hunter. I still wish the other stats did something but maybe I can get something from them from items from vendors.

[fabulaparva]

Skill is an ok auxiliary stat in addition to primary strength and some HP for Vaelis early in the game... especially if you choose to make him dual wield with two axes early on, because then he'll be vulnerable with no shield but can hit harder...so it's noce to counter at least some of that vulnerability. The situation will change once he gains access to better armour .. and even more importantly, better axes along the route (that also have some defense). I also tend to give a couple skill points to Krimm when she comes out to play so she'll be able to withstand more melee damage while dealing a lot of it in the frontrow. High defense armour make her easily too slow in act 2 and 2H weapons aren't often that high on defense.
All in all, I'd say that all the stats have their uses the further in the game you'll progress so even if early in the game you'll ignore some of them, they are far from being useless...well, at least if you play on hard/nightmare... and depending on the (ranger) build.