I don't know how to spend points.

[Bilgot the Heartless]

I am not talking about abbilities but about things like blacksmithing etc. Simply there is a lot of things that I would like to put some points into or they seems to be worth to learn but I am new to the game and litreally don't know what is worth what is not. I checked a options and I have to say, I like:

-blacksmithing
-persuasion
-sagecrafting
-lockpicking

I doubt there is that many points to master all of them. I just don't know what to chose.

[LordNibbler]

a couple of things:

1. With every skill point from leveling PLUS skill book (there is 1 book per skill) PLUS points from every trainer (2 trainers for 0-3 / 1 trainer for 4-6 and 1 trainer for 7-9 -- there are 3 max-lvl-trainers in the Dead Kel DLC) you get exactly all skills to max level.
So yes, if you want max points then they are worth it.

2. Money at the beginning is scarce but you only *need* to buy those skill points and backpacks (and lock picks are a good idea ... and re-skills), the rest can be found or crafted

3. Crafted gear/weapons are far better than found ones or rewards, so blacksmithing is quite worth it, IMHO

4. There are quite a number of items that give you extra points for skills, but that depends on drop luck (however I had some nice ones quite early, the game is not stingy with drops); also for a temporary boost there are potions for all skills that you can craft, might be interesting for a crafting (crafting materials are also plenty to collect)

5. Decide for one type of armor, whatever fits your play style, and 2 type of weapons so that you can salvage them to craft something better and sell the rest; the game drops a massive amount of loot, that's the main "income" - the first 100k may take a while but in the end you have much much more money than you'd ever need, so no need to save (also the sell prices for "white" drops increase quickly quite drasticly)

6. If you reset your skills you keep all points that you have bought from trainers and those from books, so you lose nothing; re-skill away, especially if you don't want to run for trainers as some are far away/late to be found or gated by a quest, even the "low-level" ones

7. Regarding merchants - yes, they keep the stuff you sold in their inventory, but only max. 50 items; every item afterwards "deletes" another; so if you want to use them as an additional stash then you might use another for the next 50 items, in case you might want it back. And maybe designate one merchant to sell all the crap to - I suggest Nanne Hanri, the alchemist in Gorhart; she will give you the most money for the stuff for the entire game (but maybe only after doing her quests, I didn't pay attention at that point ;)

[no1schmo]

Personally, I recommend Detect Hidden, Lockpicking, Dispelling, and Persuasion, as main focuses. The reason for this is that these abilities really let you DO the most; open every chest, find every room, unlock additional ways to complete quests, etc. It feels more immersive, like you're engaging with the world more. Simply getting more money or making OP gear/potions (in a game that's already fairly easy) is less fun, to me. Money actually becomes irrelevant anyway and the stuff you create with blacksmithing all looks generic; all the cool, unique designs are reserved for stuff you find in the world. It's just more satisfying to open a chest and get a cool new sword to use, instead of always going "It's inferior to the sword of doom I made in 5 minutes yesterday."

Honestly, the skills in general feel tacked on, like they realized later in development that they needed more "Role-playing" elements besides just gear and combat abilities, so they crow-barred these things in. Even the ones I prefer feel a little flat, but they add the most to the overall experience. Although I have absolutely, late-game, made myself a demi-god with gear and potions, just to mess around in the last area and destroy my enemies with ease.

[tracksone]

Id only use blacksmithing if you intend to craft gear. You can craft OP gear quite early on in the game, but later it gets very expensive.

There are hundereds of unique armour sets and items in the game. People go on and on about breaking the game with crafting gear, but you dont need to craft OP gear to break the game. There are OP armour sets all over the place, and the game at that point is easy since youre a walking death god at that point. You could be naked and still be op.

I prefer to play the game using the rare gear drops, it makes the game fun to me, looking for specific Sets to collect. It also allows you to use all those points elsewhere

[Bilgot the Heartless]

I maxed blacksmithing and I can see how it can be really good since you can add many bonuses. But the problem is I still didn't get any good core materials. I have only chainmail and steel items and their armor stats are really low.

What are the best core materials and where I can get them?

[tracksone]

Originally posted by Bilgot:

I maxed blacksmithing and I can see how it can be really good since you can add many bonuses. But the problem is I still didn't get any good core materials. I have only chainmail and steel items and their armor stats are really low.

What are the best core materials and where I can get them?

The best materials are all endgame, and incredibly expensive