Surviving the early game in Pathfinder: Kingmaker

[Pneumokokki]

So, after playing WOTR for awhile I decided to once again try Kingmaker. Never got far in the game, 'cause I find the early game really annoying. Where WOTR became really too easy towards the end (Trickster path + persuasion was so powerful I really lost my will to play after act 4,) Kingmaker's early game seems to be full of poisons and permanent ability drain.

I'm just about to get to level 3, I'm in the Old Sycamore Depths. Killed the frogs but then came across an extra large centipede who gave my monk / rogue a -3 DEX penalty. I have no idea how to deal with that this early in the game. I don't think there's a cleric who could cure me, like there is in WOTR? Resting would cure some of it I suppose?

Would like to at least get a bit further into the game, so tips for survival would be great! :D Playing on Normal difficulty, WOTR I played on core.

Owlcat really needs to address the balancing issues further next time around..

[Icedfate]

delay poison , communal should always be up.
also remove fear.
both are low level full party buffs that neutralize poison and fear before they happen.
also, alchemist, alchemist is awesome.
always have an alchemist(like jubilost, although, you don't get him right away)or an aoe spell like burning hands to disperse swarms

[Schlumpsha]

Depending on your choices in the prologue you can get a Cleric right off the bat in act 1 (Harrim). You can also pick him up during the first dungeon encounter where you persuade one companion who teamed up with your rival to join you instead. And there is a third chance to pick him up inside the Old Sycamore's kobold prison.

Alternatively you find another Cleric companion in the Temple of the Elk map. Depending on the lineup of local maps you tackle, he may sit out for the whole act though. Linzi and Jaethal also have useful spells to help you survive early on.

Later, once you have your barony/ kingdom, you can invest in rituals that make your whole party immune to poison inside your ruled realm. Amongst many other ill effects, or granting spell resistance, attack buffs and the likes.

[azaris]

Originally posted by Icedfate:

delay poison , communal should always be up.
also remove fear.
both are low level full party buffs that neutralize poison and fear before they happen.
also, alchemist, alchemist is awesome.
always have an alchemist(like jubilost, although, you don't get him right away)or an aoe spell like burning hands to disperse swarms

Delay Poison, Communal is a level 3 divine spell, they won't have access to that until level 5 at the very end of Act 1. They are still hours away from having Jubilost. There are also no swarms in the Old Sycamore. I agree that having DPC up is very important later on, but in the Old Sycamore you just have to grin and bear it. Or if you have Jaethal, use her to tank since she's immune to poison and ability score damage.

Ability score damage (not drain) from poison can be cured by casting Lesser Restoration (lvl 2 divine spell), drinking Potions of Lesser Restoration, or buying Scrolls of Lesser Restoration from Jhod at Oleg's once you rescue him. Each will cure 1d4 points of ability damage so you may need multiple shots to cure all of it. Resting also cures 1 point of ability damage per day (not recommended for time limit reasons).

Dealing with ability score damage is a pretty basic Pathfinder mechanic so surprised you got anywhere in WotR on Core without learning how to do it.

[Icedfate]

there is a cave very early in the game with some spider swarms in it, the npc who sends you there gives you 10 alchemist fire bottles, but those are barely enough to deal with a single swarm. but i advised OP to nip this in the bud early. you need to have an answer for swarms at any time, even in the early game.

wotr doesn't hit you with swarms until later and even when it does, the swarms aren't as obnoxious l . except for those lvl 27 ones in the secret of secrets. . .

delay poison communal isn't available early, but delay poison single target is. you don't need it on everyome, just on your tanks.

tip for the first boss, he can be made easier by not aggroing his camp right away,then running around his camp, doing a few skill checks and rp dialogues, but yeah, i always had to do turn based mode for him

[Pneumokokki]

Originally posted by azaris:

Originally posted by Icedfate:

Dealing with ability score damage is a pretty basic Pathfinder mechanic so surprised you got anywhere in WotR on Core without learning how to do it.

I know how to deal it usually, but not at level 2/3. :) Should've stacked more potions of lesser restoration, only 2 I had are already gone.

Thank you for the comments!

[Pneumokokki]

Originally posted by Icedfate:

there is a cave very early in the game with some spider swarms in it, the npc who sends you there gives you 10 alchemist fire bottles, but those are barely enough to deal with a single swarm. but i advised OP to nip this in the bud esrly. you need to have an answer for swarms at any time, even in the early game.

This one I knew about, and already dealt with the fangperry cave! :) Had 12 alchemist fires on me, that was enough, fortunately. Valerie got poisoned there, that ate one of the lesser restoration potions, lol.

Also, found a potion of lesser restoration from the Old Sycamore depths (thank you, devs!) :D

[Icedfate]

Originally posted by Pneumokokki:

I know how to deal it usually, but not at level 2/3. :) Should've stacked more potions of lesser restoration, only 2 I had are already gone.

Thank you for the comments!

"Dealing with ability score damage is a pretty basic Pathfinder mechanic so surprised you got anywhere in WotR on Core without learning how to do it."

you quoted the wrong person. I did not say that. it was the other guy

[azaris]

The easiest way is to choose the evil option in the prologue so you get Jaethal and Amiri in your party from the start. Those two will basically clear Act 1 on their own without much help from your MC and you can laugh at the swarms and poison effects. Kingmaker actually gives you a lot of tools from your companions to solve problems, you just need to understand what they are capable of.

[Pneumokokki]

Sorry about the messed up quotes.

BTW, is it a bug to have the nightmare about the Shrike River _every single time_ I rest, so now my PC is actually exhausted after rest? 'Cause that has happened three times in a row now, I kind of get the point already! :D

[Schlumpsha]

Not a bug. Just that the nightmares will continue until you met the cause of it. It's a sidequest.

[Gold Dragon]

WHich is why I always did the Nettle's Crossing first. I'd just as often as not stop the nightmares from even starting.