Skilled Architect

[Eizo]

Is there anyone who knows for sure what the trait Skilled Architect does?

It's description is a bit "Uh... what do they mean by that?", so I've never taken it because I don't want to possiblt waste a trait point.

[Parachievement]

It gives you 8 times Loop Exp upon placing a tile/card. I guess Oblivion doesnt count
since you have to "build" something to get the Exp

[Eizo]

Thanks.

And yeah, seems my hunch was correct; that trait is pretty bad, no, really really bad. Makes me regret having taken it as a boss reward, it would have been alot better if that rait never entered my pool of traits that you can choose from when leveling up. Bloatware!

[Yojo0o]

It's been insanely powerful for me. On loop 4, for example, that's 32 XP per tile placed, rapidly accelerating into future level-ups.

Obviously, it itself takes up a level, so your run would need to last a certain amount of loops for the trait to be worthwhile, but the levels come so fast with it that I'd say it's generally one of my favorite traits to take early on. If you're about to fight the boss, then sure, skip it.

[tankanidis]

combining that trait with the 10% chance not to burn a card one and you can level your hero decently quickly early on

[Spear Deer]

Originally posted by Eizo:

Thanks.

And yeah, seems my hunch was correct; that trait is pretty bad, no, really really bad. Makes me regret having taken it as a boss reward, it would have been alot better if that rait never entered my pool of traits that you can choose from when leveling up. Bloatware!

Its really, really good. to get from level 3-4 only takes 400 experience, and in act 2 that often occurs between loops 6-11. If you can get skilled architect early you can MASSIVELY increase your exp gain.

[Bellpepper]

usually I find suburbs are much better, don't take up a trait, and are reliable. Skilled Architect is best when you don't have suburbs, but you're not guarenteed to get it or anything so I've never find it worthwhile to trade out suburbs and hope for skilled architect.

[Eizo]

Level up bonuses (perks, traits, abilities) that you can only pick once and then have forever, if they are of the type that helps you gain experience points quicker they are almost always a waste of a trait point in any game.
That is so in this game as well, it's a big noob trap, the only reason to gain XP is so that you get perks; taking a perk that makes you gain more XP is a circle jerk and a fat waste "Save more money by buying more stuff! Buy buy buy!".
You should instead pick something that actually helps you survive/kill better, like healing your toon every time he counter strikes, or the one that makes your toon's magic shield stronger every time he summons a skeleton.

[Jean]

Originally posted by Eizo:

That is so in this game as well, it's a big noob trap, the only reason to gain XP is so that you get perks; taking a perk that makes you gain more XP is a circle jerk and a fat waste "Save more money by buying more stuff! Buy buy buy!".

This seem entirely correct, but with some qualification. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a noob trap... I'm sure there is some scenario where it works out. But it does make you feel pretty much like a noob when realize you shouldn't have taken it So... I guess it technically is a noob trap. Sorry for the rant.

[JudgeTy]

Originally posted by Eizo:

Level up bonuses (perks, traits, abilities) that you can only pick once and then have forever, if they are of the type that helps you gain experience points quicker they are almost always a waste of a trait point in any game.
That is so in this game as well, it's a big noob trap, the only reason to gain XP is so that you get perks; taking a perk that makes you gain more XP is a circle jerk and a fat waste "Save more money by buying more stuff! Buy buy buy!".
You should instead pick something that actually helps you survive/kill better, like healing your toon every time he counter strikes, or the one that makes your toon's magic shield stronger every time he summons a skeleton.

I disagree. If you get it early game, you'll get 2-3 earlier traits for one trait. If you get it it late game when the map is full, sure. It's a waste.

[Jean]

Originally posted by JudgeTy:

I disagree. If you get it early game, you'll get 2-3 earlier traits for one trait. If you get it it late game when the map is full, sure. It's a waste.

1) probably won't as odds are not in your favor
2) there is a better way to do it with suburbs which overdrawn card can eventually be cycled out in the mid game
3) you might not even want either at all since you can only get so many perks and more particulary, so many perks worth taking

[Telerion]

Originally posted by Eizo:

it's a big noob trap, the only reason to gain XP is so that you get perks; taking a perk that makes you gain more XP is a circle jerk and a fat waste.

wow. hold your horses, that is insulting to jerks and circles ;p.

But jokes aside you are right, it is noth worth it to take, even if you dont have access to suburbs. Also at one point in your loops you dont really level up anymore. well you can, but even +100XP wont help much if you need 93k for the next lvl.

[JudgeTy]

Example: I got it early on with rogue. It netted me over an extra +30000 exp, lvl 50+ loop with full map filled. I had dozens of traits.

1) What odds? The first 30 levels are easy with any character short of act 4.
2) It stacks with suburbs.. I had suburbs, desert, mountains, and forests. Also had the 10% to place another tile. All of that nets more exp. You got one ability trait in the same loop time I received 3+
3) You get more perks per loop via how tile placement works..

Originally posted by Jean:

Originally posted by JudgeTy:

I disagree. If you get it early game, you'll get 2-3 earlier traits for one trait. If you get it it late game when the map is full, sure. It's a waste.

1) probably won't as odds are not in your favor
2) there is a better way to do it with suburbs which overdrawn card can eventually be cycled out in the mid game
3) you might not even want either at all since you can only get so many perks and more particulary, so many perks worth taking

[Jean]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Cat]

Skilled Architect is, in my opinion, the strongest trait in the game if you get it as the first or second trait and you aren't doing a long farming run.

Picking it up as trait #1 will give you 4 or 5 traits by loop 5. Without it, you will generally kill the boss on loop 8 with 2 traits.

[Acroficer]

I honestly can't believe people are arguing that this trait is bad. If you nab it early (first 2, maybe 3 traits) it's easily the single most powerful in the game. It's the difference between going into the boss fight with 2-3 total perks, or 5-6 total perks. Even with one of those 5-6 being skilled architect, that's still ~2 more perks average. On Necromancer, that can mean having an extra skeleton, splitting damage with your skeletons, summoning a bonus skeleton sometimes, and healing when your skeletons die.