Progression and how they didn't learn from KCD1

[Jesus Tyrone Christ]

KCD1 had this issue with progression, where the game is super hard at the start as you have 0 gear and 0 skills. You start getting skills and manage to take down some poor bandits, you get some cool gear. Then you have that super short magical period where you will have couple of cool and challenging fights where you are equally matched with the enemy. But that typically lasts for that said battle, afterwards you loot some plate and the game is over, you destroy everything.

I hoped KCD2 would handle this better, the introduction of crossbows and guns made me believe plate wouldn't be so OP or that I would actually have to use other tools than just the sword. But nope. The progression is equally busted still, but due to the size of the game, it's even worse. I've had ONE single good fight in the entire game and it was when I first arrived to Kuttenberg region after 30 hours and fought off a band of 5 inquisitors. I saved and had to chug potions and really plan the fight. Otherwise, there has been 0 fights that I've had to run away from or to plan or to think or anything. It's too easy. And I got access to plate armour in Trotsky already, which made everything trivial. I didn't even notice plate had several "upgrades" sold by mainly vendors as none of it mattered after getting the basic Milanese cuirass and Houndskull helmet.

The Redditor in you might say "just don't use plate" and I say that's a lazy way to fix a design flaw, similarly to just upping the enemy DMG. The real way to fix it would be to have more enemies with crossbows and guns and have them change to them once their buddies are meleeing you, forcing you to prioritize and think. Another would be to not spawn any plate in Trotsky so finally getting it in Kuttenberg feels meaningful. And lastly, maybe the game could spawn in more harder bandits that would give you a real challenge more often, maybe force you to flee. Why? So you don't get to loot their OP armour and weapons!

[joxertm22]

Originally posted by Jesus Tyrone Christ:

KCD1 had this issue with progression, where the game is super hard at the start as you have 0 gear and 0 skills. You start getting skills and manage to take down some poor bandits, you get some cool gear.

Stopped reading there.

KCD1 had an issue, and it is unlocked STR+ by gathering herbs by default. With 20-30 minutes of clearing your village, your headstart is super easy. Oh and nettle adds you some bonus vitality, plus you jump over fences for agility, trivial headstart.

KCD2 treid to make things a bit harder, no easy STR leveling at first although agility and nettle are still in.
Alas there is easy sneak/pickpocket leveling instead and tons of books to find/steal and read in the first village.
Cool gear from bandits? Who needs that crap, you stole 10x better stuff from guards!

[redeyedraven]

And still, if you do most sidequests in Trosky before even setting foot on Kuttenberg-region you will already have a lot of skills and stats in the 20+ range.

Strength, Agility, Stealth, Riding, Speechcraft, Craftsmanship as well as Combat and whichever weapon you use the most are really easy.

And you get free gear to use and/or sell from bandits throughout the game.