Loaded Dice - what stat are they calculated off?

[Chopper]

Loaded Dice have the description, "If this unit would have between a 40-60% chance to hit, it becomes 100% instead."

Is that based on the weapon hit stat, the character hit stat (3x SKL + Weapon hit chance) or is it calculated dynamically for every hit?

And for example, the Honed Refinement (add 20 Hit) doesn't show up in the weapon or character stats (I assume it's added dynamically), so would it influence the Loaded Dice if it was added to the weapon (I assume yes).

Put simply, how can I tell if my guy qualifies for the loaded dice hit bonus?

[eturulja]

Good question! Dynamically for each hit.

The 40-60% chance refers to after all HIT calculations are complete. So if your character has 100 HIT, enemy has 50 AVD, your unit has 50% hit chance and WILL trigger loaded dice.

Now say you add the "Honed" refinement. You character's HIT goes to 120, bringing their total when fighting the enemy to 70, this will NOT trigger loaded dice. Hope this helps!

[Chopper]

That's perfect, thanks! Looks like I need a more developed strategy than 'Give someone the Warhammer and Dice and let them run amok.' :P

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Chopper:

That's perfect, thanks! Looks like I need a more developed strategy than 'Give someone the Warhammer and Dice and let them run amok.' :P

I honestly think anyone who needs Loaded Dice is not worth employing. Such characters sound neat in theory but are too cumbersome to use. And you will always have a "dead" spot where neither the Loaded Dice hit or natural 100 percent hit is possible. Why use a precious item slot to fix a character who can't even resemble the efficiency of a normal character even after the "fix"?

[Leninade]

I think it's a handy mid-game item before you get access to more widespread debuffs to make the increase to hit chance not worth it. And the way that the game feels like it wants you to stack damage dealers generally means that you're usually fighting for the same accessories on multiple characters.

Personally, I think it's the only thing that gives Sven and Kaelith relevancy around when you get them, because otherwise their skill is way too low without going for flank shots.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Leninade:

Personally, I think it's the only thing that gives Sven and Kaelith relevancy around when you get them, because otherwise their skill is way too low without going for flank shots.

Indeed. And this context is important: All Fighter-based characters other than Sven and Kaelith are super-powerful in their own way. Why would you want to use Sven or Kaelith instead of Finn and Benjen (Marcus being mandatory)?

[Leninade]

Originally posted by Lampros:

Originally posted by Leninade:

Personally, I think it's the only thing that gives Sven and Kaelith relevancy around when you get them, because otherwise their skill is way too low without going for flank shots.

Indeed. And this context is important: All Fighter-based characters other than Sven and Kaelith are super-powerful in their own way. Why would you want to use Sven or Kaelith instead of Finn and Benjen (Marcus being mandatory)?

Kaelith gets shelved pretty much immediately for me, but there's a couple chapters where you don't have any better options.

Sven sticks around a little longer (and his skill is more useful). So I think Sven works as a transitional character as you level Finn up. Once Finn is strong enough, you fully swap as you've likely gotten Ajax/Talon as well by that point. Sven does have a minor interaction on the boat level to get Hilda in the fight immediately instead of the next chapter, but if you're using Finn and Benjen, chances are you don't need/want another axe user.

[Chopper]

Great responses, all. However don't forget the fun factor - no need to min max everything either, so there's a place for these not-100%-efficient things too ;)

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Leninade:

Kaelith gets shelved pretty much immediately for me, but there's a couple chapters where you don't have any better options.

Sven sticks around a little longer (and his skill is more useful). So I think Sven works as a transitional character as you level Finn up. Once Finn is strong enough, you fully swap as you've likely gotten Ajax/Talon as well by that point. Sven does have a minor interaction on the boat level to get Hilda in the fight immediately instead of the next chapter, but if you're using Finn and Benjen, chances are you don't need/want another axe user.

I use both of them just for the chapter they appear first, and then no more.

Originally posted by Chopper:

Great responses, all. However don't forget the fun factor - no need to min max everything either, so there's a place for these not-100%-efficient things too ;)

Good point - but for me constantly missing is not "fun"! ;)

[Leninade]

Originally posted by Lampros:

Originally posted by Leninade:

Kaelith gets shelved pretty much immediately for me, but there's a couple chapters where you don't have any better options.

Sven sticks around a little longer (and his skill is more useful). So I think Sven works as a transitional character as you level Finn up. Once Finn is strong enough, you fully swap as you've likely gotten Ajax/Talon as well by that point. Sven does have a minor interaction on the boat level to get Hilda in the fight immediately instead of the next chapter, but if you're using Finn and Benjen, chances are you don't need/want another axe user.

I use both of them just for the chapter they appear first, and then no more.

Originally posted by Chopper:

Great responses, all. However don't forget the fun factor - no need to min max everything either, so there's a place for these not-100%-efficient things too ;)

Good point - but for me constantly missing is not "fun"! ;)

The thing about the early chapters is that the level design is generally fairly set up to utilize new characters, which in turn makes it easier to focus on other areas. Its a little bit of wasted XP, but given that you're using most of those characters for 3 - 5 chapters until you get replacements, it's a bit more dead weight than I'd like, since I consider one of the main characters to be pointless to level on a 2nd playthrough.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Leninade:

The thing about the early chapters is that the level design is generally fairly set up to utilize new characters, which in turn makes it easier to focus on other areas. Its a little bit of wasted XP, but given that you're using most of those characters for 3 - 5 chapters until you get replacements, it's a bit more dead weight than I'd like, since I consider one of the main characters to be pointless to level on a 2nd playthrough.

Which main character do you feel is so subpar as to not even be worth leveling? Let me guess - Slyke? ;)

[Leninade]

Originally posted by Lampros:

Originally posted by Leninade:

The thing about the early chapters is that the level design is generally fairly set up to utilize new characters, which in turn makes it easier to focus on other areas. Its a little bit of wasted XP, but given that you're using most of those characters for 3 - 5 chapters until you get replacements, it's a bit more dead weight than I'd like, since I consider one of the main characters to be pointless to level on a 2nd playthrough.

Which main character do you feel is so subpar as to not even be worth leveling? Let me guess - Slyke? ;)

Marcus. Slyker is a weird one because his stats are too balanced to be good at any one thing for sure, but scout/commando takes care of that. Big thing I'm trying this run is not leveling Marcus hardly at all, since 30+ levels worth of XP is significant. The only thing I had to make sure was that he was strong enough to punch some enemies in the mid game.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Leninade:

Marcus. Slyker is a weird one because his stats are too balanced to be good at any one thing for sure, but scout/commando takes care of that. Big thing I'm trying this run is not leveling Marcus hardly at all, since 30+ levels worth of XP is significant. The only thing I had to make sure was that he was strong enough to punch some enemies in the mid game.

Marcus has been my strongest character in my current playthrough. He can solo the map with Ahriman's Idol. So I am a bit befuddled by your claim.

[Leninade]

Originally posted by Lampros:

Originally posted by Leninade:

Marcus. Slyker is a weird one because his stats are too balanced to be good at any one thing for sure, but scout/commando takes care of that. Big thing I'm trying this run is not leveling Marcus hardly at all, since 30+ levels worth of XP is significant. The only thing I had to make sure was that he was strong enough to punch some enemies in the mid game.

Marcus has been my strongest character in my current playthrough. He can solo the map with Ahriman's Idol. So I am a bit befuddled by your claim.

I'm planning around losing him in the last chapter. Between Finn and Benjen I don't tend to be super axe heavy, at least this playthrough.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Leninade:

I'm planning around losing him in the last chapter. Between Finn and Benjen I don't tend to be super axe heavy, at least this playthrough.

I see. I always plan on losing Illyana, as I found Skirmisher-based units vastly weaker than Fighter-based classes at the end-game.

[DK]

I agree with being midgame item. I like it as a safety net for some characters that feel reliant on a passive for good hit. Sven, Reyson, and the silent skirmisher that joins with Kaelith that I can't remember the name of. Granted 2 of these are skirmishers and don't feel as impacted for long. I also consider using it for lancers to offset the -20 hit on bleed. In the end there are ways to work around all of these and the dice is a just a backup and a "I had nothing else to put there because I don't spend money in the shop option."