Gear stat buffs not stacking

[CaptainKampfkeks]

So I try to buff my stats (main attributes) for a skillcheck in a conversation and bought a ring to add to that stat. But now I found that although I have 3 pieces equipped that buff that stat, only one actually is considered.
Is that a bug or a feature?
If it is a feature, why the heck? It would seem very unintuitive if different pieces of gear wouldn't stack their boni.

[Du-Vu]

Yeah, it's a D&D holdover, kind of annoying to keep track of. You can still stack those buffs with spells and consumbles.

[CaptainKampfkeks]

Oh well, thanks for the answer. That sure is annoying, but I think I can manage.

[psychotron666]

It's intended. They balanced their game around not stacking gear buffs.
The second game however let's you stack them

[CaptainKampfkeks]

Thank the gods.

[Boomscleby]

It's a feature, frankly well done in my opinion because it gives room for a lot more creativity than just "These are the best items because all the stats" there are multiple loadout options depending on what you want to do, and many items across the entire game remain useful in conjunction with other gear rather than just being immediately outstripped by anything that gives a +2.

Lets take Might as an example, you can stack might boosts from
• 1 piece of armour
• All weapons held (i.e two weapons or weapon/shield give two stacks)
• 1 piece of food/drink
• Any spell/potion boosts
• 1 Inn bonus (or stronghold)
• 1 Camping bonus.

Having written that out actually, food is where this feature really shines as a benefit. See you can eat all the food you want and have them all applied in conjunction; it just suppresses all but the highest boost to each stat.

This means you can get some staggering boosts, something like +2 might/con/res/int/per/dex and +15 endurance for pennies worth of foodstuff on top of your armor/resting bonuses.

This only works by having a 'one boost per stat' feature. If you could stack up bonuses they'd have had to limit players to using a single food item at a time, otherwise it'd be really easy to break the game by eating 10 different foods and getting +19 Might just from one of the six possible boost routes.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

https://pillarsofeternity.gamepedia.com/Stacking

[CaptainKampfkeks]

Originally posted by Boomscleby:

It's a feature, frankly well done in my opinion because it gives room for a lot more creativity than just "These are the best items because all the stats" there are multiple loadout options depending on what you want to do, and many items across the entire game remain useful in conjunction with other gear rather than just being immediately outstripped by anything that gives a +2.

Lets take Might as an example, you can stack might boosts from
• 1 piece of armour
• All weapons held (i.e two weapons or weapon/shield give two stacks)
• 1 piece of food/drink
• Any spell/potion boosts
• 1 Inn bonus (or stronghold)
• 1 Camping bonus.

Having written that out actually, food is where this feature really shines as a benefit. See you can eat all the food you want and have them all applied in conjunction; it just suppresses all but the highest boost to each stat.

This means you can get some staggering boosts, something like +2 might/con/res/int/per/dex and +15 endurance for pennies worth of foodstuff on top of your armor/resting bonuses.

This only works by having a 'one boost per stat' feature. If you could stack up bonuses they'd have had to limit players to using a single food item at a time, otherwise it'd be really easy to break the game by eating 10 different foods and getting +19 Might just from one of the six possible boost routes.

So you're telling me that although I have all that neat, enhanced gear, only one bonus applies so I have to eat a whole fridge before I go into a dungeon?
Don't get me wrong, I can acknowledge those as design and balance decisions, they tried something different and some people might like it.
I sadly can't count myself to them. I personally just find that unintuitive and unlogical.
If they tried to argue with something like "the energy of enchantements would negate each other", that would at least be an explenation, but they're just like "nope, can't do that."

[mr.raider2]

The solution is not to stack items that boost your base attributes, it's to boost your derived stats like accuracy deflection, will, fort and reflex.

There a items that will give you a +9 to deflection that's worth 9 points of resolve. You can enchant items to give +4 or +8 accuracy which is worth 4 or 8 perception.

Don't worry about your base stats. Look at your final numbers for what matters in combat.

[Boomscleby]

Originally posted by CaptainKampfkeks:

So you're telling me that although I have all that neat, enhanced gear, only one bonus applies so I have to eat a whole fridge before I go into a dungeon?
Don't get me wrong, I can acknowledge those as design and balance decisions, they tried something different and some people might like it.
I sadly can't count myself to them. I personally just find that unintuitive and unlogical.
If they tried to argue with something like "the energy of enchantements would negate each other", that would at least be an explenation, but they're just like "nope, can't do that."

No, that one bonus to each stat from your armors count.
As in: I have a belt giving +3 Res, +2 Might, +1 Dex, a hat giving +4 Might, an amulet giving +5 Def, +1 Res, +1 Dex, Boots giving +5DR +2 Per, and a Chestplate with +2 Con.

My end stats are +3 Res, +4 Might, +1 Dex, +2 Per, +2 Con, +5DR, +5 Def.
On top of that, I can get another +4 Might from my sword, and +3 Res from my shield
and eat a pie for +3 Con, some eggs for +3 Dex, some beer for +3DR, some meat for +2 Might and +50End
and I've rested at a nice Inn for +2 Might, Dex and Per.

So now I've got Might +12, Res +6, Dex +6, Per +4, Con +5, DR +8, Def +5, End +50.

Frankly that seems fine, and you have so much 'neat enchanted gear' by the end of Act 1 that you're using virtually none of it anyway, so why does it matter if you're selecting to get the best boost possible rather than...the best boost possible with different rules?

I do, however, love that you find it unintuitive and illogical but wouldn't if they'd given some ♥♥♥♥♥♥ 'lore' excuse like cross-enchantments. Surely that would be specifically illogical and unintuitive since the game world has tonnes of items with multiple enchantments on themselves. I don't see how "This is how the rules work" can be unintuitive. They're the rules. They're what you go into the game intuiting.

[CaptainKampfkeks]

Originally posted by Boomscleby:

Originally posted by CaptainKampfkeks:

So you're telling me that although I have all that neat, enhanced gear, only one bonus applies so I have to eat a whole fridge before I go into a dungeon?
Don't get me wrong, I can acknowledge those as design and balance decisions, they tried something different and some people might like it.
I sadly can't count myself to them. I personally just find that unintuitive and unlogical.
If they tried to argue with something like "the energy of enchantements would negate each other", that would at least be an explenation, but they're just like "nope, can't do that."

No, that one bonus to each stat from your armors count.
As in: I have a belt giving +3 Res, +2 Might, +1 Dex, a hat giving +4 Might, an amulet giving +5 Def, +1 Res, +1 Dex, Boots giving +5DR +2 Per, and a Chestplate with +2 Con.

My end stats are +3 Res, +4 Might, +1 Dex, +2 Per, +2 Con, +5DR, +5 Def.
On top of that, I can get another +4 Might from my sword, and +3 Res from my shield
and eat a pie for +3 Con, some eggs for +3 Dex, some beer for +3DR, some meat for +2 Might and +50End
and I've rested at a nice Inn for +2 Might, Dex and Per.

So now I've got Might +12, Res +6, Dex +6, Per +4, Con +5, DR +8, Def +5, End +50.

Frankly that seems fine, and you have so much 'neat enchanted gear' by the end of Act 1 that you're using virtually none of it anyway, so why does it matter if you're selecting to get the best boost possible rather than...the best boost possible with different rules?

I do, however, love that you find it unintuitive and illogical but wouldn't if they'd given some ♥♥♥♥♥♥ 'lore' excuse like cross-enchantments. Surely that would be specifically illogical and unintuitive since the game world has tonnes of items with multiple enchantments on themselves. I don't see how "This is how the rules work" can be unintuitive. They're the rules. They're what you go into the game intuiting.

By now I get how the system works, thanks to all the responds.
My specific issue was that I wanted to raise a stat, I think it's called wisdom in english, had different gears for that and noticed they don't stack after I bought a ringcosting almost all my money. Now I don't have the money for a key indegrent for the food (Dragon Egg).

And yes, they are the rules. Rules that are different from any other RPG I've played so far, thus are unintuitive to me. Rules that are not explained or even mentioned, thus illogical for me. If there'd be a tutorial tooltip mentioning this, it would remedy that. But alas, I was a bit pissed.

I do know it now, and I can work with that. Would have been nice to know before I go and spend all my money for something that doesn't even work, though.
That being said, I thank you for your input.

[psychotron666]

Originally posted by CaptainKampfkeks:

Originally posted by Boomscleby:

No, that one bonus to each stat from your armors count.
As in: I have a belt giving +3 Res, +2 Might, +1 Dex, a hat giving +4 Might, an amulet giving +5 Def, +1 Res, +1 Dex, Boots giving +5DR +2 Per, and a Chestplate with +2 Con.

My end stats are +3 Res, +4 Might, +1 Dex, +2 Per, +2 Con, +5DR, +5 Def.
On top of that, I can get another +4 Might from my sword, and +3 Res from my shield
and eat a pie for +3 Con, some eggs for +3 Dex, some beer for +3DR, some meat for +2 Might and +50End
and I've rested at a nice Inn for +2 Might, Dex and Per.

So now I've got Might +12, Res +6, Dex +6, Per +4, Con +5, DR +8, Def +5, End +50.

Frankly that seems fine, and you have so much 'neat enchanted gear' by the end of Act 1 that you're using virtually none of it anyway, so why does it matter if you're selecting to get the best boost possible rather than...the best boost possible with different rules?

I do, however, love that you find it unintuitive and illogical but wouldn't if they'd given some ♥♥♥♥♥♥ 'lore' excuse like cross-enchantments. Surely that would be specifically illogical and unintuitive since the game world has tonnes of items with multiple enchantments on themselves. I don't see how "This is how the rules work" can be unintuitive. They're the rules. They're what you go into the game intuiting.

By now I get how the system works, thanks to all the responds.
My specific issue was that I wanted to raise a stat, I think it's called wisdom in english, had different gears for that and noticed they don't stack after I bought a ringcosting almost all my money. Now I don't have the money for a key indegrent for the food (Dragon Egg).

And yes, they are the rules. Rules that are different from any other RPG I've played so far, thus are unintuitive to me. Rules that are not explained or even mentioned, thus illogical for me. If there'd be a tutorial tooltip mentioning this, it would remedy that. But alas, I was a bit pissed.

I do know it now, and I can work with that. Would have been nice to know before I go and spend all my money for something that doesn't even work, though.
That being said, I thank you for your input.

I do recall there being a tooltip somewhere in the beginning that tells you gear will suppress other gear that affects the same thing. But it's so early on and easy to miss

[mr.raider2]

There are other bonuses also that are additive. Some priest spells buff some stats. You can get resting bonus from sleeping in your stronghold when upgraded. Some inns also offer a resting bonus.

[CaptainKampfkeks]

Originally posted by mr.raider2:

There are other bonuses also that are additive. Some priest spells buff some stats. You can get resting bonus from sleeping in your stronghold when upgraded. Some inns also offer a resting bonus.

Figured that one out already, but thanks anyway. :)

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

The ingame cyclopedia contains a section on "stacking", but only the Wiki can be linked here.