.

[Damerindin]

.

[kud1]

Yes, the Temple of Trials is the worst part of the game and one of the worst tutorials ever. Lots of people bounce from the game right at the beginning.
However, if you play the easy one and still can't manage it then something must be wrong with your bulid. You don't have to play with a melee-oriented character, but those 5, 6 points of strength are worth having. The best thing to do is to save the game before each fight (the f6 key is qick save, and f7 is qick load). If you continue to fail then try to run as fast as possible.

[ureaditwrong]

Nope, if you raged at the tutorial, you will definitely rage multiple times during the game. The combat is entirely luck based, even at 200+ skill. The main quest can be misleading and can easily softlock if you don't like the NCR.

You are correct in your assumptions; this game is actually very poorly designed even for its time and yes, there are ideal builds (Agility and Luck are necessary, Charisma and Endurance are virtually useless, etc.). There are a lot of advanced features for the time but none of that matters because the core experience is trash. The fans will get salty but it's the truth.

[JustSmile]

Depends? Fo2 is an amazing title and the best entry in Fallout franchise. Despite that, it's still a very old game on an old engine and even with all the fan patches fixing ♥♥♥♥ up, it's got plenty of old game jank. If old game jank is a deal-breaker, you won't enjoy Fo2.


Now that that's said: Temple of Trials IS the baby things - nowhere else in the game will you find enemies that weak. ^.^ But ya, it's pretty ♥♥♥♥♥. Far as I know, it was not supposed to be there at all and the original intent was to just start you in he village, but a suit decided the game must have a tutorial level so it was quickly thrown together.

Just remember you don't have to kill everything, and any sane build will let you punch once and retreat repeatedly from the ants and scorpions - which might be slow, but it'll get you through safely.

[kud1]

The first firearm can only be found/purchased in Klamath. Therefore, if someone does not develop hand-to-hand combat or melee weapons, the beginning of the game may be quite difficult. Although on the easy level, most people should be able to handle it without any major problems.

[psychotron666]

You don't even have to fight rad scorpions in the temple, they are in optional areas. Also if you have a 5 or more agility you can fight everything in there without getting attacked once. Just attack once and move away every turn.

[kud1]

You can always start with Fallout 1. It has an easier start, we get strong faster, and it's generally easier and shorter than Fallout 2. The biggest challenge is keeping our companions alive, who are forever pushing where they don't need to be, or dying in the crossfire (poor dogmeat...).

[kud1]

Okay.
So the tutorial looks like this: you walk forward until you reach a closed door. You open it with the lockpic skill and move on. You avoid the traps (just run quickly) and go left. In the jug you will find an explosive that you use on the next door. You keep going and after a while you turn left again. Along the way you kill ants, which are quite easy to defeat, and if you encounter radscorpions, it means you took the wrong turn. You open another door and meet the "boss". You have three ways to "defeat" him:
- you fight him (if you don't develop hand-to-hand combat, I don't recommend it)
- you convince him to let go by using "speak",
- you steal his key,
You open the last door and you see a short cutscene in which you receive a Pip-Boy and a Vault Dweller outfit (the same one that belonged to your grandfather/grandmother, the main character of F1).

[JustSmile]

Originally posted by Jazjen007:

Alright, not liking the sound of this game now. Luck-based combat? Ugh. And designing the game to focus on strength, agility and luck sort of forces the player into more of a specific build, sounds like. Thank you for mentioning the softlock.

You shouldn't pay attention to this dude, he's just trolling every thread on the board he can. Fo2 is no more luck-based than Fo1, agility is necessary in the same way you needed action points in Fo1 etc.

[ureaditwrong]

Originally posted by JustSmile:

Originally posted by Jazjen007:

Alright, not liking the sound of this game now. Luck-based combat? Ugh. And designing the game to focus on strength, agility and luck sort of forces the player into more of a specific build, sounds like. Thank you for mentioning the softlock.

You shouldn't pay attention to this dude, he's just trolling every thread on the board he can. Fo2 is no more luck-based than Fo1, agility is necessary in the same way you needed action points in Fo1 etc.

Lol I'm absolutely not trolling. I just got to the Horrigan fight rn and apparently you need at least 100 science to use the keycard to disable the turrets or the game is softlocked according to the wiki lmao.

So OP, if you listen to the fanboys of this poorly designed game, make sure you have at least 100 science and good NCR reputation or you won't be completing this game. I made the grievous mistake of not investing in science (because it was useless in FO1) so the game decided I'm ♥♥♥♥♥♥ I guess. gl OP

[kud1]

Nonsense. The game is not much different from the first one. There is a lot of RNG, but they are strongly based on character statistics. As in most CRPG games.
Although good "science" can be useful, it is not a requirement to finish the game. It is enough to have a presidential card.
Good karma in the NCR is also not necessary. You simply won't be allowed into Shady Sands, but you'll complete the main quest anyway.

[JustSmile]

Originally posted by ureaditwrong (xigg/xer):

Lol I'm absolutely not trolling. I just got to the Horrigan fight rn and apparently you need at least 100 science to use the keycard to disable the turrets or the game is softlocked according to the wiki lmao.

I mean, if you have NEITHER the charisma to have a lot of companions to help, NOR the science to force the turrets to attack him, NOR the speech to convince the Enclave deserters to kill him, NOR the combat stats to kill him yourself.... then I guess you actively tried to make your character utterly useless and you got the ending such a piece of crap deserves: a loss.

[kud1]

Are companions more useful in this game

Yes. At least some of them. Now most of them advance to higher levels, which increases their effectiveness, you can easily change their weapons and armor, and determine their behavior during combat in more detail.

If you have completed F1, you more or less know what and how. Dexterity is the most important attribute. Intelligence is also useful regardless of the bulid you choose. Charisma is the least useful because it only affects the number of companions and sometimes (very rarely) the reactions of NPCs and dialogue options. However, "speak" is VERY useful.

[JustSmile]

Originally posted by Jazjen007:

Are companions more useful in this game than 1 or about the same? Does it actually take 100 science for the turrets in that part? I'm concerned also that I won't be able to have enough charisma to persuade anyone in the game, Enclave or NCR, especially at an apparently vital part of the game...so I still don't know how useful charisma is. And if I have a good NCR reputation, will that make persuading the Enclave harder or doesn't it matter?

It's alright if you don't want to answer this, but what stats would you suggest are ideal to start with in Fallout 2? I don't want to neglect anything vital or spread the points too evenly.

Companions definitely are useful. Give Cassidy and Vic a Gauss Rifle or Marcus a Turbo Plasma/Pulse and they do some work. Not as much work as you, but between providing extra targets to enemies and reliable damage they're useful. They're also mules for all the trash you pick up. I wouldn't want to go through the game without at least one baggage carrier.

I don't remember if it takes 100 science or not for the turrets tbh, but it makes sense it would - it's a science resolution to the final fight since the turrets solo him easily, thus it should require an investment... especially considering you get to 91% without spending a single skill point.

Charisma itself only unlocks very few conversation options and allows taking companions (one per 2 points). You can have 1 charisma, and between drugs and sunglasses still drag 2 companions around since the game only checks your CHA the moment you take someone with you. What you need to convince people in quests is usually the Speech skill, and for that charisma is only the starter point.

As for stats... First, take Gifted if you don't mind unbalanced traits - it's ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ OP. You definitely need intelligence and agility. Gimmick runs aside, the former governs skill points per level and the latter your AP, and both are vital. I usually take 9 of each and increase them later. EN is a bit of a dump stat, the same for ST and CH. You need SOME, but even weapon ST requirements can be overpowered by having a lot of skill points - and later power armour will help with those too. LK enables the best perk for ranged weapons in the game - with 10 literally every shot is guarateed to crit once you take Sniper. This is also the ONLY real practical use it has. If you're interested in that you also need to reach a minimum of 8 PE - there is a number of ways to do it and you can start with as low as 1 and get to 9 with drugs and other ♥♥♥♥, but since it also governs your range penalty to hit you definitely want more than that.

[kud1]

I've said it once and I'll say it again. You don't have to develop "science". All you need is a presidential card that will give you access to the terminal.

Regarding attributes:
- strength: not less than 5, because it is required to use weapons and you don't want to take drugs before each fight, but also not more than 6, because the best armor in the game gives +4 to the attribute,
- perception: depends on the bulid, between 6 and 8, snipers require high perception, stormtroopers less
- endurance: here, depending on whether you plan to fight a lot at close range, give an even number 4, 6 or 8, because an odd number will not help you and is just a waste of points,
- charisma, only affects the number of companions, so at least 4 is enough and you have two companions without any tricks,
- intelligence, very important, not less than 7, preferably more,
- agility: the most important, not less than 9, and preferably 10,
- luck: quite useful, but you can get by, it gives access to several interesting perks, including the "sniper" perk at level 24, which is op, if you are interested, the minimum attribute height at the beginning is 5, and it is even better to have once 6.

[JustSmile]

Originally posted by kud1:

Regarding attributes:
- strength: not less than 5, because it is required to use weapons and you don't want to take drugs before each fight, but also not more than 6, because the best armor in the game gives +4 to the attribute,

It's not truly required, you just get a penalty to hit if you're below the requirement. It's not that large of a penalty either. Going below 5 probably not advisable anyway even just due to carry weight, but it won't stop you from using weapons that ask for more.