Building your character/crew?

[Satanicum]

Just started out and was wondering how people build their main char and crew? stats and weapons.
My main is a hacker, so liek how important is dex, how does dex work with hacking for an example. Can I just lvl the hacker skill without using any dex?
Right now I only lvled INT to 25
is there some soft/hard caps I should know? some hidden mechanics or something like that?
Any good weapon combos?

[Roberto]

Game is based on ground combat skill mostly, so let's says that weapon skills are primary. For the moment (and not sure if that will be changed in the future) bonuses from primary stats are applied to ground combat only. Secondary skill like mining, hacking etc. do not get anything from primary stats so feel free focusing on weapon skills enhancements. Another part of skills are for space combat, same as before none of primary stats bonuses are applied to that. With one exception on INT that suppose to enhancing Your all skills learning speed.
As for team members: just try to build a different weapon specialist, it may help You avoid ammunition problems on battlefield. There's two main branch of ground combat tree:
ranged and melee.
- Ranged character build is based mostly on Perception (biggest boost to ranged damage per point) next is Dexterity (which also helps with action queue) then is Endurance (You really do not wan't to be one-shooted by enemy) then is Agility (however it will help you only with action queue but also is worth to put few points) Strength,Inteligence and Charisma gives no bonus for ranged at all (with exception of Strength if weapon requirements will show up, it also give a little hit points passively but not as much as endurance i think)
- Melee character build looks similiar with exception of raising up Strength/Agility than Perception/Dexterity.
Very good combo for short-medium ranged build is shotgun with pistol. Also is worth to have at least one Big gun specialist, unfortunatelly Big guns skill is really slow to level up and because this weapon is using main weapon slot, this particular team member will need to choose between pistol or smg and because of expensive and very limited big gun ammo, secondary weapon of that character become his/her primary.
Rifle is very similiar to shotgun with much better range but with no build-in bonuses at close range.
Personally i would not recommend to messing ranged weapon with melee on single member, however if You just need to train it it's fine but damage output will be significantly lowered.

With current game build level cap is 40 and skill cap is 60, but that will be changed with next update.

[Reef]

Originally posted by Roberto:

Game is based on ground combat skill mostly, so let's says that weapon skills are primary. For the moment (and not sure if that will be changed in the future) bonuses from primary stats are applied to ground combat only. Secondary skill like mining, hacking etc. do not get anything from primary stats so feel free focusing on weapon skills enhancements. Another part of skills are for space combat, same as before none of primary stats bonuses are applied to that. With one exception on INT that suppose to enhancing Your all skills learning speed.
As for team members: just try to build a different weapon specialist, it may help You avoid ammunition problems on battlefield. There's two main branch of ground combat tree:
ranged and melee.
- Ranged character build is based mostly on Perception (biggest boost to ranged damage per point) next is Dexterity (which also helps with action queue) then is Endurance (You really do not wan't to be one-shooted by enemy) then is Agility (however it will help you only with action queue but also is worth to put few points) Strength,Inteligence and Charisma gives no bonus for ranged at all (with exception of Strength if weapon requirements will show up, it also give a little hit points passively but not as much as endurance i think)
- Melee character build looks similiar with exception of raising up Strength/Agility than Perception/Dexterity.
Very good combo for short-medium ranged build is shotgun with pistol. Also is worth to have at least one Big gun specialist, unfortunatelly Big guns skill is really slow to level up and because this weapon is using main weapon slot, this particular team member will need to choose between pistol or smg and because of expensive and very limited big gun ammo, secondary weapon of that character become his/her primary.
Rifle is very similiar to shotgun with much better range but with no build-in bonuses at close range.
Personally i would not recommend to messing ranged weapon with melee on single member, however if You just need to train it it's fine but damage output will be significantly lowered.

With current game build level cap is 40 and skill cap is 60, but that will be changed with next update.

are you sure hacking doesnt getting any benefits from primary skills? cause im pretty sure one of them actually says in description it helps hacking

[Roberto]

Description says that Strength is required to wield weapon too, but i'am sure it isn't working yet, but propably will in the future.
With hacking there's one problem anyway, there is no need to apply any stat bonuses to it when You're doing manual hacking, Auto-hack ability could use stat bonus because it is just a attempt roll but i don't think any stat help with that.
EDIT: but that may change with next game builds, this is EA game still.