tips for starting after the update to RtR?

[Ixitixl]

After the update to RtR I'm a bit frustrated because I bite the dust in the first few fights. The number of enemies seems to have been increased, so I find myself facing 3-4 enemies at once without any chance of escaping.

I also want to build a melee character, so reluctant to invest in ranged skills.

How do you start a new game without dying right away? It seems to me that the difficulty level has been massively increased with the update.

[Včelí medvídek]

Number of enemies is not increased (in general) but they move and act in groups so you can not so easily pick them one by one (to some degree can if you crawl tile by tile and try shout to lure only one).

Also the doors are now mostly 2-tiles whihc make harder to fight only one at tiime

I have just started Arna today after one lvl 30 done and compelte first 2 dungeons and lvl 4 atm - and I would say most beginning suggestion would still stay same as they ever was.

No matter the build (well if you dont go ranged or mage since beginning), start with sword and shield. Ask for crossbow at barracks and have it out (optional buy bodkin bolts) - you do not need invest any point at all and still you ahve good chance to do some damage.

Pickup the early trader quests - herbalist and smith are quite doable just by looking around.

Steal eggs and some lentils or other stuff around to deal with food - can store them at Inn cookspot and chest in the room.

Stop by Mill for barn quest - with luck you get something useful there.

Note that every rag, (partially depleted) bandage and rope can be used for craft splint - it is good keep 2-3 at least on you even for intial bandits, buy 1 bandage.

Now you can roam around start killing random bandits on plains 9even without any skill with sword and shield, and crossbow opener I never lost to them) and explore dungeon/nearby POI locations. I bought some hand and better head gear too.

You should hit like level 2 almsot instantly, lvl 3 if you invest more effort into it.

For first dungeon bring 4 splints and 3 bandages in, chances you found (or buy) some flask of alcohol or herbale xtract for pain. Even though not mandatory it is useful buy throwing net for boss and trap for block wide entrances.

Note you can also throw lot of small weapons and oil directly from invetory so do not hesitate - any dmg you do before enemies reach you counts.

But really it is not so much harder than it was, if you really struggle just move slowly and use shout to lure isolated enemies but I found it unnecessary.

Btw the military camp (at north? it was in both of my games) give better money reward for contract, also since 2nd dungeon save and haggle for do dungeon in 1 day - combining those you get significantly more money for contracts.

After one dungeon and 2 village quests you should be at Benevolence rep and can buy tier 2 gear - it should be more ok since that point.

EDIT: oh also you can switch initial cloak for knapsack - it cost 100g and having that extra inventory from start is handy.

[Detective Costeau]

Originally posted by Včelí medvídek:

lots of good advice

This is very solid advice from my experience.
One question for you though- is there a reason I'm not seeing to prefer a crossbow over a bow? I've tried both as backups on melee characters and I find I get more out of the bow- you might be less accurate per shot than a crossbow, but you shoot every turn instead of every other turn, and I get overall more hits with a bow as a result.
Plus, early game the bandits seem to use exclusively bows instead of crossbows, so there's a lot of free ammo for your bow available.

[Eluark]

-I will recomend with not accepting right away the firts contract, not until you reach level 2 or 3.
-Get one active skill and the second a maneubre or stance if is possible, in that way you will have an advantage to the bandits at the beguining
-Go around the town fighting bandits, normally they are not more then two at the beguining.
-Get some ingredients to make food and craftable. When you make it for firts time, they give you a nice exp, normally between 25 to 50 xp
-Always carry consumables, one bleeding leg or broken arm can make the difference between life and death. The same goes for one antitoxin and pain killers.
-In a Dungeon dont break any crate before you clear the area, they can listen from the next room and they will come from everywhere.
- If you fighting an archer, always put one enemy between you and the archer. The low level archers then to hit their allies instead you.
-In a fight of one more enemy, focus always on the ones who uses abilities. One debuff can make cost you the fight.
-To avoid big groups of enemys, try to dont rush to a new room. If you can, trow some trash and go back from where you came from to see from the distance if someone came to look. If one came, trow another thing and go back, like that you can aggro one by one.
-And last one. if you see alot of enemy go after you, just run back to the entrance and wait a bit until they go back to the original position. If they are far away from the original place, some of them could stay midways from the original place.

[Včelí medvídek]

Originally posted by Detective Costeau:

Originally posted by Včelí medvídek:

lots of good advice

This is very solid advice from my experience.
One question for you though- is there a reason I'm not seeing to prefer a crossbow over a bow? I've tried both as backups

I did not made some heavy investigation and thinking over it and generally use only crossbow on melee chars - but consider first shot is instant if you have crossbow out (or with dexterity) as first weapon and there is often not so much turns before enemies close adn you need to switch - so it is not always so mcuh more lower chances with bow but more like 2 shots with better accuracy vs 3-4 shots with lowerr. And that 30% accuracy (+fumble) between peasant bow and trainign crossbow is huge - Istill rather take 2x 50% chance than 4x 20% chance for example. At higher levels I also prefer crossbow range over bows (as it is higher without perception investment - looking on you siege crossbow:p)

[Mimung]

Originally posted by Včelí medvídek:

Number of enemies is not increased (in general) but they move and act in groups so you can not so easily pick them one by one (to some degree can if you crawl tile by tile and try shout to lure only one).

Also the doors are now mostly 2-tiles whihc make harder to fight only one at tiime

I have just started Arna today after one lvl 30 done and compelte first 2 dungeons and lvl 4 atm - and I would say most beginning suggestion would still stay same as they ever was.

No matter the build (well if you dont go ranged or mage since beginning), start with sword and shield. Ask for crossbow at barracks and have it out (optional buy bodkin bolts) - you do not need invest any point at all and still you ahve good chance to do some damage.

Pickup the early trader quests - herbalist and smith are quite doable just by looking around.

Steal eggs and some lentils or other stuff around to deal with food - can store them at Inn cookspot and chest in the room.

Stop by Mill for barn quest - with luck you get something useful there.

Note that every rag, (partially depleted) bandage and rope can be used for craft splint - it is good keep 2-3 at least on you even for intial bandits, buy 1 bandage.

Now you can roam around start killing random bandits on plains 9even without any skill with sword and shield, and crossbow opener I never lost to them) and explore dungeon/nearby POI locations. I bought some hand and better head gear too.

You should hit like level 2 almsot instantly, lvl 3 if you invest more effort into it.

For first dungeon bring 4 splints and 3 bandages in, chances you found (or buy) some flask of alcohol or herbale xtract for pain. Even though not mandatory it is useful buy throwing net for boss and trap for block wide entrances.

Note you can also throw lot of small weapons and oil directly from invetory so do not hesitate - any dmg you do before enemies reach you counts.

But really it is not so much harder than it was, if you really struggle just move slowly and use shout to lure isolated enemies but I found it unnecessary.

Btw the military camp (at north? it was in both of my games) give better money reward for contract, also since 2nd dungeon save and haggle for do dungeon in 1 day - combining those you get significantly more money for contracts.

After one dungeon and 2 village quests you should be at Benevolence rep and can buy tier 2 gear - it should be more ok since that point.

thats very good advice!

two things to add:

get a crowbar and get xp from disarming traps. repair it and use it in crypts.

weapon tree passives are mostly good later.
getting some more utility actives and passives first is a good call.

exception being mage who almost always benefits from picking two offensive magic spells fire+geo fire+fire electro+geo ellectro electro or the respectives with staff if you want to go with staff

let the enemy come to you, use defensive actives before you are engaged

backtrack if u need energy or a cooldown.

read enemy skills and check cooldowns.

if u wanna see how much you can utilize things you throw etc. search for "Distracting shot" thread i did where i recorded clearing the boss room with just distracting shot and an ikea catalogue.

enjoy! it will get better as you get better

[Včelí medvídek]

Will add quickguide to herbs and forage as you probably need those at beginning:

- Spearmint for morale
- Fleawort - weak but heal damaged limbs
- Hemp, Agrimony - immunity (Hemp can be also used for craft rope and rope can be used for craft splint.. sometime it can become handy if you use last one)
- midworm for sanity
Rest is skipable and situational (can keep Rhubarb as poor man antitoxin) -until you turn everything to fodder once caravan come)

Mushrroms and berries were hard nerfed for food values so in general you dont need bother much with them unless mushrooms for cooking recipe and berries for fodder later on.

Leeks and lentils are good for early lentil soups and grreen salads (cna be also amde from 3 leeks) are good for build up immunity.

Leeches (though not exactly at beginning as there is no water) are pretty good for healing damaged body parts and raise immunity - healing salves are pretty expensive so ocne you depelte those starting they help as free substitution)

[Mimung]

Also you can always turn weeds and berries into fodder if u need space.
Also stolen stuff. Which will generally not be marked stolen if u craft with it.

Also after 800h and now 150h with RtR I finally made it a habit to have the backpack in my inventory and only swap it with the cloak when a dungeon floor is clear.

That does not make too much sense before u have a proper backpack,
when when you do.

Generally from T3 onwards loot after you cleared the floor.

Also to add to the Herbs:

Thyme is very effective in helping you keep going when u get tired.
Fly Argics are a last ditch pain relief if ur out of luck and in pain in the woods, perhaps no splint and a wound that gets worse, backtrack to the village and eat argaics to not die of painshock balance with water to help with intoxication.
U can also always overeat to vomit in order to reduce painful intoxication.

[Mimung]

Originally posted by Včelí medvídek:

Will add quickguide to herbs and forage as you probably need those at beginning:

- Spearmint for morale
- Fleawort - weak but heal damaged limbs
- Hemp, Agrimony - immunity (Hemp can be also used for craft rope and rope can be used for craft splint.. sometime it can become handy if you use last one)
- midworm
Rest is skipable and situational (can keep Rhubarb as poor man antitoxin) -until you turn everything to fodder once caravan come)

Mushrroms and berries were hard nerfed for food values so in general you dont need bother much with them unless mushrooms for cooking recipe and berries for fodder later on.

Leeks and lentils are good for early lentil soups and grreen salads (cna be also amde from 3 leeks) are good for build up immunity.

Leeches (though not exactly at beginning as there is no water) are pretty good for healing damaged body parts and raise immunity - healing salves are pretty expensive so ocne you depelte those starting they help as free substitution)

we shoud team up and write a guide the coming days <3

[Legit_Jaydee]

Originally posted by Eluark:

-I will recomend with not accepting right away the firts contract, not until you reach level 2 or 3.

I agree with this. I've just recently started playing and the first bounty kicked my ass numerous times. I got a bit further on my recent attempt, but I underestimated how many enemies were left. At least I know for next time!

[brown29knight]

Originally posted by Mimung:

Also to add to the Herbs:

Thyme is very effective in helping you keep going when u get tired.
Fly Argics are a last ditch pain relief if ur out of luck and in pain in the woods, perhaps no splint and a wound that gets worse, backtrack to the village and eat argaics to not die of painshock balance with water to help with intoxication.
U can also always overeat to vomit in order to reduce painful intoxication.

Cooking Fly Agaric used to lower how intoxicating it was while slightly lowering its effectiveness at pain management. I have not tested it in RtR, but it may be worth it to try roasting some fly agaric to see if that is still true.

In another thread, it was suggested that you could get all the parts to craft a bedroll other than a pelt, then go to the drunken hunters inn, steal pelts, craft a bedroll, and the exp it gives you will make you level 2.

[Včelí medvídek]

Originally posted by brown29knight:

Cooking Fly Agaric used to lower how intoxicating it was while slightly lowering its effectiveness at pain management. I have not tested it in RtR, but it may be worth it to try roasting some fly agaric to see if that is still true.

Roasted is 3% over 30t for same amount of intoxication. Worse than cheapest alcohol imho.

Raw is 15% over 60t for 30% of intoxication and 4% sanity.. imho you must be desperate to use it.

Originally posted by brown29knight:

In another thread, it was suggested that you could get all the parts to craft a bedroll other than a pelt, then go to the drunken hunters inn, steal pelts, craft a bedroll, and the exp it gives you will make you level 2.

Its true,, it is indeed option cheese this at very beginning but craft first bedroll reward 250xp (which is lvl 1->2) and second+ is for 50xp so you cnn go even further with more pelts.

[Ixitixl]

Thanks for the useful advice.

I've already taken a lot of it into account, but I still need to learn about using objects as projectiles.

In my attempts as Velmir and Arna, I never got past Osbrook. I usually encountered groups of 2-4 people in the area, where it always came to close combat between 2-3 people, which can never end well.

I still need to work on my tactics and strategy for tackling these problems. It feels a lot harder for me, but maybe I didn't notice that I was getting into trouble with my previous approach because the game mechanics were more tolerant.

There will probably be a few more attempts before I get the hang of it ;-)