Builds / Skillpoint Investments

[Stübi Senpai]

So I was curious what kind of builds you guys been running, and where you put your skillpoints.

I put a few hours into the game first to see how skillchecks worked, and whether there was a bias in checks (You know, if there are way too many Int checks but barely any End or something like that).

Now that I've done this and wanted to make a proper first run, I'm struck with crippling "Dunno what to do". I'm pretty sure I would lean towards high Intellect, since I dislike my character acting like an absolute moron (The game already pushes you into that spot enough without the char being ACTUALLY stupid). Considering that you can die, I'm a little wary of letting health / sanity be below 2, but then I'm not sure how kill happy the game is. I ran into 3 random injuries, but I might have just been unlucky.

Other than that, which stat / attribute is linked to the slots for your thought cabinet? I managed to start with 6 slots instead of 2 with a character, but I'm not sure whether it's linked to Psyche or something else. Considering the stuff costs 1 SP each, I feel like starting with more seems like a good investment.


Also, unrelated to the topic at hand, but might as well ask two story related things:

How do you get the corpse down? The two kids wouldn't climb the ladders for me, and after I missed the shots I didn't have any other options left.

Can you pay cafeteria guy without seeling your partners stuff? I assume it has consequences later down the line if you rely on him to pay for your debt.

[Sentient_Toaster]

First run, 4/4/2/2, with a signature skill of Drama. Been investing in Logic, Drama, Empathy, Suggestion, Visual Calculus -- but also added points in Perception, Endurance, Physical Instrument to be slightly less fragile or oblivious.

Day 4 now, been searching a certain coast for a certain person.

[owl]

Originally posted by Stübi Senpai:

I've now finished the game, thanks for the input folks.

As for the random health loss, honestly I have no idea why the game felt the need to have death in the first place. It's in a lot of random locations and seemingly only there to justify the existence of the Endurance and Volition Stats. ANd considering the game is very picky with autosaves, it usually just means annihilating half an hour or more of progress and then having to redo a lot of conversations.

Btw, if anybody wants my two cents on what Character to play: I would prolly recommend a high Int character, something like 5/3/2/2 or 4/4/2/2. There is some stuff in the game that would probably make 0 sense to me if I didn't have the Int bubbles pop up to explain stuff.

Also, don't invest in thought cabinet slots too much. They mostly increase caps with very little way to tell what they actually do, which I feel like is pretty useless most of the time.

You should be quick saving constantly, like in any other RPG.

[Wokelander]

I recommend going for a semi-traditional approach for your first play. Go for perception/deduction skills + a bit of physical presence. You'll probably want at least 3 in Health and Morale unless you want to reload a lot.

[Sentient_Toaster]

Hm. Finished four days including a very eventful evening in front of the Whirling-In-Rags, and I don't think I've gotten any clothes or consumables that boost Perception, or temporarily boost Motorics. There's alcohol that temporarily boosts Physique and ways to boost Shivers and Physical Instrument (both of which can have some crucial checks -- I was blocked for a while until I drank some booze so that I could open a certain container to retrieve a particular item to deliver to somebody so that they'd agree to arrangements with others and... never mind, but it was blocking main quest progress, effectively)... but perception seems difficult to increase even temporarily if you start with a low Motorics.

Composure is also fairly difficult to boost, AFAICT, although I'm not sure how often it actually comes up.


I could see going 1-3-4-4 for a second run -- a gullible moron, but with solid instincts. :D

[Tryust]

Originally posted by Sentient_Toaster:

Hm. Finished four days including a very eventful evening in front of the Whirling-In-Rags, and I don't think I've gotten any clothes or consumables that boost Perception, or temporarily boost Motorics. There's alcohol that temporarily boosts Physique and ways to boost Shivers and Physical Instrument (both of which can have some crucial checks -- I was blocked for a while until I drank some booze so that I could open a certain container to retrieve a particular item to deliver to somebody so that they'd agree to arrangements with others and... never mind, but it was blocking main quest progress, effectively)... but perception seems difficult to increase even temporarily if you start with a low Motorics.

Composure is also fairly difficult to boost, AFAICT, although I'm not sure how often it actually comes up.


I could see going 1-3-4-4 for a second run -- a gullible moron, but with solid instincts. :D

Speed add 1 point in motor skill for -1health, also i've barely started the 3rd day and i have at least 8 piece of clothes that boost motor skill based stats.
But for now I think it is the stat that has been the less usefull anyway (still only started the 3rd day so...).

[owl]

I found a hat that gave me +1 or +2 (i forgot) perception with no drawbacks. A frog hat. I forget where I got it. Pawn shop, maybe?

[Chicago Ted]

On my first playthrough I spread myself pretty thin and even, when it came to stats. All equal except dropping a point in Physique for Int. The only Physique skill I was interested in was Shivers.

[RodHull]

Originally posted by Tryust:

But for now I think it is the stat that has been the less usefull anyway (still only started the 3rd day so...).

I dunno reaction speed seems to be a lot of rolls, I often get successful reaction rolls which allow me to respond quickly to new directions in the dialogue and so forth. I think its just you notice the skills you lack more than the ones you have. If you get my drift.

Originally posted by owl:

I found a hat that gave me +1 or +2 (i forgot) perception with no drawbacks. A frog hat. I forget where I got it. Pawn shop, maybe?

Shileng or whatever his name is sells that I believe from his truck stall

[Sima Marlin]

Currently playing " Sherlock holmes" 6 -1-1-4 with perception focus, and boy does he smell things a *LOT* ( and he has lot of lovely dialogues with encyclopedia). Seems to impress Katsuragi lot too. Going with neutral and spontanious to chase new things attitude with lack of emotion and empathy (Benedict Cumberpatch holmes). With right thought patterns you can do pretty well with endurance and morale checks tho have to keep stocked on em heal items . ( and I have serious issues with authority and physical things without right items).

[Sima Marlin]

Originally posted by slicewalker:

Originally posted by Sisyphus:

Yeah, they do a good job making sure fail states don't end runs (which would be annoying with dice rolls) and actually add humour and enjoyment in their own right.

Exept where you get explicit game overs from certain innocuous actions like saying nice car in the beginning for certain builds losing u morale leading to the under bridge game over.
I like consequences and cause and affect but it does seem a little too random and wacky for the sake of wackiness,especially when the game goes out of its way to switch from super serious to crazy every other line of dialogue does get jarring some times.

They are not game overs if you remember to click your health or mental markers, it''s what the numeric values are, click out of death situation cards.

[The Enigma]

5 Int / 2 Psy / 2 Phys / 3 Motor, signature skill is Volition, with additional points invested pretty much equally across all 4 categories to preserve that initial balance.

Mostly RPGing an analytical detective type with poor social skills and decaying physical condition (due to substance abuse and overall self-neglect), while still retaining a decent level of practical skills (ie. Motor) from his formation and early police years. Also a strong sense of Volition sleeping at the back of his mind despite his current predicament (ie. signature skill).

What I love most about this game is that it's narrated in whatever way you wish it to be narrated. You can be conveyed plenty of analytical/factual details (high Int), or imaginative/passionate ones (high Psy), or just listen to your hormones and gut feelings (high Phys), or keenly observe things as they are without drawing much conclusions (high Motor).

I must say I'm personally quite happy with my initial build, the peripheral details that are presented to me are exactly those that I'm most curious about and the game feels tailored just for me, uncannily so. :)

[RodHull]

I seem to have fluctuated from a drug addled Hunter S Thompson type toward someone determined to overcome his drug habit by being permanently drunk (Im now immune to the negative effects of alcohol) so I walk around permanently sozzled, like a slightly deranged burly drunk Columbo.

[nagadu]

3 across the board

[MrSmiley]

My first run I also did a 3 across the board and felt like I did pretty well, there's enough XP to still specialise and sometimes failing something can be hilarious or actually benefit you in a sad way.

Only my second run I used cheat engine and gave myself all 6's just to experience everything in the game and I'm really enjoying it.

[Dan]

Originally posted by MrSmiley:

Only my second run I used cheat engine and gave myself all 6's just to experience everything in the game and I'm really enjoying it.

Everything in the game isn't just the stuff you get for succeeding checks. There's plenty of stuff you'll only see if you fail checks.

Probably the most effective way to absorb it all would be to play three or four playthroughs with different, wildly unbalanced characters.