Kingmaker, the beginning experience...

[Luca_K04]

really...wtf?

I played many rpg on hard mode but never had hard times at the beginning like this one in "core rules" and turn base.
It's more like a survival.

_3 months to do the main quest...ok
_really tough enconters for lvl1-3 party (tech mages, living tree, the big worg, viscount (!!!) and more...
_no help for mercs cos they cost 2000 gold, simply impossible to deal at the beginning
_rest cursed...
_lvl1-2 mobs that stack ability drain

Now I finally finished the labyrinthin Sycamore caves, with only a camp and big usage of consumables... Thank Gog, Tartuccio after many attemps decide to suicide with that damned fireball insted of one-shot the entire party.

I'm heading to Oleg's tradepost.. and i'm scared.

[Gresh]

It gets easier as you get more levels. Early on is fairly difficult. Owlcat games in particular are known for actually being difficult at higher difficulties.

[Frostfeather]

You'd want to hire mercs at level 1 since they're dirt cheap then. Even cheaper than it says.

It really makes all the difference since the early companion lineup isn't the most ideal, considering what the game throws at you.

[Heart of Storm]

More than any other cRPG, Owlcat games are about optimisation. My best advice is build a REALLY good tank and make sure they open every engagement for you, Valerie is adequate in normal difficulties, but make that her primary role.

A well built tank getting stuck in and drawing aggro helps an awful lot and is the answer to a lot of engagements in this game, good luck!

[Immortal Reaver]

Publicado originalmente por Luca_K04:

(tech mages, living tree, the big worg, viscount (!!!) and more...

Tech Mages - if you find them hard, just let one companion go, then pick them up later, encounter is easier as those mages will waste spells on slaves you free.
Living Tree (if guessed correctly it is Shambling Mound) - optinal encounter, return later, or skip it.
Worg - optional quest, return later
Viscount Smoulderburn - optinal encounter you get warned about, return later
And there will be more, like Owlbears behind brushes in Witche's Hut, that guard item for later quests, and as such they are stronger than what most can handle on that level when they first go there (also should be skipped because most people that actually do manage it, then go and sell the quest item, then panick).

Generaly optional encounters are like in JRPGs, stronger than main quest bosses (at lvl you meet them) and they are there for challenge for experienced players.

[Luca_K04]

Now I've a 6 party level 4, saved Octavia, Regongar and Tristian.
I can really start seeing some synegies! XD
My slayer is doing quite good damage, Valerie had 26AC, healers can heal.... in short, the other encounters after Tartuccio's dungeon like tech mages, bandits and Elk temple didn't bother me too much.

I've more than 70 days to kill the Stug Lord, so maybe I'll go explore a bit and try to reach lvl5.

Still a little confused about some mechanics, it's similar to many other D&D games I played but n the same time feel very different.
And study build take some time.. don't want to go premade.

[ParasiteX]

Publicado originalmente por Luca_K04:

Now I've a 6 party level 4, saved Octavia, Regongar and Tristian.
I can really start seeing some synegies! XD
My slayer is doing quite good damage, Valerie had 26AC, healers can heal.... in short, the other encounters after Tartuccio's dungeon like tech mages, bandits and Elk temple didn't bother me too much.

I've more than 70 days to kill the Stug Lord, so maybe I'll go explore a bit and try to reach lvl5.

Still a little confused about some mechanics, it's similar to many other D&D games I played but n the same time feel very different.
And study build take some time.. don't want to go premade.

If you complete it within 30 days you get a bonus reward, that is with at least 60 days left.
Granted it's just a dueling sword worth about 2k. But something to consider.

[Gerfreckle]

One of the most important lessons of Kingmaker is that just because something is available to you doesn't mean you should attempt to do it right away. This game does not warn you that some enemies are VASTLY beyond your current level's capabilities, and the only way to know is through sometimes very frustrating trial-and-error.

Unlike contemporary and more famous cRPGs like those made by Larian and Obsidian, Owlcat's games are a lot more hardcore, and often straight-up sadistic and unfair just for the sake of it (either that or just bad balancing). It's really a take-it-or-leave-it type thing. You have to go in knowing it's going to test your patience to the absolute limits CONSTANTLY (I say this as someone who still experiences this - but to a lesser degree - after 300 hours.

Follow the advice of other posters, but re the order in which you should do things - general advice is to strike a balance between pursuing the main quest and doing optional side adventures, because almost every single quest is on a timer so you can't take forever, but at the same time you don't want to be underlevelled. Chapter 1 is very generous with the time-limit though, and provided you don't pointlessly explore areas of the map not relevant to the Chapter 1 events, you'll almost certainly not run out of time. However, this is a game where save-scumming is pretty much essential and I still do it even 300 hours later. Save-scum relentlessly, especially for your first playthrough. It'll save you untold hours and from experiencing overwhelming desires to smash your desktop.

[alanc9]

Well said. I'll add that some of the balance is the fault of Pathfinder system itself. You can't really balance a system where short-term buffs can neutralize a lot of attack types. If you know to have the right buffs up at the right time, you win easily. But if you don't.....

[Luca_K04]

Publicado originalmente por Gerfreckle:

One of the most important lessons of Kingmaker is that just because something is available to you doesn't mean you should attempt to do it right away. This game does not warn you that some enemies are VASTLY beyond your current level's capabilities, and the only way to know is through sometimes very frustrating trial-and-error.

Unlike contemporary and more famous cRPGs like those made by Larian and Obsidian, Owlcat's games are a lot more hardcore, and often straight-up sadistic and unfair just for the sake of it (either that or just bad balancing). It's really a take-it-or-leave-it type thing. You have to go in knowing it's going to test your patience to the absolute limits CONSTANTLY (I say this as someone who still experiences this - but to a lesser degree - after 300 hours.

Follow the advice of other posters, but re the order in which you should do things - general advice is to strike a balance between pursuing the main quest and doing optional side adventures, because almost every single quest is on a timer so you can't take forever, but at the same time you don't want to be underlevelled. Chapter 1 is very generous with the time-limit though, and provided you don't pointlessly explore areas of the map not relevant to the Chapter 1 events, you'll almost certainly not run out of time. However, this is a game where save-scumming is pretty much essential and I still do it even 300 hours later. Save-scum relentlessly, especially for your first playthrough. It'll save you untold hours and from experiencing overwhelming desires to smash your desktop.

you couldn't describe the experience in this game better, it's exactly the same as what I'm having.

Save-scum has become my number one rule in Pathfinder