The Aqueduct

[Revenant]

Spoilers for act 2 side quest! During this quest you basically have the option of siding with Meddur against a group of Romans told to build an aqueduct to a roman occupied town by the old proconsul. Meddur wants construction stopped since it's taking water away from his people. I tried talking to both commanders and unfortunately I don't have the right Ethos perk to convince him to leave without bloodshed, has anyone else seen what the outcome of picking either side is?

[SassyMuffinz]

I sided with the Romans on this one as it seemed out of character for a Roman soldier to kill another Roman soldier. I ran back and forth between them a couple of times to get some different discussions but ultimately I think the game makes you choose unless you have Ethos. Killing Meddur's guys pisses him off but I haven't yet got far enough to see if it causes any further trouble.

[Whitman1855]

Publicado originalmente por SassyMuffinz:

I sided with the Romans on this one as it seemed out of character for a Roman soldier to kill another Roman soldier. I ran back and forth between them a couple of times to get some different discussions but ultimately I think the game makes you choose unless you have Ethos. Killing Meddur's guys pisses him off but I haven't yet got far enough to see if it causes any further trouble.

This^ The only time I sided against 'Roman' soldiers was in Memphis, when the African Legion Centurion got caught being a douche, and then decided to talk down to his Legate.

[Revenant]

I just did the quest for Lunja before doing this to give me time to think, I'm not romancing Cleo in this run and while I want Meddur on my side killing Roman citizens is a bridge (aqueduct) too far

[Arahael]

I hate this quest.
Meddur was the first person to ally with me, and they are taking away their water. In the middle of the desert.
But the soldiers are following order from the former Proconsul to guard the aqueduct that will supply with water to a town under Roman control. Both are right.
I am a Legate and the acting Proconsul and the previous order was made by someone now dead, but I can only say that if I have the Ethos perk.
The other perks usually just increased rewards, decrease costs, or offered alternative ways to solve something. This specific situation offers no alternative solution other than a bloodbath.
Bad quest design.
One thing I didn't understand is the comment made by my companions if you approach the Romans by walking on the aqueduct about that side being unprotected. You can only start the fight if you speak to the roman soldier, there is no way to do anything coming from the aqueduct. I seemed to me that perhaps they planned to implement another approach but left it unfinished.

[Whitman1855]

Publicado originalmente por Revenant:

I just did the quest for Lunja before doing this to give me time to think, I'm not romancing Cleo in this run and while I want Meddur on my side killing Roman citizens is a bridge (aqueduct) too far

Until the civil war dlc. lol

[Revenant]

Publicado originalmente por Whitman1855:

Publicado originalmente por Revenant:

I just did the quest for Lunja before doing this to give me time to think, I'm not romancing Cleo in this run and while I want Meddur on my side killing Roman citizens is a bridge (aqueduct) too far

Until the civil war dlc. lol

Et tu, Brute? :P

[Revenant]

Publicado originalmente por Arahael:

I hate this quest.
One thing I didn't understand is the comment made by mine companions if you approach the Romans by walking on the aqueduct about that side being unprotected. You can only start the fight if you speak to the roman soldier, there is no way to do anything coming from the aqueduct. I seemed to me that perhaps they planned to implement another approach but left it unfinished.

I had a save game and tried it, you can only do the sneak behind them thing if you DO NOT TALK to anyone before going down the aqueduct scaffolding.

[Arthur Revan]

The restriction to only one Ethos is stupid!
This option is just damn logic, Lucullus is dead = I'm a new commander = leave! Bad quest design!

[Drakken]

i am ignoring that quest.

[Atma]

Publicado originalmente por Arthur Revan:

The restriction to only one Ethos is stupid!
This option is just damn logic, Lucullus is dead = I'm a new commander = leave! Bad quest design!

I don't think it's bad at design. Your guy isn't good at throwing his political weight around, because you specifically chose for him not to be.

In this case, where that would come in handy, you can't do it, so you have to resort to bloodshed.

You not being skilled in the alternative method doesn't somehow mean the alternative method doesn't exist.

[Arahael]

Publicado originalmente por Atma:

Publicado originalmente por Arthur Revan:

The restriction to only one Ethos is stupid!
This option is just damn logic, Lucullus is dead = I'm a new commander = leave! Bad quest design!

I don't think it's bad at design. Your guy isn't good at throwing his political weight around, because you specifically chose for him not to be.

In this case, where that would come in handy, you can't do it, so you have to resort to bloodshed.

You not being skilled in the alternative method doesn't somehow mean the alternative method doesn't exist.

Previous quests usually have three different ways to complete them: attack, use a perk or bribe.
If for some reason I need a perk to tell my subordinate to obey my order, then why didn't they include another solution for those without the perk?
I could offer money to Meddur as compensation for the water. Besides, in two previous encounters with legionarii from Legio Prima Italica (the one who offered the schematic for the banner and the one you can recruit as a praetorian) they told me that after the death of the Proconsul they stopped receiving pay and/or supplies, so why can't I offer the Romans money to recruit them into my army?
From a roleplaying perspective, because the Legatus is trying to raise another Legion to fight a war, it makes no sense to alienate your ally or to kill your soldiers; so, unless you have the Ethos perk, the best solution is to ignore the quest. And if a quest is best to be ignored, then it is probably badly designed.

[Atma]

Publicado originalmente por Arahael:

If for some reason I need a perk to tell my subordinate to obey my order, then why didn't they include another solution for those without the perk?

They did. Bloodshed.

[Stormtruper]

Did anyone notice Corvinus up on the cliff edge during this mission?? Does anyone know if he does anything? He has a chat bubble, but you can't talk to him. He's just perched up on a cliff near the roman camp. I thought it was going to "come back" but I'm just starting Act III and it hasn't. I thought Lurco would be thrilled I was murdering fellow Romans.

[Johnny 5]

wow i din't even get this quest....

[Wraith]

Publicado originalmente por Arthur Revan:

The restriction to only one Ethos is stupid!
This option is just damn logic, Lucullus is dead = I'm a new commander = leave! Bad quest design!

it not restricted to only 1.

If you befriend cato in act 1 and go to the senate at the start of act 2 you can talk to him and get a 2nd Ethos.