Pillars of Eternity 1 - Rath Playthrough

[Tawmis]

Hmm. The quest log looks very simple and straight-forward ... here is what it says:
So ... I went to the village, went to the church, spoke to the priest. He told me how to get to the damn place ... but the place still doesn't light up on my map, consarn it!
I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall with this game, unfortunately.
*** TWO SECONDS LATER ... ***
Hold on ... I can't believe it. All I had to do was go to Dyrford Crossing (just to the south of this place) and then go north. That simple. And I missed it. @ self
Aiiiiiiiiieeeeeee ... don't mind me. I just had a massive brain fart, I guess. Oops!

No worries. Like I said, you have to be sure to exit the right area of the map and/or sometimes it's not a direct route - but going around.

[Rath Darkblade]

Well -- huzzah! PoE is nearly done. I've finished Act 3 (i.e. the city is burning, the Duc is dead) and got access to the elf-city (Elm's Reach and all the rest of it).

Now I just have to pray to the gods, pick on and do a quest for him/her, jump in some old pit and ... somehow kill Thaos. No pressure. But I've done all the side-quests (almost), as well as all the companion quests (almost - just haven't done the ones for Durance or the Mourning Woman ... because frankly, they get on my nerves. Durance, because he's so abrasive and self-righteous; Mourning Woman, because she never comes to the bloody point!)

Anyway, just doing one last side-quest for the Vailians (sp?) and then it's time to finish this, I hope. My characters are all level 16 now. I guess they can't advance past this? Can they advance past it during The White March?

[Tawmis]

Well -- huzzah! PoE is nearly done. I've finished Act 3 (i.e. the city is burning, the Duc is dead) and got access to the elf-city (Elm's Reach and all the rest of it).
Now I just have to pray to the gods, pick on and do a quest for him/her, jump in some old pit and ... somehow kill Thaos. No pressure. But I've done all the side-quests (almost), as well as all the companion quests (almost - just haven't done the ones for Durance or the Mourning Woman ... because frankly, they get on my nerves. Durance, because he's so abrasive and self-righteous; Mourning Woman, because she never comes to the bloody point!)
Anyway, just doing one last side-quest for the Vailians (sp?) and then it's time to finish this, I hope. My characters are all level 16 now. I guess they can't advance past this? Can they advance past it during The White March?

I was about to ask if you got the expansions White March 1 and 2.

I think they levels do go beyond that - but I think it caps at 20.

[Rath Darkblade]

Ah, crap. Any idea why they capped it at 20? In NWN1, IIRC, you can continue all the way to level 40.

[Tawmis]

Ah, crap. Any idea why they capped it at 20? In NWN1, IIRC, you can continue all the way to level 40.

Different RPGs do it for different reasons. Mostly because, they probably see what the average is to finish the game and set it around there.

I agree, I wish there was a way to keep gaining levels - I'd love to collect all the different abilities each class can do.

But I guess that's what replay value is - because a lot of the abilities cross pollinate with other classes.

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm. OK -- I have two questions, then.

1. Is there a class you would recommend? I noticed the party already has three tanks (a fighter, paladin and barbarian); one cleric, one ranger, one druid, one wizard, and one rogue.

I'm currently playing as fighter, but I suppose I should try a rogue next? I'm constantly thrown by how many locks I can't pick and how many monsters I can't sneak by.

2. Are there "Prestige" classes like there are in D&D? I think I noticed something about that when I levelled up, but I never got the chance to try these classes (if they even exist).

[Tawmis]

Hmm. OK -- I have two questions, then.
1. Is there a class you would recommend? I noticed the party already has three tanks (a fighter, paladin and barbarian); one cleric, one ranger, one druid, one wizard, and one rogue.
I'm currently playing as fighter, but I suppose I should try a rogue next? I'm constantly thrown by how many locks I can't pick and how many monsters I can't sneak by.
2. Are there "Prestige" classes like there are in D&D? I think I noticed something about that when I levelled up, but I never got the chance to try these classes (if they even exist).

1. Whatever suits your fancy! I played originally as a Ranger (just to have an animal companion). This time around I have been doing barbarian (female).
2. I don't believe there is, I could be wrong. Keep in mind I never (that I can recall) unlocked Paladin in QFG. So there may be something hidden like Prestige Classes that require doing a certain number of things a certain way. But I've not discovered it myself.

[Rath Darkblade]

Ah, OK -- I have a follow-up question:

1. Sorry, when I said "prestige classes", I meant "subclasses" -- for instance, Rogues in Pillars of Eternity 2 can become Assassins, Streetfighters, Tricksters, or "Debonaires".

Can such a thing be done in POE1?

2. Anyway .............. POE1 is done!!!!! Done, done, done. Yay! \o/

What now?

[Tawmis]

Ah, OK -- I have a follow-up question:
1. Sorry, when I said "prestige classes", I meant "subclasses" -- for instance, Rogues in Pillars of Eternity 2 can become Assassins, Streetfighters, Tricksters, or "Debonaires".
Can such a thing be done in POE1?
2. Anyway .............. POE1 is done!!!!! Done, done, done. Yay! \o/
What now?

Not sure about sub classes in POE1. I don't think so.
And congrats!

[Rath Darkblade]

Thanks!

I started replaying it last night as rogue. Now that I know more about the world and what to expect, it's more fun ... the first time was like "Hang on, what the *heck* was that?"

One thought about the ending here: the ruler of the Gilded Vale (I forget his name) is a huge cheat. I help Kolsc to kill this guy, and in the end, he resurrects himself (what? ) and terrorises the Gilded Vale again, this time as some kind of death knight. WTF? What's the point of killing the guy, if the game cheats and brings him back?

[Tawmis]

Thanks!

I started replaying it last night as rogue. Now that I know more about the world and what to expect, it's more fun ... the first time was like "Hang on, what the *heck* was that?"

One thought about the ending here: the ruler of the Gilded Vale (I forget his name) is a huge cheat. I help Kolsc to kill this guy, and in the end, he resurrects himself (what? ) and terrorises the Gilded Vale again, this time as some kind of death knight. WTF? What's the point of killing the guy, if the game cheats and brings him back?

I kind of liked that part - because, he was such an evil arse. It felt good to kill him again.

[Rath Darkblade]

Eh? *confused* When do you kill him again? I'm talking about the ending here, after you finally beat Evil Religiious Dude ( ) and turn off his machine. Then, the epilogue talks about how the ruler of the Gilded Vale came back to life and terrorised the Gilded Vale ... and then it's game over, and I can't do anything about it. I mean, what?

Do I get a chance to kill him again? If so, I never knew about it - no-one ever told me (or gave me a quest, or anything). Is there a quest to kill this Cheater McCheat-Face? If so, what happens? How do I get this quest?

[Tawmis]

Eh? *confused* When do you kill him again? I'm talking about the ending here, after you finally beat Evil Religiious Dude ( ) and turn off his machine. Then, the epilogue talks about how the ruler of the Gilded Vale came back to life and terrorised the Gilded Vale ... and then it's game over, and I can't do anything about it. I mean, what?
Do I get a chance to kill him again? If so, I never knew about it - no-one ever told me (or gave me a quest, or anything). Is there a quest to kill this Cheater McCheat-Face? If so, what happens? How do I get this quest?

I might be misremembering then. Maybe it's him rising; but I thought I fought him again - but I could be confusing it for another fight.
I played this when it first came out (back in 2015/2016), so my memory may be faulty.

[Rath Darkblade]

Oh! *looks it up* Do you mean The Champion of Berath quest?

I didn't even know the quest existed. Now I do.

[Tawmis]

Oh! *looks it up* Do you mean The Champion of Berath quest?
I didn't even know the quest existed. Now I do.

Ah ha! Yeah, that looks right.