Getting better at the game

Wydupiator

New Member
Joined
21/10/2020
Messages
7
Hello everyone. As the title says I want to get better at the game. Im on my third playthrough, first one was melee rogue but I ended up on lvl 17, threatened it as learning run and started new melee rogue. I beat the game on level 20, didnt beat SoH tho, didnt try it, maybe later. Some time ago I started 2H warrior. It was going pretty good I wasnt struggling with bosses at all. Im lvl 20 now and I decided it a good time to beat ark. Its not really difficult to kill spiders or wizard even 1v2 but I use a lot of potions, I had 200 moderate pots and now im on 80 and just freed amarisa. I always feel bad when using pots. Judging by high usage of pots im pretty sure im not really good at the game and im playing on normal difficulty so I think I should have almost no trouble with this quest. Could you give me some tips and advices to play the game better? I saw post on this forum and some madman completely beat the game in 40 hours playing on iron man. I really want to try iron man but i dont think im good enough. How do those madmen do it? Do they do specific quests and dungeons on specific levels or they just know some tricks to get strong eq early? Maybe its about fighting, mostly I simply try to time my attack to hit enemy just as he is close enough to be hit.
 

VDX_360

Staff member
Moderator
Joined
20/01/2017
Messages
6,126
Short Version: You seem to be doing fine. Nitpicking slight differences in builds is more about playing style than objective ability.

Am I reading your screen shot correctly? No points invested in Cleave? Even a single point in Cleave makes a difference in dungeon runs as sooner or later you will fight 2 or more enemies at once. Cleave really helps with groups.

The arc 2-H arc hammer will help you out greatly. While the damage isn't much better than the King's Axe (against robots), the EMP is devastating against arc enemies. You'll start getting arc batteries faster than you can use them. (Have you gotten both trait enhancements from teh arc medical bay?).

Using a potion of shock resistance will take a few points off of oncoming damage from the wizards. It adds up. Even the basic shock resistance will make a notable difference in fighting a floor's worth of wizards.

Using potions such as the Elixer of Galade helps with the spiders (which do physical damage). Arc med packs are better against wizards (as they do no physical damage so the defense boost is moot).

If you're going for the peaceful ending, you might want to invest in PERS to meet the PERS 5 trait check. If you are going for the violent ending, you might want to make sure you have your Adamantite Greatsword with you (it does the most damage against the final boss),

What cloak do you have equipped? The Voratoar hide mantle tends to be the most useful in the arc. It's extra defense helps against spiders, and the fire protection is really useful against getting caught in blast. If you are high on funds and getting caught in blasts a lot, potions of fire protection or Ruined Dragoon Boots can help take the pressure off.

The Goggled Helmet will help in the radiation areas.

If you're going for the violent ending, make sure to bring stun resistance potions, and equipment. You can use your potions right before triggering the dialogue, and have them in effect at the start of the fight. Take all your Potions of Lessor Restoration. A STR / END 2-H warrior can recover ~500 hitpoints from using one of them. That's very helpful in the final fight.
 

VDX_360

Staff member
Moderator
Joined
20/01/2017
Messages
6,126
Consider adding Charge. Even Level 1 Charge can be useful against enemies. The +60% damage is a nice way to start off a fight, or end one. If you get get at timing / aiming it, you cane make sure the killing blow is from Charge, letting the skill take you safely away from the enemy.

Not saying you have to re-spect to get Charge, but the Whirlwind + Charge combo has been a player favorite for years. Max whilwind gives +125% damage, Charge gives +160% damage (Whilwind is much easier to aim, and often more useful).

I just completed a 2-H test run that was pure STR and END with maxed out Whirwind, Charge and Extra Recovery. I could 1-hit kill a lot of the arc enemies. With favorable damage rolls, one can 1 hit kill several enemies in a row by alternating between Whirlwind and Charge. It's pretty satisfying to watch spiders die like flies. With the 2 extra recoveries and near 1,000 hitpoints, potion use was helpful but not vital. As a pure STR / END build, trait checks were not really part of the game. No help in the final fight, but hey, a good Whirlwind and Charge hit could do 200+ damage to the beast so who needs help?
 

Wydupiator

New Member
Joined
21/10/2020
Messages
7
I respec my traits and skills when i met tremadan last timr when he told me about arcs location and gave points into int and awa to go for best ending. Before that i had charge, whirlwind maxed out and was relying on that, didnt go for cleave cause it was useless against bosses as we face only one of them and i could oneshot most enemies with charge+whirlwind. Isnt per 5 check optional and alternative is 5 or 6 int? I wanted to go for flurry but i dont know why did i do that even tho i dont have enough points, will go for that after arc cause i wont need int and awa anymore. Now as i think of that whirlwind and charge with heavy hand would be so much better than what i have now. Didnt use trait enhancements. I dont worry about facing the horror cause i easily killed him on my previous rogue playthrough with calenda and valeran. I think my equipment is more than enough (spectral cloak btw). Also could you tell me if i would be able to beat arc with this character if i was playing on hard?
 

VDX_360

Staff member
Moderator
Joined
20/01/2017
Messages
6,126
At your point in the game, I think INT 5 would suffice (Quest Trait Checks here.)
People have beaten hard with similar builds to the one posted above. You might need an extra level or two. The final boss is a little more tricky on Hard as it will have higher def. / stats. But if you're going for the peaceful ending, that won't matter.
 

Wydupiator

New Member
Joined
21/10/2020
Messages
7
Wanted to go for peaceful ending now to get wisdom 2 necklace from magister and play this save for a bit more than just final quest. If i was playing on hard i wouldnt even try to get peaceful one cause i hate being weak and wasting trait points on temporary int and awa definitely makes me weak. Thank you for help :)
 

VDX_360

Staff member
Moderator
Joined
20/01/2017
Messages
6,126
I dislike re-spec'ing and don't do it, unless a build is broken.

But don't write off investing in mental abilities, even as a 2-H beast. Not only can you get the other loot and quest options for making quest checks, there are the passive benefits. For example, INT gives a XP bonus, AWA gives a chance to see traps and secrets.... and there are some useful advanced skills that require certain traits. (For 2-H warrior, blood lust can be pretty useful.)
 

Wydupiator

New Member
Joined
21/10/2020
Messages
7
I know about other benefits from int and awa im gonna stay with 2-3 int but awa is not useful anymore i use scrolls to reveal secrets and traps are not big of a deal, i know where they are at sunken cotadel and im gonna farm this dungeon for quite some time
 

VDX_360

Staff member
Moderator
Joined
20/01/2017
Messages
6,126
At higher difficulty levels, traps can be a little more awkward, esp if you are used to keeping your HP low for fury. Other than that, 2-H warriors tend to have enough HP to endure a few traps. And things like the Googled helmet, or using Adaon can help find late game traps.
 

Top