Age of Decadence - Impressions, questions, advice, etc.
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Purchased this game a few days ago, and I'm having a good time so far. Lots of options, lots of details and the RP/CC parts are very well done. Combat is difficult and may take a few re-dos to figure out but it is rewarding. I'm in the 2nd city and so far its been challenging and frustrating and good fun overall. A must have game if you like intricate, difficult, fully fleshed out world with great character customization with many options to succeed.
Zloth
I smell a... wumpus!?
Wait a sec… this is from "Iron Tower" and you can play as a Loremaster? Shades of Iron Crown's Rolemaster game!
A youtube video showing how to make a very strong combat build.
It does contain some spoilers for the first area of the game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QkbVw4cZls
It does contain some spoilers for the first area of the game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QkbVw4cZls
2 questions about character building:
- Does it make sense to build a talker character with mediocre combat skills? So are there some easy encounters as well?
- How does ranged fighting actually work? As you're always fighting alone (are you?) is it only hit and run? Does this work against multiple enemies at all?
1. Probably not for your first character. The way you could do it is focus entirely on speech and civil skills and then later on get some combat skills. In the first town of Teron there are very few "easy encounters".
In maadoran, the second city there are a few. However, to win at combat you need to use alchemy/crafting and understand the mechanics very well. So I would recommend either going for a full combat build or a full talky build to start off with and test the game.
Play with one each and try getting to maadoran. That should take a maximum of 10 hours. Then you can create a new character and try out your hybrid.
2. Depending on the quest you may have some allies to help you. Many fights are on your own though.
I haven't used ranged yet but apparently crossbow is much better than bow at this point in time due to a relatively high chance of knocking back enemies.
In maadoran, the second city there are a few. However, to win at combat you need to use alchemy/crafting and understand the mechanics very well. So I would recommend either going for a full combat build or a full talky build to start off with and test the game.
Play with one each and try getting to maadoran. That should take a maximum of 10 hours. Then you can create a new character and try out your hybrid.
2. Depending on the quest you may have some allies to help you. Many fights are on your own though.
I haven't used ranged yet but apparently crossbow is much better than bow at this point in time due to a relatively high chance of knocking back enemies.
Thanks!
However I have no problems to really dig into the combat mechanics.
Sounds good.
Do I need to create craft the items on my own or can I acquire them otherwise? Don't like playing crafters...
However I have no problems to really dig into the combat mechanics.
Hm... I really dislike replaying great parts of a game. Kills immersion for me and due to very limited gameing time I'd rather play another game then...[/quote]
Do you know if throwing weapons are a serious option?
Some items with crafted attributes can be acquired throughout the game. The most common ones are probably swords. However, note that some enemies are immune to the bleed damage that swords excel at in case you want to go that route.
It's a great starter weapon though.
So, no you don't need to craft. It just makes life easier for a fighter.
Also note that crafting is important for many lore related quests, but not essential to beating the game.
You can also buy many potions and items useful for fights, but alchemy makes you much better at it.
I'm also usually not very keen on those additional systems, but since they're used in dialogue as well as I don't mind as much.
About throwing weapons, some people say it works but I have never tried.
Note that you don't need throwing skills for nets and bolas
It's a great starter weapon though.
So, no you don't need to craft. It just makes life easier for a fighter.
Also note that crafting is important for many lore related quests, but not essential to beating the game.
You can also buy many potions and items useful for fights, but alchemy makes you much better at it.
I'm also usually not very keen on those additional systems, but since they're used in dialogue as well as I don't mind as much.
About throwing weapons, some people say it works but I have never tried.
Note that you don't need throwing skills for nets and bolas
Alright, here's some of my questions:
1. Does your HP regenerate, or is your only option healing salves or paying the healer to recover it?
2. Is dual wielding viable? Haven't tried it myself, but what is the advantage and/or penalties? Do you strike with both weapons simultaneously, or do you pick one of the two and strike with that?
3. Is there a way to "highlight" the interactive stuff? Pixel hunting does get tedious at some point.
Also, kinda disappointed that the GOG version carries no extra goodies. No manual, no avatars (which do look neat), just a few wallpapers.
EDIT: no spoilers, please, by the way.
1. Does your HP regenerate, or is your only option healing salves or paying the healer to recover it?
2. Is dual wielding viable? Haven't tried it myself, but what is the advantage and/or penalties? Do you strike with both weapons simultaneously, or do you pick one of the two and strike with that?
3. Is there a way to "highlight" the interactive stuff? Pixel hunting does get tedious at some point.
Also, kinda disappointed that the GOG version carries no extra goodies. No manual, no avatars (which do look neat), just a few wallpapers.
EDIT: no spoilers, please, by the way.
1. Spoiler if you want to know. Normally it's salves or healer though.
Some quests do heal you up automatically.
2. Dual wielding is not super useful as far as I am aware.
What you can do is have a one handed weapon in one hand and the small crossbow in the other + a net and a bomb in belt slots.
That's the best use of all the slots as far as I know.
3. Press tab. It will only highlight things within 20 tiles though. So still need to explore.
Some quests do heal you up automatically.
2. Dual wielding is not super useful as far as I am aware.
What you can do is have a one handed weapon in one hand and the small crossbow in the other + a net and a bomb in belt slots.
That's the best use of all the slots as far as I know.
3. Press tab. It will only highlight things within 20 tiles though. So still need to explore.
Quick point on bows. They've been buffed recently it seems. I'm getting my ass pounded by critical strike from archers in one of the quests.
So it's probably a very viable build at the moment
So it's probably a very viable build at the moment
Alright, I've just wrapped up Teron as an assassin character, so I'll share some of my (random) thoughts here.
That's all for now. Don't get me wrong, even with all the above nitpicking, I love the game. I'm itching to continue my adventure in Maadoran now. I absolutely love the setting, and I hope more games in it will follow.
- If there's one thing this game has going for it, it's the story. That's mainly why I keep playing, to see what backstabbery lies beyond the next corner. It's a compact, lovingly handcrafted experience. The lore is equally interesting, and I totally adore the setting. If anything, there's not enough of it (though granted, that might just be because I picked an assassin to start with). Give me more lore and background!
- Combat is difficult, but fun. I enjoyed getting my ass handed to me, and trying again with different tactics. The feeling of accomplishment when you do finally beat that encounter is immense. It's the first game that actually made me miss achievements (since I'm playing the GOG version; AFAIK only the Steam version has them).
- One thing I really miss is being able to really explore though, and finding neat stuff. Sometimes the railroading from one point to the next feels too much like an interactive text adventure. Why can't I sneak (a skill that is only useful when triggered by the game in conversation windows) into houses and see what I can find, for example? Or why can't I pick myself to try and "critical strike" this guard, without the game having to provide a "conversation" option for it?
Some of the "railroaded encounters", such as the palace infiltration, are quite fun, but even then the options seem very limited. For example, okay, so I killed those workers now above the barracks, but then the only option is taking that door to the throne room, even though before I could have tried my luck by climbing up a wall somewhere else. Why take that option away? Maybe I just wanted to up my body count? I couldn't even loot them!
- On the other hand, I do love the things the game does keep track of, such as your body count allowing you to intimidate other characters. What other game does that?
- The UI is very clunky and unintuitive, and there's no manual (on GOG) as far as I can see.
Picking an "attack type" could be easier, as could applying for example poison to my weapon. I've had it happen several times that I applied it to the wrong one. Having to pick what type of arrow you want to reload your crossbow with (each and every single time) is a chore. Why not have a plain reload that reloads your last fired arrow, next to the other options?
An indicator of where you are on the "local map" would be nice too, and have the map center on that.
- There could be some more explanatory tooltips about what certain stats mean. I've figured most of them out now, but I'm still not sure what "passive value bonus" does.
- Also, why are there no goodies on GOG (besides a wallpaper)? I'd love to have those portraits to use as avatars. They're very well done.
That's all for now. Don't get me wrong, even with all the above nitpicking, I love the game. I'm itching to continue my adventure in Maadoran now. I absolutely love the setting, and I hope more games in it will follow.
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Passive value bonus is the bonus to your weapon special.
Daggers get addition chance to crit on aimed attacks. The passive value bonus increases it further.
The passive on hammers is the chance to remove DR from enemy armour. This increases it further.
I do agree on most of your points though but the game is still fun to me too
Daggers get addition chance to crit on aimed attacks. The passive value bonus increases it further.
The passive on hammers is the chance to remove DR from enemy armour. This increases it further.
I do agree on most of your points though but the game is still fun to me too
Ah, I see.
By the way, do you know whether there's any way around Hermon and his gang in the Slums district, except for paying him off, killing 'm or pumping Streetwise?
I can't seem to get past these blokes…
By the way, do you know whether there's any way around Hermon and his gang in the Slums district, except for paying him off, killing 'm or pumping Streetwise?
I can't seem to get past these blokes…
Thief...
The area was meant to be off limits for most builds.
As with many things in the game, this is one where unless you have money, are a thief, or an extremely good fighter you shouldn't be going there.
In game logic is that that's the thieves guild terf and it's protected heavily.
The area was meant to be off limits for most builds.
As with many things in the game, this is one where unless you have money, are a thief, or an extremely good fighter you shouldn't be going there.
In game logic is that that's the thieves guild terf and it's protected heavily.
I see. I feel like as an assassin character focusing on sneak I should at least have the option to try and sneak past.
I guess I'll shell out the money then. I hate to leave quests unfinished, and I have to deliver a package.
I guess I'll shell out the money then. I hate to leave quests unfinished, and I have to deliver a package.
That quest is minor.
As spoiler free spoiler as possible below...
Do not read if you don't want anything about lore revealed.
Extra details below
That is it however if you aren't playing a thief as far as I can tell.
As spoiler free spoiler as possible below...
Do not read if you don't want anything about lore revealed.
there's an artefact and a doctor in that area of town which can help reveal a lot of lore
Extra details below
the artefact can be bought from a merchant. The artefact needs to be identified either by yourself or by abukar. Then that doctor in the slums can install it for you.
You can then use it in conjunction with another artefact at the arch.
You can then use it in conjunction with another artefact at the arch.
That is it however if you aren't playing a thief as far as I can tell.
Yes, but isn't there an entire district behind that encounter? The temple district? Are you telling me there is nothing to do there for a non-thief character?
There are some traders. It's a very small place to be honest and other than the quest you have, the thieves and the spoiler I put up there, there isn't much, unless I missed something.
But I would suggest just creating a dummy save, paying the gang and going exploring without talking to people. You'll see it's not much.
Note that the devs are planning to flesh out all of the Thieves' guild quests over the coming two months. So they may be adding some stuff there. Which is also the reason I haven't yet played as a thief.