RPGWatch Feature - Solasta: Crown of the Magister Review

Forgottenlor had a look at Solasta: Crown of the Magister, spotted some shortcomings, but still enjoyed the game quite a bit.

I started playing RPGs on the tabletop, and I can still remember my uncle surprised us years ago when he brought the D&D starter box with him on a visit. Since then I have been a huge fan of games which try to capture the feeling of a Dungeons and Dragons tabletop game, whether it is something pretty close to the original experience, like Temple of Elemental Evil or something more derivative like Pillars of Eternity. Solasta: The Crown of Magister is definitely more of the former. It does an excellent job of giving you the feel of a tabletop game, even actively rolling dice on screen each time your characters make an attack roll or attempt a persuasion check. What Solasta isn't, and what could potentially disappoint some players, is a Baldur's Gate. There's no big open world, there aren't tons of quests waiting around every corner, and there are no memorable companions for you to recruit. Its much more a linear quest that focuses primarily on dungeon crawling and combat. In that way its much more like the aforementioned Temple of Elemental Evil or Icewind Dale. You do have a hub, chat with NPCs, get an occasional side quest, can periodically talk yourself out of a conflict, and are rewarded for carefully combing maps. It's just that those activities present you with an occasional change of pace from your main task, which is exploring and fighting your way through various dungeons, ruins, caverns, and other exotic locations.

More information.

Thank you Forgottenlor!

Another one from backlog

Pretty good and fair review.

I'd say a very good and very fair review.

It's worth noting that Solasta does a very good job of implementing 5E, although it's not perfect.

Pretty good review, Forgottenlor!

An excellent review, thanks Forgottenlor! I will acquire this precious someday.

Very nice review for a fantastic game. Looking forward to trying the druid and barbarian in the next DLC. If Solasta was a little more open world and had a larger variety of monsters, I would have also given it an almost perfect score.

Thanks for the review, @forgottenlor!
Very good and fair

Have you tried to use the factions to enchant weapons? In the little I could play, I wasn't far enough in their esteem to get anything substantial yet. I'm wondering if that could give more powerful weapons than those we loot or buy.

Originally Posted by Redglyph
Thanks for the review, @forgottenlor!
Very good and fair

Have you tried to use the factions to enchant weapons? In the little I could play, I wasn't far enough in their esteem to get anything substantial yet. I'm wondering if that could give more powerful weapons than those we loot or buy.

I bought equipment from the factions, a suit of +2 plate armour, a +1 greatsword, a +1 shortbow, a belt of giant strength, and crafting recipes for flame and flash arrows.
I did not see any option that they will actually enchant anything for you, so unless I missed something, I think you can only buy magic equipment from them. The faction I bought the belt from has quite a variety of useful miscellaneous magic items.

Originally Posted by forgottenlor
I bought equipment from the factions, a suit of +2 plate armour, a +1 greatsword, a +1 shortbow, a belt of giant strength, and crafting recipes for flame and flash arrows.
I did not see any option that they will actually enchant anything for you, so unless I missed something, I think you can only buy magic equipment from them. The faction I bought the belt from has quite a variety of useful miscellaneous magic items.

There are primed items in loots and available from some merchants, and they can be enchanted. I think the Antiquarians and the Arcaneum have primed items and crafting supplies to enchant those items.

All I got so far was a primed dagger, and another weapon, but I couldn't enchant them. Something to try.

Originally Posted by Redglyph
There are primed items in loots and available from some merchants, and they can be enchanted. I think the Antiquarians and the Arcaneum have primed items and crafting supplies to enchant those items.

All I got so far was a primed dagger, and another weapon, but I couldn't enchant them. Something to try.

As far as I understood you needed a character proficient with the Rosary crafting items to enchant primed items, and my 4 characters (a rogue, cleric, paladin, and ranger) were not proficient with the item and could not use it, and therefore not enchant. I could do smithing, poison brewing and alchemy though, and those all worked well. Acid arrows are pretty easy to craft from the beginning onward as are healing potions.

Nice review, enjoyed reading it.

Slightly unfortunate timing regards all the eyes plastered on Pathfinder topics, but then when is it ever a perfect time!

Thanks for the review forgottenlor you summed up how I feel about the game.

What Solasta isn't, and what could potentially disappoint some players, is a Baldur's Gate. There's no big open world, there aren't tons of quests waiting around every corner, and there are no memorable companions for you to recruit. Its much more a linear quest that focuses primarily on dungeon crawling and combat. In that way its much more like the aforementioned Temple of Elemental Evil or Icewind Dale.

I rather play Baldur's Gate not Temple of Elemental Evil or Icewind Dale.

Solasta's a good Table-top PC RPG Simulator though just not for me.

@Couchpotato It doesn't surprise me you don't like it, as story is an important factor for you, and you also aren't a big fan of turn based combat.

@lackblogger You're probably right, its just being a teacher, I have much more time in the summer for games and writing reviews than I do during the school year, so I didn't get to it sooner than I did.

With me it's unabashed laziness.

I completed Harkenwold for KotC2 a few weeks back and have been meaning to do a write up in the relevant thread ever since.

First couple of weeks I just couldn't build up the motivation, this last couple of weeks the release of P:WotR has encouraged me to have another couple of weeks off