Pathfinder: Kingmaker Question/Tips & Tricks Thread

I'm enjoying this play-through much more now that I've turned on Auto mode with Kingdom maintenance. Plus it's greater fun with a druid character than it ever was with a paladin. I wish there were a druidic PrC though. Ah well, can't have everything.

What is that?? Levels needed before the masterwork will have a chance of showing up?

Originally Posted by Zloth
What is that?? Levels needed before the masterwork will have a chance of showing up?

Yes. My takeaway from that is that if you want all the masterworks you should work hard on espionage as it normally comes last and it needs a fairly high level to produce masterworks (8). I am pretty sure that is the only one I missed out on in my playthrough even though I had everything at 10 well before the end. I think the rule of thumb is you need about 180 days after getting the required level (and completing all the required quests) to be guaranteed to get a masterwork.

I'm just on my first playthrough. I have kingdom management set to Easy - I'm not really into that side of things generally, but I'm still in Chapter 1 and don't have a view on how it's implemented here yet.

My main character is an Aldori Defender, mixed with a couple of levels of rogue for sneak attacks etc. I'm debating whether to aim for the Aldori Swordmaster prestige class later on - has anyone played one, any thoughts?

I just finished my second complete play through. First was a pure Sylvan Sorcerer with a wolf. This time I was mixed, and made level 20 about 30 minutes before the final battle He was a human named Fenn.

4 levels of Knife Master (Rogue, dagger specialist) and 16 levels of Sacred Huntsman, follower of Freedom (Desna, sp?), with a wolf, of course. He is a Tiefling named Wulver Blackfur. He has his friend Thrynn (mercenary) who I made as a human Mad Dog barbarian with a Leopard. The 4 of them made for a great team especially with the Inquisitor team feats. The other 4 were followers - while I did all the companion quests my main team, besides the two animals, were Wulver, Thrynn, Valerie (my main tank), Tristian (healer), Octavia (Mage, rogue back-up to Wulver), and Linzi and now and then Reg.

I also got the special/complete ending which I had wanted to attempt. I had to juggle the RP but outside of that it was fun.

I might try one final play through at some point. Most likely a Ranger or a druid.

I have 319 hours so far into the game.

Wow, I'm still on my first! 180 hours in - that turn mode mod is great but I really should turn it off more often.

Did another run of Beneath the Stolen Lands to try out a new build. Went with dex based slayer/vivi/sorc/arcane trickster with two weapon fighting - worked quite well since slayer gets better with more sneak attacks fun stuff

Originally Posted by purpleblob
Did another run of Beneath the Stolen Lands to try out a new build. Went with dex based slayer/vivi/sorc/arcane trickster with two weapon fighting - worked quite well since slayer gets better with more sneak attacks fun stuff

Wow, that is quite the build. It took me since the game came out till recently to even consider multi-classing. Wulver lvl 4 knife master and lvl 16 Sacred Huntsman was my first. I enjoyed him a lot. But I get nervous multi-classing. I tend to like focus.

I would have a heart attack if I tried to do that many classes! Sounds like you had a total of 4 classes there?

I did start my third play through (scratched my other idea of an Aasimar ranger and went with a simple human). Lobo, a very anti-social ranger with negative persuasion skills … mainly because my last two were both ultra high in persuasion and I want to play differently.

Lobo has one level in rogue (can only do one since boon companion only covers 4 levels). That is mainly because I like to play out front of the group - stealth, scouting, removing traps, etc., (either that or I want to be a pure caster way in the back just monitoring the battlefield and not worrying about micro management. But can only do that playing on easy mode so I can just let the AI handle the companions).

So one level in Rogue opens up the skill trees and gives me two backstabs (level 1 and the perk). Boon companion will make up that level plus the ones with ranger starting late. I miss out on the level 20 talent but that isn't a big deal. Usually make 20 near end-game and can't use it much anyhow.

Not big on archery and as I said want to be in front. So he is dual wield, long sword and swortsword.

Anyhow the goal I have for him is this:

- Avoid being diplomatic, persuasive, social, etc. He is a hermit who prefers the wilds and his animals. He only joined this venture because he sensed evil trying to corrupt the natural land and wilds of the Stolen Lands.

- Focus on nature. Building cities will focus on all those nature types of buildings and themes.

- Not a fan of anything that harms nature or animals.

Not that original I know but should be fun. He is neutral good in alignment with oddly some lawful tendencies. Partly because he appreciates natural order and structure. Partly because my other two characters were CG.

These are the portraits I made for his game. Will update them with a wolf at his side once he makes level 5.

Originally Posted by wolfgrimdark
I would have a heart attack if I tried to do that many classes! Sounds like you had a total of 4 classes there?

I like single class as well (played Crusader, Empyreal sorceress, Paladin and Inquisitor) but I like hybrid arcane class as well

Yes, I used total of 4 classes - 1 slayer + 1 vivisectionist + x sorcerer + 10 arcane trickster with a focus on two weapon fighting (Shortsword and dagger). I could have not dip 1 class in vivisectionist but it gives early buff through mutagen and you get sneak attack earlier this way.

Other builds I've tried are:

1 ranger + 1 vivisectionist + x mage + 10 arcane trickster with a focus on long bow.
1 ranger + 1 vivisectionist + x mage + 10 eldritch knight with a focus on rapier.

Similar builds but different weapon focus gives different twist

I did start my third play through (scratched my other idea of an Aasimar ranger and went with a simple human). Lobo, a very anti-social ranger with negative persuasion skills … mainly because my last two were both ultra high in persuasion and I want to play differently.

Wow, I've never tried out low persuasion character… I don't know if I ever will. When I eventually start my 4th playthrough, I want to play as CN.. to tick off some achievements

Seems to be getting buggier later in the game. In the Pitax palace I could see into two secret areas, but found no way to open them. The Militia quest in Varnhold is still bugged, although it eventually seemed to resolve itself.

That could be you missing something. The second time I played I was able to get into, and find, things I didn't the first time. Either I hadn't figured out a puzzle, my perception was not high enough, didn't explore enough, and so on.

This game really doesn't hand hold side stuff. Main quest you get some guidance but side things you are often on your own to figure out. Some consider that a bug when its just not discovering the secret yet.

Don't know about the militia in Varnhold issue as it always went well for me, done it three times.

Not saying there isn't a bug, just pointing out the game is pretty stable overall at this point and I often see people reporting a bug that isn't a bug but instead something they didn't solve or missed.

Yipe! Just finished the Rushlight tourney and got quite a scare. My main character suddenly had only his bow with everything else missing! That bastage took everything else - even my crown!!

Oh wait… there's my stuff down at the end of the inventory list. Phew.

P.S. There was a 40 diplomacy check in there that I managed to make by rolling an 18. That earned my main character almost 140,000xp! He's almost caught up to Nok Nok!

Originally Posted by Zloth
Yipe! Just finished the Rushlight tourney and got quite a scare. My main character suddenly had only his bow with everything else missing! That bastage took everything else - even my crown!!

Oh wait… there's my stuff down at the end of the inventory list. Phew.

P.S. There was a 40 diplomacy check in there that I managed to make by rolling an 18. That earned my main character almost 140,000xp! He's almost caught up to Nok Nok!

Yeah, there are quite a few very difficult persuasion checks that will give you a big chunk of exp

While it's great getting a big chunk of XP those checks are very poorly balanced. The DC40-60 checks give far too much experience. As an example a single DC60 check gives more experience than the entire Endless Depths dungeon in the main campaign, including killing the final boss. Just spread that XP out more to quests and some of the big fights. The reality is that if you don't hit all the DC40-60 checks in the game and you are running as a full party you won't hit level 20.

Originally Posted by bjon045
While it's great getting a big chunk of XP those checks are very poorly balanced. The DC40-60 checks give far too much experience. As an example a single DC60 check gives more experience than the entire Endless Depths dungeon in the main campaign, including killing the final boss. Just spread that XP out more to quests and some of the big fights. The reality is that if you don't hit all the DC40-60 checks in the game and you are running as a full party you won't hit level 20.

That's providing if you don't have DLCs.

Don't need to hit level 20 - I just need to get through the game.

Oh - my Eldrich Archer has gotten a good bit better now that he's gotten access to 6th level spells, which finally have some ranged touch attacks. I've been getting mighty sick of shooting snowballs over and over.

Started playing this a couple of days ago. Bad idea. Now I can't think of anything else, the damn game is in my head constantly! Which would be ok if I could finish it in a week or so, but it will probably take me at least a month.

Playing a male CG Half-elf Knife Master/Viv. He's a proper glass cannon, which is my preferred style of character. Just started chapter 2 and hit level 5, currently at 3KM/1Viv and now I have anxiety over how to proceed the build. My main idea was to only do that single dip into Viv, but the improved mutagen that is way further down the tree sure is tempting…

@TomRon - do you havr beneath the stolen lands DLC? Its a good one to test out builds since you level up much faster

Originally Posted by purpleblob
@TomRon - do you havr beneath the stolen lands DLC? Its a good one to test out builds since you level up much faster

Nope, I'm a bit strapped for cash at the moment but plan to get all DLC's to support Owlcat if nothing else.

I chose to continue leveling KM, Viv can stay at 1 for now. A bit into three second chapter, only took two weeks of the first month before I realized how to construct buildings…I almost reloaded the beginning of the chapter to not lose those two weeks of build time but managed to let it go…

Yeah kingdom takes a while to get used to - I think it will be worthwhile reading some online tips and guide. Personally, I enjoyed kingdom management in my second playthrough + subsequent runs but I was rather lost in my first run too.