PoE Starting my first real play through of POE.....

So I’ve played the starting areas several times and have found i really don’t want more than a 4 person party. Beyond 4 combat turns in to a mess, especially in cramped quarters.

So i like to make my own monk, ranger and thief that leaves me 1 slot for a remade companion. A few questions then.

1. Which one? And why.

2. Can i swap them in and out at will? Will they stay somewhere, like the inn?

3. Is there any reason i should rethink my stance and take more companions? I really don’t want to but if there’s a valid reason i might change my mind.

4 Is there a ranger or thief companion that’s worth taking over creating my own? The monk will be my main PC.

Thanks in advance.

1. If by "remade companion" you mean "premade", I'd say go with Aloth to have access to magic spells. There's some handy crowd control ones like "Sleep" and "Gaze of the Adragan" that might make your life a little easier.

2. Once you get the stronghold, that's where you will find all companions (both premade and henchmen). That's also where you swap them in and out, so you'll need to return there if you want to make a change to your party. Not sure where they go before you acquire the stronghold… I didn't try swapping any out before that.

3. Can't think of much reason other than the common ones: you'll miss out on the party banter (not that special IMHO) and on the personal quests of the premade companions.

4. I liked the Devil of Caroc (she's a thief, but is only available in WM1), but same answer as number 3, really. AFAIK henchmen have access to the exact same stuff as the premade companions, with a few tiny details (like you can't swap out the Devil's armor, and Pallegina can't wear a helmet).

EDIT: I assume you are talking about PoE 1, btw. Haven't played 2.

sakichop said:

So I’ve played the starting areas several times and have found i really don’t want more than a 4 person party. Beyond 4 combat turns in to a mess, especially in cramped quarters.

So i like to make my own monk, ranger and thief that leaves me 1 slot for a remade companion. A few questions then.

1. Which one? And why.

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Durance, because it's suicidal to go through the game without a Priest.

sakichop said:

2. Can i swap them in and out at will? Will they stay somewhere, like the inn?

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Yes, but they will fall behind a bit on XP. Not a big problem with both DLCs installed though, as reaching the cap is not difficult, meaning you can also take the time to level them up a bit extra here and there (or after you've reached the cap yourself).

sakichop said:

3. Is there any reason i should rethink my stance and take more companions? I really don’t want to but if there’s a valid reason i might change my mind.

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Not really. You gain more XP with a smaller party, just like in old Baldur's Gate, IWD etc, so only the start should be harder than it would have been with a full party. It's entirely possible to solo or duo the game as well.

The only reason I can think of would be to experience more of the companions themselves, but that's a matter of flavor.

sakichop said:

4 Is there a ranger or thief companion that’s worth taking over creating my own? The monk will be my main PC.

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Both the ranger and thief are quite good, but the thief is gained rather late. The ranger can be picked up fairly soon though, and generally gets the job done. She's not spectacular in any way though, so you won't miss out on too much by either skipping her entirely or just doing her quest later on.

Funny I fired this game up last night and immediately got concerned about how "zoomed it" it was and how little real estate there seemed for fighting. It does seem pretty cramped especially with all the spell effects etc.

Yeah, I very rarely go with a full party. I generally don't do that in Baldur's Gate, IWD etc either. I really like how those games have solved XP, essentially allowing you to go play it comfortably with almost any party size, as you'll simply end up being higher level if you reduce the party size a bit. Makes it easier to avoid that cramped feeling.

Yes , premade and POE1.

Thanks again guys, greatly appreciated.

Going with a 4 person party. I guess 5 if you count the rangers pet lion.

Enjoying it so far but as I feared the monk wounds mechanics is annoying me. Just feels unnatural to want my monk to get hit. With high might and perception though she crits like crazy and kicks ass even without special abilities. Not enjoying the ranger as much, maybe with a few more levels or I could scrap her and reduce party size or add aloth ( I think that’s his name)

I also just installed PoE + expansions. I haven't played it since before the DLC was released, and I've never played beyond the first chapter.

Probably going to go with either a Fighter, a Ranger, or a Druid for my PC.

Anyone know what the "pre-order item and pet" are? I noticed that in my DLC list. I chose not to install it because I don't want free items at the start of the game if that's what they are.

ToddMcF2002 said:

Funny I fired this game up last night and immediately got concerned about how "zoomed it" it was and how little real estate there seemed for fighting. It does seem pretty cramped especially with all the spell effects etc.

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Even when zoomed out all the way? I think it's fine, but here's a guide that lets you modify the zoom to go further in or out if you're interested.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=539780136

You can zoom? Very good to know. What keys? Mouse wheel?

Mouse wheel or the equal and minus keys.

No wonder you felt cramped.

Lol. Thanks for the tip.