Hey Yea Forums
I just picked up Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magica Obscura and have been trying it out this weekend.
It's my very first old school RPG so I have zero exp in them. I don't think I am too good at it. Would any anons here fancy giving me some tips?
>What kind of character is best for a beginner?
>Should I specialise in anything in particular?
>Should I go for a fully customised character or are the pre-sets easier for beginners?
>Any race?
>Magic or tech?
Thanks anons
You should make your own character and go with whatever you think sounds the most fun, but focusing on magic and/or melee combat are the easiest ways get through the game. There are other ways to be effective in battle, but those two are the most intuitive. Melee combat is effective with either magic or tech; they provide different perks.
Be sure to use the turn-based combat option, as it is somewhat less flawed than the action-based one. Also, don't feel like you have to fight everything you come across, especially in the early game. Plenty of enemies can easily smash your fave in if you don't know wht you're doing.
I'll be honest with you user, Arcanum is not a great choice for your very 1st CRPG, it might be one of the clunkiest of them all. Still more than worth it, don't get me wrong, but it might be hard to get into.
Anyways:
Charisma builds are totally viable in this game, especially if you can't get a feel for the combat, I'd advise taking the harm magic spell and recruiting as many companions as possible. The cap raises every few points, forgot how many.
If you're going to specialise, pick either of the two schools of thought, magic and tech don't mix together.
The pre-sets are alright, but you can totally just play whatever you like. Just don't branch out TOO much. Thievery is kinda shit, especially when you can spend a few fate points to steal shit or do other feats that you would otherwise fail.
Magic is bonkers, totally broken. Tech is fine but you want to get some good guns or armor and it might take a while and some major dumpster diving to get the ball rolling.
thanks user, that's great! I actually started with a gunslinger character with some kind of bandit background and the ammo issues alone are giving me shit. I am only at the point wher eI am finding the owner of the ring, so I might try a new mage character then. And yes, action combat was tough when I was making it through the (((Jewellers))) crypt.
Don't try to make tech work on your first playthrough.
The easiest character to play is just a straight up Grug with as much str/dex as you can get
>clunkiest
Well desu, it's not my very first. The first was Fallout 1 and I found that so fucking irritating. The bizzare combat was boring and I kept fucking dying. But this is the first time I played one in earnest.
>Charisma builds are totally viable in this game, especially if you can't get a feel for the combat, I'd advise taking the harm magic spell and recruiting as many companions as possible
Hey Sseth, how you doing? ;) No, seriously user, that is great advice I will give it a try.
>Magic is bonkers, totally broken
How so? I was thinking of doing a Necromancer with mad magic damage, is this a tough way to play?
>Good guns
Yeah, my gunslinger is stuck with starter weapon at the minute and it is not a great one, I looted lots of staffs and stuff though.
It's broken in a good way, as in it's way better compared to tech. You can teleport instead of taking the train, you can unlock shit, and there's like almost a dozen schools of magic. And yeah, Sseth's advice is totally true. I know because it's way I completed the game on my first run, a couple years ago. The good thing about 20 charisma is that you can even get companions that would kill eachother otherwise to agree to a sort of truce while they're with you. Pretty cool stuff.
Necromancy is very interesting, but it's mostly fluff with not too much in the way of actual combat.
Guns kinda suck early on, you want to craft or find better ones before you fully invest into them, but the elephant gun was especially strong and allowed me to finally cap some asses.
>Sseth's advice is totally true
Yeah, I know, I was only teasing user, I like the guy too. I think he genuinely plays these games for fun rather than just rushes through them for a review for the shekels.
>20 charisma
That sounds intersting, I usually play for Lore, so combat isn't that big of a deal with me, I like story and cool characters and well written dialogue and such, hence the dive into CRPGs.
>Necromancy is very interesting, but it's mostly fluff with not too much in the way of actual combat.
See above. Only thing that has me interested in guns here is that I hear plenty of veteran CRPG fans say that playing the harder styles is best cos it throws you into the game and let syou experience the whole thing, but I dunno whether that is true or not.
bump
you can play for lore but it won't save you form having to go through some difficult and excessively long dungeons
Heavy on strength and invest some points in magic to get hasten and you're good to go.
sure, I get that, but the problem is that newfags like me often get turned off cos they don't realise how demanding these games are. If there is a more chill option I would go for it. Then again, CRPG veterans tell you you are missing out on the whole point of the game doing that.
thanks user, that's cool.
no bump for you
Just make a dumbass ogre character with high strength. that's all
>no bump for you
And yet, the bump took place. And you helped too. Good job user. Thanks for the input all the same though.
This game has a very high replayability imo so do whatever build you like. In turnbased combat make sure to max dex, it's the most important stat for any mage or tech character. For followers choose the ogre in in shrouded hills and the dog in ashbury. They are nothing special really, but they will eventually carry you through the game if your build turns out to be shit. Also: more charisma = more followers.
Some of the strong recipes are bugged and might not be present due to said bug. There's a fix for that.
Are you playing the Multiverse Edition?
you can't sage with an image, polturd newfag
>I remember making an orc with barely enough int to talk coherently. A conversation with a police officer escalated quickly with options like "police man ugly" and "police mans wife ugly too"
fuck, didn't mean to greenpost
how rude
cool, thanks user. Dunno where Ashbury is desu. I got to the capital, Tarrant and past the first town with the ogre (recruited him). I am playing with a gunslinger but high charisma (the loveable rogue type) and i got the ogre.
I dunno just the regular Steam edition, didn't even need mods for it desu, it works fine.
you misspelled "based"
kek
when you get to Ashbury, you'll meet a dude kicking the dog. Rescue him (the dog), otherwise he can die if you just stand there and watch.
After few levels doggo becomes strong as fuck, easily best fighter in the game