Trying Original Sin again, need suggestions

[LetalisK]

So after playing Dead State, I'm realizing I can actually get into the whole turn based CRPG form of combat. So, I'm going to give Original Sin another try. Last time I quit it after about an hour. Here are my questions:

1) I'm a CRPG stat system novice. What build archetypes would go easy on me as far as figuring out what I'm supposed to be doing?

2) Do the companions add much to the story/experience with there own characterization? Or are they more like Diablo 2 henchmen? I know there is a point where you can recruit randomized(I think) henchmen. Are those guys pointless story/experience wise?

3) Are there mods for it I should look into? On a side note to this, and I know this is cheating, but if I get frustrated, or just for fun, is there a mod(s) that would allow me to lone wolf both my starting characters, still recruit companions, and then respec them to lone wolves?

4) I'm a completionist. I will explore every nook and cranny and complete every sidequest in a game. Except for meaningless collectibles like Assassin Creed feathers. How many hundreds of hours can I expect to sink into the game?

 

[EternallyBored]

Wait until the enhanced edition is out. That's what I'm doing.

I dont really want to, and I'm a little pissed about it, but that's what I'm doing.

Pretty much this, the enhanced edition is going to be free to anyone that already owns the game, and its kind of a waste to play/replay the game when it's so close to release.

Enhanced edition is going to add everything from new missions, items and characters, to enhanced graphics options, improved co-op and full voice-acting accross the board in many places. They are even saying they are rewriting the story to some extent and changing the, admittedly lackluster, ending to the original game.

So yeah, don't bother with the game until the enhanced edition releases, it's supposed to be released in the next couple months, same with Wasteland 2 if you have that one, the director's edition is releasing by the end of summer and will be reworking a lot of stuff there too.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Wait until the enhanced edition is out.

This man speaks truth. Enhanced edition looks pretty amazeballs. Wait for that.

 

[LetalisK]

Hm, I'll wait then. In the mean time, I did notice the older Divinity 2 game. That game might actually be more in line with the type of game I played. Is it worth a pick up? If nothing else, I did enjoy the mechanic of switching back and forth from being a Dragon in Dragon Commander.

 

[MoltenSilver]

Hm, I'll wait then. In the mean time, I did notice the older Divinity 2 game. That game might actually be more in line with the type of game I played. Is it worth a pick up? If nothing else, I did enjoy the mechanic of switching back and forth from being a Dragon in Dragon Commander.

To contrast Valium above (Not saying their opinion is wrong, I can totally understand how frustration at a broken game can colour future experience, I have the same feelings towards Fallout 3) as someone who's played the final, most polished form (Divinity II developer's cut) I found it to be a most excellent game. Since you mentioned it with Commander I assume the Dragon Transformation part is important to you, you'll be glad to hear that aspect is a core part of gameplay and can be done whenever you want once you acquire it, with a significant part of the game revolving around it. I admit I'm a bit fuzzy on details since it was a while ago, I just remember really liking it. The only really bad thing I remember is that the ending of Ego Draconis (the first part) was a bullshit cliffhanger, but as I was playing with the expansion pack already out and attached that did not particularly affect me.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Damn I didn't even hear about the enhanced edition, better to wait then.
But when you get there fighters are you best pick for an easy ride, they can take the best armor, biggest weapons and dish out plenty of straight line damage. Companions are there for flavour and fighting strength but do little else sadly. And to complete everything about 100 hours should do the trick.

And yes Divinity II Developer's Cut is an excellent pick while you wait, their launch was really poor but that Developer's Cut is almost twice the original game with all the fixes they needed. Obviously that is their only third person RPG that plays most like TES, sadly also uses the TES engine so the movement is about as smooth as a donkeys anus full of glass shards.
Other then that the story is quite good, especially if you piece it all together and overall writing is witty as always with Larian.

 

[EternallyBored]

Damn I didn't even hear about the enhanced edition, better to wait then.
But when you get there fighters are you best pick for an easy ride, they can take the best armor, biggest weapons and dish out plenty of straight line damage. Companions are there for flavour and fighting strength but do little else sadly. And to complete everything about 100 hours should do the trick.

And yes Divinity II Developer's Cut is an excellent pick while you wait, their launch was really poor but that Developer's Cut is almost twice the original game with all the fixes they needed. Obviously that is their only third person RPG that plays most like TES, sadly also uses the TES engine so the movement is about as smooth as a donkeys anus full of glass shards.
Other then that the story is quite good, especially if you piece it all together and overall writing is witty as always with Larian.

Just to warn you, the enhanced edition is supposed to change a lot of that, they are making changes to the combat mechanics and class system, supposedly to add more diversity and choice. The companions are also getting changed, i.e. adding new ones, and rewriting old ones to give them quests and character arcs.

They are also changing the ending and rewriting parts of the story as well, how extensive these promised changes are remains to be seen, but I know they've specifically mentioned improving companions and class abilities for fighter and physical classes to vary up their options a bit.

 

[EternallyBored]

Damn I didn't even hear about the enhanced edition, better to wait then.
But when you get there fighters are you best pick for an easy ride, they can take the best armor, biggest weapons and dish out plenty of straight line damage. Companions are there for flavour and fighting strength but do little else sadly. And to complete everything about 100 hours should do the trick.

And yes Divinity II Developer's Cut is an excellent pick while you wait, their launch was really poor but that Developer's Cut is almost twice the original game with all the fixes they needed. Obviously that is their only third person RPG that plays most like TES, sadly also uses the TES engine so the movement is about as smooth as a donkeys anus full of glass shards.
Other then that the story is quite good, especially if you piece it all together and overall writing is witty as always with Larian.

Just to warn you, the enhanced edition is supposed to change a lot of that, they are making changes to the combat mechanics and class system, supposedly to add more diversity and choice. The companions are also getting changed, i.e. adding new ones, and rewriting old ones to give them quests and character arcs.

They are also changing the ending and rewriting parts of the story as well, how extensive these promised changes are remains to be seen, but I know they've specifically mentioned improving companions and class abilities for fighter and physical classes to vary up their options a bit.

You know, I really hope I dont have to restart my game when the enhanced edition comes out. That would really fucking suck.

Bit of bad news there, you will not be able to transfer saves from base to enhanced edition, from what the studio has said, they simply changed too much stuff to make it possible, which makes sense since they've stated that they pretty much overhauled the entire ending to the game and added entirely new areas.

If you already own the game on GOG or Steam, they say it will just appear in your library at release, from the way they've explained it, it sounds like it will be an entirely separate entry in your library, so it's not so much a patch to upgrade to enhanced edition as it is an entirely new re-release that you can install and launch separately from the original version.

So you won't lose your old save if you still want to play the vanilla version, but you'll have to start a new game to go through the enhanced edition.

EDIT: this reason is why I am encouraging anyone who is interested in the game to wait for the enhanced edition, you get it for free if you buy the vanilla version, but you'll have to start a new game if you want to play the new version when it comes out.

 

[gigastar]

As other people have said, the enhanced edition is coming soon, but to answer your questions;

1) I dont know if theyve been rebalanced but the elemental shield spells carried me through the endgame at a time when the best armor i could get couldnt.

2) Companions do add to the story, some of them (by which i mean the original 2, i didnt get around to the ones they added later) even have thier own quests at certain points in the game.

3) I reccomend you check the Steam Workshop for mods. Im not into modding myself.

4) My first playthrough took about 60 hours.