Posted May 20, 2013
Is there a good way to make the fights in Div II more challenging or dynamic? I am playing as a Ranger, and thus far combat has been very disappointing point-and-shoot. Any advice?
cmdr_flashheart
smthing smthing
Registered: Jan 2013
From United States
Raze_Larian
Dragon Knight
Registered: Mar 2012
From Canada
Posted May 20, 2013
Playing a ranger in DKS on nightmare difficulty, I stopped distributing any stat points after level 15.
The first part of the game is relatively straightforward with only a couple skills (I used Poison Arrows and Stun Arrows in addition to normal arrows) and few ranged opponents. The types of opponents and the terrain do make ranged combat a little more varied later in the game. I still primarily used two special skills, though: Explosive Arrows (which is inherently fun to use for awhile after you get it) and Splitting Arrows (great at close range - either melee opponents that get close to you, or you get close to a boss type opponent - and good for groups at medium range). Late in the game (level 40) I started using Way of the Ranger, which boosts the damage of normal and splitting arrows; you could try that if you think a faster combat pace would help, or avoid it if you want more of a challenge.
Are you still inclined to remain an archer? You could try unarmed combat, or something (you can redistribute your skill points after you take over the battle tower, at a character level in the late teens to early twenties).
The first part of the game is relatively straightforward with only a couple skills (I used Poison Arrows and Stun Arrows in addition to normal arrows) and few ranged opponents. The types of opponents and the terrain do make ranged combat a little more varied later in the game. I still primarily used two special skills, though: Explosive Arrows (which is inherently fun to use for awhile after you get it) and Splitting Arrows (great at close range - either melee opponents that get close to you, or you get close to a boss type opponent - and good for groups at medium range). Late in the game (level 40) I started using Way of the Ranger, which boosts the damage of normal and splitting arrows; you could try that if you think a faster combat pace would help, or avoid it if you want more of a challenge.
Are you still inclined to remain an archer? You could try unarmed combat, or something (you can redistribute your skill points after you take over the battle tower, at a character level in the late teens to early twenties).
Post edited May 20, 2013 by Raze_Larian
cmdr_flashheart
smthing smthing
Registered: Jan 2013
From United States
Posted May 21, 2013
The first part of the game is relatively straightforward with only a couple skills (I used Poison Arrows and Stun Arrows in addition to normal arrows) and few ranged opponents. The types of opponents and the terrain do make ranged combat a little more varied later in the game. I still primarily used two special skills, though: Explosive Arrows (which is inherently fun to use for awhile after you get it) and Splitting Arrows (great at close range - either melee opponents that get close to you, or you get close to a boss type opponent - and good for groups at medium range). Late in the game (level 40) I started using Way of the Ranger, which boosts the damage of normal and splitting arrows; you could try that if you think a faster combat pace would help, or avoid it if you want more of a challenge.
Are you still inclined to remain an archer? You could try unarmed combat, or something (you can redistribute your skill points after you take over the battle tower, at a character level in the late teens to early twenties).
Thanks again.
Raze_Larian
Dragon Knight
Registered: Mar 2012
From Canada
Posted May 21, 2013
There are a variety of approaches you can take with combat. Even with melee combat being a bit more involved than ranged, there is no active blocking or timed key presses for special moves, etc, if that is what you mean by interesting.
One person in the Larian forum posted about their nightmare playthrough as a necromancer (primarily using Charm, a summon and the creature for combat), which has less direct involvement in combat than a ranger. To keep things challenging, they did not use a breastplate or helmet and stopped the distribution of stat points about level 11, or so.
While difficulty level is only part of combat design, there were also a few people who found the casual difficult mode not easy enough (I don't want to make it sound like everyone was playing on nightmare with self imposed build limitations or handicaps, especially not on their first playthrough).
One person in the Larian forum posted about their nightmare playthrough as a necromancer (primarily using Charm, a summon and the creature for combat), which has less direct involvement in combat than a ranger. To keep things challenging, they did not use a breastplate or helmet and stopped the distribution of stat points about level 11, or so.
While difficulty level is only part of combat design, there were also a few people who found the casual difficult mode not easy enough (I don't want to make it sound like everyone was playing on nightmare with self imposed build limitations or handicaps, especially not on their first playthrough).