Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) General Just started Beyond Divinity

Hello. I just started playing Beyond Divinity a day or two ago, so far I do like the game even though it has a slightly different feel to it compared to Divine Divinity. If they were exactly the same it would probably be a bore though, no? Anyways, I have been scanning through the BD forum now that I have a little play time in and have a question or two to start off with. There might be more, I hope you don't mind. (and yes, I have looked through previous posts to try to get the answers I've looked for - I've found some but not all)

Lockpicking. Oh yes. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Most of the posts I've read were from when it was broken. Seeing it isn't now due to the latest patching I am simply wondering, is it worth using skill points for this ability? I've only seen a few barrels that were locked
thus far. Are there enough barrels and doors that makes lockpicking worthwhile in BD? I honestly went most of the game in DD without using the skill, set the containers aside and when I had extra points towards the end I opened them. Wasn't all that worthwhile, maybe for a few of the doors here and there though. Also, I am new to this skill points system. How many points can be put into lockpicking? In DD there were 5 max, in this game is it 10, or I've seen as many as 20 for the wisdom skill that is.

In DD the 2-hand sword was definitely the way to go, or at least I thought so. What about this game? Is it more diverse, or somewhat similar? I have my hero as the warrior, and the DK as the Wizard. From reading the boards it seemed as though that was the way to go and I definitely wanted that setup with a little survivor mixed in here and there. Would it be worthwhile to put some archery points into my Wizard seeing the hero will be the tank for the most part anyways? Or just keep the DK with a melee weapon as well?

Summoning dolls. I haven't gotten one yet, and was just wondering how helpful they are in the game overall? Is it worth using points to buff them up, or are they a mere distraction? With my warrior/wizard selection, would it be wise to make the doll an archer or melee?

Alchemy. I would like to thank Raze for one of his posts I read back in my early days of DD. By nature, I am not really into the "tradeskills" genre. That's the term I picked up in EverQuest that was used for making potions, smithing, crafting and etc. However, he pointed out how mixing red and blue potions in DD made restoration potions that were much more efficient. I actually spent time (which wasn't much) using this skill in DD because it just seemed as though I was buying a lot of potions. With all those mushrooms around, I actually spent less time with the alchemy skill compared to going to this guy and that guy. Anyways, is it worth using this skill in BD? I understand you don't need bottles anymore, and you just mix the herbs after putting points into the skill. Are there enough herbs around that this is convenient? I am playing on hardcore or whatnot and have noticed that potions are precious at least thus far in the game. I just used the key to the battlefield and saw some mushrooms, are they just for looks in this game? I hope my post isn't too cluttered. I woke up early before work to get some game time in. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer, and sorry about the long post. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for your time,

- bursurkr

Lockpick can be learned up to level 11 in the main game, and to level 20 in the after game battlefields. Doors usually have a key or lever to open. IIRC, there were only a handful of chests and one small room (with a chest to loot) unavailable when Lockpick was not working, so I think not using the skill would just cut down on the random loot. I have not played that much since the latest patch was released, though, so don't have much experience with Lockpick.

In DD Lockpick was useful on more doors, and was required for a couple quests. Had you opened the locked chests as you went, some of that loot might have been more helpful. At least at the start of the game I upgraded my equipment a couple times from locked chests. Towards the end of the game you already have pretty much the best equipment you will get, and have no need of more loot to trade with.

As long as your mage is not taking too much damage you can stick to melee, though having a secondary character set to aggressive with a bow can be handy. They can start shooting at opponents that are still a little off screen, giving you a bit of advanced warning that an enemy is close by, and in what direction. A distance attack (magic or archery) is also good to have fighting enemy archers or mages. Mages especially can use hit and run tactics, so warriors can take a lot of damage running after a mage trying to get a hit in. The tibars in act 2 jump around a lot, so if you attack one (turning them all hostile) a bow really helps in dealing with them.
The skeletons in the first part of act 1 take more damage from blunt weapons. I started off with two melee warriors, with one using a bow for some of the tougher fights. Towards the end of act 1, I switched one character to a full time archer.

Summoning dolls are at least great mules, and they can safely trigger area effect traps (or at least safely for you). The weight penalty was changed in the latest patch, so you can carry as much as you want, but can not move when over encumbered. Since the summoning dolls can be summoned and unsummoned wherever you wish, there is not much need for them to move (they have a limited range anyway, without being upgraded).

The act 1 skeleton doll can equip a crossbow, which can be helpful for tough fights, though it is not very strong even after being upgraded, so will not last long if your opponents start targeting it (though it that case it is at least a temporary distraction).
There is one summoning doll in each of the 4 acts of the main game. The act 1 doll is a quest reward on the second level of the game (with the 2 imps in the kitchen, after you jump down the pit).
When you check the summoning doll's inventory, there will be 2 levels you can upgrade it. This is a communal pool, so you can either boost the first doll's level, or leave those levels until you get stronger dolls, and upgrade them.

Since the point of the game is to separate yourself from the DK, it would probably be better to have the DK learn any summoning doll upgrade skills (they can not be unlearned). Near the end of the game I had my DK unlearn all his skills and put everything into the summoning doll upgrades, so I could play around in the after game BF with the hero and skeleton doll. Before then I had only used summoning dolls to fight a couple times, and had not upgraded any of them.

I pretty much only used alchemy in BD near the end of the game, when I finally found holy water for sale by the BF merchants, and could use those (and the one received earlier from a quest) to make some permanent potions (for my hero, since the DK was soon to be separated). Before that I was stashing alchemy plants on a summoning doll, so had lots.

Mushrooms are just for looks / atmosphere in BD.

Thanks much.

- bursurkr