I'm dense at Planescape: Torment combat

[TheHeroOfTime]

Seriously, I can't get to manage it properly. One, two or even three random enemies? Ok, easy to deal. But if they are a bigger group than that my combat strategy consists in run at incredibly hihg speed across the entire map, trying to get the enemies alone and playing with their... agro?

I know that the combat system it's not one of the strenghts of this game. But what I'm doing is a completely senseless mess and I'm pretty sure that I'm doing it in the wrong way. I even tried different "builds" for the NO, but I can't get it working. So please teach me how to git gud at this. Morte's comments about me dying over and over again are being the cherry on top.

 

[Severian Silk]

Maybe you advanced too quickly into a new area? Try completing all the quests/combats in an area you've already been to first.

 

[Lilura]

OP hasn't given stat spread, class, level, party, anything.

You should have Morte and Dak'kon. Morte attracts aggro and tanks. Dak'kon and TNO flank.

Random shit:
Don't forget about tattoos.
Upgrade Morte's teeth.
Dak'kon can get really low ACs and high DpR.
Level-up
Train proficiencies/magic

 

[Lostpleb]

First we must define what a combat system really is. If I were to do a diplomat playthrough, could it be argued that I am battling with the dialogue system? With prose and wit, rather than steel and might?

And, if so, is the pen mightier than the sword?

 

[Nekot-The-Brave]

Seriously, I can't get to manage it properly. One, two or even three random enemies? Ok, easy to deal. But if they are a bigger group than that my combat strategy consists in run at incredibly hihg speed across the entire map, trying to get the enemies alone and playing with their... agro?

I know that the combat system it's not one of the strenghts of this game. But what I'm doing is a completely senseless mess and I'm pretty sure that I'm doing it in the wrong way. I even tried different "builds" for the NO, but I can't get it working. So please teach me how to git gud at this. Morte's comments about me dying over and over again are being the cherry on top.

Make sure you have something like max wisdom so you can get max XP for everything, and then upgrade your str so you can just pound everything into oblivion, you won't have any issues after that.

 

[cruelio]

You get gith guy and skull guy and demon girl to auto attack them while your pc walks in circles. AKA "advanced isometric rtwp crpg combat."

 

[Neanderthal]

Start wi 15 STR, 14 CON for 30 hp, an 13 DEX for various skill checks. Advance as a Fighter first (still learn art from Mebbeth) an at 4th, 5th an 6th levels add +1 STR so you're at (non exceptional) 18, then when you advance to 7th level you'll go up to 19 STR for specialisin as a scrapper. Also remember to train an spend your proficiency points wi weapon you choose, clubs are really good (Justifier) an widespread but you can't go wrong wi any choice really. Trainers outside flophouse an you have to do a quest for him, you'll be carvin up thugs in no time after that.

You might notice Morte seems better at scrappin in beginnin, its just his high luck score payin off, you'll soon surpass him.

Oh an you'll have shit AC at first so when pressed use items that gi you Armour or Shield spell effects, or have Da'akon cast his Gith version on you.

 

[RK47]

....even if u die...u dont really die.
u can come back n beat up the same mobs again.
so what is the problem here?

 

[laclongquan]

Check the option settings. You can set a few options for combat to help with that, I think.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Now I heard everything.

I will proceed to kill myself painfully.

 

[PlanHex]

As I recall, Morte has insane natural damage reduction, so use him to tank everything.
Should also go get an extra set of hands at the Smoldering Corpse Bar as soon as possible.

Like others have said, you may have just run along too fast. You should explore everything you can before moving on the main quest. If you're having trouble with side-quest encounters in the beginning, just avoid them and go do non-combat stuff that gets you some XP, items and levels.

 

[Sykar]

You get gith guy and skull guy and demon girl to auto attack them while your pc walks in cirlces. AKA "advanced isometric rtwp crpg combat."

Yeah let us forget that Morde has taunts or Annah stealth and backstab or Dak'kon has spells. It is SO much faster to run around like a headless chicken, of course.

 

[Robespierre]

Yeah let us forget that Morde has taunts or Annah stealth and backstab or Dak'kon has spells. It is SO much faster to run around like a headless chicken, of course.

I don't think that one excludes the other.

I understand some of you like to max STR, or CON, I don't think that's useful. OP should instead max WIS (reasons are obvious), INT and CHA. And rely on tattoo. TBH I start with 9STR, 9 CON, 9 DEX, 16 WIS, 16 INT , 16 CHA (so balanced !). You could also lower CHA to 14 and raise WIS to 18. All in all, PS:T isn't a difficult game.

With this in mind, just do the numerous (and interesting) dialoguy side-quests. Use your companions as meat shield, stay behind. Combats are shit anyway.

 

[Haplo]

You don't really need Cha. Stacking Friends before some critical dialogue options is enough. If you really care about it. Wis & Int are much more important and provide greater benefits.

 

[Gunnar]

If you play a thief you can just sneak past everything.

 

[Robespierre]

You don't really need Cha. Stacking Friends before some critical dialogue options is enough. If you really care about it. Wis & Int are much more important and provide greater benefits.

TBH, I didn't know you could stack Friends... But still I guess this is OP's first playthrough, so I don't see how he could possibly know when will take place a "critical dialogue option". It would be a shame to rely on wiki/walkthroughs IMO.

 

[Bigg Boss]

I'm doing my first full run now. I never beat it. Fucked around a little. I tried playing it before, saw how good it was (minus the combat), and immediately logged it away for a time when I knew I would be bored. Now is that time. I'm wanting to go high on Wisdom for sure to get the most out of dialog. I like diplomatic characters so I am trying to avoid combat a little. This is the advantage of not having a reliable computer in the 90's for so long.

 

[Sigourn]

Combat in PS:T is shit and it will always feel like a mess. The Enhanced Edition's combat log will be useful to notice that things aren't actually that messy, so kudos to Beamdog.

 

[Neanderthal]

Slurp, slurp, gag.

 

[Haplo]

You don't really need Cha. Stacking Friends before some critical dialogue options is enough. If you really care about it. Wis & Int are much more important and provide greater benefits.

TBH, I didn't know you could stack Friends... But still I guess this is OP's first playthrough, so I don't see how he could possibly know when will take place a "critical dialogue option". It would be a shame to rely on wiki/walkthroughs IMO.

It's not like you're missing a ton of content by skipping Cha.
I don't think there are many exclusive Cha dialog branches in the first place.

 

[Robespierre]

You don't really need Cha. Stacking Friends before some critical dialogue options is enough. If you really care about it. Wis & Int are much more important and provide greater benefits.

TBH, I didn't know you could stack Friends... But still I guess this is OP's first playthrough, so I don't see how he could possibly know when will take place a "critical dialogue option". It would be a shame to rely on wiki/walkthroughs IMO.

It's not like you're missing a ton of content by skipping Cha.
I don't think there are many exclusive Cha dialog branches in the first place.

Honestly, and I'd like to give you a more insightful answer, I always played PS:T with a super talky TNO. I dunno how much impact has Cha upon dialogues options. But I'm sure having a high charisma TNO give Nordom some significant stat boosts.

Also, according to some guy on reddit :

Spoiler

This is really as close as it's possible to get to identifying all mutually exclusive checks short of a full-fledged IE DLG parser/mapper with analytic features. These figures represent the number of dialogue states which offer a given stat check or combination of alternative stat checks. That is to say, if a state has both an INT and a WIS based resolution, it is included here in the 'INT or WIS' tally. Hence:

Number of dialogue states which offer resolutions based on given stats:

INT only: 266
WIS only: 97
CHA only: 302
INT or WIS: 75
INT or CHA: 28
CHA or WIS: 4
INT or CHA or WIS: 12

Keep in mind that these values are fundamentally different in their meaning from the first ones I listed earlier. The first values I listed here simply totaled every single check anywhere (for stat y > value x ), including mutually exclusive instances within a given state. This list instead provides the number of dialogue states which offer a resolution via a given stat check or combination of them. Also keep in mind that not all checks are created equal. A given WIS check might be drastically superior in effect to an alternative CHA check, either materially or based on your style of play.

This latter exercise was quite a bit more complicated, but I think it is probably more interesting.

Anyway, I agree the more meaningful stat' of PS:T is Wisdom : it gives more XP, more clues about the world, NPCs and so on. If there is a stat to max, Wisdom is the one. But still you shouldn't underestimate Charisma.

 

[Comte]

Ok you suck at PST combat but the question everybody really wants to know is do you know how to install the tweak and fixpack mods?

 

[Neanderthal]

Aye dump CHA you can use Friends spell a couple o times to reach massive score an instances where you need to do that are fuckin obvious, Ravel, Pharod, Stale Mary yadda, yadda. Also don't go mad wi INT an WIS, 13 or 14'll do, then build on em an gain numerous free bonuses, you'll still see all content but pacin'll be better. Plus you don't have to be a pussy an act like A FUCKING ELF slinging spells like a coward.

 

[Gunnar]

You can make a good mage with these stats:

9 STR, 9 CON, 9 DEX, 17 WIS, 16 INT, 15 CHA

This gives you all the stats you need to pass checks right off the bat, and you can pump all levelup points into CON. Use the +2 tattoos to raise WIS, INT and CHA further.

- grab the +1 to WIS from the corpse bar for the extra XP
- Become mage as soon as you leave the mortuary so all XP points go to mage class
- get mazed by the Lady of Pain for some early loot

Notable early spells include magic missle and horror. There is also a nice dagger in the mausoleum quest.

 

[YES!]

You click on one bad guy and watch your party attack automatically until they are all dead - with only the need to supervise and ensure everyone is attacking and not just standing around like the AI prefers. How is this an issue?