DOS 2 does look quite a bit better, but it doesn't take long to adjust. I just hit level 16, also playing dual Lone Wolf. The extra skill points means you can really load each character down with abilities/spells/skills. I put an emphasis on defense and have leadership base 5 on each. Winning those saving throws is key I think, and should not be neglected with just two mains.

The male character is a two-handed damage dealer, but dabbles in all sorts of things. Witchcraft especially, for the undead summons, Rapture and Oath of Desecration and more. He also has a few points in Geo, for the spider summons (awesome in the early going), and some CC like oil. But mostly he makes use of the warfare skills and has enough points invested for things like Regeneration and level 1 Marksman skills (remove poison and that sort of thing), and Scoundrel for a few more.

The female character is a mage, with high Hydrosophist and Aerotheurge for the damage, healing, buffs and CC. But she has points in all schools so has Geo and Pyro skills as well, plus Witchcraft for Rapture, Oath of Desecration and a number of debuffs. Witchcraft is really good in DOS 1 EE, most of the skills are great.

There are a number of skills on both characters, the stuff I find most useful. Teleportation, Rapture, Regeneration, Walk in Shadows and more. And summons are key with dual Lone Wolf. Each character has at least three they can call on. It's been a lot of fun, having characters that are so incredibly versatile. Lone Wolf was nerfed hard for EE, but even so it's been no trouble. It must have been way OP before the nerf.

I recommend getting Speed to at least 9 on each character. The way it works is you only see action points increase on every odd level. At Speed 9 you get 10 AP per turn, which is enough I find. Speed 11 would be better of course, but that's a lot of investment to raise it two more levels. So I settled on 9, and any more would have to come from gear.

Interesting to read your summary. I see similarities in our builds -- though I'm a "beginner". Sulinda (wife) is a magic specialist. Charlotte (granddaughter) is a "ranged hardware" specialist (mainly crossbow). They're women; so, I don't expect them to use their axe to "face down" monsters -- just keep away and peck away until they're all dead.

Thanks for the "speed" tip -- it rings true now that I've played a while -- it fits the "heroine" approach. I went with stock speeds (and most other stock characteristics) for the stock builds I started with. Sulinda is speed 7 while Charlotte is only 5 (and that crossbow slows her down). That's unbalanced and too low. I'll have to "work" the speed aspect as you suggest.

Anytime.

I've built a lot of characters in this game so have lots of build tips and thoughts on which skills/abilities are best and worst.

With Lone Wolf though you really can get just about everything. For what it's worth I've put minimal points in weapons skills and personality levels (aside from leadership) and put them all in skills and defenses (body building and willpower). I did need to put two points in to Armor Specialist to equip the armor I wanted the two-hander to wear and a couple points in to Loremaster, Crafting and Blacksmithing which is needed. Crafting 5 is especially useful to improve armor and weapons. But you can keep belts, rings and other gear on hand to boost the last few points (Crafting, lockpicking,bartering, loremaster, etc). It's cumbersome to swap gear all the time, but worth it since those points can be put in to the more important things instead.

Keep me updated on your progress if you don't mind. I find it interesting.

DOS1 major issue with my install -- save games may have been "broken" for a long while -- and passing the flaw along.

Since I'm trying to "do this on my own", I won't explain it, yet. After trying to figure it out for a couple/few hours, I did break my rule and go online to read about what should happen in my particular case -- its not happening correctly.

Right this minute, it looks like I have to go back to a very early save-game. Or, this may mean a full game restart. Hyper frustrating. When I calm down, I'll try to solve it -- or mod it to solve it. May be my fault somehow.

What's the issue?

A 'broken' save can mean many things I reckon, but in the many hundreds of hours I have played the two games I've never had a save-related issue. Matter of fact I can recall no technical issues at all. Sounds like some bad luck, although I don't know what the issue is.

Quick update: Anything less than a clean restart of the game is a risk. A restart wastes the effort expended so far. I'll take a risk to try to save the current situation.

I'm going to continue through Level 6 (just became Level 5). I'll see if the problem continues until then.

If no problem, great. If problem, I'll try to figure out a mod to cure it or, if incurable, make it a non-factor -- that path may or may not work out. But, I do like to mod games

DOS1 seems to be working -- without me doing anything to cause it to work (no mod).

I'm half way through Level 6. Probably, the "issue" was a "non issue". Apparently, I was just confused by how the game allocated hero-characteristics-points during level ups. I thought it was short changing me on leveling points -- apparently it wasn't.

Actually, it was a bit more complected than that to my mind. Not only was it giving points only every other Level (correct behavior), in one case I leveled up and I got points to be used towards Strength, etc. I saved the game without using them. Reloaded -- and the points were gone (??). As a temporary test, I forced the game all the way to Level 6 (with a mod), got points. Saved game without using points. Reloaded and the points were gone.

I wondered if the game was ever going to give me my leveling points. I went back to a pre-mod save and played normally to Level 6 (no forcing mod). It gave points at Level 6. I saved without using them. Reloaded, and they were there.

Still on the first map. But, I've been everywhere above ground. Based on the major underground map, there are probably a couple major underground areas left. Above ground, I avoided a couple fights with a large group of Level 7 characters when I was Levels 4,5. Have to go back to those areas. I want to finish the First Map at Level 7.

I imagine you've worked it out by now but the way it should work (if mods have not altered it, nor caused issues) is:

+1 Attribute Point every other (even) level for a total of 15

Ability Points with Lone Wolf work like this on every level up

Level 2-5 = +2 Ability Points
Level 6-10 = +3 Ability Points
Level 11-23 = + 4 Ability Points

+1 Talent every four levels starting at level 3 (3, 7, 11, 15, 19)

There are a couple of books that can add attribute and ability points, and the Bigger and Better and All Skilled Up talents do too.

There is respec, but it comes fairly late and the character loses all known spells and skills (you need to find/buy the skill books again), so it's not free like in DOS 2.

Yup, that's it. I was initially unaware of "every other level" for Attribute points. Combine that with losing Attribute points on save and reload one time and also when I forced a level (for testing purposes), and I was concerned I might need to start over. In the end, all was well.

Thanks for the respec info. I was hoping for a respec - eventually. Because I gave Charlotte the "Courageous"Talent before the game even started. Actually, I wanted to pull back all the preassigned points during the Character Build at the very beginning of DOS1. Then, play a while to see what build made sense; and, then use the points. The game did not allow starting prior to using all the points -- might have been another error on my part. Now, we're stuck with "Courageous". In one case, we were chased half way across the map back into town by 6 Level 5 enemy. There the "town door" guards helped us win the fight. In most RPG I've played, the enemy gives up the chase after one has "run away" a certain distance -- in DOS1, apparently one needs an escape talent that is cancelled by "Courageous".

I don't anticipate any more issues (famous last words).

Talents I think are the hardest choices. You only get a few, and there are many. Some of them are crap, and some are amazing. Some only synergize well with certain builds. Some lock out others. Many have minimum requirements. So good choices need to be made.

My characters are now level 17 (dual Lone Wolf)

Here's what I went with thus far

-- Two-handed damage dealer battlemage

Lone Wolf and Pet Pal at the start. Lone Wolf because that was the idea for this run, and Pet Pal for the additional quests and info/clues/humor. Pet Pal is far less useful in DOS 1, and I think perhaps if I were to do it again I might skip it. With four party members I would take it. But with just two I might have skipped it due to the opportunity cost. It's a vital talent in DOS 2, not so much in DOS 1.

Bigger and Better and All Skilled Up. These seem to pick themselves. +1 Attribute and +2 skill points are very useful

Scientist since he is my crafter/blacksmith. +1 level to each with this talent.

Opportunist. One of my favorites, this is a great talent that gives you free attacks. The enemy moves around a lot more in DOS 1 and this is a great talent for a melee character to have.

Not sure yet what I will take for the level 19 talent, but leaning toward Walk it Off which reduces statuses that that have a body-building saving throw by one turn.

-- Mage

Lone Wolf and Far Out Man at the start. The additional range for spells is fantastic through the whole run.

Bigger and Better and All Skilled Up.

Know It All for the additional point to Intelligence. The other character is the one who does all the talking and selling/buying so the hit to NPC attitude doesn't matter.

Elemental Affinity. Moderately useful, but highly situational. Spells cost one less AP when standing on a surface of the same element. Since she has all schools, it works a little better than on a non-Lone Wolf mage perhaps.

No idea what I will take for the level 19 talent.

About Courageous...... It makes the character immune to fear, which is good. But you can get resistance through raising willpower, and also through leadership, which, when raised to 5, grants Fear Immunity as well. Leadership is much better in DOS 1 than the second game in my view.

My characters are level 5 now in DOS 1 and I must say the combat is delightful--far more so than Pillars of Eternity was. No more blobs of death, you can patiently and tactically plan out every single fray.

Yes sir. And as the you gain levels and spells/skills, and battle increasingly capable enemies it gets even better. On Tactician it is better still. Well, in my opinionation.

Turn based combat is so much better for me. Most devs making these games nowadays accommodate this, and even if the vision they have for their game is real time, they are increasingly making sure turn based is also an option. I hope this becomes the standard. I'll buy more of their games if they do, with Deadfire a case in point. I ignored it until they added turn-based and then bought it straight away.

Wasteland 3 releases next week for what it's worth. I was never convinced by Wasteland 2, and did not buy it. But 3 looks good. We should know shortly.

DOS1: Finally could leave the first map -- with mandatory quests solved. I left once and the game hinted strongly I should go back and solve a particular quest. I then went back to the first map and did the mandatory quest.

Wheels within wheels. 180 degree plot turns, then turn again (no spoilers). My final level significantly higher than I expected it to be at the end of the first map (no spoilers) -- and still one optional quest left to solve (that I know of). For completeness, I'll try to solve it.

Only needed to refer to internet once for plot (that's a failure on my part). I kept thinking I was doing something wrong (no spoilers). I wasn't. But in covering the whole map more than once over many many hours, I had kept overlooking a little passage in an uninteresting tiny piece of the map -- kept walking past it. I minimally checked on line and saw a "hint" to look in a certain large area. Once I started through that 1/8th of the map -- I saw it.

Because of all the plot twists in addition to checking all the boxes other RPG check, I am feeling DOS series really is the best I've played (even though I have 1000hrs each in a couple others -- replays and modding ).

I too like turn based combat. In real life, I'd practice my combat skills for hours a day for years before entering battle able to fight in real time. Turn based allows me to "figure it out on the fly".

Same for me. And with how good these games are it is easy to be very optimistic about BG3, isn't it? DOS 1 was a kickstarter game. The original version was great, but then I had a surprise one day in my Steam Library which was the enhanced edition, which was free. DOS 2 was a don't-even-think-about-it purchase. Larian are like Arkane for me, devs who make amazing games right up my alley, and who I want to support. Long may it last!

Wasteland 3 released to positive reaction. It seems to me to be a cross between games like Fallout 2 and XCom. The combat is said to be very XCom-like and I like those games a lot. So I will buy this, just need to get through a couple more games first I think.

W3 seems to have some limitations, or lack of certain QoL stuff that makes it somewhat cumbersome to play, but I have a long list of favorite games that could share that description, so won't put me off.

I'm not sure I'm "getting" the art and style of Wasteland 3. Fallout/XCom comparison seems very apt.

It does look very modern, and I love the fact it's been fully voiced. Might be a title for a sale...

Hmm, so Shadowrun full everything is free on Epic this week. Good?

Just keeping you in-the-loop FWIW: DOS1 at the point of "Rescued White Witch" today. So far, I've not resorted to on-line to solve a problem (minor early exception noted above). But, I've spent a lot of time "grinding" looking for some solutions.

I still like the twisting story and the occasional puzzling situation

Right there with ya. I have it on the wishlist for notification, but of course that's a long way off with it just released. That'll give it time to smooth out the rough spots perhaps. When I read reviews like Rock, Paper, Shotgun's, which is not exactly glowing, I think I can file W3 under the 'wait for the sale' heading.

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2020/08/27/wasteland-3-review/

To be fair, other reviews seem to rate it higher.

Allen, if I recall, the Forged in Fire thing was one I had to look up. I didn't know what to do with that staff until I read about it. Of course that was six years ago so I may be misremembering. Looks like you're making good progress. In case you were not aware, you can combine nails with any boots and make them non-slip.

There's another semi-related thing that I never would have known had I not read it on the 'net. I'll put it in spoilers because you probably won't want to know of it

I have Dragonfall and for whatever reason it didn't click for me. I did not however give it a proper go. Just a couple hours before shelving it, but the series has a good rep. I should give it another go.

Another game that I bought around the same time is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun. I played for an hour and then shelved for a few years, but I started playing it again a couple weeks ago. Played through the first few levels and while it's good, I didn't find it as good as some folks do.