General Beginner Tips

[Anurias]

4. You don't need an alchemist. If you have a caster in the back row, a wizard perhaps, you can dual class them. This character should get all the skill books in the game. This character can have max alchemy, max concentration and have the ability to cast the most powerful offensive spell in the game at level 14. Level 13 for humans with the skilled trait.

I disagree with part of this one. While you don't 'need' an alchemist, their class bonus of growing extra alchemy ingredients as you walk around makes a significant difference. While anyone can learn to turn the ingredients into potions, only the alchemist class is able to create more ingredients not limiting you to the supply scattered throughout the game. I also don't see the point in maxing out concentration. I'll say why not in a spoiler.

SpoilerShow

No spell or item in the game requires more than 3 points of concentration to learn or use. I find the skill points better spent elsewhere after the third point.

6. Don't waste your gold keys on early gold locks. The items you get are certainly useful early in the game, but the items you can get later are more useful later on. Save those keys for later. The items from the early gold locks really should have been made available in a different way.

There is one gold key in every area that you find a gold lock. Only 2 of these areas have more than 1 lock in the area designed to make you choose your prize. Don't worry too much about whether using a key is a waste or not, in the end everything that you get from using them is a bonus thing that makes your adventure a little easier, but nothing really comes off as a 'Must Have' type of thing, just 'Nice to have'.

[Thorham]

I disagree with part of this one. While you don't 'need' an alchemist, their class bonus of growing extra alchemy ingredients as you walk around makes a significant difference.

It only makes a difference if you want to use lots of potions, or want to min-max.

I also don't see the point in maxing out concentration.

For more energy. If you're not min-maxing, then this really doesn't matter. For a wizard I'd spend five points in concentration, five in fire and three in air. This gives you lots of energy, and the most powerful offensive spell in the game. What more do you need?

There is one gold key in every area that you find a gold lock. Only 2 of these areas have more than 1 lock in the area designed to make you choose your prize. Don't worry too much about whether using a key is a waste or not, in the end everything that you get from using them is a bonus thing that makes your adventure a little easier, but nothing really comes off as a 'Must Have' type of thing, just 'Nice to have'.

The reason for my advice is that a beginner won't find as many gold keys as someone who knows the game well. This means that when you don't use gold keys on early gold locks, you simply need to find fewer later on. It also allows you to spend a few keys on things that are just convenient:

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The staff with dispel on it, and the first rope.

[Azel]

I disagree with part of this one. While you don't 'need' an alchemist, their class bonus of growing extra alchemy ingredients as you walk around makes a significant difference. While anyone can learn to turn the ingredients into potions, only the alchemist class is able to create more ingredients not limiting you to the supply scattered throughout the game. I also don't see the point in maxing out concentration. I'll say why not in a spoiler.

Agreed; if a player skips out on an Alchemist then they won't be able to grow extra potions (Energy, Health, Rage, and Shield) that are vital to the game; and will definitely miss out on making extra +Attribute potions. I think the current rate is 15-20 extra Attribute points per Alchemist. Not the best idea to pass up.

[Thorham]

Agreed; if a player skips out on an Alchemist then they won't be able to grow extra potions (Energy, Health, Rage, and Shield) that are vital to the game;

They're not vital.

SpoilerShow

You don't need many potions for the Lindworm fight, and you can make more than enough rage potions for the island master fight with just the ingredients that you find in the game.

and will definitely miss out on making extra +Attribute potions. I think the current rate is 15-20 extra Attribute points per Alchemist. Not the best idea to pass up.

It's a very good idea if you simply don't want to play with an alchemist. Play what you feel is fun to play. I like a party with two knights, a rogue and a wizard. Best party possible? Of course not, but I like it any way.

[Azel]

I feel that potions are vital, you don't. No point arguing, especially since your reasoning is that you'd rather play differently anyway.

Although, just because you don't need many potions in an end-game fight doesn't mean potions aren't vital the rest of the game. Doesn't make much sense to plan ones entire strategy just for the last 20 minutes of the game.

"Play what you feel is fun to play. I like a party with two knights, a rogue and a wizard. Best party possible? Of course not, but I like it any way."

Glad you like something, but this is a discussion about Beginner Tips. Letting someone know that they can get additional Attribute points in the game is a tip. You saying that nothing really matters and nothing is vital so just do whatever... is the opposite of a tip.

[Dr.Disaster]

.. another derail ..

and there goes this thread too ..

[Anurias]

.. another derail ..

and there goes this thread too ..

For the record, there is no derail in anything Azel has said so far... the topic is beginner tips and everything Azel has said has been within that topic. The last few posts are specific information regarding a beginner tip concerning the alchemist class because Thorham gave a tip about not needing one, while having an alchemist can actually be quite helpful to a beginner because of the extra potions and bombs you can make because of them. So the extra information Azel has been providing is highly pertinent to the topic so that someone reading the thread for beginner tips can see both sides of having or not having an alchemist.

[minmay]

It's not really a derail to point out that someone is giving crappy advice.
(And if you didn't guess that this thread would turn into a disaster the moment you read the title, you must not be very familiar with social networks.)

"Saving" gold keys is a bad idea. First of all, every second you "save" a gold key is a second you spend with a weaker party compared to the party you'd have if you just used the key. It's like working 12 hour days all your life and retiring at 80 so that you end up with more money to spend on your retirement. Most people would prefer to work less than that, I think. In the case of video games, you're making the majority of the game more difficult in exchange for making an unknown part of it possibly slightly easier. Second:

SpoilerShow

There are 11 gold keys and 17 gold locks in the game. The later ones are not meaningfully better than the early ones in general (if you don't believe me go ahead and look at a spoiler; it's pretty clear).

[Thorham]

Although, just because you don't need many potions in an end-game fight doesn't mean potions aren't vital the rest of the game. Doesn't make much sense to plan ones entire strategy just for the last 20 minutes of the game.

In my first play through I found that I actually hadn't used that many potions because of the healing crystals. I had more ingredients left over then I knew what to do with. Clearly they aren't a hard requirement. Then again, I must admit that I did use the crystals excessively to save potions and ingredients on purpose.

Glad you like something, but this is a discussion about Beginner Tips. Letting someone know that they can get additional Attribute points in the game is a tip.

Yes, it is, but it's not required. Not for beginners, not for anyone. You make those potions because you want to, not because you have to. That's why I said that you don't need an alchemist. Exceptions may be the harder game modes, of course.

You saying that nothing really matters and nothing is vital so just do whatever... is the opposite of a tip.

Nowhere did I say, nor imply, that one should do whatever. I specifically said to focus one's skill point use. Things like picking one weapon type for a character and sticking to it. I said to just play whatever class seems like fun to play, it's what they're there for.

The last few posts are specific information regarding a beginner tip concerning the alchemist class because Thorham gave a tip about not needing one, while having an alchemist can actually be quite helpful to a beginner because of the extra potions and bombs you can make because of them.

I gave that tip because you read everywhere about how great they are. Because of this, beginners may feel that they are necessary somehow, while they're not.

"Saving" gold keys is a bad idea. First of all, every second you "save" a gold key is a second you spend with a weaker party compared to the party you'd have if you just used the key.

Only marginally weaker, and obviously not for very long. Not spending resources as quickly as possible is not bad advice.

[Jefrach]

Most of the comments so far have been really helpful. Alchemists seem to be a bit contentious. I think tips for beginners would be things that make the game a little easier to get acquainted with. If Alchemists are good but not required then picking them up on the second play through might be a good suggestion.

Don't waste your time with the humans' fast learner trait. It's pointless.

Why do you think it's pointless? At first glance it seems really useful.

The Hud is very useful for storing items.

By using bags and crates or is there more to the HUD?

Pro Tip: Check your inventory after fighting bog frogs!