Companion builds and tactics

[elysium_fic]

If there has been one feature of DAO I feel I have been missing getting the most out of in the time I've been playing, it's the more challenging combat. Mostly, this hasn't been a problem because I've been doing RP playthroughs where it doesn't matter that I'm on easy mode. But even with mods that should make it possible for me to be able to play on Normal or even Hard mode, I still can't.

Part of the problem is, I think, that my computer is a bit too slow for the game. I meet the minimum specs, but there still seems to be some sort of response lag. I can throw a bomb and it will be well over a minute before it detonates. I can take aim at a TRASH mob and be attacking it for 30-60 seconds before its health bar ever drops below 100%. So it's taking a prohibitively long time for me to clear out even trash, and all the while the trash is pounding on my companions. I had to download a mod that added a bunch of elite militia at Redcliffe to have even a hope of getting through the siege with any of the town's militia alive. And that was on Normal mode.

Lag issues aside, I suspect my other problem to be that I'm not building my companions or using the tactics efficiently. Mostly, I take the "default" tactics set and tweak it a little to add things like lyrium and health potion usage.

I've decided before DA2 comes out, I want to do one final playthrough of DAO and Awakening, and I want to challenge myself a bit and do it on a harder mode. I think I will uninstall all but the most crucial mods (the ones that fix bugs and things like Advanced Tactics) to see if that helps the response lag. But I also want to get the most out of my companions and their tactics.

So, hit me. How do you have your companions built and how do you deploy them?

Comments

[elysium_fic]

That would be very nifty, thank you!

[visser]

Here ya go =D

I took screenshots of everyone's spec but Sten and Oghren's, because I left theirs as the default specs- those two work fine on their own. (hell, Oghren makes a FINE 2H tank in Awakening) I also left out my mabari, because well, there's not much choice for specs XD I DID respec him to get overwhelm ASAP so he could use it on anything that ate Wynne's face.

(Note, that I use the Mutator that opens up all talents =X It's dirty, but I really like having the options- I mainly pick specs for the passive stat bonuses)

Leliana
Loghain (or Alistair, just replace Champion with Templar abilities)
Morrigan (she... ends up having to be my mabari's "target- attacking- overwhelm" target- with that spec, she pulls off Loghain, and that's saying something.)
Wynne
Zevran

PC's:

Sabia, dual wield rogue
Neisseria, Arcane Warrior/Healer
Thrax, Blood mage/healer (really OP combo- takes some micro managing so you're not DYING instantly, but it hits like a TRUCK)

Also- I stack Willpower/Magic on my mages (except for Thrax- he actually has near 30 constitution due to his blood magic)

For my melee, it's all cunning and dext- with cunning winning in favor of dex for Leliana and Zevran. For Sabia, she's looking at 56 dex and 38 cunning (note she's spec'ed in keen defence and evasion- she off tanks a LOT when Alistair's in the party)

For Loghain/Oghren/Sten, it's 42 Strength, then 16 cunning for skill slots, and the rest in Dex.

[elysium_fic]

Thank you very much!