Possible for weak builds to finish the game?

[thekdawg21]

I have followed the development of Underrail on the rpgcodex but I have just gotten around to starting the game.  Since there is no manual to read or pre-generated characters, I have had to resort to reading up on forums regarding builds that have the ability to finish the game. I have read that there are trap builds that will simply be unable to finish the game after a certain point. 

This brings me to the question:  Of all of the builds that are laid out on these forums (most appreciated by the way), are the weakest of these still able to finish the game?  It seems like pistol builds are probably the weakest of the 'builds' that I have read up on.  I don't care if a certain build is easy or hard to play, I just care that I won't spend a lot of hours on a character that is doomed to failure.  (Doomed to failure also means characters that simply cannot fight past a certain point of the game.  Characters that MUST sneak or play pacifist because they will just get destroyed count as failure builds, as that's a specific type of play through, not one to be forced into.)

PS   As brilliant as this game is, there is some small learning curve.  It's taken me about five hours of forum reading to feel like I have a decent grasp on the game mechanics (not to even begin going in to crafting!).  I really love the look of some of the pistol builds, but they seem to be looked down on as of the current (final?) update. Can pistol builds finish the game? 

[Eldakar]

http://underrail.com/forums/index.php?topic=2219.msg12755#msg12755

This is very good pistol build that kicks some major ass. I did play it, and even as you said pistols are weaker, this build have edge because of 7(9 with food) inteligence, he can craft 100+ frame quality pistols around lvl 12.

[thekdawg21]

The first reply saying that even weak-ish builds will have no issues in finishing the game have really made me 'get' the difficulty curve in the game.  I'm not going to screw myself as long as my character is planned out in advance to some extent.  I'm thrilled and loving this game!  It's, by far, the best cRPG to come out in the last decade (maybe two) in my opinion.

I also read the entire 'Wiki' sticky thread, and to see this game and it's fans come alive over the last years is really amazing.  I'm grateful guys like you Epeli were able to help out Styg and co with a fantastic Wiki.  The Wiki is where I've spent a great deal of time in trying to figure out how this game works.  (Funny, I'm willing to spend a dozen hours reading up on the game and its mechanics, but not willing to actually play the game for as long in order to figure things out for myself!) 

I'm also getting the vibe that I've just misunderstood the game by all the build talk.  As long as it's POSSIBLE to finish the game, I'm happy, and it certainly seems like that's the case for nearly everything out there. 

[thekdawg21]

Just for funsies, I'll let you know if I can get past Depot A when I get there using a pistol build of my own design (which is quite similar to the one that Wildan build, and Eldakar suggested.) 

I think this will be an interesting test, as I can't account for the things that I don't know:

- Where to get the best equipment possible at my level.
- Where to go that will be easiest for my build
- What factions to choose that will give me the best chance for success

Basically:

- How to be as basass as possible early in the game.


And it'll be hella fun to figure all these things out, and get the ideas rolling around in the old brain box for new builds.

[Eldakar]

In Junkyard early on you want to get amplified electroshock pistol and best .44 hammerer to carry you thru Depot A, along with the traps. At around lvl 10-12 you should arive to Blaine shop which has big chance of spawning solid 100+ quality frame for hammerer/neo luger. This is great moment since your 9 int with junkyard surprise you can already craft those. Sometimes Blaine does have rapid reloader so if you find it you will be set for long time.

[thekdawg21]

Thank you for the tips!  Love this game so far... but only in the GMS compound.  Just fighting Sentry Bots and Rathounds at the moment.  The Bots are kinda rough if I don't happen to throw an EMP grenade well, even with AP ammo I need about 15 shots with a 7.62 hammerer I have now.  I'm making it through due to diligent searching at the SGS shops, but things are getting tough. I'm sneaky though so I typically can avoid fights if I need to.  Grenades are pretty much the only killing weapons I have at the moment, and they are expensive.

PS.
I should mention that I can handle the bots as they don't hit too hard, so long as I don't get more than one at a time.  I haven't had to reload yet, except for an unfortunate situation with three Psi Beetles getting the jump on me and my final molotov being poorly thrown.

[thekdawg21]

One thing I might start over with the exact first build Wildan posted.  Skills would look like Guns, Throwing, Traps, Lockpick, Hack.... and I'm not sure about the crafting skills.  I assume for guns you want the good mechanics, for the speciality pistols you want the electronics... but what's next?  Chemistry for explosives, Tailoring for armor...  Sneak seems really nice for a first playthrough (well, second, if I do decide to reroll) but I'm already kinda strapped for skill points. 

So if I figure my absolute priorities are Guns, Throwing, Lockpick, Hack, Mechanics, Electronics.  I'm a bit lost on what to progress in.  I've made a Taser, which is useful.  Having sprint which I didn't have before will help a great deal as well. 

If I am mistaken I wouldn't mind being oriented the in the right direction if possible on what skills to pass up or what skills I should just keep ramming home.

If I re-roll it'd be using the 3/10+++++/6/3/8+/3/7 Pistol build.  I don't want to go under 8 PER because it's a first playthough and I want to be able to see all the hidden stuff I can.

If I have no help, I will probably drop traps and quick tinkering and swap that into stealth and building a sniper rifle for long-range damage.

[Eldakar]

As far quick tinkering goes, it's best feat in game so keep it. Also Wildan builds are usualy min-maxed and optimized. When it comes to crafting always max mechanics and tailoring, electronics too but it have lower priority, you dont have to max it in every level up.

[thekdawg21]

Thank you my man, I appreciate it

[thekdawg21]

I have a few goals I wanted to meet in a build:

- Have at least 2 weapons and a few secondary weapons to use in order to mix up the playstyle to keep things fresh. (Two Pistols, Sniper Rifle, Grenades)
- Have a few levels to look forward to that changes up the playstyle mid-way through the game.
- Have a high PER in order to see a lot of the secrets for my first play through.
- Utilize sneak for exploration and encounter scouting.
- Be relatively straightforward with skill point set up, though using crafting.

I realize that this is not an optimized build, but from what I've been told builds don't need to be super optimized in order to finish the game.  I apologize in not knowing how to post a pretty pic in order to condense the info into easy to see format.

Level 25

Str 6, Dex 10, Agi 6, Con 3, Per 11, Will 3, Int 7

Guns 135, Throwing 135, Stealth 135, Hacking 126, Lockpicking 105, Mechanics 115, Electronics 90, Chemistry 68, Biology 56, Tailoring 115

Feats:

Aimed Shot, Gunslinger, Sprint, Gun Nut, Opportunist, Rapid Fire, Point Shot, Execute, Critical Power, Snipe, Expertise, Steadfast Aim, Skinning, Practical Physicist.

9mm Hammerer Pistol, Electroshock Pistol, Spearhead Sniper Rifle. 

This meets my goals of having an evolving character, sneaky, secret finding, delves into the crafting system.

I believe this meets all of my goals, and is optimised enough to be effective.  It can utilize Sniper Rifles with Snipe at level 16 (to change up the playstyle).  I have the choice to open up combat from afar, some CC with grenades, fun combos with execute, can hit a high crit chance and bonus if I need it.

I hope this isn't completely gimped as I've barely scratched the surface with actually playing the game.  I removed Traps even though they are powerful in order to more streamline the skill points to make it easier for mistakes in allocation with regard to crafting. 

Only reason I am posting it, is if anyone doesn't mind taking a look to further optimize it without changing it completely or compromising the goals I have.  (And have a record of what my first build seriously playing the game was!)

[Styg]

Looks like a solid build. Maybe pick a feat or two for grenades (you already have requirements taken care of) and/or invest more in chemistry in order to increase your AoE damage, but other than that looks good.