Suggestion: don't require physical combat to get access to psi skills

[bobthe]

I'm a new player, just having gone through character creation and explored the starting base. I read a lot about how you can accomplish much of the game through stealth so I made a Psi/Thief build with the intention of trying to avoid as much combat as possible. Unfortunately I found out right away that I have to use combat to kill some rat thingy with a crossbow just to get access to one of the psi schools. It seems very strange that this is a requirement. Not only do I have to use a non-psi combat option to get psi abilities but I have to use a combat skill I have no points in and pray I win after some number of reloads.

I'm sure I'll get past this eventually and enjoy the game, but it would be really nice if obtaining psi abilities did not require me to do non-psi combat. Perhaps an alternative way of capture one of those rodents? I saw some crates for capturing non-hostile critters, maybe some extension of that mechanic?



Unrelated, these verification images are nearly impossible to read. Having to reload new images a dozen times is super annoying when posting. I'm already registered, why do I have to do these stupid things?? Also, fuck the chemical symbol for tungsten. Seriously. And the capital of Spain. And any other stupid annoying questions. </rant>
What I meant to say is that the verification questions are extremely annoying and it would be great if they were removed.

[Waladil]

As epeli mentioned, you don't actually have to really fight much at all with the crossbow. You just need to tag one rathound once.

Also, as a tip, stunned enemies have their dodge and evasion reduced to zero. You can get the telekinetic punch psi skill with no combat (aside from the tutorial combat),and that stuns. TK punch a rathound, shoot it once, then finish it off with other psi skills.

[omphaloskepsis]

One more thing to add.

That quest has several areas where you can stand behind a closed fence and just snipe at the rathounds.  They'll run right up to the fence once they see you.  You really don't need crossbow skill at all to finish it.  You just have to successfully shoot a hound once with the special bolt, then kill it any way you like.  Repeat as necessary.  I've done this with a pure caster and several characters with no crossbow skill.

Also, while I understand your argument, I think the quest fits the story and Quinton's role at the station.  That combined with the extreme ease of completing it makes it OK IMO.