- Even if we assume high initiative was the only viable way to play (it isn't) that leaves a lot of viable builds, not just one.
- Dex only/agi only characters don't lose the initiative roll "most of the times", they win the majority. But to up the winrate to ~100%, you need dex, agi AND feats.
- Stealth is viable, if limited, with very little build focus (3 agi, skillpoints, armor set)
- Lockpicking is not required for anything except random lootboxes. It is a skill that can be skipped completely, but I don't recommend that to new players.
- Savescumming is not necessary. Although the game is not designed with permadeath in mind, skilled players often do hardcore runs as a challenge. I've even seen a streamer doing first-time hardcore run on the new DOMINATING difficulty.
- Honestly, CON does more on hard+. On easy/normal 3 CON gives enough HP buffer. Hard makes you think twice about dumping CON and HP gear is more valuable.
- Heavy armor and evasion/dodge are polar opposites and both are equally viable when taking into account the builds they can support. (Avoidance is weaker than heavy armor, but comes with higher mobility/stealth/initiative potential to lessen the need for tanking.)
I pointed out stealth because I thought you would like it better; all your troubles seemed to directly fixable with it. From that you went to thinking the player must always act first or die. That wasn't the intention and it's simply not true. I'm trying to empathise, to put myself in your position, but I just don't know where you're getting that whole "you die in 1 turn" thing from.
If you want help with your current build instead, you should share it in detail (character, equipment, what you are struggling with) because we don't really know why you're having such a hard time.
I'm having a hard time not dying in 1 turn. That's all I'm complaining about. I have to hide all the time and spam CC stuff instead of actually fighting. My melee skill is wasted just because I have no AP left for it after I disable everyone who can attack me. Now to address your points:
-What are these viable builds? Care to mention a couple? And I hope I made it clear that by viable I don't mean completing the game through save scumming. I'd like to see this streamer you're talking about, even though there's no way he can prove he hasn't reloaded a single time.
-I actually had a dex only character so I'm pretty sure when I'm telling you you lose the initiative roll most of the times when entering new area/room.
-Have you actually tried that? I don't think you'll be able to get away with it when entering new area where the enemies are near the entrance.
-Lockpicking actually provides you with much more than random box loot. You'll be strapped for money througout first half of the game and you'll lose the strategic advantage it often offers.
-There's no way a first-time player can complete a game without save-scumming. I don't even think a veteran player can finish a hardcore run on hard+.
-3 CON may give enough HP buffer but not enough resolve. You still die in 1 turn vs psi enemies. The difference between 3 CON and 10 CON on hard+ is too negligible to actually matter. You still die in 2 sniper aimshots or something like that.
-If I kept statistics on how often I got hit when I maxed evasion/dodge I think it would've fallen somewhere in the ballpark of 70%. Considering what 1 hit does to such a squishy character, how can that be a viable build?
So you disagree that you die in 1 turn regardless of your build? Can you record a short video then of you surviving 1 turn on the second floor of Emporion?
