Plane Scape Torment: Beginners tips.

[Daystar Clarion]

Ok, I'm downloading this game from GOG as I type this. I know nothing of this game except from what I've read from user reviews, all I know is that it looks like the type of game that I would really enjoy.

So fellow escapists, is there anything vital I should know? Any patches needed, any play style that is horribly underpowered and just general tips I should know. No spoilers please.

 

[Turing]

As opposed to more or less any other CRPG out there, putting points in your social and mental stats will have a MASSIVE impact on the game. Other than that, talk to everyone, examine everything and take anything that isn't nailed down.
Also, playing a fighter is arguably the easiest, but the Thief and Mage classes have unique interactions with NPCs both in and outside your party. On that note, you don't get to choose your class to start with, but it will come in time.

Don't be afraid to experiment

 

[Daystar Clarion]

As opposed to more or less any other CRPG out there, putting points in your social and mental stats will have a MASSIVE impact on the game. Other than that, talk to everyone, examine everything and take anything that isn't nailed down.
Also, playing a fighter is arguably the easiest, but the Thief and Mage classes have unique interactions with NPCs both in and outside your party. On that note, you don't get to choose your class to start with, but it will come in time.

Don't be afraid to experiment

That's good to know. So I won't really be making a mistake in the class I choose? There are other party members that can fill other roles?

 

[Turing]

As opposed to more or less any other CRPG out there, putting points in your social and mental stats will have a MASSIVE impact on the game. Other than that, talk to everyone, examine everything and take anything that isn't nailed down.
Also, playing a fighter is arguably the easiest, but the Thief and Mage classes have unique interactions with NPCs both in and outside your party. On that note, you don't get to choose your class to start with, but it will come in time.

Don't be afraid to experiment

That's good to know. So I won't really be making a mistake in the class I choose? There are other party members that can fill other roles?

The possible NPCs consist of 3 Fighters, 2 melee and 1 optional ranged, 1 Fighter/Thief, 1 Fighter/Mage, 1 Mage and 1 Cleric. So yeah, there's always an npcs to fill a role.
Despite the overabundance of fighter levels in NPCs, playing mage is the hardest due to a lack of hitpoints. Of course, with intelligent tactics and awesome spellpower, you don't necessarily need HP...

 

[Nimmermehr]

You will always start as a fighter, but you some NPCs can change your class later. But no matter which class you choose make sure to put as many points as possible into Wisdom, Intelligence and maybe Charisma, because you can miss half of the story if you don't and you won't be able to regain as many memories. (which is important not only for background information about the nameless one and the other party members but also gives you exp) Don't worry too much about your fighting skills, your other party members will easily make up for it. You can also gain alot of exp through dialog, so leveling up will be no problem for a "diplomatic" character.

I don't know if the version on GOG is already patched, if not you should google for the latest patch.

Edit: Oh and at least one of the optional party members is extremly hard to find, so make sure you explore every corner of every map

 

[ado01]

Keep a bunch of saves, this was the game that taught me not to have only 2 saves at a time. D:
There is a patch out there, but the game can still be pretty buggy.

Putting points in wisdom really helps no matter what class you are.

 

[Nmil-ek]

http://www.bootstrike.com/Torment/files.html

Youll want to patch the game with the community stuff aswell as official and a few of the restored content mods are imho a must for the full experience.

Play for the story and immersion the combat is utterly fucking broken by the end you will be a walking titan nothing can touch you and having a full entourage of companions makes it a complete joke. Oh and stick to a mage everything else sucks by comparison but be prepared the high leveled spells have ungodly long tedious animations.

Other than the combat it is the best RPG I have ever played, but the combat can go fuck itself seriously.

 

[Kryzantine]

You will hit a point about 3/7 of the way through the game where fighting will become more of a nuisance than anything else. As everyone has said, work on your wisdom a lot no matter what. It's the greatest way to enjoy the game.

Apart from that, don't be discouraged if you start it up and find it's... mediocre at best. The game picks up through the first few hours, and you will hit a point where it turns from just a bit of a slog into an amazing story-centric game. That happened around the Catacombs for me.

It truly is an amazing game, but only after a certain point. Thankfully, that point is early enough so you can experience the rest of the game in bliss.

 

[GothmogII]

To start with Wisdom 18. Intelligence 15. Rest as you choose. Go Mage asap.

Mainly, PS:T is way less combat focused than most games, and if you want to squeeze the most out of it, those starting stats are almost a must.

Really though, play as you will, in fact, it may even be more fun to simply jump in.

 

[octafish]

Playing with the Modron action figure will make your alignment Chaotic. There is a weapon in the game that requires you to be one of the extreme alignments Lawful Good or Chaotic Evil, it isn't necessary but it is a nice weapon to have.

 

[randomsix]

take anything that isn't nailed down.

My favorite game mechanic.

 

[Ericb]

Honestly, more important than stat management, pay deep attention to the dialogues in this game, every single one of'em.

It'll be worth your while.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Honestly, more important than stat management, pay deep attention to the dialogues in this game, every single one of'em.

It'll be worth your while.

I know what you mean. I haven't even left the mortuary yet. The depth is amazing, I'm interacting with every corpse just to see what happens. Instead of getting "you see a zombie" everytime, I get a nice paragraph describing it, and they're all different. It's brilliant.

 

[Ericb]

I know what you mean. I haven't even left the mortuary yet. The depth is amazing, I'm interacting with every corpse just to see what happens. Instead of getting "you see a zombie" everytime, I get a nice paragraph describing it, and they're all different. It's brilliant.

I remember taking very long to get anything done, because I would go around talking with every bum and hooker on the street.

There was this old lady who actually asked me something along the lines: "Are you the one who's been talking to everybody asking all kinds of questions!?"