Planescape Torment

[Project_Mayhem]

I'm a big fan of the Baldur's Gate games. However, recently they've been getting a bit same ol', same ol'.

Basically, I want to know if Planescape Torment is worth hunting down on Ebay. All I know about it is that it uses the same engine, its very plot driven, and you play a big blue guy who cant die. I don't want to know ANY plot details, because that would ruin it, but I was interested if it works the same as BG - i.e, do you still get to choose character class, which are available, what levels are you expected to go through etc.

Thanks in advance

[Tengu]

You always start as level 3 fighter, but if you do some easy quests you can switch your class to thief or mage. No matter what class do you have, never dump mental stats because they give you a lot more dialogue options and make the gameplay much deeper and more enjoyable!

This is a very original game - there's a lot of combat but the game's focus is in showing you the wonderfully weird world and story. It's worth buying no matter how much cash do you have to spend.

[Azerian Kelimon]

I'm going to sum it all up with a single quote from a review of P:T:


Sometimes, mankind does things wrong. Sometimes, it does things well. And sometimes, it outdoes itself and creates a piece of art that will be remembered for years to come.

[Morty]

Can I say "Yes" strong enough? No matter, P:T is definetly worth finding and buying if you like huge amounts of great dialogues and plot and don't mind a little bit of weirdness.

[Project_Mayhem]

Sounds promising.

I might give this one a look then

[Pronounceable]

Yes. It's worth illegally obtaining (assuming you can't get it legally). It's probably worth mugging someone.

(be warned that you'll be reading close to 1M words throughout the game with decent mental stats)

And he's gray.

[Cainen]

Planescape:Torment's take on AD&D 2E is different from Baldur's Gate's. It's a lot simpler(especially when it comes to thieves), and sometimes it benefits from this. It uses a pointbuy system for assigning stats at first, so you won't start out with a god and you aren't gimped from the get-go - and unlike typical AD&D, you get a character point every level, which you spend on an attribute. You become very strong very, very quickly, though generally it's only for marginal benefit - most of the game is dialogue, and you won't get most of the game if you don't play it like so.

And unlike BG, you can change class at will. You just don't dual-class or multiclass - they're separate brackets, so you can progress in your Fighter levels, your Mage levels, or your Thief levels. Your abilities don't overlap, so you can't sneak around as a Fighter that was a Thief for awhile, but your HP does. Furthermore, at Level 7/Level 12, you get a benefit for the first class to reach it - the class' prime requisite stat will likely be boosted, and you'll get another benefit. For Fighters, it's the ability to go further with weapon proficiencies than the other classes, and the other two are in a similar vein.

[Cespenar]

I am actually envying you as of now. Planescape is the kind of game I would gladly erase my memory just to be able to replay it again (exaggeration, or not? :smalltongue:).

[Trazoi]

Definitely try to get your hands a copy. An awful lot of RPG fans list Planescape: Torment as the best one they've played - and I agree with them on this. P:T is a different sort of RPG from most - it's far more about the dialogue than the combat - but that's what makes it so great. If you loved the Baldur's Gate series then you'll love Planescape: Torment.

[Blayze]

I can give you one hint for Torment, and one hint only. Ironically, it's the only hint you need: Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma.

I have a rough guide for powerlevelling those three stats to 25 each by level 14, and so far it appears to be working in my own run. Trust me, get those three stats as high as possible (Wisdom first, since more Wisdom means more EXP).

Oh, and TALK. TO. EVERYONE. Especially the nameless NPCs, such as the "Elderly Hive Dweller".

[Holammer]

I can give you one hint for Torment, and one hint only. Ironically, it's the only hint you need: Wisdom, Intelligence, Charisma.

Best hint ever! Having all these three will "unlock" some interesting conversation, options and such in the game. If you really want to see it all.

Torment is quite text heavy, but the story is quite intricate and the choices you make affect your alignment on the go, swear to do a good deed and pull it off and you'll cash in the lawful good, swear (but lie) and then kill the quest giver and it's chaotic evil baby!

[bluish_wolf]

I have trouble playing this game and keep getting killed over and over again.

[Erothayce]

I agree with everyone. Get your hands on it however you can. It is a little wierd but extremely engaging. Not to mention it's fun.

[Xuincherguixe]

You absolutely must play this game.

I'm giving it another shot again.


Which brings up a question. I've heard it's possible to finish the game without dying once. I'll spoil this question even though it's really only a minor spoiler, but

Is there a way to bypass your own tomb? Or at least not need to die in it?

[Pronounceable]

I have trouble playing this game and keep getting killed over and over again.

Read stuff more carefully to advance. Killing gets you nothing. And dying doesn't really matter.

Answer to spoiler question:
You must die to complete the tomb. But tomb isn't required to finish the game, so yes. You CAN finish the game without dying. What you CAN'T do is to finish the game without killing anything.

[poleboy]

It's quite possibly the best RPG ever made. However, this is mostly because of the amazing plot and dialogue. The fighting bits always annoyed me a bit, since they are mostly inferior to other games using the same engine, and often consist of killing 50 or 60 of the same enemy and then moving on with the plot. I always just want to go back to the town and talk to people and advance the plot whenever I get to a fighting bit. I've also had serious issues with the game crashing and freezing when casting hi-level spells for some reason. That's not necessarily the game's fault though. Could be the system I played it on back then.

However, this is next to nothing compared to the awesome experience you get playing the game. And unless you're using a tutorial (which I do not recommend), you will likely miss out on 30-50% of the game the first time through, because the amount of choices and secrets are just massive. Most subquests involve diving deep into an apparently unimportant NPC's dialgoue tree, something that most newer RPG's have sacrificed for "click the guy with the big ! over him for quest".

So, in conclusion, if you're looking for a hard-core oldschool RPG experience, and don't have a problem with spending a lot more time reading than bashing things, PS:T is the game for you.

[Blayze]

I've also had serious issues with the game crashing and freezing when casting hi-level spells for some reason.

You need to turn your Hardware Acceleration down. On my system, I get to it via: Right-click on the desktop > Properties > Settings > Advanced > Troubleshooting. Nudge the slider two points to the left, then play the game.

On my PC, this fix causes certain graphical issues with the mouse cursor leaving... mess all over the screen. On my laptop, no such problem.

Oh, one other tip I forgot to mention: Install. The. Mods. That is to say, install Platter's Fixpack, the Fixpack Beta, the Restoration Pack... If they don't add in content that should have been there in the first place, they fix bugs. And fixing bugs is a very good thing, especially when they involve problems with certain dialogue trees (Dak'kon's).

And my final (For now, I think) tip: Reaching level 7 in one class gives you a bonus. Reaching level 12 in that same class gives you a better bonus. Reaching level 7 in two classes gives you two level 7 bonuses. This only applies to the first class that reaches said levels.

[Irenaeus]

I am actually envying you as of now. Planescape is the kind of game I would gladly erase my memory just to be able to replay it again (exaggeration, or not? :smalltongue:).Very thematic, at least.

[Blayze]

Very thematic, at least.

And certainly apt, given a certain quest given to you in the Festhall...

[Archonic Energy]

Basically, I want to know if Planescape Torment is worth hunting down on Ebay.
Yes.

All I know about it is that it uses the same engine, its very plot driven, and you play a big blue guy who cant die. I don't want to know ANY plot details, because that would ruin it, but I was interested if it works the same as BG - i.e, do you still get to choose character class,
Yes.


which are available,
Mage, Fighter, rogue.

what levels are you expected to go through 3 - 20+. (under the right conditions)

i'll say no more other than Buy it.

why are you still reading?
i said "Buy it"... NOW!

[poleboy]

Mage, Fighter, rogue.

Technically, the game contains a cleric class as well. However, you can not choose that class for your main character.

[Ink]

Most definitely worth playing. Since you are a fan of the Baldur's Gate series however, it bears mentioning that there are no fancy class kits in Torment like in BG. As said earlier, you will only ever get to be a fighter, mage, or rogue - vanilla flavour - so no kensais, swashbucklers, or specialist mages, and no paladins, barbarians, druids, or monks either. On top of that, every joinable NPC you encounter in the game will also be a fighter, mage, or rogue, plus one cleric.

Another difference from BG is that your actions affect your alignment. Every littlest thing, and I do mean littlest, can potentially change your alignment. So watch out!

Happy playing!

[Tengu]

On top of that, every joinable NPC you encounter in the game will also be a fighter, mage, or rogue, plus one cleric.


Although all of them have unique equipment and abilities. Sometimes very unique.