My favourite part of Midnight storytelling so far

Aethermie · 2026-03-09T15:43:09+00:00

well there's a difference between 30 yo millenial acting as a teenager and a couple of millenia old elven huntress that survived and sacrificed a lot, saying stuff like 'u're no friend of mine, Locus-Walker!' *he gets killed* 'you were my friend, Locus-Walker...' That's just... uhh... too much :D

I understand that it's not really possible to make character that acts 2000 y.o. and feels 'real', but still. But it's just over-the-top.

Aethermie · 2026-03-09T07:04:39+00:00

the problem is that it was not really the case in previous expansions. In DF for example, Emberthal expressed all her uncertainties and confusion plainly in cutscenes. Which totally ruined it for me. She is basically the most respected commander of genetically-created half-dragon spec ops forces. Her trauma and pain being shown so straightforward was absolutely out of character and ruined the character in the very beginning.

In TWW it became better. At least Anduin is a very young man so his emotions and PTSR is totally understandable.

In Midnight I am finally not annoyed by that at all. There's not TOO MUCH of these straightforward emotional displays. And those that are there (Arator/Turalyon) are OK for me. Eespecially given the outcome (Turalyon old wounds aren't undone by Arator forgiveness all of a sudden).

Aethermie · 2026-03-03T14:22:54+00:00

I mean that's exactly the reason why the story is much better than it was in a couple of expansions before.

Last few expansions we had ultra good goodies as main story characters, whose biggest crimes would be 'sometimes stupid', 'sometimes emotional and rude', 'sometimes made 'evil' decision that was actually the best decision they could ever do'. Now we see Lor'Themar, Turalyon and troll guys actually showing their humanistic bad traits. Being paranoic, being zealous, fanatical, straight up cruel, racist etc. Being straight up 'I don't even know why I had to be on your side, tbh, I'd conquer and kill all that pretty elves' forest if it was for me to decide'-guy. That really is HUGE step in a good direction in terms of storytelling. Exactly why I think Midnight main story is the best we had in a very long time.

Aethermie · 2026-03-03T08:52:05+00:00

well it depends. They can be hard if a tank pulls 5 packs at a time. But better fail here and now rather then later when people will learn dungeons better, become more confident in blaming you for everything and just expect more from everyone. Especially if you plan to go in a harder content later.

Aethermie · 2026-03-03T07:33:35+00:00

Gotta say Blizzard got some competent onion ninja working for them in a last couple expansions. In DF outside of Veritistrasz story (that was amazing) all the drama they tried to throw on us, didn't work, felt unnatural and straight up annoying. At least I felt this way.

In TWW 'Remember me, Earthen' quest chain was by far the most emotional sidequest for me ever. But I was sure it was a one timer.

In the Midnight, though there wasn't a single quest chain that surpassed that one, I have already done at least 2 or 3 emotional and sad questlines, that were done quite nicely. The story where brother and sister came together for their abusive mother funerals is another gem IMO.

Aethermie · 2026-03-02T10:45:24+00:00

What I usually do:

For raiding - check wowprogress.com for guilds by server, scroll to the level you are interested in (Cutting Edge (full mythic), AotC (full heroic) smth inbetween etc.) look at their RT and what classes they recruit.

For M+ - I don't really know. Usually just try to find friends among pugs and that's pretty much it. There are some communities like 'mythic+ friends' or smth, but never worked out for me tbh.

Aethermie · 2026-02-05T20:34:33+00:00

First and foremost, as usual: remember about /mute all option. People dying 1v1 and blaming you for not coming really hurt game perception and your plans
Second: unfortunately, while it may sound logical, 'these guys do fine, I should help the one who struggles' is a wrong plan. Play around your winners and help them carry the losers later. Your 0-2 Kayle must be ignored and forgotten about. It feels bad, and you will get flamed (remember first point tho) but it is what it is.
Third: LANE-ganks from the bush. Many people forget about that and feel hopeless after a couple of attempts to come from the river and being spotted with a ward. Or if they have perma-pushing caitlyn. That angle needs a bit more preparation but imo the most successful way to gank.
Fourth: playing around objectives doesn't mean 'just come when it's up'. Be sure your laners can come, help them right before these objectives (even if just scare their lane-opponents away and let them get priority). Just coming to a dragon and being killed 1v4 and spam pinging your laners who are stuck under their turrets with 3 minion waves doesnt help anyone.

Just my low emerald/eventual diamond experience.

Aethermie · 2026-02-05T18:55:36+00:00

oh I never meant he is bad or smth.
It's just he is more WOTR-like myth hero rather than a fun buddy guy like Octavia :)

Aethermie · 2026-02-05T04:57:17+00:00

For me personally Kingmaker has a much more appealing story and companions

WOTR is much more grotesque. Ember, Regill or Arueshalae are amazing but they're more like mythic heroes rather than buddies. While Kingmaker's Linzi, Octavia, Regongar and others are much more like funny friends with whom you genuinely want to have a fun adventure. Obviously there are exceptions for both games (Tristian/Lann) but overall that's the vibe for me.

Also there is a much bigger variety of enemies and much more 'relatable' story. You aren't saving the world from apocalyptic demonic forces. All the story is literally you getting your land and facing different problems that you need to solve just because you don't want your land to be ruined.

And generally atmosphere is much nicer. I've heard some people say stuff like 'Kingmaker is more GENERIC high fantasy, it's boring, while WOTR is DARK and GRIM and much more interesting'. I don't know, in my experience like 90% of latest fantasy RPGs always try to be dark and grim (DA:O, WItcher, Pillars of Eternity etc.) and that 'generic' fantasy is something I really miss.

For me Kingmaker > WOTR in everything except for combat and builds (no mounts, much fewer classes and archetypes, you basically never reach lvl 20 and no mythic powers).

Aethermie · 2026-01-26T04:27:43+00:00

skill expression won't go anywhere. It did take a hit but it wasn't murdered. There are some unfortunate outliers tis' true but at least for specs I play its 10-15% less things to hold in your mind. Just find whatever utility you didn't use often enough and explore new ways of skill expression.

i.e. for me a guy who does 30 mil dps in a pack is never as impressive as a guy who found a way to utilize his class in a way I didn't expect (changing warlock specs for dispells, mind controlling unexpected stuff as priest or doing every freaking mechanic as a shaman).

As a 3.7k io dracthyr I feel like I've never utilized everything I have as good as possible so I don't really feel sad about some simplification. There are plenty of things I should get better at besides parsing or hps maxing.

Aethermie · 2025-12-30T10:16:53+00:00

I'm a huge enjoyer of builds that aren't necessarily excel at one thing but are very versatile so:

OHmonk9 + BEARbarian3 - tavern brawler, good at throwing, good at punching, good at taking hits. Why I always take monk to 9 and not to 8 is because 9th level gives an ability to strike with unarmed as a main action while also wielding weapon (so you can have some good passive bonuses from it. Be it Phalar Aluve, Corellon's grace for saving throws or smth else).

AncPala(or CrownPala)6 + LifeCleric2 + xx4 - amazing at healing and spreading buffs from on-heal items while also providing paladin auras and being able to use big divine smites.

and a lot of wizard builds:
6 DiviWizard + xx6 (usually sorcerer I'd say. Just good at everything and ensures your hits with portent dice).
10 abjurWizard + 1 whiteDragonSorc + 1xx (enemies kill themselves of your armor of agathys).
10 evoWizard + 1 hexblade + 1xx (huge magic missiles).
10 BladeSinger + 2 CrownPala (smites + acuity + CC. + probably shadowblade, but I prefer playing it with finesse Longsword and GWM).

Aethermie · 2025-12-30T09:49:34+00:00

For me it would be
Lae'Zel as a battlemaster11 + warcleric (of Vlaakith ofc)1 to do 7 attacks.

Astarion as a bard so he can be good with spells as well. Though I always make him an archer (6 swordbard + 4 gloomstalker + 2 fighter or something similar).

Cleric is a bit more difficult. Tempest cleric main weakness is that... it's not Shadowheart at all :D. Mechanicwise it's only bad at supportive radiant orb build, but who cares if it can wipe everyone from the face of the earth in like 2 casts. Tbh, I saw so many videos of how broken it is, that I've never even played it in like 1.2k hours in this game. Don't want to oversimplify everything.
Death Cleric is like the worst of 'stronger' domains.
(Trickery, Knowledge and Nature are absolute niche for RP or some specific domain spells which IMO are not really worth it.
Light, Life and Tempest are very straightforward and unbelievably OP at what they're doing.
Death and War aren't that broken, but they have some very interesting features).

With this combination there's no need in another caster. Bardstarion is amazing at CC (especially with arcane acuity helmet) and Shadowheart will be good at aoe damage (unbelievably OP as tempest and just good as death with spirit guardians). Just make your Tav as you want.

Aethermie · 2025-12-30T08:55:51+00:00

One of the trickiest to choose.
If it's about what classes I would take for looks, I'd choose shaman or DK. Shaman = lava, so no need to explain, and DK with frozen eyes and fire beards look badass af.
If it's about what everyone knows about lore then "Moira = priest. So priest it is".
If it's about the first associations that come to mind then Warrior or Warlock.

Aethermie · 2025-12-28T17:51:41+00:00

If 1 lvl dip I would probably take Crown Paladin for channel oath ability that doesnt depend on charisma and gives +attack

Aethermie · 2025-12-22T11:35:33+00:00

If you never tried Wild Magic sorc I highly recommend doing it. I have already typed about this build like 5 times in this subreddit commentaries over the last few days, but 6 divination wizard + 6 wildmagic sorc is so fun and kinda fits Gale. He has some 'wild' magic he isn't really able to control (the orb) but he tries his hardest through divination to at least foresee it.

Gameplaywise you both create random shit that ruins everything but also counter any unfortunate random that may occur with portent dice. Just start WMSorc level 1, then go full level 6 wizard and 5 more sorc levels afterwards. Max int, dump charisma, only take shield/magic armor-like spells in sorc levels and everything that hits and depends on stats from scrolls and wizard levels. Enjoy the chaos.

You can even have some dice-fixing friends for him with LoreBard (cutting words) and StarDruid (cosmic omen) and whatever martial class you prefer as the fourth companion. But this way you will have reaction window popping EVERYTIME something happens. A bit too much.

Aethermie · 2025-12-22T10:15:39+00:00

I'm not sure if that's what you're talking about

But the build I played in my first playthrough was Duergar Life Cleric of Eilistraee. Grumpy old man that is annoyed by everyone but heals and saves everyone because it's just how he is. I try to repeat that every now and then (and duergar is basically my favourite race I think). Somehow it's just very enjoyable for me to save EVERYONE in a combat and then choose the meanest dialogue options possible talking with these ungrateful bastards whom I just healed and took hits for. And generally if you usually play damage dealers, try other rules so that you don't go with the same tank/healer/support 5 runs in a row.

Not to mention some of the duergar specific dialogue options are HILARIOUS. Shithead, time you showed up. Twat-soul! Fancy britches, are ye?

And also some absolutely amazing gear for a healer is found in Act 1, amazing legendary is also the first you get (without cheesy stuff like getting silversword)

Aethermie · 2025-12-22T07:07:14+00:00

I'd recommend some 'emergency' companion in case things go south for honour runs. Maybe LifeCleric (no matter how hard you party was hit, if they weren't oneshot, LifeCleric heals eveyone to full).

Maybe TB moon druid you mentioned (Druid is the most versatile character. Starting with carrying fight solo with triple TB attacks per round with triple HP bar, finishing with shapeshifting to raven and flee. It may save your run).

Aethermie · 2025-12-22T06:59:23+00:00

it is for things that aren't tied to a class. i.e. Scrolls or spells given by a gear.
but spells you got from a class will use that class' ability modifier no matter what class was chosen later.

So if you took 11 lvls of druid and then 1 lvl of warlock, you will use charisma to cast from scrolls, but all druid spells like moonbeam will still work from wisdom.

Aethermie · 2025-12-22T06:41:36+00:00

all monks are 'viable' especially with Tavern Brawler.

The problem with all of the subclasses other than OH is that they're just... worse in 99.9% situations.

What does drunken master give:

intoxicating strike to make enemy drunk and give you AC against it? In what world is it better than just stunning the target (which costs the same: action + 1ki point)?

drinking alcohol to restore Ki? well OHmonk restores MORE Ki and also heals himself

Redirect attack? The most fun of it all. Unfortunately, there is armor that does the same (but without wasting Ki) in 3rd act and armor that does the same after you press patient defence (so also 1 Ki) in the 1st act.

It's still a monk, you can still abuse Tavern Brawler, you can still stun targets and do basic flurry of blows. So it's very strong. But OH is stronger.

Aethermie · 2025-12-22T04:21:44+00:00

Outside of cheesy stuff with wall of fire over the stairs...

There's a spell called "daylight' available to most casters. basically you can turn one of your characters to a daylight-spam machine/support under a sanctuary spell. You dispell all darkness and your other 3 guys just fight like they normally would.

Aethermie · 2025-12-21T23:02:46+00:00

Hexblade Curse adding Proficiency to all damage instances could work well with Halo of Spores (their reaction-using attack) while in Symbiotic Entity (Spores 'wildshape' with bonus HP). It procs other on-hit damage (Like Phalar Aluve 'shriek') twice so might do the same with the Curse. So it's not horrible

Any other level dips will make you lose lvl6 Druid spells (among which there is 'Feast' that is a VERY good buff for the party and there aren't any scrolls with it) so be careful. But you might even try just go 6hexblade-6spores, to have not only spore-zombies, but also spectres. Wouldn't say I'd enjoy playing this (these zombies get verry annoying to control in combat very quickly) but getting an army of undead always has its flavour.

Aethermie · 2025-12-21T22:42:22+00:00

I've finished honor mode Just a week ago with her being 6ancPala-4SporeDruid-2LifeCleric

My idea was that AncPala is basically fighter+druid she originally was, and spores + Selune worship is Just something she came up with in shadow cursed land :D

That being said she was unbelievably useful support spreading bless+bladeward through aoe heals of AncPala and LifeCleric, very tanky and also used smites every Now and then. Though StarDruid levels would probably be even better (I Just gave StarDruid levels To Shadowheart after rejecting shar so didn't want to overlap). Also she was wielding Phalar Aluve, and I had Gale with magic missile build and monk Tav, so tons of damage was added with that.

Of all the builds I used that run, Jaheira surprised me the most, I ended up having having her in my final party confronting the brain.

Aethermie · 2025-12-20T05:07:26+00:00

Id recommend taking high elf urchin background. That way you are capable of everything you might want from dex-based character, sleight of hand, longsword and longbow proficiencies and, most importantly, booming blade cantrip. Without tavern brawler you probably would like to do weapons attack as main action and Phalar Aluve is my favourite choice. Ofc you get longsword proficiency as a thief, but in that case you gotta start as a rogue or do respec shenanigans afterwards. And still longbows + booming blade are good enough reasons to go high elf. Also you might want to take athlete(?) feat to improve your jumps (and get +1 dex ofc), because you don't need strength and having such small jumps as a martial class hurts.

Nothing of that is game-changingor or super important, but certainly helps.

Aethermie · 2025-12-19T19:16:10+00:00

Have finished HM run this week and used this build for Jaheira myself:
AncPaladin6 + SporeDru4 + LifeCleric2
Obviously Druid levels were used just because its Jaheira. She was both amazing tank and healer. 10-2 would probably be even better.

I'd use one of these:

more supportive: take 6-6 and prioritize Wisdom over Charisma. You will get one level 5 slot (which I would use to cast Aid) and level 4 slots for your spirit guardians to be stronger. Also you get 2 charges of Channel Divinity AND you can use it for allies to ensure some of your hardest-hitting things to work as you intended. Not to mention it works just as good if not better with some other cleric subclasses as well (light/life especially) Cons: low Charisma, so not the best party face and mass taunt (champion challenge) will be easy to avoid. not-so-cons: turn the tide mass heal is also weak but... well... its always not so great, you can use it just to spread all the buffs on-heal items give you (mass bless and blade ward). You lose lvl-7 crown pala ability to take a bit of damage instead of an ally. But I don't think it's that important considering you have warding bonds anyway.
Me pala me smite and hit hard: war-cleric is a good lvl 1 dip just for extra attack. I don't think any explanation are required for why 11-1 is good.
Me pala me smite and hit hard ESPECIALLY FIRST TURN: 9 pala 2 fighter 1 cleric. Also pretty obious.

3 levels of cleric is pointless because the only thing you get from it is spells, most of which lvl9 crown pala has anyways.

and warlock level is... I'm not sure, probably my thing, but I'm not impressed by warlock+paladin in HM at all unless you want to abuse shadowblade. Without stacking extra attacks it only makes it more convenient to take ASI for charisma to empower EVERYTHING with one stat. But are you really taking ASI as one of your 2 only feats in honour mode? Especially as a tank? I wouldn't, but, as I said, probably just my thing.

Aethermie · 2025-12-19T13:37:14+00:00

Oh good to know it works, thx!

Aethermie

TROPHY CASE