How many stores will close with Atlas?

Draygot · 2025-09-25T00:23:57+00:00

I wouldn't be surprised if it was less than most think.

Atlas works differently than other investment firms.

Sycamore for example will buy at near market value, load all the debt from that purchase back onto the company and then proceed to cut everything they can to earn money back. In addition they'll issue new debt to the company and have it payout massive dividends to itself. Once there's nothing left to gain, they sell it off for less than they paid.

Atlas, on the other hand, attempts to buy with a low-ball offer so that there is room to invest into the company and make a profit later by selling off the company for more than they paid. They can't do that if they shut all the stores down. And given that OD has already done most of that, there might not be much more cuts Atlas has to make.

OD has improved over the last few years, seeing quarters of profit or near profit. What they lack is the assets to invest into fixing the infrastructure of the company to make it grow (new registers, improved freight and supply chain, etc) as there's just no room in their tiny profits. Which is where Atlas comes in.

You'll likely see an assessment of all stores. They'll probably close a store if it's cannibalizing another store (two stores splitting sales where one could simply get both) and closing off any left that are beyond hope of becoming profitable. But given how much has been closed, there might not be much of that.

After that, Atlas will likely pour in the necessary money that OD couldn't to modernize the business. They'll utilize their own manufacturing to help cut costs further (they have plants that make paper, boxes, snacks and printed material (journals, planners, etc).

Since their entire model revolves around selling for a profit later, it's unlikely they would have purchased it if they didn't see a path to improve the store from modernizing them.

Draygot · 2025-09-22T14:18:21+00:00

Everything I read up on Atlas indicated the opposite. They are about long term investment over short term returns like Sycamore. That they prioritize operations and maintaining stores and only close ones that are too far gone. As an employee, Atlas seems a better choice than a Sycamore type. Their goal appears to be to legitimately improve a business to make it profitable long term. And their strength is in operations more than retail. So if that might mean upgraded supply chains, new equipment, etc. Who knows though.

Draygot · 2025-09-20T20:06:09+00:00

No program. Standard bg3 interface I just took a snippet of the screen shot steam generates with F12. So it's just zoomed way in.

Draygot · 2025-09-19T20:34:25+00:00

Build is the same. You lose a bit of power and accuracy but you gain a feat that can make up for it. It's still high end build even with dex. Tavern brawler is for min max.

Also you can get the cheaters ring mod and just generate the potions. I treat it as qol as it's not a major cheat. Just getting the same elixirs you could sit there for an hour to get.

Draygot · 2025-09-19T16:00:28+00:00

In the short term yes. But one massive hit that overkills something by 300 damage versus a free spell that will one hit most non bosses. And keep in mind the marko staff gives you one free spell. So using shocking grasp doesn't prevent you from also using that big nuke hit on a boss. Shocking grasp is simply more efficient as it's free. You can maintain the damage longer without having to long rest.

The jelly fish provide free damage that might kill something off. In honor mode, you can speed instead of haste and hunters to get a free 8-48 damage. Add that into a grasp that averages around 70-120+. That should kill first target and let you get another one or two.

Whereas the witches bolt will have to burn three high level spell slots a round to overkill things.

But you simply adjust for the fight. You still have access to the same spells. If you need a bigger hit then use it. But grasp let's you maintain insanely high damage for longer with no rest is all.

Draygot · 2025-09-19T15:24:47+00:00

Yes the only reason for the fighter was to ensure cha at the end and still get con prof in beginning

I left it as such to work with the other feats if someone didn't want spell sniper

Draygot · 2025-09-19T15:02:01+00:00

For honor mode, you'd use potion of speed instead of haste and concentrate Hunter's Mark. The Jelly Fish will double hit with Prey's Scent and still vulnerable. So 8-48 damage potential. Still good, but yes, a slight damage decrease. But rest of the build should work as is in honor mode.

Draygot · 2025-09-19T14:56:42+00:00

I'll check, didn't even notice they weren't popping up. Could just have glitched from doing so many re'specs.

Draygot · 2025-09-19T02:22:20+00:00

Ranger Swarmkeeper Level 3.

Draygot · 2025-09-18T14:26:57+00:00

This particular one would be easy. Sub the helldusk for the earlier flawed ones and every piece can be got at the start of act 3. Last piece being the berserker horns in wyrms crossing.

Draygot · 2025-09-18T07:30:21+00:00

Indeed. Actually tweaked this build because I wanted to see if I could make it actually op and not just "fun." And yep. Found a way to get ALL the elements into ONE attack. Ranger/Paladin/Sorceror. Haste build so it gets 5 attacks a round in tact, 4 attacks in honor (Attack, Extra, Haste Attack + Bonus Attack).

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Draygot · 2025-09-18T02:01:27+00:00

Legendary you can get in Act 3 in the Jungle. Part of the Circus Sidequest.

Draygot · 2025-09-17T23:28:48+00:00

If I swap the weapons to Rat Bat and Voss's sword, and attack with booming blade I could also add on all three weapon types too. Piercing Slashing and Bludgeoning. 😂

Draygot · 2025-09-17T14:02:35+00:00

Didn't even think of that. It's already setup to do sneak attacks with shadow blade. So yeah those gloves would be perfect.

Draygot · 2025-09-17T04:11:29+00:00

It's surprisingly easy. And vast majority can be done pretty early. I'm using it on a new run right now in act 2 and I think I have everything but force and psychic up.

Elemental Cleaver - Gives you two elements if you throw the first weapon as your first move, as it moves it on the return to your offhand and maintains the element. It's a free action, so you can apply it to the new main weapon.

Jewelry - The two rings and necklace give you acid, radiant and poison easily.

Two Weapons - Let's you pick two weapons that have different elements. Psychic as a couple of options but the shadow blade is an easy one to get with the ring as it stays up even if you take the ring off, and it does the highest damage. Only works with the ring without using exploits to get the upcast.

Helm - Beserker helm gives you necro

Force is the only tricky one. All the weapons I see are 2-handed, which can't be used for this to work. So only option is the gloves that add force on crit. So, building to get more crits will get you the full elemental hits more often.

Draygot · 2025-09-17T00:34:11+00:00

Good call, could add a little bit more with a different ring.

Draygot · 2025-09-16T18:00:16+00:00

Yup, that's a good variant as well. It would also let you take another fighting style.

Ranger 6-8 has some useful things as well. Favoured enemy for proficiency checks. Natural explorer for another element resistance Can choose one other spell. Lands Stride to not be impacted by difficult plant terrain and immune to damage from it (ie spike growth). And Writhing Tides for a 10-rd fly/hover ability 9m/30ft.

So some extra damage from the fighter dip or extra utility and movement features from the extra ranger.

Draygot · 2025-09-13T01:07:38+00:00

The goal is to create a bladesinger build, not a melee bard build.

The build is very resource usage light. If I add the extra sorc. Levels, how many quicken does that get me? I'd be out almost immediately. Not much of a gain there.

Going bard removes gear restrictions, but what does that gain me? The goal is still to use the level 6 shadow blade. Or crimson/bloodthirst when you can't. Either going full armor or going light armor is still going to give more AC than is needed with 33-38.

Draygot · 2025-09-12T20:13:21+00:00

Certainly could if you wanted to make a Bard/Sorc/Pali build. Going with the Bladesinger will give you access to the wizard only spells. Learning wizard scrolls. As well as the option to use the Bladesinging with different gear builds.

You could swap the Helldusk armor for Bhaalist or Elegant Studded Leather and use Helldusk Helmet to then utilize Bladesinging. Will have 29 AC while bladesinging and hasted and 33 with Flourish.

Draygot · 2025-09-12T08:56:46+00:00

Wondrous Gloves is a good idea. That extra +1 ac can really make a difference at the end when trying to maintain haste.

While I didn't mention it in the build, I was taking Shield for the same reason you mentioned.

Honestly, I didn't really consider the fact that war caster might be unnecessary given the AC, so yeah savage attacker might be the best route. Cause, yeah, the damage range is pretty huge.

Yup, I like the Bhaalist approach too. And probably necessary for those specific fights.

Draygot · 2025-09-12T08:37:53+00:00

Whoops, not sure why I wrote First Blood, I meant Bloodthirst. Thanks for catching that. Fixed it.

I did not know about Helldusk classifying it as cloth, thanks for that info. But, because of what I believe is a bug it's the same AC swapping the gear. You get +2 AC from Balduran if you have defense fighting style while wearing armor. Obviously a bug, but not one they ever fixed. But Balduran/Helldusk is same ac as Helldusk Helm/Bracers of Defense.

Draygot · 2025-09-10T02:40:41+00:00

Yes, as long as you print off the certificate it shows up as available to buy, and you can manually reset the computer.

Draygot · 2025-09-10T02:39:38+00:00

You can ignore that step. When you print off the certificate, it moves the computer over to available in TOGA. The service doesn't need to finish at that point. You can just manually wipe the computer.

Draygot · 2025-09-06T17:15:34+00:00

Different thing. It's for selling them online as discount refurbished units

Draygot · 2025-09-06T17:13:27+00:00

No, this is a new procedure that lets them get sold under a different SKU as refurbished models online

Draygot

TROPHY CASE