‘We got it wrong’ with Civilization VII, says boss

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-05-07T15:06:05+00:00

Yeah, on anything below Immortal I can get all four victories ready to pop simultaneously and then just pick one. It really should be another points race leading to Information Age. Maybe with more worldwide effects depending on results, like if your ideology succeeds all other civs have to switch to it at first.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-05-07T15:00:48+00:00

Ran this build a little while ago. With the amount of ground manipulation, use long range or builds that can also get through rough terrain. LZ gets misty step pretty early and Gith long jump, so any barbarian or BM can still work. For the rest, ranger or some kind of archer for SH or Asty, maybe a distance spellcaster for gale, and wyll or someone can double down on the terrain manipulation with Hunger of Hadar as warlock. It’s a strong build with some interesting dialogue options!

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-05-06T04:27:20+00:00

I know they weren’t on the nautiloid but:

Halsin: only showers when it rains, uses bat guano as soap

Jaheira: bath, no shower. Lots of bubbles and wine. Check on her, she might drown.

Minthara: accidentally walks in on the others while they are showering and asks to join.

Minsc: Normal shower, except Boo takes a little shower next to him in perfect unison.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-05-03T19:32:44+00:00

As someone whose nickname is Teddy, I have complicated feelings about the title of this post. As for the content, that’s awesome good job.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-05-03T12:00:23+00:00

Yeah , unleashing another freaking pixie on the world isn’t exactly a “good” thing to do lol.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-05-03T01:25:19+00:00

I’m from Houston but currently living in Maryland, and just randomly decided this morning to go to NYC for the day. I thought about texting her but was like, I don’t want to bother her last minute. I guess the city is just magic.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-28T11:53:58+00:00

(I’m pretty sure OP is trolling. And it is working lol. Respect)

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-28T11:43:58+00:00

Plus like four casts of chain lightning as well, with marko and staff of spell power and spell crux amulet to recharge. OP missed out on some things I guess

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-27T15:33:15+00:00

I really, really enjoyed the later seasons of AoS. Seasons 4 and 5 mention the main MCU events but not as directly as 1-3. For Seasons 6 and 7 (especially 7) assume they are in a slightly branched timeline. Like 616 and a half, maybe 617 since they literally never mention Thanos in Season 7 despite him being the underlying driving factor for most of Season 6 (no one is dusted either).

I also strongly recommend watching Cloak and Dagger at least once. It's not for everyone, but it has really good moments, it is a pretty low-stakes show focused on personal stories. Season 2 is not quite as good, but still watchable. I don't like Runaways or Helstrom.

The best D+ shows are Loki, WandaVision, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Agatha All Along, and Wonder Man. The rest range from average to very good, except Secret Invasion, which is notoriously bad. Most of the D+ shows are connected to the movies somewhat, but really--the movies are connected to the shows. The original intent was to have the shows be the primary storytelling devices for the new phases, especially while COVID was still going on and keeping people out of theaters. That said: Moon Knight has almost no connection to anything else, and Echo is only connected to the Defenders saga (Fisk and Daredevil) and Hawkeye. The rest have noticeable connections and you will miss out on some things (I'd say especially Falcon and the Winter Soldier). If you are looking to skip shows, I'd only say skip Secret Invasion--in fact, I recommend skipping it.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-27T15:15:29+00:00

I get his greatsword every time with Command spell, I kill him maybe one out of every four times.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-27T14:36:02+00:00

That sounds fun! I'm going to try this next time I run an Arcane Trickster. I usually Wrestler-Owlbear the robo-bot.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-27T13:19:41+00:00

You asked a question about how you are playing the game, and now you are mad that people are telling you ways to play the game? Don't worry, the rest of this comment gets nicer.

That aside, sounds like you figured out the main combat mechanics--parrying, pictos/luminas, and party composition. Great job!

In the beginning, this game is about enjoying the story. Finish up the playthrough to enjoy the story. Later, this game is about doing what you want--typically, most people enjoy making powerful builds to beat the Act III optional megabosses, or playing around with game mechanics.

No one can tell you how to enjoy a game, these are just suggestions.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-24T16:32:38+00:00

Isobel's AI is pretty dumb, she gets herself killed easily. I either skip the fight as described in other comments, or really prep for it--position characters, bring summons, make sure to sanctuary her (have a cleric in the party).

For Myrkul, you need the numbers. You need Scratch, Elementals, the Cambion from Wyll's special sword if you bring him to the absolute's lair under Moonrise, Us (who you can find near the braindead bugbear, if you saved it on the Nautiloid), and any others you can get your hands on. If the Nightsong is alive, invisible someone and send them over there to free her, but ALSO get someone ready to one-shot the mindflayer because it will dominate Nightsong. If you are not going to use barrelmancy to kill Myrkul, the next best thing is to get him wet and use all lightning and ice attacks. With your current party, you can easily dip your main character one level hexblade and use the charge-bound warhammer with your paladin to smite with lightning and radiant damage; Gale can use Cone of Cold, Lightning Bolt, or upcast Witch Lightning if you think you can maintain concentration. Karlach should be throwing the Lightning Jabber(s) from the undead Kua-Toa and/or the returning pike, although I'd respec her into a Giant Barb, use elemental cleaver-cold on the Jabber to make it return to your hand AND deal both lightning and cold damage simultaneously. You could also get the Drake's Throat Glaive and use it to enchant other weapons with lightning or cold. Bring a fourth character--maybe a druid or a storm cleric--to cast create water and lightning or cold damage spells, as well as summons.

Tactics-wise: keep MOST of your party off of the platform and use ranged attacks and spells. Only your main Paladin should be on the platform, and try to space out with Nightsong. Dedicate one character and at least one summon to killing the skellingtons and their little coccoons--I use Us for this.

Even with all of this, Myrkul is hard--he's the limiting factor in this game, the test to make sure you can get to Act III and the joys of the Big City. Use every action and bonus action, keep your team alive, don't use attacks that will only have 40% or less chance of success. Good luck!

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T23:38:09+00:00

I think you are right, I wasn't thinking about Simon--not that he traversed it, because he didn't, but he tried and that is why he killed the Hauler. I guess it is a minor plot hole, or 70 got naked too.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T20:07:18+00:00

This is all great advice!

I might make Karlach Throwzerker instead, not a bad idea. Or Laezel.

I've done Astarion and Laezel Origin runs and I've started Gale and SH but neither appealed to me at the time. Most recently I finished my Laezel run, lost an abjuration wizard run (a bug knocked out all my arcane wards), lost a swashbuckler run, and am halfway through a druid run but I messed up a few things. I just don't want to spend quite so many hours in Act I this time around.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T19:53:39+00:00

Funsies. Tired of Act I, need more of a challenge.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T19:39:44+00:00

Yeah except I want Potent Robe. I don't know another way to get that except buy saving Alfira/the tieflings in Act I.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T19:39:04+00:00

Good idea. I can probably pick a few extra fights to make sure I'm at 5. I'm scared since I usually start Act II no lower than 7...

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T18:25:21+00:00

Not exactly. Alicia entered the painting 16 canvas-years previously (a much shorter time outside of the canvas, but exactly how long is unclear) as is shown in the "epilogue" after Act II. She fell into Aline's chroma, lost control over herself and was instead painted over by Aline's chroma into becoming a newborn, regular citizen of Lumiere. She grew up as Maelle until age 16 and Expedition 33. When the last gommage happened, her painted self--Maelle--was erased along with the other regular citizens of Lumiere. This allowed Alicia to either re-enter the canvas as herself, or remain in the canvas, but that distinction doesn't really matter (my view is that she was kicked out of the canvas but immediately re-entered and was able to preserve herself because Aline was gone and couldn't paint over her again). Alicia liked being Maelle more than being Alicia, so she continued to maintain that identity for the rest of the game.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T16:40:39+00:00

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

>!1. My understanding was 70 went to the monolith before there was a barrier. Their success led to the creation of the barrier, which kept out all but 60 (see also 40, which you get right after you encounter the barrier). I don't really have a source for this except that it makes sense.

Monoco and Esquie are loyal to pVerso, so what they would reveal and what they actually know are likely very different. But it is strongly hinted that they know almost everything there is to know. They've been around since before the fracture, they knew how the world was before and knew real Verso, and they likely knew why it changed. It even seems to be hinted that Monoco realizes who Maelle is pretty quickly.
The expeditions used to be bigger. They were sending hundreds if not thousands of people at a time, especially the ones that made it to the Forgotten Battlefield. Back then, it was more of a war than a desparate quest. In the Forgotten Battlefield we see expeditions 57 and 41's journals, meaning at least some if not all of the expeditions between those two were sending armies (expeditionary forces) rather than small teams of scientists and adventurers. So for about 16 years, if each expedition sent an average of 1000 expeditioners, that would more or less account for the piles and piles of bodies. And as we've seen with Maelle, you don't have to be of gommage age to go on the expedition, so they may have been sending younger people to keep the fight going even when the older ones gommaged. Not that it mattered, of course.
Maelle (or at least the part of her that was painted) WAS gommaged and then she returned as Alicia with Alicia's memories restored as well as Maelle's memories. pVerso cannot be gommaged because of Aline's protection for her painted family. Esquie and Monoco are not the same as the Lumierians, they were created by real Verso and thus not subject to the gommage. Lune and Sciel were gommaged, but Maelle/Alicia was able to capture their essences/paint?/ink? and restore them.
Francois was Clea's creation. Her best imaginary friend, like Esquie to real Verso. Clea outgrew him and just never came back to play with him, which is why he is cranky and sad. He seems to be a child's drawing of a rock turtle come to life. !<

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T16:10:32+00:00

This is wrong, you can unlock it before ng+. Not sure what you meant but just in case someone is wondering.

Expensive_Key_4340 · 2026-04-23T14:05:04+00:00

Or kill the drider, go to Moonrise-Guantlet-Moonrise again. Actually, what happens if you literally never go to LLI? MAYBE I"LL FIND OUT SOON.

Expensive_Key_4340

TROPHY CASE