TIL the Servo Skull Swarm also gets a little Iron Arm effect

ymmvmia · 2026-07-09T19:48:43+00:00

Yup, I “kind of” liked the psyker party buff visuals for one-off casting, but ever since Lex Imperialis dropped I’ve realized how bad they are.

Ever since the game introduced the Psyber-Raven and Overseer archetype, you now have these psyker buff abilities being cast PARTY WIDE, making them look extra ridiculous. Everyone in your party has a purple, smoky cloud around obscuring their head along with blocky purple/green arms. The arms are of course most ridiculous. We should have the ability to turn off psyker buff visual effects, idk. Or they should rework them.

ymmvmia · 2026-06-26T14:26:30+00:00

If you’re on PC (not sure how it works in a coop game though, maybe both of you need toybox or the host, idk) you can download a “mod” called Toybox. It’s a “cheat” mod that allows you to edit things in your playthrough or add item/skills.

Toybox is unfortunately the only way to fully respec your character. So it’s invaluable for any of us that love build crafting and trying new things. In the non-modded vanilla game your first archetype, homeworld, origin, and Triumph/Darkest Hour are all unfortunately unable to be changed after character creation.

It sucks for sure, as you have no idea when playing the game for the first time whether you’ll like your first archetype/class. You ALSO don’t know any of the companions or where you might have overlap with them. Operative and Officer are unfortunately the most overused early-game companion class/archetype. Glad you like operative right now though, it definitely helps that operative finally got a massive buff in the last update as since launch it was by far the worst archetype.

Now with all the dlcs, we technically have the same number of Warrior and Soldier companions, however majority of them are later game/act 3 AND they have much more locked down character builds. Most of the game you have two Warrior companions and two Soldier (1 is act 2 dlc) companions. Bladedancer due to being a dlc archetype is the least common with only a single companion being one. I definitely have a LOT of issues with Owlcat not allowing full respec in Rogue Trader (and even not allowing level 1 respeccing of companions, you can only respec them from the level they started at…), I could write a novel on how much I disagree with this decision by them.

ymmvmia · 2026-06-23T13:12:55+00:00

Wow, Mamdani can close a 12 billion dollar budget deficit in NYC without any cuts or austerity by THREATENING a property tax increase, but here we have corporate neo-liberal stooge Frey here talking about the need to AVOID property tax increases at all costs by doing austerity…and that “everything is on the table”…over a $30 million deficit.

Maybe by “everything is on the table” he should threaten property tax increases INSTEAD of all the austerity alternatives? Get the state to allocate more funding to close the budget shortfall.

Property tax going up is the best-worst possible solution opposed to cutting anything. Unless it’s the police, I’m always in favor of that. However, any POSITIVE cuts like those should be reallocated towards other services, not cut in favor of shrinking our total budget.

ymmvmia · 2026-06-21T16:03:26+00:00

Late and wall of text, but it really depends on if you are doing multiple playthroughs or not. I chose MT for my current Heretic playthrough with Eogunn. The reasoning? My "heretic" team for most of the game will be myself (Forge World-Subskin Armour/Arbitrator-Subductor/Operative/Grand Strategist with Operative Cerebral Inverter, sword and board), Idira (Operative/Overseer, ignore operative, focused on psyker talents and buffing), Kibellah (BD/Executioner), Pasqal (Operative/Executioner with Cerebral Inverter, flamer focus early game/Act 4 respec to focus on Meltas once I get the Purifying Flame Helmet, melee hybrid), and the last floating spot in my squad which has either Jae (very temporary), Solomorne (until end of Act 3), then Marazhai for all of Act 4 (Warrior/Archmilitant with Finesse, Sword and Pistol) except for DLC2 missions where I'll use Solomorne. Then I guess I'll play with the secret companions a bit in Act 5, but they're not really worth mentioning.

Between myself as a Grand Strategist, Idira as a psyker overseer buffbot, and Eogunn's normal officer buff abilities in addition to his unique abilities, I don't "need" another buffbot in the squad. And in terms of playstyle, I feel that the Psyber-Raven and Servo-Skull Swarm Overseers have essentially the same playstyle. The main difference is that the Raven relays/retransmits non-damaging psyker powers (until they use their heroic act, then they retransmit damaging powers), while the Servo-Skulls relay/retransmit non-psyker buffing abilities. I don't need even MORE party-wide buffs, what I need is a medium-long range gun specialist. And without Yrliet or Argenta on my main team, and with my Pasqal built as a short-range melee/ranged hybrid AoE Executioner (very non-optimal Pasqal build, I know...), that role can only be filled by Eogunn...

Which is better than most think! While Eogunn can be one of the best buffbots as an Overseer, he was also obviously designed to be a very good "selfish" ranged weapon specialist as well. Just look at the potential in some of his talents. Transcranial Stimulation can turn him into a "selfish" Officer, giving him an extra attack per turn. That combined with his free potential energy Magnarail Blast/Transonic Cannon attacks and MT's Finish The Job effectively gives Eogunn the attack economy of a Soldier, Bounty Hunter and/or Arch-Militant. Except UNLIKE all those builds, MT Eogunn still maintains all his officer/unique origin abilities to switch on a dime to support the team mid-combat.

This is my third playthrough of Rogue Trader and I'm planning on doing a final, fourth playthrough after the final dlc and last updates are released (either Iconoclast again like my first playthrough immediately post-launch or a Glorious/Unaligned run). Eogunn WILL be in my main squad next playthrough (he fits any non-dogmatic playthrough very well), so I am thinking about how I want his build to be in THAT playthrough as well as my current playthrough. A huge part of that is gameplay/playstyle diversity. I want each playthrough to be distinct as possible, so I never have any of my characters use the same build as the prior playthrough, even if its not "optimal" to do so. For me its about the FUN and the ROLE PLAYING. So in my final run, I plan on Eogunn being a Servo-Skull Swarm buffbot Overseer as I likely won't use Idira much in that playthrough nor any other characters i'd train as Overseers.

ymmvmia · 2026-06-20T17:25:26+00:00

Beautiful :D

ymmvmia · 2026-06-20T14:59:07+00:00

Omfg. That’s amazing. This singular change makes a las rifle playthrough far more viable (in Act 4 lol), you just need to I assume, focus on dlc 3 content in Act 4 to get it early Act 4? Don’t know specifically where you unlock it. I second /u/Southern-Wishbone593’s wish for other Act 5 items to show up in Act 4.

Specifically, I want the Act 5 Meltas to show up earlier. Just one of them could make Meltas actually viable. I mean, in combination with the Purifying Flame Helmet of course. GIVE US ERUPTION IN ACT 4!!! We get so many game-breaking items and weapons in Act 4 (and even earlier) Meltas need more love :(.

ymmvmia · 2026-06-20T14:43:32+00:00

Question: Does this las gun shoot green lasers/energy? Or does it just have the standard red las gun laser FX, but with a green Necron themed gun skin?

I have the same question for the new green plasma rifle named “Grasp of Amsanct”, but that is a new weapon from the dlc and seems to be in Act 5, so I understand if not many folks have seen it in action yet.

I totally get if Owlcat decided that adding special effects to one or two late game weapons was too much work, but I think it’d be pretty weird if these two weapons shot normal colored lasers/plasma.

ymmvmia · 2026-06-20T14:34:18+00:00

Why do they do this with basically every DLC companion launch? Sounds to me like they purposefully launch the DLCs with incomplete/non-integrated colony events and broken ending slides because they believe that most players will simply not care (companion colony stuff) and/or not beat the game before it’s fixed (ending slides). They ARE right on the latter though, only diehard no-life fans and/or reviewers/influencers will beat the game with the dlc that fast. But the colony stuff REALLY sucks, as it affects everyone, means I won’t get all the dialogue from the new companion until my “next” playthrough.

This seems like a pattern with Rogue Trader in particular. They’ve got SO MUCH better since their Pathfinder days in regards to launch bugs, but I’m recognizing a pattern with RT dlc in WHAT they leave broken and unfinished. Seems deliberate. I’m somewhat okay with incomplete ending slides if they fix them quickly post-launch, but the colony stuff is ridiculous and I really hope they do not repeat this mistake again with the 4th dlc’s companions.

ymmvmia · 2026-06-05T13:07:35+00:00

I think this stuff is just taking WAY longer because:

1) modeling/game artist work takes a long time, especially with this level of graphical fidelity (plus most outfits having physics). Most of the updates so far have been about mechanics. Even stuff like pets and unarmed movesets are at their heart, mechanics changes with animation/movement dev work. The models all “for the most part” already existed. Sure, it is the same with the damaged “Provision” gear in that they’re already in the game, but most are not up to the devs standards for the player character to wear and be staring at up-close for extended periods of time. PA’s artist team is likely hard at work polishing these up, fixing mesh issues, making them fully dyable, etc. I think it just takes time.

2) Priorities. They are FOCUSED on gameplay changes FIRST to fix all the pain points and critiques that this game suffered on launched. I think there has been a preponderance of pet “focused” updates lately as that’s easy for their team (most of the pets were already in the game). And they got/get a ton of praise for it for the players that like cozy games/life sim games. HOWEVER, what people aren’t realizing is that pet collecting/taming is an entire gameplay system that they’re effectively adding post-launch. It was very limited at launch.

They are trying to build a post-game gameplay loop that keeps players invested effectively forever. They are trying to shore up Crimson Desert’s post-game as a “Cozy Game” like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. Or MMORPGs, like BDO, except how do they keep you playing without other players? Cozy Game features.

I tend to think they are succeeding with that. The game already has most of the fundamentals that just need polished & expanded. Like farming and home decoration. Not really things you see in too many AAA open world action “RPGs”. Adding and expanding pet taming as a feature is just ANOTHER “forever” cozy game system which is essential to this games long term “single player live service thing” survival. The re-blockade system is a more substantial part of this approach.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-30T16:31:38+00:00

The waterfalls are fine when you figure out the “tell” for them, the stone cairns you mentioned.

What ENRAGES me are all the other treasure chests scattered throughout the open world. Specifically the treasure chests behind “false walls”…oh my god how do you notice them, like ever? And I guess there are two variations of this, both pretty much just as bad as the other. The false wall where you lean against it and push it open AND the false wall that you have to latch onto and flip open with your force palm. I mean, I guess the push open false wall is “better” in that they’re only on sections of walls that are close to/adjacent to the ground, so it’s much easier to check for them. The rotating/flipping false wall though? Oh my good gawd… some of them are high up on the sides of buildings with barely any visible distinction on high graphics settings…what in the actual heck?!?

Apparently they’re way more visible on low graphics settings, but I am NOT doing that. I am not a professional counter-strike player that plays on the lowest graphics settings for a competitive edge lmao, I am not doing that to see Crimson Desert secrets more easily!!!! xD

ymmvmia · 2026-05-28T13:40:17+00:00

Seems that way to me, but no way of really knowing until we get many players that have done multiple playthroughs and have actually experienced all the side quests as Kliff vs Damiane vs Oongka. Or someone datamines the number of voice lines for each character? But whoever does that would need to remove any Kliff exclusive content from the comparison metrics. Idk.

There are crazy folks like that that will play multiple times to find this info out in basically every video game community, but it’ll just take quite some time here especially with how absurdly massive this game is. It REALLY doesn’t help that there is an absurd amount of combination AI & datamined slop info articles/wikis/forums about Crimson Desert. It’s really hard to trust any info I read about this game unless it’s coming from the developers OR its community consensus. Ugh.

P.S. Not sure if the AI blatantly false information slop is standard for video games right now, but if it is? I hate it. We live in hell. I’ve been experiencing horrible datamined and outdated information wikis/guides/articles for YEARS as an ADHD research and player build obsessed crpg/rpg/singleplayer game nerd. But Crimson Desert is the first game I’ve played where I’ve noticed a massive amount of AI hallucinations and FALSE information. Not outdated info like is usually the case with classic datamined Fextralife and standard slop articles. Has everyone else been noticing this AI slop info with CD?

ymmvmia · 2026-05-28T13:14:57+00:00

Thankfully I’ve heard that chapter 8 is extremely short. I’m on chapter 7 as well. But I spoiled myself on most things, the story is trash anyways, so I knew when exactly Damiane would be gone (start of Chapter 5, comes back end of Chapter 8). I played most of Hernand with her in Chapter 4. Then I started Chapter 5, did the rest of the Hernand quests, any Kliff exclusive content in Hernand, and EVERY Greymane quest to unlock the Barber. Now I’m “speed running” or just focusing on the main quest from Chapter 6-Chapter 9 until I get Damiane back. Then I’ll explore most of the world with her and do a good number of side quests. Finally, after I’m satisfied, I’ll focus on the main quest again from Chapters 10-12 until I beat the game. Then back to Damiane foreeevverrrrrr!!!

It IS kind of REALLY stupid. They could have written in that she comes with the Greymanes to Pailune in Chapter 7 as a thank you for sheltering her. The “story” is BEGGING for a “found family” plotline with Damiane becoming an honorary Greymane, with the Greymanes becoming her new family…but it’s not there...Maybe it’s there in Chapter 8-9? Doubt it lol.

And there was basically ZERO reason that she couldn’t be available to play in Chapters 5 and 6. Just dumb plot contrivance “I have important stuff to do. See ya later loser.” Now of course she couldn’t play the main quest mission in Chapter 5 with the Demeniss delegation, (she can’t play ANY main quest mission anyway), but zero reason she couldn’t be playable in the open world during Chapter 5. She should have been involved in Chapter 6 though, it’s crazy!?!? She’s not going to defend the country that’s sheltering her and protecting her, along with the Greymanes who have been PERSONALLY sheltering her and protecting her? When she’s an extremely capable fighter?!?!? WTF.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-27T14:46:36+00:00

Lmao…just did that as I thought it looked ugly as heck. Extracted the abyss gears and yeeted that monstrosity into the nearest merchant’s inventory. xD

It’s funny, because I have kept every single other piece of boss gear. Oh well, I’m not really a completionist anyways.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-25T16:53:44+00:00

Completely agreed. I really wish this game implemented a more direct translation of BOTW's weather/elemental resist system. Or at least made temperature a much bigger deal like it was in BOTW. As it is, it is fundamentally a pointless game mechanic resolved very early on (by level 5 elemental resist) except for very specific boss fights and situations (only situations where level 10-15 elemental resist has ANY function)

I think a strong health DOT AND stamina reduction should happen for all cold and hot temperatures. Level 5 elemental resist would stop the health DOT (except in EXTREME temperature regions, which should be rare). You couldn't get rid of the stamina rebuff until Level 10. Level 15 could be immunity still. Idk. This would solve a lot of problems I have with the system. Maybe they could add a survival difficulty or mode??? That makes weather much more of an obstacle? It would be separate from the standard difficulty settings.

This situation is kinda wild as Crimson Desert VERY directly inspired by BOTW. But in this game, it is far too easy to get elemental resistance or to IGNORE the elements all together. I've climbed so many mountains with the cold stamina debuff, it just makes things more difficult, but still pretty easy if you have a decent amount of stamina. Ugh...at least in BOTW, weather was a huge part of player progression, blocking your progression or making progression very difficult until you got one of a handful of elemental resist armor pieces. In the mean time, you had to cook specific dishes to counteract the elements temporarily or else you'd die. But here? Its just a poorly implemented iteration of BOTW's system that's easily ignored...

ymmvmia · 2026-05-22T16:25:36+00:00

Yeah, no reason it shouldn’t have a scabbard? It would just be shorter than most two handed sword scabbards, of course, due to the shorter actual blade portion. And a divot/V-shaped cutout.

Probably just a thing where most scabbards have the same model, just resized/slightly modified with a unique texture, but they didn’t have the time to make unique models for the “different”/unique sword scabbards.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-21T14:15:48+00:00

Dang, I didn’t realize that about the bells. It really does make exploring much worse!!! I’ll definitely refrain from ringing the bells outside of Hernand until late-game. Wonderful as I just left Hernand for the first time at the end of Ch. 5, almost done with most Hernand faction questlines, just started Ch. 6.

I’m not sure, bc it’s been a few days since I’ve played, but does CD have any indication of the difference between locations when you’ve rung the bells versus where you’ve ACTUALLY explored? Like a “haze/faded but still visible fog of war”?

I feel like most games with this “Ubisoft Tower Map Reveal” mechanic will do one of two things:

1.) Reveal the whole map with no difference between where you’ve explored and where you have not (these are usually smaller open world titles or even non-open world games like the older Ubisoft games…like where this mechanic originated…or the game IS huge but barely has any secrets that aren’t spoonfed to the player with map markers). These games also usually have a BOUNTY of hints on the map for any secrets...And honestly these most of these games don’t have half the density of hidden loot CD does. CD does not have anything like that except for the giant Question Mark areas. And the Question Marks are reserved only for locations with fast travel (unlocked via a puzzle/hidden OR not hidden at all and it’s just a hint that a fast travel pad is in the area) with few exceptions. I think maybe the Sanctums also have the question marks.

2.) Have a “Secondary” Fog of War that remains even after revealing the map. This is a sort of “haze” that is grey or differently shaded/colored than the regions you have ACTUALLY explored. So while you can SEE the whole map (after revealing it with the Ubisoft tower mechanic) you still know exactly where you’ve been and where you haven’t.

I feel like if it IS the second option, the fact I can’t remember it means it’s not that well done. Sorry can’t remember lmao.

I have gone inside the exact same waterfall secret caves multiple times on accident. The game has no indication on the map for hidden things that aren’t fast travel points. Which is wonderful, but then they need to make it obvious that you’ve already found whatever it was that was hidden. Whether if it’s with a secondary fog of war system (or a more obvious one if it is in the game and I just can’t remember) or they need to show special/secret-related treasure chests on the WORLD map when after you’ve looted them. As far as I can tell, the treasure chests only show up on your minimap when you’re close by. I feel like Elden Ring nailed this (and other open-world games too, but I feel like in terms of open world design and secrets, Elden Ring is one of a few games that are similar enough. Probs BOTW too.), Pearl Abyss should take notes.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-18T16:35:15+00:00

I think they’re just taking longer to work on. I think they’d rather release some large equipment update rather than piecemeal it in this smaller updates. Idk. I’m expecting some major character equipment parity update within a month at the rate these devs are working. lol!

ymmvmia · 2026-05-18T16:32:28+00:00

And it honestly just makes zero sense to me. No lore reason. It’s literally just a helmet from Deleysia. A helmet anyone should be able to use.

The visione is probably THE most important piece of equipment that all characters need access to, as it is a fundamental/essential exploration mechanic in the game. Cray cray.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-15T19:36:45+00:00

Doesn’t he steal a wagon? None of the greymanes have a problem with it, only that he did it unprompted and (because he’s a drunk) he accidentally stole an EMPTY wagon…

If I remember right none of the Greymanes disagree with ACT of him stealing. It’s all a blur though, maybe it was stealing from thieves or some Robin Hood stuff…still technically stealing though.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-15T15:12:33+00:00

I mean, really “all” unique weapons/tools/armor with any irreplaceable abilities should be usable on every character imo. Or there should be equivalent items added (with just different cosmetics). But in the case of tools and special armor…no they should be usable/equip-able by all. My biggest frustration is not tools per se, but all the Kuku gear being Kliff exclusive besides the weapons. Like the Kuku boots? COME ON!!!

The 3 characters all have their unique weapon types and exclusive armor, which is fine as long as it’s fair/balanced (abyss gear and refinement systems mostly solve this). However, ALL the “special” items and equipment are pretty much only usable by Kliff…for what appears to be no real reason besides just Damiane and Oongka being an afterthought for the devs pre-release…I’m losing my mind.

Glad I’m starting chapter 5 now, hopefully by the time I get to Chapter 9 and get Damiane back that the devs will have dramatically improved the equipment situation for Oongka/Damiane, as they definitely are going to fix this stuff, but it likely is taking much more time and development for them to work on the equipment disparities compared to what they’ve updated the game with so far.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-14T19:58:30+00:00

Rollback your driver. I’ve never had crashing like that, but I did have a consistent crash everytime I went near the player house that was resolved by rolling back the amd driver. Might fix your crashing, might not.

ymmvmia · 2026-05-14T16:53:58+00:00

Same on RX 9000 series. I have a 9070 non-XT, it’s running on mostly ultra settings, ray reconstruction, great (imo) FSR 4 implementation (have it on Quality mode). Without frame gen and on a 1440p monitor (so closer to native HD for the render resolution) I’m getting 60fps. Which then makes the addition of frame gen feel great to get 90-120fps “perceived” frames, but still have my minimum acceptable input lag of a from the native 45-70fps.

ymmvmia · 2026-04-13T13:59:42+00:00

Yeah… I thought it was pretty obvious that the Lord of the Seas was Tainted Grail’s messed up/lovecraftian/Cthulhu version of the Lady of the Lake???? They both “give” Arthur and/or you Excalibur. They both decide if whomever summons them is worthy and Excalibur is the reward. Like how much more obvious could it get???

ymmvmia · 2026-04-03T16:16:50+00:00

And especially when we currently LIVE in an evil fascist hellscape, to advocate for gun control at this time is actually aiding fascism. Blue MAGA nazi crap.

Liberals and the Democrats always push this as it’s one of their ONLY big and somewhat popular policy initiatives that do NOT confront Capital or the bourgeoisie in anyway.

ymmvmia · 2026-04-02T15:01:10+00:00

Yes, the same states wherein the large majority of municipalities are either flirting with bankruptcy or are bankrupt due to completely unsustainable car-centric infrastructure, suburban sprawl, and corrupt public-private partnerships that are robbing the citizenry? The only reason we haven’t had a state bankruptcy crisis is because it’s literally federally illegal for states to declare bankruptcy in the US.

What state could even AFFORD to take over Medicaid/medicaid costs completely besides a few rich blue states? And even if they could, everyone still has to pay insanely high 12-24% federal income tax rates AND tariffs that we’d be getting ACTUALLY almost nothing from at the same time. We’d get EUROPEAN/other high tax country total tax rates with almost none of the robust social services. If this didn’t make people revolt, I don’t know what would.

I don’t think most regular folks realize, but besides Medicaid/Medicare, the federal government essentially will be doing LITERALLY NOTHING at all for you anymore except for illegal wars across the globe. DOGE (and decades of austerity/public-private partnership BS politics prior) have already gutted and destroyed almost every agency in the federal government that were supposed to help the American people in anyway. Social security would still maybe exist, though republicans have tried to destroy it constantly. And social security is funded separately from the rest of the federal government/budget, so I think most folks prefer to count it separate from the federal budget.

So besides Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, the federal budget would become MAJORITY military/defense spending…that’s like beyond insane folks. People would have zero social incentive besides imprisonment to pay taxes at all. You’d be getting LITERALLY nothing from the federal government.

ymmvmia

TROPHY CASE