Do you want more info on Deadfire? Check out this brilliant guide written by Thelee: gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/227477-pillars-of-eternity-ii-deadfire/faqs/76599

The Pillars of Eternity series are my favorite CRPGs. Good show

Obsidian set a new standard in world building with Pillars of Eternity. It's incredibly deep and well crafted. Hell, it's so good, it makes reading the books you find compelling. I can't overstate how much I love exploring this game's world and learning its history.

Looking forward to seeing more broad CRPG content on this channel in the future, Aestus! The tactical depth from your BG3 videos has really peaked my interest in the genre.

Deadfire perfected RTwP. Loved everything about combat in this game.

This game is GREAT - I played it several times and I'd say this and Wasteland 3 are probably the most modern 10/10 cRPGs other than BG3. Yeah, none of them have the same production value, but they have good enough production values, great writting, player agency, etc.

After hearing you gush about your favorite games in your QnA video I have definitely had an interest in trying this one out! it's also on sale right now so I'll 100% be grabbing it :]

this is one of the few fantasy games that actually has !CULTURE!

I'd love it if you made content for the game. The current stuff on YT is very old or poorly researched

The Venn Diagram overlap between "Aestus RPG subscriber" and "wants something to play after BG3" is probably so large that the diagram looks like one big circle instead of two 😅

Yes! Ended up bouncing off BG3 at release and sinking a ton of time into Deadfire instead. Finally got back into BG3 this last month and found your build and tier videos a world apart from the other stuff that gets put out. So pleased to see you give Deadfire its due praise. If you didn’t already know, Josh Sawyer has a bunch of talks going into the design of the game and systems that are really enlightening.

I always say this! Deadfire is also one of my all time favorites, and has one of the best class/multiclass systems ever. Incredible writing. Great art, stunning detail. So underrated.

Decided to replay this game with all the DLC's after dropping it on release years ago. Would 100% recommend to RPG fan

Thanks for making this. I was looking for something to play after Elden Ring and ended up picking this game. First ever CRPG

So happy to see more people putting on for Pillars. Such great games with unmatched atmosphere and world building.

Decided to give this a shot after burning out on BG3. Pretty fun and steeply discounted right now on steam.

You motivated me to give Deadfire another playthrough after marathoning Pathfinder for the last couple of weeks.

No way! Deadfire is my favourite CRPG too :D glad you give the series some time in the spotlight.

Loving your pillars content mate. It's my favourite series of all time. Just doing my second playthrough now on deadfire with a Pure priest(Berath) RPGDivision build. This will be my first playthrough since 2018 mate. Love this game. Thanks for the content bro!

Thanks for the guide, going to give POE2 another shot. I'll also watch all of the companion guides as they come out!

Same dude. Poe2 is my most favourite computer game of all time. Story, world building, vibes, graphics, music all combined make it great.

man... I played this game everyday for hundreds of hours back then. My top 10 game of all time for sure. Hopefully Josh Sawyer gets his 100 mil for Pillars 3

Played this one for quite a few hours last year leading up to BG3. Enjoyed myself but never picked it back up. Will reinstall and rectify that with a fresh campaign. Thanks for the reminder of this underrated game

Avowed and KCD2 releasing within a week of each other is nuts. I will be in heaven come February

Why not make some more guides for Pillars 2? Like best classes and skills for companions, best items etc? Would be usefull I'm sure. I need to replay Pillars 2 myself, as it has been a while and I don't remember all that much at this point.

PoE2 always did have a special place in my heart. Great video

Such an amazing game. The music, voice acting, combat.

I played the first Pillars of Eternity and loved it. Fantastic world building and the overall story/themes were fantastic. But for some reason, i never got around to playing Deadfire . . . I need to remedy that!

Pillars of Eternity is in my top 10. It’s my most played game on switch. I just started dead fire because I didn’t have a PC until recently and I’m so exited to get into it!

POE 2 and 1 are my most played games on steam in that order. Fantastic games that i will cherish for the rest of my life.

PoE’s classes are so cool - Ciphers have my favorite flavor of any caster class I’ve come across

I'd love to see some build guides for this one! (Or even a playthrough)

That was very comprehensive. Thanks. Now maybe i'll get around to finishing Pillars 1.

Pillars 2 is my personal favorite CRPG of recent memory, followed by Pathfinder WOR.

Already loved the game (and thought it was such a tremendous step up from the first game), but really enjoyed the video and still learned quite a bit from it. Cheers from a new subscriber!

I also love Deadfire. Thank you for making this guide!

Deadfire is easily one of my favourite, if not my favourite, crpg. Would love some build videos!

And I just started a few days ago. Perfect timing. Monks ftw! And oh playing this game in auto perfecting my script system and seeing it as it works out is so satisfying.

Got this yesterday after watching and loving this game so far! You're bg3 vids probably got an extra run or two of that game out of me, so surely more vids here? At the very least to dilute fextralife's content on this game haha

Pillars feels like a work of literature with gameplay.... and with good gameplay! the writing on this game is insane

This is an underrated classic here’s to hoping avowed is everything we want it to be

POE brought us the classic crpg format back, i will always be thankful for that alone. Furthermore, POE1 and the dlc despite treading too closely to the bg1&2 formula, have really heartbreaking stories and amazing characters to discover. While a lot of time i was cringing in bg3, too effing woke, i never once did with poe, still have my save, maybe i should import it.

Well done. This game is a masterpiece. I pray for POE3.

The scripting system combined with RTWP makes it so I can breeze through a lot of the easier encounters with minimal micromanagement, which I've always loved about POE.

Never played BG3 because it's not on game pass .. but this POE game is and after watching 40mins of this video I noticed it took that long to get to the game. I don't know if I want to try it now lol... Way too much to set up and understand. But it's free so I'll try it when I have a whole day.😂

been playing this game after playing through pillars of eternity and absolutely love it. makes no sense to me that the game sold purely, the game is on the same level as baldur's gate 3, argueably even better. TB combat also works great if you really want to try it. I'm really excited to play avowed and experience the world of Eora in full 3d firstperson

Aestus, no joke just finished checking out Amon Amarth's 'somewhat' recent song "Saxons and Vikings" and I thought about your channel, several months after I asked if you would be doing Deadfire content and 19 hours after it drops here I see it after specifically searching for your channel. Almost ghostly in a way, lets get after it guys! Lavaru bion sik!!!!

I had no idea Avowed was linked to PoE, I tried playing PoE back in the day but I couldn’t get into the real time with pause, I love proper turn based games

Always been a fan of Pillars! I backed the first one on kickstarter back in the day

Deadfire hive! We are here! Clear Skies, Rauatai!

Pillars games easily beat out BG3 for me. While Larian has the cinematic advantage going for them I just don't think their writers are that great. Like you said maybe they were held back a bit by forgotten realms but honestly even their divinity games felt a little too goofy/marvely and it was hard for me find them as interesting or take them as seriously. BG3 is still a great game that I'd give prob an 8.5/10 but I see it as a more mainstream appeal and a good way to get people who have never played that type of game an easy entry into the genre. But for me who has played almost all the major crpgs it is noticbly lacking in certain areas that I find more important.

"streets ahead" I see you are a comunity fan as well hahah Great video btw

Tried POE once and didnt love it but since I saw this video I am now about 10hrs into POE and am gonna play deadfire right after. So far am loving the original this time around and am excited to play 2 afterwards.

I downloaded the games again and will do a new run for POE 1 and 2. It was ages since I played. However I have been thinking in the past few days since first watching this video, of why I like BG3 so much. While I agree with you about story and setting, for me I think it is the incredible systems in BG3, both in and out of combat. One example of this is the throwing mechanic. In many games you can use throwing weapons in combat, but in BG3 they built a whole system where you can throw lots of other things using the same mechanic, like potions. Potions also create a cloud when broken. You can then use this system in so many ways in combat, creating tactical depth. This is especially true when playing solo, where you really need to use all these tactics to make it. Anyway I look forward to some POE1 and 2 runs. I just need to remember how it worked :)

Reminds me of the original baldurs gate....love it

Ha, I watched this last night and this morning I remembered it was the steam sale. Got the whole 1 and 2 with all DLC for about $25. Now I just have to finish my leisurely walk through Baldurs Gate 3. I'm over 300 hours of play time, and I've just completed the Iron Throne. I've had it since early access, so I've played at least 150 hours up to level 5 in maaany runs. I've set it back to a save 25 hours earlier because of a plot mistake that screwed a bunch of quests. But otherwise, beyond Gortash encounter (and killing the dragon so I could get the loot), I'm about 5000 experience from level 12, and I've completed no other quests from the lower city. Sometimes it is fun to just get so OP and stumble around the map hoping that someone picks a fight with you. As a paladin, we do at least try to keep up appearances.

I love deadfire, i really hope we get a sequel one day now that Josh Sawyer has said it did well longterm it seems less impossible. Avowed looks fun but it's not gonna be the same as POE and Deadfire.

Yessssssssss criminally underrated game

This is also one of my favorites my only complaint of it was that it was too short. I wanted more. If you just go through the main story its so short ; ;. The graphics and gameplay are so much fun. Wish they made a 3rd one instead of this new game coming out.

I liked Deadfire to a degree (and without a doubt a lot more than the first POE, which was straightup disappointing for me), but i can't really agree with the sentiment of it having the best combat in the genre. Regardless of taking as reference its original RTWP version or its turn-based variation added later, they have a list of shortcomings too extensive to claim that tile. I DO think they used to have the prettiest production value in the genre before BG3 came a thing, though. Some of the scenarios were stunning. Oh, and their multiclass system is among the best I've ever seen on a computer game of this genre. Definitely better than Pathfinder and D&D with their "piecemeal" mess. I'm also not exceedingly in love with the setting, if I have to be completely honest. They tried so hard to "move away from some fantasy stereotypes" only to replace them with not-particularly-better ones. P.S. I'll gladly watch more Deadfire/POE content if you decide to make it, anyway. I'm not complaining and I'm not saying I'm not interested.

I've played this one alot, very very good game!

I've beaten this game multiple times and I had no idea there was a combat speed slider at the bottom...

I love this game. I'm hoping for a true sequel to deadfire.

I tried this in turn-based mode and was very disappointed. It literally was an after-thought and it shows. Maybe I'll give it a try in rtwp, even though I never could get into that style of play.

I've been trying to play this game for years but that intro has been brutal, thanks so much for this! Do you think you might make some more builds?

So much better than bg3. Same for Pathfinder and bg2. ;)

thx for the guide . just one thing can u give us the main character build guide

The thing that's held me back from trying Pillars of Eternity is RTwP. Combat is the worst aspect of every game I've played that has it. And so many great games have it: KOTR, Dragon Age Origins, BG 1 & 2, Pathfinder Kingmaker. All of them are great games, but I feel like I only put up with the combat because the rest of the rpg elements are so strong. I've realized that maybe I don't love CRPGs because they're CRPGs, but rather in spite of the genre. It really felt like a Eureka moment when I was playing Divinity: Original Sin 2 and realized I had found a game that kept a lot of the charm and depth of TTRPGs while still being a fun video game (mechanically). I've been sitting on Wrath of the Righteous for a year now and haven't played it yet because, while I remember how much I enjoyed the role-playing aspects of Kingmaker, I also remember how much of a pain in the ass it was to learn Pathfinder and manage builds for 6 party members all in service of an unsatisfying combat system. Forgotten Realms isn't my favorite setting, and 5e isn't the best system, but it's so familiar to me that BG3 avoided most of the aforementioned hurdles. Throw in well-designed turn-based combat instead of RTwP and BG3 ended up being one of my favorite RPGs of any sub-genre. I just don't know that I can enjoy any CRPG that isn't turn-based to the same extent, and that's unfortunately most of them.

I think BG3 is objectively a better game -- but Deadfire is still my favorite. :)

Dude I need the full playthrough guide and build now lmao

The world building in Pillars is top notch

Loved that game, the first one too, almost more in some cases.

I still love this more than BG3.

Oh my god. I recently played through PoE2, and I had no idea the whole time that you could click on a specific location on the map screen to be taken there directly. Dang.

I'm considering giving it a go. Should I start with 1 or should I skip it? I played countless runs of Dragon Age Origins and BG3 but no other game like them.

For some reason, I was never able to get into this game. I finished the first game a bit bored of it, and I tried to start the second 2 times, but I didn't get into the game. There is something about the combat that does not click with me, part of it I think that comes from not being too intuitive

“It was on the cold and stormy night..”

I got bored with BG3 at level 6. I like combat not cut scenes. There is no shortage of cut scenes in BG3. Drags the game out.

I don't know why I never get caught in these games, but I think it is because I think the weakest aspect is the companions. I lost interest about halfway or so. i did only play the first one though, and I do like exploration/world building. Maybe I will put this one in the backlog. :D RTWP is definitely a + for them, I personally find that meta knwoledge thing you mentioned with difficulty to really interfere there. Turnbased is so heavily affected by meta knowledge, that it becomes a gimmick when I play games with it.

Somehow the combination of the 1st and 2nd game would be the perfect crpg for me. I do not really like the unlimited use of spells per rest, the overpowered foods per rest, five men party in Deadfire. Also I missing mega dungeons like Endless Path of Od Nua. At same time exploration, unique weapon enhancements are great. Also the expansions really add everything, lot of lore and arena combats, not to mention challenging mega bosses. I finished both games on POTD all upscaled and honestly these games are real BG1-2 / IWD 1-2 successors for me at least.

Great guide! Do you have the rest of your seer build written out somewhere?

Great video, I'm going to start playing soon would you be doing some build videos by chance that would be very helpful.

Perfect timing video for me!

Actually PoE1&2 have much more in common with BG1&2 than BG3. I finished PoE1 three times and PoE2 once, maybe this is the time to install it again? I think they have AMAZING world building, very rich. Even while playing PoE1 it feels like established franchise with many previous installments. Also in PoE1 there is my favourite companion of all rpgs - Durance, kinda sad he is not present in PoE2. While PoE2 is overall better game than the first one there is something special in PoE1 and I like it more.

Regarding difficulty, the main thing to mention is that the difficulty scales poorly ie. the game is much easier as you level. POTD makes Gorecci Street and the digsite in particular very hard, as is the boarding combat with Beggar Winfrith. Once you have arrived in Neketaka, however, I would consider it to be the best difficulty setting.

Ooo Pillars of Eternity 2 is a good game!

I tried Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous around the same time but this was more noob friendly & combat was more enjoyable

You can switch between rtwp and turn based more or less at will. Just open console commands and input SetTacticalMode RoundBased to enable turn based or SetTacticalMode Disabled to switch to rtwp. You can't do it during combat, but this will still enable you to experience both modes of the game at will , and, say, play it turn based on bosses but go rtwp to clear out some of the mobs, including ship combat. What's best, this doesn't disable achievements if you're chasing them, it doesn't count as a cheat.

I tried it but got tired of using my mouse, I really cant go back and not use a controller

I played Deadfire and loved it, but i'm wondering if I should go back and play the first one for context before I play Deadfire again?

Very well done. Earned a sub.

I hear we have different things we feel is important for a cRPG. For me the combat system is not that important and I often play in narrative mode on cRPGs. What I am far more interested in is story and companions.

One of my favorites

Wow I thought the Armor versus damage type was in addition to armor rating, not weak to. Doh.

I really wanted to love these, but I hated the realtime combat. It feels way less impactful imo. Everything happens so quick and the pause/play thing isn't fun for me

This was the video I was looking for. I myself cannot get into bg3 because of what you said. Skyrim modded can fill that niche but we are all looking for our lord of the rings and pillars has always felt more grounded to me. Edit: I played both 1 and 2 but never got past the starting zones. Should I play POE 1 for POE 2s full effect?

sounds really interesting! do you feel strongly on playing the first pillars of eternity before this one, or no?

Just Loved both Pillars of Eternity. However Avowed is not appelling to me at all...not the same style.

Funny enough, I stumbled upon Pillars because I enjoyed Divinity 2 so much.

never liked a video so fast.