Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Newbie Questions

Aug-16-2007 17:29

I really, really don't want to go make a new character, because I've invested a lot of time in it. I've looked at the high scores list and seen that you CAN succeed with this archetype, so my question is this: what can I do, without rerolling, to succeed? Should I buy smarts gear? Should I focus on smarts-based skills?

These are the skills I have:
Intermediate Sweet Talking
Judge of Character
Lock Picking
Interrogation
Intimidation
Hair Analysis

Which skills do I, as a tough/charming detective, need to buy next?

Aug-18-2007 17:43

After that, sit back and re-group. Hopefully you have your PE contact in your home city, so you know which advanced smart skill will come last. Think about what you wished would be a little easier and go for that. I alternated between picking up a more advanced tough/charm and an advanced smart skill. I was in a Green Hand city so I worked myself up with them to get Pugilism, which gives a +10 tough on everyone. Just go back and forth with it. But always take a tough/charm skill if you feel like your hurting over a smart skill.

If you want some tips on solving with no smarts, just PM me and I can help with this.

The only other suggestion I would make is with your gear. You are a lucky detective in that you are subbed and in an agency with a locker. At the moment I'm writing this, I see you are at +6 smart. Smart gear will only help you if you have the advanced smart skills. You don't have those yet. So get yourself a charming hat to go with that bracelet and stow the old hat in your locker for later. Even when you do start to get the smart skills, ONLY wear smart gear when you check crime scenes or travel for THs. Even when you travel, you really don't need any more than 3-4 smarts pts. in your gear to get by.

You're gear is good, I see you trying for that balance. You just need to drop the hat, and continue to look for better and better gear as you do your cases. It doesn't matter what it looks like now. There will be plenty of time for fashion decisions later. Right now you need the points. As soon as you get offered a tough accessory with more pts than that blade in your pocket - trade it out. If people have left better gear in the locker for others to wear, ask if you can use it.

Aug-18-2007 18:12

Tresch, I'm the same archtype, and I LOVE it too :D

Aug-18-2007 18:41

Like I said earlier, doing both at the same time isn't impossible, and Tres and Jas are two of the best examples out there. Just be prepared for the fact that when you hit about 100k exp., your skill points are going to start coming much, much less frequently than you've been used to, so making strategic decisions now is key, whichever road you choose to take. ;-)