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Dec-7-2016 05:32

Hello everyone!

I have 84 skill points (8 of them are unused) and I was wondering which skill should I get next.

Im tempted by getting Footprint analysis upgraded, As having all important evidence skill fully upgraded would really help me throught some cases where I end up with 3 footprints evidence. Problem, it will not necessarely be always useful in all my cases.

It either that or I could get research. It would cost the same amount of skill points as advanced footprint analysis and could be used in all future cases.

I could also get Flirting, which would boost all my future charming against the opposite sex.

Or I could get hypnosis, but then again, I should be getting that last

What do you guys think? Im a smart and charming detective.

Hand Writing Analysis
Intermediate Sweet Talking
Stress Detection
Sweet Talking
Advanced Rule Bending
Rule Bending
Advanced Thread Analysis
Advanced Hair Analysis
Hair Analysis
Thread Analysis

Dec-9-2016 03:56

If I recall correctly the townie/suspect will have a uncooperative value (such as 30, for example). When you say you want to use a skill to get a townie/suspect to talk to you again it'll take your tough or charm skill (which includes skills as well as equipment) and deduct it from the uncooperative value, then it'll create a "random" number between 1 and 100. If that number is greater than the uncooperative value, you'll get to ask more questions. You can see the figures for townies/suspects by using Judge of Character, which I absolutely do not recommend you pick up until you've got millions of exp.

Hope I'm not talking nonsense!

Dec-9-2016 04:06

Having 6 smart and 6 charming means you don't have a decisive bonus to coerce a witness with charm. Having +6 smart is not too bad but you'll still have to frequently deal with unidentified pieces of evidence.

If I'm not mistaken the highest bonus stats I've seen so far are +30 for either tough, smart or charm. And even then suspects can still clam up on you. At first you want to max out your tough or charm skills. But once you acquired both sets of interview skills AND judge of character, it would be wise to even out your bonus stats, like +15 tough and +15 charm for instance.

Dec-9-2016 04:22

You can't actually *see* the benefit of your gear until you have judge of character, at which point you can actually see all the stats that factor into the effectiveness of your interview skill and how many questions a suspect/townie might answer. But basically, the higher your charm rating, the better chances you have of your charm skill being effective. Also, the number of answers you will get out of a suspect/townie is directly related to your interview skill rating. Of course, as with everything in Sleuth, this is random. I can charm a suspect who my stats tell me I have 101 percent chance of persuasion and only get one answer out of that suspect and then question a suspect with only a 59 percent chance of persuasion and get three answers out of that suspect. But *in general* your percentages are a good indicator.

Dec-9-2016 04:30

When you use Judge of Character, this is an example of what you will see:

Base Interrogation Chance: 44
Tough Equipment Adjustment: -4
Advanced Skill Bonus: 35
Pugilism Bonus: 10
Adjusted Interrogation Chance: 85

Base Sweet Talking Chance: 52
Charming Equipment Adjustment: 18
Advanced Skill Bonus: 35
Flirting Bonus: 20
Adjusted Sweet Talking Chance: 125

It would be easier to influence Shafeeq by being nice.

I have to very respectfully disagree with Yeti's analysis that Judge of Character shouldn't be bought until you have millions of points. To me it's much more informative than Stress Detection. Even if you only have tough skills (and I do agree with the thought that you should build all your interview skills in one persuasion before building the other), at least you will have a good idea of how effective your particular brand of persuasion will be, so if your stats are low you might want to avoid asking that suspect/townie any questions until you have to. As always, nothing is hard and fast, these are percentages not guarantees, but they are a good guideline.

Hope this helps you Alienmen3 and keep on Sleuthing!

Dec-9-2016 04:34

Lastly, I would suggest that you focus on getting sweet talking up to the advanced level before you buy any other skills.

Dec-9-2016 04:37

That's interesting take on JoC I hadn't considered before, Fatima. Good thinking.

Dec-9-2016 04:43

I agree with Fatima about the importance of Sweet Talking, but I think that Alienmen3 should definitely NOT consider getting Judge of Character at this point. She already has Stress Detection, so she can use it to gauge whether her suspects will clam up and when to ask questions. That should be enough for now. I almost have 100 000exp and still haven't bought either skill. Hope that helps.

Dec-9-2016 04:53

Okay, so I lied - one more thing. :)

Just so there's no confusion, the base numbers shown when you use Judge of Character are randomly generated and different with every suspect you question.

Dec-10-2016 05:38

Alright,

Thank you Fatima for your well builded answer to my question. It was trully informative.

So here what I currently consider for a next skill in order of apparent importance...

Advanced Sweet Talking
Research
Advanced Footprint analysis or Hypnotism...

What do you guys think? Im really thinking of getting Research first because I have used it in the past and I know how it work and its benefit, but then again, I am starting to struggle with some potential criminal clamming up.

Dec-11-2016 10:44

Yes, that looks like the way to go. I'd suggest Advanced Sweet Talking, then Research, and then Footprint Analysis (unless the Shoemaker decides to be best buddies with you :D), and finally Lock-picking and Flirting before Hypnotism.