Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire – The Forgotten Sanctum DLC Review
Contents
The acquisition of Obsidian Entertainment by Microsoft raised questions about the future of the Pillars of Eternity franchise. Would the CRPG genre, seemingly less suited for consoles, continue to thrive under Microsoft’s umbrella, especially given the Xbox’s focus on exclusive titles? While the future remains uncertain, fans can still explore the final DLC for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, The Forgotten Sanctum, a journey to Black Isle that delves deeper into the whimsical machinations of Eora’s gods.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire offers players challenging encounters and intriguing new items, adding a compelling final chapter to the Deadfire experience.
A Dungeon with Eyes
The Forgotten Sanctum revolves around Wael, the god of dreams, secrets, and revelations, whose multi-eyed form might unsettle those with trypophobia. His shrine on Black Isle houses his massive former body, which Maura, a member of the Circle of Archmagi, believes holds the key to stopping Eothas’ destructive march across Deadfire. However, this plan carries significant risk, leaving players to decide whether to follow Maura’s lead or seek alternative solutions.
Lore and Legacy
The Forgotten Sanctum surpasses the previous DLC, Beast of Winter, in its narrative depth. Players uncover the influence of Wael’s followers on Eora through engaging puzzles that connect ideological concepts found in historical texts. The DLC also boasts multiple endings, with choices potentially influencing the main game’s conclusion, albeit subtly.
Challenging Encounters
Designed for characters between levels 18 and 20 with late-game equipment, The Forgotten Sanctum presents formidable combat encounters, particularly against the shrine’s guardians. For added difficulty, players can activate Woedica’s Challenge, which restricts resting for ability cooldown, disables passive health regeneration outside of combat, and limits healing to prepared meals.
Critter Cleaver and New Items
Addressing player feedback regarding the abundance of pets and the Watcher’s exclusive pet-handling rights, The Forgotten Sanctum introduces the Critter Cleaver. This device allows players to sacrifice unused pets, storing their stats and appearance to create new pets with customized traits and visuals – essentially 3D-printing companions.
The DLC introduces a moderate number of new items. While the addition of another Soulbound Greatsword might seem redundant given the existing arsenal of slashing weapons, Wizards will appreciate the new Grimoires, especially Llengrath’s Tome of Preservation, which offers deceptive spells and boosts Reflex/Deflection.
New Subclasses and Difficulty Options
Alongside the new content, update 4.0 introduces a new subclass for each character class in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, encouraging players to respec and experiment with new builds. The Steel Garrote subclass for Paladins, with its health regeneration based on damage dealt to afflicted enemies, further strengthens their tanking capabilities and offensive prowess.
Conclusion
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire – The Forgotten Sanctum offers a compelling conclusion to the Deadfire saga, delving into Eora’s lore, challenging players with difficult encounters, and providing new character customization options. While the future of the Pillars of Eternity franchise remains uncertain, The Forgotten Sanctum serves as a satisfying final voyage for fans of Obsidian’s rich and immersive CRPG.
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