8 hours ago, Lyote said:The 'solution' posited here multiple times is "just spec into another tree for their gun!"
Which implies that its not OP at all to have a gun while playing INT, Just as long as you pay a Skill Point tax to get it, right?
Having to use a gun of a different spec may be a disadvantage for your combat abilites. Which is exactly what I am saying, INT is not the strongest combat class, intentionally. If you want a combat heavy class take something else. If you take INT either pay that tax (which will help you in mid/end-game as well, it isn't really wasted if you continue to use that gun) or don't, the difference is there, but there are lots of ways to decrease the risk. Play slower and use spike traps for safety, quest and loot tier 1 POIs, in other words, act like the squishy class you are.
In my group game the INT player could build his first turret on day 5, on the same day I increased AGI to 3 and increased guns from 1 to 2. So if you as the INT player had invested one point into whatever gun you liked as well, until that day 5 you would just miss a few percent of headshot kill percentage you can't rely on for safety and probably have a worse gun while I could craft a quality 4 pipe gun. If you can't handle that measly difference, just avoid INT.
If you want to reply that you are single player and the example doesn't fit, well, in my SP game I invested in a lot more other perks, for example one point into miner69er, farming and wrenching. I didn't even have the points to invest much into my attribute at all and my gun was only a tier 1 pistol because I got lucky with a toilet, which could happen to anyone, including the INT player. Without that my gun would have been less than quality 4 at day 5.
8 hours ago, Lyote said:Just remove the tax
(I don't have any say in this, but for arguments sake:) No, that tax is there because the INT player is stronger on utility and with that ultimately balanced. Don't want to play a character strong on utility? Then go for something else.
8 hours ago, Lyote said:Given that taking Advanced Engineering also unlocks EXP gains from electrical trap kills and Robotics is worthless to take until you get at least your first turret (Requiring 2 different books since it requires a workbench to craft one), you could have that weapon be disposable thrown 'traps' that take the place of a gun for INT and enhanced via Robotics. Primitive springloaded traps (Pipe era) giving way to sophisticated electrical traps in the later tiers.
AFAIK the workbench can be crafted from day 1.
8 hours ago, Lyote said:NT will always be my favourite way to play in the mid and lategame, But i will NEVER enjoy that early game experience as ut currently exists. Which is why I'm here asking Fun Pimps to give it some TLC.
We will see whether TFP reacts. My guess is they are perfectly fine with it as it is, like many players here are who see it just as a challenge. In my view, if they really add a gun to INT they would have to massively nerf all the turrets and the stun baton to not make INT into an overpowered class, something that might sour your happines with late-game INT as well. Even now end-game INT is rather too strong on combat for a supposedly utility class, as you say yourself.
One other suggestion for you: The perk point redistribution potion was largely reduced in price and often can be found in loot as well. If you don't like early-game INT, simply spec into a different attribute and respec when the time is right.