Favourite Colleges from Steam

[dyrhet]

Being, like all of the posters on this forum, a slightly obsessive weirdo, I thought it was interesting to note what the steam population in general seemed to favour in terms of colleges, since I know we've had our own polls on the subject a few times.

It's not exactly a statistically rigorous sample, but the steam achievements do give some indication of which colleges people are actually playing.

Vernin 2.8%

Godina 1.8%

Morvidus 1.7%

Aranaz 1.3%

Avila 1.3%

Hedi 1.2%

Durand 1.1%

Much like in polls on here Vernin did very well and Durand did very poorly. Surprising to see Godina at #2 though.

[Metis]

Not surprised to see the crafting college sit firmly at the top, even though Y1 crafting is completely broken.

[dyrhet]

I wouldn't be surprised if there was some influence from it being the default option. People have a tendency to just go with whatever the game presents them with first. 

[thezooqueen]

I am not that picky about colleges especially. What i look for is; one that requires one of the three: Revision, Incantation, or Negation. Once I find one with one of those locked. I add the other two. I usually chose Astrology, Zoology, or Botany for other classes when possible.

[ronikai]

I... I thought that Godina would surely win.... Or at least Aranaz.... *slinks back into the darkness from whence I came in defeat* I always labeled Vernin as the "nerd college", irrelevant info, but there ya go hah hah

[dyrhet]

I hate to break it to you Ronikai, but the demographics for this game skew "nerd" pretty heavily.

[ronikai]

It's just the classes that are mandatory in Vernin, and then for whatever reason I imagined a lot of book reading for enchanters. Which doesn't make sense, but I pass by Vernin like a 90's movie bully

[Jarod Cain]

We from Durand are the 1%

[Schwarzbart]

I think from the perspective what would be the interesting college over the years Durand will come out top but just looking at year 1 its actual the college I liked the last. ( Just think about the combination of Negation and Dialectic what could result from this)

Vernin is a great college for the first play because chance is high your College win the Merit race without doing anything for it, only 2 fixed class slot and one of the most interesting adventure in the game is Vernin only.

[ronikai]

I enjoyed the Durand adventure where the stuff gets stolen. I have high hopes for Durand since everyone has their own sense of justice and "right" in that college. So strong that you could even see it as a bit brutish, know what I mean? And you're right about Vernin being a good starting college. The fact that only two slots are mandatory is the biggest perk, just by looking without knowing. 

[dyrhet]

I think the Durand adventures are generally pretty good (except the Legion of Lions, which is a bit tiresome). I like how the Octavia adventure gives some more characterization to Briardi, who was probably the best developed professor anyhow. 

[Rhialto]

For what it is worth, my best playthrough has been as a Morvidus Student. Morvidus's focus areas synergize very well with athletics and studying Gates through the secret background.

[ronikai]

I agree Rhialto. I've tried the Secret Background before with other colleges and it never quite fit as well as Morvidus had. Especially if you put revision as one of your classes. That being said, does anyone else have backgrounds that they place with specific colleges?

[Schwarzbart]

Actual I think Morvidus is the last college you should take the secret background for one you need a good History and Negation skill to get trough the quest then you get a great ability to raise the Zoology SS with the secret background. Also I would hide direct under the nose of the people searching for forbidden magic and learn their way to discover it, what means Durand is the way to go. Beside with Durand you have Negation, a other skill based on Fitness.

Edit: A other reason is that controlling the summoned creatures is either done via Geas or Bound what mean you will get at last one way taught via your education in gate magic.

[Rhialto]

Well, I used a free course slot to study negation, and the history of magic check I passed through save-scumming. But that was really the only major hitch; my character had a high fitness from character creation.

[ronikai]

Aesthetically I feel that gates fits in well with Morvidus. Maybe it's all the green... Or the eccentricities of the student body of Morvidus that just looks well with Gates, as odd as that sounds

[isadorbg]

Well Vernin is the college of the Gifted afterall. Plus it's kinda hard to compete when the parents see our installations especially our dormitories (the first thing they check I assure you).

The other colleges thus logically get the scraps that unfortunately do not meet the requirements to join the most esteemed college. 

[Ramidel]

I figure Vernin is so common because of the Merit race. I mean, anyone can bring their college up to speed on Merit with enough Mastery targeted towards an expendable member, but... Also, it's a solid college classes-wise - Enchant is up there with Negation in importance.

Godina and Morvidus are probably popular (especially among those who aren't initiated into the deep secrets and who play the game the way it was meant to be played ) for RP reasons - Godina is the college for warrior heroes and Morvidus for nature lovers and healers. I can't complain, since I tend to pick Avila ultimately for just that reason.

And Durand probably falls because it's a three-lock and because one of its locks is Botany (eww). It also doesn't have as obvious a theme as the other colleges (though there's an internal logic to it). And there isn't a Courage and Hope skill yet.

[Metis]

Durand's college skill is Manner of a Champion, a War subskill, so they get it automatically Informed on Juvenalia.

[Ramidel]

Ah. Still, point stands. That third lock of theirs is a pain in the Botany.

[dyrhet]

I like botany

[starcrunch]

Just stopping in to say hi on my favorite indie developers forums (and playing the lovely steam edition as I get the time) but would chime in as someone who's played all the colleges with at least one Uber completionist type char. 

Vernin has the adventure on the Wall... And that one is just too good. It was really hard not to want to play that adventure as I was starting my recent new game. There's no moment in the game for me like the MC and Professor Briardi on the Wall - after the first time I played that I developed a real appreciation for Briardi and a bond between the character and the Professor that comes from knowing each other's mettle that I just don't get in other colleges or from other adventures. It's the one moment of absolute courage I'm certain of in the game. I'd have played Durand in a heartbeat in my recent new game except they never get to have that moment...

[Schwarzbart]

For me Godina, Morvidus and Vernin have interesting college adventure the other college not so.

[freespace2dotcom]

I don't know. I think Durand has Octavia? I thought that was was pretty cool, and I agree with Vernin.

But really Aranaz with it's Politics, and GRR towards Durand is just too much fun for me. They take it way too far, too. It's adorable.

Godina not so much. The best adventure that was vaguely Godina related was that combat simulator, which I think anyone could do.

[Schwarzbart]

From Godina I like the Elemental Warrior and The Godina Retreat adventure. (But I dislike 2 of their fixed class skills)

Hedi actual have an interesting adventure for me also with the Dream Adventure.