by In the tips guide to Pentiment you will learn:
- What profession your character should have
- How best to allocate your time
- Where to find the best clues
Pentiment is an adventure game from Obsidian Entertainment that throws you into a fantastically illustrated world of the 16th century. You take on the role of Andreas Maler, an aspiring artist who is about to complete his masterwork and must uncover a mysterious murder.
Tips for character creation in Pentiment
Which origin should I choose?
If you’ve played Fallout: New Vegas, Pentiment’s character creation will look very familiar. The appearance cannot be adjusted, but attributes and skills are determined by defining Andreas’ history .
When you leave your accommodation for the first time, you will be asked in which country you studied :
- Basel : Andreas speaks a little Italian and French and is familiar with the cultural foundations of Basel, Bern, Zurich and Fribourg.
- Flanders : Andreas speaks a little Dutch and French and is familiar with the cultural underpinnings of Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent.
- Italy : Andreas speaks Italian and a little Greek and is familiar with the cultural underpinnings of Florence, Venice and Milan.
Our recommendation: Pentiment is all about art and books. Studying in Italy often gives you an advantage in dialogues and knowledge of Greek helps to decipher old texts and riddles.
Which leisure activities are worthwhile?
In the next step you define the general nature of Andreas by choosing a leisure activity. The selection determines, among other things, which options are available to you in dialogue and in whose company you excel the most. You can choose from:
- Hedonist : Andreas seeks pleasure wherever he goes. He is extremely sociable and familiar with all the vices in the world.
- Craftsman : Andreas lives for work and devotes all his time to art.
- Bookworm : Andreas spends his free time poring over books.
- Good-for -nothing : Andreas likes to get involved in small things, pranks, crimes and fistfights.
- Businessman : Andreas devotes his time to self-promotion and optimizing his business expenses.
Our recommendation : Bookworm makes it easier for you to decipher old texts and identify books. Scholars and monks are more friendly to you.
Choose Hedonist if you prefer to flirt through the game and start a romance or two. Hedonists are particularly convincing among the nobility and the opposite sex.
What is the best department?
On the way to the monastery you will meet the nobleman Lorenz Vogel. He is very interested in your studies and would like to know what major you majored in. Similar to the choice of interests, your studies determine which dialogue options are available to you and which people you have easy play with. You can choose from three subjects:
- Theology : Andreas has considerable knowledge of Catholic theology, biblical studies, canon law, heresy and related subjects.
- Imperial Law : Andreas knows the basics of the fragmented legal systems that govern the various states of the Holy Roman Empire.
- Medicine : Andreas knows the basics of human biology, medicine and various diseases.
Our recommendation : At the end of the day, the game is about solving a murder case and exposing a criminal. Choose Imperial Law to counter corruption and find loopholes in the legal system.
After you have chosen your subject area, you should choose two of your favorite subjects .
Which favorite subjects should I choose?
- Latinist : Andreas has mastered Latin grammar and vocabulary.
- Logician : Instinctively thinks through the implications of received information, is adept at spatial analysis, and can easily perform complicated calculations in his head.
- Orator : Shows great talent for rhetoric. He is an experienced teacher, influencer and public speaker.
- Occultist : Andreas has theoretical and practical knowledge of alchemy, astrology, theurgy, necromancy, magical rites and ceremonies.
- Heaven and Earth : Andreas knows a lot about constellations, celestial bodies and their movements. He is also familiar with various plants and animals.
Our recommendation: You should make sure that your favorite subjects cover the areas that you have neglected so far. Occultist will definitely help you in the story. Speaker allows you to defuse sticky situations and influence people.
Important time management tricks
How does time pass in Pentiment?
To be successful in Pentiment, you must first understand how time flies. In the game you have the task of solving a murder plot and finding the real culprit. You have a total of five days to do this.
If you have not collected enough evidence by the end of the period, your friar will be accused of murder and executed. You have to manage your time as best you can and collect as many clues as possible .
Time in Pentiment only passes when you are eating a meal , observing a special event , or going to bed . In the mornings and afternoons you have endless time to collect clues and talk to the villagers.
A special event, such as a shadowing or the digging of a grave , fast forwards the day. Make sure you have visited all areas and spoken to each resident before starting an event.
Who should I break bread with?
The Last Supper in Pentiment is a good way to find new information. Every day you have to think about which villagers you share your meals with.
For general gossip, you should stick to the peasants in the village . The charcoal burner in the forest provides interesting information about the monastery brothers. The stonecutter’s wife will help you uncover her husband’s secret.
Explore and collect clues
In order not to lose track, take a look at your journal from time to time . Here you will find a map of the village and all information about the villagers that has been collected so far. Quests can be viewed in the journal and useful information about the medieval world can be found in the glossary.
Almost every villager has a set daily routine and can be found in a different location depending on the time of day and day of the week. Use your time to search each area and house before fast-forwarding the clock.
There is no right or wrong”
When you play through the game for the first time, you will very quickly realize that the given time is much too small to follow all the clues. There are four prime suspects in Vogel’s murder.
Even if you have found most of the clues, you will find that there is no clear solution to the case. Rather, it is up to you to assess which suspect is most likely to be considered. You decide about life and death.
If you want to get the best possible score, you absolutely must look for a murder weapon . This is the only way you can influence the judge’s verdict. Of course, the nobility have their own goals and are keen to get rid of the most expendable and disruptive person.
