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There are also hidden objects that can only be interacted with once your character spots them via having a high enough skill. Then again, finding an item that you can actually investigate with, say, your Occult skill is always a pleasure. However, once you bring up the radial menu for a certain object, you may find that your Science or Investigation skill is too low to make anything more than a simple observation. For one thing, Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones massively improves your life by highlighting interactive pieces of the scene via simple “alt” click. The obfuscation does not extend to the environment. Just like in real life, rich people are cheating! The Aristocrat Archetype also starts you off with a loyal butler Companion, who is a beat stick par excellence. Your background will determine your starting inventory, with one exception. Afterward, it’s just a simple matter of spending points on Skills and Attributes. So, for example, Exoterists fare better if they see the occult behind everything. Acting in tune with it helps you regain sanity. However, they also start out with some accumulated Angst to represent the horrors of war witnessed before the events of the game. For example, a Marine (Soldier sub-class) can start with the “Aimed Shot” ability. Each Archetype has 4 backgrounds (subclasses), 3 of which give you a boon in exchange for a certain penalty.
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Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones might be set in the unenlightened era of the 1920s, but all Archetypes (classes) are available to women as well as men (though you can expect some differences in reactions when you get to encounter people).
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You start the game by creating your character.
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