Pillars of Eternity

- Entering "scouting mode" (alt) not only puts your character in stealth mode but also automatically searches your surroundings for traps and hidden objects.

- Detecting traps is a mechanics vs. trap level check (and disarming them is a harder check). There's no randomness; either you have the skill or you don't.

- Apropos of the above, Mechanics is a really important skill for finding hidden stuff and not getting killed by it, and none of the prefab party members have a heavy investment in it, so it's worth either taking it on your main or redirecting the skill progression of one of your recruits.

- Speaking of recruits, hiring "generic" party members at Gilded Vale is actually a good idea; they're inexpensive, help fill out your party, and once you have a full roster of named characters you can use them to garrison your stronghold and run errands for you there.

- Ciphers leech focus based on damage dealt, so a cipher with a slow but powerful weapon will get fewer attacks but generate more focus per attack.

- The difference between "AoE", "Friendly AoE", and "Foe AoE" is really important. Wizards tend to have the flashiest offensive spells, but Ciphers and Druids are also offensive powerhouses and have a much easier time not incinerating the rest of the party in the process.

- Speaking of AoEs, high Intellect provides not only bonus range but also some spell shaping; the outer, yellow section of an offensive AoE spell hits only enemies, even if allies are within it too.

- It's always worth exploring every area fully, some party members are slightly out of your way. After picking up two at Gilded Vale, I recommend fully exploring the areas south and west, there are three more party members to be found between Gilded Vale and Dyrford Village.

- For fresh Chanters, get Reny Daret's Ghost and ignore the Skeleton summon. Reny Daret's Ghost does good damage, stuns with backstabs and can be summoned behind enemy lines. The Skeletons instantly crumble to any damage and just fucking suck. You get relatively few new Chanter songs and invocations throughout the game, so make them count.