I'm considering playing AP for the fourth time, this time as Veteran. I'm tempted to take Pistols as a weapon. Are they viable in combat? Or only for stealth kills?
Thanks in advance!
Alpha Protocol Pistol Viability?
Good enough, you can get critical hits from cover (without putting your head out), and the damage is fine (and tranquilizers can down anyone with a critical hit). If you want to run and gun, it's harder, but doable, especially if you save your active skill for those situations. Anyway, the active skill recharges quickly enough to be available at least once pr big fight. I'm about to start a no pistol play through (thinking shotguns) because pistols are too powerful.
I really hate the dual wielding, since SMGs seem a bit more versatile than shotguns (then again, phosphorous ammo is downright nasty). Assault rifles isn't really my thing (it's too tempting to exploit the AI at long range). So far shotguns seem to work fine. I'm forced to plan carefully my angle of attack before charging in and either dying, or killing everyone without taking any damage.
Just finished my fourth (or fifth) playthrough of AP. This game is terribly underrated.
Pistols, apart from their ability, are poor main weapons. Even Chain Shot wasn't THAT great, I found. Often, it would just injure enemies, thus triggering an alert. They are great utility weapons, though.
I quickly switched to Shotguns. That requires you to play the game much more agressively. Coupled with good armour and skill/gadget use (Iron Will & Epipherine Spikes), Roomsweep (and Flechette rounds) made bosfights ridiculously easy this time around. Firefights are tougher, though, since you lack the range of an Assault Rifle. But it was a fun change of pace.
Pistols, apart from their ability, are poor main weapons. Even Chain Shot wasn't THAT great, I found. Often, it would just injure enemies, thus triggering an alert. They are great utility weapons, though.
I quickly switched to Shotguns. That requires you to play the game much more agressively. Coupled with good armour and skill/gadget use (Iron Will & Epipherine Spikes), Roomsweep (and Flechette rounds) made bosfights ridiculously easy this time around. Firefights are tougher, though, since you lack the range of an Assault Rifle. But it was a fun change of pace.
Funnily enough I had the exact opposite experience. I took a couple of ranks in pistol to make stealthing a mission easier, and didn't look back. The critical hit from cover + silencer combo is deadly (and why they work as main weapons), and so is the evasion + chain shot combo. Not sure why you often only injured foes, I have yet to meet a regular foe who doesn't go down with one shot to the head.
Or maybe you use higher a difficulty setting (can't be the pistol since I'm still using the most basic in the game). Alternatively you might miss the head, since chain shot only slows time, you often have to aim slightly in front of moving targets especially if you are about fire of 6 head shots on 6 heads during a chaotic boss fight.
Of course, a major reason for my switch is that I think AP is a mediocre shooter, but a fairly good stealth game (also the tension is nice).
Of course, a major reason for my switch is that I think AP is a mediocre shooter, but a fairly good stealth game (also the tension is nice).
I think it's the other way round assault rifles are nice backup for when the enemy is too far away (rare, since chain shot lets you target anyone you see) and I'm to lazy to sneak past. I tried SMGs on my last play through at the end (lots of AP to spare), brutally efficient and quite fun until I had clawed my eyes out.