Some tips on early game LP expenditure and starter builds

Experiment

I've tried the first few chapters with every build possible, joining all camps, and spending my LP differently. For context, I am 65h in without going past chapter 3. The reason being, after that point, you will have a lot of LP and ore anyway and could diversify. The below economy only works for early game.

Strength (melee weapons, 1h, 2h)

Can get very spicy early game since you're risking your neck every fight. And multiple against one fights become very common. However, scales really well with minimal investment. 1h weapons are aplenty, and you could get very decent options very early on. This is your old reliable option. Pick your battles carefully early on. Plus with being able to block, it removes the need for better acrobatic dodges. And only 10 LP in 1h training will take you a long way where you can literally stun lock monsters with combos.

Early game options (there's obviously more, giving easiest options I can remember) -

!- Lurker's Bite (small alcove beside the rice farm in the New Camp)!<

!- Battle Sword (castle tunnel to dilapidated house)!<

!- Sting Mace (beat Lefty)!<

!- Stone Crusher (beat Bolero or Castle dungeon)!<

!- Sword of Fear (castle wine cellar)!<

!- Warder's Sword (castle armoury locked chest)!<

!- 2h Sceptre (shipwreck near climbing teacher in Swamp Camp, requires telekinesis scroll found in the chest just opposite)!<

!- Rusty 2 hander (castle armoury)!<

Dexterity (Bows and Crossbows)

Extremely good early game with minimal risk. Arrows are plenty and it gives you some cheesy tactics. However, I feel with bows you absolutely need the 10 LP in Acrobatics for the proper dodge roll. Once fast moving enemies like dogs and wolves start closing in on you, the mini bunny hop backstep just won't do. Not to mention 10 LP in bow training. Does great at range and sometimes you'll take out entire groups even before they notice you, but if they close the distance, start running.

Early game options (there's obviously more, giving easiest options I can remember) -

!- Rider's Bow (underwater cave opposite Old camp main gate)!<

!- Longbow (if Drax dies on way to New Camp)!<

!- Field Bow (Old camp guard room at entry gate, requires lockpicking but not too difficult)!<

!- Oak/Willow Bow (learn Bow training, talk to Haenno at New Camp and pick Willow for speed or Oak for DMG)!<

!- Hedge Bow (castle wine cellar)!<

!- Light Crossbow (top of Raven tower, warning bolts are rare early on)!<

Magic

Can be tricky early game. Regardless of which camp you join, decent magic options come at the end of chapter 2 or during chapter 3. Before that you're stuck with Firebolt. Which is excellent .But, the problem come with mana management. With early game not having a lot of mana potion options, your best bet is to get free smokes from the Swamp camp. And you'll have to constantly top up. The same problem of distance closing that we saw with bows also comes up. Have at least some backup unless you plan to mainline the story quest till you get other magic options. Even then, save up some ore to buy the expensive spells and stock up on potions.

Early game mana increasing methods -

!- Essence potion beside mole rat den where Sly sends you!<

!- Essence potion in castle tower chest (requires lockpicking)!<

!- Option of Essence potion as quest reward for delivering the letter (make sure you're giving the letter to the guy at the mage's guild door to actually get the option)!<

!- Essence potion in Goblin cave under the bridge with the two blackmailers new the New Camp (beware there's a bunch of goblin which throw rocks and will literally 2 shot you with rocks)!<

!- Ring of Magic (+15 magic, buy from Cronos at New Camp)!<

!- Ring of Magic (+15 magic, same goblin cave as above on a corpse)!<

Utility Skills

- Lockpicking: Very much needed later on, but during early game, it's your prerogative. If you do pick it up, make sure you pick clean all 3 camps. The cost (30 LP and 250 ore) is otherwise too high for early chests to be worth it. Maybe just pick up the first level, gauge your efficiency with picking locks and decide from there.

- Acrobatics: Personally I'd say very much needed. The mini backstep doesn't cover nearly enough distance and can be extremely finicky to time. Melee at least has block, ranged and magic kind of need it IMHO.

- Diving: Skip early game. Very few underwater locations this early on to be worth it. But, then again it's only 5 LP and 30 ore. Still controversial.

- Climbing: Hard pass early on. The places you can climb and are worth climbing to, contain dangerous enemies for early game.

- Hand-to-Hand: Ehh, I don't know. I didn't quite personally gel with the martial style of combat since everything from monsters to men either dodge your heavies or poise through your light combos to chunk you. But, some do stagger. It's inconsistent. But, if you're up for it.

- Pickpocketing: Again pass. Very few folks have stuff worth stealing from. Maybe a few keys here and there which you can lockpick anyway. Very few cases of doors only having keys which can be stolen and cannot be lockpicked. Although these locks can be progression locked or have the key lying nearby. Either way, not worth brute forcing yourself into an area with both lockpicking and stolen keys.

- Alchemy: Nope. Too inconvenient early game. Almost needed later on anyway, so might as well get it then.

- Inscription: Same as above. Early on, neither will you have the money to buy the recipes, nor the paper and ingredients to craft them.

- Smithing: Very useless IMHO due to the economy system. Most vendors early won't have enough money to buy a singular Morningstar leave alone multiple copies you craft. Plus, if the weapon was worth 50 ore, the first sell will give you 50, the second 40, the third 20 and the fourth probably 5. The value decreases drastically.

- Harvesting Animals: This is the only one I'd say "never get" strongly. Due to the aforementioned economy system, it will never be worth it. The LP cost is actually not that much though. But, the ore cost is a lot. If you're a loot hound, maybe consider, but at points I was roaming around with 50 animal parts which nobody would buy for more then 12 ore or something. An argument can be made about late game monster parts being more valuable, but by that point, I don't think folks will be struggling with ore anyway. So, it's useless when needed, worthless when available.

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These are just my thoughts though and you're free to disagree and/or play your game any way you want. Also, veterans of the game would probably do things their way anyway, and this is guided more towards newer players who might feel a bit lost early on. Tried to keep the information spoiler free except where marked and tailored it to fit the glossary entries.