I picked up this game on sale a while back, and have been putting off playing it forever. So, going in blind, what are the essential things I should know before going in?
Specifically, I'm curious about major bonuses that might be missable, basic character creation/development tips, and other general advice that might be handy to know about before getting there.
(Examples of the sort of thing I'm looking for would be "Don't put more than 9 in any SPECIAL stat" in Fallout 3, or "Don't kill Sander Cohen the first time you meet him" in Bioshock.)
Best Answer
Don't neglect alchemy. There are fights that are incredibly difficult without potions that become easy-mode with the right one(s).
Also, there are several points in the game where you are required to make a choice, and this will affect conditions later on (a later fight may have more/different enemies, for example). None of these are game-breakers, but you may want to consult a guide if you don't mind spoilers and feel the need to make the "right" choices.
(Here's one from GameFAQs, for convenience. I'm sure there are others out there.)