Salt And Sacrifice: The Best Starting Crime
"Salt and Sacrifice" has a lot of interesting mechanics. This brand new sequel to the critically acclaimed "Salt and Sanctuary" blends Metroidvania 2D exploration with several Soulslike mechanics and even what appears to be some "Monster Hunter" inspired hunt and crafting features. These all come together to create a unique mix of challenging gameplay styles. That's one of the many reasons that "Salt and Sacrifice" has garnered such a positive response from critics since its release. On top of that, the sheer size of the game, coupled with nearly endless optional hunts gives players an exceptional amount of content to go through as they seek to track down, kill and harvest materials from the corrupted mages.
Another interesting new mechanic that was introduced is Crime. In addition to choosing a character's name, class, and styling their appearance, players will also choose a Crime that their character is guilty of at the beginning of the game. This is similar to how choosing a character background works in other games. It helps establish their backstory from a roleplaying perspective, but it also grants them a bonus at the beginning of the game. Some of the items players are rewarded with are much better than others, however. Choosing the best one can be challenging.
Perks now or quests later?
There are 12 Crimes to choose from in "Salt and Sacrifice": Alchemy, Arson, Blasphemy, Brigandry, Drunkenness, Forgery, Heresy, Lasciviousness, Smuggling, Sumptuousness, Usury, and Vagrancy. Each of them grants an item bonus, some of which offer some sort of effect that can be used throughout the game. At a glance, Brigandry might seem like the best option. The Cutthroat's Dager that comes with it is an equipable item that increases the character's maximum Stamina. This is clearly a useful bonus, especially for Assassins and other Dextretity-focused classes. It can be particularly helpful in the early game before players have had a chance to level up their character. Unfortunately, the decision is a little more complicated than just choosing the best effect.
The Forged Deed, Krine Tablet, Lock of Hair, Signal Lantern, and Wooden Doll don't grant any special bonus effect, but they are listed as Key Items, meaning that they will be necessary to unlock certain areas or else will be needed to progress in certain questlines. Players can get these through the Forgery, Heresy, Lasciviousness, Smuggling, and Vagrancy Crimes. It is still unknown which areas and quests are associated with these Key Items, but the rewards for completing them may end up being more valuable in the long run.