Avadon 2 thoughts

[Kreador Freeaxe]

Okay, there's no actual topic for this, but who else over here is actually playing Avadon 2? I've pretty much gone through all the stuff in the demo and I'm trying out the new Tinkermage class with mixed feelings. Just bought the full game, though.

[Randomizer]

I beta tested Avadon 2 so I thought it is better balanced than the first game.

The Tinkermage class is over powered since it can have 2 turrets and a summoned monster compared to the other classes that can only have one summoned monster. It has great melee and range attacks, offensive scarabs work well since dexterity is still the primary stat, and can increase evasion to avoid damage. The class can get special class equipment earlier than the other classes to improve turrets. The turrets also are nice as extra attackers and meat shields to protect you.

Much better writing with the Tinkermage Hand, Alcander, roll on the floor dialogue and reactions from others.

The boss fights are usually not as long as the last game especially if you do the optional endgame fight.

[MyGameCompany]

I'm bummed I can't play it yet, since the min requirement is now Mac OS 10.6, and I'm still running 10.5.8. My computer doesn't support the latest Mac OS, so I have to wait until I can upgrade.

And I've been so looking forward to it...

[Painted Lady]

I'm currently almost done with the iPad version. I think the effort Jeff put into the new class (Tinkermage) and overall game play shows in a very nice playing experience. I love the moral ambiguity, the variety of fights you get into, and the fact that there lots of ways to play depending on your party's makeup. I would basically think that if you like the other Spiderweb games you will like this one as well.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

The thing that annoys me about the Tinkermage is the movement limitation of the turrets. You have to try to move the fight to them, rather than being able to take the fight to the enemy.

That said, I'm very early in the game. Much to try and discover, still.

[Painted Lady]

Being a Tinkermage definitely affects how you do battle. You can always play as another character type and bring in that little turkey Alcander when it's appropriate.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

Yes, I'm running two different characters and testing things out. One is a tinkermage to really get a feel for how it plays. The other is a blade master. I brought Alcander along on the latest mission and that worked pretty well.

[Painted Lady]

The Tinkermage thing has really changed my party makeup. She can throw a razor disk quite well, so I don't need the Shadowwalker, and the turrets have nice AofE abilities so I don't need the mage. All around fun new class to play with.

[Thynar]

With a PC Tinkermage, Alcander and Yannick, I have so many turrets, and magical support!
It's gotten me through Torment so far, since Tinkermage constructs are immune to most debuffs, and I haven't seen any downsides of just spamming them, as long as I keep vitality potions available, or visit Avadon once in a while.

[Weird Heather]

The tinkermage class probably is a bit overpowered, but it is a lot of fun, and it is a departure from the usual classes found in role playing games. The other classes in Avadon 1 and 2 are comparable to the usual classes that have existed in role playing games from the beginning. The blademaster is a fighter, the shadowwalker is a rogue/thief, the shaman is a cleric/healer, and the sorcerer/soreceress is the usual mage. The tinkermage is something new - perhaps a bit of a rogue/mage combination with some cleric abilities. I wish more game developers would come up with unique character classes. A party including my main tinkermage character and Alcander, with both specializing in turret construction, could whip just about anything.

The difficulty in Spiderweb's recent games (Avadon 1 and 2, and Avernum: Escape from the Pit) has reached a good balance. In earlier games, even at the easiest difficulty level, there were so many moderately tough monsters that the combat became very tedious. After swarm after swarm of plated chitrachs, searing wyrmkin, and savage slith, I got so sick of beating up monsters that I started using cheats - not because I had to in order to win the fights, but simply to make them go more quickly. Avadon 2 continues the trend in more recent games of addressing this problem. People who still want every battle to be tough can choose a higher difficulty level, but those of us who are more interested in the exploration and the story can choose an easier level and not get bogged down in combat. I haven't used cheats at all in these recent games.

Moral ambiguity is another aspect of the Avadon series that I have enjoyed, and I am glad Avadon 2 continues the theme. There are no clear good guys or bad guys; it is a rough world in which one must make hard choices; there are no great options. Do you support an oppressive institution hoping that it can keep the peace and keep people reasonably safe, or do you support forces that make a good moral case but might bring chaos and destruction? Or do you support your friends regardless of how their needs and desires might impact the larger issues? In my play-through, I supported my friends first, and then the oppressive institution. It might be interesting to play again with different choices.

[VDK]

I thought it was really hard for a party of 3, but then Im more of a geneforge player. I couldn't finish game on easy. I am used to soloing in Geneforge and Avernum. Avadon 1 was moderate difficulty but the 2nd I think I will have to restart. The tinkermage and shadowalker aren't meant for melee. In fact I think Blademasters aren't very good at it either. I think the game is meant for ranged weapon users and spellcasters. Melee is just not as useful with the movement scheme they got. Avernum is wicked easy, Geneforge is challenging but handled, Avadon has always caused problems for me. I was using a tinkermage on casual setting.

I will restart and play either a shaman or sorcerer as they do most damage with elemental attacks. Ranged weapons are useful but magic seems just awesome for a sorcerer.

[Farwalker]

I played Avadon 2 through a good chunk of the story, but my interest dropped off and I didn't finish it. I didn't take a tinkermage as my main, but enjoyed using one in the party.

I found the options for character improvement tailed off way too quickly in this one. For example, not enough equipment providing action point increases in the game, which makes a big difference.