A few thoughts from my latest play through
- SpottedShroom
- Captain Magnate
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A few thoughts from my latest play through
It turns out you can imbue unidentified items. I hoped that it might auto-identify them for you when you did, but no such luck.
I've long considered Druidic the best axiom, since it gets you to faster HP/MP regeneration rates sooner and the game takes place mostly outside. This play, I noticed that Atheistic could be an excellent late-game choice, since (with elemental resist) a trap in the Goblin Citadel lets you infinitely farm goblins for loot.
I also wanted to share the list of questions I ask myself when designing a character build, and the pluses and minuses of the respective options.
How are you going to kill enemies?
* Melee weapons: no ammunition/MP worries, but need to get up close with some enemies you might want to avoid (bombthugs, acid grubs). Swords is the best choice, since (1) it's available as a starting skill (2) there are several excellent swords available as fixed loot and (3) swords have the highest available base damage of any weapon
* Bow: you can avoid melee damage from most enemies, meaning armor and HP are less important. You need ammo, but it's pretty cheap as long as you keep your to-hit high
* Magic: you can avoid melee damage from most enemies, meaning armor and HP are less important. MP regeneration is a serious problem, and damage output is limited by the spells available. You'll never do as much damage/turn as a weapon user, or be able to get through a fight with 3 Taurax without using potions.
* Sneak past them: theoretically possible, and potentially eliminates the need for offense or defense. You miss out on a lot of XP, though, and fighting is kind of what the game is about.
Advantage: bow
How are you going to deal with locked items?
* Unarmed attack: very cheap in terms of necessary skill points, but takes a long time unless unarmed is also your main combat skill
* Lock picks: you get XP for doing it, but it takes a lot of skill points and costs money for picks
* Magic: also needs skill points, but you can use that skill for lots of other stuff, too. A Lock Melt scroll can be hard to find
Advantage: unarmed attack (if it's your combat skill) or magic
How are you going to deal with darkness?
* Torches: basically free since they're so plentiful. Uses weight, lets enemies see you, prevents shield use, and a non-starter for bow users.
* Lantern: more expensive to keep full than torches, and easier to run out. Better visually, but same problems with shield/bow
* Cat's Eyes: great since you can see but enemies can't see you. You don't get full brightness, though, so you still take a small penalty.
* Predator Sight: great since you can see but enemies can't see you, and you get full to-hit. Alerts you to enemies while they're still a ways away. Hard to navigate a dungeon with just this, though.
* Gravedigger's Flame: like torches but no weight and compatible with bow or shield
Advantage: Cat's Eyes. Note that a bow user almost must have magic
How are you going to keep melee enemies from killing you?
* Don't get close enough to get hit: great option for ranged attackers
* Armor: cheap in terms of skill points, but expensive in gold and carrying capacity
* Tons of hit points: very difficult by itself, even dumping all stat points into Endurance
* Divine heal: a great option if you're not using magic to do damage in combat. Probably still need some armor, though
Advantage: HP/armor for melee fighters, distance for ranged
How are you going to keep ranged enemies from killing you?
* Armor: cheap in terms of skill points, but expensive in gold and carrying capacity
* Tons of hit points: very difficult by itself, even dumping all stat points into Endurance
* Divine heal: a great option if you're not using magic to do damage in combat. Probably still need some armor, though
* Dense nimbus: Amazing if you're already using magic
How are you going to deal with traps?
* High perception + skullduggery: you get XP for disarming traps, but requires a lot of skill points
* High perception and avoid: you're going to have it anyway for magic-heavy build
* Just suffer through: entirely possible, especially with high resists
Advantage: Suffer through unless you have high perception anyway
In total: I think the best build is bow attacker with heavy magic support. Magic is too limiting to be a great offense, but it's an amazing use of skill points in terms of how many other things it does. For maximum efficiency you'll want to wait to invest your own skill points until you can buy each magic skill to 5 in Blackwater and read the skill books. All you really need are Lock Melt and Cat's Eyes, but Dense Nimbus, Divine Heal, and Predator Sight are also amazing, and Portal is great for convenience.
I've long considered Druidic the best axiom, since it gets you to faster HP/MP regeneration rates sooner and the game takes place mostly outside. This play, I noticed that Atheistic could be an excellent late-game choice, since (with elemental resist) a trap in the Goblin Citadel lets you infinitely farm goblins for loot.
I also wanted to share the list of questions I ask myself when designing a character build, and the pluses and minuses of the respective options.
How are you going to kill enemies?
* Melee weapons: no ammunition/MP worries, but need to get up close with some enemies you might want to avoid (bombthugs, acid grubs). Swords is the best choice, since (1) it's available as a starting skill (2) there are several excellent swords available as fixed loot and (3) swords have the highest available base damage of any weapon
* Bow: you can avoid melee damage from most enemies, meaning armor and HP are less important. You need ammo, but it's pretty cheap as long as you keep your to-hit high
* Magic: you can avoid melee damage from most enemies, meaning armor and HP are less important. MP regeneration is a serious problem, and damage output is limited by the spells available. You'll never do as much damage/turn as a weapon user, or be able to get through a fight with 3 Taurax without using potions.
* Sneak past them: theoretically possible, and potentially eliminates the need for offense or defense. You miss out on a lot of XP, though, and fighting is kind of what the game is about.
Advantage: bow
How are you going to deal with locked items?
* Unarmed attack: very cheap in terms of necessary skill points, but takes a long time unless unarmed is also your main combat skill
* Lock picks: you get XP for doing it, but it takes a lot of skill points and costs money for picks
* Magic: also needs skill points, but you can use that skill for lots of other stuff, too. A Lock Melt scroll can be hard to find
Advantage: unarmed attack (if it's your combat skill) or magic
How are you going to deal with darkness?
* Torches: basically free since they're so plentiful. Uses weight, lets enemies see you, prevents shield use, and a non-starter for bow users.
* Lantern: more expensive to keep full than torches, and easier to run out. Better visually, but same problems with shield/bow
* Cat's Eyes: great since you can see but enemies can't see you. You don't get full brightness, though, so you still take a small penalty.
* Predator Sight: great since you can see but enemies can't see you, and you get full to-hit. Alerts you to enemies while they're still a ways away. Hard to navigate a dungeon with just this, though.
* Gravedigger's Flame: like torches but no weight and compatible with bow or shield
Advantage: Cat's Eyes. Note that a bow user almost must have magic
How are you going to keep melee enemies from killing you?
* Don't get close enough to get hit: great option for ranged attackers
* Armor: cheap in terms of skill points, but expensive in gold and carrying capacity
* Tons of hit points: very difficult by itself, even dumping all stat points into Endurance
* Divine heal: a great option if you're not using magic to do damage in combat. Probably still need some armor, though
Advantage: HP/armor for melee fighters, distance for ranged
How are you going to keep ranged enemies from killing you?
* Armor: cheap in terms of skill points, but expensive in gold and carrying capacity
* Tons of hit points: very difficult by itself, even dumping all stat points into Endurance
* Divine heal: a great option if you're not using magic to do damage in combat. Probably still need some armor, though
* Dense nimbus: Amazing if you're already using magic
How are you going to deal with traps?
* High perception + skullduggery: you get XP for disarming traps, but requires a lot of skill points
* High perception and avoid: you're going to have it anyway for magic-heavy build
* Just suffer through: entirely possible, especially with high resists
Advantage: Suffer through unless you have high perception anyway
In total: I think the best build is bow attacker with heavy magic support. Magic is too limiting to be a great offense, but it's an amazing use of skill points in terms of how many other things it does. For maximum efficiency you'll want to wait to invest your own skill points until you can buy each magic skill to 5 in Blackwater and read the skill books. All you really need are Lock Melt and Cat's Eyes, but Dense Nimbus, Divine Heal, and Predator Sight are also amazing, and Portal is great for convenience.
- BasiliskWrangler
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
Great post, 'shroom! I can't tell you how good it makes me feel to know people still play Book 1 and get enjoyment out of it.
- blatherbeard
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
and by shroom no lesss!
ps i think i have to do a replay of all books soon lol
ps i think i have to do a replay of all books soon lol
The armies joined in a bloody battle on this fine day, then storm clouds broke, and it rained.
So they all went home.---Story knots within blatherbeards Beard.
So they all went home.---Story knots within blatherbeards Beard.
- MyGameCompany
- Officer [Platinum Rank]
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- Location: Michigan
Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
I replayed Book I about 6 months ago. Replayed Book II about 3 months ago. Still very enjoyable games!
Troy
Former indie game developer
Check out my Book III mods: The Mystery of Rockhammer Mine and Expedition into West Mirkland
Former indie game developer
Check out my Book III mods: The Mystery of Rockhammer Mine and Expedition into West Mirkland
- Painted Lady
- Lieutenant
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- Joined: April 23rd, 2009, 3:09 pm
Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
I started a replay of Book 1 a couple of weeks ago. Decided to make it challenging by using no magic and making my distance attack Thrown weapons. However, I play on a Mac. The maps covered in white squares is just too painful, so I dropped the idea.
- MyGameCompany
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
Hm. I play on a Mac, and haven't encountered any white square issues.
Troy
Former indie game developer
Check out my Book III mods: The Mystery of Rockhammer Mine and Expedition into West Mirkland
Former indie game developer
Check out my Book III mods: The Mystery of Rockhammer Mine and Expedition into West Mirkland
- BasiliskWrangler
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
I think you've complained about this in the past. Is your Mac fully up-to-date, and are you using the very latest version of Book 1?Painted Lady wrote: ↑August 17th, 2017, 7:56 am I started a replay of Book 1 a couple of weeks ago. Decided to make it challenging by using no magic and making my distance attack Thrown weapons. However, I play on a Mac. The maps covered in white squares is just too painful, so I dropped the idea.
- Painted Lady
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
The Mac is up to date. I just re-downloaded Book 1 and got Version 1.06, which is the version I had before. Strange huh?BasiliskWrangler wrote: ↑August 17th, 2017, 5:22 pm I think you've complained about this in the past. Is your Mac fully up-to-date, and are you using the very latest version of Book 1?
What is new is that I now have a BlitzMax error saying the gfx.pak is missing. Maybe I will try getting the game off of iTunes.
- SpottedShroom
- Captain Magnate
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
For what it's worth, I also had some minor white squares issues on Linux in my last play through. I think I saw it mainly in the Hive Queen's lair.
- BasiliskWrangler
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
The white squares issue was definitely a problem with BlitzMax's OpenGL driver, the last time I addressed it. That's likely to be the case again, and possibly no way to ever correct it unfortunately. BlitzMax is dead. X_x
- SpottedShroom
- Captain Magnate
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
Well, at least it's open source. As soon as you release the Book I source, I'll take a look at fixing it ;)
- Painted Lady
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
Thought you might be interested to know that I downloaded Book I from the iTunes app store successfully. Don't know if the white squares will re-appear, but the game seems to start up smoothly and looks normal so far.
- Prismatic Maelstrom
- Major
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Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
/deadhorseSpottedShroom wrote:Well, at least it's open source. As soon as you release the Book I source, I'll take a look at fixing it... ;)
Re: A few thoughts from my latest play through
Hello Shroom from 2017
This is a great analysis. One thing about spells is they're the only offensive skill that has an AOE option. Non offensive casters gotta rely on demon oil, and while I love me some demon oil, it's just not as efficient as spamming the AOE spells. This, IMO, balances it out against spells' lack of DPS when compared to weapon skills.
This is a great analysis. One thing about spells is they're the only offensive skill that has an AOE option. Non offensive casters gotta rely on demon oil, and while I love me some demon oil, it's just not as efficient as spamming the AOE spells. This, IMO, balances it out against spells' lack of DPS when compared to weapon skills.