Tales of Maj'Eyal

[Cogwheel]

Exciting news for fans of Steam: This just got Greenlit.

Oh, nice! Never thought they'd make it, after all this time.

If nothing else, it's easier to donate now. Less cumbersome, which would be nice, had I not already done so. And... Steam Workshop? I can hope.

[Knaight]

Did you do all the T1 stuff/did you visit the slaver compound and assassin tunnels?

For that matter, did you clear out everything else for T2, or rush Daikara?

I hit Daikara early - level 8. Other than the vault, it was easy enough to handle.

[Cogwheel]

I hit Daikara early - level 8. Other than the vault, it was easy enough to handle.

...

You, sir, are the most terrifying madman I have witnessed all week.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Some builds will find it easier than others.

[Mewtarthio]

So long as you don't get the volcano version, at least. I don't think anyone has an easy time of the volcano version.

[BladeofObliviom]

Huh. Tried it out, and eventually got through Trollmire after a few deaths (even the Bonus Boss). Then I usually go outside and proceed to get ambushed by adventurers who are each about twice my level.

Ouchie. Plus I'm a masochist who's playing on Roguelike mode, so there's that.

[Cogwheel]

So long as you don't get the volcano version, at least. I don't think anyone has an easy time of the volcano version.

I have literally never seen this version. I really want to! I'm starting to forget Daikara has an alternative version, though. Same for Rhaloren Camp.

Huh. Tried it out, and eventually got through Trollmire after a few deaths (even the Bonus Boss). Then I usually go outside and proceed to get ambushed by adventurers who are each about twice my level.

Ouchie. Plus I'm a masochist who's playing on Roguelike mode, so there's that.

Easier Roguelike might be a good compromise while you learn?

Depending on when their power spikes early on and what tricks they have, some classes can take the bonus boss on immediately. For others, I would advise waiting until after another dungeon or two.

[BladeofObliviom]

Easier Roguelike might be a good compromise while you learn?

Depending on when their power spikes early on and what tricks they have, some classes can take the bonus boss on immediately. For others, I would advise waiting until after another dungeon or two.

Actually, I'm doing okay as it turns out. Just had really bad luck on the first couple runs where I finished Trollmire and had adventurers nearby. In the "Very Old Halfling Ruins" right now, and mostly slaughtering my way through without too much trouble.

[Cogwheel]

Actually, I'm doing okay as it turns out. Just had really bad luck on the first couple runs where I finished Trollmire and had adventurers nearby.

Adventurers can contain casters. As such, they never really stop being risky. At first, yeah, avoid. Avoid hard.

In the "Very Old Halfling Ruins" right now, and mostly slaughtering my way through without too much trouble.

Ahahahaha Subject Z time.

Godspeed.


(For real though I would not recommend that place until after finishing T2. Be very careful with the boss if you're squishy.)

[TaRix]

I'm just terrible at this one, even though I've actually cleared the adventure mode once. (Think it was with a rampaging cursed wood-elf) I can never get the builds quite right. Even if the points are in the right places, they're not there at the right time. Or I've got the wrong rune/infusions for the situation. Or I pick a fight with the wrong monster.

I'll probably take another stab at it again later, kinda burned myself out after finally unlocking the class the rogue unlocks (with one extra-hard hit or somesuch)

Then I tried the infinite dungeon with a temporal warden a few times and then settled for a lowly arena ranking.

My inner munchkin just doesn't measure up.

[BladeofObliviom]

Adventurers can contain casters. As such, they never really stop being risky. At first, yeah, avoid. Avoid hard.

Ahahahaha Subject Z time.

Godspeed.

(For real though I would not recommend that place until after finishing T2. Be very careful with the boss if you're squishy.)

Heh, I'd already killed the guy by the time I read this post, in spite of being only level 11.

Didn't manage to save the Yeek though.

(And then I got killed by more adventurers anyway, so it all evens out. )

[Pseudo_Nym]

I remember this game! Never managed to beat it, and I've beaten both ADOM and Nethack. It just didn't seem... fair, to me, not like most roguelikes. Maybe it's because of my fondness for the squishier types, but it felt like you could die so suddenly, without warning. ADOM and Nethack were fair, if incredibly sadistic. Every one of my countless deaths taught me something. Except for the one with the poison-spiked pit trap. ToME, all I remember learning is "never walk around corners, there might be a monster with class levels." But it's been a while; maybe I'll give it another go.

Furthest I ever got was with a Corruptor. Very straightforward class, that. But a lot tougher than the Archmage or Necromancer, and with a low cooldown spell that drains life from enemies to heal. Made it past Dreadfell, roguelike mode. Actually got far enough to max a stat, which I didn't know could happen. Always kinda resented that they were the class I was best with, since they're so unashamedly Evil.

[nooblade]

My inner munchkin just doesn't measure up.

Yeah, that's the feeling I get too.

I was starting to play this, but then found that I actually wanted to play Incursion: Halls of the Goblin King instead. Something about the quasi D&D 3.0 rules just feels right. I wish the developer would quit working on other stuff and finish it.. No updates since I'd played it last year. But it's still fun.

[BladeofObliviom]

I remember this game! Never managed to beat it, and I've beaten both ADOM and Nethack. It just didn't seem... fair, to me, not like most roguelikes. Maybe it's because of my fondness for the squishier types, but it felt like you could die so suddenly, without warning. ADOM and Nethack were fair, if incredibly sadistic. Every one of my countless deaths taught me something. Except for the one with the poison-spiked pit trap. ToME, all I remember learning is "never walk around corners, there might be a monster with class levels." But it's been a while; maybe I'll give it another go.

You know, what's funny is that I don't find the actual dungeons to be all that hard as long as you're very careful and don't aggro too many monsters at once (or get blindsided by a boss or caster that you didn't see before).

Those random adventurers spawning all over the overworld, though? They're always stronger than you are individually and come in packs.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Just have escape options. As long as you have escape options you can usually survive to fight another time. Even when you get ambushed on the overworld, a movement infusion is usually enough to get away from even the worst groups.

[Cogwheel]

You know, what's funny is that I don't find the actual dungeons to be all that hard as long as you're very careful and don't aggro too many monsters at once (or get blindsided by a boss or caster that you didn't see before).

Those random adventurers spawning all over the overworld, though? They're always stronger than you are individually and come in packs.

You learn to be very careful. Though in fairness, you can safely 1~2-shot them by midgame or so. They don't scale quite as hard as you do, because equipment.

I remember this game! Never managed to beat it, and I've beaten both ADOM and Nethack. It just didn't seem... fair, to me, not like most roguelikes. Maybe it's because of my fondness for the squishier types, but it felt like you could die so suddenly, without warning. ADOM and Nethack were fair, if incredibly sadistic. Every one of my countless deaths taught me something. Except for the one with the poison-spiked pit trap. ToME, all I remember learning is "never walk around corners, there might be a monster with class levels." But it's been a while; maybe I'll give it another go.

Build Constitution more? I don't know, I would say ADOM and Nethack are less fair, if anything. I get what you mean with random rares, and used to feel that way, but it stopped happening? I'm not sure why. Could be constitution, or more caution, or learning to keep defensive measures around and always resting up before moving on.

Furthest I ever got was with a Corruptor. Very straightforward class, that. But a lot tougher than the Archmage or Necromancer, and with a low cooldown spell that drains life from enemies to heal. Made it past Dreadfell, roguelike mode. Actually got far enough to max a stat, which I didn't know could happen. Always kinda resented that they were the class I was best with, since they're so unashamedly Evil.

Archmages and necromancers are actually much tougher. Corruptors get more HP and the drain, but mages get way more escapes. Phase Door and Teleport are huge. Distortion Shield isn't half bad, and archmages also have Time Shield, a heal, and the entire Aegis tree, so it gets kind of ludicrous.

I think you mean comically evil, by the way. I always found it hilarious, though they don't quite go as far as Necromancers, what with the spell that summons bunnies, taunts everything to attack them, and gathers their souls.

Heh, I'd already killed the guy by the time I read this post, in spite of being only level 11.

Didn't manage to save the Yeek though.

(And then I got killed by more adventurers anyway, so it all evens out. )

Really. Maybe he's different at low levels? I just know he can randomly teleport in and hit you six times, which is... interesting, as a squishy character. As for saving the yeek, that will...

Spoiler: unlock stuff

Show

Unlock the Yeek race if you save it as anything but a halfling, and give that character confusion resist/mental save. Saving the Wayist as a Yeek yourself will unlock a new class.

I'm just terrible at this one, even though I've actually cleared the adventure mode once. (Think it was with a rampaging cursed wood-elf) I can never get the builds quite right. Even if the points are in the right places, they're not there at the right time. Or I've got the wrong rune/infusions for the situation. Or I pick a fight with the wrong monster.

Practice is good for this stuff. If you want build advice, I can help with that on a good few classes. That said, I wing it somewhat myself and tend to make a few daft mistakes - take my winning Necromancer run, for instance, no Thick Skin or Impending Doom, and I liched out without runes on hand - but you can generally get away with it.

I'll probably take another stab at it again later, kinda burned myself out after finally unlocking the class the rogue unlocks (with one extra-hard hit or somesuch)

600 damage. Marauders are such a pain to unlock, and so bad. The good news is that it's easier if you build a strength rogue, crit-shadowstrike someone by level 8 or so with a giant two-hander, and then abandon your abomination of a rogue.

Then I tried the infinite dungeon with a temporal warden a few times and then settled for a lowly arena ranking.

My inner munchkin just doesn't measure up.

Ah, temporal warden. Never liked them, myself. You're either a mediocre dual-wielder, or a hyper-effective archer, but archers are dull as dishwater.

Arena is fun, though! I just find it a bit too binary. Either your class clicks with the mode, or it has no chance at all.

Just have escape options. As long as you have escape options you can usually survive to fight another time. Even when you get ambushed on the overworld, a movement infusion is usually enough to get away from even the worst groups.

Very true. Cannot overstate the power of defensive and movement abilities. Mind you, one can make up for the other up to a point (have I mentioned that ghoul sun paladins are hilarious?).

[TaRix]

Yes, archmages get plenty. That's almost my problem with them--I get a little bit of a tree or two too many and get watered down to where they get into too much danger, and eventually one of the escape methods goes sour.

[Cogwheel]

Yes, archmages get plenty. That's almost my problem with them--I get a little bit of a tree or two too many and get watered down to where they get into too much danger, and eventually one of the escape methods goes sour.

Handy guide: Arcane Reconstruction, Phase Door, Teleport and Distortion Shield are good things to 5 eventually, less urgently for Teleport since it's less 'get me here, specifically' and more 'anywhere but here' in application. Shielding/Arcane Shield/Aegis are lovely, but less urgent. Past that, you just want Time Shield for the most part, on the class talent side. And shielding runes, plus maybe a healing infusion besides AR if you like?

Obviously if you're a generalist or arcane/aether archmage, Disruption Shield is hilarious, but I won't pretend it's core on everyone.

[Pseudo_Nym]

With the Corruptor, actually, Constitution was my highest stat. Magic followed. And I still felt like my deaths were too sudden, without warning. I didn't need escape options - I could already survive just about anything, if I lived long enough actually see it. Every so often I wouldn't. So I'd die, and I'd not know what to do differently next time.

But that was a year or three ago, and my memory's not perfect. I won't complain further without giving it another chance.

[Cogwheel]

With the Corruptor, actually, Constitution was my highest stat. Magic followed. And I still felt like my deaths were too sudden, without warning. I didn't need escape options - I could already survive just about anything, if I lived long enough actually see it. Every so often I wouldn't. So I'd die, and I'd not know what to do differently next time.

But that was a year or three ago, and my memory's not perfect. I won't complain further without giving it another chance.

Oh, the game's changed a lot since, so that's probably it. Most pertinently, rares have to respect their level and general power somewhat with skills. You can't, say, have a random ghoul with 36 ranks in Skullcracker.

[Rolaran]

Speaking of changes to the game, I just found the beta notes for the next patch of the game (not live yet, didn't see a release date). Archers and Brawlers get some nice buffs, lots of the visual effects are getting improvements, but one line in particular stands out as my new favorite patch note:

Yeeks can not dominate themselves.

[BladeofObliviom]

Damn. Tried out the Summoner. It wasn't working out too well until I figured out that Meditate wasn't just halving my damage, but also that of the summons. Suddenly things started going a lot better, until I got ganked by a random Orc Pyromancer in the Old Forest.

[Cogwheel]

Damn. Tried out the Summoner. It wasn't working out too well until I figured out that Meditate wasn't just halving my damage, but also that of the summons. Suddenly things started going a lot better, until I got ganked by a random Orc Pyromancer in the Old Forest.

...That is really unlucky. I mean, I once got a rare 35-ish Uruivellas in the Old Forest, so obviously sometimes it can do dumb things, but still.

Also yes, Summoners are fairly effective once you figure them out. Dull, but effective.

Speaking of changes to the game, I just found the beta notes for the next patch of the game (not live yet, didn't see a release date). Archers and Brawlers get some nice buffs, lots of the visual effects are getting improvements, but one line in particular stands out as my new favorite patch note:

Never thought the day would come! This is quite nice, and I'm fond of the performance improvements, too.

The ghoul and alchemist changes promise to be hilarious. Thanks for sharing.

[Ailurus]

played this way too much a few years back when it was still LotR themed (ToME 2 I believe). Never did manage to beat it, but managed to get a few characters down to about level 80 or so of the final dungeon. Liking a lot of the changes, especially the skill trees. And the mouse interface doesn't hurt either.

Starting out with a Higher Bulwark, and its going OK. Or was until Daikara (got there at level 12) where I happened across an area that opened up, then I got frozen in place by something and then it was SO MUCH LIGHTNING. Managed to survive and fall back (thanks to the racial healing ability), but now I'm afraid to poke my head around corners there anymore.

[Cogwheel]

played this way too much a few years back when it was still LotR themed (ToME 2 I believe). Never did manage to beat it, but managed to get a few characters down to about level 80 or so of the final dungeon. Liking a lot of the changes, especially the skill trees. And the mouse interface doesn't hurt either.

Starting out with a Higher Bulwark, and its going OK. Or was until Daikara (got there at level 12) where I happened across an area that opened up, then I got frozen in place by something and then it was SO MUCH LIGHTNING. Managed to survive and fall back (thanks to the racial healing ability), but now I'm afraid to poke my head around corners there anymore.

Eesh, yes. Level 12 is much too early (then again, I appear to be more conservative than others in the thread). Daikara is also where Bulwarks start to suffer, since they can be frozen regularly, meet large amounts of ranged enemies, and the whole 'impervious to physical attacks' thing starts to mean waaay less.

Higher might also not be the best pick for that race? I'll be honest, though, I never got very far with Bulwarks.

Edit: That and Daikara is a Bad Place in general. Protip, do not enter the portal on area 3 of it unless you hate yourself/are coming back a while later.

[Todasmile]

Eesh, yes. Level 12 is much too early (then again, I appear to be more conservative than others in the thread). Daikara is also where Bulwarks start to suffer, since they can be frozen regularly, meet large amounts of ranged enemies, and the whole 'impervious to physical attacks' thing starts to mean waaay less.

Higher might also not be the best pick for that race? I'll be honest, though, I never got very far with Bulwarks.

Edit: That and Daikara is a Bad Place in general. Protip, do not enter the portal on area 3 of it unless you hate yourself/are coming back a while later.

Just don't enter Daikara, period. Finish all the dungeons you can.

Then quit.

[Cogwheel]

Just don't enter Daikara, period. Finish all the dungeons you can.

Then quit.

These are professional tips for expert tomers. Heed them well.

[Worira]

Personally I'd say enter Daikara but not... uh... the other one. Don't go to whatever that one is. With the darkness and the wizards and the lightnings.

[Cogwheel]

Personally I'd say enter Daikara but not... uh... the other one. Don't go to whatever that one is. With the darkness and the wizards and the lightnings.

Tempest Peak.

Similarly, when you're asked if you want to enter a tunnel at about level 20, the answer is no.

[Todasmile]

Just had a game as a Cursed. It was going great, I was beginning to work up to that point where Cursed are really strong, and stuff was working out.

Found a TIER FOUR randart Battleaxe in the Underground Tunnels.

Didn't even get to use it before the Assassin Lord killed me.

I would have killed him in one hit.