The Next Run
| Author | Topic: The Next Run |
|---|---|
|
His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
|
written Wednesday, May 25 2005 11:13
Profile
I have been pondering my next run through the game. The Vlish Lord is still powerful, but with changes to the damage types, there are problems later. Vlish do magical or poison type damage, and most endgame enemies are highly magic resistant and poison resistant. This made for slow going. Infact, I darn near completely bogged down. And Terror Vlish just don't seem to be terrorizing much of anything, even at a higher level. Scrolling text indicates that the target took poison damage and is stunned. And that's it. Near the end, the Terror Vlish were doing around one hundred and twentyish damage a shot to non resistant foes, and, here's the shocker. Against non resistant foes, regular Vlish did more damage. I saw damage rolls as high as 180, with a completely buffed creation. And by buffed I mean blessed, hasted, etc. So that brings me to my next run. I think I am going to try another Guardian. Missiles. Again. I am more familiar with the game now and various mechanics. This one will be played as a Loyalist, no canisters. I expect that this will be a tough route to follow. As for creations, I am going to go for broke and stick with only Battle Creations. I will have items to boost Fire Shaping and Magic Shaping, should I choose to wear those items, but I plan to stick with using hard hitting Battle Creations to make a front line. Something about a commanding Guardian leading an actual army into battle appeals to me. As a Loyalist, I think I can get a lot of bang for the buck out of this choice. Thahd Shades, lots of bugs, which are not as bad as people think, a well leveled clawbug or plated bug is quite durable and sturdy... Alphas. And I can learn to make those Rotten Goth zombie critters from some nut locked away in his tower. If I really wanted to push for a theme, I could model my Guardian after an insect. He could wear chiton armors, use batons, and make bugs as creations. A highly specialised approach. Wear spines in his armor. This time, I will not be bringing Alwan along. I have severe issues with Alwan. There are dialog points where it says that Alwan grasps his baton angrily, but he has no baton. No means of any sort of ranged attack what so ever. Greta has both melee and ranged covered. Alwan seems to be good at one thing. Dying. Even Augmented and fully buffed, he goes down to quickly for my liking on Torment. I can make creations tougher than he is. For being so close to becoming a true shaper, he has no quick action or parry at all. He is a liability. He should have at least had a baton as a ranged option, with a chance to upgrade later to something a little better. Keeping him alive is at best, an irritation and distraction. -------------------- If I could make just one wish, I would want a tasty vlish. Geneforge IV. Still no tasty vlish. Posts: 1104 | Registered: Tuesday, February 12 2002 08:00 |
|
...b10010b...
Member # 869
|
written Wednesday, May 25 2005 12:09
Profile
Homepage
quote:Maybe the game means his "baton". Alwan always was a bit of a wanker. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
|
Infiltrator
Member # 5754
|
written Wednesday, May 25 2005 12:27
Profile
I'm playing loyalist at trickey and Alwan has only died a few times on Spears infact he's about as strong as a rotghoroth. Posts: 626 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
|
Infiltrator
Member # 5785
|
written Wednesday, May 25 2005 13:00
Profile
I think you did a good job with the Battle-Commander Guardian. Having those creations and also focusing on those pumped-up missile attackswill probably work really well. Good job, Vlishy. Of course, for me, it might not be such a good option. I am somewhat of a XP-Whore, so i never make more than one creation so that there is minimal XP-drain (Can i have the charts for this, by the way? To me it seems that they roughly eat 3 XP per creation, if you normally gain 25-30. More if more gained, less if less gained. Anyone know the actuall numbers? Should be in the script), same reason i never bring along Greta or Alwan. Anyway, good job. -------------------- "..The seventh wave of Thrall stumbled and climbed over the slippery, piled dead and Mazzarin saw The Watcher with them and at last knew the number of his days." Posts: 522 | Registered: Wednesday, May 4 2005 07:00 |
|
His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
|
written Wednesday, May 25 2005 13:20
Profile
I haven't yet worked on my new Guardian. It's still in concept. Last go around, I made a few mistakes that I plan to correct on this run. For one thing, more Luck. On a whim, my Vlish Lord added some points to Luck just because he could. And more stuff like Glaahk eyes and Vlish tentacles were dropping. I don't plan to go all out, but enough here that I start seeing some drops. No magic skills. At all. Not even enough to get a single point in Spellcraft and getting Unlock. It's a waste of time. No Blessing Magic either. He will survive on his strength and ability to craft items alone, or he will fail. He will have plenty of healing though. His creations will have to be strong enough to survive on their own with out buffing. I am not sure how that will go. I expect casualties. Lots of casualties. Only the strong will survive. The strongest creations will get some attention in battle, healing if need be, while the weaker ones will be allowed to fend for themselves. I will not be able to waste resources coddling some half baked creation. If a creation survives a few battles and gains some levels, and starts pulling it's own weight, considerations will be made to extend it's natural life. It might even get a name. Full clears. Anything remotely rogue from the Shaper cause will be exterminated. Every nook and cranny will be explored, every enemy killed, every vase and every chest will be looted. No theft from Loyal Shapers. For role playing reasons. That means no robbing the Lord of the Isles of his gear. Dishonourable. Any items marked as property will not be stolen, unless it is from people of questionable character. Anybody questioning Shaper rule will be exterminated. I want to cultivate the reputation of being a hardass. Should be interesting to see how people will deal with me if they see me as being unflexable and emotionless. -------------------- If I could make just one wish, I would want a tasty vlish. Geneforge IV. Still no tasty vlish. Posts: 1104 | Registered: Tuesday, February 12 2002 08:00 |
|
Warrior
Member # 5167
|
written Wednesday, May 25 2005 16:22
Profile
You talk like a real shaper... that's the spirit, if you want to be in the 'good' side. -------------------- Finished Sub2 levels: Shop"keep"er Machinery Complex Machinery Complex2 Machinery Complex3 Machinery Complex4 Munchkin City In progress: None Abandonned: T.E.L.E.P.O.R.T Sub-Way Posts: 80 | Registered: Saturday, November 6 2004 08:00 |
|
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 04:09
Profile
Losing War Blessing and Protection will hurt a lot, I predict. In the dicey early Guardian game, they so often make the difference between a kill and a wounding. Losing Mental Barrier will also be very bad in some places. One thing that may help a fair bit is bringing lots of Shaper contraband in to be burnt -- you can get a good weapon as a reward. Just remember, though: while you're out fighting for your life against the hordes of rogues, Lord Rahul's Puresteel Plate and Guardian's Claymore will be gathering dust in his closet -- and not helping the Shaper cause at all! (If this were G3, that last argument would only have been available because my Leadership was above six, and it would make you concede and turn robber.) -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
|
His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 04:27
Profile
There is a fine line between planning for a game and using predetermined knowledge to powergame. In game, the character would never know the claymore and the plate were in there. He would only see the guards, know it is off limits, and being a upright and lawful shaper, back off and respect that. I don't plan on using the claymore actually, and there is better armor than the plate. This might sound crazy, but I am going to try the stunning blade for a little bit of mimic the Glaahk action. Also, the singing rapier is actually quite good as a melee weapon switch. So I have options. He met the first Creator in the mines last night. Using a couple of Dicipline Wands he found, he was doing about 150 damage a shot. As for creations turning on me or running away, they must be exterminated. He had a Thahd chicken out and run away from a few measly little worms. The Thahd was shot in the back by a thorn as it ran away. I then dealt with the worms. Can't have it getting out that my own creations turned against me and lived. Would be bad for the shaper cause. ;) -------------------- If I could make just one wish, I would want a tasty vlish. Geneforge IV. Still no tasty vlish. Posts: 1104 | Registered: Tuesday, February 12 2002 08:00 |
|
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 06:24
Profile
True, but I went in there my first run on the principle of exploring everything and applying the ingenuity Lord Rahul so wisely praises. This game has rebel Shapers, traitor Shapers, deluded Shapers, corrupted Shapers, heretical Shapers, and mind-controlled Shapers. Who knows what dark secrets might be hidden in Lord Rahul's private rooms, which it would be your duty as an unwavering loyalist to expose? -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
|
Warrior
Member # 3327
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 06:25
Profile
Though Guardians should almost always use the "Drain Life" enhancement on their swords, I think that the Stunning Blade, if accompanied by a stunning enhancement, could be essentially be a one-hit kill. Posts: 77 | Registered: Sunday, August 10 2003 07:00 |
|
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 06:43
Profile
I don't think there is a stunning enhancement, alas. -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
|
Warrior
Member # 5731
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 06:47
Profile
I used a Glaahk + curse power on a blade and between the 2, I almost never had to worry about getting hit in return. Now if my target had a lot of little friends I had to use some dazing, but with 1 or 2 enemies they were usually toast before they could even move.) Posts: 107 | Registered: Tuesday, April 19 2005 07:00 |
|
His Mighty Tentacle
Member # 627
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 07:38
Profile
I have learned one thing about G3. Ancillary effects are king. Physical damage, while good, is no longer enough. It's better to have your attack as a delivery system for ancillary effects. Slow, stun, acid, poison, terror, etc. These become key elements. -------------------- If I could make just one wish, I would want a tasty vlish. Geneforge IV. Still no tasty vlish. Posts: 1104 | Registered: Tuesday, February 12 2002 08:00 |
|
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 13:19
Profile
Homepage
Well, there is a slowing enhancement, which is essentially the same thing as stunning (melee attack, Glaahk or Stunning Blade stunning, not Stun spell stunning). I think it's from the blue crystal (Runed something). The Stunning Blade is ABSOLUTELY BRUTAL if you are only fighting a single enemy. My melee agent used it to dice up golems and other highly resistant enemies. The Stunning Blade will get you 2 stuns regularly with good Quick Action and melee stats, whereas the enhancement will only get you 1, and not even 1 every attack. I think the regeneration enhancement fits it better -- if you don't have to pause for healing, that's 2 extra stuns you get in, which is huge even if you are hasted and attacking 3 times per round. However, against multiple regular strength enemies you are much better off with the raw damage power of the Claymore. The Stunning Blade would also be extremely effective for a Guardian supported by Glaahks. Actually -- that sounds like a fun theme, eh Delicious Vlish? The Glaahkmeister. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
|
Infiltrator
Member # 5785
|
written Thursday, May 26 2005 13:21
Profile
There is a dark secret in his chambers, it's called a Create Drayk canister. -------------------- "..The seventh wave of Thrall stumbled and climbed over the slippery, piled dead and Mazzarin saw The Watcher with them and at last knew the number of his days." Posts: 522 | Registered: Wednesday, May 4 2005 07:00 |