Challenge - The Nudie Run

Well, as it was expected, with level 1 characters it's even more luck-based because of two things: first, you need to obtain from the loot specifically the items you are allowed to equip at that moment, which means that you are going to discard a lot of items, and consequently that it's very probable you are forced to have the default items longer . There's nothing worse than seeing in a chest a rare or better item that you can't equip. And secondly, when you finally can equip everything, it's very probable that you actually can't equip the items you get because of the tokens (you have fewer and they come later).

On my first attempt I got killed in the 4th battle of the Garnet Demon Portal adventure (level 10), but I got extremely unlucky with the loot drop. My warrior had only 4 damage attacks top with his 3 weapons (2 of them the default ones), terrible. So, with a bit more of luck it's definitely possible to advance more, as Pengwin said.

It would be great if the devs formalized it, yes, but they are with other things going on, including the new cards, so I don't see that happen in the near future, unfortunately.

 

I'd love to see it too, but it's a substantial amount of time to develop it. And once you put that much work into, then you start thinking about adding randomized levels and monsters, and it spirals into it's own game... CardHack would be a truly awesome game though.

 

What if you could hold items you find? It would kind of be a pain to keep track of, but at least you could equip found items that you couldn't use at the start.

 

That's one of the optional rules some people use. There is a semi-automated way to track them with neoncat's tools, but writing them down is probably less work on a small scale.

 

Yes, you could add some of the optional rules to make it easier, but I don't like that one because of precisely that, it takes time to write down every item you got and you can't equip. Being able to use treasure to purchase stuff is another option, but even if you limit it to 1 or 2 items per run, it would remove the random aspect of this challenge that I like so much, because you could purchase exactly what you need at any point, so, at least for me, treasure is out of the question too.

 

What if you're allowed to use six chars? Then you can change up your party between modules, and the inactive chars can carry spare items.

Heck, you can use your entire inactive roster as a pack mule for the current run (just remember to empty them all before the next run).

 

I'm sad... I thought I could do better, but high mountain pass was a BAD choice. I wanted to avoid the skeletons and area effect, but didn't remembered there were that mass of enemies, with a HUGE amount of magic blocks. Got past the first map, the second took me off full force. Started with level 10 chars, already back in levels at 13. My rules were to play 1 adventure per adventure level; I used the shops (2 uncommons, 6 commons); once an item went in my inventory, it couldn't be used again. I thought I could do something after beating Tvericus at my first try, but overestimated my party. Played 1/1/1, two dwarfs and one human warrior. I think I will try again, though, it was nice after all.

 

Wish I had the time to play this.

Indeed, if this was introduced with enough chest-incentives it might be a superb alternative to grinding and brining back the epic moments of SP campaign at the same time! Although I can see that it would be very slow and to really make it on par reward-wise with current grinding speeds one would have to be rewarded an extra chest per fight with magnificent / epic chests once in a while/milestone (awarded through chest shop after death). In a formalised version it would be good to block off the early adventures as you go along to prevent grinding within this mode (assuming you get extra treasures afterwards).

 

Sounds like you would be a supporter of New Game Plus.

Also, this format seems really fun! If only there were pages in the inventory to separate items, but I like the challenge imposed by only switching gear in the chests. Furthermore, with regards to shops, most modern rogue-likes have shops (see Rogue Legacy and FTL as great examples of modern rogue-likes), so as long as you only spend gold earned on that playthrough I see no qualms in anyone using the shops. Ideally the shops would only carry limited items, but you can just impose limits on your shopping like many posters have already suggested.

Thanks for the link Farbs!

 

I'm going to try this mode this week. Sounds like tons of fun and I love the idea of working with what you have found during the run.

 

Started with a level one all human 1/1/1 team. Just beat Forest of Souls and got rather blessed with an Icicle Shield.

My rules:

Level 1 party
Only use items gained from beating levels (includes reward club, excludes shops)
Only switch/equip items after opening a chest, prevents keeping track of a backlog inventory, should make some maps more difficult (only aided by the occasional reward club item, which is why I chose to include them).
Failing a level equals perma-death.

My route so far:

White Skull Canyon
The Wizard's Workshop
Highway Robbery
Ruby Demon Portal
Rescue From Shieldhaven Prison
The Defense of Woodhome
Forest of Souls

CM Warrior
Level 6 Human Warrior

Bulky Club
Heirloom Assegai
Rusted Blade
Rusty Chainmail
Icicle Shield
Cloth Cap
Croc Skin Boots
Unskilled Martial

3 x Cloth Armor
1 x Icy Block
3 x Lunging Hack
1 x Solid Mail
1 x Reliable Hide Armor
2 x Stab
4 x Penetrating Cut
1 x Dash
1 x Flimsy Block
2 x Simple Strike
1 x Lunging Thrust
2 x Mail
1 x Clumsy Chop
6 x Bludgeon
1 x Wounded Block
2 x Strong Stab
1 x Weak Block
​

CM Priest
Level 6 Human Priest

Clumsy Black Mace
Repelling Mace
Blessed Ring Shirt
Spiked Buckler
Boots Of Discretion
Medallion Of St. Beldar
Medallion Of St. Beldar
Novice Devotion

2 x Hardy Mail
4 x Simple Bash
2 x Misguided Heal
1 x Violent Overswing
5 x Righteous Frenzy
1 x Light Heal
1 x Altruism
1 x Sparkling Cloth Armor
3 x Entangling Roots
2 x Simple Strike
1 x Healing Dash
1 x Trip
1 x Bludgeon
1 x Lunging Bash
2 x Unreliable Block
2 x Minor Heal
​

CM Wizard
Level 6 Human Wizard

Greenspark Staff
Fireblast Torch
Armorbane Pendant
Empty Pouch
Gray Robe
Boots Of Discretion
Novice Command
Novice Electromancy

1 x Vulnerable
1 x Burning Fingers
2 x Bungled Bolt
1 x Zap
1 x Spark Inductor
1 x Spark Generator
1 x Reliable Hide Armor
1 x Long Spark
2 x Cautious Sneak
1 x Acid Blast
2 x Magma Spray
1 x Memory Loss
1 x Healing Dash
1 x Dissolve Armor
1 x Run, Team!
1 x Sparkling Cloth Armor
1 x Trip
2 x Little Zap
2 x Spark
2 x Deadly Spark
1 x Combustible

My thoughts on this formats so far are mixed. It is really fun to analyze items I would normally ever use, and the extra challenge presented by subpar equipment is very entertaining. However, every time a treasure drops or an item my characters didn't have a slot for yet made my heart sink at the wasted opportunity, but this also adds to the intensity of the run, as luck plays a part, and can add some nice variety to my play. Overall, I've really been enjoying my run thus far, and hopefully I can at least make it to the level 12 adventures on my first run!
​

 

So far I'm at level 10 and my rules are as follows

1) Only items from drops (I used the club membership)
2) Switched equipment only in between maps
3) Run ends when I fail a mission
4) Level 20 characters

Route so far:
1) White Skull Canyon
2) Wizard's Workshop
3) Highway Robbery
4) Ruby Demon Portal
5) Rescue from Shieldhaven Prison
6) The Defense of Woodhome
7) Forest of Souls
8) Compass of Xorr
9) Gladiatorial Arena, Qualifiers
10) Garnet Demon Portal (I failed twice on the 2nd map and thought this was the end. Then I finished it)
10b) Sinister Wood (I screwed up. I thought it said 11. )

So that's where I stopped. I'm going to continue on, but the run is tainted now.

This is my party at the end of Sinister Wood. I got Sabo's Flamespit Staff in the final chest. I had all of my slots filled fairly early on.

Azuratan
Level 20 Human Warrior

Carved Club
Light Spear
Oversized Pick
Hardened Hide Armor
Cover Shield
Bellowing Helm
Nacarat Boots
Novice Flexibility
Apprentice Bashing
​

1 x Flimsy Block
2 x Missile Block
1 x Solid Mail
1 x Jarring Block
2 x War Cry
2 x Shifty Stab
1 x Reliable Hide Armor
1 x Jump Back
1 x Cautious Sneak
1 x Bruiser
1 x Unreliable Block
4 x Raging Strike
2 x Bludgeon
2 x Thick Hide Armor
1 x Simple Strike
1 x Leadership
1 x Large Weapon
4 x Stab
2 x Simple Bash
1 x Slowed
2 x Pressing Bash
1 x Impaling Stab
1 x Wild Run
​

Mel'javana
Level 20 Dwarf Priest

Tarnished Hammer
Copper Mace
Strong Healer's Mail
Heavy Dueler's Shield
Thin-soled Boots
Flawed Relic
Oak Roots
Righteous Tome
Apprentice Toughness
Neophyte Cleansing
​

1 x Healing Benediction
2 x Parry
1 x Shuffle
1 x Shrug It Off
1 x Minor Heal
1 x Holy Presence
1 x Inspiration
3 x Wavering Faith
1 x Spin Around
1 x Heal
2 x Bash
5 x Simple Bash
2 x Bludgeon
1 x Reliable Hide Armor
4 x Righteous Frenzy
3 x Entangling Roots
1 x Mail
1 x Run
1 x Hardy Mail
1 x Walk
2 x Healing Presence
​

Isidiril
Level 20 Elf Wizard

Torching Staff
Displacing Staff
Charged Opal
Penetrating Chain
Malachite Orb
Amber Amulet
Imp-proof Robes
Patched Dashing Boots
Healthy Trickery
Trained Rifthopping
​

2 x Punishing Bolt
2 x Big Zap
1 x Elven Trickery
3 x Flame Spit
1 x Shuffle
3 x Force Bolt
2 x Force Blast
2 x Reliable Hide Armor
1 x Acid Blast
1 x Dimensional Traveller
1 x Powerful Spark
1 x Surging Blast
2 x Unstable Bolt
1 x Dash
1 x Sprint
1 x Healing Dash
1 x Resistant Hide
1 x Vulnerable
1 x Maze
1 x Boiling Armor
1 x Flame Jet
4 x Penetrating Zap
2 x Hot Spot
​

 

Got knocked out on the second map of Goblins in the Woods, here is my final decklist:

CM Warrior
Level 9 Human Warrior

Glimmering Sword
Heirloom Assegai
Rusted Blade
Rusty Chainmail
Icicle Shield
Cloth Cap
Heavy Hide Boots
Unskilled Human
Trained Impaling
​

3 x Lunging Hack
1 x Thick Hide Armor
2 x Strong Stab
1 x Healing Dash
1 x Mighty Hack
2 x Trained Bludgeon
2 x Impaler
1 x Solid Mail
1 x Ouch!
1 x Icy Block
1 x Wounded Block
3 x Cloth Armor
4 x Penetrating Cut
2 x Lunging Strike
3 x Walk
1 x Puncturing Stab
1 x Flimsy Block
2 x Stab
1 x Weakened Armor
1 x Lunging Thrust
2 x Mail
​

CM Priest
Level 9 Human Priest

Clumsy Black Mace
Bynzer's Weighted Club
Blessed Ring Shirt
Spiked Buckler
Boots Of Discretion
Medallion Of St. Beldar
Medallion Of St. Beldar
Maple Roots
Unskilled Human
Novice Devotion
​

2 x Hardy Mail
1 x Healing Presence
2 x Unreliable Block
4 x Barge
1 x Trip
1 x Light Heal
1 x Minor Heal
1 x Healing Dash
2 x Unholy Frenzy
3 x Walk
1 x Altruism
1 x Bludgeon
5 x Righteous Frenzy
1 x Sparkling Cloth Armor
2 x Simple Strike
4 x Entangling Roots
1 x Violent Overswing
2 x Misguided Heal
1 x Lunging Bash
​

CM Wizard
Level 9 Human Wizard

Greenspark Staff
Flenserbone Staff
Fireblast Torch
Empty Pouch
Empty Pouch
Empty Pouch
Gray Robe
Boots Of Discretion
Novice Command
Novice Electromancy
​

1 x Surging Blast
1 x Reliable Hide Armor
3 x Spark
1 x Healing Dash
1 x Trip
2 x Bungled Bolt
1 x Burning Fingers
1 x Vulnerable
1 x Run, Team!
2 x Magma Spray
6 x Little Zap
2 x Pushback Parry
2 x Cautious Sneak
2 x Deadly Spark
3 x Zap
1 x Spark Inductor
1 x Sparkling Cloth Armor
1 x Spark Generator
1 x Acid Blast
1 x Long Spark
2 x Short Spark
​

 

@rowspower - Did you not get any arcane items?

 

Nope, I got vast troves of treasures and divine items/skills/weapons and a bunch of token stuff at the end I couldn't use.

 

Good run for the items you found. Level 11 is very tough unless you luck out and get some good gear.

 

Thanks, I wasn't sure if Pools or Goblins (Descent seems impossible without firestorm or lots of free moves) would be easier, and completely forgot how annoying the second map of Goblins can be. Oh well, at least I got a second Bynzer's Weighted Club and some good experience out of it!