Hints and Tactics

I have just started to think about how many actions the bad guys have left rather than cards in hand, to avoid that "Ouch!" moment. It's always the pretty Elf Wizard. Such a beauty, but so squishy.

Am I right in thinking that groups of baddies have a limited amount of actions, i.e. they can only use a number of non-move cards each? I see that the figures "grey out" when they become inactive, which is sometimes how you can flank them, etc.

The "Frozen Earth" scenario is much easier to beat at the end as the boss(es) run out of actions quite quickly and their damage so low, it's fairly easy to mop them up.

 

My advice? Duck.

 

I always just waited for Gary to start passing. That usually tells me he's out of stuff to do. But that leads me to the question. Does he ever hold cards in his hand and pass anyway to make you think he is out of things to do then BAM! brings out an attack or something by surprise?

 

Definitely seen Gary do that. Saw him pass twice so I figured I was safe, then had him unleash a few attacks on me. There may have been some other logic telling him to hold attacks in reserve, but after I then attacked it tipped the balance.

Also seen him surprise me by passing early after I pass early--thereby forcing me to discard several attack cards that I was holding in reserve, waiting for him to get a little closer.

I wouldn't be surprised if Tess put in a quasi-random factor about when to pass so that Gary wasn't completely predictable.

 

Yeah i think jon said at some point that they did implement a certain degree of randomness when the ai passes.

 

But I was move my suggestion here since someone (Correctly) brought up that where it was, wasn't the place for it.

What do you use to clear the low level dungeons (For the daily rewards etc) might be helpful. For example what teams/Equipment you use and why. Just a random thought as I see ya talking about the merits of the classes and the equipment etc?

Also.. I am just curious how far people are into the quests? I just beat The Tomb of Tvericus, man that was tough, and it is just going to get harder lol

 

Let's see . . .

Currently, the matter is frustrating because we can't save multiple builds. Return to an adventure that requires you to use one less talent? Have to restructure everything. Oh, and then change back later by hand.

So I try to keep things sane. I set up a build for the highest-talent place I feel like visiting--in this case, Beneath the Frozen Earth, level 7. Full anti-troglodyte gear. Then, when I go back to Ommlet--or, recently, Ruby Demon Portal--I just remove the talent items and don't bother to replace them. That is a stupid strategy, but it's "smart" in the sense that I can easily see where my changes were in order to undo them afterward.

Since I know I'm going to do that, I strategize the most with the no-talent items. Maximum range, maximum damage. I want to click on Kobolds and watch them melt. Special defenses? Who cares? Very few early levels can do much to stop me: I know better than to exhaust move cards before the Acid Imps cover tiles in acid, and fire attachments can rarely get through my armor. (Though Resistant Hide is harder to get now, I admit.)

Obviously, that strategy would need modification if I felt like fighting Goblins or something. But I don't right now. Ommlet is easy money, and Beneath the Frozen Earth is manageable. Though now I've realized that the premium level 7 dungeon, Forest of Souls, is VERY easy to a team in anti-troglodyte gear: so I think I've found a good pattern for fast (-ish) gold.

 

Well there are a couple things here that you might of clarified somewhere else so feel free to link away if ya have. The first being what do you consider anti-troglodyte gear? There are a few ways around them so I just was curious what you use to counter them? What Party type are you using (Like Fighter/Mage/Cleric or whatever it is)?

I also agree that the tutorial missions (White Skull through Ommlet) are easy enough to just get blast through. As they are just teaching you the buttons, and later supplying you with a little extra money each day. Also since as you reach higher levels you get more equipment spots to open, that would make it easier by just having more options available (Not to mention HP), but as you said earlier if you come up with an "Anti-whoever" it really helps later when you are facing them again. So far as I have seen there are a few different types you can go against. Also.. Thinking about it, some kind of maps also need a few types of special things as there might be a lot of Movement Ending squares, or very closed quarters etc.. so that might be something to also keep in mind.

Before I get into too many details of whats in each, I wondered if we should be worried about "Spoilers"? I don't care that much, as I would like to know what I am getting into, but it seems there are a lot of people who worry bout that (And usually are quite vocal about that fact). Since this might go into details about what is in the dungeons I thought I would ask before I went too far into it.

Finally, when it comes to having to reequip everyone a lot. That is true, but I have figured out that having two groups helps a lot. Sure it slows down the whole "Forward Progress" while your getting them up levels, but just having a group you can equip and do those lower level quests with, and just remove from party saves a lot of time. I have a group of mine I do that with, they never have any ability items, and I just clear out the lower level quests with them. Unless of course I am trying to go for the "No Deaths, or 1 hp" thing. Which.. I can only imagine trying to beat something like The Jewel of Alet Zhav with 1 hp... no way (right now at least).. no way lol

Edit: I realized I asked for a bunch of details without giving any.. So this is what I have been working with.

Fighter (Elf) lvl 12: Usually equipped with 2 range attacks, and keep aways (Jump Back, Shifty Stab, etc)
Wizard (Elf) lvl 12: Usually equipped with traps, Hot Spot, Acid Spit, even Rockfall if I have the Ability points for it. Runs away till they are out of Movement, then traps em.
Cleric (Human) lvl 12: Card collector, I do everything I can to keep the other two supplied with cards, as high mobility needs it. Usually mixed with large Bludgeoning attacks, or even a death touch for that quick kill.
Standby (I got tired of the cleric to be honest and wanted a party that could do better so I recruited another wizard and he runs other then the Cleric sometimes)
Wizard (Elf) lvl 10: Equiped with discard cards, and fire. Ment to lock them down, and put DoT's on them as she runs away.

But that is my group (in a nutshell).. I know I am not that far into the game, but thats what I got.

 

"Anti-troglodyte" defined in the following way:

They keep at range 2 -> punish them for keeping at range 2. Stab cards. Step cards also. (The latter "punish" them because stepping in close compels the Troglodytes to move away; while they waste their time, you range-2 stab them in the back.)

They run around -> punish them for running around. Path Of Knives, of course. Move cards. (Again, compelling the Troglodytes to back up. Or you can exhaust their Move cards and keep at even greater range with spells.) Free Move cards in difficult terrain, of course.

They wear armor -> deny them the use of armor. Card/armor discard, puddles of acid, poison, penetrating attacks. (I would say "punish them for wearing armor," but I don't see any cards that deal damage PER armor.)

They don't use fire -> take advantage of this in your drawbacks. Any equipment with Combustible is safe.

. . . My party is still Warrior/Wizard/Priest, Human/Dwarf/Elf, because I felt like it. Each one follows the above rules.

 

Unfortunately I have not ran into a Path of Knives yet, I have had it used on me so I can see how that can be very useful, but no equipment for it. Other then Acid Blast or Acid Spit, I really also don't have anything that does acid damage (Though it is nice to have those). Poison wise are you using Bad Medicine? Sure it only does four damage (and that is over time) but when they are at full life it is very useful for a low level card.

When it comes to armor you seem to have three choices.. Go through it (Penetrating attacks), make them discard it (Drop oldest card/Destroy armor), or just hit them for so much it doesn't matter (whats 2 when you are hitting them for 10). Personally I don't like the whole Penetration cards I have so far, as only a few of them actually seem to do any real damage. Sure they might have one or two that do 5+, but depending on their armor it might just be easier to take something that has lots more damage and let their armor take a little off the top. Not to mention most of the low level penetration attacks are a distance of one.

Don't get me wrong I am not saying your system couldn't work or anything like that (Considering it does that would just be kinda dumb lol). I just worked a slightly different way of Anti-Trog that similar but kinda different.

First the fighter.. I have nothing more to add, that is almost exactly what I use. I do tend to use more Dodges/Parry. Since if you dodge you avoid all the damage, and if they are using Piercing damage (Which a lot do) even a Weak Block can stop it. Though just a note, it is a bit more "Risky" then armor since if it fails you take all the damage. Also I like using things like Spiked Mail to reflect damage as they are all using Melee attacks (though they changed my helmet to something else heh).

Second the Mage.. Honestly there are two ways I do this. More often then not I stay with fire at lower levels. It is just so useful to get that "tick" on them, but I use half Fire Spray and half Ember Spray because I want to try to get both on them if I can. This mixed with something like Pyromancy that gives you both the +1 and the +2 trait can turn a fight around but ya have to be able to give it time to work. I tend to use the Leap Back at 2 range and it helps. Force bolt helps sometimes, but it is really situational on how many people you are going to be fighting or how much room ya have to fight. So I really don't mess with it too much. Of course the second way is the one I mentioned earlier with the traps/Discard. With this I can even hit Skeletons with Piercing damage, or Slimes with bashing (Sometimes).

Last the Priest.. what can I say bout this guy. I try to give him as many attacks that are 8 or higher, the best armor/Dodge cards I can, then fill him up with draw cards. I try to use draw two cards, and that helps... sometimes. I tried heals, but they just don't seem to work well (there was a discussion on this), if you can stack heal over times on people with heals it might work (Like Healing Blessing and Healing Presence with heals on top of it). Or if you can get armor to work (Roll of the dice) to reduce damage.. I am still working on this part though, I hope to find some combination that works sooner or later, but that might just be me being stubborn lol. Lastly with these two movement guys the Lunge Hack works to get close so you can just bash them with the high damage cards, but in truth I would say my Priest is my weakest guy on the field which is why I replaced him. I still use him now and then, but only when I know they are going to be close up and/or the field is just too small for two mages to run around in. Oh also to note.. I did try Bad Luck, but -1 off rolls is just kinda too weak so I didn't figure it was very useful.

 

Hang on: if you're trying to out-damage someone's armor, why didn't your Priest have Frenzy-giving cards? Don't forget that those also improve "weak" penetrating attacks.

I generally don't try to overpower armor if I can avoid it, though. Crude Plates is armor 4. A Troglodyte Gouger with two of those . . . well, "what's 2 when you are hitting them for 10"? Well, "2" is the grand total of what gets through the armor.

And I just recently got Bad Luck and am trying it out. I must say, "too weak" is subjective when, again, a Troglodyte Gouger is running multiple armor cards against you. I would argue that an "overpowering armor" strategy would be well-served by Bad Luck.

 

This is true, a +2 is nice for damage. If you get it, and if there is someone else to cast it on. If both of those conditions are not true, then you can't do anything with it. Now, the times this happens are hopefully not as frequent as the other times, and I agree that it is a good card. There are also bonus to damage from Unholy Wellspring, or All Out Attack. Just got the wellspring, and it seems to work on all attacks, not just Physical. But +2 is +2 whether they have armor or not, maybe I need to just try to give him more of these other then draw cards.. I can't say for sure if it will be "Better", but I will try it out again. =) And I don't mean to say Penetrating attacks are horrible, I am just trying to kill them before they kill me and run away again. That means I am going for as much damage as I can so I can hit em hard when they follow or tag them good before I have to run away. If you could set up something with armor that works well, and take a few good hits, I am sure with Penetrating attacks you would take the advantage. My bad if I gave the insinuation that they were no good.

True... But it is a way around it if you can out hit the armor. Some cases (Like the 4 armor) it is going to be tougher. But even with two sets of 2 armor, the chances of getting some damage in with a high damage attack is very high. I merely meant it as another way, if you wanted to focus on something on those lines other then penetration or discard. Even I keep armor destroying cards ready encase I need them, but I don't like to depend on the draw more then I have to, so I stack things to the point where even if I don't have something on those lines I can still hurt them.

I would say this card is at best situational... If they have a lot of high rolls... Then yes it could possibly be useful, but even then there are better ways around armored people then this (as we talked about above). I mean no offense of course, but I just don't think it is as useful as the other cards I could be putting in its spot because the chances of it being useful in a situation are low, and the bit it does is not higher value then something else to do the same thing. For example with Slimes, or Skeletons they do not even roll on their natural armor.

Keep in mind this is just IMO.. I mean I am not saying people should shun this card, but at least know what they are getting into, and decide for themselves =) Not to mention I could just be wrong, I don't know the in's and out's of everything, so some mistakes could be made

 

I don't personally use bad luck but a 17ish % chance to get through blocks and armor seems good to me the main problem being that trogs are armored as a group so you would need a bad luck for each.

 

That is another good point I didn't think of, while remove armor effects all that type, bad luck would just effect one. But I have started trying those Attack Bonuses for Cleric. Will say they are good, but all my gear with them is low so not sure how they look at higher levels. By the way do either of you have much gear that give Unholy Frenzy? I have a Club Of Wrath that I am actually using two of, but I haven't seen any other gear with it.

 

Mass frenzy is just a much much better version of that so i use that instead.

 

Well I am hoping to do kinda like I do with fire, stack up different types of bonuses for a larger bonus. Mass Frenzy would be one, and I am curious if Frenzy stacks with that, but I bet Unholy Frenzy does

 

You can only have 3 attached effects at a time remember that so if you waste slots on the +2 a single bad ability could push the good ones off