Assorted random thoughts, non-urgent

[Lujo]

[booooooze]

So, not a big deal, but I thought I'd follow up. Started a new kingdom, finished the tower, I have no cash problems.

Now, I'm nowhere near "finished". I don't have all the gods, have only done a few class challenges, one guild still isn't level 3, etc etc. But at no point was I forced to grind it out for cash.

Having said that, while I wasn't trying to do anything optimal like sidestepper (I don't know where the gods show up, or how best to advance everything), I am very familiar with the game, this is my third play through, and while I don't consider myself an expert, I didn't die a ton, so I wasn't throwing away money on dungeon runs a lot. There is probably some room for bringing down the cost of guild upgrades; someone mentioned 750 and 1500, that might be more reasonable.

On the other hand, it's a hard game. Or at least that's what I think the alpha would always say when you died...

[Lujo]

The guilds price complaints aren't there because of the fun or difficulty factor, there's not real problem there, just the progression snags related to item/dungeon unlock quests, really. Not being able to unlock a lvl3 gild relatively smoothly keeps you out of doubledoom, grim's grotto, one VICIOUS dungeon per class, a couple of quests, witchalok pedant and piercing wand, as well as item granting silver challenges. It might not even be that big of a deal, really, but I'd still like to have more stuff at my disposal when VICIOUS Gaan'Telet / PQI show's up on my adventuring screen.

[Nandrew]

I'm afraid that if we get around to stuff on this list, you'll just have to keep an eye on our changelogs and forum romps to find out about it. Can't guarantee that I'll always be reporting back here or remember which threads I get particular notes from (always got a little Wordpad doccie open for quick jotting).

[Lujo]

It's np I'll notice if things change, and I'll rearrange it for easier perusing anyway. Ty for reply

[Lujo]

Ok, so I rearranged the list a bit, will do more in the future, and added a big section of overused/underused stuff with justifications, figuring dev's and other guys might have use of such feedback. I would love to see such things from anyone who'd bother to type it up, to point me to stuff I've been missing out, or at least to see what isn't getting tested.

[Blovski]

Interesting - I've got a completely different over/underused list.

Tend to go Transloc + elite instead of potions. Gloves of Midas are my normal locker prep. PQI is hinting strongly that I should do some more elves and dwarves. I don't use wizard tower preps loads, but I've tried an attract defensive glyph successfully and I use the health->attack one once in a while. Patches I use but then I've been doing a lot of vampire/crusader runs. There are a few dungeons I haven't done much of - shifting passages and magma mines in particular. I also don't use transmuter just because *shudder*. Gold Challenges I've not done any of for a while, really (lack of reward, and I don't use the veto slots anyway because I like item variety, maybe I will when I attempt Vicious GT or something).

Also, Troll Heart could do with a buff or being cheaper compared with pendant of health. I use TH for rogues and vampires sometimes but for other characters only if I've got Midas or as conv. fodder.

[Lujo]

Would you like that sorted and added to the list? It's interesting

I also used to locker the gloves, but I tend to prep the "exploit of the week" stuff so I have no room anymore. I also like finding them, as they sort of pay for themselves. If I was using Elite + Translocation I'd probably have them lockered too. I'm not because I can't seem to play without the Compression Seal, and spending more than 15 gold ona anything that is not unintentionally gamebreaking makes me cringe. This does give me a strange perspective about the game, wherein I don't account for Elite items at all.

And Troll Heart has a distinct advantage over the Pedant in that it gives you the same amount of HP for being carried around for 5 levels, and then it gives you 45 CP and frees up an inventory slot. And I don't ever prep Elites so I can have one mroe inventory slot.

I wouldn't mind a slight buff to the Heart, but then again I'd be stackign it with Draco's Heart for great retardedness given half a chance. I'd love even more if it was a small item, though. That would lessen the impact on the inventory space, and could allow room for making it either cheepr or better conversion fodder.

[Blovski]

Been trying on the martyr wraps - pretty substantial item. Mauled the Havendale Bridge troll with an orc-wrap-warmonger-taurog-parched-unstoppable monk (I got a fine sword and a tower shield on my side of the bridge - it felt almost unfair on the poor bugger taking him on with 75% resist). That was entertaining. Also got a perfect storm sorceror silver with pisorf, JJ (weytwut, +3 mana, level up from chaos avatar), martyr wraps and rock heart... rough level but I blasted through it happily.

Re: Troll Heart - I think it shouldn't be *more* expensive than the pendant of health but I suppose for the cost-cp it's pretty good.

---

Anyway, if you feel like adding stuff, I'll sort it.

Preps I keep using
Translocation seal + Elite Items - mostly because if you get Zot/Yendor you have a *hulking* advantage for most very hard/vicious dungeons (and I'm sort of borderline good enough to deal with vicious dungeons or old slime pit, I'll check the changes in a bit, but it's always pretty dicey). I guess this is balanced by the cost and it is a crutch really more than anything.
Midas Gloves - I love these. I really love these.

Preps I'm neglecting
Extra shop/Potions - I think I'm going to start using the potion shops a bit (I'm trying for Demonic Library with a fighter now and finding it just out of reach...) but the shop summoning scroll feels underwhelming.
Mage guild - Only prep fireball magnet and sometimes extra glyph *as a tactical choice* (last week I took a long shot at pisorf defence glyph with an orc wizard and that worked out). Otherwise the convert x->y are so marginal in terms of effect that I usually don't bother. Needs a stronger effect again so that it'll be a serious choice.
Tikki Altar - seriously no. I've used this once for a Ding Max PQI on a normal level. Otherwise unacceptably horrible for non-assassins. I do prep most of the other altars from time to time (I need to remember Dracul's OK now : p)

Items I'm ignoring
Venom Sword - as stated by others, effect is not *that* useful and is very awkward to manage. I should veto this but I don't like vetoing content...

Dungeons I'm ignoring
Gold challenges - Done some of them (the whole thieves guild line, actually) in earlier updates but they have no individual reward, cost resources and a lot of them are *exhaustingly* hard, mazy, scummy or broken as it stands (in particular, the lifesteal change is going to make some of them *rough*).

Races/Classes I'm underusing
Elf and Dwarf (PQI tells me - Dwarf GG paladin was *spectacular* though), to a lesser extent Gnome
Transmuter (ick, look forwards to the new version)

[fall_ark]