KickStarter SKALD: Against the Black Priory - retro RPG inspired by Ultima

[Ladonna]

I like this game. It isn't my favourite ever or anything, but it is a tight little package that I am having fun with. I turned off random trash mobs, and have to say, this option should be in most CRPG's. Nothing really to complain about. It is like a slick little early/mid 90's RPG. The music is pretty good too.

Another thing I would like with this game is a toolset. It would be fairly easy to crank out some good adventures with this engine.

 

[Rincewind]

I turned off random trash mobs, and have to say, this option should be in most CRPG's.

Paging Jeff Vogel

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I am still having a grand time with this game. While its combat is relatively simplistic, I think it works for the most part. A better word for it might be concise. There isn't much redundancy. I'm enjoying the exploration and charm. The art and music are pleasing, and I don't generally care much for retro. I'm curious what they will do with the feedback. I think, as others have said, with a bit more iteration--this could be a really good game. The care and passion in it are palpable.

 

[Rincewind]

A better word for it might be concise.

That's good to hear. I'm more and more into concise, short games vs games that feel like a part time job over 3-6 months

 

[MerchantKing]

Are there Gnomes in this game?

 

[Nikanuur]

Just experienced Ranger landing 3 criticals + his Multi Attack = 5 attacks in a row, amounting to something close to 150 dmg. I think there's a slight bug, and it should've been even six attacks, but never mind, it was neat!

 

[Nikanuur]

Finished it. Man, most good RPGs give you fun, a memory of the story, and several good characters and moments. This one gives an experience. As if from an unspeakably wholesome book. One that you lay beside you after you've finished, your eyes peering into the empty room, mind unable to grasp what's going on with all the dead silence in between all the sounds of the common reality, brain dumbstruck with the notion that the story hasn't truly ended, and you are neither in the universe of the book nor in your room.

 

[roguefrog]

Chapter 3 is kind of a low point.

1. Undead. Immune to critical hits. Which totally turns combat into more of a slog...
2. Enemies that stun on hit. Basically puts a melee frontline out of commission for the entire fight.
3. Small environments with obstacles. This one is maddening given the above 2. Stunned guy doubles as a tile blocker!

Just withered down and killed everything with arrows.

The saving grace is this chapter is very short, and you can avoid most of the fights I think. But there IS a cubic fuckton of gold to loot. I think I looted more gold in this single chapter than the rest of the game combined. This fucking crypt is a gold mine!

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

I didn't think Chapter 3 was so bad. Zombies and Ghouls present a new challenge. Hierophants and Magos, now mature in their builds, get time to shine. There are now enemy spellcasters too, so that's a change in pace.

I think the main problem is difficulty. There isn't much of it once you get to Chapter 2. Leveling up is frequent, so if you play defensively you can exploit the HP and Attunement refill to have exceptional adventuring endurance. Resting is almost superfluous.

 

[Nikanuur]

Chapter 3 is kind of a low point.

1. Undead. Immune to critical hits. Which totally turns combat into more of a slog...
2. Enemies that stun on hit. Basically puts a melee frontline out of commission for the entire fight.
3. Small environments with obstacles. This one is maddening given the above 2. Stunned guy doubles as a tile blocker!

Just withered down and killed everything with arrows.

The saving grace is this chapter is very short, and you can avoid most of the fights I think. But there IS a cubic fuckton of gold to loot. I think I looted more gold in this single chapter than the rest of the game combined. This fucking crypt is a gold mine!

I agree that those moments were trying.
All the more appreciation for those otherwise insignificant fire or sublime spells. 20-35—sometimes even AoE—per spell was godsend.

 

[Marte1980]

How is the build variety for this game? Which builds are the most powerful/effective for a min-maxer?

 

[Jermu]

game is way too easy for min-maxing

officer for mc would be my choice for easy time, then use default companions

 

[Marte1980]

game is way too easy for min-maxing

officer for mc would be my choice for easy time, then use default companions

I don't min-max because it's needed, I do it because I like to do it. Whether the game's difficulty requires it or not is completely irrelevant. Thanks for the tip on Officer, I guess I'll have to check the class system. Are spellcasters good?

 

[Fedora Master]

game is way too easy for min-maxing

officer for mc would be my choice for easy time, then use default companions

I don't min-max because it's needed, I do it because I like to do it. Whether the game's difficulty requires it or not is completely irrelevant. Thanks for the tip on Officer, I guess I'll have to check the class system. Are spellcasters good?

Having played as a Magos, they are good but more in the DnD sense of being disablers rather than straight damage dealers. Magic Missile is good, the rest of the damage spells seems too expensive in comparison. Fireball can be nice IF you can catch at least 3 enemies with it. You're also very reliant on Attunement potions, which are in limited supply.

 

[Jermu]

spell casters are kinda shit early-middle game, but more useful later
but think there was some balance changes after I played

 

[Marte1980]

spell casters are kinda shit early-middle game, but more useful later
but think there was some balance changes after I played

Yeah, unfertunately I saw some nerfs in one of the latest patches. I always check what the devs change after release to get a glimpse of the possible future direction of the game before I buy it. I always despise nerfs, but we'll see where it goes from here.
Regarding spellcasters, that's actually a good sign. The best scaling for spellcasters, for my taste, is one similar to BG2, because I want casters to be the kings of the endgame. I don't care if they're useless in the beginning. In case this one doesn't deliver that, I'll have to check how difficult it would be to mod it.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

The best damage spell is the Swarm of Gnats spell from the earth Tier 1 line. It only does 1 less damage than magic missile, but costs 2 less AP. If you develop cascade, you can cast up to four a turn, doing around 10-14 damage each cast. It also inflicts the Disrupted status.

Magos will be mostly dead weight until level 7 or 8, especially if you didn't develop Air. You'll mostly be a clutch for disabling BBEG like Fedora Master says. By chapter 3 your character build will be quite mature with over 100 Attunement to play with. Do not sleep on Spellfire, it's good now. Casting Lesser regen on your magos is a great opening move that will get much better mileage out of them. Crafting will also bail you out midgame with more potions than you can use.

Officer and Ranger are easily the best MC classes. I lean towards Ranger because their spell list is quite useful, and their Marked Target synergy is powerful and cheap.

 

[Fedora Master]

Disclaimer: I played a weird build where my MC only used Air and Fire and Embla only used Earth.

 

[Marte1980]

Are there choices and consequences in this game? For example, are you forced to be the good guys?

 

[koyota]

Yes arrows are scarce : apart from on the ramparts in the port but until Erryl merchants don't have that many to sell. And fletching would give mostly 1 arrow per rest, with crafting +5.

If you rest a few times: merchants restock arrows, doing that a few times before the final chapter is far more efficient than spamming rest / fletching.

 

[roguefrog]

Rangers I believe are the most OP class. They are good start to finish. You're only real problem early game is running out of arrows. The prologue map has a merchant though, as does the refugee camp.

The game also gives you a ranger companion near the end of chapter 1.

 

[Ladonna]

Finished. Won't spoil anything.

I want to play through more adventures in this engine though. It was just fun. Clocked just over 25 hours, and while I don't want to dive back into this story again for a while (it is fairly railroaded), I would love more 25 hour or so modules. Everything just fit together perfectly, with the art, music, general atmosphere and usability ticking my boxes. Really hoping the dev will organise a decent toolset for this one, and hopefully churn out any other adventures if he has any more decent stories up his sleeve. I could tell he enjoyed getting his tale across.

Really loved the music too, it fit into the game perfectly, so that would have to be licensed for use as well I guess.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Mortmal]

Are there choices and consequences in this game? For example, are you forced to be the good guys?

None at all, exactly like an 80's game but with a very good setting and atmosphere, and no cringe at all. Playing the good guys, yes, but then there's really no other viable alternative; being bad guys wouldn't make sense

 

[Tyranicon]

Rangers I believe are the most OP class. They are good start to finish. You're only real problem early game is running out of arrows. The prologue map has a merchant though, as does the refugee camp.

The game also gives you a ranger companion near the end of chapter 1.

They do suffer significantly in the late game due to lack of crits and arrow reliance/shortage.

As expected, mages shine more in the late game.