KickStarter Solasta: Crown of the Magister Thread - now with Palace of Ice sequel DLC

[Reinhardt]

what if the real infiltrator was friends we made along the way?

 

[NJClaw]

The subclasses they homebrew and the weapons they added are perfectly balanced. It's 100% normal for this to happen in a single turn:

 

[Lacrymas]

Solasta is bad. More news at 11.

 

[NJClaw]

Solasta is bad. More news at 11.

Wait, what? Solasta is bad???

Somebody should have told me sooner.

 

[Artyoan]

It sucks so hard.

 

[Lacrymas]

I honestly don't know what you guys see in it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I mean, yeah sure, it's 5E but the content and encounter design are below par. Then we have overpowered homebrew subclasses on top.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Then we have overpowered homebrew subclasses on top.

How does that bother you when Haste is the only buff you use anyway.

 

[Lacrymas]

And Fireball is the only spell you cast. That and Haste do indeed bother me.

 

[Artyoan]

I honestly don't know what you guys see in it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I mean, yeah sure, it's 5E but the content and encounter design are below par. Then we have overpowered homebrew subclasses on top.

The game has a lot of flaws but I'll shill for it:
-The combat feels solid even with questionable encounter design
-Light matters in combat
-Verticality also matters, being able to fly and spider walk on walls adds a nice element
-Cover system also means that the environment is important
-It has an expansive and incredible mod called Unfinished Business that triples the content. Much more spells, more than double the subclasses, adds Artificer, adds hand crossbows, halberds, long mace, and pikes. More than double the feats. numerous rule changes can be made, and allows for playing with five or six man parties as well. Also allows custom portraits. All of this can be turned on or off as you please.
-Solasta has a dungeon maker that allows for custom created content with which to play all of the above.

Combine the dungeon maker with the mod and it is disgusting how much value can potentially come out of the game.

 

[NJClaw]

And Fireball is the only spell you cast. That and Haste do indeed bother me.

Solasta only has ONE flaw. The marilith isn't hot.

 

[Fedora Master]

Have they fixed the faces yet?

 

[Reinhardt]

The marilith isn't hot.

so they/them would feel welcomed in solasta

 

[Ryzer]

Keep buying codex, it's more Shekels into French pockets. Buy 10 copies of the game.

 

[IDtenT]

DnD based cRPGs would have a lot better encounter designs if they were more roguelike in nature.

Party members dying and TPKs are normal in the tabletop game. There is no reason why failure states should not be written into tactical games like these, which don't even use joinable companions. You can even make it basic by segmenting the game into acts or whatever.

Make it Ironman. Make it roguelike. Write in multiple failure states that can continue the adventure.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Have they fixed the faces yet?

They added even more ugly faces, just to mess wIth you.

 

[Mortmal]

Encounter design is flawed mainly because of unlimited resting, and this issue applies to every D&D-type game since the dawn of time. You're supposed to face multiple encounters with limited resources, potentially even having to avoid combat altogether. If you implement an ironman mode with limited rest spots between dungeon sequences, the game would be much more challenging, and you wouldn't be able to spam fireball and haste. However, this likely won't happen because the developers prefer to cater to YouTubers who rely on karmic dice. I can only hope their next game uses Pathfinder 2E, where you need to be at full resources for most fights.

 

[Artyoan]

Encounter design is flawed mainly because of unlimited resting, and this issue applies to every D&D-type game since the dawn of time. You're supposed to face multiple encounters with limited resources, potentially even having to avoid combat altogether. If you implement an ironman mode with limited rest spots between dungeon sequences, the game would be much more challenging, and you wouldn't be able to spam fireball and haste. However, this likely won't happen because the developers prefer to cater to YouTubers who rely on karmic dice. I can only hope their next game uses Pathfinder 2E, where you need to be at full resources for most fights.

Then you're in luck. Because I'm making as close to a 'rogue-like' mode as I can get, which restricts long resting. And it is playable up to level 11.

The rundown:
-Starts at level 1. You can level up to 5 or 9 and a bunch of items/recipes/gold will be given randomly. Better to start at level 1 for now.
-Six man party. Unfinished Business mod is required to play it. Encounters are designed around six player characters.
-Leveling is done by reaching the next area, rather than by exp from enemy kills
-Areas that you go to are chosen by hidden dice rolls in the background. There are three areas potentially per party level.
-Pick up any brown backpacks you find as those trigger custom loot packs to reward items
-Ability checks are used, like history, religion, investigation, arcana, etc and an adventure book is provided to know what skill check is about to occur based on the asset it is on. A history check is done on statues, arcana on book/worktables, religion on a obelisk type monument, etc.

If you want attrition based six man combat with a huge amount of random elements then here you go. Check the Solasta discord, the modding section, look for Grave Rush (6 Man Party) and download the json I uploaded there as of today. Paste that into the campaign folder and have a go at it.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Encounter design is flawed mainly because of unlimited resting, and this issue applies to every D&D-type game since the dawn of time. You're supposed to face multiple encounters with limited resources, potentially even having to avoid combat altogether. If you implement an ironman mode with limited rest spots between dungeon sequences, the game would be much more challenging, and you wouldn't be able to spam fireball and haste. However, this likely won't happen because the developers prefer to cater to YouTubers who rely on karmic dice. I can only hope their next game uses Pathfinder 2E, where you need to be at full resources for most fights.

Then you're in luck. Because I'm making as close to a 'rogue-like' mode as I can get, which restricts long resting. And it is playable up to level 11.

The rundown:
-Starts at level 1. You can level up to 5 or 9 and a bunch of items/recipes/gold will be given randomly. Better to start at level 1 for now.
-Six man party. Unfinished Business mod is required to play it. Encounters are designed around six player characters.
-Leveling is done by reaching the next area, rather than by exp from enemy kills
-Areas that you go to are chosen by hidden dice rolls in the background. There are three areas potentially per party level.
-Pick up any brown backpacks you find as those trigger custom loot packs to reward items
-Ability checks are used, like history, religion, investigation, arcana, etc and an adventure book is provided to know what skill check is about to occur based on the asset it is on. A history check is done on statues, arcana on book/worktables, religion on a obelisk type monument, etc.

If you want attrition based six man combat with a huge amount of random elements then here you go. Check the Solasta discord, the modding section, look for Grave Rush (6 Man Party) and download the json I uploaded there as of today. Paste that into the campaign folder and have a go at it.

Fuck yeah.
I'm playing The revenge of Xaar'Juul right now which is ok. Old fashioned dialogue, decent fights all around. Nothing difficult though.
Planning on knocking down a few more modules before I get to your stuff. Got an all barbarian party ready for it too.

 

[Mortmal]

Encounter design is flawed mainly because of unlimited resting, and this issue applies to every D&D-type game since the dawn of time. You're supposed to face multiple encounters with limited resources, potentially even having to avoid combat altogether. If you implement an ironman mode with limited rest spots between dungeon sequences, the game would be much more challenging, and you wouldn't be able to spam fireball and haste. However, this likely won't happen because the developers prefer to cater to YouTubers who rely on karmic dice. I can only hope their next game uses Pathfinder 2E, where you need to be at full resources for most fights.

Then you're in luck. Because I'm making as close to a 'rogue-like' mode as I can get, which restricts long resting. And it is playable up to level 11.

The rundown:
-Starts at level 1. You can level up to 5 or 9 and a bunch of items/recipes/gold will be given randomly. Better to start at level 1 for now.
-Six man party. Unfinished Business mod is required to play it. Encounters are designed around six player characters.
-Leveling is done by reaching the next area, rather than by exp from enemy kills
-Areas that you go to are chosen by hidden dice rolls in the background. There are three areas potentially per party level.
-Pick up any brown backpacks you find as those trigger custom loot packs to reward items
-Ability checks are used, like history, religion, investigation, arcana, etc and an adventure book is provided to know what skill check is about to occur based on the asset it is on. A history check is done on statues, arcana on book/worktables, religion on a obelisk type monument, etc.

If you want attrition based six man combat with a huge amount of random elements then here you go. Check the Solasta discord, the modding section, look for Grave Rush (6 Man Party) and download the json I uploaded there as of today. Paste that into the campaign folder and have a go at it.

I just played it a bit, and I like it a lot more this way—no over-the-top encounters and limited rests. It makes it feel much closer to true dungeon delving. You should have designed your previous modules this way.

 

[Artyoan]

Encounter design is flawed mainly because of unlimited resting, and this issue applies to every D&D-type game since the dawn of time. You're supposed to face multiple encounters with limited resources, potentially even having to avoid combat altogether. If you implement an ironman mode with limited rest spots between dungeon sequences, the game would be much more challenging, and you wouldn't be able to spam fireball and haste. However, this likely won't happen because the developers prefer to cater to YouTubers who rely on karmic dice. I can only hope their next game uses Pathfinder 2E, where you need to be at full resources for most fights.

Then you're in luck. Because I'm making as close to a 'rogue-like' mode as I can get, which restricts long resting. And it is playable up to level 11.

The rundown:
-Starts at level 1. You can level up to 5 or 9 and a bunch of items/recipes/gold will be given randomly. Better to start at level 1 for now.
-Six man party. Unfinished Business mod is required to play it. Encounters are designed around six player characters.
-Leveling is done by reaching the next area, rather than by exp from enemy kills
-Areas that you go to are chosen by hidden dice rolls in the background. There are three areas potentially per party level.
-Pick up any brown backpacks you find as those trigger custom loot packs to reward items
-Ability checks are used, like history, religion, investigation, arcana, etc and an adventure book is provided to know what skill check is about to occur based on the asset it is on. A history check is done on statues, arcana on book/worktables, religion on a obelisk type monument, etc.

If you want attrition based six man combat with a huge amount of random elements then here you go. Check the Solasta discord, the modding section, look for Grave Rush (6 Man Party) and download the json I uploaded there as of today. Paste that into the campaign folder and have a go at it.

I just played it a bit, and I like it a lot more this way—no over-the-top encounters and limited rests. It makes it feel much closer to true dungeon delving. You should have designed your previous modules this way.

I'll be debating with myself about whether I want future story based campaigns to be structured around attrition or not. Especially if a theoretical Solasta 2 had more options in restricting it. I'm fine with the current way since it keeps things open to come and go but also to wander to areas one shouldn't necessarily be. The option is there to self-restrict and tweak the difficulty (up or down) for the desired effect. But I do agree that using the attrition system is truer to what 5e is supposed to be and to invoke in the player.

 

[NJClaw]

Finally!

Palace of Ice is a bit underwhelming, I'd say it's the worst content they've published for Solasta. Kinda weird that its score on Steam is higher than that of Lost Valley.

I'll shelve this game for a while now, but I'll definitely come back to it sooner or later to try Morrows Deep.

 

[Alienman]

What achievement was the hardest?

 

[NJClaw]

Mmmmh, they were all very straightforward. You get most of them while playing normally, then it's just a matter of making different choices to get different endings in the DLCs, there are no challenging achievements of any sorts.

If I had to pick one, I'd say the one you get for starting a multiplayer session, because none of my friends had this game.

The funniest one probably was "The solution is brute force", an achievement you get if you say "fuck it all" and decide to ignore the story in the Lost Valley DLC.

 

[Mortmal]

Encounter design is flawed mainly because of unlimited resting, and this issue applies to every D&D-type game since the dawn of time. You're supposed to face multiple encounters with limited resources, potentially even having to avoid combat altogether. If you implement an ironman mode with limited rest spots between dungeon sequences, the game would be much more challenging, and you wouldn't be able to spam fireball and haste. However, this likely won't happen because the developers prefer to cater to YouTubers who rely on karmic dice. I can only hope their next game uses Pathfinder 2E, where you need to be at full resources for most fights.

Then you're in luck. Because I'm making as close to a 'rogue-like' mode as I can get, which restricts long resting. And it is playable up to level 11.

The rundown:
-Starts at level 1. You can level up to 5 or 9 and a bunch of items/recipes/gold will be given randomly. Better to start at level 1 for now.
-Six man party. Unfinished Business mod is required to play it. Encounters are designed around six player characters.
-Leveling is done by reaching the next area, rather than by exp from enemy kills
-Areas that you go to are chosen by hidden dice rolls in the background. There are three areas potentially per party level.
-Pick up any brown backpacks you find as those trigger custom loot packs to reward items
-Ability checks are used, like history, religion, investigation, arcana, etc and an adventure book is provided to know what skill check is about to occur based on the asset it is on. A history check is done on statues, arcana on book/worktables, religion on a obelisk type monument, etc.

If you want attrition based six man combat with a huge amount of random elements then here you go. Check the Solasta discord, the modding section, look for Grave Rush (6 Man Party) and download the json I uploaded there as of today. Paste that into the campaign folder and have a go at it.

I just played it a bit, and I like it a lot more this way—no over-the-top encounters and limited rests. It makes it feel much closer to true dungeon delving. You should have designed your previous modules this way.

I'll be debating with myself about whether I want future story based campaigns to be structured around attrition or not. Especially if a theoretical Solasta 2 had more options in restricting it. I'm fine with the current way since it keeps things open to come and go but also to wander to areas one shouldn't necessarily be. The option is there to self-restrict and tweak the difficulty (up or down) for the desired effect. But I do agree that using the attrition system is truer to what 5e is supposed to be and to invoke in the player.

I don't know why you want to fight the system and guidelines ; it's clearly working better this way. I also noticed that you place far fewer magic items, which is also a good thing. It's better to balance things this way—now, of course, as long as people don't start using the overpowered options in the Unfinished Business mod.

 

[Artyoan]

I don't know why you want to fight the system and guidelines ; it's clearly working better this way. I also noticed that you place far fewer magic items, which is also a good thing. It's better to balance things this way—now, of course, as long as people don't start using the overpowered options in the Unfinished Business mod.

If a story-based campaign is very linear then I agree it is definitely the favorable option. If it isn't, then there are tradeoffs to be made. I'm not fighting the system of 5e so much as I tried to find a design structure for an rpg that I prefer while using the 5e ruleset as is necessary here. Basically, trading for freedom of movement, exploration, and immersion at the expense of class balance and tilted encounter design. Saying I'm fitting a round peg into a square hole is valid criticism but it still works well enough that I found it enjoyable and so did other people.

I can find a happier medium potentially by having side areas open but most actual dungeons using attrition. Dungeons then need a good way (preferably not immersion breaking) for me to signal that the player cannot leave this area once they've gone in. If I had a way of de-activating a long rest campfire after one use, that would make for a nice tool here but I can't do that. Can't restrict food either because spells and game options exist to circumvent that entirely. It's always about tradeoffs.

Like I said, I'm not against the idea. If they are making Solasta 2 or whatever, and it has a DM, I'm much more likely to have attrition be a huge component of it. I'll have to see what kind of functionality it has.

I'm not worried about overpowered options in Unfinished Business. The people that are going to use them and know what they're doing will bump up the difficulty parameters. Even if they don't, stomping the whole module is up to them. Not my recommendation but people will do whatever they feel.