Tales of Maj'Eyal

[Turn_BASED]

The easiest class that I ever played is the hellfire archmage.

Archmage, if I recall properly, starts locked but it's a very easy unlock, you have to give an artifact to that traveling mage guy on the map, he's right near where you start.
Hellfire was a little trickier, you have to deal X amount of fire damage to unlock that particular talent tree I think.

Of course, you can also just edit the unlock file to unlock whatever you want. I did that, because I wanted to try different classes, but I get why some people wouldn't want to.

Personally I think DCSS is a "better" roguelike, but obviously it's a matter of opinion. DCSS is a tighter game (Maybe too tight, especially as they keep removing content). Sorting through the garbage items I picked up on every map gets old quick.

Also I hate the way traveling bands on the overmap can randomly be ridiculously powerful. It's one thing in vaults, where you have to purposely go in there, but you have to walk over the world map! Still, they're fairly easy to avoid if you're mindful.

I also feel, partially due to the previously mentioned lists of items, that TOME quickly mentally fatigues you from paying full attention at all times. You're autoexploring, killing things, reacting to what happens in fights, and suddenly you're on the verge of death from some random enemy. I know you can use various skills to "scout" on some classes, but that gets really boring really fast.

I’ve played DCSS more than any other rogue like and I agree that it offers the tightest experience.

What I dislike about DCSS, though, is that the role playing options are limited if you’re going to meta game. The end result for the vast majority of characters (that aren’t Trog worshippers) is a hybrid build that does it all. Sure you could play a pure caster, but why not branch out after getting your spell power/failure to an appropriate level.

The majority of my wins end up hybrids, especially if I’m grabbing more runes (and usually worshipping the shining one).

I’d like it more if your character could keep his identity past lair. ToME’s game design does this better I think.

 

[xuerebx]

Thanks for the advice on the previous page!

So, I'm absolutely trashing everything with summonor + 4 summons set to be auto-sommoned whenever an enemy appears. I just auto-explore and let them annihilate everything in their path - rinse and repeat.

I'm sure I'll end up dying out of negligence as I'm getting complacent. Not much strategy required in comparison to the other classes I've tried.

 

[Lacrymas]

Yes, summoners and minion necromancers are probably the easiest classes to play, but they still have some weaknesses. Lack of mobility for one. At one point, mobs can and will teleport/pull/push you around, forcing you into bad spots, so getting a movement infusion isn't a bad idea. Another weakness is tight corridors, your summons just can't get to the enemies very efficiently. Silence pees in your cornflakes a lot. Vaults are surprisingly tough and are the only places where you are in actual danger. But overall, it's smooth sailing. A bit too smooth if you ask me, but pet classes have always had this tendency in a lot of games.

 

[Snufkin]

Necromancers are OP, not only they get powerful summons that ZOOM on everything - but they also get direct dmg spells and AOE's - something that Summoner is lacking.

 

[xuerebx]

Can't wait to unlock the necromancer :D

Question - what's the point of equilibrium if you can simply bring it back to zero whilst resting? I guess for really long battles it can make a difference, but otherwise...

 

[Lacrymas]

It's for long battles, yes. Summoners can run into equilibrium problems and that's probably the most common way to die in early game with them.

 

[Snufkin]

Can't wait to unlock the necromancer :D

Question - what's the point of equilibrium if you can simply bring it back to zero whilst resting? I guess for really long battles it can make a difference, but otherwise...

It's for long battles, yes. Summoners can run into equilibrium problems and that's probably the most common way to die in early game with them.

My Yeek Wyrmic that used to spam Breath spells had 8 deaths because of high equilibrium spell fails. Somehow made it into the end on insane. :d

 

[Kabas]

Wait until you unlock classes that use paradox.
Some of the funniest things were happening because of high paradox.

 

[notpl]

Necromancers are OP, not only they get powerful summons that ZOOM on everything - but they also get direct dmg spells and AOE's - something that Summoner is lacking.

Necro needs to be strong, the fight you have to beat to unlock it is such a fucking bullshit deathtrap for 90% of builds.

 

[xuerebx]

Finally managed to get to Tier 3 locations @level 21, but I've got just 1 life left so will most probably die soon. Summoner was kind of fun though!

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you guys to beat the game once? At this rate I'm thinking at least 80 hours of total playtime (currently have 25 hours).

I also checked how to unlock certain classes or races, some of them seem downright impossible (considering the limited lives)!

 

[TwoEdge]

Finally managed to get to Tier 3 locations @level 21, but I've got just 1 life left so will most probably die soon. Summoner was kind of fun though!

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you guys to beat the game once? At this rate I'm thinking at least 80 hours of total playtime (currently have 25 hours).

I also checked how to unlock certain classes or races, some of them seem downright impossible (considering the limited lives)!

My first victory, on normal roguelike (I didn't play adventure mode back then), was with a temporal warden back in 2014 at about 120 hours of total playtime. You can mod the unlocks away if you want (most people do), but I never had any significant difficulty unlocking anything, most of them just happened through regular play.

 

[Lacrymas]

Finally managed to get to Tier 3 locations @level 21, but I've got just 1 life left so will most probably die soon. Summoner was kind of fun though!

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you guys to beat the game once? At this rate I'm thinking at least 80 hours of total playtime (currently have 25 hours).

I also checked how to unlock certain classes or races, some of them seem downright impossible (considering the limited lives)!

Tier 3 as in Dreadfell and Reknor or you went to the East already? Lvl 21 seems a bit low. Did you do all the dungeons on the starting continent? As for how much it took me to beat the game, I don't really know. I beat it for the first time with my 4th or 5th Wyrmic, which is the class I played after the first Alchemist run.

 

[Kabas]

I found the main campaign a bit too long for my tastes, usually i abandon all my runs after reaching the second continent.
My first actual win was in the orc expansion campaign, don't remember hours played. I completed the main campaign later and only once because i forced myself to.

 

[Lacrymas]

Yeah, the orc prides do drag on a bit too long, it would've been enough if we had to do only 2 (either randomly chosen by the game or we choose). To be fair, they can be done pretty quickly and you can rush to endgame fairly soon after getting to the east, but that's only if you are experienced and have good gear and a solid build. Technically, only the prides and high peak are mandatory. The other problem is that your build is pretty much done after killing the Master in the vast majority of cases, so you are only adding somewhat trivial numeric bonuses to your skills. A lot of people consider the playthrough over by the time they defeat him anyway. The story of the game kicks in after Dreadfell though, so that might trigger some people. I wouldn't worry so much about it, I consider the lore of the world the actual story and that is far more interesting than what the orcs are doing.

 

[lukaszek]

when you reach prides and find orc treasury with that one door any many warnings not to open it, do open it

 

[xuerebx]

Finally managed to get to Tier 3 locations @level 21, but I've got just 1 life left so will most probably die soon. Summoner was kind of fun though!

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you guys to beat the game once? At this rate I'm thinking at least 80 hours of total playtime (currently have 25 hours).

I also checked how to unlock certain classes or races, some of them seem downright impossible (considering the limited lives)!

Tier 3 as in Dreadfell and Reknor or you went to the East already? Lvl 21 seems a bit low. Did you do all the dungeons on the starting continent? As for how much it took me to beat the game, I don't really know. I beat it for the first time with my 4th or 5th Wyrmic, which is the class I played after the first Alchemist run.

I finished Tier 1 and 2 as per link: https://te4.org/wiki/Recommended_Zone_Order_Progression

I've cleared everything that I could, the only Tier 1/2 area not fully cleared out is the sandworm lair as I fear getting suffocated with the sand (but I killed the queen and consumer her heart). I unlocked Wyrmic through eating the heart

Yeah, the orc prides do drag on a bit too long, it would've been enough if we had to do only 2 (either randomly chosen by the game or we choose). To be fair, they can be done pretty quickly and you can rush to endgame fairly soon after getting to the east, but that's only if you are experienced and have good gear and a solid build. Technically, only the prides and high peak are mandatory. The other problem is that your build is pretty much done after killing the Master in the vast majority of cases, so you are only adding somewhat trivial numeric bonuses to your skills. A lot of people consider the playthrough over by the time they defeat him anyway. The story of the game kicks in after Dreadfell though, so that might trigger some people. I wouldn't worry so much about it, I consider the lore of the world the actual story and that is far more interesting than what the orcs are doing.

As a side note - and I don't know if it's just me - but during my first 2 character runs I was reading every piece of lore, but once I started dying and repeating the same areas I just skip everything. Now I'm trying to piece the puzzle of what's going on in my head

 

[TwoEdge]

As a side note - and I don't know if it's just me - but during my first 2 character runs I was reading every piece of lore, but once I started dying and repeating the same areas I just skip everything. Now I'm trying to piece the puzzle of what's going on in my head

Once you unlock your fortress below the Lake of Nur, you get access to a facility that stores everything you read in that run for your whole account. It then becomes available to peruse by any character that reaches that point.

 

[xuerebx]

I've just unlocked it in fact and noticed the library section. I understand why it's been included now! Thanks

 

[Frank Capicoli]

Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you guys to beat the game once? At this rate I'm thinking at least 80 hours of total playtime (currently have 25 hours).

Stumbled into first victory at around 80 hours with a Temporal Warden.

 

[Rieser]

195 hours and yet to beat it once.

Though admittedly I tend to get bored of the campaign after reaching the second continent anyway - most runs where I get to the orc shit just fizzle and are left to rot there rather than my character actually dying.

 

[xuerebx]

It's great to see you have all generally struggled to beat the game so I don't feel as much as a failure as I think I am lol

My elf summoner and dwarf Wyrmic runs ended around the Tier 3 mark, again. Gonna try an archmage just for fun and then retry an archer, with the aim to unlock new classes.

 

[lukaszek]

indeed mainland feels like main content while orcs are more like extra.
As such Id say that if you beat certain vampire, you did fine.
Looking at steam ive finally beaten the game after 220h. I kept coming to it over the years to give rogue another try, over that time builds changed drastically.

 

[xuerebx]

What's the certain vampire's name? I've killed some vampires.

 

[lukaszek]

What's the certain vampire's name? I've killed some vampires.

he is a boss of mainland and his death will trigger proper story. You will know.

 

[xuerebx]

Looking forward I need to sharpen my skills...