Zorbus (D&D-inspired roguelike)

[Lagi]

For all dead prophets sake! why do pull stuff like this?

Your party is too big already (max 4 recruits)

I come back from from work, increase my Spirit to 18 to enjoy +4 mdf, that according to book should grant me 5 companion. And then bam.

Joonas what are you doing with this Sayerism? Why do you hate me for my fun? You didnt have a problem to increase carry limit from 50 kg to 23 ton per person. But me being a bro with one more elephant is a problem?

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edit:

1. amount of companion should be equal to Spirit Modifier. [not Spirit mod +1]

this would widen the viability of Spirit stat range.
if your Spirit is +0, then its like RL shy guys have to used being alone.
what if spirit drop below 0? then I would said you are more annoying than you think, and even dogs start to barking at you.

but i want everyone to experience the companion game feature!

can i experience the joy of having +1 to damage with 7 Body?
Be a man and let other suffer from who they are. I think thats the point of stats in RPG isnt it?

and what if you get to the 40 spirit?

then i would have 15x companions.
Unless I will not be able to feed so much, but since food is not a problem, I would like to continue playing my tactical strategy, where i have no control over my troops [dont judge me, i play shittons of idle game before].

 

[Joonas]

Aemar, shops restock ammunition and these potions: Blink, Healing, Endurance, Antidote, Mobility. Restocking is not immediate. Consider taking the Health Surge talent, you can then use Endurance potions + the talent to heal.

Lagi, not sure what happened there. The max amount of companions is 9. I just tried with Spirit 18, and could recruit 5 elephants. Modifier from the base Spirit-ability is used, without modifiers from equipment etc.

 

[The Red Knight]

I come back from from work, increase my Spirit to 18 to enjoy +4 mdf, that according to book should grant me 5 companion. And then bam.

Before release 28 you could use items to further boost max party size (even just for the time you're recruiting and then switch back to main equipment - though I can't recall if having max party size below the current size caused some types to have a chance to turn hostile; might have just been a thing with undead?), but it apparently was a bug/exploit and fixed. Note that it was also before friendly fire issue was fixed so sooner or later your companions would inevitably throw AoE attacks at each other while targetting opponents, which would make them fight to death and possibly drag other companions (at the time still friendly to both and hanging around too close) into the fight. I think my record was 7 or 8 companions on dungeon level 3, plus IIRC one companion type summoning additional temporary stuff (and with the main character purposefully crippled and senile to maximize the companion output, and I'd drag some doggos and other easily-killed animals around too as meat shields, so it wasn't as OP as it sounds).

 

[Lagi]

Everything works as intended. I use crown to get 18 Spirit.

Yes companion are powerful, stronger than player, but this is probably due to my cripple build. I think their are boosted, to compensate AI? Thats fine, but i suggest: to lower their HP a little, and add new command: "Come to me" it would be order to force Ally to immediately follow player, to take NPC from bad position.

This game is so much fun. I thought i lose interest in games

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poor feedback
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PC should hide (increase stealth) in bushes, not smash them

F11 and F12 and Ctrl+E to manage Ally equipment are inconvenient. I try to rebind them now.
I think more columns with equipment should be visible at once, or more companions. I try to make some mockup picture.
EDIT: F11 rebind dont work, in inventory. There is no option to change f12 and Ctrl+E in inventory

Is there a way to heal friendly animal? I can give healing potion to creature with equipment, but i cannot use healing potion on wounded elephant.

i have some undeads summon, how can i check their stats? their are not display under C, nor there is option when i bump on them.

graphic doent look like spider queen at all

- hey dont give me a robots rating :D

a little differentiation in the graphic of the same animals + names, could be nice to tell who is where

the talents gain is a little too harsh for stupid persons

the talent gain curve should be flatten, using the half value
instead every 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 level => every 5, 5.5, 4, 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3, 2.5 level

f.ex. Mind 8 :
talent on levels : 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 = > 1, 4, 9, 13, 17

autism explain

when have half level value: round down for negative modifier (f.ex. Mind 8, new talent every 4.5 level, so its on levels 4/9/13.. instead 5/9/14)

round level up for positive modifier (take 1 exp level longer) (f.ex. Mind 16; new talent every 2.5 level : 3/5/8... instead 2/5/7 )

on table above there is orange highlight when Mind modifier talent gain is linear - its like when Player for sure will feel that his Spirit modifier make a change.

player is expected to reach (20 ~ 30) level. thats why there is color highlight till 20, and numbers till 30 level.

--

now i make someone smarter

THALTHEM
Saurial male, level 5

Killed by a hellcat.

 

[Aemar]

Current build - elven archer (level 12), dungeon level 7. Powerful build from what I can tell, not a problem taking on various dragons and other creatures inhabiting the level.

 

[Lagi]

idea for improving UI with items exchange [max benefit / min work] :

in inventory:
replace F12 with Space, for item compare.

i compare items all the time. Selecting items can be done with arrows.​

replace F11 with Capslock. Add Shift+Capslock to display previous companion.

i need to quickly change companion, when i think to whom give what items. Caps is placed more convenient than F11.​

replace ctrl+E with ~ (item exchange)

its way more handy to just press one key. item exchange is done often.​

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when Im in item exchange mode. Let the right panel change between Companion Equipment and Item description - with Space key (item compare dont work during item exchange).

like so:

please add the bottom right corner list of companion with equipment, so i know who will be selected next with Capslock (or Shift+Capslock)

when I exchange items, i need to know what is current equipment of each companion (not only backpack content).

 

[Lagi]

Current build - elven archer (level 12), dungeon level 7. Powerful build from what I can tell, not a problem taking on various dragons and other creatures inhabiting the level.

and you are still using normal arrows?

congrats, I think playing Solo is way harder than with any ally (summon, recruit, animal). But nothing hindered your LoS at least :D

i kill today gnome wizard and centaur ...hmm melee charging/archer/animal tamer?

 

[Aemar]

Current build - elven archer (level 12), dungeon level 7. Powerful build from what I can tell, not a problem taking on various dragons and other creatures inhabiting the level.

and you are still using normal arrows?

congrats, I think playing Solo is way harder than with any ally (summon, recruit, animal). But nothing hindered your LoS at least :D

i kill today gnome wizard and centaur ...hmm melee charging/archer/animal tamer?

Currently on dungeon level 10, and I'm still using normal arrows as a cheaper way of disposing of weaker enemies, since they're aplenty and really useful when using the multistrike skill. My character is pretty much immune to most magic attacks by now and he can also withstand physical attacks due to higher AC and that life-leeching longbow. Preparing for the final stages and the final encounter.

I wanted to make a gnome wizard too, before starting this archer run. One of the few games where I would consider employing a gnome character.

From what I can tell specialization is more efficient than the jack of all trades approach, I guess. So it's either melee, ranged, magic or summoning.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Half-troll warrior keeps dying. No more bruisers for me i guess.

 

[Aemar]

SPOILERS!

Spoiler

They were all just standing there, so I challenged Brethsro, Prince of Undeath. For some reason it seems that one of my attacks triggered an area damage effect (acid arrow?) which engulfed Michwan as well, a highly skilled archer, so eventually I had to fight two enemies instead of one. Game over.

Final fight.

All in all, great game, mate. Easily one of the most outstanding traditional roguelikes out there. I'd buy this in an instant if it was on Steam or GOG. I really like the old-school feel of tabletop adventure and the fact that you've managed to create an enviroment that feels alive - lore, tons of sounds, speech bubbles, different AI behaviours, interactive objects, etc.

 

[Aemar]

Half-troll warrior keeps dying. No more bruisers for me i guess.

Started the same character. He's a force of nature, with the body/strength stat currently at 24 (21 + belt of giant strength). Melee only, unless I get my hands on an item/scroll of enchantment that allows to add a throw weapon function.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Them evil mages and summons, god DAMN!!! I know empty rooms are usually traps esp with chests/altars; that's a given. But damn me even when i think areas are whittled down but them BAM its like i'm surrounded gangbang dead. I think I'll try a def tank if possible but it looks like personal army+ ranged is a better option.

i still wish you could sell EVERYTHING. I mean that's what old school dungeoneering is all about imho. I did that in wizardry, ultima, bardstale, phantasie, shard of spring, wizards crown etc etc. Getting a few coin saved up just for even a healing pot.

 

[Aemar]

There's nothing available to buy except potions and the random static set of more or less useful items from the merchant demiplane; you'll get plenty of money a bit later once you get hold of the more powerful items to sell. I almost never use most types of potions beyond the health and the stamina ones.

 

[The Red Knight]

Haven't played in a while but I recall potions being very useful to drink in panic when a strong monster focuses on your no-combat-skills character instead of getting stopped by your wall of companions (only gathering dust in the backpack normally, but then I'd burn through half of them or more at once). Or to give them to said companions.

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And since my last posts sounded like I focus on criticizing it, I keep recommending it whenever I get the chance. It's great as an introduction to the genre for people who cannot into ASCII (yet), as a roguelike for someone who wants high production values or lots of QoL features, and is simply good and addicting.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Blink pots. I took the helper bundle once and those are nice quick egress from tight spots.

 

[Aemar]

So I was just pondering on additional content. Conquest of Elysium 4 has 6 different planes of existence the player can access: 2 mortal realms (Elysium or the game world, Agartha or the subterranean world) and 4 outer planes (Inferno, Hades - land of the dead, Elemental planes and the Void - realm of Lovecraftian horrors).

You could add additional levels similar to D&D's Outer Planes, accessible through portals guarded by various wizards or powerful creatures. The creatures that would inhabit these planes are already in the game, at least most of them. Each of these levels would feature a powerful miniboss.

What about a demiplane that features a combat arena?

 

[Joonas]

Yes, I've thought about extra levels. Like you said, outer planes, something related to githyanki, maybe even small visits to known D&D worlds or Planescape's Sigil.

The combat arena would be cool, just not sure how handle it with the current game engine and UI.

 

[eXalted]

I had a good army of 5.

Pissed a Ratqueen.

Now I have a poor army of 2...

Pissed a Wizard.

Now I'm dead.

Game so gud. I love it.

 

[Aemar]

How come some people reach level +20 (up to level 27 in some cases)? It doesn't seem that there is enough XP-related content available to justify such high levels even if you clear out the whole dungeon.

 

[Horvatii]

Cheating? Before xp-for-secrets nerf?

 

[eXalted]

Is there a way to know which books and items can be sold or do I have to carry them to a merchant every time?

 

[Aemar]

Cheating? Before xp-for-secrets nerf?

Absolutely no idea, even the current version allows for such high levels.

Is there a way to know which books and items can be sold or do I have to carry them to a merchant every time?

Don't think so, yet I believe you can only sell those rare books that are safeguarded to some degree, not the common ones that can be found on random shelves.

 

[eXalted]

I don't know if this is a bug or intended but I just charmed a Snake Cultist and he summoned snakes that are hostile to me... and him.

 

[Joonas]

I don't know if this is a bug or intended but I just charmed a Snake Cultist and he summoned snakes that are hostile to me... and him.

Oh boy, another bug with charmed creatures. Thanks for reporting.

 

[Jack Of Owls]

I mentioned this in another topic but I liked that you did the bobbing animation thing with all the pc & npc tiles. It reminds me of some of the better early basic RPGs in the apple/MS-DOS era. I find it a bit visually dull when a roguelike has completely static sprites or tiles, which is probably why I could never get into the ASCII ones.