GREATSHIELD IS MY ARMOR
With a few more attempts, I can confirm that the Greatshield is a good replacement for armor.
Just make sure to have a +10 Greatshield before entering the Demon Halls.
There are ways to find one and with a little luck it can be wielded before Tengu!
Thanks for the tips so far. I messed up with the Monk and gave it a try with "Champion" just to confirm that the Greatshield is perfect replacement for armor.
Besides a Greatshield +13 (defense 0-30) I got a mail armor of entanglement that was cheap to upgrade to +5 (Troll + 1 SoU). Augmented for Evasion since defense is not great anyway, and Entanglement kicks soon enough at +5.
I spared the last SoU to enchant two weapons randomly: Lucky Glaive and Chilling Crossbow, cause the shield was doing great enough at +13. I was hoping for a shocking Glaive or Runic blade but well.
With the Champion's ability to have the +13 on any secondary weapon it was a relatively easy ride as expected.
This was the kit near the end:
Thanks for the tip. After burning through a few more times, I used the last SoU to fix it. All was great again but I lost the game due to a stupid error due to lack of attention while targeted by Scorpios and Eyes... Could have used the armor's Challenge, or a full waterskin, but I did not realize I was on low health!
Damn, I did not think about the SoE! I made 2 stones instead. Blazing without Brimstone is a PITA
So far I have not managed to get Monk through Demon halls with the fourth challenge.
I am getting closer with a highly upgraded Greatshield which blocks 0-26 damage combined with a cloth of anti-magic.
On one hand the Greatshield feels like cheating on the challenge, on the other I could have gone "Champion" instead of Monk and any secondary weapon would be overkill.
But I want to be the monk with huge shield.
I used one SoU to get enchantments and got the one I did not want on the shield: blazing.
Should have stayed with the Camouflage jacket and the Blooming enchantment but is late to retract.
On arrival to Demon halls I have spent already 3 healings and wondering why are succubus hitting so hard?
With Stone +3 (and FIMA) this Longsword wielding Statue is hitting for 4~12 damage:
Found a Stone Scale Armor at level 9, just what I wanted to try...
A Mail armor of Entanglement has worked quite well around FIMO, dropping it after fighting Tengu to put Evasion + Stone to the test...
Forgot to say that I am playing Duelist. I tried going for evasion but did not manage getting beyond +6 armor. I was getting hit often enough to run out of health. But it was not a very lucky game in terms of support.
Not bad but now I have it coupled with a Corrupting Glaive, and obtained the warrior's "Lethal Momentum" so I can insta-corrupt a lesser mobs in literally no time 🙂
Bought a plate after defeating the dwarf king. Damn it, I should not have transformed the armor before reforging!
Yeah. Learned it the hard way! Looks like there is usually a hidden room somewhere not too far from normal walls.
In recent runs, I am not finding 40 dark gold ore without a LOT of digging around the crystal caves. Is it intended?
First reforge armor of course, you have gone a long way for those plates! Where are u throwing your SoU? AFAIK the optimal Troll output is to get 3 SoU equivalents: 1 upgrade and 2 reforges. Accuracy ring does not seem a deal breaker for Warlock. Reforge + transmute is risky though: random +3 ring 🙂 I would transmute the cursed ring first, maybe it becomes furor, sharpshooting, wealth... if not worth reforging, you can still come out with a +3/+4 plate
Finally I find a tier-5 weapon in yesterday's daily. Given by the altar near the Troll. Very generous +3 with an interesting Dazzling curse. After making it +10, and applying an enchantment stone found long above, it got lucky! I might be saved for this run 🙂
For the nth time I got stuck on a (dead) crab web while heading for a door, when a diagonal move would have avoided it. At least the movement should stop before stepping on visible nasty things.
The strategy has been to save all upgrades for the first tier 5 weapon, then use Twin Upgrades and Swift equip to enjoy a variety of weapons.
Somehow I cannot manage "On Diet" challenge with duelist, I might need a lucky start for it.
Elemental Blast is very cool too, I love its crowd control effects like blasting many baddies around with that elastic shield. I forgot to use it on Yog where it would have really shined!
Okay I thought +0 was also possible. If +2 is common then it is a fair gamble. How many runs arrive to level 13 without a +1 or better scale mail? That is the case where Smith is a likely improvement. I don't have numbers but playing Mage with 3 challenges I usually have such armor by level 14. And usually cannot wear a plate yet...
What is the typical depth where players get to Strength 16?
I'll admit that a run with challenges requires extra work anyway, so there it makes sense to seek 3 plates and backtrack.
I had enough RC for the 3 plates required for the blacksmith to work a +3 or better. Ended up with +4.
Battlemage with HoP, Mystical Charge and Shield Battery talents.
Not leaving the Crystal Cave until all artifacts are fully charged, health restored and plate armors identified.
For FREE.
(And a little patience)
Went down to hunt an extra plate, came back to upgrade+reforge to +3, and there is still favor left for another reforge 🙂
I see. Only a +0 plate mail per se is not really "strong". Most times not even wearable at this level.
As things are it is better to come back later with a couple of plates and do upgrade + reforge.
Smith is still great for a choice of strong weapons. Just not useful for armor IMO.
The new troll rewards system is very nice, though the most expensive "Smith" option is rarely useful for armor.
>The player can have the Blacksmith smith 3 items for them. They always get to choose from 2 random weapons and a random armor generated using Dwarven Metropolis tier distribution. The items have 15%/55%/20%/5% chance to be upgraded to +0/+1/+2/+3 respectively and are never enchanted or cursed.
At this stage of the game we are usually looking forward to a plate armor, and may have one at +0/+1. Often enough we can upgrade and reforge for 1500 favor and come out with +2/+3 plate.
Now the Smith option, for 2000, has a low chance of producing such an armor and often only produces a Scale mail, rarely a novelty at the troll's level.
Perhaps the armor item should be guaranteed to be a plate?
Using the Recycle spell on 2 scrolls produced 2 scrolls of Identify. Then on 2 potions, 2 potions of Healing. Is the randomness broken?
Pretty good Mage start with a +3 projecting spear (ghost gift), a +3 leather armor of brimstone (no SoU spent on them, only stone and stylus) and Unstable Spelbook. Now I am considering to imbue but I am no fan of fireblast or disintegration tbh. I should have taken the Blast wand for that... What would you do? Go with the flow and FIRE away?
Threw a potion at Goo for identification and it was levitation... The Vertigo effect is keeping Goo at bay while I can shoot at easy!
Let's say I have a +3 wand from resin upgrades and merge it at the Troll Blacksmith: will it become +4?
Got a bit stuck at the demon halls with my wand of Living Earth and kit not as strong as expected so went up to farm safely with Blooming Gauntlets and Nature Boots. Warlock does not know hunger, gauntlets hit 2X per turn with a plain ring of furor, boots make the most out if the sprouted plants. Tedious but quite safe since I dodge most attacks and heal easily.
My first Mage run, I hit upon a wand of Living Earth on level 1 and found it so powerful that I imbued and upgraded it.
So far, the wand's guardian is strong enough to get rid of enemies while I loot around, and the Rock armor is awesome. Will that last?
I won the game with other classes several times, but have not played Mage yet. Now I am greeting the wandmaker... Any hints for a novice Mage?
I hit upon a RoW+2 at level 22. I already have Lucky enchantment on main weapon, and Arcana+5. Is it worth it to invest one SoU on the RoW?
