Early Game Blackguard Without a Town

[archolewa]

I find that the the late twenties to early thirties character levels are the most dangerous for Blackguards. They don't have the brutally effective werewolf form yet, nor are they doing and taking enough damage to keep their SP perpetually filled. Furthermore, their damage, while more than adequate in the very early game, hasnt been able to keep up.

However, by the time you get werewolf form, not only does that form massively increase your damage, but you are also very likely to have found a heavy, high damage dice artifact or ego weapon (my personal favorite at that point is Totila). And thats when Blackguards really turn into engines of destruction.

[Selkie]

Yeah the late 20s are tough. You make real progress until you get maim foe, which is a real game changer for a few levels after receiving the ritual. Then your melee combat can't quite keep pace with the monsters. I kept diving through the dungeon in my first three attempts, but I think I was too deep. I'm playing a lot more conservatively now and making sure I'm always a dungeon level lower than my character level.

I'm not sure if it's because I don't have the object detection spell, but in all four games so far I've had terrible luck with randarts. I'm not finding any weapons or launchers, the best I've had is a helmet with +3 INT and dark resistance... So a poor haul.

Still really enjoying the blackguard. My keyboard is m,a,a,m,a,b, m,b,a,m,a,c,m,a,c,m,a,c,m,a,e,m,b,a,m,a,c.... And so on, and so on

[wobbly]

Getting good AC can help too. If you're taking less damage its easier to keep recuperating it with whirlwind attacks.

[archolewa]

Getting good AC can help too. If you're taking less damage its easier to keep recuperating it with whirlwind attacks.

This. I often make pretty heavy use of Rings of Protection in the early game, and tend to prioritize AC on my armor over other things early on. I also dont bother with Rings of Reckless Attack. You dont have enough blows to get much out of the damage bonus, so its not worth the AC penalty.

[DavidMedley]

What about Berserk Strength? Is the +melee skill (used to be +to-hit) worth the -AC, or is it just useful for protection against fear?

[Selkie]

What about Berserk Strength? Is the +melee skill (used to be +to-hit) worth the -AC, or is it just useful for protection against fear?

Actually AC is not something I valued as highly as the others. I swapped out a partial plate mail with 68 AC for a black dragon armour with around 35 because of the resist and the acid breath.

I use beserk strength before every fight to increase my to hit, but fear resistance is also really useful. I'm of the school that favours damage over defence.

[archolewa]

What about Berserk Strength? Is the +melee skill (used to be +to-hit) worth the -AC, or is it just useful for protection against fear?

Berserk Strength is part of why like to have a very high AC. The to-hit bonus is often significant (sometimes +8% chance to hit) and when you are swinging only once or twice per attack, you really want to make sure you hit. Not sure berserk strength is worth it in the very early game, when it can drop you to negative AC, but once you get your AC into the thirties and fifties it becomes less of a concern. Get your AC to 100 or better, and the penalty is inconsequential

[Selkie]

So I've got a question, although I sort of know the answer.

I'm wielding a Glaive of extra attacks (+2 attack speed). It's giving three blows per turn and putting out 120 damage (even more with Venom cast). But when I leap into battle next to an adjacent enemy I only get two attacks.

When I wield a standard non-speedy weapon with 1.3 attacks per round (as standard), I also get two attacks per round with leap (making it a powerful ritual with a standard heavy weapon, but pointless with a fast weapon).

I'm just wondering if leap should take into account weapon speed when making its attacks per turn calculation. It seems it doesn't. Aside from catching fleeing enemies, or quickly closing down on breathers, the spell is no longer much use to my character.

Any thoughts?

[DavidMedley]

Yeah, the spells are intended to reward heavy weapons and low blows. It's not always satisfying, but I haven't figured out anything better.

I am working on some stuff for 4.2.3 that should be cool, like Bloodlust extra blows work with spells, and Werewolf Form and a brand new spell that will both burn SP to your benefit. But I don't envision Whirl, Leap, Maim, and Forceful working well with high blows weapons.

[Selkie]

Yeah I totally see the balance issues with leap. If it doubled all blows against adjacent enemies it would be far too powerful with a weapon like a Glaive of extra attacks. I'd be doing six blows a round from the third ritual I learn in the game.

With maim foe and venom I'm already dealing serious damage - an extra three blows per round would probably be a bit broken.

Thanks for the explanation and I look forward to seeing the development of the new class