Halls of Mist 1.3.0

[ekolis]

The new mana system allows me to try lots of new spell ideas. Like enchanting weapons!

As in, spend a huge chunk of mana (and thus gimp your spellcasting for the rest of the level) for a permanent enchantment akin to the effects of Enchant Weapon scrolls? Neat! And it wouldn't be overpowered, since you have a limited number of levels you can visit to recharge your mana... though mana restoration potions might be a problem!

[Starhawk]

Hmmm, I can't think of too many times I've spent 2000 turns on a level, even with frequent stops to rest. And hopefully the slightly-more-effective healing will be helpful.

The change I'm most thankful for is that my lunkhead characters will no longer be stuck without Lore points, if I'm reading you correctly. Nothing sucked like taking a MEM drain from a wound and being stuck without any Lore....

[buzzkill]

I'm very interested in your experiences with the time limit, since I'm very familiar with your playstyle based on the AARs. You have a natural tendency to avoid resting. I suppose you should only rarely have problems with mist-phantasms. Let me know if it happens too rarely or too often.

I cleared 7 or 8 levels so far, with a templar and haven't seen any.

Re: red floor tiles for runes. Having it skip terrain features other than empty floor tiles would be fine. I envision it as a weak reddish laser beam, visible only as it reflects off the mist. It's really just to make the diagonal beams easier to see once you know they're there. You can step through them if you're careful (don't know if that was necessarily intended), but you have to carefully trace the (invisible) beam from it source. Also, I wouldn't mind seeing more of the "8 cardinal direction beams" as the diagonal beams are more fun. Sure, they're harder to disarm without getting zapped, but they are also the ones that you can actually lure monsters into. Maybe 45% = perpendicular to wall, %45 = 8 directions, 10% = Intermittent LoS (Danger! Danger! Danger!).

[Starhawk]

I got a mist-based Elnora really early on in clearing a level. She's even more bothersome when you know you're getting nothing for dealing with her....

Also -- I found my first artifact!!!! Yaaaaaay!!! The gloves 'Paurnimmen' fell out of a closet on DL5. Too bad my idiot lizardman warrior will never be able to ID them

edit: have run across several Torches of Thievery with negative modifiers lately. Intended?

another edit: i just read one of the new Scrolls of Lore, got an identify point... but the scroll didn't id-by-use.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

It's really just to make the diagonal beams easier to see once you know they're there.

Huh? There are no diagonal beams!

All active runes, marked with !, shoot into four cardinal directions unless there is a wall in the way. But they don't shoot out of the room (if you are "behind" the cave painting).

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I've fixed all the biggest issues. Thanks to everybody who reported them!

I'll play a bit and test if I've set the phantasm-clock to the right speed. Bugfix release comes tomorrow.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Early game balance is looking good so far. My Felpurr mage tends to encounter (and easily evade) a few phantasms just as he's leaving levels anyway. So far I've been able to clear completely levels 1, 3, and 5, finishing each level with 0 mana. Very exciting times.

Mages want to use melee against easy opponents to save mana, if they can afford to rest afterwards. I love how Ironband mana system brings strategy to every encounter. Mist-phantasms bring a third dimension: do I want to burn more mana in combat to save time?

[Starhawk]

I thought I would really enjoy the new identify-point system. But my lizardman warrior with 20% Alchemy hasn't been able to identify a single item -- is there some kind of difficulty beyond a simple check vs 20%? I've failed somewhere around 25-30 checks in a row, now.

Similarly, is there an added difficulty with magic device checks? I've been trying to ID-by-use wands and staves. My magic device skill is only 20%, but I am only triggering a device successfully maybe 5% of the time.

If it were just one thing I'd chalk it up to the RNG, but given that it's affecting ID, magic circle usage, and magic device shots... I'm wondering if there is something on the backend that I'm missing.

[Starhawk]

Wow.... chain-summoning is just BRUTAL.

A mist-based summoner appeared and immediately filled the room with beasties. And a couple levels later, a Forest Hag summoned creatures -- including another hag, who also summoned creatures.... ugh.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I thought I would really enjoy the new identify-point system. But my lizardman warrior with 20% Alchemy hasn't been able to identify a single item -- is there some kind of difficulty beyond a simple check vs 20%? I've failed somewhere around 25-30 checks in a row, now..

It's just a pure percentage check.

Similarly, is there an added difficulty with magic device checks? I've been trying to ID-by-use wands and staves. My magic device skill is only 20%, but I am only triggering a device successfully maybe 5% of the time.

This one depends on the device. 'I'nspect it, and you see you your fail rate. IIRC the lowest possible fail rate is 85%, so it's not much worse than your skill.

If you fail, there's a another pure percentage Magic Device check. If you fail, you lose one charge.

[Starhawk]

Hmmm. I'm not a code monkey, or else I'd go look at the math for those skill checks. This warrior is CL23 and should be making 1-in-5 Alchemy checks... definitely coming closer to 1-in-10 or worse. I think (for dumb characters) I preferred the old system -- no Lore, but Identify scrolls at least worked.

It might be nice if bookshelves or Circles of Knowledge gave some kind of buff to an Identify check.

Magic devices are essentially useless to this warrior -- as I've gone through the dungeon, I'm emptying staves and wands without squeezing out even a single casting for ID purposes.

On the other hand, this is the deepest/strongest character I've managed so far. The upgraded healing potions have mostly kept me from needing to hang around and rest, which is great.

[Starhawk]

What does the Berserk proficiency do for me?

EDIT: Never mind, I see it's just like the potion -- woefully underpowered considering it takes away my ability to Recover!!!!

Is there any way short of diving to get rid of this "blessing"?

[Mikko Lehtinen]

I'm playing an Ursa Warrior myself. I'm just plunging down without difficulties so far... I did buy a heavy armor with -90% discount, which helps. With my STR 19 I'm just able to jump in it without difficulties.

Warriors are really good, but they also have big difficulties. I think it plays just as intended. My warrior has average wisdom and memory (they are not my dump stats) and that has helped a lot in identification and in finding hidden items.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

What does the Berserk proficiency do for me?

It's the same as the potion. Bonus to combat skills, penalty to AC. Most importantly you get an extra blow in melee (even with heavy weapons) and double thrown damage.

But you can't use Recover, so it's a tradeoff.

With my STR 19 bear thrown weapons are really good...

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Just drink the potions, read the potions and eat the mushrooms. After taking the necessary precautions, they won't kill you.