Cross Platform Nightmare Ironman

[contributor]

crimsonking, sorry you got bumped off the no-deaths. It sucks to get that first one. Yeah I'm thinking that if my current group dies I probably won't start another one just for the boards anytime soon. You can only play through the ratkin levels so many times.

[En1gma]

Agreed. I have almost 30 games so far. Only 3 have made it to Riven Field so far. If it wasn't for the gratuitous traps everywhere it wouldn't be so bad, although I will say that upping the difficulty goes a very long way toward making the game seem fresh to me. Hard actually makes me think about the battles and is a great step up from my usual normal games. I'm actually making a game based off of the 'Marching Order' thread with Kincaid, Vincent, Fyona, and Selen, I'll always lead with Kincaid, then everyone in line will be perfectly speced for their positional jobs.

[CdrPlatypus]

Team OG bit the dust. I accidentally double pulled in the vermin lair and vraes got rofl stomped by 4 shamans and a couple veterans...It was so painful to click the end turn button knowing it was over. I'm torn now: do I start another original four team and try to learn from my exp with the last one or do a try a diff mix up?

[CdrPlatypus]

I was having a big problem with dmg/ turn with my team. Anyone have tips to pump up the original fours dmg without compromising survivability too much?

[fallen]

Aug 8, 2014 21:20:35 GMT -5 CdrPlatypus said:

I was having a big problem with dmg/ turn with my team. Anyone have tips to pump up the original fours dmg without compromising survivability too much?

Are you making good use of Choking Ash?

[CdrPlatypus]

I was hitting everything with it. Had it up to lvl 5

Do you think a 2 handed vraes could survive?

[fallen]

CdrPlatypus - maybe its a damage expectation thing. In Nightmare, you simply can't get the damage you were dealing at lower difficulties, fights are longer, monsters are harder. Level 5 Choking Ash probably means 0 Armor on many of the enemies, so you can't get better than that I think. Definitely improve your weapons, equip +Dmg gear, use Burning Blades, etc.

[CdrPlatypus]

Mooks were at zero armour, which was my goal for progression. Big uglies were at 10+. Was not using burning blades at the time, dropped the points into fireball instead. Was equipped with the best armour and weapons and shields available from the osk shop and the reward staff from west road.

[fallen]

Well, I'd suggest checking the combat thread, but it sounds like you're doing what you can to hit and get good damage. A 2H weapon will be more damage, certainly. Nightmare is hard

[contributor]

Aug 8, 2014 21:18:41 GMT -5 CdrPlatypus said:

Team OG bit the dust. I accidentally double pulled in the vermin lair and vraes got rofl stomped by 4 shamans and a couple veterans...It was so painful to click the end turn button knowing it was over. I'm torn now: do I start another original four team and try to learn from my exp with the last one or do a try a diff mix up?

Sorry about that. That sucks. At least I know what score I need to beat now and about how far I have to get to beat it. Honestly of all the places I'm likely to die in Episode 1 it is the approach to the Great Shaman that gets me the most. I regularly beat everything past that with no deaths, but that one spot for some reason. I get so annoyed with one identical big group after another that I start rushing it and get sloppy. On the damage side. I think I always have trouble at that point as well. The weapons are starting to get a bit stale (unless you're swinging an infantry mace!) and especially Vraes just can't stick it to them anymore. In fact though there's much discussion about what a great damage dealer Vraes is, I don't feel it very often. Even my one group that has him wielding a 2H Hammer into the level 20's and using Ferocity is somewhat disappointing. He occasionally pulls out these huge criticals (over 500 at least once) but lots of times he swings in the 30's too.

[CdrPlatypus]

I wanted to show that the original four could have good viability for this ladder, but I'm thinking subbing one or two of the addons to stack curses may be the best way to go. aka flash freeze + ethereal or choking ash + punishing

[contributor]

Currently at 17,100,000 on the Gplay boards.

I see we've got a new contender, Xavier Barbeau. Anyone want to claim that score?

CdrPlatypus I think the original group is very viable as a nightmare group. The combination of Choking Ash and Ethereal Anguish is killer. Tamilin can be an incredible critical hit nuker and Vraes is just, well, the biggest damage sink you've ever imagined. I think the most potent group though might be KJ, Kyera, Selen and Kincaid, but it all depends on builds.

Edit/Addition: And yet, my current group continues to surprise. I didn't think a group without Choking Ash and Ethereal Anguish could ever be as potent or efficient as one with them, but they just did the "drop" into the Vermin Under-tunnels, where there are two ambushes that you have to survive before being able to get back out. They just completed that with only consuming 1 potion (Selen to keep her Pinning Shot going). That's good efficiency. That's despite the fact that the southern group in the second ambush were all archers. Vincent and Selen tamed them nicely though with Flash Freeze, Pinning Shot and a little Frigid Air. Kincaid had to play hide and stab-stab-stab a little until we could pull a few forward and thin them down. Fyona with a little of that Orange Fist melee attack and an infantry mace is just wicked.

[CdrPlatypus]

Choking Ash is incredibly efficient, but on the other hand vincent can really shut ranged dmg down...choices....choices. Even the pre gaming of this game is ridiculously deep.

[contributor]

contributor finds CdrPlatypus lying face-down somewhere in the Vermin Lair, his back riddled with ratkin arrows. He pulls the crown off of his brow and cleans the dried blood and grime off it. He walks away twirling the bobble around his finger, thinking about his rendez-vous with the Great Shaman.

[CdrPlatypus]

I WANT MY BELT BACK...and I'm coming for it