Changes for future versions? Options

[rbeverjr]

I really like Improved Anvil (IA), and am very appreciative to Sikret and also the play testers for this mod. I dabbled in it as of IA3. I played apx. 1.5 games in IA4-IA4.2, and have started a game of IA5. I have killed the shadow dragon, red dragon, Conster, Samia, and even the first drow ambush (geesh) among other things. So, while I am not nearly as accomplished as some players, I’m not exactly a novice either. I hope that Sikret will consider the following changes for future versions of IA. These changes would make IA more enjoyable to me, and I am confident that there are many people who will agree (to one degree or another) with one or more points that I make below.

(1) I have noticed that each version of Improved Anvil becomes more difficult than the next. However, I truly hope that a route remains open to allow me (and particularly newcomers to IA) to level-up without facing too much frustration. This is allowed in IA5, as long as you follow Raven’s advice on quest order (or a very similar quest order). I hope that this avenue remains open in future versions (i.e. no or no further improvements on the first few initial quests/battles).

(2) I still think that there should be mook battles. These battles don’t necessarily have to be unimproved, just improved only slightly. For instance, I have always thought that the sewer toll keepers should not be that difficult. Why would such skillful and rich folk seek employment as toll keepers in a sewer?! I think this group should be easily handled in Chapter 3. More groups that are only slightly improved (great for Chapter 3 or before) would seem to be part of a more realistic world and grant a more immersive role playing experience. (After all, not everyone you meet should be 20+ level, particularly in SoA.) I would expect dragon, demon, and quest battles to be tough, but does every group you meet have to be tough? The people who only want a tactical battle game would definitely say “yes.” However, some people may agree with me that this is not the best answer for an immersive role playing experience.

For another example, I faced the first drow party in the underdark. Even after taking care of one group of nasties (divide and conquer), the other group spanked me. I managed after a few reloads. I’m glad this battle will be weakened in the future. This is a “random” encounter of a group of drow right? It seems like it was the cream of the crop, elite assassination party – just waiting for the off-chance that gnomes may wander past? LOL. They didn’t even drop any chain armor.

Of course, once on Pirate Isle and for the remainder of the game, I don’t mind if all encounters are improved to one degree or another over the unmodded game. “To one degree or another” means that there should be clear differences in difficulty that remain when comparing mook battles with the plot’s major battles.

(3) The ability of the player to use backstab effectively has largely been done away with. I suppose that is reasonable to enhance difficulty, even though it pretty much crushes the class. (Personally, I favor allowing backstab, but allow backstab to do progressive additional damage rather than multiplicative damage.)

Well, ambushes are like backstab. When two parties are played intelligently, but one of them is buffed (the ambushers) and the other is not (the ambushed), who will win? When you greatly increase the difficultly of those type encounters, I think most players must rely on metagaming (knowledge of the upcoming ambush and knowledge of the scripted attacks) to succeed. At least, I would find it extremely hard or impossible to beat Samia’s group without pre-battle buffing. The duration of some spell buffs have been shortened to make it even more important to be able to put up buffs just prior to battle.

I personally *hate* relying on metagaming as my only recourse to win. Once again, it ruins the roleplaying experience to me. I would suggest that hints be provided that we need to prepare for a dangerous battle – or that the ambushers not be so dangerous. After all, there are numerous battles in IA which are not ambushes, but are very difficult. You don’t need to be ambushed to find yourself in a very dangerous battle.

(4) Added content is what really adds to the role playing value. I look forward to the fighter stronghold. Relatively few people play druids; so, I hope the fighter stronghold is next. Additionally, quests that are open to all parties regardless of protagonist class would be awesome!

(5) A double length time stop and improved alacrity on an enemy who intends to unload their spell book on the hero is *not fun* in my book. Depending on how many ruby rays the mage has and the memorized spells, she should be able to kill anyone. I think it will be a huge effort to learn the mage’s spellbook and determine what *equipment* is needed to keep you alive during this period – much metagaming. Everyone knows that equipment is expensive and hard to get (ingredients). You certainly don’t want to buy equipment for a single encounter. I know that this encounter is optional, but I have *always* done this encounter. I don’t want to stop now. I also expect that I will be able to complete this fight, but won’t be surprised if I require tactical advice. My point is that there are some tactics that make the enemy dangerous, but don’t make the game fun. I don’t like to kill monsters in time stop, and I don’t like to be killed by them in time stop.

(6) I was surprised at the price of the freedom scrolls in the underdark. In IA 4.2, I noticed that money limited forging early in the game. Matters may be worse in IA5 in this regard. However, before the final conflict in ToB in IA4.2, I had money to forge whatever item for which I had the ingredients. I think this is appropriate. Components, rather than money, should be the limiting factor in what you can forge. After all, characters are practically demigods before they even face the epic divine encounter. I think they should be filthy rich. This may also be true in IA5, but I don’t know as I have just made it to the underdark.

In future versions in regards to the money issue, I would like to see more extra-healing potions dropped, and perhaps their price decreased. I would also like to see the price for upgrading (by Cromwell) to +3 weapons decreased. After all, +3 weapons are needed to hit many monsters, and a +3 weapon without any special ability is not an overpowered weapon.

(7) I would like each of the traditional DnD classes (including bard and thief) to be able to make a significant contribution to the team in IA. A pure class thief (other than a swashbuckler) would be chosen for a team in order to enhance difficulty more than anything else. *I love choices and avenues for differing play styles.* I hope that some accommodations can be made for each class. For example, magical and elemental resistances have primarily nerfed the ability of mages as an offensive power compared to the unmodded game. (By the way, I agree that some nerfing was appropriate for a challenging game.) Now, Sikret is introducing some spells which allow the mages to contribute more to the team’s offense. Similarly, I think changes could be made to bring the thief up to par and to make the bard a viable option in IA6 (when the bard will be nerfed in some other ways).

[Shadan]

Yesterday I forgot 2 points:
1. Vagrant and rangers: Considering the ranger/vagrant only upgraded items, and those which requires 19 Con, and considering the new ranger HLA (which is very very good, better than Hardiness maybe), I think ranger is now the strongest class in the game. Especially vagrants. Elemental immunity is very very useful, with an Improved Dragon Helm you reach 95 % elemental resistance easily, so your vagrant don't need protection. Only magcial and physical damage left. Magical damage can be handled by Red Coral Armor (or Cloak of Magic Shielding earlier) and Belt of Internal Barrier. They together give 75 % res. Red Coral Armor + FoD&W can protect against physical damage, and with good AC (many protection items),Hardiness/Contact with Nature, high HP cause of 19 Con means my vagrant is unstopable. I hardly can imagine how can a non arcane or non vagrant protagonist survive the double length Time Stop in Twisted Rune. My vagrant died 3 times with 75 % magic damage res (ADHW, MM), 95 % fire res (Flame Arrow), 10 % physical res (Energy Blades) and 220 HP. He was barely able to survive 4th time with Hardiness and Armor of Faith. Most protagonist cannot use even the Cloak of Magic Shielding due to new 19 Con restriction.
So I would suggest a very very slight nerf for Vagrant. Vagrants now at high level have a lot of very good summons. I think the better summons shouldn't be a new summon but an upgrade for older summon. So Vagrants always can could summon only 2 swanmays. For example now Vagrant can summon 2 normal and 1 greater swanmays at certain level, according to my suggestion, they should be able to summon 1 normal and 1 greater at that level.

2. And we have arrived to summons. It is very annoying, when a simple summoned mosnter from a level 7 spell (Mordi Sword) hit as +4 weapon with a good thaco, damage and resistances, but the mighty Devas and Planetars from a level 10, yes level TEN spell, hit only as +2 weapon. And they die more easily than swords. So they are mostly useless in fights when you reach HLAs... They should hit at least with +4 weapons, and they should be a much more harder. This would make the priest-type enemies a bit stronger also, since all enemy clerics summon fallen deva first. And mage type enemies always much harder than priest type... Priest type enemies need only 1 Remove Magic or Breach, and they are dead despite of their Shield of Archon. Imho Shield of Archon should protect against Dispel and Remove Magic, Breach and all spell defense remover below lvl 8. In this case clerics would be better either as enemies or party members, and Spellstrike and Pierce Shield would be a bit better spell, not always the Ruby Ray will be used...