Early game changes for higher difficulties.

[bpat]

Currently, getting a melee character off the ground on nightmare or insane is very frustrating since a level 8 drake hatchlings or thieves can be nearly impossible to deal with and Doomed and Summoner rares (and to a lesser extent, Cursed, Oozemancer, and Solipsist rares as well) can kill you no matter what unless you somehow run away in time. While I recognize that higher difficulties are meant to be a challenge, it shouldn't be as luck dependent as it is right now. I suggest slightly lowering the levels of enemies in the first dungeon attempted on higher difficulties and nerfing the early power of rares of the classes listed above, since it's pretty silly that a single summoned Ritch Flamespitter is essentially equivalent to game over to a low level character on nightmare. Essentially, I'm suggesting the first few levels of higher difficulties be made less luck based than they are now without changing the rest of the game.

[Row]

I don't think this is needed. If you are unclucky with early rares, just re-roll the character. You havn't lost much time yet. It is definitely possible to have at least the first area without rares.

[The Revanchist]

So... Give the first x dungeons a much lower ceiling, thereby giving less early-game characters a chance? Why not?

You'd just have to watch that ceiling later. It doesn't care if you survive.

[bpat]

So... Give the first x dungeons a much lower ceiling, thereby giving less early-game characters a chance? Why not?

You'd just have to watch that ceiling later. It doesn't care if you survive.

Exactly, all I'm saying is the very first dungeon should be made at least possible. It wouldn't have any affect on the rest of the game and it'd make the early game much less frustrating to play.

[SageAcrin]

Why not just up starting cash notably?

Say, 50 or so.

Disproportionately benefits melee, since having a decent weapon is a much higher impact for melee classes than mages, and is a lot simpler to code.

I know it's not a perfect fix, but tooling up a perfect rescale is really hard.

[bpat]

Why not just up starting cash notably?

Say, 50 or so.

Disproportionately benefits melee, since having a decent weapon is a much higher impact for melee classes than mages, and is a lot simpler to code.

I know it's not a perfect fix, but tooling up a perfect rescale is really hard.

I really like this idea, especially since the current starting 15 isn't quite enough for a decent weapon or tentacle totem. I've found I have a much easier time if I can get a tentacle totem early, but they cost more money than you start with at the moment..