Hardest Variant?

Message

The Fury · #1 Post by **The Fury** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:39 am

I have been experimenting with some of the other varients out there, and I have come to the conclusion that TOME makes the game a *LOT* easier.

What do you all think the hardest variant is?

BSVeteran · #2 Post by **BSVeteran** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:06 am

Definitely agree that ToME is a lot easier than other variants. It is the first *band variant I have played that allows me enough control over my character's destiny.

In ToME, my characters die because I have been stupid in deciding to do something - for example, take on a level or a monster before my character can handle it. Not in other *bands - there it is because there is *no* way to escape some death spirals. Unless you're into stairscumming in a big way.

Trying Angband a couple of months ago, I was frightened at being so completely unable to control my abilities and pick my opposition. No +4 to speed, so cave spiders meant guaranteed death for a long time. No early "good" or "excellent" items, so it's a matter of luck and hope (and stair scumming!).

Sangband is probably worse, in that it has a skill system improved by direct experience with the skill. Including HP. That means you get seriously bashed up to gain HP. Not even realistic - if you are active in combat, you are probably tougher than average, but being frequently and seriously injured has the opposite effect.

Besides, ToME's variety is a huge attraction. This is also a positive point for versions like Zangband, but there the unpredictability is greater as well. Enough for one to be killed more often than in ToME, for extraneous reasons.

The Fury · #3 Post by **The Fury** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:49 am

Yeah, Sangband is a pain. I have been working through it, down to level 40.

Lots of stair and recall scumming. The monsters are very powerful, and drain exp attacks actually do something now.

vlad · #4 Post by **vlad** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:29 pm

in my opinion CthAngband is one of the hardest, although not listed above

The Fury · #5 Post by **The Fury** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:48 pm

I haven't had an oppurtunity to play scthband. What is it like in difficulty?

I still think that sangband is insanely hard.

TOME is very easy with 98 quests for the beginning game, but even without them enabled, the randarts are way too common.

Falconis · #6 Post by **Falconis** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:03 pm

I haven't actually played all the variants on that list, but went for Sangband anyway. It's O.K. when you've got the hang of it, but it can still be a PITN.

The Fury · #7 Post by **The Fury** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:08 pm

My biggest frustration is the hit points. How do I get them higher?

After I win sangband, I probably will get back to updating furymod

Neil · #8 Post by **Neil** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:04 pm

ToME has a variable difficulty. You choose your race and class, so you choose your own difficulty level.

vlad · #9 Post by **vlad** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:54 pm

sCthAngband is hard because you only gain hp by being damaged by monsters, so it's difficult to get far with mages or low hp races. maybe other 'bands are worse, i did not play that many different ones (i don't know sangband for example). but as to skill system scthangband is the one i liked best so far

Falconis · #10 Post by **Falconis** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:12 pm

I find that even with a more difficult race/class combo, ToME is still easier than many other variants... (though I haven't won with any of them

).

The Fury · #11 Post by **The Fury** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:48 pm

I think that the main reason tome is so much easier is because of the racial powers, subraces, randarts, and quests.

Quests can give you ego and artifact weapons that you normally wouldn't get till dlv 30 or so in plain games.

Symbiosis can make the endgame ridiculously easy.

The Fury · #12 Post by **The Fury** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:16 pm

OK, played with the options in tome, and this is what I got.
http://angband.oook.cz/screen-show.php?id=686

Falconis · #13 Post by **Falconis** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:29 pm

Yes... you're still alive, and at level 8, and got a long way through that vault before you had to flee...

This kind of shows what I mean... there are very few situations in ToME where you are automatically dead, whatever you do. In other variants there are more of these. You prepare to the best of your ability (phase door, !s of cure foo etc. 'til you run out of cash), but you still get killed.
IMHO with ToME, this is just not the case.

Anyway, maybe that's a somewhat simplistic view of difficulty...

ToME is certainly quicker starting than most variants, and so it appears to be easier. Also, perhaps ToME gives more oppurtunity for YASDs. The other variants, you have to be more careful, and so make a point of doing so, while ToME lulls you into a false sense of security.

Maybe then, ToME is as difficult as the rest... just in a different way.

([/rant], sorry if you found it boring

)

archerelf · #14 Post by **archerelf** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:25 am

I actually found Z to be tough to start. could never escape things in the wilderness. But, once you're levelled, it didn't seem that hard. Rods stack, and by end game, you're just scouring the level with acid balls.

The Fury · #15 Post by **The Fury** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:03 pm

Stacking rods is the only reason that I got to level 40 in sangband. Great Feature.

BTW, got a even cooler vault setup in FuryMod with ironman_rooms on

Look at this:
http://angband.oook.cz/screen-show.php?id=687

I got the necromancer in front of him, and then fled.