'Which difficulty is the game balanced for?'

[Micbran]

Meanwhile, I would consider an exploit to be using a glitch or hack in the game in order to somehow benefit yourself. Setting the level isn't really a glitch or a hack, more of an "oversight."

Or maybe it's all subjective and doesn't matter anyways.

[Cat Zangetsu]

First the oversight exists. Then the players exploit said oversight. What does exploit mean? It means to take full advantage of something - that something being an oversight in game mechanics.

Or as is the case with malicious software, you are taking advantage of a programming oversight.

[Effigy]

By that logic, using just about any game mechanics in a synergistic way would be an exploit. Part of the skill of playing this kind of game is learning the mechanics and using them to your advantage. Timeless is intended to extend buffs and reduce debuffs; using it to do this for really good buffs isn't an exploit, it's just making good use of the talent. An exploit would be something like finding out that there's a bug with some item or talent combo that can give you infinite turns, as that's clearly not intended by the developers. Of course, what's "intended" is not always clear, so there is some room for opinion.

[ster]

By that logic, using just about any game mechanics in a synergistic way would be an exploit. Part of the skill of playing this kind of game is learning the mechanics and using them to your advantage. Timeless is intended to extend buffs and reduce debuffs; using it to do this for really good buffs isn't an exploit, it's just making good use of the talent. An exploit would be something like finding out that there's a bug with some item or talent combo that can give you infinite turns, as that's clearly not intended by the developers. Of course, what's "intended" is not always clear, so there is some room for opinion.

Knowing how to use skills as intended is an exploit on par with savescumming, no less!

[Cat Zangetsu]

i wasn't referring to timeless i was referring to stairs dancing and setting zone levels and stuff like that

and no, synergy/good strategy is not an exploit - i never said it was

If all u are doing is combining talents then you are doing something that was taught to you by the game. The game teaches you to combine your talents simply by the nature of the talent tree itself as well as the skillbar. My definition holds solid. It's not my fault if you are having problems comprehending it.

[Pisastrish]

Stair dancing is a staple of the roguelike genre, there is no way that's an exploit. Overpowered in this game, maybe, but definitely not an exploit

[Cat Zangetsu]

lol i simply googled "roguelike stair dancing" and the first search result is "Cheating-RogueBasin" haha

You can't make this stuff up folks.

[Velorien]

Of the other roguelikes I've played, most consider stairdancing an exploit to be eliminated. Off the top of my head, DCSS lets monsters follow you up the stairs, while many others forbid retreating upstairs altogether.

[Patashu]

Of the other roguelikes I've played, most consider stairdancing an exploit to be eliminated. Off the top of my head, DCSS lets monsters follow you up the stairs, while many others forbid retreating upstairs altogether.

I remember at one point DCSS was experimenting with 'neostairs', which worked like Brogue stairs (enemies next to you follow immediately, enemies two tiles away follow after one turn, and so on). I guess it wasn't considered Crawl-y enough to end up merging, though.