ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Equipment choices are a big deal for me. Every new drop has me comparing them against my existing items. And the question always exists; what counts as 'better'. What do *you* use to evaluate equipment choices among many?

For example, I currently have a Level 31 Cornac Cursed. Let's say I have these two armors (which, actually, I do have):

1) prismatic stralite plate armour of implacability: armour 18; def 7; fatigue +21%; physical save +9; resistances +14% darkness, +14% light

2) cleansing stralite mail armour of command: armour 13; defense 13; fatigue +16%, +2 Cun; resistances +14% nature / +13% blight; mental save +10

Reasons for choosing #1: 5 better armour, +9 physical save
Reasons for choosing #2: 6 better defense, 5% less fatigue, +10 mental save

And they have different resistance bonuses which are very monster specific.

My choice of the moment is #2 for the fatigue, mental save, and defense; my high strength as a Cursed gives me a high physical save. Opinion?

Which stats are you most likely to try to max? Least likely to max? When does it make sense to take a +x stat over a +x save, or vice-versa?

Any comments welcome.

Varies depending on where you are in game as well. However, the second one there is typically better for the blight resist. I'm assuming you've met corruptors by now (who use almost pure blight damage) and they hit fecking HARD. There's also several dungeons dedicated to almost exclusive blight creatures. (Melinda's Crypt, and Mark of the spellblaze, notably) Darkness and fire are other fairly common elements. (And having some lightning resist for the Derth/Urkis quest)

Beyond that, Not many enemies use light, and the ones that do aren't horrible. It's fairly low priority as a resist. And saves like that are fairly equivalent in the early game. Late game, You hope to cover several saves/resists on multiple different pieces of equipment.

Typically, it's a question of what you can deal with without higher resists, and finding ways to not get hit in the first place, then resists for what you have problems with. Given the preponderance of blight and dark in certain late game areas, they tend to get a higher priority (Rakshor Pride comes to mind...)

Others opinions may vary, of course.

As for stats to max, that depends ENTIRELY on teh build. Am I a summoner? Then I likely have no use for +dex. Am I a berserker? I likely have no use for +mag, unless I'm going StaffZerker. Solipsist? +mind damage, and will/cun. Constitution tends to help everyone, and early game, +life helps a lot as well. (Lategame, getting an extra 40-50 HP isn't as valuable as it would be at level 7.) It's worth dropping some spare equipment items that have +stat for the various stats in your fortress though (or just carry the rings/amulets on you). Having the equipment kit to swap into so you can qualify for an off-class prodigy can be amazing, and it helps with getting things like thick skin, armor training, or other things you might not be able to spare the stat points for. (Or putting on equipment you might not be qualified for. I have a halfling with base str of around 13, and I'm just a few points shy of being able to equip a voratun mail with a 45 str requirement.)

Thanks, all good info.

Perhaps a good question to ask: How important is fatigue?

Depends on class. Fatigue affects the rate at which certain resources are used up. Most notably, mana. Higher fatigue means spells using mana cost more. I don't remember exactly which resources are affected by fatigue, and which are not. (IIRC, EQ isn't, but I'm not sure about the rest.)

For a melee character, fatigue might as well not exist, unless you specifically HAVE to cast spells or something. (Even then, they just cost a bit more to cast.)

Anyone have a list of what resources are/are not affected by fatigue?

The wiki has some suggestions...

http://te4.org/wiki/Fatigue

Crim, The Red Thunder wrote:Anyone have a list of what resources are/are not affected by fatigue?

I think equilibrium is the only resource that is totally unaffected by fatigue. Mana, psi, and feedback are especially fatigue-sensitive, though. Note that fatigue doesn't affect paradox costs, but does factor into failure rates.

As for classes, it really depends on how big a deal resource management is. Hate fluctuates so wildly you can barely notice any effects from fatigue. Stamina explicitly is affected, but Warriors don't need to spend much stamina in the first place, plus they have Adrenaline Surge if things go pear-shaped (I wouldn't put plate mail on a Rogue, but I'm terrible with Rogues).