Buffing bad prodigies

[HammyHamster]

I think your Rogue TotT adjustments are attractive. The other classes may need some more motivation. The loss of 2-3 (with-little-effort) randarts is a big thing for many players, and there typically aren't too many extra skill points lying around until hitting ~ lvl 50.

Perhaps 1 automatic skill point in each of the first categories of every newly unlocked tree (much like anti-magic gives upon completing the trials)? Or an appropriate balance of points, considering the proposed rogue gets 4 category unlocks and the others get ~2.

The point of the Prodigy should be that you actually learn some tricks, not potentially learn.

[Strongpoint]

Learning tricks you say? Hmmmmm... Hmmmm.... Hmmmmm.... Hmmmm.... Hmmmmm

I don't know if it is possible to do in a simple interface* way but it would be cool if tricks of the trade gave X generic points, Y class points and one category point that can be spent only on cunning talents
Additionally it should give unlocked scoundrel like current version of the prodigy because else generic points can be spent only on survival.

Such prodigy will be good for all rogue metaclass classes, brawler and archer. Bullwark and Berserker may use it to get "free" dirty fighting, too.

IIRC other core classes have no cunning class trees so taking the prodigy is very questionable for them, on other hand it is still better than current version of the prodigy

*I think it can be done in the regular level up screen by writing something like: class points 2+3, category points 0+1, generic points 1+3 later are ones from the prodigy and become spent when player increase cunning skills. Second number may be in a different color.

[Parcae2]

I had previously quasi-defended Range Amplification Device on the grounds that I thought it worked with all mind powers, making it useful for Psyshots. I have just discovered (the hard way, sadly) that it doesn't work with Mechanical Arms.

I would suggest changing it so that it works with everything, with melee abilities given only +1 range. It still wouldn't be that great for most classes.

[bpat]

I really like that idea Parcae, assuming bump attacks are included too.

[Nagyhal]

I don't really know how to make non-passive damage prodigies good aside from straight buffing their damage.

It's an interesting question!

I can think of other ways to buff YSBMW, but here a few general principles to apply when working with attack-type prodigies:

• If your Über attack is a stun, it should have über stun potential. Effective physical power is increased by 20 and penetrates 50% of stun/knockback resistance.
• The overall utility of such talents is limited by cooldown, so lower the cooldown and make the prodigies rely on resource consumption / condition fulfilment to be castable in quick succession. "You Shall Be My Weapon!" could be re-usable so long as you have more enemies to throw within melee range, for example.
• They should play a greater role in setting up an advantageous combat situtation. "You Shall Be My Weapon!" could make two weapon talents randomly come off cooldown, for example. (This example only really works thematically for the variant in my mind that actually lets you grapple your opponent and use it to make weapon attacks!)

[The Tapir]

I had previously quasi-defended Range Amplification Device on the grounds that I thought it worked with all mind powers, making it useful for Psyshots. I have just discovered (the hard way, sadly) that it doesn't work with Mechanical Arms.

I would suggest changing it so that it works with everything, with melee abilities given only +1 range. It still wouldn't be that great for most classes.

I agree that having RAD affect the radius of burst-type talents like Twilight Surge and Tidal Wave or sustained "aura" talents like Gloom and Mechanical Arms would be an excellent buff for the prodigy, though there'd need to be special care given to blast talents like Fireflash or Chill of the Tomb since buffing both range and radius by the full 3 would make those talents far more powerful than they need to be. Maybe those skills would only receive the range increase or there could be a cap on radius extension like what the prodigy already has for range.

[Coldbringer]

I've never seen the secret of Talos gem part myself. The other two parts are rather easy to get though. The offhand has 100% drop on the Talos shade and the main hand 25% chance. IIRC, the gem is a very high level Maj'Eyal only artefact too making it kinda have none to very very few drop opportunities. Wiki says T5 item with level 35-45 range.

I think the gem is practically impossible to find in a Normal game which are the most common games and also the best place to try some random prodigy that just gives you an item you might not even like.

I found the gem while farming the Sludgenest. Gets very dangerous in there but if you can survive tons of great stuff drops

[Steven Aus]

This is my character (1.5.5 with latest versions of all the DLC):

https://te4.org/characters/144687/tome/ ... c19845fbe1

Is Lucky Day worth taking in 1.5.5? Also, I could choose Subcutaneous Metallisation (which would reduce flat damage by 83) or Pain Enhancement System (my Strength is over 100 and my unarmed crit chance is 50%, so I would get +54 to all my stats except strength 6 out of every 18 turns. Also, Draconic Body or Will are available to me.