ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Hi all,

(posting in the spoilers forum because I could not help but refer to some places in the game)

Regular of roguelike games in general, I started with adom, then tried nethack, to settle with the *band family, playing angband and then tome(2 then 4) for many years now. Now, I am playing this wonderful game that we all love.

Although I got a few wins over the years (stealthy rohanknight sorcerer with probability travel abuse in tome 2 ), I do not consider myself to be a good player, mostly because I lack the attention span required to make it through such a long and perilous adventure. I always end up being careless or willing to start yet another character that sounds appealing at the time.

So, I wonder, what makes a good tome player? This game is different fromthe others I mentionned, mainly because it does not require (much) grinding. I managed to get to high peak twice with cheesy summoners, but grew bored so never won (those characters are still alive somewhere). I can consistently get past dreadfell, if I put my mind to it.
The gameplay by itself is not overly difficult, once you know how to deal with line of sight and casters. I boils down to a series of choice: build (I rely a lot on the spoilers forum for that), what to do next (I know well all the early game before the east by now) , itemization (what to keep and what to throw away), how and when to get away, etc
My main problem lies in the itemization, it is particularly difficult to sort through the loot and decide what to wear. Also, I never know what to do with all that gold I get without even trying. I am very scared of using the farportal to grind more experience, so I usually end up past the xp curve fighting 40+-level monsters while I am still in my twenties.

What did I miss, and what do you think it takes to be succesfull at that game?
Thanks!

Remuz wrote:What did I miss, and what do you think it takes to be succesfull at that game?
Thanks!

Sorry if some of it seems like advice to total newbies, but that way everybody can use my guide:


1) Always be cautious, never grow arrogant, no matter how powerful you get. Newer play when irritated or tired. You will just lose a character you have invested a lot of time playing cautiously.

2) Always have escape options. Teleport spell/rune or psychoport tool (usable when silenced!), don't be afraid to have both, useful when you first manage to "escape" from frying pan to fire. If you cant have runes and don't haven't found psychoport yet (because if you have, there's no excuse to wear another tool), then have movement infusion and always be aware of the exit to back.

3) Never be afraid to run. It's the unfair world of an roguelike, there will be unfair monsters who you can't defeat even with a good build, you are a powerful adventurer, but not the Chosen One destined to succeed, who every enemy in the game is balanced for, like in normal RPGs. You can, most of the time, come back later higher leveled

4) Open the vaults only after the rest of the level is cleared, or preferably the whole dungeon and you are on a track back to the world map. Teleport away and immediately leave the level if the vault happens to be to dangerous. You can, most of the time, come back later higher leveled.

5) Save the merchant from the Assassin Lord and make special orders from him in the late game once you return to the West from the East for the money sink.

What to look from items is:

1) teleport/psychoport/blink
2) Health and/or resource bonus,
3) Stun/freeze or confusion resist (if there looks like you could get at least one of them high),
4) Separately powered abilities (not general "charm"),
5) Attribute bonus items to store at the vault (so that you would have some room to play around with prodigy requirements)
6) Defense/Armor if your class has any point to raise it.
7) At least one waterbreathing item if you breathe.
8) Mana regen, if you plan to use invisibility.
9) Movement speed bonus.
10) Bonus damage and damage penetration for your main element.
11) Bonus saves (only if very good ones)

Prefer simpler yet effective bonuses over stuff you don't really understand or see use for.

6) There's always something to buy, did you visit all the stores (use the new store wish list addon for helping to make a list to yourself)? Angolwen has best jewelry, Zigur has highest leveled stores in the west, Last Hope has everything, other towns often have good stuff (look for rare psyhoports from mindstar shops, cheap wands and poison/disease removers)

7) You are going too early into Dreadfell at lvl20. Finish all the starting dungeons first (go up stairs if the game skips, or download the choice addon, even if experience is not great, you can get good money and items + vaults). My recommendation: Trollmire first 3 levels > Norgos' Lair > Trollmire 4. level > Heart of the Gloom > Kor'Pul > Scintillating Caves > Rhaloren Camp. (trust me, the last two can be at least of some challenge even 10+ level).

Be ready for the Assasin Lord encounter lvl 6+, Cursed event near and north of Last Hope and Derth event, of course, 14+.

After that (you might need to explore the entire map to find all them): Old Forest > The Maze > Sandworm Lair > Golem Graveyard > Daikara > Ruined Halfling Complex > Ruined Dungeon > Lake Nur > Hidden Compound > Tempest Peak > then finally Dreadfell.

Only things in the West to leave after the Dreadfell should be the Mark of Spellbalze, Ancient Eleven Ruins (highest level West ruins), Last Hope Graveyard and Dogroth Caldera and the lvl30+ Oozemancer encounter, should either or both appear.

You might want to get in Dreadfell before lvl 24 though and do the rest in the West after the Ambush, if you want more levels to prepare for the Crypt encounter. Don't be afraid to jump into your fortress and farportal (before you kill the Master). If you meet an impossible boss, just use the rod and force through the portal. Better to break it, than to not use it at all.

8) After you return from the east, there will be interesting bonus bosses in some of the old dungeons, Sandworm Lair one will give extra category point!

9) Try to do foundation and focus elixirs for alchemy quests and the Derth Arena quest before lvl12

10) Don't forget constitution.

11) Jewels are the best fuel to the fortress. Try not to sell them before you get it and transfigure them then. Don't sell anything after getting a fortress, always transfigure.

11) Don't fight adventurers and Zigur/Orc patrols if you can even remotely avoid it.

Nice quick short guide, thanks. I'm not interested by the Roguelike aspect and extreme caution required because I'm using Infinite resurrect and even now backup before starting a session (for corrupted game but also to avoid being stuck in a place I can't leave and can't win).

I'm now with Dreadfell to do and reached last level to see I couldn't see how beat it (the character was probably level 18. So I started explore maps and honestly I would like have dungeons order guide before. But well I did anyway an exploration to get more XP, my character is right now level 23, but it seems still very difficult to beat Dreadfell boss.

I already did the quest story based and the events: First Dungeons > Master Rogue event but didn't released the Merchant > Arena > Lumberjacks Event > Derth Storm Event (Tempest Peak?) > Hidden Treasure > Old Forest > The Maze > Sandworm Lair > Time Anomaly in Daikara > Daikara before Dreadfell attempt.

So after Dreadfell attempt I searched what to do and made all the other beginning dungeons of other races. And I made Hidden Compound (still have to beat the game) > Ruined Dungeon (very fun) > Caldera (lack of fun and didn't enjoyed the mini games spawned too often) > Last Hope Graveyard > Spellblaze + Irkkk. There's still Ancient Eleven Ruins but that one will be difficult to do for now.

I also did a farportal level (after one failed because of a boss I couldn't beat, but reloaded a previous backup to not break the portal).

So when checking your list I see names I know because I quoted them with a previous character but I can't see them on the world map :
- Golem Graveyard (I'm sure to have seen this one but I can't find it on the map with this character)
- Ruined Halfling Complex (remind me nothing)
- Lake Nur (remind me vaguely something)
- Tempest Peak I think it's the Derth Storm Event.

How could I find them?

EDIT:
I just found the Golem Graveyard, I need try more to uncover all the obscured area. I hope it won't be too easy now I find it late.

Ok I have search to death and found only Golem Graveyard which is quite small and it seems I'm missing an element probably to find elsewhere.

But I couldn't find:
- Ruined Halfling Complex (remind me nothing)
- Lake Nur (remind me vaguely something)
- Tempest Peak

But I think I have made already Tempest Peak and that it's the Derth Storm Event.

So I'm level 23 and Dreadfell boss seems still a bit too tough and nothing to do, except the farportal levels but well they are repetitive, at least the two I tried and that's too much like pure grinding, remind me MMORPG grinding and that's not a good point, not at all.

You are correct about Tempest Peak.

The entrance to Lake Nur is in the last level of the Old Forest.

The halfling ruins are in the main (west) world map, often tucked away in an obscure spot in the mountains. Make sure you've searched all of the wilderness.

Hachem_Muche wrote:You are correct about Tempest Peak.

The entrance to Lake Nur is in the last level of the Old Forest.

The halfling ruins are in the main (west) world map, often tucked away in an obscure spot in the mountains. Make sure you've searched all of the wilderness.

Thank you, so I have made already Lake Nur, I knew it remind me something.

So there's only Halfling Ruins to find and do. That's strange I really dig everywhere trying find systematically a path to any area still obscured. I even use the keyboard to be sure to try any direction including diagonals because clicks aren't faithful.

Well it's not what will bring me close to level 30. The problem with Dreadfell boss is that its summons are level 33 ie 10 level upper than my char and it's hard to manage position to be confronted only with the boss. In that conditions no surprise than stun have too often and during too long time. I feel that computing increasing duration from difference amount between one characteristic defense/offense quite perverse pushing to grinding but with my char that will lead it to an awfull fight to do at best at level 24.

I'm not surprised I see that constantly games aren't well setup for their difficulty and lower difficulty always end be more difficult because you get less XP and less good items. That's wrong design, ha well, I'm probably at the end with this game, it was great time anyway and I don't regret have paid a small gift to support.

EDIT: I switched to ascii mode to find this hidden dungeon.

EDIT: Ok found it in ascii mode, thanks to help, it's always easier when you are sure it must be there and it's not random so perhaps not here.

The Master of Dreadfell is quite vulnerable to hit-and-run tactics. He can't heal himself at all, so you can just teleport away whenever you're in trouble. He won't heal up between skirmishes, so you'll wear him down eventually.

Niegy wrote:Nice quick short guide, thanks. I'm not interested by the Roguelike aspect and extreme caution required because I'm using Infinite resurrect

If you feel as if you've hit a glass ceiling, this is probably why. At the end of the day, playing (and dying) on Roguelike is pretty much the only thing that will consistently teach you good habits. Such as not getting killed.

Playing on Adventure works for that, too. It's mostly Explorer that will penalize you.

A character you lose forever after a few deaths is still one you lose forever. It makes you more paranoid, it just doesn't encourage some of the absolute most paranoid play(Which tends to be slower play and assume you're spoiled already on a ton of the game's minor details anyways.).

Yeah, I highly suggest Adventure mode as well, especially for newer players. It lets you make a few mistakes per character instead of infinite for explorer(so you don't learn) and ONLY ONE for roguelike(so you hate yourself).