ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

This is the current state of my char:

http://te4.org/characters/363/tome/63f4 ... 1cc000edf0

I've just cleared Dreadfell and beaten the orcs, and will soon do the Mark of Spellblaze and Elven Ruins. I've only had two chars get to the East before, and I'm rather hoping this one will shortly follow. Right now I'm a little torn on a few choices...

1. I have a spare category point. My options, as I see them:
* Rune/infusion slot, though there's nothing particular I need
* Unlock glyphs - really not a good option in my mind
* Improve Star fury tree, as these are my most-used spells. It would notably push Shadow Blast up to 9 turns effect.
* Improve some other tree... Upping Hymns would push my stun res from 85% to 95%.

2. Where to invest my future class/generic points? I figure I'll max Evasion, and perhaps max the highest Circle. I'm not sure if the Twilight or Sun trees are worth investing in more. Anyone with high level Anorithil experience have some advice on how useful these trees are?

3. Rune of the Rift vs 500 damage wizard's firebeam rune. The rift rune obviously has a very individual effect which can be put to great tactical use, and does a type of damage little resisted, but at the same time it's only very situationally useful. A high damage firebeam (or a good acid wave if I find one) would get a lot more use, but then it wouldn't be as special in pitched boss fights. Thoughts?

4. Skin of Many vs Spider-Silk Robe vs troll-hide armour (+4.2 regen)
SoM is mostly handy in dark places as it combines with Heightened Senses for 12 infravision, though at the moment I have total light radius 8 anyway. Robe is nice because it has no fatigue and good armour stats. The poison on hit damage is fairly irrelevant as I keep most enemies at a healthy distance. Troll-hide is just kinda nice in general, and 4.2 regen is nothing to be scoffed at. Overall I'd much rather find some other excellent ego, but there's been nothing that's caught my fancy so far. I should maybe find an armour of stability and change my Hymn of Perseverance to a Hymn of Shadows.

I'm using Moon & Star as weapons as they seem to be giving me +40% darkness and light damage. For a staff to give the same boost it would need to give at least 40 spellpower... Other equipment is mostly chosen for low fatigue and magic boosts.

I'm loving the Eclipse tree by the way. Darkest Light at max is fantastic if used right. Cheers to Edge for coding it all up :)

Even if Rune of the Rift is less useful it's still more fun. Allow more tactical play, not just plan equipment, hit-hit-hit

My only ever winner (in any rougelike) was my only ever anorithil. Was playing b18
http://te4.org/characters/1471/tome/e84 ... 1cc000edf0

My 2c worth on your questions:
1. The category point
- I put my first two category points into runes, to get to 5 as quick as possible: Wild, Regen, Heal, Teleport, Shield.
- I would recomend Sandworm aspect. I tried this on a whim, and it proved a livesaver. You can use quake to break line of sight

2. Class points
- Shadow blast. (I see you've already done it). Basically every fight from level 20 on was keeping them under a shadow blast. Great for hitting round corners too.
- I also maxed sunburst for an extra damage dealer.

3. Runes
- I always use the 5 mentioned above, never used a run for damage. But in b19 may be more important now that baddies can heal. Really think you need both regen, and heal, as well as your own healing spell. Sometimes I just cycled these while standing on the edge of a shadow blast.

4. Armour
- I'd stick with the spider silk, for the 10-10 and the poison resist. You are going to get by the orcs in the east. For me it became about only getting hit by one or two at a time.
- I never worry about infravision, instead I stock up on Illumination wands

Great idea with the daggers, I never thought of that. I basically went for whichever shadow staff I could find with high spell power or spell crit. For me darkness damage was much more important because it was all about shadow blast, twilight surge, and the long range of Moonlight ray.

Final tip. Jumpgate is one of the best spells in the game I reckon. Make sure you always put one in once you've cleared the first room/area. I usually put it near a corner so you can get the "hockey stick" going.

http://te4.org/characters-vault?tag_nam ... =anorithil#

Good luck

Infravision is pretty important if you're using Darkest Light a lot.

Maybe you'll get lucky and find the new artifact light source the gives you -1000 light

Actually I've found that light sources have an extremely minimal effect on invisibility. Creatures will "spot" you and then still wander around aimlessly or fire shots at their friends.

I'm in the East now, level 39, soon to be my first char to hit level 40. Latest charsheet:

http://te4.org/characters/363/tome/63f4 ... 1cc000edf0

Magic is maxed, now pumping Con and Cun to full. I put the category point into improving Star Fury. Also swapped the rift rune for the heat beam and regret it - the fire damage is spread over several turns, making it less useful. I'm hoping I find a good acid wave rune.

Corona maxed is fun. It doesn't do a lot of damage, and usually misses or comes too late, but it's a nice little extra.

Without being too spoily, what should I do next? There's the four prides, the quest to go west, and I'm somewhat aware that there should be an underwater dungeon and some sort of one-off crypt dungeon. Which should I tackle first?

Hmm, not too spoily...
Underwater cave, as long as you have the prerequisite.
And there's a lady hanging around the Gates of Morning who will give you a quest if you bump into her. That's good for one unlock.
The crypt dungeon is also good for an unlock, but you'll have to defeat your most formidable enemy.

The jeweler will have a quest for you, if you find a certain item. He can make much fancier rings if he survives.

And then do the "go back west" quest. Once you're done with that you should be ready to take on the Prides. You'll know what to do when you finish them up.

You'll probably run into lots of ambushes while you travel around to find all those quest dungeons. All the worst sorts of orcs can show up in those patrols.

Oh yeah, forgot about the spiders... I'll do that first - done it before and it was pretty easy. I'll keep my energy bars opposite to keep Darkest Light available for any ambushes... I guess underwater after that, and my worst enemy after (Darkest Light will make that easier).

Yep, try and dodge the ambushes as much as possible.

And isn't the crypt broken in b19? I thought I read it was so am skipping it with my current character

Yes, turns out the crypt was broken.

On top of that my char died :( Went to the back door of the Vor armoury, where an orcish cryomancer froze me and an elite berserker came out from behind a corner and whacked me dead. Oh well...

http://te4.org/characters/363/tome/63f4 ... 1cc000edf0

My first char to get to level 40 at least. Also unlocked yeeks, reavers, corruptors and time wardens with it, so overall a fairly successful run :)

You had a good run going too.

Anything less than 100% stun resist is a death sentence in the East. Perseverance 5 gets you that high, but you absolutely have to make up the other 15% with an amulet or a ring or something.

Anything less than 100% stun resist is a death sentence in the East.

Depends on what kind of character you're running. I've been playing a summoner most of the game with no stun resistance, mostly with the idea that they'll be attacking my summons. Rantha froze me but then concentrated on attacking me and fell to my three summons before she could do me in. I have some armor that is 70% stun resist that I may swap out from time to time.

I still wouldn't want to count on it. You have to be lucky every time, they only have to get lucky once (or at most seven times).