ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

As is a ritual for me, Massok has destroyed another outstanding character with zero deaths. This time, a Cursed at level 33 that had no problems. Great armor, fantastic weapon, optimized curses and skills. It was al likely game-winner. God damn.

EDIT: This is the back-up guardian, not the optional boss in the Orc Campaign.

I always save him for last and either, I kill him easily or he murders me until permadeath.

Here's the thing though, it's not as though I was outclassed. I usually come awfully close to killing him and he almost always one-shots me.

That's BS.

1100 damage?!?!?? From a single-strike melee character? On normal? After Cursed Ground? I didn't do all of the math on reductions, etc., but this always happens with him. It's ridiculous.

Either, he crits me for some obscene damage or he hits with some undefined skill (does it not always show up in the log? Doesn't seem like it, or else he is just hitting that hard sans critical damage, which is even more insane) or shattering blow, which I understand and largely accept as risk, or he trades regular (still threatening though) blows for a while until he decides to end my existence with extreme prejudice.

What the hell?

We can trade blows for an eternity, doing reasonable damage and then he just randomly lashes out for an obscene amount of damage way out of proportion to anything else in the game up until that point.

I don't know if it's good or bad or whatever but screw that guy. Right to hell and whomever thought of him, and designed him. Screw you too.

To be fair, that zone has a minimal level of 45, going in at level 33 isn't exactly the best idea...

Not to mention that Massok is the "bonus boss" of the orc campaign (He's not as bad as Atamathon, but still).

Delmuir wrote:Either, he crits me for some obscene damage or he hits with some undefined skill

Could he have Doombringer talents? This sounds like a Reckless Strike.

It's true that I was a bit under-levelled but I usually come in around 36 or so. All of the other guardians were down already, and my character was on cruise control so I thought I had a reasonable chance if I was careful.

I was mistaken.

As for Reckless Strike... no, he did not have that. He had Bezerker talents.

I realize that he's a high-level optional boss but still, he's ridiculous.

EDIT: I just realized that you mentioned the Orc campaign... I haven't played that. This is just classic Tome with Massok as the back-up guardian.

It's from You Shall Be My Weapon, I think. If he hits you into a tree/wall, you'll take a lot more weapon damage.

Delmuir wrote:It's true that I was a bit under-levelled but I usually come in around 36 or so. All of the other guardians were down already, and my character was on cruise control so I thought I had a reasonable chance if I was careful.

I was mistaken.

As for Reckless Strike... no, he did not have that. He had Bezerker talents.

I realize that he's a high-level optional boss but still, he's ridiculous.

EDIT: I just realized that you mentioned the Orc campaign... I haven't played that. This is just classic Tome with Massok as the back-up guardian.

Woops! My bad. Got the names mixed up.

Micbran wrote:It's from You Shall Be My Weapon, I think. If he hits you into a tree/wall, you'll take a lot more weapon damage.

That would make sense. Brutal. That dude is a son of a...