Dumb questions thread

[alocritani]

just a very simple question:
is the "off-guard" effect now completely unrelated to critical hits?
Advanced tutorial says that it is only triggered by critical hits, but it seems to be triggered every time accuracy is on a higher tier than defense.

About the same topic, if I've an accuracy on higher tier than enemy's defense and a physical power on higher tier than enemy's physical save and I'm using a simple "attack" (no talent), are both off-guard and off-balance applied? In other words, does cross-tier effects apply regardless of the source (both normal attack and talent) of the damage?

[darwin]

I would like to ask some questions too. I consider them serious, but I know they will probably just be considered silly.

Are there still text/console modes for ToME 4? I do not consider it roguelike otherwise, and besides that it probably does not have Angband code anymore, I do not see why it is announced in Usenet rec.games.roguelike.angband instead of making rec.games.tome.

Is there still a wizard mode, and if not, why is it so easy to die? I know roguelikes are about strategy, and though I like a good game, I have never won a roguelike (except using wizard mode in Moria and Angband) and do not have the time anymore to spend months learning the ways of a new game; one probably cannot even copy their save-file, and this seems to make it so only a minority will win, and takes the fun out of the game for many people.

What happened to skills and weapon skills? The new design, like D&D3 or 4, which have fewer skills, seems inadequate and labourious to use; feats are a ridiculous unrealistic rule to make D&D appeal to more simple-minded people, though it does not necessarily make the game work better than with no weapon skills or by having 'weapon mastery' (excellent rules in OD&D and perhaps AD&D2, which I will not play anything later than, and character classes also became ridiculous in later versions and later roguelikes.)

Other than that, I like some things about ToME 4. It reminds me of Castle of The Winds, which I really liked, but more than ToME 4. It seems more like a commercial game than a traditional roguelike.

[Aoi]

Are there still text/console modes for ToME 4?

There's an option for ASCII mode. It isn't console, but is similar at a glance.

Is there still a wizard mode... one probably cannot even copy their save-file...

There is, but you have to activate it separately. And yes, you can copy saves.

What happened to skills and weapon skills?

There's still there, for the most part? Or were you looking for something more like "short sword proficiency", "long sword proficiency", etc.?

Other than that, I like some things about ToME 4. It reminds me of Castle of The Winds, which I really liked, but more than ToME 4. It seems more like a commercial game than a traditional roguelike.

Interesting comparison, since CotW was a commercial roguelike...

[lukep]

just a very simple question:
is the "off-guard" effect now completely unrelated to critical hits?
Advanced tutorial says that it is only triggered by critical hits, but it seems to be triggered every time accuracy is on a higher tier than defense.

About the same topic, if I've an accuracy on higher tier than enemy's defense and a physical power on higher tier than enemy's physical save and I'm using a simple "attack" (no talent), are both off-guard and off-balance applied? In other words, does cross-tier effects apply regardless of the source (both normal attack and talent) of the damage?

Off balance is now for when someone loses a physical save by one tier (or more). This is usually measured against the attacker's physical power (most talents).

Off guard is for when someone loses a defence check by one tier (or more). This applies to any melee or ranged attack, and critical hits do not affect whether is shows up or not.

On a normal attack, you will only apply off guard. You would get both if you landed a stunning blow in that situation though.

[darwin]

Is there still a wizard mode... one probably cannot even copy their save-file...

There is, but you have to activate it separately. And yes, you can copy saves.

I am talking about cheat mode, not the ability to play a magician, which you cannot do at the beginning and is also ridiculous.

Interesting comparison, since CotW was a commercial roguelike...

I would call Castle of The Winds roguelike either. It is a fantasy game similar to roguelikes but does not have a console mode either.

[lukep]

I am talking about cheat mode...

http://te4.org/wiki/t4modules-debugging

[ghostbuster]

I always thought that heightened senses and infravision were similar and I discovered that higher's talents increase both...

So my dumb question is: what is the actual diff between infravision and heighened senses?

[Grey]

They're one and the same thing, and stack together.

[stinkstink]

Infravision and Heightened Senses used to stack, but that was changed in b39. Now you get the benefit of whichever is higher, I guess.

[Kalirion]

I would call Castle of The Winds roguelike either. It is a fantasy game similar to roguelikes but does not have a console mode either.

Then you're using your own personal roguelike definition. "Roguelike" is about the game design, not the graphics. Dungeons of Dredmor is an example of a recent popular commercial roguelike.

[alocritani]

I'd like to know where does the the Armour Hardiness come from. Does it come from equipment? I cannot find any info about that on equip's tooltips, but I think it could be simply missing from them. Can you confirm that?

Also, it seems that physical power is missing in the detailed character sheet. Is it intended?

[phantomglider]

Armor hardiness is, by default, 30%. There is some equipment that increases it (Titanic, for example), but the primary way to increase it is to put points into the Armor Training talent and then wear chain or plate.

[Kalirion]

Ok, my dumb question time. At what point should I start worrying about resistances? I have a (likely soon to be dead) level 18 berzerker, who even with his @240 damage absorption shield has had a few very close calls. Most recent was some pyromancer, not sure if rare/elite or not, in the current dungeon (ruined dungeon or something like that, with all the orbs) who broke the shield and brought health down to 40% in a couple turns.

So I know, the hard way, about the resistances I need to try to max for the storm quest. But when in general should I be worried about them? For the most part the first few dungeons (not sure which are considered "starter") seem safe, with the exception of rares and random storm levels. So I've been focusing on confusion immunity and saves, and have virtually no elemental/etc resistances.

Speaking about the rares, are they scaled to your level (+3) no matter where they appear? I had a level 13/14 berzerker demolished by a corrupted blood orc (or whatever they're called) rare in Old Forest floor 4. That was really my fault because after killing the boss I was just running around recklessly, thinking myself safe, and let the orc get 3/4 attacks to kill me before I even realized what was happening.

[Dervic]

Ok, my dumb question time. At what point should I start worrying about resistances?

Pump constitution as soon as you feel confortable with your primary stats and buy 5/5 Thick skin. Berserkers don't really woory about resistances like some other classes since they have nice dps and can always go into Unstoppable and buy a few turns when in trouble.

Err: Unstoppable is only at level 22, stay careful for now .

[Dervic]

Speaking about the rares, are they scaled to your level (+3) no matter where they appear? I had a level 13/14 berzerker demolished by a corrupted blood orc (or whatever they're called) rare in Old Forest floor 4. That was really my fault because after killing the boss I was just running around recklessly, thinking myself safe, and let the orc get 3/4 attacks to kill me before I even realized what was happening.

In b41 rare creatures below level 20 have lowered damage output, however it's still possible to find rare mobs more powerful than the dungeon boss.
And a regular orc corrupter is a somewhat nasty enemy even in the late game.