Orc Pride Feedback

[ohioastro]

Well, I made it to the East after a long break. This is a fun character, a Yeek summoner. I like a lot of the changes in the recent versions, and the game is maturing beautifully. I do, however, have some feedback on the orc prides.

These used to be a bit of a letdown, because if I could get a character there I'd usually romp through it. I went to one so far (the necromancer one) and you face a room of summoners when you walk in the door. That's overkill. I can still beat it, but only by using what I regard as a dodgy tactic (stepping in and out of the world map or prior level.)

I fully support making these a challenge, but think it'd be considerably better if you had a buffer - e.g. you faced a significant challenge somewhere in the level, but not a dogpile when you entered it. That would actually be harder, by the way, in the sense that you couldn't duck out.

[shooth]

My gut feeling is that the prides actually got a little easier with recent changes... once you got past the front door.

[bricks]

I'm starting to get to the point where I can reliably take down the Master and get East. Apart from an unexpected death to Slasul (embarrassing, right? I'm blaming the 20% global speed penalty and a water imp that somehow kept freezing me), everything was going nicely... Until the prides. I died once in the Wilder pride to a random boss Summoner (a Warhound was hitting me for >500 damage) and again just now to the random bosses right inside the melee pride.

I guess I could just run away any time I see a random boss. It feels weird after everything up to this point being approachable. I had a challenging-yet-rewarding experience with a vault packed full of horrors in Eruan; I wish the Prides were similarly challenging.

[Dwarf_Hammer]

My necromancer is having an easy time at the prides. The only problem I have is that my minions are retarded, and they will run across the entire level (and die) to fight an enemy locked in a room. It happens in every single level.

[siphal]

I have had 2 experiences with the new Prides.

My summoner was killed in Grushnak Pride. Main problem was Battle Call which I had no defense against. So that might just have been bad preparation (not sure what you need as prot. against that, Physical Save?). The Necro Pride was very dangerous but doable. The others were much easier.

My current character, a fighter, had a lot of trouble in the Necro Pride. Died twice, so lost both my rez options (I play Roguelike) + my invulnerability potion. I would have been without a chance without Step-up and True Grit. Both seem to be a must have for fighters at this point in the game, at least with my type of build. I also did a little bit of stair-scumming in the entry-rooms (twice IIRC), I wouldnt have made it otherwise. Grushnak Pride was very dangerous but doable (again with StepUp as a probable must have), one case of stair-scumming in an entry room. I have to mention that I forgot to do the 2nd set of bosses in the West before entering the Prides. This error perhaps cost me one life as one of the deaths was very close, not sure.

In general I think the Prides now are close to how they should be: very hard but doable, a last test to check whether or not your character can take on the final fight. But as it seems very close there may be issues for certain classes for certain Prides (esp. Grushnak and the necro one). Of course a lot depends on preparation and player skill. I'm just an average player, so some players will probably have different experience. But the luck factor is high, especially in the necro pride and to a lesser extent Grushnak. Some random boss combinations/NPC talent sets are extremely deadly, close to impossible to handle w/o some stair scumming. Not that I mind, personally I like the randomness in games like this. But I wouldnt be surprised if this will lead to a bit of frustration for some: it's not impossible to get (at least seemingly) unbeatable encounters.

[bricks]

Necros and Corrupters are both very powerful, I'm not looking forward to that one. The Summoner/Wyrmic one, apart from the warhound that ripped me apart, was a piece of cake. Battle Call also destroyed me. It doesn't look like you can resist it (except, perhaps, if you have 100% teleport resistance). Mental Resist and Confusion Immunity would be good checks.

[bricks]

Made it through all of the Prides except Rak'shor. I shouldn't have even bothered. Necromancers really need to be toned down on the summoning, and corrupters... just hit way too hard. I got a "lucky" teleport and landed in a small empty room, and was immediately accosted by a dreadmaster. Really, really, really, really, really hate those guys. I have more trouble with them than any other threat in the game. Nothin' like a ghost with more health than a drake.