1.Introduction.
2.Races.
3.Stats.
4.Runes/Infusions.
5.Class talents.
6.Generic talents.
7.Escorts.
8.General tactics.
9.Equipment.
10.Prodigies.
11.What to fear.
12.Building your own god of death.
I'm going to mark every choice with stars, from 1 to 5.
1.Introduction.
So you want to play a corruptor? Who the hell is corruptor? Maybe he is the one who brings all the bad things in the world? He is the one who likes screams, pain, destruction? He is the one who steal, rape and finally dismember young girl? Yeah, kinda like that.
CORRUPTOR IS A - KILLING MACHINE, WHICH CAME RIGHT OUT OF HELL. HIS BLACK HEART IS DARKER THAN THE DARKNESS ITSELF. HE IS THE BANE OF THIS WORLD. HE IS THE NIGHMARE OF ATAMATHON.
2.Races.
I've played dwarf corruptor, but I'll try to point out all the pros and cons of all the races.
Human/Cornac
****
It may seem a bit stupid to put 4 stars to race without any racials, but there is a trick. As a corruptor you want to have as much category points as you can, because every corruptor needs at least 3 points to unlock his trees and some more for generic from escorts.
Human/Higher
**
Racials are pretty useless to our class. We do not have enough willpower for healing and no use for free talents usage. Additional light might be nice, but nothing really good. +25% arcane resistance might be one of the best racials if you want to go fo Aether Permeation prodigy, just by making Higher and taking this prodigy you get 40% res for all, I wanted to go this way, but didnt encounter feascape invasion portal (which is required if you're not archmage).
Elf/Shalore
***
Might be the choice if you like being invisible. +10% crit chance is really nice until mid game and rather useless in the end game. Global speed is useless, since it needs dexterity. Timeless is not bad to have, though I prefer Dwarf's racial (and they have their own "timeless" after coming to east because of their high saves).
Elf/Thalore
**
Saves are worse than Dwarf's racial, blight resistance and disease resistance might help until mid game, but useless afterwards. Other talents scale with willpower, which we do not have until the very last levels. Treants can be exploited for stealing vim.
Halfling
***
A lot of health per level, which is very nice. Pretty useless crit chance, because it scales with cunning, but we want to put points into cunning only at about 30lvl, by that time we already have about 60% crit chance and those additional points for 5sec are useless, during end game crit is around 85-100%. Militant mind seems nice, but actually you're going to kill hordes with one (if crit) or two spells. Indomitable is nice, since you need mobility and stuns and pins really reduce it.
Dwarf
*****
WOULD BANG! A lot of health per level, which is really nice. Resilence is nice for short fights, scales with con, which we have plenty. Additional armour - useless. SAVES, SAVES, SAVES, SAVES - yes, what's why we need this bearded motherfucker! Walking trough walls is nice to have for good escape in dungeons, though we have wraitform for traveling trought walls.
Yeek
**
7 health per level? Are you kidding me? Dominant Will scales with willpower, which we do not have. Unity is not really good, since confusion now is limited to only 50% and silence is really rare thing in TOME, saves are small. +15% global speed might be nice, because we have +20% from demon form, leading to +35% global speed all the time. Calling for yeeks might save your ass a few times, but that's all. Can be exploited for stealing vim.
Undead/Ghoul
**
A lot of health per level, which is really nice. Kinda useless +str +con, unless you want to wear some heavy gear. Good escape. Useless after mid game healing, you've got the same with feascape, c'mon! Useless bite, because we spill our filthy blood, we do not bite. Global speed reduction is horrible. Not being able to use infusions cannot be overthrown by racial determinal effects resists.
Undead/Skeleton
***
A lot of health per level, which is really nice. Kinda useless +str +dex, unless you want to wear some heavy gear. Barrier scales with dex, whic we do not have. Reducing time of determinal effects might seems ok, but I prefer to totally negate them or have them and nulify them with wild infusion or special talent from east. +550 free healing is nice, though it's not spell, so in the end it might be not as good (since I made crits with healing light 1lvl for 600+ without improving healing gear), free ressurection is not bad.
3.Stats.
Strenght
**
Might be nice have some if you want to wear massive armour, otherwise useless.
Dexterity
*
Totally useless, we are not some dirty rogues.
Constitution
*****
We all need it, corruptors probably need it even more then magic for early and mid game.
Magic
*****
The best stat after mid game and second to con before.
Willpower
**
Just for some saves, you need to bump some points into willpower or strenght at the very last levels, so it's up to you.
Cunning
****
Critical strike! Corruptors are machines of death because of their critical chance and critical multiplier rather than pure spellpower. Basically you want to max it after mag and con.
4.Runes/Infusions.
If the rune/infusion is not here, consider it useless with 1 or 2 stars.
Regeneration infusion
*****
Nuff said.
Healing infusion
***
Much worse than healing because we do not have a lot of health (even with maxing con first) and we have blood grasp, which acts the same as this, healing up to 1000 in end game.
Wild infusion
*****
We do not have talents to remove determinal effects from ourselves.
Lightning speed infusion
***
Not bad, but I prefer teleportation.
Heroism infusion
***
Probably not bad, raises your stats a lot and gives you up to 700extra health for some turns, didnt test.
Shield rune
****
Nice, if you found good one.
Teleportation rune
*****
The best escape for us. Even if you teleport to some crazy death room with foes 2 spaces away from you - use feascape and heal yourself. Needed to escape anomalies, since they often surround you and you cannot kill them (unles you want to die too).
5.Class talents.
5.1 Sanguise.
Drain
*****
The best way to replenish your overwhelming hate for all the living (undead/elemental/demon/etc.)
Bloodcasting
**
Rarely found myself without any vim to cast spells, only on ~20lvl then you just do not have a lot of vim to have demon form and fearscape at the same time.
Absorb life
*
Totally useless, no idea why it's here.
Life tap
**
Worth it at the very late levels, otherwise useless.
5.2 Vim.
Soul rot
*****
Our main damage spell before we get enough crit chance, and second after we get.
Vimsense
***
Lowers resistance to the only element we use? Of course we need it, but not until mid game.
For really cautious players this might be *****, since it shows creatures around you, but if they're not behind a door or something they will come to attack you.
Leech
*
Useless, we dont get hit often.
Dark portal
**
Didnt try it, but by description seems like some crazy shit from time warden arsenal, we use power, not dirty tricks.
5.3 Bone.
Bone spear
*
Useless, since we buff our blight damage, not physical.
Bone grab
**
Almost useless, if that bastard is running from you - fearscape it!
Bone nova
*
Useless, same reason as bone spear.
Bone shield
*****
WOULD TOTALLY BANG! The best shield of all the classes, protects from 7attacks at max level.
5.4 Plague.
The whole tree is a waste of class points. We do instant damage almost all the time, no need for damage over time things.
update ( thx to Frumple)
Virulent disease
****
Probably worth investment because it's an instant talent and reduces some stats (reducing magic for mage, dex for archers, str for melee). Consider it as an alternative to going for Life tap. Invest only after main damage spells.
5.5 Blood.
Blood spray
*****
Our main, and probably the only area of effects spell. Large radius.
Blood grasp
*****
Our second damage spell before we get enough crit chance, and first after we get. Heals you for 50% of damage.
Blood boil
**
A lot of people invest 5/5 here, but I think it is not really good. Damage is low, cooldown is big, high vim cost, cannot be cast from a distance. Have never used it, if you have free turns with everything on cooldown use them for healing, for hexes, for vimsense, use random gamage wand or nice boots from deep below after returning from east.
Blood fury
*****
Gives +crit and +blight damage!
5.5 Blight.
Dark ritual
*****
Critical multiplier? Critical multiplier.
Corrupted negation
*****
Really good against those sustain users, the only question is how many points to invest here, I think 5 is needed in end game, 2-3 is enough for mid game.
Corrosive worm
*
Useless. Damage over time.
Poison storm
*
Useless. Damage over time.
5.6 Shadowflame.
Wraitform
****
Just putting one point (you need to do it either way) might save your ass a few times.
Darkfire
**
A lot of people invest 5/5 here, but I think it is not really good. Everything seems nice, but most of the time (until level 5 staffs) we want to get +blight damage gear, not +darkness/fire and a lot of creatures have fire resistance. Have never used it, if you have free turns with everything on cooldown use them for healing, for hexes, for vimsense, use random gamage wand or nice boots from deep below after returning from east.
Flame of Urh'Rok
*****
Free resistane, free global speed, free healing in feascape, punto.
Feascape
*****
OH MY - GOD! Have you ever dreamed of taking stupid professor from university/guy who stole your girlfriend/dirty politian/some other dumb ass to the deepest hole in the hell? Here is your opportunity to do it! Fearscape helps you to kill all the nasty bosses, it works on everything, even Atamathon. This spell is the very idea why people are scared to go to spellblaze scar location.
6. Generic talents.
6.1 Survival.
The whole tree is a waste of generic points.
6.2 Torment.
Willful tormentor
*****
You need a lot of vim to sustain bone shield (-60), blood fury (-60), dark ritual (-20), flame (-90), feascape (-90), blood vengeance (-22).
Blood lock
*
Only useable against some unique's and curse of death is better anyway.
Overkill
*
Blood spray is enough to kill groups of foes.
Blood vengeance
***
One point is almost a mandatory. Closer to the end you will have a lot of unspent generic points, worth investing for 5/5.
6.3 Hexes.
Pacification hex
***
Nice to have 1 point to control your foes at early and mid game.
update ( thx to donkatsu)
"There is actually no such thing as daze immunity, it's just that most dazes check stun immunity, which most bosses have. Pacification Hex does not check stun immunity, meaning nothing is immune to it." (C)
If the above statement is true then making this hex 5/5 will help with your relationships with bosses a lot.
Burning hex
*
+% to enemy's cooldown seems really nice, but actually you want to finish fight as qucik as possible, so nevermind.
Empathic hex
*
Same as above.
Domination hex
***
Never tried it, but probably usefull for early and mid game to protect yourself.
6.4 Curses.
Curse of defenslessness
*
You've got no determinal effects on your damage spells, do not bother about enemy saves.
Curse of impotence
*
-% to enemy's damage seems really nice, but actually you want to finish fight as qucik as possible, so nevermind.
Curse of death
**
Might be nice to invest 1-2 points if you encounter some heavy healing thing, othwerwise useless.
Curse of vulnerability
****
Really good, but it's only for 7second so be wise.
7. Escorts.
You will encounter total of 9 escorts during the game in the west. If you didnt encounter more than at least 3 escorts in T1 dungeons, I recomend to start a new character, there is a big chance of encountering them in Reknor (which is more or less ok) and Dreadfell (which is horrible). Bear in mind that you have a lot of unspent generic points, but only a few category (you must put 3 point for bone/shadowfire/torment) leaving you with only 1 category point (from sandworm lair after returning from east) or 2 if you're cornac. Remember that all of them have their mastery below 1.00.
7.1 Conditioning.
Vitality
***
Nice passive to have. Poisons and diseases are really nasty. Additional healing below 50% is nice too.
Daunting presence
***
Put points if you like to WRAWRRRR at your foes, making their backs shiver, we dont use stamina anyway.
Unflinching resolve
****
Even if you have wild infusion, it can be wasted to take off some minor effect, leaving major effect on you, this passive have a good chance (about 40%) per turn for max con ~70.
Adrenaline surge
*
Useless for magic users.
7.2 Combat training
You get this from merchants in Last Hope, not from escorts.
Thick skin
*****
15% resistance to all.
Armour training
**
Put 1-4 points if you find anything usefull, otherwise do not bother.
Accuracy
*
Useless for magic users.
Weapons/Dagger mastery
*
Useless for magic users.
7.3 Staff combat.
The whole tree is a waste of generic points.
update ( thx to Frumple)
Probably worth it if you're ok with investing 10 points. Will not replace your damage spells, but can sometimes fill empty (everything on cooldown) turn.
7.4 Stone alchemy.
This is really tricky. Here are two ways:
1) You do not go for crafty hands (allow you to enchant belt and helm with gems), then this category is useless for you.
2) You go for crafty hands (allow you to enchant belt and helm with gems), then you need this category. For crafty hands you need to revise all of your gameplay, because you need natural 50dex, need to put two category points here (one to unlock, another for mastery >1.00 to achieve 5lvl of Imbue item). If you go this way enjoy your +15% resistance all or +15 stats all, does not worth it.
7.5 Harmony.
You get this from sand worm queen, not from escorts.
update ( thx to Tyren)
"Nice work but the harmony tree on defilers is a poor choice. Any corruption spell increases equilibrium and you end up with 100% nature fail chance most of the time."(C)
If the above statement is true then maxing any equlibrium based talent is a waste of effort.
Waters of life
**
Nice passive to have. Poisons and diseases are really nasty.
Elemental harmony
*
Quite useless. Might be ***** if you're a maniac who damage himself every 7turns with nature damage ro recieve resistance to all.
One with nature
***
Nice to have wild infusion off cooldown.
Healing nexus
**
If for some reasons you dont like other two corruptor spells, which stops healing take it.
7.6 Light.
Just take one point in Healing light from escort, not the whole category.
Healing light is a spell and by the end of the game we have plenty of crit chance and crit multiplier leading healing light to heal (crit) you for 700hp without +healing gear.
8. General tactics.
Be very carefull in early game (until you get power is money if you're dwarf) because you have no means to control bosses and magic users - no stuns, no confusion, no blind (infusion is not the way), nothing. You just need to survive until 30level, then it all go easy.
All the time your tactic is easy - use blood grasp/soul rot for single target and blood spray for multiple targets, replenish your vim with drain. If you ever find item to summon creatures (skull of the rat lich, dread chocker, spider's egg) never destroy them, use them to replenish vim.
9. Equipment.
You need:
-critical chance - try to increase it up to 90%
-critical multiplier - increase as much as you can
-blight damage - increase as much as you can
-spellpower/magic - increase as much as you can
Try to favor resistances and saves before getting enough vim to have bone shield of 5lvl, after it be offensive guy. Do not stack +healing items, even with 100% healing your blood grasp and healing light is more than enough after mid game. Do not stack saves if you followed my advice and rolled a Dwarf.
10. Prodigies.
Here I will try to list all the viable prodigies for corruptor.
10.1 Crafty hands.
***
Pretty strange build, but if you like to enchant already enchanted things this is your's choice.
10.2 Aether permeation.
*****
This is probably the easiest way to max your resistance to everything, but fearscape portal is a random event, for example I didnt encounter it at all (naga invasion instead). There is only a few +arcane resistance gear n the world, so it's best suited for elves with their natural +25% resistance.
10.3 Arcane might.
?
I dont really understand mechanic of this prodigy, if it increases ego of your weapon it might be one of the best prodigies in tems of pure damage, if it converts 50% of damage to arcane then it's useless.
10.4 Garkul's revenge.
?
If you really hate Atamathon that much you can take this prodigy and actually oneshot him (haha), otherwise a waste of point. I've done 2500 damage with single attack at him after debuffing, so with +1000% damage it's 25000 and Atamathon hp is about 22000.
10.5 Endless woes.
**
A lot of players take it, but in my opinion it's nothing in terms of damage.
10.6 Draconic body.
****
Why not? It can save anybody's ass.
10.7 Lucky day.
?
No idea, I took it, finished the game, killed Atamathon. Maybe it's luck?
10.8 Secrets of Talos.
*****
If you want a little bit more of surviveability than take it, because Talos staff offers healing from elements (15%) and have higher crit chance. If you like to be a dumbhead killing everthying he sees (like me) use Awakened absorbtion staff (from the last fight). If you have found all parts of Talos's staff by 40lvl then take it for sure.
10.9 Draconic will/Spine of the world/Unbreakable will.
*
By 40-50lvl you should have enough ways to save your character from determinal effects.
11. What to fear.
1) Be careful during early game, you're fragile.
2) Be careful with bosses who use a lot of determinal effects.
3) Be careful in random event with Melinda, these elven cultists are hard for any character.
4) Be careful with Worm that walks, he is 100% resistant to blight damage, fearscape him and run in circles.
5) Avoid Dream horrors or sneak up and fearscape it.
6) Try to have bone shield active at all the times, with this you can auto-explore every corner and look into vaults without risk.
12. Building your own god of death.
1-10lvl: Max con, put enough magic for feature blood grasp 5/5. Put 5/5 blood spray, 5/5 drain, start with soul rot. Open torment category with point and learn willful torment for extra vim.
10-20lvl: Max con, but now put 2points to con and 1point for magic. Put 5/5 blood grasp, save class points. Open shadowflame caregory with point and by level 20 have flame of Urh'Rok and fearscape, max both of them. Max money is power if you're Dwarf, otherwise upgrade your racials or invest into hexes or curses, it's up to you.
20-30lvl: Equally max con and magic. You should have flame of Urh'Rok and feascape maxed by now. Invest in 3/5 corrupted negation. Start to go first for 5/5 blood fury and then 5/5 dark ritual. Open category with point and start to climb to 5/5 bone shield. You can finish with 5/5 vimsense first, it's up to you.
I hope I have covered all, or allmost all the stuff about corruptors. Corruptors are really powerfull, I've done up to 4500 damage with a single attack on debuffed foe with decent resists and saves, with all out on damage it can be up to 6000. Sorry if I have offened anyone with harsh language, but TOME is XXX rated game with a lot of gore, genocide, demons, cultists, blood, death, blight, vampires, liches, ghouls, sacrifices, tortures, bandits, etc. English is not my native language so sorry for any mistakes. Hope this helps somebody
) I'd be having it targetable, so you can choose what the storm locks on to. Yourself, empty space, or enemies, any of the above.
