Saving the Wayist [spoiler]

[BASLogin]

So... the part of ToME with Subject Z and the Wayist. I found the event with an alchemist, which meant it was impossible to save the Wayist. A bomb would have killed the Wayist, so I waited for Subject Z to come to me. Instead, it killed the Wayist in only two turns. Subject Z is way too tough to kill in two turns. The encounter wasn't fun.

Has there been any discussion about turning this event into something fun and that is able to be countered by a wider variety of classes? Maybe put the Wayist 10-15 tiles away and have Subject Z advance towards it one step at a time (like a doom counter, I guess). Or instill the Wayist with a sense of self-preservation so it runs away/uses phase door. Or have to press a switch (or switches) to shut down a portal/save the Wayist while Subject Z chases you. Anything, really.

It just seems to me that this event would benefit from a redesign. As it is, it's over so quickly that it's disappointing (especially given the interesting lore leading up to the encounter).

[jaumito]

Best way to save the Wayist with an alchemist, in my experience, is to take control of the golem, open the door, and use Taunt (my favorite golem talent) to have Z target the golem (since he always has the Wayist as his default target.) Works well for me, as I always max my golem's Taunt before anything else.

[SabreCat]

The Subject Z encounter seems to me to be one of those Roguelike-peculiar situations where you're not meant to succeed the first time you encounter it, but on future runs you know it's coming and can prepare for it. Any class can save the Wayist, but may need unusual tactics to do so, which may in turn mean they can't pull it off until later in the game than other classes. A movement infusion or controlled teleport to put yourself between the Subject and the Wayist before they have a chance to close with one another tends to work for most!

[Radon26]

as this game don't have a very good path finding, putting something, ANYTHING (including self), in between them will force him to change target (unless this was updated).

while i don't like dirty moves, there is one that allows you to switch places with the enemy.
if you are fast enough, you can rush him and switch places, although, most likely he will take a step.

if you have access to spell - conveyance, and a phase door rune, you can phasedoor into the room, without opening the doors, and then send the wayist away.
if you activate it from the tunnel side, i can't guarantee that something else isn't going to eat him.

i am not sure how well would the biting gale work... if you only hit the subject, it should slow him down, but the wayist may help him out.

as a sun paladin you have the path of the sun. you can also try and blind the subject.

for a solipsist its rather obvious, just put him to sleep and hope the wayist won't wake him.

if you have a way to both disarm and silence him, pretty sure he will be harmless. grappling brawler should't have a problem with that.

healing touch and bathe in light should at the very least prolong the wayist's life.

defilers just need to portal him out as the opening move, the a pacification hex would do nicely.

[BASLogin]

Nice! Thanks for all of the replies I have to eat my words since it looks like this encounter can be handled in many ways I just didn't think of.

It makes sense that it's the sort of encounter you need to prepare for. There are others like that in ToME, after all. I guess I just really wanted to save that Wayist!

I wasn't set up to handle the event, in hindsight. Level 1 taunt on my golem - not quite enough. No movement infusion. I could have tried my rune of phase door. And maybe I had an artifact with a useful effect... Oh well, I'll get it next time!

[Radon26]

ghouls leap can put you right in between, as there is no rng involved (unless you happen to be confused.)