Newbie Questions

[Grey]

Hi all, I've just started playing ToME recently, though I have plenty of roguelike experience (including writing a couple). I must say I'm very impressed by it so far, especially by all the combat abilities. Makes the game much more tactical than most roguelikes I've played.

I'm on my second character now (Feanor, the Noldor Arcane Blade) and since I'm actually getting somewhere I figure I should ask a few question before I curse him horribly. I don't want any big spoilers though please - roguelikes are much more fun to learn through trial and error

Firstly, about some of the stats... What does Fatigue do? Is Armour a damage resistance, whilst defence is an evasion stat? Are higher stats better for everything? In particular is speed best high or low? What is 'APR'? Of the 6 main stats, is there any particular reason to bother increasing ones non-relevant to your class? Is there any way to see the information about them (what they affect) other than on levelling up? What's the dominant stat behind Stamina?

Second, about items. What the heck does slime mold do? I've tried drinking it and the effect was not noticeable. Are there any easy identification methods beyond the somewhat rare scrolls and shops? Currently I just compare prices at shops to see what's worth spending a scroll on, but it's leaving a lot of bits of junk always unidentified. Hmm, and I guess one spoily bit of information I'd like to know: how high does the Magic stat have to be for identify scrolls to work on the whole inventory?

Going further down the spoily route... I've just emerged victorious after a very close encounter with the second boss. Four new areas have been recommended to me, with no real idea of which I can handle right now. Any advice on where to go next, without revealing too much information? I'm level 9, stats STR 28, DEX 17, MAG 20, WIL 12, CUN 12, CON 15. Mostly relying on Stunning Blade and Arcane Combat to lay waste to anything that comes close.

Any other discrete advice is most appreciated!

[Hedrachi]

Fatigue acts as a modifier for all spells and techniques and whatnot: Higher fatigue means your abilities cost more. A 23 mana ability costs 26.91 mana if your fatigue is at 17%. (23 * 1.17 = 26.91). The resource cost that you spend when using abilities is listed on the talent page when you level up. APR is Armor PenetRation. There is a reason to spend points on abilities. Play a few different classes and see how different the character screen is, you'll see what stats affect pretty quickly. As for the magic stat needed for scrolls of identify to identify your inventory, you're under 15 away. Each of the intermediate dungeons has its own little surprises waiting for you, but umm... hmm. The Sandworm Lair has a unique little mechanic which may surprise you.

[Taxorgian]

My recommendation for the next zone is the Old Forest (since you asked). You are unlikely to trigger a special zone that could be fatal to you by going such a short distance, and it's the most "traditional" zone (by that, I mean the fewest nasty surprises).

And I hope you didn't sell the staff. It's useful off to the west a bit.

[Grey]

Hrm, how annoying - whilst I was scumming for items a skeleton stepped on a lightning trap next to me and I got zapped for 125 damage And I'd found such lovely items too... Ah well, new character time. Thanks for the info - will remember it for next time.

Incidentally, I thought I had some death-cheating item (a blood potion or something like that). Should I have drunk it to gain its effects?

[Taxorgian]

Yep. If you are not an undead, always drink a bloody phial as soon as you see it.

[Grey]

Hah, how annoying - I left it sitting in my backpack presuming that I could have a sip whilst bleeding to death. Ah well...

Another question: When Precise Strikes says it reduces attack speed by x%, does that mean it makes me slower or faster? If the former then I was being *really* dumb with my Arcane Blade fellow...

Just got a rogue killed in record time. Trying now with an archer.

[Fela]

Precise strikes trades precision for speed, i.e. it really makes your attacks slower. I never saw a point in using it..

[Taxorgian]

I have never gotten a rogue off the ground myself so I wouldn't worry.

Precise strikes trades precision for speed, i.e. it really makes your attacks slower. I never saw a point in using it..

Your attacks take more time with Precise Strikes (although your movement otherwise is not affected). It is something my fighters usually put one point in for the very early game to get enough damage to survive. By level 8-10 you probably either have a superior weapon or do enough damage with your starting weapon not to need it anymore. [Precise Strikes increases damage not to-hit.]

[greycat]

Firstly, about some of the stats... What does Fatigue do?

Increases the stamina/mana cost of your talents.

Is Armour a damage resistance, whilst defence is an evasion stat?

Yes.

Are higher stats better for everything? In particular is speed best high or low?

Speed's not a stat. But anything that increases your speed is good, and anything that decreases your speed is bad.

What is 'APR'?

Armor PenetRation. Or, Armor PieRcing. Either way, it counteracts enemy Armor.

Of the 6 main stats, is there any particular reason to bother increasing ones non-relevant to your class?

More HP, better hitting/damage, better saving throws, etc. Pretty much what you'd expect if you're familiar with Angband family games.

Is there any way to see the information about them (what they affect) other than on levelling up?

The full list of effects is probably considered a spoiler.

What's the dominant stat behind Stamina?

Willpower.

What the heck does slime mold do? I've tried drinking it and the effect was not noticeable.

Spoilery stuff.

Are there any easy identification methods beyond the somewhat rare scrolls and shops?

The scrolls are common in the shops. You can stock up at the cost of your gold. You can also potentially learn the Identify talent from an escort quest (or by being a Mage).

Scrolls and potions that you've seen are auto-identified (even if you just saw them on a store shelf).

Hmm, and I guess one spoily bit of information I'd like to know: how high does the Magic stat have to be for identify scrolls to work on the whole inventory?

I believe it's 28 points (highlight to see).

Four new areas have been recommended to me, with no real idea of which I can handle right now.

Old Forest first. After that, it's harder to say, especially since I don't know much about Arcane Blades.

[Grey]

Cheers for the replies, and I appreciate the vagueness of the spoilier answers I'm not that familiar with the Angband series, incidentally, but most of the roguelike tropes are the same.

My archer is doing well so far. I'm curious about the Arrow Creation talent though - is the anything that affects the likeliness of it succeeding? Seems to be about a 1 in 6 chance, and I'm curious if there's any way of improving that.

[Shoob]

My archer is doing well so far. I'm curious about the Arrow Creation talent though - is the anything that affects the likeliness of it succeeding? Seems to be about a 1 in 6 chance, and I'm curious if there's any way of improving that.

Investing more points in it raises the success rate, at level 5/5 you should get ammo most of the time.

[madmonk]

Investing more points in it raises the success rate, at level 5/5 you should get ammo most of the time.

My Archer winner only had 1 point in it...

[Shoob]

yeah, you dont need it, but that was not what he asked , he asked how to increase the success rate

[Feanor.81]

My archer is doing well so far. I'm curious about the Arrow Creation talent though - is the anything that affects the likeliness of it succeeding? Seems to be about a 1 in 6 chance, and I'm curious if there's any way of improving that.

Cross-posting my response from another thread:

The way AC works, success chance and ego chance are independent events. The probability of obtaining an ego ammo is then the product of the single probabilities:

TL 1: 23% success, 11,5% ego -> 2,6% ego success -> once in 7600 turns
TL 2: 36% success, 18% ego -> 6,5% ego success -> once in 3000 turns
TL 3: 49% success, 24,5% ego -> 12% ego success -> once in 1600 turns
TL 4: 62% success, 31% ego -> 19% ego success -> once in 1000 turns
TL 5: 75% success, 37,5% ego -> 28% ego success -> once in 600/800 turns (better approximation would be 700 but that can't be)

[Grey]

I decided to try and make a Rogue survive, and decided that a dwarf would be a good idea. Resilience of the Dwarves actually seems to work very nicely, and the class's stun talents helped me survive some very tough moments. I'm now level 7 after finishing the trollshaws and the guy seems unstoppable, thanks to high criticals, lots of stunning attacks, Flurry and an icy steel dagger (the latter two work exceptionally well together ). Some simple questions though:

- The class description mentioned the ability to lay traps if I remember correctly, but I don't see that ability under the talent tree anywhere. Was it a filthy rogueish lie?
- Will putting more points in the stealth talent make it less likely for enemies to spot me? Currently I'm finding it almost impossible to surprise and backstab enemies.
- Is there anything Rogues have that Shadowspell-whatsits don't? Seems like a slightly weaker version of that class in a way, but the lower number of talent pools helps to focus on specialising in the combat stuff.