The Codex of Roguelikes

[IncendiaryDevice]

I don't get why the block +30/40 card is an exhaust while Bludgeon isn't, for example. If the big block card wasn't exhaust then it could work with Barricade in a small deck and lots of the attack/block combo cards replacing your strikes or defends and a few of the zero energy/deal block as damage cards, but as it is the big block gets wiped out in seconds, even if it even appears in your hand on the big power-up attacks.

 

[Damned Registrations]

Well for starters, bludgeon costs 3 energy, not 2. Also, block/agility is more valuable than damage/strength. There's no (practical) way to get 999 agi, while getting 999 str is pretty doable in the right kind of deck. Basically nothing in the game can bypass player block, so once you can reliably get more than an enemy can dish out (~40 per turn), you've automatically won, and can even do cheesy shit like healing up during combat. If you can reliably get lots of damage, you might still get badly hurt or even killed.

 

[IncendiaryDevice]

That's a really odd perspective to have. The whole point of the game is to try out different builds, so just eliminating a build option because that build might be an 'easier' build is somewhat retarded. A good block build would still require you to find the cards for it in the first place, and the reward for that should be making the game easier. Likewise with the blood-magic build. The problem with both the block builds and the blood builds is precisely that they're not cheesy enough.

 

[Damned Registrations]

If every build is cheesy then you don't need a build at all, you can just randomly use any cards at all and still squeek out a win. Impervious is one of the stronger cards anyways; exhaust is an advantage in the right kind of build, rather than a weakness.

 

[IncendiaryDevice]

Any build is only cheesy if you can find the right cards for it...

By your logic any build that wins must be cheesy, by default.

 

[Damned Registrations]

Certainly at the higher difficulties, yeah. If you're hitting turn 5 in the third area and you're not drawing 10+ cards, dealing 150+ damage, or sitting at 70+ block, your build is probably too shit to finish the run. You need some kind of gimmick to win the late game.

 

[IncendiaryDevice]

The final unlock was indeed a block multiplier. I can try for block builds again now.

 

[IncendiaryDevice]

Certainly at the higher difficulties, yeah. If you're hitting turn 5 in the third area and you're not drawing 10+ cards, dealing 150+ damage, or sitting at 70+ block, your build is probably too shit to finish the run. You need some kind of gimmick to win the late game.

I just beat it on Ironclad with something that isn't immediately gimmicky, rate this draw-build on a gimmick out of 10 scale, genuinely curious:

Spoiler

Strike x3
Defend x3
Bash
Whirlwind
Flex
Iron Wave
Berserk (+1 draw if health under 50%)
Blood for Blood (reduces in cost when lose health)
Offering x 2 (+ energy & + draws, costs health)
Dropkick (attack, +1 energy & 1 draw if vulnerable)
Apoteosis
Battle Trance (draw 4, no more draws that turn)

& Relevant Relics:

Start with +1 random white card
+1 card if at 50% health or less
Heal to 50% if you die (only use once) [I used it up before the big end-boss, worst card order possible, etc]
+ 2 energy after a bonfire on 1st turn
+ 1 energy if start at full health (barely ever relevant)
+1 Dex for every three attacks
+ 2 cards on 1st turn
+1 strength
the starting relic of + 6 health at end of battle

I managed to beat most enemies in either one or two turns and was barely ever over 50% health throughout. The only strength was the innate +1 from a relic and the one-turn only +2/4 Flex card. The hand jumbles half blood-build with half attack-build and still has a quarter block cards, and is quite a large hand with few duplicates.

 

[Damned Registrations]

Like 0, pretty much. That deck has no real synergies, basically just got by on the backs of apotheosis and 2 offerings, which are basically the 2 best cards in the game. There's no way in hell that deck would make it through ascension 5+

Some examples of top tier gimmicky decks:

Deck with enough exhaust/powers and draw to get down to a deck size of under 10 and just infinitely chain dropkicks or similar cards. Works with either class, much easier with Ironclad.
Deck that maintains block rolling over each turn, ending up with arbitrarily large amounts of block and kills by some long term card like noxious fumes or demon form. Or maybe just body slam.
Deck that opens first turn with offering/gambling chip by a lot of card draw/energy to hit for over 100 damage before enemies can even move (Think something like offering into flex, limit break, headbutt the limitbreak and draw and play it again, exhume for another offering, etc and finish with a heavy blade for 150+ damage, maybe doubled by necrobook or double tap) and kill a stage boss in 1-3 turns.
Deck that combines corruption and dead branch to cast a dozen random skills each turn for free, leading to very random but ultimately OP shit.
Deck that spams card draw and energy gain so fast it can cycle infinitely, and deal arbitrary damage or gain arbitrary block with relics based on discarding or sheer number of cards played. Something like Concentrate > Acrobatics > Backflip > Concentrate (discard tactician for free energy)> Expertise > etc. Generally easier with Silent, but Ironclad has a variation with blood letting and things like evolve.

 

[Liosliath]

I'm neither hardcore ASCII-type rogueliker nor modern roguelite-ish Darkest Dungeon admirer.

My cup of tea are tileset-stocked ones like Angband (I'm in love with David Gervais' tiles in general, so Space Empires 4-5 and Dungeon Odyssey are in my heart forever!), Infra Arcana, Brogue, DCSS, Demon's Sword and so on.

But one of my all-time favs is the little almost unknown gem named Epilogue. It's hard as nails and unforgiving but irresistibly charming and atmospheric. So I'd dare to recommend it to any fellow rogueliker.

https://kraflab.itch.io/epilogue

 

[Tito Anic]

Looks like TOME is getting another expansion

Not all adventurers seek fortune, not all that defend the world have good deeds in mind.
Lately the number of sightings of horrors have grown tremendously. People wander off the beaten paths only to be found years later, horribly mutated and partly insane, if they are found at all. It is becoming evident something is stirring deep below Maj'Eyal.
That something is you.


I am happy to announce Forbidden Cults the third expansion to Tales of Maj'Eyal!
It works just like Ashes of Urh'rok, adding new and *wonderful* stuff to the base game instead of a new campaign like Embers of Rage did, but adding more!

So, what does it add you ask? Take a look:

Forbidden Cults makes two new classes available to play:

• Writhing One: Give in to the corrupting forces and turn yourself gradually into an horror, summon horrors to do your bidding, shed your skin and melt your face to assault your foes. With your arm already turned into a tentacle, what creature can stop you?
• Cultist of Entropy: Using its insanity and control of entropic forces to unravel the normal laws of physic this caster class can turn healing into attacks and call upon the forces of the void to reduce its foes to dust.

Both those classes use a new resource called Insanity that gradually makes you both more chaotic and powerful as it fills up.

Forbidden Cults makes two new races available to play:

• Drem: A corrupt subrace of dwarves, that somehow managed to keep a shred of sanity to not fully devolve into mindless horrors. They can enter a frenzy and even learn to summon horrors.
• Krog: Ogres transformed by the very thing that should kill them. Their powerful attacks can stun their foes and they are so strong they can dual wield any one handed weapons.

Forbidden Cults adds many new zones for you to explore and die in:

• Kroshkkur: An ancient Sher'tul Fortress laying half in ruins that serves as a focal point, and home, for all kinds of creatures seeking lost knowledge.
• The Maggot: A huge living corrupted worm about to destroy Kroshkkur! Teleport inside and save your sanctuary of horrors!
• The Godfeaster: Deep undergroud the ground shakes as ... -- redacted by corrupt forces --
• The Scourge Pits: On the south of the Iron Throne lays a fool pit of ... -- redacted by corrupt forces --
• Forbidden Tomes: Find special artifact books of ancient lore. But, read at your own peril, for the story they tell may very well suck you in... quite literally. Maybe you will even find The One That Writes...
  
• Occult Egress: A strange, extremely old, contraption of unknown origin. It seems to require some kind of code sequence to activate. Maybe you will find some during your adventures?
• The Entropic Void: So you think you are strong? Powerful? Invulnerable? In the end, entropy always wins, as you will learn...

What would an expansion about horrors be without a bunch of new horrors to torment you with? Please give a warm welcome to:

• Searing Horrors: You liked luminous horrors? You loved radiant horrors? You will absolutely adore their searing big brothers!
• Nethergates: It sleeps. Maybe it should stay that way.
• Netherworms: Vampiric worm masses that are bound to tickle your fancy! And tickle hard.
• Fearful Symmetry: Geometry has never been so lively!
• Entropic Shards: Take an entropic crystal, shatter it with tentacles. And die.
• And more ...

"DarkGod, is that all?" Obviously not! You will also find your usual addition of:

• Lore: Delve into the dark forgotten secrets of the world, where sanity is a very tenuous idea. Learn the true nature and origin of the dwarven race.
• Artifacts: Discover new objects of power and use them to further your own goals.
• New wyrmic tree: Unlock the scourge drake for your wyrmics.
• Glass Golem: Unlock the glass golem option for your alchemists.
• Events: Discover new strange contraptions in familiar zones. What could go wrong?
• Achievements: Because there can never be enough!

"DarkGod, please take my money, I want it now!"
Sadly you will have to wait as it is still in development so the release is still to be announced. However fear not for it will not take years!

"DarkGod, how much will this cost?"
Still undecided but the upper bound is no more than Embers of Rage.

"DarkGod, where will it be available?"
In all the places where the game is available, that includes te4.org, Steam, GOG and so on. As usual.

"DarkGod, can you spoil me more please?"
Sure, for example I can tell you that the new ... a giant tentacle slithers behind DarkGod and grabs him before he has time to reveal any more info.

 

[Liosliath]

ToME is a perfect example how a good and neat base idea can be completely messed up with inconsistent mechanics, inconsistent updates, inconsistent everything.

 

[Fenix]

I don't think so.

 

[Liosliath]

I don't think so.

Roguelikes (as games in general, and as everything in general) are about Style, Taste and - last but not least - Measure. Here I see none, alas.

 

[Tito Anic]

Roguelikes (as games in general, and as everything in general) are about Style, Taste and - last but not least - Measure. Here I see none, alas.

Tome has its own distinctive style - talent based roguelike. Art and music are harmonious enough to call them tasty. Well measure... i agree, there is alot of unbalanced "things" in it.

 

[Fenix]

unbalanced "things" in it

And that's FUN!

 

[Fenix]

Trying to play Transcendence with EI500 freighter... results are hilariously bad...


PS Yesterday, I had great start - found monopole deflector for free, bought dual turbolaser and collimator with amplifier, accidentally shot station and was called a pirate, fined for 25 K credits and end life in jail...
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

PPS Heh, thta run start with bugs - Arco Vahn didn't appear at all, maybe was killed, despite it, now I have a lancer cannon enchanced with weapon optimiser ROM - fast firing, and 3 blast plates + light blast plate as armor, covered with particle resistant compaind, with light particle deflector shield, enchanced with shield optimiser ROM I got from Arena.
Not so bad after all.

 

[Nael]

What's the hivemind's consensus on the best roguelike for Android phones?

 

[Tito Anic]

Nethack variant with touch interface

https://pathos.azurewebsites.net/

 

[buffalo bill]

Finally got to last level with ghoul (already beat it with rogue), teleported near final great evil one after killing machine gunner, then spammed molotovs/dynamite/smoke grenades I'd saved up. Unfortunately they only (mostly) killed his two other goons, so I went in for hand-to-hand while tossing blindness potions. Right after this I did kill him, but somehow some snakes spawned around me (I assume the last spell he cast, pestilence or something). So after CLEARING the level I got killed by a snake. Go figure, will try again now that I think I have ghoul strategy down: first focused on the melee tree, then dexterity and lithe, then the ghoul skills, then stealthy, then cool headed, then mobile (might've missed something there). Always fought in corridors, which means never explored a level while frenzied.
Overall ghoul is way harder than rogue, though if I found a rod of cloud minds at any point I think I'd be golden.
Should fix: it seems that ghoul wound healing depends on how many hit points you have, which means as ghouls level up it actually gets harder for them to heal minor wounds. This is OK if you find enough potions of vitality, but seems like a broken mechanic.

 

[Fenix]

That's IA?

 

[Liosliath]

That's IA?

Do you know another game with Ghoul amongst available protagonist classes?

 

[Fenix]

I played IA when there was no such class available )))

 

[Liosliath]

I played IA when there was no such class available )))

So you should be able at least to recognize the GUI

 

[Arrowgrab]

That's IA?

What's "IA"? The only Roguelike I know with a ghoul class is Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, and this seems to have a different screen layout.