Hi, I have created a second mod for DoD. This mod does not require any expansion packs. It adds a new skillset, a new creature / monster type with original art in keeping with DoD's comedic style, has more balance and less bugs. Steam workshop here - http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=118535130 It would not upload in the publisher until I used the Beta 1.1.3a build. So hopefully that means the new patch fixes at least one bug! A non-steam version is attached. Shadow Disciple Skillset Long have you studied the darkness. You have stared into the utterest dark and it has definitely stared into you. Some call you a greater threat than Dredmor. A talented mage, your studies turned to the lore of darkness. You learned about the darkness and something ... outside ... the world called the 'Utter Dark'. You even learned to touch it and channel its power. They call you mad but really, you just get the occasional headache. This mod adds a new skillset called 'Shadow Disciple' that gives the player the power to turn into a living shadow, a pool of animate darkness with mouths. Lots of mouths. In fact sometimes the player transforms when they were not even expecting to. On the other hand, this ability can incur great costs. And remember, you are NOT MAD! Skill Ranks Level 0 / Start Skill - Tainted by Darkness / Recluse You just like to be by yourself. You get headaches, okay?! Tendrils of darkness writhing from your eye sockets is just a *normal* migraine symptom. How dare anyone suggest otherwise! Your health is weakened by the *perfectly normal* headaches but you somehow feel better when you hurt people. The player suffers a heavy permanent debuff to health and burliness just for having this skill, but in return receive a powerful drain attack. -5 -5 100% chance of 'Shadow Disciple First Drain Attack' on each hit. Shadow Disciple First Drain Attack Drain 1 + (0.3 * ) Drain 1 + (0.3 * ) Drain 1 + (0.3 * ) Drain 1 + (0.3 * ) Level 1 - Avatar of the Utter Dark Sometimes you drift away, contemplating the beautiful darkness. You dream of hunger and of shadow and of feeding on indistinct shapes, that scream and sometimes beg for mercy. The length of the dreams varies, and when you wake up you are often somewhere else. You are NOT mad, okay? You are PERFECTLY normal! This skill polymorphs the player into a living pool of shadow, an animate patch of inky, supernatural darkness broken only by terrifying, ravenous mouths dripping with black ichor. The transformation provides enormous defensive buffs but massive debuffs / vulnerabilities to certain damage types. The spell has a chance to recast itself, meaning the length is indeterminate. It applies a heavy debuff for 10 turns when it finally does end. Most other powers in this skillset only work whilst polymorphed. Finally, the player begins to lose control. This power can trigger itself without warning some time after it has worn off. 60 Polymorph, creature type - A Shadow Over the Land, 50 turns 75% recast at turn 51 else debuff Appalling Headache 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 -9 -9 5 -9 5 5 5 5 -9 5 5 Appalling Headache -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 Drain caster mana 100% Level 2 - The Terrible Eye You can see too much, in the dreams. Or is it that you are seen too much? Something is watching, that is for certain but you can't remember just what. You are one with the shadows and move between them in a heartbeat. Whilst polymorphed, teleport at will. 0 Teleport to target Magic Mapping on Cast (Reveals entire level map) Level 3 - It Is Coming I You can channel the darkness. In the dreams you are getting better and better at it like a bridge growing wider and stronger. Sometimes the dreams are frightening now. Something is coming. You don't know why, but it fills you with terror and with dread. As the player's power grows, they obtain further buffs whilst polymorphed and mitigate some earlier debuffs. 3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 8 5 8 5 5 5 5 8 5 5 Level 4 - They Izzz Yummeeee There are so many nice things to eat and they struggle and wail so pleasingly as you consume their essential energies. When you wake up you feel sad. 75% chance of 'They Izzz Yummeeee Drain Attack' on each hit. They Izzz Yummeeee Drain Attack Drain 5 + (0.5 * ) Drain 5 + (0.5 * ) Drain 5 + (0.5 * ) Drain 5 + (0.5 * ) Level 5 - It Is Coming II You are feeling better. In the dreams something is still coming, but it does not seem to worry you anymore. As the player's power grows, they obtain further buffs whilst polymorphed and mitigate some earlier debuffs. 3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 8 5 8 5 5 5 5 8 5 5 Level 6 - It Is Coming III You are feeling very happy. IT IS COMING! Yay! You hope for a day when you do not wake at all and you can just dream of a world in which every shadow has a million ravenous mouths. Forever. As the player's power grows, they obtain further buffs whilst polymorphed and mitigate some earlier debuffs. 3 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 13 13 5 13 5 5 5 5 13 5 5 Level 7 - Every Shadow Has a Million Ravenous Mouths It is nearly here now. You feel more peaceful and relaxed with every passing day. Soon you will not awaken at all and only dream. In your dreams you grow and spread. You extend through the shadows nearby touching everything they touch. On player hits, 50% chance of A Million Ravenous Mouths Attack (area) On player hit, 50% chance of A Million Ravenous Mouths Attack (area) On target killed, 50% chance of A Million Ravenous Mouths Attack (area) Cast A Million Ravenous Mouths (target) A Million Ravenous Mouths Attack Drain 10 + (0.7 * ) Drain 10 + (0.7 * ) Drain 10 + (0.7 * ) Drain 10 + (0.7 * ) Dig Area Effect, Template 20 (the 8 squares around the player). A Million Ravenous Mouths 50 Drain 20 + (1.5 * ) Drain 20 + (1.5 * ) Drain 20 + (1.5 * ) Drain 20 + (1.5 * ) Single target
It is very suggestive and I really like the theme, but somehow it seems very unbalanced. Maybe it's that 0/0 teleport, or those massive stats. Maybe keeping those debuffs to some resistances can help balancing it.
The stat buffs are balanced by the heavy penalties. For example when you drop out of the polymorph you get a 10 turn debuff of -5 to all 6 primary statistics and your mana is emptied. So, one minute you have 40 HP and the next you have max HP 9 and no mana to cast spells. Oh and that 0/0 teleport only works whilst polymorphed. It is a lot more balanced than my last mod.
The big issue here is, say, you get a decurser (say vegan or something) and you're ok (or alternatively Magical Law and reuse it), but the huge thing is that your capstone would do *530 AoE damage* *on certain builds while being essentially immune to all damage while polymorphed. Compare it with Werediggle, man.
To say it bluntly, this is so obnoxiously overpowered that it's just a complete hassle to tell all the reasons why. Just as a quick example, you drain 19 + 2.6 * health on every attack with this. A mage could have 100 mp by end game, meaning that they attack and drain 280 health, not just dealing damage, they drain that. Basically per attack they one-shot anyone but dredmor and heal themselves to full, on a mage who's not specced to attack. Avatar of the Utter Dark gives incredible bonuses which with the former on-hit stuff make you near invincible, and it can be cast constantly because there's no real negatives, given that if you get kicked out you get a very very minor debuff which can be cleansed, and can cast it again in ten turns. The later levels just give extra invincibility. You have a free teleport with no cooldown that reveals the entire map that basically makes you invincible in a form that's already invincible. Every Shadow has a Million Ravenous Mouths casts the equivalent of six Nerve Staples on every single target in an aoe around anything you hit, are hit by or kill with a 50% chance, constantly and for free. Yeah, nuff said Also the active can one-shot Lord Dredmor by itself on a mage.
Your skillset is kind of over the top. I hit level 7 then just dove down floors. It was impossible to die. Ever. You have a no CD no mana teleport that ALSO REVEALS THE MAP HOLY SHIT. You gain arbitrary (because your max HP < HP) health per round from the last few levels. I tested it pretty thoroughly, ended up getting to Dredmor and dying to Fulmnaric bolt - but only because I had no items. The only suggestion I can offer is literally to quarter everything and then start rebalancing from there. Look at: http://community.gaslampgames.com/threads/exotic-damages-and-you.2998/ I am immune to ALL damage from ALL monsters in melee. Dredmor does 60 physical damage. I took hardly any damage a hit, which was trivially drained away using any of the multitude of drain skills. You need some crazy balance work, and I don't want to sound like a douche, but this mod emphatically does not belong in the mod releases forum, unless it is as a cheat mod.
Are you sure that's your final artwork? I mean, I would rather have a skilltree existing of only placeholder icons.
The artwork is so not the issue here. [also, if you think its bad, just change the xml - I thought while not quite matching Dredmor's art style, its not terrible.]
