Some thoughts of a returning player :)

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by RandoMattz, Nov 4, 2021.

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  1. RandoMattz

    RandoMattz Member

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    Good morning everyone,

    first of all, a massive THANK YOU for all the work you did to make this buggy gem of a game really shine with all the fixes and new content,

    I played ToEE for the first time as a kid due to a pretty casual discovery as a supplement CD to a computer magazine i used to buy at the newspaper stall. Until then i've only played pnp D&D during summer breaks and wasn't aware of many CRPG (beside NeverWinterNights i guess) but i fell in love with the combat system immediately <3
    Sadly all the bugs and crashes made me quit it without ever fully exploring the Temple of finishing the campaign...just until a couple of months ago when i got a random YouTube recommendation of a ToEE review and the nostalgia sparked in me again! All the comments there about this "Co8 mod" led me here and what a joy to discover that there's been a community fixing, improving, and keeping the game alive for all these years :)

    After some tinkering with installings and Temple+ it felt really nice to hear the Hommlet music again!

    Also tried the Keep and Slaughtering modules for a bit but i really wanted to properly finish the ToEE campaign first so i ran a couple of party up to Nulb to get in good strategy shape again and finally read some playthrough guide to avoid missing anything in the Temple...and that's when i had an afternoon of many discoveries in a row that made me want to create an account here and share this story :)


    Just learned about the Prince Thrommel quest line and wanted to check all the steps to obtain Scather,
    i've also just watched a speedrun of the game in under 5 mins o_O
    So to optimize time and study the fastest route i made a new game with a single Rogue lvl 1 (to be stealthy and open the locked door in the Ettin room) got a quick Invi ring (sorry Furnok) and after stealing Lareth's diary from under his nose and some run i'm already deep in the Temple leading Thrommel outside; sadly the Prince can't sneak so we have to fight some mobs to get out and that's when i learn that his Fragarach can't miss so i pump his Power Attack and boy look at that damage rolls. O.O
    A couple of minutes later we're next to the secret exit to the Burnhouse and was ready to say goodbye...
    when i realize that my Rogue got so much exp that he's at lvl 3 already..
    well Thrommel my good friend i'd say we got some fun power-levelling to do before you earn your freedom xD
    Unfortunately i can't properly heal him (didn't know about the secret room in the staircase yet) and can't multiclass into a Cleric with my low WIS so we have to get lucky with our rest and decimate the Bugbears for some potions loot.
    After a while and 2 entire floors cleared later he also lvl up to 11 so as a Fighter he get his 3rd attack per round, i think he's happy to return home stronger than before and HPs are running low so this time its a proper goodbye;
    i led him outside and some days later i got the rewards, my Rogue is like lvl 9-10 and i have all the loot that i left in the Broken Tower chest (didn't have the miniature chest from the moathouse)
    (yes we did an ambush on the ambushers from the secret stair so we slaughtered them =)

    And i still have the campaign to finish with a proper party but sometimes i just go in and do this silly run again xD


    Guys, those couple hours were the funniest i ever had in D&D considering that i transformed a party intended, story driven game in a Hardcore Diablo-like "solo" run :D

    Thanks again for all these experiences and possibilities, i'm also keeping notes of some minor bugs and missing things so after i explore the forum a bit more i'll post them somewhere.
    (please let me know where is the appropriate section)


    Have a nice day,

    RandoMattz
     
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  2. Shiningted

    Shiningted I want my goat back Administrator

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    Awesome :) We can't design the game for solo play, of course, but I like to think I keep it somewhere in mind.
     
  3. RandoMattz

    RandoMattz Member

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    You don't need to, i think it's already quite possible for certain Classes to do it up to a certain point.

    (the only house rules mod that i use is the Max HP at lvl up for me and Max HD for mobs to consider it fair)

    I've been doing some test runs and of course, Cleric and Paladin are the most successful ones until now, granted that you plan well in advance; with them its fairly easy because they both start with the social skills to do every quest in Hommlet that as a solo PC will get you full exp and can reach lvl 3 even before going to the Bog or Deklo Tree
    (may need the Black Dress that the tailor sell for +2 Diplomacy)
    (marrying Meleny gives 810 exp, a nice +1 Holy Sword and you don't actually need to bring her along),
    for early Feats u'll do the Power Attack/Cleave build, they can turn/destroy undeads so that's another huge help while progressing and by the time you've cleared the Moathhouse except for Lareth/following ambush you're so strong already that those huge fights are possible.
    Nulb is a breeze and by the time you're ready for the Temple you got at least Craft Wondrous Items to make yourself some +6 items before having fun with Thrommel. Usually i leave all the 4th level of the Temple for after you get Scather plus i like to do the Hedrack fight alone :) Now i'm not sure you can kill Zuggtmoy on your own 'cause the only time i did it with my Cleric i also added a Wizard to help me with buffs and Dispel/True Seeing stuff, even tho during the fight i was 1v1 the boss while she was on Fireball duty on the Fungi summons...gonna try again a full solo run and see how it goes.

    (still haven't done the Verbonoc NC so we'll see but i consider that "Endgame" stuff)

    (Yes i know that Scather on a Paladin with Smite/Max Power Attack or on a Cleric with Divine Power/RighteousMight/Max Power Attack is kind of cheesy but hey i'm still a solo character trying to save the world alone :D )
     
  4. sigofmugmort

    sigofmugmort Established Member Supporter

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    solo with a Cleric is possible with crafting wondrous AND arms and armor. wand is also good. For the final battle have lots of summoning ready
     
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  5. RandoMattz

    RandoMattz Member

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    yeah Craft M.A.A. feels so good that's almost cheating :)

    Tried another run with a solo Human Cleric and at lvl9 i already got the bare minimum Feat-wise,
    (Power Attack, Cleave, Craft Wondrous, Great Cleave, Craft M.A.A.)

    Another positive aspect is that you sell almost everything magical you find to get gold for crafting, with all the loot i sold from the Nulb house ambush and half 1st level of the Temple i crafted so much that i went to say Hi to the Earth Priest with like 30AC :D
    (just a Full Plate +1, Elven Shield +4 and the Shield of Faith spell is actually a deflection bonus)

    The only real problem i have with this self-imposed "challenge" is that i can't stand to ignore all those sweet scrolls and locked chest you find around so i always end up adding a hybrid Rogue/Wizard to the party and lose my focus in an endless cycle of outdoor camping and more crafting :D
     
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