KotC 2 Update

[quasimodo]

I'm really glad to see an RPG developer putting tactics and challenge at the top of their priority list. This is a good thing!

[BlueSalamander]

Hello and welcome to the forums, SilentLion.

the sprites could shake a little or a lot depending on the amount of damage inflicted.

Yes, good idea. I certainly want combat to be dynamic and this can be done with simple graphics and simple animations. Also, anyone who's played ADOM will know that combat in that game can be quite visceral (especially in the Tower of Eternal Flames, Dwarven Halls and elemental temples).

Displaying the damage amount in a splash of blood/slime of which the size is proportional to how big the hit was also helps (this may have already been implemented in KotC1, I don't remember right now).

Yes, this was implemented in KotC and it will come back.

The sprites could get bloodied (if one image layer of blood can be nicely applied to all sprites of the same size)

Could be as simple as displaying a transparent red layer over a creature's token when its HP is below 50% of the maximum.

Did you choose your artist yet?

No, I haven't. I'll probably hire one but for now I can draw tokens myself or use placeholder graphics from other sources.

[BlueSalamander]

Here are the promised web pages about the character classes. My very own version of the Player's Handbook! Enjoy.
If you like or don't like something, you know what to do: post!

[Greymark]

This is very exciting!

[deuxhero]

A few thoughts.

First of all, monks still suck. Nothing has been done to correct their main gaping flaw, the fact that their main abilities (increased speed and flurry) completely clash (Flurry needs you to stand still). I recommend replacing Flurry with something or giving pounce at the start (at least give them full BAB). I like the special abilities being free to use though.


Are Drake/Mantis Male/Female only, do they share the same stats, or are do the two not differ stats wise between the sexes?

Mithral armour increases the Maximum Dexterity Bonus by two points. The increase in price is 5,000 for Light Armour, 10,000 for Medium Armour and 15,000 for Heavy Armour.

Does this mean that the other properites of Mithral are gone (lowered weight, lowered profciency needed)? Not too big on that


The feat list looks fairly small and not very exciting. Rip the OGL feats out of UA and D&D (where are the non-manifester psionic feats for that matter?)

[getter77]

Looks like I have a bit of reading to do! This might well be just the thing to help me out of my funk of late...

Thanks for whipping out the info thus far.

[Tiavals]

Wow. Looks even better than I expected. So much new stuff and almost all of it good(still not convinced by the graphics, but it doesn't matter if all of this is in the game!)

Very good work. I like the balance of the classes. Each class is very unique, yet they seem quite balanced to me. At first I thought Ranger and Paladin were too weak, but then I realized their spell lists are quite powerful. Sorcerers casting cleric spells as well is quite nice, and Bards having a full BAB makes them worthwhile. All in all, looks almost too good to be true.

The only thing bugging me is that adamantine armour seems far too powerful. 9 DR for a full plate, for the cost of 30k gp. I thought it was fine in KOTC1, since you actually had to make a choice between Mithril and Adamantine armour, since both had good qualities. Here it's a no-brainer. No reason ever to take anything else than adamantine.

PS. I find it nice that Kobold females are stronger than males. Reptilian biology at it's work.

Edit: I just noticed there's no Polymorph on the Wizard spell list. It's a shame. My favourite encounter in KOTC1 was when the Gnoll wizards polymorphed into spiders after casting web.

[getter77]

The only thing bugging me is that adamantine armour seems far too powerful. 9 DR for a full plate, for the cost of 30k gp. I thought it was fine in KOTC1, since you actually had to make a choice between Mithril and Adamantine armour, since both had good qualities. Here it's a no-brainer. No reason ever to take anything else than adamantine.

I would imagine, like the crafting situation, that it could well be a different world indeed in terms of amassing wealth in gold this time around, so this might turn out just in line same as some of the more gold intensive spell quotes thus far.

[BlueSalamander]

First of all, monks still suck. Nothing has been done to correct their main gaping flaw, the fact that their main abilities (increased speed and flurry) completely clash (Flurry needs you to stand still). I recommend replacing Flurry with something or giving pounce at the start (at least give them full BAB). I like the special abilities being free to use though.

You make good points, but do you think Pounce instead of Flurry would be balanced? Pounce is a really good ability. Another thing is the monk's medium BAB. The number of attacks is supposed to compensate for the lower BAB I think.

Are Drake/Mantis Male/Female only, do they share the same stats, or are do the two not differ stats wise between the sexes?

All drakes are male and all mantis are female.

Does this mean that the other properites of Mithral are gone (lowered weight, lowered proficiency needed)? Not too big on that

Yes, I don't like the other properties.

The feat list looks fairly small and not very exciting.

Perhaps but a feat that's not exciting may also be easiest to code... What are the non-manifester psionic feats?

The only thing bugging me is that adamantine armour seems far too powerful.

Sure but there will be a penalty of 10 to Speed for heavy adamantine armour. And it's bypassed by adamantine weapons of course. Also, it may not be easy to obtain that kind of armour, since there won't be crafting, so it's up to the map designer whether to allow it or not, or only as an extraordinary reward.

Edit: I just noticed there's no Polymorph on the Wizard spell list. It's a shame. My favourite encounter in KOTC1 was when the Gnoll wizards polymorphed into spiders after casting web.

I know, but gnoll clerics could cast Freedom of Movement on gnoll fighters instead. After all, wizards don't (or shouldn't) make good melee fighters, even when polymorphed.

[Tiavals]

I know, but gnoll clerics could cast Freedom of Movement on gnoll fighters instead. After all, wizards don't (or shouldn't) make good melee fighters, even when polymorphed.

Game mechanically that is true, but for me there's a special kind of thrill if a wizard transforms into a monster and sinks his fangs unto another while grappling. Plus, the poison doesn't hurt.

That's why I like the level 6 power of the Psychic Warrior, Form of Doom. It's not really the game mechanical effect that makes me like it, but rather the image it evokes in my mind.

Anyway, you could always make it Polymorph Other and have it castable to other party members. That way you could transform a fighter into a spider, who would be a fine warrior as a spider, if only in a specific circumstance.