Duet of life and death

[Grail Shadowblade]

So to my knowledge people have tried a full party and a singleton party in regards to TPKs and trying to not save unless doing insanely long scenarios (or just taking a break to sleep, work, etc, etc). So simply because I'm bored, I've decided to try something along the lines of Ephesos' Never Say Die with a dynamic duo.

 

Of course to be along the lines of Ephesos' Never Say Die, if one of them dies and I can't readily resurrect them in the curent scenario they will stay dead and get replaced with a level one (which is going to be a nightmare from level 10+).

 

The rules for this will be as follows:

 

• If I can complete the scenario in one sitting I will do so, if not I'll save when I need a break or have to do something.
• If I get a TPK I will revert to my last save, which will either be the start of the scenario or my last break.
• Dead means dead, I know I said this already but if I can't resurrect someone via my party or someone/thing in the scenario they are gone forever.
• I will be using the HLPM in between scenarios to replace the dead PC, I can't be asked to add the call to every single scenario.
• I will also use the HLPM to sell loot between scenarios, if the next scenario doesn't have towns or shops.
• I will be playing on Normal difficulty for this.
• If anyone else can think of a reasonable rule to impose on myself I'm open to suggestions.

 

Now then to start with I will be using the following party:

 

Takara - Human fighter/priest, melee weapon specialist and primary healer. Given my playing style he'll also be an archer as his backup in case I run out of potions and sp.

 

Raven - Nephil thrower/mage, enough said really. Although she will be my lockpicker and have a level of priest just in case.

EDIT: As all characters need some melee, I decided to make her a pole weapon user.

 

And now to frisk the scenario archives for a level 1 to play, tempted to do Adrift same as most given I know the scenario well. Although I am debating rummaging around for another in the stash of scenarios I've gathered.

 

Oh and also I'll be providing highlights, same as the other threads in this vein.

[Grail Shadowblade]

So for the first scenario I decided to enter Wilderness, because as memory serves it had some rather nice goodies stashed in there. Although I don't actually recall how many of the goodies in there I get to keep. Still it was an interesting starting choice, I found some items dotted around the outdoors that I'd never actually found in my previous run throughs.

 

Click to reveal..

Although I really think it might have been better if I didn't merge the two stones, ah well.

 

The fight wasn't that difficult, although Takara did hit 0 HP a few times. Still he healed up with a handy potion and then got healed by Raven (If you've played Wilderness you know why Takara didn't heal himself). Both of the PCs took the scenario well in their stride, although getting poisoned was a nasty surprise although soon fixed.

 

At any rate it was worth being the starting scenario, I got experience and didn't manage to level up. But given Takara and Raven both have -50% XP I'm not at all surprised. Still I got my reward gold and

 

Click to reveal..

Nice life saving pants, always a favourite until I get better later down the line.

 

Now then, I have to decide on the next scenario. I might do Adrift now I have some toys to make it hopefully easier then I remember it being. At least for a freshly created party with no gear. Or I might go grab some new gear just to be on the safe side...

[Grail Shadowblade]

It seems kind of spammy to post a third time in a row but...

 

I decided to go for The Empire's New Grove as the second scenario and I regret doing so. I forgot that Nikki set the level range a little on the low side (or perhaps I should have made my priest a stronger priest)... It already garnered the first TPK how a slowed Mage managed to lightning spray me twice in the same round is beyond me. You know I really wish I hadn't saved and commited myself to this scenario, as the big merchant fight TPKed me an ungodly amount of times.

 

 

Highlights:

• Winning the first fight at level 1 (you wouldn't believe how hard it is with a level 1 party). First time I won it, I lost Raven.
• Getting blindsided by an Empire Patrol after winning said fight and slaughtered, instant death heh.. OKay not a true highlight but still a memorable moment.
• Winning the fight again and managing to barely survive it with both Takara and Raven alive.

 

Click to reveal..

The 4 free levels of melee will come in handy, it boosted Takara to level 7 in it. Which turned his torch into a lethal weapon in either one or two hits. Although that bonus is wasted on Raven, given she uses pole weapons.

 

There is a downside to managing to beat that scenario though, I only gained a single level. Still with the gear I gained from it I should be okay for a few levels before I need to actually buy anything. Next time I try The Empire's New Grove with a low level partry, I'm going to make sure they do a scenario I can buy potions in first!

[Enraged Slith]

If you need levels, Gluckcluck is pathetically easy and gives a bunch of scripted experience. The only downside is that it's incredibly stupid.

[Grail Shadowblade]

I'll bear that in mind, I may well need it. Still if I can avoid it then so much the better, not because it's stupid as you said. But because I want to try and avoid too much script experience.

[Grail Shadowblade]

All right so I went with Adrift for the next scenario and it wasn't too hard, at least compared to The Empire's New Grove. There were a few close calls however, mostly when the priest ran out of SP.

 

Click to reveal..

During those times ot became a much more hack and slash affair. Although Captain Samantha decided to suck this time around, she ran away at least once.

 

Now then I found myself wanting more energy potions but otherwise it but that was more an annoyance then anything. By the end of it the pair wound up at level 4 which was a nice surprise, now to decide what's next.

[nikki.]

If you've got a decent amount of gold, RoR has a couple of cheap special skills to buy that might really help you.

[Grail Shadowblade]

Hmm, I hadn't considered that due to knowing it's a real challenge for low levels. Still I'll give it a go.

 

EDIT: Amusingly buying all the skills bankrupted me and I had to wander around stealing everything I possibly could just to progress the scenario. Although I did find a bug in the process, given I have v1.0 and I can't find any updated version I'm not sure if TM ever did any bug fixing.

 

Click to reveal..

For those interested, make sure you don't have enough money to pay for your room. Wave to the spawned tax collector as you go to get enough money to pay for your room and leave town. When you come back and pay for the room, you'll find you break the cutscene as TM coded the tax collector to appear as soon as you click the option to rent a room for the night.

 

Also there's a surpising amount of unowned potted plants, I found it funny selling the potted plant from next to the bandit's desk to him. Along with all the other ones I stole.

 

EDIT2:

Click to reveal..

I also just noticed that the guard outside Hana's plaxce is tied to the same one shot call, it's amusing being stopped by an invisible guy.

 

EDIT3: Blast it all, that bug renders the entire scenario unplayable. Guess I'll have to restart it.

 

EDIT4: I decided to take a moments break to test that little bug and I foud you don't have to play for the room to triggger then event, spend your gold so you have under 5 gold and then rent the room. When you fail the tax collector appears, walk into the doorway to the rooms. Enjoy the now free cutscene and go sell the junk.

 

EDIT5: Apologies TM but I seem to be adept at breaking RoR.

Click to reveal..

If you combat jump past the guards so you're next to Hana's door when you open it her intro triggers again. On the plus side free loot (all 9 gold worth of it), on the downside that intro should probably be a one shot)