Final Comments on Avernum 2: Crystal Souls

[Callie]

Exile II was my first RPG, and now, I've just finished its second reincarnation. I had fun, but there are some issues I'd like to point out.

 

I first started the game with a Tank/Archer/Mage/Priest setup because that's what I like best for the purpose of actually playing the role of adventurers. I was disappointed to find that Bows is a useless skill: archery has an inferior damage output, and the skills unlocked by melee/pole are superior to those unlocked by bows/thrown. I had a Slith and Nephil, but found that humans are superior because of the extra traits. I restarted the game with a tank, priest/mage, mage, and priest (all human). At first, the tank was useful because it soaked up damage from incoming attackers; however, its damage output was extremely outmatched by that of my spellcasters. By the time I unlocked adrenaline rush for my spellcasters, I could merely wipe out mobs in the first turn—my tank became useless. I estimate that my tank inflicted 2% of the total damage, seriously.

 

Combat in Crystal Souls is woefully imbalanced. Adrenaline Rush is laughably overpowered; there is no need to use the other disciplines once you unlock it. I was disappointed to find that the NPCs/monsters never use Adrenaline Rush. As I've pointed out, ranged weapons are useless and melee/pole is underpowered. Spells not only inflict damage to multiple foes simultaneously, they also do far more damage per target than weapons. The spells themselves were also imbalanced. Haste sometimes gives the party battle frenzy at level 3, but NPCs don't seem to have level 3 haste. Once you unlock a spell with a higher damage output, there's no need to use the lower leveled ones. Unless the monsters were immune to energy damage, I mostly used Divine Retribution and Arcane Blow. Divine retribution also slows enemies once you buy the second level, what more could you ask for?

 

I loved having more slots in the spirit prism, but I didn't really need them. All you need is a lich or a haakai; they make combat trivial by granting 20+ turns of battle frenzy. The other summoning spells are useless, and the priest's shade summoning spells are particularly pointless. I used Daze early on, but didn't need it once I entered the Dark Waters. I never used Slow, Howl of Terror, Spray Acid, Cloak of Bolts, Cloak of Blades, Domination, Return Life (I just used scrolls), Divine Restoration, or any of the summoning spells besides Simulacrum. Cloak of the Arcane is the only cloak you need. Move Mountains and Ritual of Sanctification have combat abilities, but there's no reason to use them. Since I cleared most mobs in the first turn, I rarely used healing spells. I only used Curing a few times in the first chapter. I never needed Divine Restoration: Heal and Mass Healing were always adequate.

 

There is too much money in the game. I could buy everything I wanted and then some. I never put skill points in Cave Lore because the rewards just aren't worth it. I also didn't use Luck or First Aid. Luck didn't seem as useful as Hardiness or Parry, and First Aid does the same thing as running back to town. I did like the wide variety of items in the game, but I usually didn't have to think about my choices. Wands weren't useful because my spellcasters could do more damage anyway. I didn't use potions or scrolls once I captured a lich in my sprit prism. Monsters have a wide variety of abilities, but I killed them rapidly. Jeff added many new groupthink creature scripts, which is great, except that they didn't seem to be used very often.

 

I loved the variety of terrain and floor graphics. Monster graphics, on the other hand, needed more variety. Dervishes look like Elite Warriors. Efreets look like Shamblers. Chitrachs look horrendous. It was disappointing to see the removal of hydras, that was something I used to love about the Dark Waters and vahnatai lands. Instead, we have hellhounds, which I think were the most common non-humanoid monster in the game. Another problem with monsters: their immunities and resistances don't make any sense. Demons are somehow vulnerable to fire, as are Ruby Skeletons. Null bugs should be immune to magic because I could easily kill them immediately.

 

There were some buggy things, too. If I positioned my tank in a doorway, a lot of monsters would just stand there. Mahdavi's dialog tree was confusing, and I had to go through lots of precursory nodes to finally get information or complete quests. Monsters that could use Battle Frenzy would use the ability even when they were already frenzied. When I got near the blue crystals in the Portal Fortress, a message dialog popped up twice every time I made a step, even in combat. I'm surprised that the beta testers seemingly didn't notice this stuff, especially the Mahdavi issue.

 

Another thing: the Garzahd fight was underwhelming.

 

Overall, the tale of the crystal souls is my favorite Spiderweb Software story, and it still is. This remake is disappointing, though, because it's imbalanced and combat is either trivial on Normal, pointlessly long on Hard, or tedious on Torment. I'd rate Avernum: Crystal Souls 6/10.

 

In case anyone wants to know, this is what my party looked like:

 

 

 

Pluses indicate purchased or boosted skills. Purchased skills are boldfaced. Boosts from items are italicized.

 

Buffy - Tank

24 + 5 STR/10 DEX/10 + 4 INT/29 + 5 END

 

8+2+2 Pole Weapons

+2+3 Bows

+1 Thrown Missiles

4+4 Blademaster

10+2 Hardiness

10+2 Parry

+2 Riposte

1+2 Tool Use

+1 Cave Lore

8 Priest Spells

4 Arcane Lore

8+1 Spellcraft

8+1 Resistance

 

Traits: Improved Strength 5, Improve Intelligence 4, Improved Endurance 5, Mighty Blows 1, Parry Mastery 2, Sage Lore 1, Nimble Fingers 2, Good Health, Robust Health, Perfect Health, Negotiator, Vahnatai Secrets

 

Giles - Priest/Mage

12 STR/10 + 2 DEX/26 + 4 INT/25 + 5 END

 

8+2+1 Melee Weapons

+1+1 Pole Weapons

+2 Bows

+2 Thrown Missiles

10+2+2 Hardiness

10+2 Parry

16 Mage Spells

16 Priest Spells

+2 Tool Use

5 Spellcraft

1+3 Resistance

+3 Luck

 

Traits: Improved Intelligence 4, Improved Endurance 5, Parry Mastery 2, Elemental Focus 2, Swordmage 4, Sage Lore 1, Nimble Fingers 2, Robust Health, Perfect Health, Negotiator, Vahnatai Secrets

 

Willow - Mage

11 STR/10 DEX/29 + 3 INT/23 + 5 END

 

8+2+2 Melee Weapons

+3 Pole Weapons

+1 Gymnastics

6+2 Hardiness

+2 Parry

16 Mage Spells

8 Priest Spells

2+2 Tool Use

10+2+1+5 Spellcraft

7 Arcane Lore

+1 First Aid

+1 Luck

6 Resistance

+1 Magical Efficiency

 

Traits: Improved Intelligence 3, Improved Endurance 5, Parry Mastery 2, Elemental Focus 3, Swordmage 4, Sage Lore 1, Nimble Fingers 2, Good Health, Robust Health, Perfect Health, Negotiator, Vahnatai Secrets

 

Xander - Priest

11 STR/10 DEX/29 + 6 INT/23 + 5 END

 

8+2 Melee Weapons

+1 Pole Weapons

+2 Bows

+2 Thrown Missiles

4+2+1 Hardiness

4+2 Parry

16 Priest Spells

4+2 Tool Use

10+2+1+3 Spellcraft

7 Arcane Lore

+2 First Aid

10 Resistance

 

Traits: Improved Intelligence 5, Improved Endurance 5, Parry Mastery 2, Elemental Focus 5, Sage Lore 1, Nimble Fingers 2, Good Health, Robust Health, Perfect Health, Negotiator, Vahnatai Secrets.

 

 

 

[Aoslare]

Nicely put. Overall, I couldn't agree more, especially around... well, especially around the whole thing. I agree so much I have nothing to say, except for a few minor points:

 

Haste sometimes gives the party battle frenzy at level 3, but NPCs don't seem to have level 3 haste.

I know this was just an example, but for this particular example, some NPCs do have the Speed Burst ability (especially on Torment), which is better than Haste level 3.

 

Once you unlock a spell with a higher damage output, there's no need to use the lower leveled ones.

Not entirely true. For one thing, Fireblast level 3 slightly outdamages Arcane Blow level 2, and is cheaper. More relevantly, Lightning Spray has a good chance of causing Weakness Curse, which can augment the spells that come afterward; and it's harder to inflict in other ways than Arcane Blow's War Curse status is. Also, because circle AoE spells have a lot of brokenness to their AoE, there are often times to use them even when other spells will do more damage without costing much more SP.

 

I used Daze early on, but didn't need it once I entered the Dark Waters. I never used Slow, Howl of Terror, Spray Acid, Cloak of Bolts, Cloak of Blades, Domination, Return Life (I just used scrolls), Divine Restoration, or any of the summoning spells besides Simulacrum.

Daze level 2 causes Ensnare, which is INCREDIBLY useful (especially in conjunction with the broken circle AoE spells) in the first third of the game on Torment, when you can't kill things instantly and you can't handle many attacks. In Dark Waters, your only AoE spells are ice element, so for magic-heavy parties, it's pretty key for dealing with the many, many undead in Dark Waters. Likewise, on Torment, summon meatshields are useful in the very toughest battles early on, where you're stretching your meager resources.

 

Move Mountains and Ritual of Sanctification have combat abilities, but there's no reason to use them.

Actually, Ritual of Sanctification at level 3 is the only spell that can cure physical AND mental status afflications at the same time. Likewise, getting a mass heal, a bless and a haste at once is nice when time is tight, like in outdoor fights. Basically irrelevant with Adrenaline Rush, but not everyone can get that right away.

 

I never put skill points in Cave Lore because the rewards just aren't worth it.

They aren't necessary, but they do ultimately pay for the training cost of the skill and they do give extra XP from wisdom crystals, which isn't bad. The herbs are a LOT more convenient to gather in this game (I was skeptical but have been convinced).

 

Luck didn't seem as useful as Hardiness or Parry

Hardiness is pretty much the best of all the skills. I'd put Luck on par with Parry though. 3% to avoid physical attacks, vs a 1% shift in all damage given or taken.

 

There were some buggy things, too. If I positioned my tank in a doorway, a lot of monsters would just stand there.

It seems that if a monster picks a target, and can't pathfind a route to that target, it will just stand there. This bizarre behavior is also what allows Daze level 2 + Call the Storm to break most monster AI's.

 

Monsters that could use Battle Frenzy would use the ability even when they were already frenzied.

Outside of bosses with unique scripts, monster attack selection appears to be almost completely random.