Avadon 3 - Class Analysis (some SPOILERS)

[Randomizer]

Avadon Class Analysis

 

Attributes:

 

Strength

increases melee attack to hit by 5%

determines melee physical damage - +1 level of damage

determines encumbrance - +4 pounds

some armors and melee weapons have minimum strength to use

 

Dexterity

increases missile attack to hit by 5%

determines missile physical damage - +1 level of damage

evasion of physical, fire, and magic attacks (this works best on normal difficulty) - 2.5%/level of dexterity

order of attack in combat

some missile weapons have minimum dexterity to use

 

Intelligence

determines magic spell to hit by 5% and damage - +1 level of damage

evasion of mental attacks and curses

some Sorcerer and Shaman items have minimum intelligence to use

gives a summon bonus to Shaman and Tinkermage

 

Endurance

health (+5)

poison and acid resistance (+2%)

cold, poison, and acid evasion

 

Blademasters and Shadowwalkers need both Dexterity and Endurance to reduce the chance of being hit by most attacks. Intelligence for mental attacks and curses doesn't work that well and it's easier to use healing skills and items to remove them.

 

Shamans and Sorceresses should have high Intelligences to use their attacks.

 

Tinkermages work better with Dexterity for range attacks, evading some damages, and better scarab attacks.

 

All characters start at 30 Vitality and gain 10 per level.

 

Resistances:

 

Resistances/damage blockage is hard capped at 90%.

 

Endurance

2% poison

2% acid

 

2% Armor gives:

2% physical blockage

1% magic

1% fire

1% cold

1% poison

1% acid

 

Offensive damage increasing items:

 

Increasing damage modifiers and critical hit chances is usually better than increasing damage levels:

 

items to increase critical hits:

Scorched Girdle - +5% to critical hit chance

Tribal Fetish - +5% to critical hit chance

Skystar Chainmail - +5% to critical hit chance

Svorgaldi Emblem - +10% to critical hit chance

Scorched Greaves - +1 Focus Mastery, +5% to critical hit chance

Svorgald Saber - +10% to critical hit chance

Belt of Battle - +5% to melee damage, +5% to critical hit chance

Stabby Sash - +5% to critical hit chance

Breastplate of the Anvil - +5% to critical hit chance

Ttiansteel Halberd - +10% to critical hit chance

Tinkermage Shortblade - +10% to critical hit chance

Deepfang Boots - +5% to critical hit chance

Bonecleaver Shield - +10% to critical hit chance

 

items to increase melee damage:

all light swords - +5% to melee damage

all heavy swords - +12% to melee damage

all spears - +15% melee damage

all glaives and halberds - +18% to melee damage

Burrowing Scarab - +3% to melee damage

Ogrish Gauntlets - +6% to melee damage

Brutal Wrap - +5% to melee damage

Smashing Mail - +1 Strength, +5% to melee damage

Stomping Boots - +3% to melee damage

Belt of Battle - +5% to melee damage

Wyldrylm Honor Band - +1 Strength, +3% to melee damage

Breastplate of the Anvil - +5% to melee damage

Nightblade Helm - +5% to melee damage

Avenger's Greaves - +5% to melee damage

Titan's Gauntlets - +12% to melee damage

Dragon's Fang Charm - +6% to melee damage

 

items to increase missile damage:

Deadeye Chainmail - +8% to missile damage

Farsighted Band - +10% to missile damage

Opalescent Scarab - +15% to missile damage

Deadeye Belt - +10% to missile damage

Sniper's Boots - +15% to missile damage

Sharpshooter's Mantle - +10% to missile damage

Archer's Gloves - +12% missile damage

 

items to increase magical damage:

all rods - +5% to magical damage

all staves - +2 to 8% to magical damage

Impskin Gloves - +3% to magical damage

Burrowing Scarab - +3% to magical damage

Agate Studded Belt - +5% to magical damage

Spellweaver Mantle - +5% to magical damage

Lightning Shortsword - +5% to magical damage

Spider Silk Pants - +5% to magical damage

Sage's Tiara - +5% to magical damage

Rune-Etched Glaive - +10% magical damage

Incantor's Bow - +5% to magical damage

Vision Band - +3% magical damage, +1 Intelligence

Crystalline Buckler - +8 % to magical damage

Spellweaver's Shoes - +5% to magical damage

Spellweaver's Sash - +5% to magical damage

Wizard's Loop - +8% to magical damage

Enchantment Cloak - +5% to magical damage

Incantor's Bow - +5% to magical damage

Tawon Robe - +7% to magical damage

 

Defensive damage avoiding items:

 

There is a minimum 5% chance of always being hit so there is no way to completely avoid damage and there can be unlucky streaks where you can take 3 or more of these low chance hits at once. You can avoid most attacks, but never all.

 

items for parry:

any shield - +5% to parry

Barbed Trident - +5% to parry

Quicksilver Vest - +20% energy resistance, +5% to parry

Smoky Greaves - +4% to evade, +5% to parry

Rage Totem - +2% to parry

Breastplate of the Tower - +3% to parry

Wand of the Phoenix - +5% to parry

Hedge Witch Wand - +5% to parry

Shaman's Staff - +5% to parry

Wanderer's Jerkin - +5% to parry

 

Blademaster only

Spidersilk Cloak - +1 to Path of the Shield

Vesula's Shelter - +1 to Path of the Shield

 

items for evasion:

adding deep runestone to enhance items - +5% to evade

Etched Leather Cap - +5% to evasion

Scorched Girdle - +5% to chance of evasion

Jerkin of the Wilds - +50% to poison resistance, +5% chance to evade attacks

Spidersilk Tunic - +1 dexterity, +5% chance to evade attacks

Smoky Greaves - +4% to evade, +5% to parry

Shadow Shroud - +2% to evade, +3% to melee damage protection

Shadow Mask - +5% to evade

Unerring Glaive - +3% to evade attacks

Evasive Wrap - +4% to evade

Velusa's Totem - +3% to evade

 

Scarabs:

 

Stat that increases scarab ability

Blademaster - Dexterity

Shadowwalker - Dexterity

Shaman - Intelligence

Sorcerer - Intelligence

Tinkermage - Dexterity

 

Burrowing Scarab (+3% to melee and magic damage) - from Nicodemus

Searing Scarab (cone of fire) - buy from Nicodemus

Icerock Scarab (Ice missile) - buy from Nicodemus

Spiny Scarab (Spine Shield) - reward for Audun's Intelligence quest

Scarab of the Void (Dark Bolt) - reward for Kasich's Errands

Amethyst Scarab (Group Heal) - reward for Kasich's Errands

Life Symbol Scarab (Heal Self) - reward for Nightshade Perimeter quest

Translucent scarab (Teleport) - reward for Nightshade Perimeter quest

Malachite Scarab (+6% chance to Riposte) - reward for Audun's Intelligence quest

Polished Bone Scarab (Call Major Aid) - reward for Drake Diplomacy

Opalescent Scarab (+15% to missile damage, Group Mental Cure (2 mental effects)) - buy from Shezass

Fleetfoot Scarab (Haste) - reward for Worst of Them quest

Scarab of Evasion (+5% to hostile effects resistance, +5% to vitality recovery) - reward for Worst of Them quest

Corrupt Scarab (Searing Spray - cone of acid) - Trophy Hall

Scarab of Pure Clarity (Group Cure - 2 hostile effects) - reward for Lord Svarl quest

Frost-Rimed Scarab - Cone of Ice - buy in Fort Foresight

Timewalk Scarab - Battle Frenzy - 4 turns - reward for Eye Leora quest

Pulsating Scarab - Earthshatter - energy damage, stun and knock back - reward for Hand Hahn quest

 

 

Skills:

 

For games at torment difficulty it's better to increase defense and use the bottom efficiency row skills. At lower difficulties you can increase offensive damage instead since you take less damage per attack.

 

Increasing a damage skill past 6 adds more to hit chance and +4 damage levels

 

Spells have a range of 10 tiles and missiles have a range of 12. The center of area attacks has to be within these ranges.

 

Characters are capped at level 30 so you can get all skills at low levels or some at maximum levels. You have 58 skill points to add to skills in a game. It takes 2 skill points to get a new skill and 1 skill point to increase an existing skill.

 

 

Blademaster

 

All abilities are based on strength unless noted as dexterity

 

Basic skills (can only raise to level 4):

Disarming Blow (ability a) - weakening a foe's attacks

Challenge (ability - regenerates for 3 turns and shielded - useful before closing to fight especially early in the game when it's a significant part of your health regenerated when it's your turn to act.

 

Battle Skills:

Melee Training (automatic) - increase chance to hit and damage (+1 level)

--- at level 3 - starts a 5%/level chance of a cleaving hit on a nearby target

--- at level 6 - Stunning Blow(ability c) - more damage and chance to stun

 

Archery Training (automatic) (DEX) - improves missile to hit and damage

--- at level 3 - 5%/level of critical hit

--- at level 7 - Sharpshooter Spray (ability f) (DEX) - as Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons would say, "Best physical area attack, ever."

 

Hamstring (ability i) - damaging and ensnaring target

--- at level 3 - also stuns target

--- at level 6 Swift Shot (ability j) - gives an extra attack

 

Battle Charge (ability m) (DEX) - leap towards foe to make it more likely you will get attacked

--- at level 3 - increases damage

--- at level 6 - Berserk Leap (ability n) (DEX) - leap to target to also daze and knock back

 

Blade Sweep (ability q) - melee area attack on nearby foes

--- at level 3 - add Weakness Curse to nearby foes

--- at level 6 Beserker Slash (ability r) - melee area attack, stuns, and knocks back

 

Utility Skills:

Second Wind (ability g) - heals self

at level 3 - regenerates for 3 turns

at level 6 Recovery (ability h) - also can cure curses and other negative conditions

 

War Cry (ability k) - inflicts war curse on all nearby foes - doesn't work on the monsters you really want, still can help avoid getting hit

--- at level 3 - also inflicts Weakness Curse

--- at level 7 Terrifying Howl (ability l) - terrifies enemies

 

Warrior's Focus (ability o) - Mindshield to all mental attacks - doesn't last long and only 50% effective however blademasters don't have another useful way to avoid mental attacks

--- at level 3 partially reflects attack spells

--- at level 6 Battle Frenzy (ability p) - action points 13

 

Triumphant Roar (ability s) - all nearby allies are Hasted and War Chant

--- at level 3 - cures mental statuses

--- at level 6 Call of the Frenzy (ability t) - battle frenzy for nearby allies

easier to use crystals for effects since you lose attack abilities

 

Efficiency Skills:

Path of the Shield (automatic)

--- magic resistance - 3% per level

--- at level 3 - parry - 4% per level

--- at level 7 - riposte - 6% per level - you still take damage

it's best to maximize this skill since blademasters have so few other ways to reduce damage

 

Path of the Blade (automatic) - very useful to combine with attacks

--- 5%/level damage to melee and missile attacks

--- at level 3 - 5%/level to battle blessings and curses

--- at level 7 - 5%/level chance of critical damage

 

Path of the Berserker (automatic) - very useful

--- increases health 5%/level

--- at level 3 - 3%/level chance of regenerating when hit in melee

--- level 7 - 10%/level chance of attacker getting random curse

 

 

advantages:

only class to parry attacks to completely avoid damage without items

high physical damage especially sharpshooter spray

area attacks:

-- sharpshooter spray (missile)

- -bladesweep (melee)

cleave attack chance - melee training

uses the best armor

 

disadvantages:

mostly gets resistances from items and endurance except for low magic resistance

only has physical damage attacks unless a scarab

easily hit by mental attacks and curses

 

 

Shadowwalker

 

All abilities are based on strength unless noted as dexterity

 

Basic skills (can only raise to level 4):

Locksmith (automatic) - reduces lockpicks needed

Mighty Blow (ability a) - does more damage than a normal hit

 

Battle Skills:

Blade Training - improves to hit and damage in melee (+1 level)

--- at level 3 gives 5%/level chance of poison attack

--- at level 6 Blade Whirlwind (ability - melee area attack

 

Razordisk Training (automatic) (DEX) - increases to hit and damage for missile

--- at level 3 - 5%/level chance of cleaving second foe

--- at level 6 Razor Spray (ability e) - cone shaped area attack

 

Searing Pot (ability i) (DEX) - acid missile attack

--- at level 3 - acid damage over several rounds

--- at level 6 Caustic Pot (ability j) (DEX) - acid damage over an area and with the changes in path AI monsters will go through it to take damage or better stay in damaging area

 

Assassinate (ability m) - melee blow with extra damage

--- at level 3 - additional attack after Assassinate that can be another ability like mighty blow or a range attack

--- at level 6 Deathblow (ability n) - major melee damage with extra damage if the foe's health is low enough

 

Shattering Blow (ability q) - melee attack that stuns and knock back foe

--- at level 3 - chance to also hit nearby foe too

--- at level 6 Steel Tornado (ability r) - attack speed doubles and area melee attack

 

Utility Skills:

Healing Focus (ability g) - heals

--- at level 3 cures 1 curse or hostile status

--- at level 6 Recovery (ability h) - cures several curses or hostile statuses

 

Shadowstep (ability k) (DEX) - stun all nearby foes and leap to nearby location

--- at level 3 - also ensnares

--- at level 6 Cunning Decoy (ability l) (DEX) - creates a decoy in place you leave

not worth over level 3 later in the game since monsters can destroy decoy

 

Shadowwalker's Focus (ability o) - haste and spines

--- at level 3 - get regeneration

--- at level 6 Bladeshield (ability p) - reduced damage (very useful) and riposte

 

Flash Powder (ability s) - all nearby foes are slowed

--- at level 3 - also ensnared

--- at level 6 Stunning Powder (ability t) - all nearby foes are stunned

 

Efficiency Skills:

Steel Discipline (automatic) - 5%/level backstab bonus in melee when target is next to an ally (includes summoned pets)

--- at level 3 - 5%/level to riposte melee attacks

--- at level 7 - 8%/level chance of battle frenzy when hit in melee

 

Earth Discipline (automatic)

--- 4%/level resistance to physical damage blocking

--- at level 3 - 5%/level to magical and elemental attacks

--- at level 7 - 10%/level resistance to mental, poison, and acid

 

Lightning Discipline - 5%/level additional damage to all weapon attacks

--- at level 3 - adds +5%/level to chance of getting critical hits

--- at level 7 - adds +3%/level chance to hit with all attacks

 

advantages

area attacks :

--- blade whirlwind (melee)

--- razor spray (cone)

--- steel tornado (melee)

cleave attack chance:

--- razordisk training at level 3

--- shattering blow at level 3

riposte

lockpicking

high resistances

ninja teleport

early area attack

uses the best armor

 

disadvantages:

lower maximum physical damage than blademaster

need to lower attack abilities to get decent ninja abilities

 

Shaman

 

All abilities are based on intelligence

 

Basic Skills (can only raise to level 4):

Healing Chant (ability a) - heal an ally - only class that can aid others

Servant Blessing (ability - heal and haste a pets

 

Battle Skills:

Spirit Claw (automatic) - melee or missile magical damage hit

--- at level 3 - 5%/level chance of cleaving a second foe

--- at level 6 Spirit Charge (ability c) - area magical attack that has chance of causing vulnerable - best early area attack since it can be positioned anywhere

 

Sacred Ground (ability e) - blesses the ground around shaman to heal and augment allies' abilities (10% bonus)

--- at level 3 - chance the shaman will be hasted

--- at level 6 Accursed Ground (ability f) - curses ground to do damage at make abilities less effective (15% penalty)

 

Poison Mist (ability i) - poison area attack

--- at level 3 - poison damage over several rounds

--- at level 6 Acid Shower (ability j) - acid area attack for several rounds

 

Call the Winds (ability m)- cold missile attack, knocks back and immobilizes (useful against foes that can only melee attack)

--- at level 3 - add curse target

--- at level 7 Call the Storm (ability n) - cone of ice attack, knocks back and ensnares

 

Earthquake (ability q) - physical damage to all nearby foes

--- at level 3 - increases range

--- at level 6 Earthshatter (ability r) - also knocks back and stuns

 

Utility Skills:

Call Wolf (ability g) - summon wolf to fight

--- at level 3 - wolf can use Curse Howl

--- at level 6 Call Hellhound (ability h) - can summon hellhound with cone of fire attack

 

Healing Touch (ability k) - heal an ally

--- at level 3 - also removes a curse or hostile effect

--- at level 6 Group Heal (ability l) - heal all nearby allies

 

Blessing of Thorns (ability o) - spines on all nearby allies

--- at level 3 - also curse 1 hostile statuses from all nearby allies

--- at level 6 Reflection (ability p) - reflects magical damage and gives nearby allies magical resistance

 

Call Salamander (ability s) - summons fire lizard with fire attack

--- at level 3 - salamander can use cloud of fire (ring) - no friendly fire

--- at level 6 Call Drake (ability t) - summons drake with cone of fire attack

 

Efficiency Skills:

Nature Mastery (automatic)

-- increases all magical damage 4%/level

-- at level 3 - increases all healing 8%/level

-- at level 7 - increases all blessings and curses by 10%/level

 

Beast Focus (automatic)

--- adds 1 level to all summoned pets

--- at level 3 - summoned pets have War Chant

--- at level 7 - summoned pets have Haste

 

Aura of the Grove (automatic)

--- gives a 5%/level chance each combat turn to heal nearby allies

--- at level 3 - adds 5%/level chance each combat turn to cure fatigue of nearby allies

--- at level 7 - adds 5%/level chance each combat turn to sanctify ground nearby

 

advantages:

second most different area attacks:

--- spirit charge (magic) (missile)

--- poison mist (poison) (missile)

--- acid shower (acid)(missile)

--- call the storm (cold) (cone)

--- earthquake (physical) (melee)

cleave attack - spirit claw at level 3

can use attacks to knock back foes and chance to immobilize

heal others

spine shield (reflection at level 6)

summon one pet

uses up to chainmail armor

 

disadvantages:

weakest total physical armor damage blocking and resistances

weak attacks beyond spirit claw especially if you develop healing and pets

 

 

Sorceress

 

All abilities are based on intelligence

 

Basic Skills (can only raise to level 4):

Unlock Charm (automatic) - reduces number of lockpicks needed

--- can use Tinker's Satchel to reach level 5

Air Chrysalis (ability a) - gives 20% resistances to all damage types, restores action points the first round, at higher levels it adds blade shield - very powerful for fights and lasts longer as intelligence increases

 

Battle Skills:

Firebolt (automatic) - fire damage in melee and missile

--- at level 3 - 5% chance/level of critical damage

--- at level 6 Icy Lance (ability c) - ice damage

 

Hot Coals (ability e) - heats the ground of target area to do fire damage and at high levels can be significant damage

--- at level 3 - adds fire damage to those crossing area

--- at level 6 Ice Slick (ability f) - does cold damage to area

 

Lightning Wind (ability i) - cone of energy damage

--- at level 3 - adds chance to weaken

--- at level 6 Steel Wind (ability j) - cone of physical damage

 

Ice Storm (ability m) - cold area attack - best area attack for sorceress

--- at level 3 - adds chance to slow

--- at level 6 Firestorm (ability n) - fire area attack

 

Searing Spray (ability q) - cone of acid

--- at level 3 - acid damage for several rounds

--- at level 7Corrupting Cloud (ability r) - higher acid damage cloud

 

Utility Skills:

Daze (ability g) - daze all foes in area

--- at level 3 - increases area of effect

--- at level 6 Charm Foe (ability h) - control mind of foe

 

Arcane Blessing (ability k) - 20% resistance to magic, elemental, and acid attacks

--- at level 3 - Resistance Chant to entire party

--- at level 6 Haste (ability l) - party is hasted instead

 

Arcane Curse (ability o) - war curse on nearby foes

--- at level 3 - also adds weakness curse

--- at level 6 Slow (ability p) - slows nearby foes

 

Cloud of Confusion (ability s) - nearby foes act randomly (can still attack you)

--- at level 3 - increases area effect

--- at level 6 - Assault Blessing (ability t) - haste and magical reflection on nearby allies

 

 

Efficiency Skills:

Focus Mastery (automatic) - best sorceress skill

--- 5%/level chance of critical damage - adds to firebolt chance )

--- at level 3 - 3%/level chance of damaging and stunning foe that hits in melee

--- at level 7 - absorb 10%/level magic or elemental damage to recharge abilities - very powerful for reducing damage and recharging

 

Ward Mastery (automatic)

--- resistance to physical damage 3%/level

--- at level 3 - resistance to mental attacks 8%/level

--- at level 7 - resistance to magic and elemental attacks 10%/level

 

Magical Mastery (automatic)

--- increases to hit 5%/level for spells

--- at level 7 - adds 10%/level chance to reduce time to recharge abilities

 

 

advantages:

most area attack types:

--- lightning wind (energy) (cone)

--- steel wind (physical) (cone)

--- ice storm (cold) (missile)

--- firestorm (fire) (missile)

--- searing spray (acid) (cone)

--- corruption cloud (acid) (missile)

lockpicking

best resistances and can block physical damage like armor

most different damage types

focus mastery - absorption of magic and elemental attacks can reduce damage taken to 5% or less with resistances

can recharge abilities

 

disadvantages:

weakest physical attack and needs to use bow

some common monsters are immune to fire

can't use most armor

doesn't get a healing ability so she needs the self healing scarab

 

Tinkermage

 

Turret abilities are based on intelligence, range attacks are dexterity

 

Basic Skills (can only raise to level 4):

Tool Use (automatic) - reduces number of lockpicks needed

Charge Weapons (ability a) (INT) - doubles your attack damage for several turns

 

Battle Skills:

Blade Training (automatic) (STR) - increases to hit chance and +1 level of damage

--- at level 3 - adds chance of additional acid damage

--- at level 6 Bladelash (ability c) (STR) - knocks foe off balance, slowing, and ensnaring

 

Wristflinger Training (automatically) (DEX) - increases to hit chance and +1 level of damage

--- at level 3 - 5%/level to also ensnare target

--- at level 6 Charged Shot (ability f) (DEX) - corruption damage and fire on foe near target

 

Yankshot (ability i) (DEX) - damages target and pulls foe closer

--- at level 3 - 75% chance to stun target

--- at level 6 Netshot (ability j) (DEX) - damage and temporarily immobilizes target

 

Shock Canister (ability m) (DEX) - energy area damage and makes abilities less effective (15% penalty)

--- at level 3 - also weakens foes

--- at level 6 Acid Canister (ability n) (DEX) - covers area with acid

 

Shrapnel Grenade (ability q) (DEX) - area attack of physical damage

--- at level 3 - 10%/level of critical hit to main target

--- at level 6 Caustic Grenade (ability r) (DEX) - acid area attack

 

Utility Skills:

Build Boltflinger (ability g) (INT) - boltflinger turret for physical damage

--- at level 3 - turret can occasionally spray razors

--- at level 6 Build Razorflinger (ability h) (INT) - razorflinger turret for cone of physical damage

 

Build Snare Turret (ability k) (INT) - build snare turret that damages and ensnares nearby foes

--- at level 3 - more damage and weaken foes

--- at level 6 Build Temporal Pylon (ability l) (INT) - builds temporal pylon that damages and slows nearby foes

 

Build Blessing Pylon (ability o) (INT) - build blessing pylon to bless nearby allies and sometimes help them recharge abilities faster

--- at level 3 - adds shields nearby allies

--- at level 6 Healing Pylon (ability p) (INT) - build healing pylon to heal nearby allies

 

Build Freezing Turret (ability s) (INT) - build ice turret that does cone cold damage

--- at level 3 - occasionally fires in all directions

--- at level 6 Inferno Turret (ability t) (INT) - build inferno turret that does cone fire damage

 

Efficiency Skills:

Tool Craft (automatic) - +5%/level melee damage

--- at level 3 - +5%/level missile damage

--- at level 7 - 8%/level chance of riposting enemy damage

 

Armor Craft (automatic) - 4%/level resistance to physical damage

--- at level 3 - +5%/level resistance to magic and elemental damage

--- at level 7 - +5%/level to evade attacks

 

Turret Craft (automatic) - increases the level of turrets by one

--- at level 3 - turrets have War Chant

--- at level 7 - turrets have Haste

[EA-N A S I R]

Randomizer, I notice that most of the analysis part of this is a copy-and-paste from your Avadon 1 topic. Is it your feeling that the strengths and weaknesses of each class are almost identical? i.e., that nothing in Avadon 3 really shakes them up at all.

[Randomizer]

It mostly is the same until you get to new abilities. This was mostly tweak the game to address complaints in the last two games. No more a shaman needs dexterity to use a tier four ability.

 

The main difference is which abilities can cause friendly fire damage at hard and torment difficulty. On normal the game is close to the early ones.

 

Blademaster and Shadowwalker now have a melee ability that allows them to attack a second time or use another ability without being hasted or in battle frenzy. If you are in battle frenzy you can sometimes do 4 actions in a round.

 

There are some new area effect attacks that Jeff recommended to block corridors inside a dungeon, but can work as well outdoors by making monsters stop in them when they get blocked by a melee fighter. Hot Coals and Ice Slick at high levels can do 100+ penetrating damage in a 5 by 5 tile area. However the tinkermage ability version does less energy damage and only after monsters get into the area.

 

Tinkermage doublestrike instead of repair turret makes them more useful as a fighter than for their attacking turrets.

 

The biggest change is that boss monsters never have more than a 5% miss rate so Parry and Focus Mastery are the only defenses that block or reduce damage significantly. Evasion is only useful against minions and trash mobs. Even then it no longer works as well.

[EA-N A S I R]

And armor/resistance, presumably, right?

[Randomizer]

And armor/resistance, presumably, right?

I've seen them capped at 90%. You can get shadowwalker to that for poison and acid. I think all the others were just below, but with runestones you can get to that for a either physical or elemental resistances.

 

Unless it was a new ability, everything works the same and the only changes are those replacements.

[EA-N A S I R]

I just meant that they exist as defenses that block or reduce damage significantly.

[Randomizer]

Tell that to the shaman that area attacks the monsters and dies when the survivors retaliate.

 

By the end game even with high values to reduce damage, the penetrating amount can kill a character in a round with multiple attacks. I found out when a drake used crushing bite.

[EA-N A S I R]

Yesss, which presumably means the attacks would be even more deadly with the armor/resistance. Right?

[Randomizer]

I really wondered if Jeff modified the game AI to look at those values before deciding to attack. There were a few fights where that seemed to apply. Monsters would go after the low value ones versus their attack damage type even if they hadn't attacked and were cowering in a corner.

[EA-N A S I R]

That seems unlikely. Also, how many monsters actually have access to more than 1 or 2 damage types, anyway?

[mikeprichard]

In other words, Parry (vs. physical) and Focus Mastery (vs. magical/elemental) are the only skills/abilities that block or reduce damage significantly, but of course armor and other character resistances function as always. It would be interesting to confirm whether that AI hypothesis is actually the case (i.e. certain monsters favor attacks on characters that have lower resistances to their favored damage type), and if so, which specific enemies exhibit this behavior.

[EA-N A S I R]

No, this whole thing is phrased opposite to what it really means. If bosses have an automatic 5% miss rate, the only defense that has any impact on is evasion. It doesn't affect armor, or resistance, or extra HP, or defensive buffs or debuffs, or character placement, or summoned meatshields, or... you get the idea.

 

Anyway, evasion was nerfed in Avadon 2, so this is nothing new, right?

[Randomizer]

It got nerfed even more in Avadon 3. I ran a tinkermage with maximum abilities and items to get the highest possible evasion and it didn't help. Jeff dropped the to hit numbers in the release version, but during beta testing I could see how easy it was for monsters to hit.

 

In Avadon 1 you can stand in a swarm of monsters, get stunned and not get hit enough to die before coming out of it. Avadon 2 was harder, but now forget it.

[mikeprichard]

Slarty - what exact phrase is opposite to the actual meaning? I thought the discussion was about Parry and Focus Mastery (and as always for all characters, armor/resistance values) acting to reduce damage, not about how you can evade damage altogether (which is something entirely different).

 

Regardless, I appreciate the advice in this and other topics about the nerfing of evasion's effectiveness generally - so I won't bother to focus on it through pumping Dexterity or equipping +evade items.

[EA-N A S I R]

Mikus, I was responding to the following statement of Randomizer:

 

The biggest change is that boss monsters never have more than a 5% miss rate so Parry and Focus Mastery are the only defenses that block or reduce damage significantly.

My point is that there are in fact a lot of defenses that block or reduce damage, including several that do so significantly besides the ones listed, and evasion is literally the only such defense that is affected by the 5% miss rate of bosses.

[mikeprichard]

Ahh, I get you now - thanks.

[Ociporus]

Thank you, Randomizer. You are always so extraordinarily helpful.

 

If you (or someone else) would be so kind, what exactly is the "%"? I think it is not a percentage, but something to do with dice.

And maybe it depends upon what is being talked about?

[Randomizer]

Jeff took from Dungeons and Dragons the concept from d20 fighting that you always have a 5% chance to fumble and miss your target (1 in 20 chance) and a 5% chance to alway hit no matter how much the target can evade (natural 20). In game and you can only see it in the beta versions, the number generated for the to hit was seen with and whether it did hit. The formula is given in the Hint Book near the end.

 

Boss monsters have such a great to hit chance that they only have the 5% fumble. But even regular monsters have better to hit chances than in previous games.

[Owenmoz]

Are shamans still handicapped by the energy damage thing?

[Randomizer]

Jeff made more monsters immune to other damage types, but there are plenty of constructs that are immune and enough that have higher energy resistances. At least he fixed the earthquake so it uses intelligence instead of dexterity.

[mikeprichard]

I hope Jeff's removal of the to-hit chance values from in-game feedback is just a quirk of Avadon 3, and not his future titles as well - or maybe it's a ploy to get people to shell out cash for the Hint Book?

[Owenmoz]

Jeff made more monsters immune to other damage types, but there are plenty of constructs that are immune and enough that have higher energy resistances. At least he fixed the earthquake so it uses intelligence instead of dexterity.

Finally i can be myself without being significantly worse than the rest. Its all i wanted.

[utelektr]

Is it just me, or are Shaman summons still terrible?

[Randomizer]

The worst part is they only do physical or fire damage and there are lots of things near the end that have either high physical armor or are immune to fire damage.

 

They aren't that bad as meat shields and do decent damage otherwise.

[mikeprichard]

Stat that increases scarab ability

Blademaster - Dexterity

Shadowwalker - Dexterity

Shaman - Intelligence

Sorcerer - Intelligence

Tinkermage - Dexterity

 

This isn't accurate. As just one confirmed example, if you equip an Amethyst Scarab (Group Heal ability) on a Shadowwalker, the scarab's ability scales with Strength, not Dexterity.

[utelektr]

Anyone know what Deathblow does? It says massive damage if target's health is low enough, but how low is that?

[EA-N A S I R]

This isn't accurate. As just one confirmed example, if you equip an Amethyst Scarab (Group Heal ability) on a Shadowwalker, the scarab's ability scales with Strength, not Dexterity.

So I just tested this and... it's a bit weird this time, particularly for Tinkermages:

 

Shaman and Sorceror: INT is used for everything.

Blademaster and Shadowwalker: DEX is used for direct damage, while STR is used for healing.

Tinkermage: DEX is used for direct damage, while healing abilities are split: Heal Self uses INT, but Group Heal uses DEX.

[Randomizer]

Jeff in early betas showed the attribute that went with some scarabs, but instead of showing it for all of them he went with removing that information.

[mikeprichard]

Hopefully he'll put the correct information back in for all scarabs with v1.0.1, as he's already said he's correcting all tooltips.

[EA-N A S I R]

Most scarab abilities are already labelled, I think. The buffs don't actually receive a boost from any stat, and the only damage or healing ability I saw without a label was Cone of Fire. (Which maybe doesn't have one because summons use that ability, too. Not a huge deal either way.)

[Bonam]

Thanks for all the information. Just reading through this, it could use a few clarifications:,

 

1)

Skills:

Class calculations assume maximizing the center skill column to 8 and using the 3 column skill points given at level 5, 15, and 25. For games at torment difficulty it's better to increase defense and use the center column skills. At lower difficulties you can increase offensive damage instead since you take less damage per attack.

 

We now have "rows" rather than "columns". It might be better to describe the skills rows by their names rather than by their position in the window since I have no idea what this means other than by opening up Avadon 2 and trying to cross-reference. I haven't crunched any numbers but it seems like putting all the specialization points (5,15,25) into the passive "efficiency" skills is best since you get those bonuses all the time, regardless of what action/ability you are performing.

 

Also what do you mean by "class calculations assume... ". What calculations are you referring to?

 

 

2)

Basic skills (can only raise to level 4):

Disarming Blow (ability a) - weakening a foe's attacks

Challenge (ability - regenerates for 3 turns and shielded - useful before closing to fight especially early in the game when it's a significant part of your health regenerated when it's your turn to act.

 

What is the benefit of putting more points into these skills?

 

 

3)

Efficiency Skills:

Focus Mastery (automatic) - best sorceress skill

--- 5%/level chance of critical damage - adds to firebolt chance )

--- at level 3 - 3%/level chance of damaging and stunning foe that hits in melee

--- at level 7 - absorb 10%/level magic or elemental damage to recharge abilities - very powerful for reducing damage and recharging

 

Ward Mastery (automatic)

--- resistance to physical damage 3%/level

--- at level 3 - resistance to mental attacks 8%/level

--- at level 7 - resistance to magic and elemental attacks 10%/level

 

Magical Mastery (automatic)

--- increases to hit 5%/level for spells

--- at level 7 - adds 10%/level chance to reduce time to recharge abilities

 

For these and other class's passive skills that gain additional effects at higher level, does the scaling start with that level or level 1? What I mean is, for example for ward mastery, if I have it at level 7, does that give me 10% resistance to magic and elemental attacks, or 70%?

[Randomizer]

Class calculations got dropped and showed the maximum you could get with certain skills like Parry.

 

Attack skills like Disarming blow will increase damage and chance to hit. Blessing skills like Challenge would get slightly longer duration, but usually isn't worth it.

 

A basic skill like Tool Use, Lockpicking, or Unlock Charm would reduce the number of lock picks needed as you increase that skill.

[Lilith]

For these and other class's passive skills that gain additional effects at higher level, does the scaling start with that level or level 1? What I mean is, for example for ward mastery, if I have it at level 7, does that give me 10% resistance to magic and elemental attacks, or 70%?

 

It usually starts with the level at which you get the extra effect, so 10%.

[EA-N A S I R]

The in-game tooltip says Magical Mastery increases DAMAGE, not hit rate, for all spells. That is a pretty big distinction! Randomizer, is the different listing here a leftover from previous games, or does it reflect a bug?

[Randomizer]

I bet the tool tip was just brought over from a previous game. Jeff cut and pasted information without checking it.

[EA-N A S I R]

Um, no. The in-game tooltip has changed from Avadon 2's. Given that Jeff tinkered with other passive abilities as well (the Shaman's and the Tinkermage's, at least), and given that this list was copied and pasted without being checked, it's a distinct possibility that the in-game tooltip is correct, and your list is wrong.

 

Of course, it's certainly possible that the tooltip is wrong. But finding that out would require testing.