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DoomRL => Discussion => Topic started by: Aki on October 20, 2013, 03:54

Title: Master trait discussion 2: Scavenger
Post by: Aki on October 20, 2013, 03:54
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So I was doing a little ruminating on Scavenger.

Here's the trait, for anyone unfamiliar with it:

(http://puu.sh/4UBnF/1ec3c2fe43.png)

What do you think of it? Pros and cons? Do you think it's fine as it is now?

After having used it in a UV Ao100 100% run, i'd have to say that the trait itself could do with a little tiny bit of a buff. Ao100/AAo666 probably brings out the potential of this trait and it really only makes getting some of those assemblies a little bit easier (1/6 of getting a Nano/Onyx pack from a generic ranged unique? May as well get a Nano mod from the floor.). It's not as much as a buff as some of the other master traits such as Ammochain, Malicious Blades and Sharpshooter, for example. I mean, it's great if you find a nano pack earlier on like I did, or find a unique that gives a guaranteed mod like I also did, but with that level of RNG luck the game might as well give you a Dragonslayer on a MMB run.

There's two things I was thinking. The first is renaming it something like Engineer (MEg) and giving you an additional mod slot for Assemblies (On top of WK 2). That'd probably be enough of a buff and would give you a little more strategic depth or something like that. The effect would apply to assemblies made before taking the master trait as well.

The second thing would be simply increasing the rate of a useful modpack from exotics/uniques (letting exotics give you a chance at any random unique modpack and changing exotics to 1/3 nano/onyx and 1/6 sniper/firestorm) and increasing the number of things you could disassemble. (perhaps allow melee uniques/exotics? certain armors? You could certainly pull something from the Cybernetic armor, for example..)
Title: Re: Master trait discussion 2: Scavenger
Post by: LuckyDee on October 20, 2013, 04:03
At the moment I wouldn't use Scavenger outside of Ao100/666 runs, unless I'm really desperate for a Technician badge. On higher difficulty normal games (UV+) it might still be useful, since the skill-block it imposes is relatively mild and thus allows for a broad range of tactics (based on whatever doomsday device you're able to cook up); on lower diffiiculties, you simply don't earn enough xp to put this to good use.

If the nano/onyx drop rates were higher, I'd probably be satisfied.
Title: Re: Master trait discussion 2: Scavenger
Post by: Aki on October 20, 2013, 04:12
At the moment I wouldn't use Scavenger outside of Ao100/666 runs, unless I'm really desperate for a Technician badge. On higher difficulty normal games (UV+) it might still be useful, since the skill-block it imposes is relatively mild and thus allows for a broad range of tactics (based on whatever doomsday device you're able to cook up); on lower diffiiculties, you simply don't earn enough xp to put this to good use.

That's something that I struggled with for a little while, but then I realized something - MSc includes Whizkid in the requirements, giving you earlier access to (modable) assemblies. Even something as simple as a Nanofibre red armor (P) within a few levels of the Anomaly means that this pays for itself. Lack of starting power isn't really a problem because you can take everything up to about dlevel 9-10 with a combat shotgun unless you get a bad level layout (in which case you were probably screwed anyway unless you found a good unique/exotic/assembly).

I heard somewhere most of the balancing is done at the HNTR and UV levels, so it could probably do with a tweak.

Quote
If the nano/onyx drop rates were higher, I'd probably be satisfied.

Yeah, Between the Armory and the Vaults that'd probably get you something good, although i've never had a unique spawn out of something like 20 armories - I could be unlucky though - so perhaps adding Onyx/nano to exotics isn't a bad idea.
Title: Re: Master trait discussion 2: Scavenger
Post by: Moddan on October 23, 2013, 06:02
How about adding one possible mod slot to assemblies when selecting this master trait?
Title: Re: Master trait discussion 2: Scavenger
Post by: Aki on October 23, 2013, 07:35
I did mention that in the OP. That'd be a much needed buff, though it'd really only become apparent on really crazy things.