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Titan Quest received a new expansion.....

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  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    I've just discovered something quite cool with Thunderstrike, the "right mouse" ability in Runcaster. If you use it with a bow you fire a fan of arrows.
    smeagolheartmlnevese
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    edited November 2017
    Fardragon said:

    I've just discovered something quite cool with Thunderstrike, the "right mouse" ability in Runcaster. If you use it with a bow you fire a fan of arrows.

    I'll have to try this.

    Edit:

    Wow cool. It's a great right mouse button skill for bow users. You probably know but others might not that Runeword: Burn ONLY seems to work with bows. Doesn't do anything for melee but Runeword: Explode does work for melee. Not sure about staffs (staves?).
    Post edited by smeagolheart on
    mlnevese
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    I'm also giving another go at Runemaster mastery. I was inspired by some really awesome Ichthian Womper drops when my Templar got to the beginning of Asia. I'm still dreaming of a great hammer/mace user.

    After I paired my Seer with Defense mastery to become a Templar, I started thinking about how Runemaster mastery might pair with Defense mastery. The combination of weapon handling with armor handling skills seems like a good match. The seven second recharge on Thunderstrike also is very enticing compared with the twelve second recharge on Temporal Rift.

    This time, rather than investing heavily in Runemaster mastery just to see what all the skills do up all the tiers, I want to go about halfway up the Runemaster mastery and max out Thunderstrike while also investing early in lower tier Defense skills. I'll let everyone know how it turns out.
    mlneveseThacoBellsmeagolheart
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    So I've started my run and have put everything into sword proficiency and TWF. I'm at level six and hit Nesus who was at...11? Really? I cleared every monster out of every map I can access at this point and there is that much of a difference this early? I don't recall that fight being such a jump.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    edited November 2017
    ThacoBell said:

    So I've started my run and have put everything into sword proficiency and TWF. I'm at level six and hit Nesus who was at...11? Really? I cleared every monster out of every map I can access at this point and there is that much of a difference this early? I don't recall that fight being such a jump.

    The thing about Titan Quest is that, unlike almost all other games in the genre, it's set-up as a static world rather than a random one (Grim Dawn is like this too, but to much better results). There is nothing wrong with that, but it actively discourages grinding for gear or levels, because it's the exact same map every time. Torchlight 2 has, generally, the same problem.

    I don't dislike these games at all, but when I compare the idea of farming in Diablo 2 to this game, it becomes clear to me what turns me off about Titan Quest.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    I like TQ but, like I have in Baldur's Gate, I find myself with frequent restartitis. I play a while then think Oh it'd be cool to start over as a slightly different character...
    StefanOmlneveseBelgarathMTHThacoBell
  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    I'm playing right now two rune master combinations: rune mastery + defence (fast sword and shield) and rune mastery + nature (bows). Promising so far, but it's to early (act 2) to say more.
    BelgarathMTH
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    ThacoBell said:

    So I've started my run and have put everything into sword proficiency and TWF. I'm at level six and hit Nesus who was at...11? Really? I cleared every monster out of every map I can access at this point and there is that much of a difference this early? I don't recall that fight being such a jump.

    Yes, I felt Nessus was difficult on my first playthrough, and I was level 7 when I got to him. But it's very build dependant. TQ doesn't hold your hand. Sounds to me like you have insufficient defence.
    ThacoBell
  • BelleSorciereBelleSorciere Member Posts: 2,108
    Anyone have any thoughts on Act 5?
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    Have only looked at the very first bit. A slightly more elaborate boss-fight, but otherwise it is more of the same (with added viking).
    BelleSorcieremlnevese
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653

    Anyone have any thoughts on Act 5?

    Since I've already been hit with restartitis like I usually am, I'm starting to wonder if I'm ever going to see Act V. I'm torn between pressing forward with my Templar that I took all the way through Egypt and into Asia yesterday, or to keep fiddling around with different Runemaster builds in Greece.

    If only they hadn't added a new mastery along with the expansion! :smile:
    smeagolheart
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    @Fardragon Defense? What's that ;)

    My usual hack and slash builds tend to be a little imbalanced towards offense. Which is weird, because I was still just doing scratch damage.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    ThacoBell said:

    @Fardragon Defense? What's that ;)

    My usual hack and slash builds tend to be a little imbalanced towards offense. Which is weird, because I was still just doing scratch damage.

    Most of the bosses have extra immunities and stronger defense. The undead boss guy before you go to Minos requires a lot of hits and always takes a long time to kill.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    I like rogue/thief classes in general so I started a rogue/rune trickster in order to use poison and mandrake on my Thunderstrike aoe bow attacks. I created a test char in act 5 level 40 and it seems like it will work, though very skill point intensive if you go for the whole poison tree. Traps are also good for crowd control in Anniversary Edition.
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    Just one thing I should have mentioned about act 5 - it's the first point in the game you get to fight human enemies.
    BelgarathMTH
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    edited November 2017

    I like rogue/thief classes in general so I started a rogue/rune trickster in order to use poison and mandrake on my Thunderstrike aoe bow attacks. I created a test char in act 5 level 40 and it seems like it will work, though very skill point intensive if you go for the whole poison tree. Traps are also good for crowd control in Anniversary Edition.

    If you use ranged attacks and are very good on the keyboard you could get away with a very offensive build, but a melee character without solid defenses will find some bosses impossible. And the big bosses are pretty much immune to all CC.
    smeagolheart
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    Fardragon said:

    I like rogue/thief classes in general so I started a rogue/rune trickster in order to use poison and mandrake on my Thunderstrike aoe bow attacks. I created a test char in act 5 level 40 and it seems like it will work, though very skill point intensive if you go for the whole poison tree. Traps are also good for crowd control in Anniversary Edition.

    If you use ranged attacks and are very good on the keyboard you could get away with a very offensive build, but a melee character without solid defenses will find some bosses impossible. And the big bosses are pretty much immune to all CC.
    True, it's looking weak against bosses.

    It's good at mowing through trash mobs which are easy to begin with. I'll invest in lethal strike I guess to boost single target damage. Melee against bosses will be a issue but that's an issue for most classes except maybe Conqueror or something else with Defense.
  • WesboiWesboi Member Posts: 403
    It's very hard for me to try runemaster being I'm 99% warfare and spirit I just can't drop either of those two.
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I'm planning on using heart of the oak from the nature tree to cover my defensive weakness. Should go for it asap? Or get my main warfare skills maxed first?
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    More on Act 5: a very strange assortment of "celtic" accents!
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,963
    ThacoBell said:

    I'm planning on using heart of the oak from the nature tree to cover my defensive weakness. Should go for it asap? Or get my main warfare skills maxed first?

    It's a balancing act. You won't need it at first. By act 3, around level 20 something I think, you may want it.
    ThacoBell
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    edited November 2017
    So, I'm starting to get more and more impressed with the Runes mastery. I got a pure Runes build to maximum in the mastery, then started running with one point each in the left mouse attack, the Thunderstrike on right mouse, the Runes of Life, and the Guardian Stones. I have almost maxed out the Energy Armor skill on the top tier, and, while it is an energy hog, requiring a constant supply of energy potions to keep it up, it is an awesome defense, pretty much making you invulnerable to physical damage (including piercing and bleeding, two of the worst killers from Hades) for up to about 1,000 points of damage.

    Guardian Stones are interesting. They have an ability to reduce a single enemy's health by 30%, multiple times. But, they have a four minute recharge time. That tells me that they are meant to be used in big boss fights only. Also, they have a very small circular threat area, such that you have to try to keep the boss within their small threat range. But, I see a huge potential for boss fighting in them. Again, they have freaking thirty percent health reduction in a single strike.

    I am starting to become strangely motivated by some of the new Steam achievements. There is one I'd like to get, that very few people have yet, for beating all of Normal level with a single mastery. Then, there are achievements for beating the game on Legendary with each of the masteries. I've never cared that much about Steam achievements, but, on a game I love this much, well, hmm... maybe this time.

    I'm thrilled beyond words to have both a new Titan Quest expansion and a new Neverwinter Nights enhancement given to me at the same time. So many ideas for play, so little time. :)
    FardragonThacoBell
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850

    So, I'm starting to get more and more impressed with the Runes mastery. I got a pure Runes build to maximum in the mastery, then started running with one point each in the left mouse attack, the Thunderstrike on right mouse, the Runes of Life, and the Guardian Stones. I have almost maxed out the Energy Armor skill on the top tier, and, while it is an energy hog, requiring a constant supply of energy potions to keep it up, it is an awesome defense, pretty much making you invulnerable to physical damage (including piercing and bleeding, two of the worst killers from Hades) for up to about 1,000 points of damage.

    Guardian Stones are interesting. They have an ability to reduce a single enemy's health by 30%, multiple times. But, they have a four minute recharge time. That tells me that they are meant to be used in big boss fights only. Also, they have a very small circular threat area, such that you have to try to keep the boss within their small threat range. But, I see a huge potential for boss fighting in them. Again, they have freaking thirty percent health reduction in a single strike.

    I am starting to become strangely motivated by some of the new Steam achievements. There is one I'd like to get, that very few people have yet, for beating all of Normal level with a single mastery. Then, there are achievements for beating the game on Legendary with each of the masteries. I've never cared that much about Steam achievements, but, on a game I love this much, well, hmm... maybe this time.

    I'm thrilled beyond words to have both a new Titan Quest expansion and a new Neverwinter Nights enhancement given to me at the same time. So many ideas for play, so little time. :)

    Guardian Stones sounds alot like the Static Field talent of the Sorceress in Diablo 2, though that had no real cooldown and while it stacked, it had diminishing returns.
    BelgarathMTH
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    Runic Mines gets a thumbs up from me. Since they are cast in a circle without needing targeting they are ideal when getting swarmed with trash mobs.

    Thumbs down for Seal of Fate though. This must be targeted, and has a time delay (about 3 seconds I think), making it very difficult to hit anything with it!

    Can confirm that Thunderstrike works with a staff.
    mlneveseBelgarathMTH
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    Okay, I played almost to the end of Egypt today with my Runes character.

    Even though he's pumped STR, and using a mace and heavy armor, I've wound up playing him like a caster, with Thunderstrike on the left mouse and Rune Mines on the right. I had spent quite a few points on Rune Weapon, but I bought the points back. I am very confused about what exactly this class is supposed to be in the long term. If the Rune Weapon worked with a staff, then I would get it. It would be a caster class. But Rune Weapon doesn't work with a staff.

    Rune Weapon seems pretty useless to me except maybe for an archer, and I don't like using bows. Was it meant to be a kind of Arcane Archer? Then why is the class icon of an axe-wielder?

    The only niche I can see for the class at this point is for a bow user/caster. With anyy attempt to play a pure melee weapon user or pure staff wielding caster, it seems to me like any other mastery would do it better; way better, in fact.

    I'd appreciate any more insights into how people are playing with the Runes mastery. It's great in Normal Greece and most of Egypt, but it starts to fall short in the long term, as far as I can see. The damage output of the mastery looks to me like it gets gimped severely, one way or another, be it weapon choice, or attribute choice.
    mlneveseBelleSorciere
  • ThacoBellThacoBell Member Posts: 12,235
    I don't have the expansion myself, and thus haven't played it. But just from what I'm hearing from you guys about its weird skill spread, it sounds like its meant as a secondary class. It sounds too schizophrenic to stand on its own. I'm thinking its meant to support other classes.
    BelgarathMTH
  • BelleSorciereBelleSorciere Member Posts: 2,108
    A friend of mine played through at least act IV with just runecasting, so it can stand on its own.
    BelgarathMTHThacoBell
  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    edited November 2017
    A rune master can surely stand on his own. I'm playing now a spear rune master. The second mastery will be storm. From an RP perspective cold and lightning damage fit nicely into the nordic scenario.
    BelgarathMTHThacoBell
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    edited November 2017
    Whilst a Runemaster can be built in many ways, I think there is a clue to the "archetypical" runemaster in act 5: throwing axes are common.

    If I understand the rules correctly, Thunderstrike, being entierly elemental damage, benefits from high INT, not strength. There is also a passive at the top of the Rune Weapon tree that can turn more than half of your physical damage into elemental damage (Transmutation), so that benefits from INT instead of strength too.

    Runemaster also gets an ability that reduces the strength requirement for weapons (Runeword: Feather). This means you can use strength based weapons, such as axes and throwing axes, even if you put most of your points into intelligence.

    Finally, the Runemaster can choose passives that benefit shields or enable dual wielding. These are useless with bows, but work with one handed throwing weapons, such as throwing axes.

    So an archetypal pure Runemaster is a caster who uses axes and throwing axes instead of a staff.


    NB, this means the built in dps estimate on the character sheet is useless.
    Post edited by Fardragon on
    StefanOBelgarathMTHBelleSorciereThacoBell
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    edited November 2017
    @Fardragon , That makes a lot of sense. It sounds like I may have messed up my Runemaster by pumping STR instead of INT and going for blunt weapons (which have the greatest STR requirement of all weapons.) I also wanted to wear heavy armor, but I'm seeing from the way Rune Mines work, that it seems meant to wear caster armor and avoid direct melee, doing a lot of kiting and using spells and ranged weapons. I may have to accept that the intended play style of the class is just not for me. (I like to run right into monsters and start hacking and slashing toe to toe.)

    Does anyone know if Rune Weapon works with throwing daggers?

    I also noticed and started to figure out that I couldn't get any useable information from the dps reading in the character sheet, because it doesn't figure in your elemental damage from Rune Weapon. That was giving me a really hard time choosing weapons. I guess a weapon with a lot of extra elemental damage is best?
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