Hello everyone, I must say I rather enjoyed my first full playthrough. It was reasonably easy in the beginning and only got easier as the game progressed.

A few words for anyone trying to run a summoner, based on my own experiences with "Wrage the Higher Summoner".

In general gameplay as a summoner is - as mentioned - simple (if a bit dull) when you get the hang of it. My own character focused on defensive aspects by getting antimagic and wearing heavy armor along with a shield (talent requirements met early with help of stat boosting items).

High points: great staying power against theoretically stronger enemies. Orc ambush was easy. So was nearly every other fight.

Low points: very long last fight and fight against your corrupted twin (I nearly gave up both times). Dealing with strong regenerative abilities is hard and requires some masterful summon placement and abuse of time-prison from warper.

What to do: boos hydra fast as it is your main fighting power, jelly is essential for keeping equilibrium down (and antimagic shield up). Make sure you get at least one level of control summon so that you can modify ai settings for your summons (esp. talent usage). There's little point in boosting warhound, it's just too weak. Getting more meditation is equally pointless, same for detonation past one point. I can't say I found rage any good either. Beware of archers.

What I'd do differently: I wouldn't bother with the 4th infusion - boosting Summoning / Melee is a better choice. Evasion (from Cunning) was useless - there was always a better action to take. Antimagic is barely worth it due to loss of arcane items.

And now for the dirty tricks you can (but really won't have to) use:
- summoning through walls makes short work of every room, works on vaults too,
- summoning before switching locations keeps your creatures, it also works with entering and leaving the worldmap (I'm sure that one is a bug).

Yesterday I introduced MoRE, the upcoming unofficial expansion module to the base ToME game, and told you a bit about it's history and purpose. In the next few days until release, I will be giving you a bit of a preview at some of the new things that will be included. Some of these features are already available for download separately, although none of them are, to my knowledge, based completely on the current ToME version. I will nonetheless provide links, just in case you can't wait to try some of these things out.

One of the keys words associated with alchemy is transmutation, the ability to turn one substance into another. ToME's alchemist has, however mostly focused other skills--until now. MoRE introduces the Transmutation tree for alchemists. Turn stone into mud and deadly acid. Leave a trail of destruction on your wake. Turn the very elements against your enemies. All this and more in the Transmutation tree for Alchemists.

http://forums.te4.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=25679&p=107023&hilit=+transmu...

I am proud to announce that my module MoRE--A Mashup of Random Elements--will see release in a few days. So what? Why should you care? What is this module about?

I'm hoping in the next few days to answer a few of these questions.

This whole idea started when I began posting in a discussion about a commander type class. I came up with some definite ideas then realized just how much the base game would have to be altered to make it work. This in turn made me think of other user created content that gets posted from time to time. There were many things here that looked fun and interesting, yes how many would take the time to play them? That is how MoRE was born.

MoRE will collect the best of this non-official content in a single, easy to use package. New classes, skill trees, races, and eventually classes and various tweaks and changes to the base game. It won't be a radical depature from normal ToME, but will simply add, well, more, to the base experience.

Garkun was the second-born son of a relatively minor Warrior Caste family in Iron Throne. As the warrior caste always has clients willing to pay very nicely for mercenaries, Garkun was allowed education in fighting styles, penmanship, and the basics of equipment use (whereas the mage caste has not produced anything beyond managing to break even since the Great Smith-Mage Dakhtun. Poor Greedy, may he rest in peace.)
With the recent orc attacks threatening important stralite veins (and more importantly, profitability), the Council decided to send a cadre the strongest warriors they had to investigate Reknor. Tradition dictated the eldest was strongest, but amongst the minor families, it was common practise to fabricate documents indicating the second-born (or even third) son was eldest, as the eldest by the most inviolate of laws and traditions was always heir to the family holdings. As the threat was greatly underestimated, the smith caste was allowed to bring its tradesmen to repair any minor damages the equipment might suffer on the trip, and charge their usual fees. Garkun's family gave him 10 gold for these services, but now only he and his childhood friend, Norgan have survived... below are excerpts from his diary:

Diary entry, day two of expedition
Just woke Norgan up after crawling into a hole some rats made in an abandoned tunnel. Still somewhat surprised to be alive, considering how quickly Valrun and the others from the other families were dispatched. Norgan seems a little frightened, but capable.

---

A few hours later, found a bloody phial on the ground, dropped by some right-idiotic orc no doubt. Asked Elisa about it through the use of her scrying orb, she said it was "Very nice!" Apparently it gave me an "extra life" by drinking it. Not sure what that means. Norgan's shield-slamming seems to be making quick work of any foes we encounter.

Diary entry, day five of expedition
Well, that was certainly a workout. Found the ugliest orc (yes, I know, they're all ugly. But this one looks like he got hit by the ugly stick more than what the rest of these scum have.) I'd ever seen, flinging ... something unspeakably nasty at Norgan and I. Nearly killed Norgan, but the handy Regeneration infusions the caste war apothecaries made for us were able to keep death at bay. By the time we'd made it to Iron Throne, Norgan decided fighting wasn't for him anymore. Poor man. Not sure what he'd be able to do as a warrior like me, but the council now wants volunteers to go clean out Tentacle-ville... err, The Deep Bellow. Shouldn't make light of our fallen comrades like that. After the fight with Captain Ugly down there, I need some fresh air for the first time in my life.

Diary entry - Last Hope
Followed a trade caravan to the Allied Kingdom's mountaintop fortress. Nice place, found a dwarf living there from the alchemist's caste, he wanted into "The Brotherhood of Alchemists," which is apparently some grandiose organization from the way his eyes started gleaming like he was looking at a nice set of voratun gear. Better muscles is always nice, so I told him I'd like that. 'Course, I didn't like what he told me to go kill. An elder vampire, and a greater multi-hued wyrm. Well. Maybe I'll find one just lying freshly-killed by a mountain accidentally dropping on it repeatedly.

Diary entry - Derth
Followed yet another trade caravan here, to this small farming village. If I never have to smell live cow again, it'll be too soon. Don't think my diary will ever stop reeking of their leavings. Did find a shady cornac hiding behind one of the buildings, took me to their equivalent of combat trials in Iron Throne - what a complete and total pushover, these louts wouldn't have survived the first minute in the true trials. Did learn some new tricks to protect myself with my armour, though.

Diary entry - ow
My grandfather always said death was just the ultimate adventure. If by that he meant "Say hi to the Eidolon for me," then I'd agree. Strange fellow. Uh, note to self - don't try to bite off more than you can chew again. Stupid assassins. At least the human merchant was thankful. His shop had better have the best gear money can buy.

Diary entry - miserable sand pit
Well, this has been a long, strange trip. All this fighting has got me in peak physical condition, though I'm sure my old masters in the Throne would chide at how clumsily I fight. I produce results, don't I? Dumb worm queen died, and the chatty "Very nice!" halfling told me to eat the heart. I feel... more at peace with nature. Not sure how else to describe it.

Diary entry - surrounded by orc bits
Huh. Rod of Recall didn't take me back to my underwater palace that time. It took me to a field of orcs, all of which are ugly, pulpy bits now. The smell is hideous, but still my diary's marginally less pleasant smell of cow leavings persists. Got a very nice hammer from the Master in addition to this staff the orcs were after, and the leader orc had a nice little helmet on his head that I took for my own use.

---

... not even a single day after leaving Dreadfell behind me (which somehow managed to cram at least two greater multi-hued wyrms inside) and losing two "lives" to those miserable little ingrates, I find some adventurers that seem to think "dwarf beard" is part of some alchemical potion they need. What does the first dead adventurer have in his backpack? A (quill bits and ink splots) scale from a multi-hued wyrm. Lousy...

Diary entry - this place, again?!
So, the elder of Last Hope told me to go search in Reknor for what the orcs were doing out in Maj'Eyal. Surprised the old coot even knew about Reknor. Found some babbling, lost alchemist, the fourth thus far. Was thinking to myself, "Just maybe this one will live." But noooooo, some idiot necromancer found a troll graveyard. Three patchwork trolls stepped out of the shadows, and deprived of my most damaging ability that hits more than one foe (since these useless lackwits don't understand the meaning of "stay out of my way when I do this!") he died rather spectacularly. I can still hear his panicky screams... or that might just be some other lost idjit. Sod it all. Only the basics in imbuing armours with gems learned, when I could have worked with the finest of gems. Worthless, stupid imbeciles. At least this fine suit of prismatic dwarven-steel platemail of the dragon is keeping ME alive. Knew that merchant wouldn't let me down.

(several pages seem to be torn out messily)

Diary entry - worthless cave full of spiders
I hate spiders. Creepy, nasty, evil little things. I will admit I was a little scared of them, but my fear of them has been replaced with something far more useful to a Berserker like me - apoplectic fury, because of some (quill bits and ink splots) "LOREMASTER" DARED INSULT THE BRAVE HEROES THAT tried to save these useless, moronic, idiotic, impotent "escort" imbeciles. HE DARES CALL US COWARDS?!!!! If I ever find this "Loremaster Verutir," I will make sure he painfully understands just how angry I am at his writings. As a side note, I should look into finding sturdier quills, these ones don't seem to hold up to my mighty penmanship.

Diary entry - there and back again
Never thought I'd see Maj'Eyal again. Decided to see what that hidden treasure was that the library in my palace kept blathering on about... found a bunch of troll whelplings and a ... lost thief... who was as powerful as me. In some place that was as challenging to him as stealing candy from a baby. Oi, their incompetence never ends. Found some nice gems by the biggest of the nasties.. hah, sod it, they're all tiny but that one was the only one that took more than two hits. Guess this Warmaster Fnord knew what kind of blade worked well. Smart orc. Orc, but smart. Dead, too, haha.

Diary entry - maze again
Paid a visit to my old stomping grounds in the Throne, overheard how a patrol went missing here. Haven't seen or heard anything since I set foot in this place again. Wait....(a very large inkstain occupies the rest of the page)

---

I hate spiders. I really do. That one... that one I did not need to see. Dead now though, sliced into a million tiny little bits. Did get some amulet that REALLY AMPLIFIED THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE. HAR! Bet I'll have fun with this one in the Motherlode. Hm. Should ask and see if I'm still welcome there after that gas attack the roast orc haunch gave me.

Diary entry - forest again
Just put ol' Wrathie's bigger brother to the campfire I made. Pity all he had going for him was his size. Didn't need to do anything beyond pop a single regen infusion. Got some nice teeth all strung into a necklace off its "corpse"... hold on, Elisa got back to me.... oh by the Elder's curled toes, my Da gave me a name so ridiculously close to some long-dead orc. He must be laughing now. Sometimes I wonder about Elisa, she's always saying how every last trinket I find is "Very nice!"

Diary entry - Last Hope, yet again
Think my diary is starting to stop smelling like cow leavings at last, but then again I might just be getting used to it. Chap I gave my orb of many ways to said I needed some weird book from Telos' tower. Should be a fun jaunt. He seems like such a nice fellow. I'll be sure to mention him in my will, when this is all over.

I was determined to have a successful Yeek. My previous attempts had been sad failures, the best getting to the hive mother before being utterly destroyed. So, I decided to do something a little crazy. Yeeks definatly don't have the stats for it, but all my most successful characters are warriors, so I made a Yeek Warrior. I thought that the stats might suck, but with shield wall and Unity, this character would not suffer being frozen, stunned or confused all the time as previous characters of mine have. To get to the point, this character was my most successful Yeek, killing both Murgul and the Hive Mother. However the main directive of this character was to save the Wayist. This was a dismal failure as Subject Z made quick work of the NPC and then proceeded to destroy my Yeek Warrior. Maybe an alchemist would have better luck. The Yeek is more suited for that class.

It have a level 33 Thalore fighter. He is one of the best characters I have had, but I may have lost him to a glitch. I make use of the far portal for grinding whenever I can. Unfortunately on my latest expedition I have come across a level with no exit. I have not killed the boss yet, and there is no down staircase. I have teleported around the level, hoping to find some section I missed. Unfortunately I haven't. I have tunneled into nearly every part of the map and I still can't find a way to continue. Is there any solution or advise for this problem. I do not want to lose this character.

Triace

I don't think the fog is supposed to be this thick. At least I hope not.

Hi fellow players!

 

Next beta is going to introduce a new birth screen which should hopefully be much nicer to use.

It also introduces "premades" which are a new way of handling quickbirth, more obvious to people.

 

 

Have fun!

The Darkgod did it! He killed over one hundred thousands adventurers!

Since the inception of the profiles system in mid august last year the system has recorded over 4500 days of playtime, that is over 12 years and 3 months of ToME'ing. Over that same period 100000 poor adventurers lost their lifes in the many dark places of the world (or by blowing themselves up, it happens too!).

The realtime stats are located there: http://te4.org/game-statistics

Have fun my fellow players! And to you that are not yet players, quick go to http://te4.org/download !

As promised here comes T-Engine4 and ToME4 beta28 ! See http://te4.org/

Don't forget to help ToME by with donations( http://te4.org/donate ) !

 

Release highlights:

• Fixes most crashes
• Many smaller fixes
• Fixed character registration
• Much improved chat UI, scrollable, items/creature link ability, spoilers channel
• Various balance tweaks
• Reduced the length of the orc prides and hte high peak
• New unified and improved levelup screen
• New items tooltips with easy-compare feature

Expanded changelist:

• Confusion power is reduced by confusion resistance
• Many new zone specific creature tiles
• Reworked Aegis into a shield boost and replaced Contingency with Shielding
• It is now possible to create rings and amulets from unique gems
• Creatures inside the ring of blood can not see outside of it
• Reduced the four Prides to four levels instead of five
• Reduced the High Peak to 10 levels
• The Transmogrify menu option is correctly filtered
• Super high level psionic leeches can not get 0 cooldown
• Equilibrium and Paradox now show failure chance in the left pane
• Charsheet is on normal dialog background
• New levelup screen, merges both stats and talents and adds way more nice stuff. Thanks graziel!
• Dominant Will can not take control of dead creatures
• Exploratory farpotal exits can not be dug away
• Timeless does not affect timed effect with the "time" type
• Reduced chances of orc patrols
• Fix weird tiles/crash when coming back from the Fearscape or the Eidolon plane
• Conduit does not make resting infinite
• Oozes correctly reset their MOs when splitting
• Added a 10 seconds timeout to online character registration
• If a character has not been registered online the game is more lenient and can try again later
• Assigning a hotkey to a talent now removes the previous hotkey for that talent
• Mouse running will try very hard to avoid traps but if there is no way out but a trap it will walk through it
• Fix a rare random start crash
• Can not teleport outside the arena in the arena unlock
• Arena unlock NPC is now a bit more visible in Derth and will also ask the player to come talk to him
• Can not have two events at once in the worldmap
• Two new achievements related to the "room of death"
• Improved items tooltips with more color. Also when an item tooltip is show, pressing control will make it display the differences with your current equipped item for the same slot
• The Trapped! quest can only happen in some places now
• When using Dominant Will it is impossible to access the slave's inventory
• Fixed the error spam when freezing creatures
• Carbon Spikes will now regenerate over time
• Anomaly chance is now reduced by willpower like failure and backfire
• Switched anomaly and backfire chances
• Elite horrors will be more dangerous and have more hit points (but generally rarer)
• Carrion Worms are more dangerous
• Dredge Frenzy no longer costs paradox (preventing offscreen anomalies)
• Fixed precognition
• Fixed borrowed time timed effect tooltip
• Few typos corrected
• Paradox Mage unlock made easier, the future self will now cast Sever Lifeline after about 20 turns which ourights kill the target 4 turns later if still in LOS
• Disarm now requires a melee hit to work
• Dying while confused correctly removes sustains
• The last few creatures with a 20 FOV are now at 10 like the others
• The heart of the sandworm queen now grants unlockable harmoy tree if unknown, learns it if known and increases mastery if learnt
• When an NPC uses Feed on you, you get a debuff that goes away if the NPC dies or you switch level
• When changing list in inventory or store display the tooltip correctly updates
• When dropping items the inventory item description correctly updates
• Dark Tendrils correctly checks for pinning resistance
• Bosses whose artifact has alredy been generated will not be deprived of artifacts anymore
• Arcane Blades lost the Divination tree in favour of the Aegis tree
• rng.range, rng.float have now reversable parameters
• The Transmogrification Chest now correctly handles stacks
• Norgos correctly drops an artifact now
• Borrowed Time is now a time effect
• Random bosses/elites have a correct mastery level
• Fixed a crash when selling item stacks
• Rename wizard hat defender ego to aegis
• Cancelling Disperse Magic no longer casts it on you
• Unstoppable correctly prevents all healing
• Items and creatures can now be linked in the ingame chat
• Chat log can now be scrolled
• Clicking on a channel name will popup a big scrollable chat log
• There is now a "tome" and a "tome-spoiler" ingame channels
• When messages appear in the non-current channels their button will glow and the messages will not be put in the game log
• Ctrl+M shows the game log or the chat log depending on which window is active
• Shift+space allows to cycle through chat channels
• Gloves and Gauntlets artifacts now provide armour
• Levelup indicator in the left pane
• Fixed lore 2 of Lorekeeper Hadak

Have fun!