Zizzencs
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 19
Registered: 09-23-2007
IP: Logged

I'm glad I tried this game out, even if it is not the classical DROD game. It seems to be _very_ time consuming though to optimize my path through all the levels.

On my first "blind" run I made it to Rule 6 then run out of HP.

On my second run, I collected the following questions in Rule 1 and 2:

- Rule1: do I need to kill the first WW?
- Rule1: do I need to open the door to the secret room?
- Rule1: do I need to kill the second WW?

- Rule2: do I need to spend 10 GR to get the +1 ATK upgrade?
- Rule2: do I need to get the shield?
- Rule2: do I kill the queen first or let it spawn the egg?

All of these seem to be viable options and their combinations seem to be endless. (No, actually a bit less than 2^6 in this case. Whatever.)

I'm just wondering: how many times did others restart the game to explore more possible options?

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 3626
Registered: 10-06-2005
IP: Logged

Zizzencs wrote:
- Rule1: do I need to kill the first WW?

Don't do it until you have 21 ATK; that way you'll kill it in two hits instead of three, and take one fewer hit in return.

- Rule1: do I need to open the door to the secret room?

You can if you want to, but you don't need to.

- Rule1: do I need to kill the second WW?
- Rule2: do I need to spend 10 GR to get the +1 ATK upgrade

Do these if you feel like it, it's your choice.

- Rule2: do I need to get the shield?

You basically want to get the shield as soon as possible, yeah, since reducing damage is very powerful.

- Rule2: do I kill the queen first or let it spawn the egg?

It depends on how quickly you want whatever she's guarding.

All of these seem to be viable options and their combinations seem to be endless. (No, actually a bit less than 2^6 in this case. Whatever.)

I'm just wondering: how many times did others restart the game to explore more possible options?

The basic idea of DROD: RPG is that you want to be very economical: try to get as many free things as possible, or items whose costs remain relatively constant, then later go back with your super powers and/or your keys and go get items that used to cost a lot but don't cost as much anymore.

There's quite a bit of leniency (people have finished both halves with thousands of spare HP), and you definitely don't need to optimize perfectly to get through the game. But you do want to be a bit careful.

I find the only time I really need to restart an entire level is if I find myself fighting a lot of monsters and think I'm "just short" on ATK, or somehow think I'm hundreds or thousands of HP behind where I'm supposed to be. It took me about four or five "level restarts" to beat Tendry's Tale. (And several more quick-save reloads.)

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[Last edited by Chaco at 09-25-2014 01:40 PM]

navithmastero
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 598
Registered: 01-03-2012
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As a general rule, only pick up optional items if they are the best you can find, get the rest later. Also, once you've got enough attack (or def) to one-shot things, kill them *all*. Finally, use yellow keys sparingly.

Sorry if I repeated some of the points made above.

-nm

PS.

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[Last edited by navithmastero at 09-25-2014 05:02 PM]

NoahT
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1133
Registered: 06-17-2003
IP: Logged

Another good rule to follow is that when you are in a level with elements that deal damage as a percentage (like hot tiles and aumtlich), avoid picking up more HP than necessary until you are ready to exit the level.

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