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User:Kernelmethod/Sandbox:Build Guide: Difference between revisions
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= Introduction = | = Introduction = | ||
Welcome! This guide is a spoiler-free intro to buildcrafting for new players. | |||
First, some disclaimers: | |||
* '''If you're just looking for a build to play, check out the [[build library]].''' Alternatively, try out the [[presets]]! This guide is primarily written for players interested in creating their own builds. | |||
* '''This guide assumes you've played Caves of Qud for at least a couple of hours.''' It's helpful to be aware of some basic game mechanics when buildcrafting, although this guide does its best to cover useful information you may have otherwise missed. | |||
* '''This guide is oriented towards character creation and the early game.''' This is where most new players struggle; by the time you're able to consistently reach the mid- and late-game you'll probably have at least some sense for how well different builds will fare. | * '''This guide is oriented towards character creation and the early game.''' This is where most new players struggle; by the time you're able to consistently reach the mid- and late-game you'll probably have at least some sense for how well different builds will fare. | ||
* '''This guide is primarily written for people playing mutant characters.''' "Build design" is, of course, just as much a concept for True Kin characters as it is for mutants, and the ideas presented here (building toolkits for different situations) are equally pertinent. However, most of the interesting build design questions for True Kin are deferred to the mid- and late-game; they primarily survive the early game by having better stats and finding good gear. For mutants, the choices that are made during character creation will affect their entire run. | * '''This guide is primarily written for people playing mutant characters.''' "Build design" is, of course, just as much a concept for True Kin characters as it is for mutants, and the ideas presented here (building toolkits for different situations) are equally pertinent. However, most of the interesting build design questions for True Kin are deferred to the mid- and late-game; they primarily survive the early game by having better stats and finding good gear. For mutants, the choices that are made during character creation will affect their entire run. | ||
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== Additional references == | == Additional references == | ||
Alongside this tutorial, here are some other references that you may find useful: | |||
* [https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1711493305 Dij's "Basic Qud Gameplay FAQ for Beginners"] | * [https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1711493305 Dij's "Basic Qud Gameplay FAQ for Beginners"] | ||
* [[Build library]] | * [[Build library]]: the wiki's build library includes builds for beginning, medium, and advanced players. If you're looking for a place to start (and none of the game's presets are to your liking), you should check out this page for some inspiration. | ||
* [https://www.qudzoo.com/library Qudzoo Build Library]: Qudzoo is another helpful resource for comparing your builds with those that others have crafted. | |||
* [[Early Game Checklist]] | * [[Early Game Checklist]] | ||
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See the [[attributes]] page for more information: | See the [[attributes]] page for more information: | ||
* [[Strength|'''Strength:''']] | * [[Strength|'''Strength:''']] affects how much damage your melee attacks do by increasing their [[PV]]. It also increases your [[carry capacity]]. Strength is required for the [[Axe]] and [[Cudgel]] skill trees, as well as a few others. | ||
* [[Agility|'''Agility:''']] | * [[Agility|'''Agility:''']] affects the accuracy of your attacks, and improves your [[DV]]. It is required for the [[Pistol]], [[Bow and Rifle]], and [[Short Blade]] skill trees, as well as a few others. | ||
* [[Toughness|'''Toughness:''']] | * [[Toughness|'''Toughness:''']] affects how many [[hitpoints]] you gain per level, and how many you recover per turn. It's needed for the [[Endurance]] skill tree (which has various useful defensive skills), and is also used for a handful of saving throws, such as saves against being [[poisoned]].<br>HP gains from Toughness are applied ''retroactively'': if you gain an extra point of toughness at level 10 and go from 20 Toughness to 21 Toughness, you gain HP to match what you would have had if you'd had 21 Toughness since level 1. As a result, picking up high Toughness at the start of the game doesn't confer any advantages over picking up high Toughness later in the game (outside of improving your early-game defenses). | ||
* [[Intelligence|'''Intelligence:''']] | * [[Intelligence|'''Intelligence:''']] affects the number of skill points you gain per level, which in turn impacts how many different skills you can pick up. It is also required for the [[Wayfaring]] and [[Tinkering]] trees. Like Toughness, skill point gains from Intelligence are applied retroactively, so achieving high Intelligence in the early game doesn't give you an advantage over achieving high Intelligence in the late game. | ||
* [[Willpower|'''Willpower:''']] | * [[Willpower|'''Willpower:''']] reduces the cooldown of your abilities. It increases your [[MA]] and your health regeneration, and is required for the [[Self-discipline]] skill tree. | ||
* [[Ego|'''Ego:''']] | * [[Ego|'''Ego:''']] improves the level of your mental mutations, and is required for the [[Persuasion]] skill tree. Higher ego also improves trade prices. | ||
== Secondary stats == | == Secondary stats == | ||
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Factors to consider include (from most to least important for beginning players): | Factors to consider include (from most to least important for beginning players): | ||
# How well do I absorb damage? Is there a specific kind of damage that I'm vulnerable to? ''(Both of these problems are usually solved by making a modest investment into Toughness and Willpower).'' | |||
# How can I escape from large groups of enemies? What will I do when I'm surrounded? | |||
# If all else fails, what is my trump card? What tricks do I have to '''reliably''' escape? | |||
# How can I escape from ''specific'' types of enemies? (This is especially important if there's a certain enemy type that you've noticed causes you a lot of trouble, like {{favilink|novice of the Sightless Way|plural}} or {{favilink|slugsnout|plural}}.) | |||
# How do I detect and avoid trouble in the first place? | |||
# How can I mitigate certain effects? What will I do if I get [[poisoned]] or [[confused]], for instance? | |||
For example, as a mutant, you could choose to build around {{favilink|Multiple Legs}} and {{favilink|Two-Hearted}} to solve these problems by beelining your way out of danger. As a True Kin, having {{favilink|shade oil injector|plural}} can help you in an emergency by simultaneously boosting your DV and phasing you out (just keep in mind that it may be difficult to find these injectors in the early game!). | For example, as a mutant, you could choose to build around {{favilink|Multiple Legs}} and {{favilink|Two-Hearted}} to solve these problems by beelining your way out of danger. As a True Kin, having {{favilink|shade oil injector|plural}} can help you in an emergency by simultaneously boosting your DV and phasing you out (just keep in mind that it may be difficult to find these injectors in the early game!). | ||
It's useful to know a bit about game mechanics when answering these questions. For example, normally it's impossible to use a {{favilink|recoiler}} when there are enemies nearby, so you can't just rely on one by itself to teleport away from foes. However, you ''can'' recoil if you're surrounded by your own forcefields, so a common strategy for mutants is to grab {{favilink|Force Bubble}} or {{favilink|Force Wall}} so that you can surround yourself and recoil away. | It's useful to know a bit about game mechanics when answering these questions. For example, normally it's impossible to use a {{favilink|recoiler}} when there are enemies nearby, so you can't just rely on one by itself to teleport away from foes. However, you ''can'' recoil if you're surrounded by your own forcefields, so a common strategy for mutants is to grab {{favilink|Force Bubble}} or {{favilink|Force Wall}} so that you can surround yourself and recoil away (serving as a good trump card). | ||
Here are some more examples of defensive tools, and how they address the questions above: | |||
* {{favilink|Carapace}} increases your AV, which helps you absorb more damage (Q1). It also dramatically improves your [[heat resistance]] and [[cold resistance]], which will prevent you from being set on fire or frozen (Q6). | |||
* {{favilink|Multiple Legs}} allows you to move around faster, which is very useful when running away from groups of enemies (Q2). {{favilink|Yeshyrskin slippers}} can also serve the same purpose. However, since Multiple Legs scales unboundedly, it can also help increase your AV (addressing Q1) by using it in combination with [[Ironshank]] (Ironshank raises your AV while Multiple Legs replaces the lost movement speed). | |||
* {{favilink|Temporal Fugue}} gives enemies a ton of new targets that are just as powerful as you, giving you enough time to escape. It has a high cooldown, so it can't be used frequently, but it ''is'' useful when you suddenly find a situation you need to get out of immediately (Q3). | |||
* In the mid- and late-game, {{favilink|EMP grenade|plural}} are a good defensive tool specifically for dealing with robotic enemies and enemies with lots of tech (Q4). Since you'll probably want to craft a lot of them, you'll want to take [[Tinker I]] as a prerequisite. The {{favilink|Electromagnetic Pulse}} mutation can also achieve the same effect. | |||
== Offensive toolkit == | == Offensive toolkit == | ||
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For example, {{favilink|Sunder Mind}} is a powerful mutation and is excellent for defeating enemies with high AV and high health. However, it only attacks one enemy at once and takes several turns, so it isn't strong against groups of enemies. It also has a moderate cooldown of 80 turns and is ineffective against enemies with mental shields (such as [[oozes]] and [[robots]]), so it isn't terribly reliable. As a result, you probably want to have other offensive tools besides just Sunder Mind for fighting enemies. For example, you could pair Sunder Mind with a ranged weapon, which will be better for dealing with groups of enemies and can hit oozes and robots, but won't deal as much damage. | For example, {{favilink|Sunder Mind}} is a powerful mutation and is excellent for defeating enemies with high AV and high health. However, it only attacks one enemy at once and takes several turns, so it isn't strong against groups of enemies. It also has a moderate cooldown of 80 turns and is ineffective against enemies with mental shields (such as [[oozes]] and [[robots]]), so it isn't terribly reliable. As a result, you probably want to have other offensive tools besides just Sunder Mind for fighting enemies. For example, you could pair Sunder Mind with a ranged weapon, which will be better for dealing with groups of enemies and can hit oozes and robots, but won't deal as much damage. | ||
Offensive toolkits can include: | |||
* Any kind of weapon, from a {{favilink|Steel Butcher Knife}} to a {{favilink|Crysteel warhammer}}, is a part of your offensive toolkit if you can wield it effectively against the enemies you're facing. | |||
* {{favilink|Flaming Ray}} deals damage to enemies in a line, has a fairly low cooldown, and deals decent damage, making it a fairly reliable (Q3) weapon that can be wielded against groups of enemies (Q2). It can be combined with melee weapons, an even more reliable source of damage, and in conjunction with [[Multiweapon Fighting]] and {{favilink|Multiple Arms}} it can consistently set enemies on fire (Q5) when you perform multiple melee attacks per turn. | |||
* {{favilink|Temporal Fugue}} also serves as an offensive trump card (Q6), giving you a temporary but significant boost to your damage output. | |||
== Other tools == | == Other tools == | ||
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= Some examples = | = Some examples = | ||
We'll wrap up this guide by looking at some builds through the lenses we've established in the previous sections. Keep in mind: | |||
{{Ambox | |||
| border = red | |||
| image = [[File:Hunter_of_the_sightless_way.png|48px|Spoiler]] | |||
| type = '''These are not "recommended" builds, nor are they an endorsement of specific skills and mutations!''' | |||
}} | |||
When reading the discussion of the presented builds, think back to the steps presented earlier: how do each of these builds craft an offensive and defensive toolkit? How do their stats support those toolkits? | |||
{{Cryptogull|title=Gas Giant|code=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|comment=|author=kernelmethod}} | {{Cryptogull|title=Gas Giant|code=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|comment=|author=kernelmethod}} | ||
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Notice that the offensive and defensive sides of this build synergize very well together. For example, Adrenal Control and Heightened Quickness benefit both our offensive and defensive kits; Carapace allows us to defend (with "tighten carapace") while we're still attacking; and Willpower is a good stat for both our offensive and defensive mutations. The one major downside of this build is that we've pinned all of our offensive hopes on Corrosive Gas Generation, which (by its imprecise nature) is difficult to use in certain mid- and late-game scenarios. However, all of the other advantages we've described allow it to clear early-game areas like {{favilink|Golgotha}} and {{favilink|Bethesda Susa}} with ease. | Notice that the offensive and defensive sides of this build synergize very well together. For example, Adrenal Control and Heightened Quickness benefit both our offensive and defensive kits; Carapace allows us to defend (with "tighten carapace") while we're still attacking; and Willpower is a good stat for both our offensive and defensive mutations. The one major downside of this build is that we've pinned all of our offensive hopes on Corrosive Gas Generation, which (by its imprecise nature) is difficult to use in certain mid- and late-game scenarios. However, all of the other advantages we've described allow it to clear early-game areas like {{favilink|Golgotha}} and {{favilink|Bethesda Susa}} with ease. | ||
<br> | |||
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