Yo.
First of all, take into consideration that this was my first time playing ToS. Also, I’m thinking on an early game scenario, not considering that much mid-late game (200+).
Thank you in advance for reading!
My path: Cleric (C1) > Krivis (C2) > Sadhu (C2) > Druid (C1).
Build I followed: http://www.tosbase.com/tools/skill-simulator/build/43immx1vdy/
Average of hours/day: 6 to 8 hours.
UI Mode: keyboard.
GENERAL GAMEPLAY
Quests. If they’re enough, I don’t know. I have to admit I didn’t pay much attention to some of them either because of the lore, reaching top level soon (anxiety. lol) or being tired of reading similar situations I read in previous maps. I do remember of some quests being cool like the one in Stele Road you have to kick those small trees to the fire and kill them. Still, I don’t have motivation to read all of them. Side quests have no point at all, they’re just card givers and provides no real information of anything. No one wants to read “my farm was attacked by Orange Lizardmen! Please kill them” repeatedly. Do you get how this doesn’t add anything? Yeah, it’s easier to criticize and not giving solutions, but I think you feel, more or less, the same as me.
Still with quests, another thing I’d like to talk about is class advancement quest. In general, they’re too simplistic. I remember that 2 of my advancements quests (Sadhu C? and Druid C1) were to win over my Class Master in a fight. Nothing special, just a random event to change your class. That’s it. They’re poorly designed and, not being rare, totally apart from the class characteristics. I don’t get the point of winning over your Class Master to be a Druid. Sadhu, the same. Remake those quests in order to have a sense with the actual class. I was really disappointed.
Now to bosses. Why do they pop at almost every single quest in the beginning and then simply disappear at later quests/”random findings” on the map? They aren’t well distributed and they become repetitive at some point. I like fighting bosses, being easy or not, however IMC should either diversify and add more of them or evenly spread through the game.
Equipment + crafting + awakening. The array of equipment available is so small that everyone uses the same thing, in contrast of class variety the game proposes to ‘build your character’ and creates diversity. Arde Dagger/Karacha Dagger and Roxona sets, just to mention some examples, are used by everyone. I think that having ‘armor masteries’ and ‘awakening’ aren’t enough to build this diversity on equipment. Speaking of awakening, I got the randomness of having some unusual stat in a weapon/armor, but it’s exaggerated. For example, Ignition’s awakening is +7 Accuracy and it’s predetermined. Magic attacks don’t miss, so what’s the point? Even if it doesn’t, +7 won’t change anyone’s life. Some may not agree, but why not an awakening system that gives random stats, just like any and not predetermined ones as we have now? Yeah, I could get Accuracy, but at least you had the chance of getting Magic Attack or Evasion. Last but not least, the crafting system. I didn’t expect much, it’s simple and 100% chance in all attempts. Having lower chances of success would add a bit of thrill while crafting a rare recipe with mats you farmed for hours, but not having anything to increase its chance like a cash shop item, for God’s sake. Crafting could be better.
The difficulty of the game, for me, rest between easy and medium, nearer to easy regarding farming/crafting equipment, fighting mobs/bosses (including Marionette, Dullahan, Ellaganos, etc), leveling, questing, etc. To be honest, I was more thrilled of discovering how my build would work and discovering the lore through main quests rather than progressing to an ‘endgame’ (considering max level of this CBT). Maybe because of 2 reasons: first, too much hype? Even though I disliked some points I stated above (and below), I would continue playing the game and I still have faith on it. Second, maybe I was a bit lucky of dropping recipes of Ignition, Conqueror, Dullahan Fragments, etc, in my first attempts. I don’t really know if they’re difficult to get, so I can’t say much.
LEVELING
At early stage (from 1-150), I was quite happy with experience in general. This is no news for anyone, but this change, notably after level 160. I don’t know if the problem is in some LVX EXP Cards that doesn’t scale well (giving just a bit more experience than the previous one), if mob EXP should be higher at later levels, both or me. I just felt I wasn’t receiving enough experience from ~150 to 186 and, if this doesn’t change, my biggest fear is 200+ content. I haven’t saved many cards (50 LV8 cards only) at level 157, so I had to grind more than some people. The grind after level 170 started getting a bit too much and I was tired of seeing, day after day, the same damn tree using Gust, the same spider mob I forgot the name and those archers in 2nd Demon Prison. I grinded until 172 and used my cards (113 from quests until level 176 maps), bumping me to 178 or 179 (I forgot. :d). I don’t want to label myself as ‘casual’ or ‘hardcore’ because, for me, it’s the least of the game’s concerns and IMC need as much info as possible from players, regardless of their experiences and thoughts. Experience scaling should be reviewed.
CLASSES
I only played with this character, so my review will be a bit limited, especially because I haven’t had much time to play in the last week and test other classes. Based on my experiences, IMC should balance some skills and give more options when we make a build. I’m not saying to create new ones, but to make some of them more relevant. Persistent bugs will be listed below (from my experience).
Cleric (C1) is pretty standard, nothing much to say here. However, for full support build’s sake, I think that Heal should scale better through 1-15, and when I say better, I’m not saying they should increase Heal’s potential from level 1 to 5, but the contrary. At level 5 I could heal a pure CON tanker with one heal cast (I know it’s influenced by others HP, but…). What’s the point of having a LV10 Heal, for example? With my INT, I could be a Healer and DPS at the same time. Full support builds will be useless if it stays this way, even in group PVP environment.
Krivis (C2) was the most satisfying class I’ve played and I couldn’t have chosen better class for my gameplay style. Good damage early on and good buffs with Divine Stigma, Zalciai (the effect by itself) and Daino. Still, I have 2 remarks.
I haven’t tested this skill, but what’s the point of having Aukuras? The heal over time which the skill provides is really ‘meh’ and, as far as I know (correct me if I’m wrong), even the Accuracy decrease isn’t that big on players. No one would stay in its radius too, really.
My 2nd remark is regarding Magic Amplification. At MAX, the Zalciai attribute provides +48 Magic Amplification when you step over this specific skill. Comparing to other ‘OoB procs’ like Cure and Chortasmata, the damage difference is so irrelevant that makes the attribute kinda useless. Not only the attribute, but MA from cloth gloves for example. My point here isn’t to raise MA influence in magic damage because the damage by itself is rather big among magic users, but I don’t understand the reason of its existence if even +elemental damage, for example, has more influence in our damage. How would that be in a LV300+ scenario?
Sadhu (C2) wasn’t a part of my plan from the beginning (I wanted Sadhu C3), however C2 was enough in all aspects. The Out of Body (OoB) distance was enough and Possession damage was enough as well. They’re all good skills, despite OoB attack speed being recently nerfed in kCBT. :d … Changing skills, Astral Body Explosion is just okay with knockdown attribute and Vashita Siddhi was the only option to spare my last skill points. It’s okay to pull mobs from a distance when you’re so close of hitting them and I wonder how the Confusion attribute works in PvP. Friendly fire?
Druid (C1) has potential, but it’s unexplored at this stage. Carnivory and Sterea Trofh are great skills with Chortasmata, but what about Telepath/Shape Shifting/Transform? The only real usage of Telepath is in PvP or, forcing the situation, take control over a mob that will kill your friend. My point isn’t this skill exactly but Shape Shifting (and consequently Transform). You have no motivation to transform into different mobs because 99% of them are useless. Adding to this fact, Transform only lets you transform on the last monster you have shapeshifted. In my opinion, IMC should do 2 things: add some sort of limited deck where Druids can save up to 3 or 5 previous transformations, and make transformations more attractive because who wants to transform into a monster that deals 300 damage when you can deal 10x more in a shorter period of time? Of 9 total attributes we have, 7 are related to shapeshift. Attributes are cool, but Shape Shifting/Transform skills are unattractive.
Talking about recent changes in kCBT, I understand some changes and it should really put some skills in higher circles, but Chortasmata at C2? It’s the bread and butter of Druid, without it is the same of not having both Chortas and Carnivory. I’m not even justifying due to the fact some maps don’t have grass, but both Carnivory and Sterea Trofh, without Chortasmata, doesn’t work 99% of the time. Maybe moving it to C1 again or making a new skill?
Did I like this path? Yeah, it’s really cool, I had damage, I had Heal, I had protection…but not in an overpowered way. At lower levels I had the impression of being really powerful, however at level 200 it changes because mobs becomes stronger.
I transformed myself in almost all mobs of the game and made a small list of ones I found interesting, but as I said above: 99% are useless, just their attacks and that’s it.
MOBS
• Vubbe Wizard (Crystal Mine 2F): Reflect Shield. (close range, single target)
• Crystal Spider (Crystal Mine 3F): Slow (AoE).
• Panto (Srautas Gorge): Mov Speed buff.
• Doyor (Veja Ravine): Reflect Shield. (close range, small AoE)
• Tanu (Veja Ravine): Knockback.
• Ultanun (Vieta Gorge): Slow (AoE).
• Caro (Cobalt Forest): Flame Pillar.
• Merog Shaman (Sirgela Forest): Safety Zone (1 square) and Cure (3 squares).
• Hogma Shaman (King’s Plateau): Heal and Fire Wall (small version).
• Lepusbunny Magician (Zachariel Crossroads): triple attack.
• Vekarabe (Royal Mausoleum 2F): knock up and big smoke trace when walking. Lol
• Stumpy Tree (Stele Road) // Orange Stumpy Tree (Shatton Farm): heal (5 tiles in cross)
• Red Fisherman (Saknis Plains): decrease Evasion (~60 points) and increase Accuracy (~400 points).
- based on my stats (289 EVA – 217 ACC)
• Nuo (Demon Prison 4th District): knockback (melee)
• Melatinun (Shatton Reservoir): AoE slow and AoE Poison (30s duration) - it says 1 minute, but it’s not.
COULDN’T TRANSFORM (forgot some)
• Bosses.
• ‘Mini’ bosses (like Mauros).
• Non insect, animal or plant type flying mobs.
• Zolem (Escanciu Village).
• Voodoo Doll (Mage Tower 2F).
• Green Pokuborn (Poslinkis Forest).
• Red Rubabos (Pilgrim Path).
• Stoulet Archer (Forest of Prayer).
• Blue Velwriggler (Grand Corridor).
• Hohen Orben (Demon Prison 3rd District).
• Hohen Gulak (Demon Prison 5th District).
• Siaulogre (Dina Bee Farm).
• Corrupt Deadborne Scap (Valius’ Eternal Resting Place).
One more point: BUGS. Sadhus and Druids are buggy and I don’t even know where I should start. To list some of them:
• Spirit movement is bugged in mouse mode (I think controller as well);
• Some stairs bugs Prakriti, making you go back to your body the skill going CD. This especially happens in Inner Enceinte District (Level 196 map).
• If you have Reflect Shield (Wizard skill) on and you stay inside Safety Zone, no matter what hits you, you will go back to your body;
• Not sure if it’s a bug or not, but Possession can be cancelled by any hit;
• If someone dies in PvP by Possession, the person has to relog. Something similar happens with Telepath, however I don’t remember if it’s random or you need to do something to trigger it.
• Both Carnivory and Sterea Trofh, without Chortasmata, are useless. Although visually you can see them on grass, sometimes they don’t apply any damage or protection.
• You can use your skills while in Transform mode when playing with a Controller. This doesn’t happen with Keyboard and Mouse, which you use mobs skills.
SUGGESTIONS
• more itemization.
• random awakening stats.
• make Shape Shifting/Transform more interesting!
• some skills such as Heal should be more ‘valued’ due to reasons I stated above.
• adjust EXP received from some mobs and cards.
• not only Class Advancement quests, but quests in general should be more appealing!
• balance PvP, because some classes are so powerful against others. Bad experiences with Quarrel Shooter and their infinite stuns, and also Monk with the drain HP/SP skill, which is death for almost everyone. Lol … Not only class balance but CC immunity as well?