It is been month since DlC came out, sharing some thoughts, starting with two new classes:
First one is which you get soon you installed DLC, so you can start new Lost Civilization adventure with Astronomer right away.
This is a another intelligence based class besides Scholar or Herbalist. However unlike Scholar and Herbalist who can't take too much punches, Astronomer is a mage tank version of FTK.
Higher vitality means that he can take more punishment before he falls comparded with other intelligence classes, also his weapon type (wands) are one handed which means you can pair it with shield, boosting tankiness of Astronomer.
However it means that he is slower than Scholar and Herbalist as trade off, Astronomer is good choice for Golden Hourglass accessory if you happen to have it in your hands.
Another disadvantage in my opinion is that wands aren't good, they are generally weaker than books or staffs, dealing less damage. I often ends up getting books and staffs for Astronomer instead wands because sooner enemies are dead, the better.
Wands do compensate by able to pair with shield and wands often have extra power for example refoces after end of battle. Also most wands deal damage with just one dice roll while stronger attacks or support magic have more dice rolls generally paired with accuracy penalty.
Main reason for usage of wands is synergy with Astronomer's signature skill: Black Hole.
I either love and hate Black Hole skill. When attacking single enemy succesfully with any weapon, there is roughly 5% chance to trigger Black Hole.
In that case enemy is sucked into black hole and transmorphed into Star Matter, however you don't gain gold, XP and loot from that enemy.
It is painful to see Black Hole trigger if it was supposed to be killing strike against very tough enemy and happy to see it trigger at start of tough battle so party don't get damaged.
Star matter can be sold for 13 gold or use it in combat. When you activate it, it creates invincible partywide shield with 3 charges. No matter how powerful blow or nasty status effect enemy throuws at you, your party don't gain damage, instead a charge is decreased for every strike.
Meaning that if enemy use a partywide attack, Star Matter do disappear instantly since all three character do get hit once costing 3 charges.
Star Matter is best used against very though enemies, scrouges or bosses. I generally get around 5 of them in single game from start till finish.
Lastly Astronomer get free skill support range, meaning he can support other party members with any weapon.
Also starting with spyglass which give Astronomer +1 sight means that Astronomer can scout bit further from other partymembers, uncovering more unknown terrain and at same time participate battles thanks support range.
Overall I think that Astronomer is solid class, though if you want to dish out more damage quicker with magic, then Scholar is better choice. A classic choice between attacking type or defensive type.
When you beat Arena Champion in Lost Civilization story, then you unlock second character: Gladiator.
Gladiator can be described as a pure glass cannon, high strength paired with speed means Gladiator can rival Hunter in terms of inflicting damage over time, Gladiator has very high awareness as well.
But big trade off is that Gladiator completly sucks at three other departement including vitality, which means that Gladiator tends to fall quickly if evasion roll fails or if Gladiator don't get decent defensive equipment from midway game of later.
Gladiator has two skills, entertain is same as Busker and other one is exculsive for Gladiator: Glory. It is a simple skill, when starting any battle, there is 10% chance that Gladiator get atk up from start for 2/3 turns. It don't stack with atk up from other sources.
Gladiator attacks with dual swords (Pugios), dual swords in FTK is stronger than one handed swords but weaker than two handed swords.
Biggest advantage of dual swords is that most(or all) of them have speed bonuses, which results in that I often use them for Blacksmiths or Woodcutters to compensate for their low speed.
This do negate speed penalty from strength based equipment somewhat, thus in late game phase Gladiator often still has around 70 speed unlike Blacksmiths or Woodcutters who are very slow.
Interestingly game gives Gladiator two sets of weapons from start, strength based dual sword (Pugios) which has atk of 11 with piercing ability or awareness based Worn Trident 10 atk with piercing ability paired with Wooden Parma (shield).
Instead have Gladiator make a choice from one of them, why not make a party including Gladiator and Hunter. You might see already where it is going...
When starting game, before you make first step out Oarton, give Worn Trident and Wooden Parma to Hunter. Just with this you have two killing DPS machines from start, one with 11 piercing atk and other with 10 piercing atk!
With it, first area is basically cleared already at hardest diffculty before you even started it, enemies in first area don't stand any chance against this combo. Oversight from developers or their kindess to help players???
But from second area and onwards, Gladiator starts to struggle more and more due its low defense.
Generally I do like using this class, high strength paired with high speed is what makes Gladiator good. A party with Hunter is pure abuse for first area. But in later area's unless getting decent equipment, I often wastes a quite amount greenbeards for Gladiator.
First one is which you get soon you installed DLC, so you can start new Lost Civilization adventure with Astronomer right away.
This is a another intelligence based class besides Scholar or Herbalist. However unlike Scholar and Herbalist who can't take too much punches, Astronomer is a mage tank version of FTK.
Higher vitality means that he can take more punishment before he falls comparded with other intelligence classes, also his weapon type (wands) are one handed which means you can pair it with shield, boosting tankiness of Astronomer.
However it means that he is slower than Scholar and Herbalist as trade off, Astronomer is good choice for Golden Hourglass accessory if you happen to have it in your hands.
Another disadvantage in my opinion is that wands aren't good, they are generally weaker than books or staffs, dealing less damage. I often ends up getting books and staffs for Astronomer instead wands because sooner enemies are dead, the better.
Wands do compensate by able to pair with shield and wands often have extra power for example refoces after end of battle. Also most wands deal damage with just one dice roll while stronger attacks or support magic have more dice rolls generally paired with accuracy penalty.
Main reason for usage of wands is synergy with Astronomer's signature skill: Black Hole.
I either love and hate Black Hole skill. When attacking single enemy succesfully with any weapon, there is roughly 5% chance to trigger Black Hole.
In that case enemy is sucked into black hole and transmorphed into Star Matter, however you don't gain gold, XP and loot from that enemy.
It is painful to see Black Hole trigger if it was supposed to be killing strike against very tough enemy and happy to see it trigger at start of tough battle so party don't get damaged.
Star matter can be sold for 13 gold or use it in combat. When you activate it, it creates invincible partywide shield with 3 charges. No matter how powerful blow or nasty status effect enemy throuws at you, your party don't gain damage, instead a charge is decreased for every strike.
Meaning that if enemy use a partywide attack, Star Matter do disappear instantly since all three character do get hit once costing 3 charges.
Star Matter is best used against very though enemies, scrouges or bosses. I generally get around 5 of them in single game from start till finish.
Lastly Astronomer get free skill support range, meaning he can support other party members with any weapon.
Also starting with spyglass which give Astronomer +1 sight means that Astronomer can scout bit further from other partymembers, uncovering more unknown terrain and at same time participate battles thanks support range.
Overall I think that Astronomer is solid class, though if you want to dish out more damage quicker with magic, then Scholar is better choice. A classic choice between attacking type or defensive type.
When you beat Arena Champion in Lost Civilization story, then you unlock second character: Gladiator.
Gladiator can be described as a pure glass cannon, high strength paired with speed means Gladiator can rival Hunter in terms of inflicting damage over time, Gladiator has very high awareness as well.
But big trade off is that Gladiator completly sucks at three other departement including vitality, which means that Gladiator tends to fall quickly if evasion roll fails or if Gladiator don't get decent defensive equipment from midway game of later.
Gladiator has two skills, entertain is same as Busker and other one is exculsive for Gladiator: Glory. It is a simple skill, when starting any battle, there is 10% chance that Gladiator get atk up from start for 2/3 turns. It don't stack with atk up from other sources.
Gladiator attacks with dual swords (Pugios), dual swords in FTK is stronger than one handed swords but weaker than two handed swords.
Biggest advantage of dual swords is that most(or all) of them have speed bonuses, which results in that I often use them for Blacksmiths or Woodcutters to compensate for their low speed.
This do negate speed penalty from strength based equipment somewhat, thus in late game phase Gladiator often still has around 70 speed unlike Blacksmiths or Woodcutters who are very slow.
Interestingly game gives Gladiator two sets of weapons from start, strength based dual sword (Pugios) which has atk of 11 with piercing ability or awareness based Worn Trident 10 atk with piercing ability paired with Wooden Parma (shield).
Instead have Gladiator make a choice from one of them, why not make a party including Gladiator and Hunter. You might see already where it is going...
When starting game, before you make first step out Oarton, give Worn Trident and Wooden Parma to Hunter. Just with this you have two killing DPS machines from start, one with 11 piercing atk and other with 10 piercing atk!
With it, first area is basically cleared already at hardest diffculty before you even started it, enemies in first area don't stand any chance against this combo. Oversight from developers or their kindess to help players???
But from second area and onwards, Gladiator starts to struggle more and more due its low defense.
Generally I do like using this class, high strength paired with high speed is what makes Gladiator good. A party with Hunter is pure abuse for first area. But in later area's unless getting decent equipment, I often wastes a quite amount greenbeards for Gladiator.
I have been busy the past few weeks and have not had a chance to get far in the new DLC yet. I am looking forward to trying the new classes. A strength-based class that is not painfully slow could make for some interesting party combinations.
!