Difference between revisions of "Fighter"

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({{GnFi}}: (a bit of Gnome fighter first drafty rewrite will try to trim it and make it sound less opinonated - keep in mind that I'm not so much opinionated as much as gnomes being one-dimensional in a non-obvous way))
({{GnFi}})
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| The {{GnFi}} is the most generic gnome and the most generic spellcasting fighter there is - first you explore looking for mana boosts and glyphs. Then you use your glyphs to level up a bit by killing monsters higher level than you, and you can because you don't need to convert glyphs early on. Then you ding off popcorn kills while throwing spells at the boss. And when you're as high level as you can possibly be, dump all the CP you can afford into mana potions which refill your mana for more spells at the boss. Once two or three boss dungeons start cropping up, just use the more glyph succeptible boss as an exceptionally high level kill for bonus experience.  
 
| The {{GnFi}} is the most generic gnome and the most generic spellcasting fighter there is - first you explore looking for mana boosts and glyphs. Then you use your glyphs to level up a bit by killing monsters higher level than you, and you can because you don't need to convert glyphs early on. Then you ding off popcorn kills while throwing spells at the boss. And when you're as high level as you can possibly be, dump all the CP you can afford into mana potions which refill your mana for more spells at the boss. Once two or three boss dungeons start cropping up, just use the more glyph succeptible boss as an exceptionally high level kill for bonus experience.  
  
The gnome  CP refills along the fighters leveling refills, make the {{GnFi}} a terrific Pisorff user. Since a Pisorff spamer build is generally easy to build (16-ish mana, the glyph itself and refills which you have covered), this allows you to use the huge amount of total refills for leveling AND hitting the boss at the same time. The reason to point this out is because gnomes are really good at racking up the burning bonus damage when they get high level and use potions to fuel a lot of high-level Burndayraz casts at the boss. Gotta keep both options in mind.   
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The gnome  CP refills along the fighters leveling refills, make the {{GnFi}} a terrific Pisorff user. Since a Pisorff spamer build is generally easy to build (16-ish mana, the glyph itself and refills which you have covered), this allows you to use the huge amount of total refills for leveling AND hitting the boss at the same time. The reason to point this out is because gnomes are really good at fireballing bossess. They get high level, then cast a lot of BURNDAYRAZ at the target for a lot of extra burning, and preparing Pissorf becomes possible a bit later into the game when folks have allready fixated on the other glyph. Gotta keep both options in mind.   
  
 
What you do with your health, damage or anything other than mana pool size, honestly,  is up to you. A purely spellcasting gnome fighter "plays itself" to a large degree, but expanding your mana pool can hog all of your resources - be they gold, piety, exploration while looking for stuff, or preparations. Boosting the other stuff is worth it, if you can afford it - you're a fighter, you refill both bars wihen you ding, and you need to munch on popcorn TO ding and that is easier with a bit of health and/or damage.
 
What you do with your health, damage or anything other than mana pool size, honestly,  is up to you. A purely spellcasting gnome fighter "plays itself" to a large degree, but expanding your mana pool can hog all of your resources - be they gold, piety, exploration while looking for stuff, or preparations. Boosting the other stuff is worth it, if you can afford it - you're a fighter, you refill both bars wihen you ding, and you need to munch on popcorn TO ding and that is easier with a bit of health and/or damage.

Revision as of 14:18, 30 May 2016

Fighter
Tier 1 Class
Human Fighter Large.png
Class traits
Class trait: INSTINCTS INSTINCTS
Monsters of an equal or lower level always have their location revealed
Class trait: VETERAN VETERAN
Fighters earn 1 extra experience on any monster kill (Permanent Trait: Learning Learning), 10% less exp required to level
Class trait: PIT DOG PIT DOG
Dungeon runs start with 1 level of standard Trait: Death Protection Death Protection on the character
Suggested Races
Class: Fighter Elf Fighter, Class: Fighter Goblin Fighter, Class: Fighter Human Fighter, Class: Fighter Orc Fighter
Class Challenges
No challenges
Unlocking
Building: Guild Level 1 Adventure Clubhouse

Fighters are heroes who go about hitting evil things for a living. They're generally good at surviving long enough to brag about it afterwards.

How much of an "introductory" class is the Fighter?

This part is mostly for those interested in trying to figure out why his abilities are so weird, and get their "intro class" aspects out of the way. It's optional reading for folks who're really confused abou the game and folks who're really confused about the fighter in particular - otherwise scroll right down.

For the very new and the very old
Class trait: INSTINCTS INSTINCTS: This means you always know where your popcorn is. So that you can make sure it's revealed for when you fight something tough, like a boss. Start a fight, then when you've spent all your health and mana, kill a bunch of small dudes effortlessly and "ding" for a full refill of your health and mana. In the middle of the fight!

Despite how it looks, this is not there so you go fight monsters that are the same level as you. You will try that and see it does you no good, and then you'll either decide the game sucks and leave or come here and ask wth is with this Fighter person. Since you're here - hey, congrats, you get to know what that thing is there for. It's there for that. Most likely.

Veteran corner
(Yes, veteran folks, I'm aware I just explained the level catapult here, but, really, This thing is so that newbies would learn to do that more easily. This very rarely happens, I know, but what can you do. Also to keep them moving towards something in the dark when they're really, really new. And to help them get a feel of how many monsters of different tiers are there. It looks lacklustre, but only because it should really have the learning bit from below tacked onto it - except that would send the wrong message about killing same level enemies even more.)

Class trait: VETERAN VETERAN: You get more XP when you kill stuff, and you need less XP to level up. The first fighter ability lets you find stuff, and this second one lets you cash in on knowing where stuff is more easily.

Veteran corner
(The tutorialy aspect of it is that the +1 XP occasionally lets newbies get somewhere in low difficulty dungeons despite killing things the moment they spot them, to make entry more forgiving, afaik.)

Class trait: PIT DOG PIT DOG: This is here for several reasons. One is so that if you misclick you don't immediately drop dead which is handy to have while you're experimenting with the basic interface for the first time. The second is that it's a powerful damned thing once you stop thinking of it as "missclick protection".

What it can do for you is 2 things - you can play the run out to the bitter end and use it for one last huge blow on the boss. The problem with this approach is that it often goes wasted while using it in a different way helps solve a basic problem. The more often correct way to use it is to help yourself kill something bigger than you for an XP boost as soon as possible. This then lets you utilize your other two abilities with ease.

Veteran corner
(Really, fellow veterans, please, for the love of all that is holy, stop reffering to death protections as missclick protection. Even if it gets humorous reactions from a certain unlikeable Croatian. Newbies see you as authorities and this actively discourages them from using the damned things and can lead them to misunderstanding classess and situations way more than is necessary. The game's plenty unintuitive without people trolling, on purpose or by accident. Same goes, to a lesser degree, to obsessively hoarding every existing consumable for, as it so often turns out, after the boss fight. The way folks get every so often you'd think halflings and gnomes don't even have a CP bonus.)

So, what's he about?

Class trait: INSTINCTS INSTINCTS: You know where monsters are. They are the same level as you are and not really worth fighting. But if you get one level ahead of them, you get first strike against them. This makes most of them into just XP powerups sitting there for you to pick them up. So this reads as: You know where the XP powerups are.

Class trait: VETERAN VETERAN: This makes the "XP powerups" worth more. Also, it makes getting a level ahead of them easier. First you have to fight something above your level for bonus experience to outlevel a bunch of popcorn. Then fighting the next thing above your level becomes easier, because you can use all the low level monsters to refill your health and mana by leveling up mid-fight.

Class trait: PIT DOG PIT DOG: And this is what you may use for that first tough fight. This is an extra hit on something bigger than you early on, guaranteed on every run. If you start off by killing something bigger than you with a glyph, maybe a potion and this, you can then munch on popocorn and keep killing other big stuff with ease. Alternatively, since you're likely to reach a really high level, this can mean one big hit on a boss at the end.

Strategy

Fighters are all about finding "popcorn", and getting into a position to beat tougher monsters by using weaker monsters. Since so much about them revolves around leveling up in order to refill health and mana instantly, they do well if they build up large pools of either health, mana or both to spend and restore. Since they don't have any inherent fighting ability most of what they do revolves around good use of glyphs.

This is something that often confuses newbies - the average gamer would expect the Fighter to be more of a straightforward melee character. In another game, the DD Fighter would probably be some sort of Priest, as he utilizes experience and a mix of martial and magical power to do his thing.

Besides the lone Death Protection, the Fighter has no innate fighting ability. So some combination of preparations, glyphs, items, potions, and later, gods has to be used at the very beggining of a run, before he develops a large suppy of easily disposable low lever monsters (a "popcorn bowl") and really starts leveraging experience as a weapon.

It is also possible, and often favorable, to use your health to fight regular monsters for experience and dings while simultaneously pelting the boss with glyph damage. This lets the "humble" fighter start the boss fight (or a tough fight) much earlier than one would think and still use both his bars and all his resources to the maximum.

Races

What the Fighter is looking for in a race is either a bit of help with the initial leveling, to get the ball rolling, or the complete oposite - something to cash in on with all the leveling. What the fighter himself "does" is the basic footwork that just about every DD character does in every run. He's just really good at the footwork, at the cost of not having inherent ways to capitalize on it. A guide to all the different fighters is, in a way, a guide how to play a generic, but highly XP efficient member of each race.

Remember - fighters like to level-up mid fight against something huge. If your health isn't good enough to tank hits from the boss - pelt the boss with magic, and figt the other guys with health to level up. This takes practice, but it is worth the practice as most fighters get scary once you wrap your head around that concept.

Class: Fighter Human Fighter

The human racial bonus kicks in at mid-late levels, so he's not in a rush to convert glyphs. The fighter appreciates this because he needs the glyphs to level up early. Use the glyphs to level up a bit, explore and round up the "popcorn", then dump the ones you don't need to enable the human big damage bonus. Then just throw everything at the boss, much popcorn to level up, repeat.

Since the human allows plenty of glyph use, you can just grab a cheap leveling tool to back it up and save your Class trait: PIT DOG PIT DOG DP. You'll be a fine spellcater, and eventually have huge melee damage with no effort invested, but you may not have the means to get too many melee hits in on the boss. Once you've got the ball rolling, you might look around the map for a bit of a health boost, damage resistance, death protection, first strike, things like that - it might come in handy.

If your health isn't up to tanking hits from a boss yet, use it to fight other guys, while you pelt the boss with glyph damage. Why let all the health and damage go to waste? Practice makes perfect.

Class: Fighter Dwarf Fighter

Any dwarf, once leveled up and once you convert enough stuff, will be a big blob of health. They're not in a rush to convert glyphs, as the bonus requires levels to become significant. The fighter can get the dwarf leveled up, using all the glpyhs the dwarf isn't in a hurry to convert. Then, once the you are a big blob of health, who got there by becoming a good glyph user first, the fighter abilities let you ding a lot to refill both pools and blob all over the place.

What you will want is a leveling tool or two and good glyph use for exploration, leveling up and rounding up the popcorn. Feel free to spend the Class trait: PIT DOG PIT DOG DP, too, use any means to get leveled up. Do conserve health potions and popcorn, you'll want to be able to ding and refil your eventually huge health pool.

~ Some God Tips ~

Two gods make Class: Fighter Dwarf Fighter flow in a particularly fine way.

Mystera Annur lets you build up as a spellcaster while you use your glyphs to explore, "popcorn bowl" and level up. Her refreshment boon lets you get mana refills for converting glyphs. You want to do this against the boss, which is also when you really need your health to finally become huge. Dump all your glyphs for a glyph barrage on the boss, then ding for a full refill of your suddenly huge health pool (and more glyph use).

Dracul is the other god that plays rather fine in a more melee oriented fashion, as he is the deity all dwarves love to worship anyway. Fighters in particular appreciate the lifesteal, and the refil boons. Those scale with your level, and fighters are the kings of getting high level. Remember to use your glyphs, though - any Drac Dwarf is a scary healthmonster later on in a run, but it's your glyphs that get you there.

Class: Fighter Elf Fighter

Elves have an easy time getting their mana pool large eonugh for serious spellcasting. At the very least good enough for leveling up. They also have trouble refilling it, which is what being a Fighter is all about. The elf spellcasting gets the high level kills for bonus XP, and the fighter lets the elf munch on popcorn for mid-fight refills. It's a beautifully sinergistic combo, and not very taxing on the brain.

A pure spellcasting Fighter can indeed work, but do consider that a dinging spellcaster always appreciates at least a bit of help with popcorn munching. A modest health and/or damage boost will help you ding and get melee hits in here and there. A Fighter dings both bars, no need to let one go to waste.

~ Some God Tips ~

Depending on whether going mad with mana for a pure, pure spellcaster, or developing your health a bit will most likely determine your choice of god. The first option is so straightforward it doesn't need writing up, but the second option is interesting to explore:

Glowing Guardian - since developing your mana pool involves converting stuff, and the refill plan involves dinging a lot, this is a very sensible (and obvious) choice. There are many ways to play this race/class/god combination, have some fun with it.

Jehora Jeheyu - works for any Fighter, ofc, but it's likely that the Elf would be more interested in making his health large and functional rather than spend mana potions on making his mana even bigger.

Dracul - The free level up at the start increases the power of your fireballs, the lifesteal lets you get more out of munching popcorn, and provided you can find a health boost the refills are rather nice. You will be a top-notch spellcaster even if you go faithless - but Drac lets you work on your healh plan. Takes a bit of practice, but works rather well.

Class: Fighter Halfling Fighter

The most straightforward way to handle a Class: Fighter Halfling Fighter is to use his potions to extend his health spike, drinking them once he runs out of level-ups. Building health, resists and damage is obviously very good here. Keep in mind that this still means leveling items and glyph play to start things off.

The other way to play the little guy is to use some of the health potions to fight monsters while throwing spells at the boss at the same time. This is pretty handy if you're up against bossess you'd rather spellcast against. Which is most of them, simply because you can start earlier. Fight the map with your health, pelt the boss with you mana, ding both bars - fighters are really good at this sort of thing once you get some practice. Just make sure you boost your health early on in some way.

The god of choice would be Jehora Jeheyu, the patron god of mid-fight dings. Cosider all other Halfling health potions shennanigans, too. Many gods can let you turn them into early boosts which the fighters love, or late game damage spikes for when you're done dinging.

Class: Fighter Gnome Fighter

The Class: Fighter Gnome Fighter is the most generic gnome and the most generic spellcasting fighter there is - first you explore looking for mana boosts and glyphs. Then you use your glyphs to level up a bit by killing monsters higher level than you, and you can because you don't need to convert glyphs early on. Then you ding off popcorn kills while throwing spells at the boss. And when you're as high level as you can possibly be, dump all the CP you can afford into mana potions which refill your mana for more spells at the boss. Once two or three boss dungeons start cropping up, just use the more glyph succeptible boss as an exceptionally high level kill for bonus experience.

The gnome CP refills along the fighters leveling refills, make the Class: Fighter Gnome Fighter a terrific Pisorff user. Since a Pisorff spamer build is generally easy to build (16-ish mana, the glyph itself and refills which you have covered), this allows you to use the huge amount of total refills for leveling AND hitting the boss at the same time. The reason to point this out is because gnomes are really good at fireballing bossess. They get high level, then cast a lot of BURNDAYRAZ at the target for a lot of extra burning, and preparing Pissorf becomes possible a bit later into the game when folks have allready fixated on the other glyph. Gotta keep both options in mind.

What you do with your health, damage or anything other than mana pool size, honestly, is up to you. A purely spellcasting gnome fighter "plays itself" to a large degree, but expanding your mana pool can hog all of your resources - be they gold, piety, exploration while looking for stuff, or preparations. Boosting the other stuff is worth it, if you can afford it - you're a fighter, you refill both bars wihen you ding, and you need to munch on popcorn TO ding and that is easier with a bit of health and/or damage.

Class: Fighter Orc Fighter

The Orc brings much-needed damage to the Fighter at a very early level, allowing the Class: Fighter Orc Fighter a much easier leveling phase than most Fighters. His end-game payoff can be lacklustre if he can't get many melee hits in, but his Pisorff game is obscene.

The preffered starting god is Binlor for the glyph, but the combination is so strong that there isn't a real need to swap out most often. End game Stoneskin spam in Binlor is actually sinergistic with being an Orc Fighter, as are his damage boons.

Class: Fighter Goblin Fighter

While the Class: Fighter Goblin Fighter lacks the spontaneous mana of the Elf, it makes up for it with even more frequent and easy level-ups. With Glyph: WONAFYT WONAFYT and Glyph: BLUDTUPOWA BLUDTUPOWA, the goblin fighter can practically ignore the map past the early levels, and focus solely on dumping every resource on the map into killing the boss.

With such ease in leveling up, a Goblin Fighter with a sinergistic deity (which you will notice is a recurring theme with Goblins) is truly "The king of ding". Sinergistic deities include Jehora Jeheyu for big bar blobs, Glowing Guardian, also for big bar blobs, Dracul for a healthmonster (get some health from somewhere else), and Tikki Tooki for all sorts of madness.

Items

The Item: Balanced Dagger Balanced Dagger is a very good early find due to Class trait: INSTINCTS INSTINCTS. This approach reduces the amount of popcorn on the map, but allows for extreme blackspace conservation.

A fighter has no way to start fighting enemies above it's level, so the standard leveling tools such as Fine Sword or Pendant of Health will do wonders for you as early finds or light preps.

Gods

God: Tikki Tooki Tikki Tooki is an incredible choice for worship. The fighter will be able to rack up a ton of piety, as he will reach a high level quickly and leave a bunch of popcorn untouched. The massive piety gain allows him to invest heavily into into Reflexes and Tikki's Edge, which combine to massively increase the fighter's already formidable level-up spiking potential. God: Glowing Guardian Glowing Guardian also works well: the Fighter's XP bonuses synergise very well with the Humility boon, and the Fighter also has enough spare XP to make liberal use of Absolution.