Wizardry Wizardry 8 Dodd The Slayer Mod

[Darth Canoli]

I wanted to try this mod for a long time, i'm going fo it now soon with Dodd the Slayer Mod + Daegan tweaks (from zimlab/wizardry page) and the usual Wizfast + fastanim.

I'm going to try something different with my party even if i there isn't a lot of niche characters i didn't already try.

Probably a rogue with an extended weapon, i've read any weapon with the thrust ability can be used for backstabbing purposes, just need to find one stick or polearm usable by rogues with it, not sure there is one though.

As for the rest, i'm not sure but as this mod is supposed to be tough (i'm going with hard difficulty, probably), i'll probably multi-class a bit this time around.

Anyone played this mod (with or without the tweaks) ?

Any extremely unusual builds ? (Not the Faerie ninja nor the Mook fighter obviously)
I mostly like versatility and extended range but i'm open nonetheless.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

I played it long ago and liked it well enough. It's pretty brutal though, so I'm not sure it's the right mod to try "exotic" builds. That "super rogue" (whatever the critter's name was) in the monastery should make you see soon enough that the difficulty curve is quite steep.

 

[coldcrow]

Either you take a vanilla party or you have to grind. Progress is gated by minibosses and some harsh random encounters. Priest is probably a must to get access to all cures quickly.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Either you take a vanilla party or you have to grind. Progress is gated by minibosses and some harsh random encounters. Priest is probably a must to get access to all cures quickly.

Seems like the right thing to do.

I was thinking about going with :
- Priest > Bishop
- Mage > Bishop
- Ranger (ranged crits on tough monsters, i just like the ranger)
- Warrior Mook > Maybe samouraï later on
- Rogue Hobbit
- Engineer (ranged status effects + gadgets) > maybe some multi-classing too at some point and back to engineer

Classic party but i usually start with one bishop at least and rarely with a priest.

Of course, Vi will tag along and i'm not sure about the last one, maybe a CC oriented Sax as i don't use him often.

 

[coldcrow]

That looks like a nice party if you develop them characters completely. Agree on the priest in Vanilla, as you get by with healing pots until your hybrids/bishop get their spells up.

 

[Darth Canoli]

The spell-casters are elves, i thought it was a good idea but turns out you can craft some universal equipment (and upgrade/enchant them 3 times).
It doesn't really matter as there is a lot of items with SP (and everything) regen.

The party theme is mind resist, everyone has a starting mind res bonus (2 elves, 2 mooks, one hobbit and one halfing), just in case.

The itemization is nice and progressive, the mod doesn't throw a plethora of overpowered items (like Lunastralis mod), a lot of new interesting items, they took new assets from M&M 6+

The Treasure Hunters are really annoying early on.

Bards and Gadgeteers can upgrade/modify their gadgets and instruments (i don't use a bard).

Very good mod so far.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

is this the mod with the most stuff added?
i went on vacation, on my old computer there found wiz8 installed with flamestryke mod, played a bit, came back home thinking it was dodd's, tried the savegame but didn't start, started a new game with dodd's but i'm under the impression i'm finding fewer and more samey equipment.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Dodd the slayer mod
There's a lot of new equipment in Dodd's mod but you won't get it all at once.
I also like the new random encounters with no level cap in most areas. People tend to hate that around here but i think it works well with Wizardry 8.

Treasure Hunters are a pain early on, first encounter in the monastery is tough but alright, then you get the wandering level 8 ones, a real pain and then the level 10 ones, extremely difficult (expert) before you hit level 10 yourself and get the right spells and resistances.

After that, there's worse but you can manage them with the right spells and if you use the new monastery NPC for good equipment.

Spoiler

The main quest altered from Trynton's return which is interesting as well and you get 3 retro dungeons to explore (didn't figure out how to enter them exactly even if i have everything i need, instructions are a bit vague) to get items for a new companion in order to get to ascension peak (i'm not there yet).

Lunastralis
Lunastralis has more and overpowered equipment early on, maybe too overpowered.
You need it in order to kill the new bosses but that makes random encounters extremely easy even on expert mode, also, new areas are really unpolished.

Reforged
Thought i played reforged but turns out i only played the enhanced "mod" instead, according to this review, it's the most fleshed out mod :

https://www.billhiatt.com/2019/05/03/blast-from-the-past-wizardry-8/

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

oh, yes: also, what about widescreen support?

 

[Darth Canoli]

How wide ?
I'm playing with a 16/9 screen and never had any problems with the scaling.

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

i had, it's all stretched and deformed.

 

[Darth Canoli]

It's stretched alright but deformed ?
Do you have any screen-shoot ?

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

this frigging dodd mod didn't make the ratt key spawn =_=

 

[Darth Canoli]

this frigging dodd mod didn't make the ratt key spawn =_=

I know, i've read Dodd himself telling you get everything quest related in due time so if you visited the shaman again, you know the main quest is altered and Breeders being everywhere, i'm not surprised you can't get the the original breeders yet.

By the way, if anyone knows the protocol to get to any retro dungeon, i'd love to read it.

Spoiler

For the one in the mountain wilderness, i can't find any blue mark on trees but i did found the blue mushrooms and the rock where to use the runic staff (short staff + runic potion from the locker) but when i use it, it says "nothing happens" and of course, nothing happened ...

 

[MadMaxHellfire]

i grinded a lot, mostly not on my own accord. enough that i need 1m xp to the next level and the toughest, most ferocious fight can give me 20k. then i go open the ratt key's door (thanks, savegame editors) and one of the basic grunts proceeds to oneshot my best tank.
this mod is retarded.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Because the Breeders are probably an end-game boss and you're not supposed to be there yet.

Of course low level monsters will give you fewer xp but the 3 retro dungeons are filled with high level monsters and i've read you finish the mod around lvl 40-50

Spoiler

There's a lvl 50 monster blocking ascension peak and either you collect the items from retro dungeon and bring along the new monastery Vi-like companion to kill him or you try your luck.

So you're wrong, by the time you normally get to the breeders, you'll be prepared, you can't cheat your way to skip part of the game and say the balancing is retarded.
Lunastralis mod throws invincible bosses at you early on (teleporters from Arnika's monastery, Trynton just up the entrance, ... ), this mod doesn't.

My complaints are about not scaling some bosses like the giant crocodile and the giant frog, i'm alright with everything else, well, i could use a walk-through to open the retro dungeons.

 

[Whisper]

How is this mod?