Reaching tricks

[minstrel]

Wondering if anyone has any tricks they like to use with the Reaching brand, now that it's automatically on all Polearms.

I've been having great fun taking out hard monsters in the early game by whacking them behind easy ones (@hO is just awesome). It occurs to me that Fedhas might make a great god to use here, to create water and plants to fill that extra square.

Also it seems like distortion branded polearms could be quite fun for the extra turn's chance to blink them away.

Incidentally, does anyone know what the chance to accidentally hit the adjacent monster instead of the one behind it is dependent on (if anything, or just a flat chance)?

[dassem]

I just posted this in another thread:

Based on this change, I bought an unknown artifact in a shop that turned out to be:
the +1,+2 trident "Grum" (weapon) {elec, rF+ rC+ Dex+3}
This seems to be an awesome weapon for a demonspawn mage. I can electrocute things, add some resists, and cast conjure flame then happily reach to attack over the top.
Reaching also seems to work with stabbing too, which can save a step or two.

My long term strategy was to train with early weapons towards either a demon whip or a demon trident - I wanted a change from blades.
I think the conjure flame/reach combo has made polearms a really nice early game combo for fire elementalists or wizards now.
It is an awesome change. Well done dev-team!

[minstrel]

I hadn't thought of conjure flame. Brilliant!

I've been using petrify + reaching in the lair a little with my GHEE, but the resist rate on petrify is proving a bit too high to make it worth the 5+ turns spent setting the combo up.

It occurred to me after writing the original post that centaurs and spriggans would make naturally good polearm users now, despite the poor aptitudes. It's the same hit and run game they excel at, plus the early stab, but now with a comfortable safe square between you and the monster. Brings some of the ranged safety of pure casters in the early game to melee types.

I agree: great change. Adds a lot of variety to early game build choice especially.

Edit - just noticed, you can also reach to hit hidden monsters in water. It's like fishing!

[dolphin]

Edit - just noticed, you can also reach to hit hidden monsters in water. It's like fishing!

OT: Now we need someone code a fishing mini-game.

[minstrel]

Edit - just noticed, you can also reach to hit hidden monsters in water. It's like fishing!

OT: Now we need someone code a fishing mini-game.

Or Whack-A-Mole

[Curio]

To avoid one of the exploits of a reaching brand, big/berserking monsters should displace smaller ones.
Because, really, rat blocking stone giant in a corridor?

[dpeg]

Your reaching attack may now fail to reach and attack the monster in the middle instead. If reaching turns out to be too strong, the chance for this is one of the knobs to twiddle.

[XuaXua]

Three halbard-wielding Gnolls on D3 are SCARY now.

[minstrel]

My impression so far is that the balance has been handled well. The aforementioned player - jackal - Ogre setup is helpful but there's still plenty of risk, you might land a few hits on the ogre but chances are you'll kill the jackal by accident before the ogre does down. it gives the melee early game an option it didn't have before to deal with threats but hasn't trivialized anything for me so far.

Agreed on the scary gnolls...also anything else that can spawn with a polearm, like packs of nagas in Snake.

[Stormfox]

When I get back to playing trunk, I'm going to have to dust off my Merfolk now that polearms are no longer universally Teh Suxxors.

Speaking of packs with polearms, is the early level vault of Sigmund's Fan Club (half a dozen hobgoblins with scythes and robes) still in? That suddenly sounds a lot scarier.

[XuaXua]

Three halbard-wielding Gnolls on D3 are SCARY now.

I say this because I my MDFi got his ass handed to him running the f--- away from a pack, but got trapped by an imp then Grinder.

[thenewflesh]

Polearms are awesome in general. Trident (starting weapon for Fi and Gl) is valid until late midgame. Plus, if you worship Oki or Trog, since there's not a lot of polearm weapons (unlike axes or m&f), there is a very good chance you'll get your endgame weapon much earlier then that.

Looking forward for more boosts for weapons. Stunning effects on m&f should be pretty cool, for example.

[Tiber]

Inner flame is now also a lot more useful, because you can generally count on polearm users to stay 2 squares away from you.

[Stormfox]

It's a lot easier to bootstrap Stabbing if you can stop 2 grids away and poke the sleeping monster, rather than having to make one more stealth roll.

[jejorda2]

The altar vault with the demons surrounded by lava got my character from level 2 to level 6 with no risk, thanks to a stray spear on the ground. Maybe that one needs another square of lava now that reaching is so common.

[joellercoaster]

OT: Now we need someone code a fishing mini-game.

I first parsed this as "now we need someone to add a cod-fishing mini-game."

Great, Chewie, great. Always thinkin' with your stomach...

[AtT]

It's really good for you to pick up a spear as a summoner and poke things over your buddies. Take back some of that exp that's rightfully yours Also works with necromancers

[smock]

I find myself running around corners, retreating and repositioning a lot in order to get to the polearm-wielding foo, instead of locking a mace-wielding foo between me and the polearm. It's fun!

In addition to fast species, this should help AEs kite most critters; indeed, any mage with swiftness can take down many powerful beaters without risk. If this turns out to be strong or popular it might help if reaching imposing a smallish (1 in 4?) chance of taking much extra time? Another knob, apart from failing to reach, could be needed.

[AtT]

I find myself running around corners, retreating and repositioning a lot in order to get to the polearm-wielding foo, instead of locking a mace-wielding foo between me and the polearm. It's fun!

In addition to fast species, this should help AEs kite most critters; indeed, any mage with swiftness can take down many powerful beaters without risk. If this turns out to be strong or popular it might help if reaching imposing a smallish (1 in 4?) chance of taking much extra time? Another knob, apart from failing to reach, could be needed.

I feel like if I try to do this extensively I always end up trapped between the thing that I was kiting and something worse :<

[Zelkelion]

When I get back to playing trunk, I'm going to have to dust off my Merfolk now that polearms are no longer universally Teh Suxxors.

Speaking of packs with polearms, is the early level vault of Sigmund's Fan Club (half a dozen hobgoblins with scythes and robes) still in? That suddenly sounds a lot scarier.

Yep. I ran into those guys for the first time the other day,

I'm enjoying my demon whip if reaching immensely. Having it automatically reach is just great for chasing fleeing monsters and it is FAST.

[smock]

I find myself running around corners, retreating and repositioning a lot in order to get to the polearm-wielding foo, instead of locking a mace-wielding foo between me and the polearm. It's fun!

I feel like if I try to do this extensively I always end up trapped between the thing that I was kiting and something worse :<

Run toward the known! Of course things worse can wander into know territory.... I've really only done thing for a corner or two in a short twisty hallway.

[dassem]

Another synergy (rather than really a "trick") is mephitic cloud and reaching. You just confuse things then poke them from a safe distance. This seems to be a great way to start Merfolk wizards, and can be combined with conjure flame for bonus giggles.
I am hoping to find spellbooks for ice, and am planning a late-game switch to TSO, as a blessed Trishula with reaching sounds like it would be entertaining too.

[ldierk]

The altar vault with the demons surrounded by lava got my character from level 2 to level 6 with no risk, thanks to a stray spear on the ground. Maybe that one needs another square of lava now that reaching is so common.

My MfGl gained some levels on that vault too. Of course he died a horrible stupid death shortly afterwards.

[mumra]

The altar vault with the demons surrounded by lava got my character from level 2 to level 6 with no risk, thanks to a stray spear on the ground. Maybe that one needs another square of lava now that reaching is so common.

That vault probably just needs to go altogether or show up much deeper D and give the demons a way off the island. It's always been multiple free levels for any ranged or magical build.

[dassem]

I am hoping to find spellbooks for ice, and am planning a late-game switch to TSO, as a blessed Trishula with reaching sounds like it would be entertaining too.

Well, the late-game switch and demon-trident blessing worked as planned.
Yes, a blessed Trishula with reaching is deeply awesome.