Rock, Paper, Skellington -- Legend of Grimlock meta-LP of DEATH

[squareking]

So I thought it'd be the bee's knees (and potentially the cat's pajamas) to do a meta-let's play once Grimrock drops. I've never really played anything in this genre, except a brief foray into The Dark Spire and Etrian Odyssey on the DS. I vote for playing permadeath-style, self-cartographizing and giving a regular report on the happenings in Grimrock -- just posting a paragraph or two once a week ITT or something. It'd be ultra-rad if Grimrock were turn-based because we could limit each report or whatever to a number of turns, but yeah.Anyone savvy?

[squareking]

No one, eh?

[Fumarole]

Surely you mean Grimrock?

[squareking]

I do. And don't call me Shirley.

[Wolfenswan]

Just finished Level 5, having a blast. I'm fairly confident I got most if not all of the secrets so far, including all the Iron Doors and some of the super special stuff.

Playing on oldschool mode though I've been a bit lazy with mapping. So far I could navigate all levels fairly well from memory without the need for an elaborate map. Food's abundant, no need for alchemy yet.

My party is a minotaur fighter (armor and athletics to beef him up, the "tank" basically), a lizardman fighter (specialized on unarmed, does tons of damage), a lizard dagger/assassin rogue (can attack from the back rank, great damage as well) and a insectoid mage (so far specialized in earth and ice).

[Fumarole]

I just reached level 3 before stopping for the night and am flummoxed as to how John missed the method of resurrection. I'm playing hardcore too, and won't be contributing to this LP nor reading much as I'd rather not spoil any of the game for myself. My party:

Minotaur axe fighter (head hunter baby!)
Human sword fighter
Insectoid mage (skills all over the place for variety)
Lizardman thrown weapon/missile rogue

So far it's a blast.

[Vexing Vision]

I actually didn't see this!

I'm going with a style-over-substance party. I hate skeletons, and I have no idea how to open the Iron Door in level 3 (just starting to get into level 4. Ugh those slimes.)

Human rogue, lizard warrior, human mage, insect mage.

The eventual rerun will see me with a more classic setup of two fighters, one rogue and a mage - maintaining two different mages is incredibly hectic but fun.

[squareking]

I've played for about 45 minutes and I'm close to level 2. I've just tiptoed downstairs with my minotaur and human warriors up front and human mage and rogue in back (didn't stray far from humans because I'm scared of new things). I haven't found any secrets on the first floor and I didn't find the spear everyone's talking about, so I'm going to head back up and scour the place.

Playing without automapping but haven't kept up with mapping. I am deeply in love with this game.

[lasikbear]

Almost done with floor 2, being lazy and using automap. Have a lizard air/fire mage, lizard rogue, minotaur fighter and insect earth/water(ice?) mage. Still trying to decide what kind of weapon to give the minotaur, leaning towards axe but I feel like no matter what I will be sad when I inevitably find a cool weapon he doesn't specialize in.

Side question: Is skellington an actual word or does RPS just like to use it?

[squareking]

Side question: Is skellington an actual word or does RPS just like to use it?

There's Jack Skellington from A Nightmare Before Christmas. It's also the name of the guy who founded Spoon's previous band.

[Sarigs]

So just a quick aside I was on the fence about this game but I'm getting that everyone whos playing is enjoying the game?

Definitely worth a look if you like this style of game?

[squareking]

So just a quick aside I was on the fence about this game but I'm getting that everyone whos playing is enjoying the game?

Definitely worth a look if you like this style of game?

If you know you like this type of game -- and it's rather unapologetically old-school (edit: though with some modern niceties you'll appreciate) -- then it's worth your monies.

[Soon]

I jumped into my first game with a powerhouse party of four minotaurs and make things go die. I suspect I'll regret the composition later when they 're unable to hit anything and/or starve to death.

[Wolfenswan]

Just reached level 10. Shit got real quite fast.

[Firkragg]

Had a quick stint yesterday evening. Front row have a minotaur fighter (tank), human rogue (who I've yet to backstab with,high evasion plus dagger/assasination, will see how it goes), a mage and another rogue who'll throw whatever he finds. Made it to level 3, then had to stop playing.

On a sidenote, when a weapon has the attribute "reach", does that mean the partymember in the back can join in melee? I haven't been able to test it out yet but it makes sense to me if thats how it works.

And has anyone successfully backstabbed anything? And if yes, how'd you do it?

[Wolfenswan]

Had a quick stint yesterday evening. Front row have a minotaur fighter (tank), human rogue (who I've yet to backstab with,high evasion plus dagger/assasination, will see how it goes), a mage and another rogue who'll throw whatever he finds. Made it to level 3, then had to stop playing.

Higher ranks of assasination allow your rogue to attack from the back ranks with a melee weapon.

On a sidenote, when a weapon has the attribute "reach", does that mean the partymember in the back can join in melee? I haven't been able to test it out yet but it makes sense to me if thats how it works.

Yes.

And has anyone successfully backstabbed anything? And if yes, how'd you do it?

Just get behind it? Either from luck, by patience (if a monster is patrolling) or by circle-strafing (which only works against some slower mobs).

[Fumarole]

I must say I absolutely love how thrown weapons are re-equipped once you walk over them. Such a lovely little thing that vastly improves the experience.

[Vexing Vision]

Just get behind it? Either from luck, by patience (if a monster is patrolling) or by circle-strafing (which only works against some slower mobs).

I believe there's at least one spell that spins an enemy, too. Backstab is especially lovely in combination with an ice mage who freezes opponents. If you do not have anyone encumbered in your party, you can get a backstab on most monsters by timing your strafe and circling.

I love the magic system, by the way, even if managing two differently skilled mages at the same time is driving me absolutely insane. At one point I'll do a playthrough with four mages, just to see what happens.

[Soon]

And has anyone successfully backstabbed anything? And if yes, how'd you do it?

Apart from what's been mentioned. It'll seem so obvious after I mention it. Prepare to have your mind blown: sneaking is easier in the dark.

[squareking]

At one point I'll do a playthrough with four mages, just to see what happens.

RUNE CLICK PANIC is what happens.