ToME WikiRavenRed: Just a quick request for comment...
Among others, I'm re-writing TOME's monster list and as yet, there are very few Uniques that have been coded. Since the Monster list is being substantially rewritten, I'd love to hear from others in the TOME family as to what Uniques they'd like to see in TOME (or, conversely, which ones they would prefer "died the death" and were left out).
Any takers?
NeilStevens: start from scratch, and don't feel the need to have as many as there were in ToME 2. Using egos more extensively can easily fill in the variety gap.
LordEstraven: Tarrasqe is D&D, and that courtesy of a myth about Saint Martha.
I don't think Beorn is important enough to warrant the role of a unique. And Fangorn might be too much of an isolationist. Maybe add some friendly Elf, Dwarf, and Human uniques (other than Fundin Bluecloak, that is). Mablung would be a good one, I think: give him some self-enhancing spells and a powerful melee attack as per his name, and a high chance of appearing with an escort.
The Titans will have to go. As will the Learnean Hydra and Medusa. And the Icky Queen, Queen Ant, and Sandworm Queen. And Khufu.
DarkGod: IMO don't bother with friendly uniques just now. Most likely they will appear as "special guests" in quests so it'd be a bit weird to have them able to be killed randomly in the dungeon
RavenRed: Fair enough. So... third age only, or should we have the current mix of different periods in Arda's history? I agree that the co-aligned Uniques should not be randomly encountered, but by the same token, I'm wondering whether the hostile uniques should appear more in a planned than unplanned manner... (maybe even just "by dungeon")
NeilStevens: Allow enemy uniques to be randomly generated unless they're in a plot, I say. And yes, Third Age only.
DarkGod: Yes, well some uniques should probably restricted to some dungeons yes, but other that that let them be randomly generated.
LordEstraven: I suggest that Gollum be made more powerful, as people on the forums have been saying for a while... Have him ambush you every once in a while, and make him get tougher as you get closer to Mt. Doom. Give him some kind of grapple attack, some utility spells, and speed and HP boosts with each new appearance...
DarkGod: Mhhh yes and when the player "kills" him he really just drives him away, so he will come latter again
NeilStevens: I'd prefer to see him a plot 'kill' in Moria, myself.
Orvin: How about making Gollum appear only on a special dungeon town level in Moria, designed as in The Hobbit? You could incorporate his riddles as follows: 1) make him non-aggressive (won't attack unless attacked), 2) he initially has a very high speed, 3) he asks you riddles, and, each time you answer one correctly, his speed decreases (because he is spending time thinking of a more difficult riddle). This way, the player can choose to kill him, getting a nice treasure, but might want to solve some riddles before attacking, to make him an easier kill.
LordEstraven: I would have him show up randomly one or more times in certain dungeons, and perhaps as a boss in Mordor or Mt. Doom (with stats approximating a badly corrupted L50 Hobbit Rogue). I wouldn't make him the final Mt. Doom boss though - IMO the Witch-king and his entourage would be better for that...
Sorgath Why does everyone keep talking about him as though he should be powerful eneough to take on Morgoth. He's a bug. He only exists to be stepped on. I agree with Neil, he should be a plot kill in moria. I think the difficulty should be finding him. He shouldn't be so powerful as to be a difficult enemy for an adventurer of the player's skill.
shoob: Maybe make his difficulty and chance of encounter dependant dependant on three things: Do you have the one ring (increases chance of encounter and difficulty), how long you have had the one ring (increases chance of encounter), and location (he should be a random encounter maybe in the wilderness, and on mount Doom he is tough and has a high likelyhood of appearing if you have the ring). There of course would be a maximum for his strength. And for the final level, maybe make the mouth of sauron the boss or maybe nazgul (all 9 would be mean, but still doable)? Also will there only be evil dragons this time there? And are the Nazgul going to be roughly the same, because of the hounds and whatnot? Finally would a list of what we think of as good uniques be a nice sub-page to have here, it might spark some creative genius?