List of Things to do?

[oontabob]

So I had a few months away playing some other games and feel a little lost coming back. I have 60 hours in and I'm still trying to optimize teams for a few of my unlocked classes. Additionally, I have a few of the gate of the gods key or whatever but I have no idea how to use that. I have just started getting artifacts, etc.

I have a distinct feeling I'm missing entire systems of things I could/should be doing. I have seen builds discussed that have things I don't even understand. Is there a master list somewhere of the things you can unlock/level/how to access them/etc.?

Especially interested in the gate of the gods or whatever it's called. I'm only on level 155 or something for how far I've delved, so maybe there are things higher up?

[{GFG} Kage]

The Gate of the Gods doesn't unlock until after you have completed realm depth 240. Your keys allow you to challenge each God, and if you can beat all 30 of them with the same specialization at difficulty 10 (your team will be downscaled to Lv 100, enemy team will be Lv 1500) you will Ascend your specialization, and gain access to a special perk for that class. Cleric, for example, gets a free cast of Holy Fire at end of turn if you have Barrier (Holy Fire deals damage based on barrier strength).

You shouldn't be missing much, if anything, at your depth. Look into optimizing your teams, try for teams that can handle Realm Instability 5. You'll want to be able to beat bosses at that difficulty, you get lots of extra keys if you beat Nether Bosses at RI 5.

Also make sure you are unlocking extra realms from your projects, and battle the creature masters for mastery and mastery traits.

If you unlock more classes, you get more rewards for the Goblet of Trials, even though you will have to reroll to get specializations you have built teams for if you go nuts unlocking them like I did. I still feel it's worth it, but it is a consideration.

Finally, place Nethermancer Ned in your castle if you haven't already. He sells you special trait materials you can use in your team, based on which Nether Bosses you've beaten, with more trait materials after beating them a second and third time. On the 4th time you'll get skins for each of the Nether Bosses.

Edit: I mentioned that Gate of the Gods unlocks at 240. I just wanted to add that this is the next major unlock, and beating the Gods lets you summon Avatars with special traits that you can add to your team. You can only have 1 Avatar on a team at a time, and while you can fuse them to a creature, the Avatar must always be the first creature. The game won't let you fuse it as the second, since that would give you the Avatar trait w/o the Avatar race.

The next big unlock after that is Guilds and False Gods, that requires Realm Depth 415 to be beaten, and will allow you to unlock a multi-classing type of system called Anointments. It lets you pick perks from other classes (up to 5) and add them to your current build. Inquisitor, for example, really benefits from Blighted immunity, and Greater Healing and Overheal from Cleric. That ensures his heals always work, no matter what. Since his own abilities scale creature offense based on amount healed, those perks are amazing. Alternatively, you can grab Censure and Divine Strength from Inquisitor to give to Cleric to get that offensive pressure on a Cleric build.

[oontabob]

Originally posted by {GFG} Kage:

The Gate of the Gods...

This was super helpful! Thank you. It sounds like I have some work to do. One difficulty I'm running into now is like you said, I unlocked a bunch of classes and don't have optimized teams. But now even my optimized Monk team is getting owned depending on what I run into.

[oontabob]

Originally posted by oontabob:

Originally posted by {GFG} Kage:

The Gate of the Gods...

This was super helpful! Thank you. It sounds like I have some work to do. One difficulty I'm running into now is like you said, I unlocked a bunch of classes and don't have optimized teams. But now even my optimized Monk team is getting owned depending on what I run into.

Which reminds me of my question--should I be going hard to upgrade artifacts/etc. all the time? I haven't done a ton on those to optimize my team, mostly just messing around with them occasionally.

[leqesai]

Originally posted by oontabob:

Originally posted by oontabob:

This was super helpful! Thank you. It sounds like I have some work to do. One difficulty I'm running into now is like you said, I unlocked a bunch of classes and don't have optimized teams. But now even my optimized Monk team is getting owned depending on what I run into.

Which reminds me of my question--should I be going hard to upgrade artifacts/etc. all the time? I haven't done a ton on those to optimize my team, mostly just messing around with them occasionally.

Artifacts are a fairly significant part of your team's power. You should be upgrading them to a minimum of level 15 so you can equip them with traits.

Once I get a solid team put together I level their artifacts to max. Artifacts are very powerful.

[oontabob]

Originally posted by leqesai:

Originally posted by oontabob:

Which reminds me of my question--should I be going hard to upgrade artifacts/etc. all the time? I haven't done a ton on those to optimize my team, mostly just messing around with them occasionally.

Artifacts are a fairly significant part of your team's power. You should be upgrading them to a minimum of level 15 so you can equip them with traits.

Once I get a solid team put together I level their artifacts to max. Artifacts are very powerful.

Cool. So I should be spending all the resources I've been sitting on, basically. Makes sense. Just trying to figure out all the systems. Played Siralim 3 for 55 hours or so but then switched to this and now over 60 hours and still tons to learn and do.

[leqesai]

Originally posted by oontabob:

Originally posted by leqesai:

Artifacts are a fairly significant part of your team's power. You should be upgrading them to a minimum of level 15 so you can equip them with traits.

Once I get a solid team put together I level their artifacts to max. Artifacts are very powerful.

Cool. So I should be spending all the resources I've been sitting on, basically. Makes sense. Just trying to figure out all the systems. Played Siralim 3 for 55 hours or so but then switched to this and now over 60 hours and still tons to learn and do.

Getting artifacts to level 15 is relatively cheap in terms of resource investment. If you were to dump resources into your artifacts to get them to level 50 you'd be spending a lot more. I don't bother getting artifacts to 50 until I'm convinced that the team's traits work the way I expect and the team is successfully able to steamroll in RI5. If the team can't handle RI5 then it simply isn't worth it to waste the extra resources getting artifacts to level 50. Also, from my perspective it is either RI5 or RI0. I don't bother with anything in between. RI0 is so damn easy you can push through with really ineffective setups. RI5 encourages/requires a bit more finesse than RI0, so build diversity drops but more complicated trait combos emerge because zerging through with caveman builds is less effective.

[oontabob]

Originally posted by leqesai:

Originally posted by oontabob:

Cool. So I should be spending all the resources I've been sitting on, basically. Makes sense. Just trying to figure out all the systems. Played Siralim 3 for 55 hours or so but then switched to this and now over 60 hours and still tons to learn and do.

Getting artifacts to level 15 is relatively cheap in terms of resource investment. If you were to dump resources into your artifacts to get them to level 50 you'd be spending a lot more. I don't bother getting artifacts to 50 until I'm convinced that the team's traits work the way I expect and the team is successfully able to steamroll in RI5. If the team can't handle RI5 then it simply isn't worth it to waste the extra resources getting artifacts to level 50. Also, from my perspective it is either RI5 or RI0. I don't bother with anything in between. RI0 is so damn easy you can push through with really ineffective setups. RI5 encourages/requires a bit more finesse than RI0, so build diversity drops but more complicated trait combos emerge because zerging through with caveman builds is less effective.

Can you define "RI5" vs. "RI0"?

[{GFG} Kage]

Realm Instability levels. At 5, you get a lot of modifiers, the creatures are no longer the ones that normally spawn in that area and are chosen at random, they are all fused, and the modifiers are scaled up in difficulty, but it also provides lots of extra loot. At 0, you have no modifiers, regular enemies, and no bonus to loot.

[leqesai]

Originally posted by oontabob:

Originally posted by leqesai:

Getting artifacts to level 15 is relatively cheap in terms of resource investment. If you were to dump resources into your artifacts to get them to level 50 you'd be spending a lot more. I don't bother getting artifacts to 50 until I'm convinced that the team's traits work the way I expect and the team is successfully able to steamroll in RI5. If the team can't handle RI5 then it simply isn't worth it to waste the extra resources getting artifacts to level 50. Also, from my perspective it is either RI5 or RI0. I don't bother with anything in between. RI0 is so damn easy you can push through with really ineffective setups. RI5 encourages/requires a bit more finesse than RI0, so build diversity drops but more complicated trait combos emerge because zerging through with caveman builds is less effective.

Can you define "RI5" vs. "RI0"?

RI5 is Realm Instability 5.
RI0 is playing without realm instability modifiers active (the default way to play and the one that rewards vastly fewer rewards).

[oontabob]

Originally posted by {GFG} Kage:

Realm Instability levels. At 5, you get a lot of modifiers, the creatures are no longer the ones that normally spawn in that area and are chosen at random, they are all fused, and the modifiers are scaled up in difficulty, but it also provides lots of extra loot. At 0, you have no modifiers, regular enemies, and no bonus to loot.

Do you get boosted, too? I was playing at RI1 to get used to it for a while. Just tried 5 and wiped everything way more easily than at 1.

[leqesai]

Originally posted by oontabob:

Originally posted by {GFG} Kage:

Realm Instability levels. At 5, you get a lot of modifiers, the creatures are no longer the ones that normally spawn in that area and are chosen at random, they are all fused, and the modifiers are scaled up in difficulty, but it also provides lots of extra loot. At 0, you have no modifiers, regular enemies, and no bonus to loot.

Do you get boosted, too? I was playing at RI1 to get used to it for a while. Just tried 5 and wiped everything way more easily than at 1.

Realm modifiers are not positive. Here is a list of all possible realm modifiers AFAIK (from codex guide):

Realm Properties (Player)
Bad Luck
Whenever it is one of your creatures' turns, any random effects that activate are re-rolled an additional time.

Can't Deal Critical Damage
Your creatures cannot deal critical damage.

Can't Defend/Provoke
Your creatures cannot Defend or Provoke.

Can't Dodge
Your creatures have a lower chance to dodge attacks.

Can't Gain Gems
Your creatures cannot gain Ethereal Spell Gems during battle.

Can't Gain Traits
Your creatures cannot gain additional traits in battle.

Can't Resurrect
Your creatures cannot be resurrected.

Damage Every Turn: x% Health
Your creatures will take damage as a percentage of their Maximum Health at the start of their turns.

Debuff: X
Your creatures start battles with the specified debuff.

Gems Sealed After Casting
After your creatures cast a spell, that Spell Gem is sealed for the rest of the battle.

Less Attack Damage: x%
Your creatures deal less damage with attacks.

Less (Stat): x%
Your creatures have less (Stat). Exists for four of the stats: Attack, Intelligence, Defense and Speed.

Less Charges: x
Your creatures' Spell Gems have fewer Charges.

Less Damage Dealt: x%
Your creatures deal less damage.

Less Healing: x%
Your creatures receive less healing.

Less Indirect Damage: x%
Enemies take less indirect damage, which is damage that is not from an attack or spell.

Less Spell Potency: x%
Your creatures' spells are less potent.

Less Stat Gain: x%
Reduces the amount of stats your creatures gain in battle by a certain amount.

Maximum Buffs: x
Your creatures can only have a certain amount of buffs at a time.

More Damage Taken: x%
Your creatures take more damage.

No Additional Attacks/Casts
Your creatures can only Attack or Cast one time per turn.

Stats are Swapped
At the start of battle, your creatures' stat values are randomly swapped with each other. For example, a creature's Attack stat might be swapped with its Defense stat.

Realm Properties (Enemy)
Always Critical Damage
Enemies always deal critical damage with attacks and spells.

Attack Additional Times: x
Enemies attack an additional number of times.

Buff: x
Enemies start battles with the specified buff.

Cast Additional Times: x
Enemies cast spells an additional number of times.

Chance to Dodge: x%
Enemies have an independent chance to dodge attacks.

Chance to Resist Damage: x%
Enemies have a chance to ignore incoming damage.

Copy your Spell Gems
Enemies gain a copy of your creatures' Spell Gems at the start of battle.

End of Turn: Attack
Enemies Attack one of your creatures at the end of their turn.

End of Turn: Cast
Enemies cast one of their spells at the end of their turn.

End of Turn: Defend
Enemies Defend at the end of their turn.

End of Turn: Provoke
Enemies Provoke at the end of their turn.

Extra (Stat): x%
Enemies have extra (Stat.) Exists for the five main stats: Health, Attack, Intelligence, Defense and Speed.

Extra Traits: x
Enemies start battles with an additional number of traits.

Good Luck
Whenever it is an enemy's turn, any random effects that fail to activate are re-rolled an additional time.

Heal Every Turn: x% Health
Enemies recover a certain amount of Health at the start of their turn.

Less Damage Taken: x%
Enemies take less damage.

Less Stat Loss: x%
Enemies lose fewer stats from stat-reducing effects.

Minion: x
Enemies start battles with the specified minion.

More Damage Dealt: x%
Enemies deal additional damage.

More Spell Slots: x
Enemies have additional Spell Gem slots.

Reflect Damage Taken: x%
When one of your creatures damages an enemy, some of that damage is reflected back to your creature.

Resistant to Debuffs
Enemies are resistant to certain debuffs. you can view these adjusted effects in battle by using the Inspect option.

Resurrect on Death
The first time each enemie dies in battle, they are resurrected with 25% Health.

Strong Against (Class)
Enemies take 50% less damage from creatures that belong to the specified class, and deal 50% more damage to them. Exists for each of the five classes: Life, Nature, Sorcery, Chaos and Death.

Realm Properties (Realm)
Enemies Belong To Same Race
Enemies all belong to the same race of creatures.

Extra Nemesis Creatures
More Nemesis Creatures will spawn in this realm.

Inhabited by x Race
The realm is inhabited by creatures that belong to the same race.

Rapid Fatigue
Battle fatigue accumulates much faster than normal.

Your wiping enemies faster than with no realm modifiers is possible due to poor trait interactions and random enemies. The one thing that playing with no modifiers has over playing with modifiers is realms tend to have trait composition that works by design. Realm modifiers can make for some really weak or really strong combinations.

[HeraldOfOpera]

Originally posted by leqesai:

Originally posted by oontabob:

Do you get boosted, too? I was playing at RI1 to get used to it for a while. Just tried 5 and wiped everything way more easily than at 1.

Realm modifiers are not positive. Here is a list of all possible realm modifiers AFAIK (from codex guide):

Realm Properties (Player)
Bad Luck
Whenever it is one of your creatures' turns, any random effects that activate are re-rolled an additional time.

Can't Deal Critical Damage
Your creatures cannot deal critical damage.

Can't Defend/Provoke
Your creatures cannot Defend or Provoke.

Can't Dodge
Your creatures have a lower chance to dodge attacks.

Can't Gain Gems
Your creatures cannot gain Ethereal Spell Gems during battle.

Can't Gain Traits
Your creatures cannot gain additional traits in battle.

Can't Resurrect
Your creatures cannot be resurrected.

Damage Every Turn: x% Health
Your creatures will take damage as a percentage of their Maximum Health at the start of their turns.

Debuff: X
Your creatures start battles with the specified debuff.

Gems Sealed After Casting
After your creatures cast a spell, that Spell Gem is sealed for the rest of the battle.

Less Attack Damage: x%
Your creatures deal less damage with attacks.

Less (Stat): x%
Your creatures have less (Stat). Exists for four of the stats: Attack, Intelligence, Defense and Speed.

Less Charges: x
Your creatures' Spell Gems have fewer Charges.

Less Damage Dealt: x%
Your creatures deal less damage.

Less Healing: x%
Your creatures receive less healing.

Less Indirect Damage: x%
Enemies take less indirect damage, which is damage that is not from an attack or spell.

Less Spell Potency: x%
Your creatures' spells are less potent.

Less Stat Gain: x%
Reduces the amount of stats your creatures gain in battle by a certain amount.

Maximum Buffs: x
Your creatures can only have a certain amount of buffs at a time.

More Damage Taken: x%
Your creatures take more damage.

No Additional Attacks/Casts
Your creatures can only Attack or Cast one time per turn.

Stats are Swapped
At the start of battle, your creatures' stat values are randomly swapped with each other. For example, a creature's Attack stat might be swapped with its Defense stat.

Realm Properties (Enemy)
Always Critical Damage
Enemies always deal critical damage with attacks and spells.

Attack Additional Times: x
Enemies attack an additional number of times.

Buff: x
Enemies start battles with the specified buff.

Cast Additional Times: x
Enemies cast spells an additional number of times.

Chance to Dodge: x%
Enemies have an independent chance to dodge attacks.

Chance to Resist Damage: x%
Enemies have a chance to ignore incoming damage.

Copy your Spell Gems
Enemies gain a copy of your creatures' Spell Gems at the start of battle.

End of Turn: Attack
Enemies Attack one of your creatures at the end of their turn.

End of Turn: Cast
Enemies cast one of their spells at the end of their turn.

End of Turn: Defend
Enemies Defend at the end of their turn.

End of Turn: Provoke
Enemies Provoke at the end of their turn.

Extra (Stat): x%
Enemies have extra (Stat.) Exists for the five main stats: Health, Attack, Intelligence, Defense and Speed.

Extra Traits: x
Enemies start battles with an additional number of traits.

Good Luck
Whenever it is an enemy's turn, any random effects that fail to activate are re-rolled an additional time.

Heal Every Turn: x% Health
Enemies recover a certain amount of Health at the start of their turn.

Less Damage Taken: x%
Enemies take less damage.

Less Stat Loss: x%
Enemies lose fewer stats from stat-reducing effects.

Minion: x
Enemies start battles with the specified minion.

More Damage Dealt: x%
Enemies deal additional damage.

More Spell Slots: x
Enemies have additional Spell Gem slots.

Reflect Damage Taken: x%
When one of your creatures damages an enemy, some of that damage is reflected back to your creature.

Resistant to Debuffs
Enemies are resistant to certain debuffs. you can view these adjusted effects in battle by using the Inspect option.

Resurrect on Death
The first time each enemie dies in battle, they are resurrected with 25% Health.

Strong Against (Class)
Enemies take 50% less damage from creatures that belong to the specified class, and deal 50% more damage to them. Exists for each of the five classes: Life, Nature, Sorcery, Chaos and Death.

Realm Properties (Realm)
Enemies Belong To Same Race
Enemies all belong to the same race of creatures.

Extra Nemesis Creatures
More Nemesis Creatures will spawn in this realm.

Inhabited by x Race
The realm is inhabited by creatures that belong to the same race.

Rapid Fatigue
Battle fatigue accumulates much faster than normal.

Your wiping enemies faster than with no realm modifiers is possible due to poor trait interactions and random enemies. The one thing that playing with no modifiers has over playing with modifiers is realms tend to have trait composition that works by design. Realm modifiers can make for some really weak or really strong combinations.

Witch Doctor can turn some of those negatives into positives and ignore most of the others.

Also note that some of those modifiers are no longer in actual use.

[leqesai]

Thanks for the extra information, Herald. Do you know which modifiers are no longer in use?

[{GFG} Kage]

Can't gain charges and can't resurrect are both effects I've never seen before, and I started about a month or two after 1.0 released. Also, I've only seen Maximum traits, and not can't gain traits, so I think that one has also changed.

[QED]

Originally posted by {GFG} Kage:

The Gate of the Gods doesn't unlock until after you have completed realm depth 240...

Just wanted to say thank you for this amazingly helpful and informative post. I wasn't sure what was the next major milestone in my grinding and this was quite useful.