I Need Some Clarification

[bloodbearhighking]

I am playing as the Marksman. I have started at Casual. I just finished the thirteenth map at level 20. The way in which I did it, was to gather as much Essence as I could between each wave and then don't spend it. When I finished each map where I have more Essence than that which appears in the information panel between waves, as a measuring stick.

At the end of the map, I generally level up two levels. But the skill points for the character and the traps, for each of the extra levels doesn't appear. So the problem would be that even though I have leveled up, the skill points aren't keeping pace. So my character isn't as strong as it should be at level 20, in that respect. What would you classify this situation as, bug or glitch or a bonus?

[datguy13]

You gain Trap upgrade points based on the Difficulty level with which you complete the map. Finishing it on Casual nets you the smallest amount of Trap points. Skill points are acquired by gaining Experience Levels. You can go back and complete each map again on Normal and Hard mode to gain further point bonuses, but you will only receive a specified amount of points total from each map, so the points you already received for the map by playing it on Casual will count against the final rewards. In addition, each map has a level cap: you will only receive experience points for completing it on any Difficulty level if you are between a certain experience level range. In example: Tier 1, Map I will only provide xp for level 1-6 characters, Tier 1, Map II will provide experience for level 2-7 characters, etc, etc.

Essence has nothing at all to do with XP, Skill Points or Trap Points. You use it exclusively within the map it is generated, or you lose it. It is used to purchase and upgrade the traps specifically on the map where it is generated, and you may only upgrade traps based on selections you have made on the Trap page between maps.

[bloodbearhighking]

Trap points being five and skill points being three for each level normally? I was asking for the seven extra levels that I acquired from the XP. Is it possible to obtain those points or not, at which time this becomes a penalty for not using all available essence per map?

Have you done this yourself? Has anyone else?

[datguy13]

Three Skill points per Experience Level. This will not change under any circumstances, and the Experience Level maximum cap is Level 100.

Trap Upgrade Point rewards will depend upon the Tier, the Difficulty Setting and the degree of success. For example: in Tier 1, Hard Difficulty, the maximum reward per Map is 11 Trap points. If you complete the map on Casual you will receive a maximum of 5 out of the total 11 points. Going back to complete the map a second time with a three-star rating at Hard Difficulty will reward you the last 6 points for that map.

You may repeat maps at any time, but in order to gain the total Upgrade points, you have to make a perfect, three-star run. In order to get a Three-Star rating on any map, you must set the map to Hard Difficulty and win the map with 20/20 Gate Portal Health, completing all Waves in a single attempt.

Again: Essence gains and expenditure does NOT affect Skill, Experience Point or Trap Upgrade Point rewards in any way whatsoever. Essence is the currency you use to build traps during a map, nothing more.

[bloodbearhighking]

Thank-you

[bloodbearhighking]

Based upon the information you provided for me. I thought I would see if it was as you said it was, by creating a new character and keeping a record of each map/level. So I could see if I understood the explanation that you provided.

From levels 1 through 11, I tried to spend all the essence I had collected. Since as you explained “Essence”, doesn't matter. From levels 12 to 20 I tried to collect as much essence as I could, because I think that “Essence”, does matter.

The chart will show that when I skipped levels, the game compensated, with an extra 3 skill points for the levels that were skipped, but did not compensated equally with Trap Points. If I had played those levels, I would have acquired those Trap Points normally.

As it stands, I am missing 30 Trap Points. It would suggest that there is something out-of-whack with the mechanics, involving Trap Points. I could do a lot with an additional 30 trap points.


The Cat – Marksman – Casual

Starting Out:
Health: 925 Armor: 30 Damage: 200 Focus: 100
Skills points: 4 Trap points: 0

Level 1 –
Darkmoor: I
XP: 1,600
Health: 1027 Armor: 30 Damage: 221 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 106
Skills points: 3 Trap points: 5

Level 2 –
Pale Keep: II
XP: 2,400
Health: 1027 Armor: 30 Damage: 244 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 92
Skills points: 3 Trap points: 5

Level 3 –
Forest of the Fallen: III
XP: 4,800
Health: 925 Armor: 37 Damage: 250 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 86
Skills points: 3 Trap points: 5

Level 4 –
Bottomless Pit: IV
XP: 8,447
Health: 1072 Armor: 54 Damage: 276 Focus: 124
Remaining Essence: 164
Skills points: 6 Trap points: 5

Level 6 –
Crystal Vaults: V
XP: 10,208
Health: 1203 Armor: 54 Damage: 250 Focus: 124
Remaining Essence: 321
Skills points: 3 Trap points: 5

Level 7 –
Nameless Tomb: VI
XP: 13,728
Health: 1203 Armor: 77 Damage: 250 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 184
Skills points: 6 Trap points: 5

Level 9 –
Cave of Valor: VII
XP: 15,839
Health: 1229 Armor: 74 Damage: 314 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 226
Skills points: 6 Trap points: 5

Level 11 –
Plateau of Decay: VIII
XP: 15,776
Health: 1229 Armor: 120 Damage: 314 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 154
Skills points: 3 Trap points: 5

Level 12 –
Abandoned Laboratories: IX
XP: 20,063
Health: 1229 Armor: 120 Damage: 314 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 1,739
Skills points: 6 Trap points: 5

Level 14 –
Black Warrens: X
XP: 19,488
Health: 1229 Armor: 120 Damage: 314 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 2,258
Skills points: 3 Trap points: 5

Level 15 –
Necropolis: XI
XP: 8,447
Health: 1072 Armor: 54 Damage: 276 Focus: 124
Remaining Essence: 1,336
Skills points: 6 Trap points: 5

Level 17 –
Wounded Crag: XII
XP: 25,056
Health: 1443 Armor: 140 Damage: 299 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 1,652
Skills points: 3 Trap points: 5

Level 18 –
Inkheart: XIII
XP: 31,679
Health: 1443 Armor: 146 Damage: 299 Focus: 100
Remaining Essence: 3,170
Skills points: 6 Trap points: 5

Tier II – Level 20 – Darkmoor – Normal

Combat Skills:

Shoot: Max Level
Scattershot: Max Level

Trap Skills:

Essence Trap Sigil: Max Level

World Skills:

Mark of the Craftman: Max Level
Mark of the Keeper: Max Level
Mark of Fortune: Max Level

Mystical Ground – Icicle Field
Mechanical ground – Essence Trap
Mystical Tower – Phoenix Tower
Mechanical Tower – Voltron Coil
Summoning – Suicide Swarm Nest

Equipment:

Hat – Armor 64
Sylvanian Glyph Tailsman – 141 All-Resist
Heavy Hand Crossbow – Damage 299
Warded Duster Cloak – Armor 82
Aventurine Ring - ? 63
Bearskin Belt – Health 743

Runes:

Fulmigatium Enhancer
Arcanium Enhancer
Borgovium Enhancer

[Wyatan]

As datguy's already explained twice, you do NOT get trap points though levelling up.

You get them through completing maps.
So when beating a map gets you two levels, you get double skill points, but only standard trap points since you've just beaten one map.

As for the Essence collecting having any impact, you're wrong, and your chart shows it as well, so why insist ?

[datguy13]

Originally posted by dragonflythecat:

The Cat – Marksman – Casual

This is why you are getting fewer Trap Points. You need to complete maps with a Three-Star rating to get the largest Trap Upgrade reward from each map. You cannot get Three-Star ratings by playing in Casual Difficulty; you need to play the map on Hard Difficulty.

[bloodbearhighking]

Actually, when I tried to play that character at Normal, I repeatedly got my 'head handed to me'. I realized that I needed to delete the character and start over with a new character at normal. So my new character is currently playing the seventh map at level nine. I did recieve some skill points at six and trap points at eleven, at two stars.


This all started because I first played a mercenary at normal and made it to level 32 and then he kept getting over-ran by the monsters. So I watched a couple of videos of a player at tiers three and four and saw how he played and figured I could duplicate that.

I'm still working on it.

[datguy13]

There's no need to delete characters. You can always replay maps, you can respec your character's Skills and Traps using gold, and there's no limit to the number of character saves you can have. It is actually more beneficial for many players to take a character which is failing and try to change their Skills and Trap upgrades around to experiment with different strategies, than to just start from scratch.

It is important to note as well, that how a person plays on Tier 3 or 4 will be different than how they play through Tier 1 or 2. The game is designed for the player to adapt to changing environments with new strategies and tactics trhough an entire play through.

[Wyatan]

Also note that there are Trap/Skill points available for completing "secondary objectives".
These are shown on the right, along with the associated reward, when you start a map.

Some of them are only available on Hard mode, though, and none on Casual/Easy.

And some maps don't have any secondary objective.

[bloodbearhighking]

I stripped those characters of all equipment prior to deletion and put their gear in the stash window so I would have funds, for the new character. I tend to buy items that are highlighted in light blue. I will figure it out. Thanks for the explanations.