Runemaster, a very bad sign

[Parallaxe]

Hello.

The Runemaster mastery is a very bad sign for this game. It shows that the developer do not know what they are doing.

Why?
First, we all know where the idea for the Runemaster comes from so let's go to the problem.

The idea of the variable spell is in itself very good but fundametally designed for tactical games. You make decisions depending on the situation and choose the best option. WIN.
But arpg's are fast paced and all about efficiency. X attacks per second, highest dps etc.
The Runemaster goes completely against this. To get the best effect you need to choose your spells and unleash your invocation. Even a second of hesitation, a bad choice of spells for the situation leads to a net loss of efficiency.
Does it look cool? Yes. Do you deal good DPS if you try to make it work as intended.
Hell no.

In game solutions?
Imprint the combination to get the best spell for your setup. Completely avoiding the core idea of invocation to gein more DPS.
Auto-random spells allow you to fire three spells of and just punch the invocation button. The higher rate of invocation outshines a more controlled choice of invocation. Once more undoing the main idea of the Runemaster.
CD+Empowered Invocations allow you to choose your invocation more carefully but still forces you to use the right spell combo at the time, no matter if the spells are efficient or not. This solution is better than the base version but still is a net DPS loss and causes a high amount of maintanance for the player.

Ultimately the Runemaster is not weak, one can always crank up the numbers to get there, but the fundamental idea of the Runemaster is incompatable with a fast moving arpg.
What makes it even worse is how much time and energy the dev team must have spent on this mastery just for all the skill effects alone.

For me this is a sign the devs struggle with their game's identity and vision.

[Greefer]

For me, this is a sign you didn't even read the Runic Invocation Skill Tree before you took the time to rant about it on the steam forums

[Sound Zero]

I always love it when someone claims a game maker doesn't know what they are doing, just because it's not what a player wants.

Make your own game then, since you know so much.

[kongkim]

Originally posted by Parallaxe:

Hello.

The Runemaster mastery is a very bad sign for this game. It shows that the developer do not know what they are doing.

Why?
First, we all know where the idea for the Runemaster comes from so let's go to the problem.

The idea of the variable spell is in itself very good but fundametally designed for tactical games. You make decisions depending on the situation and choose the best option. WIN.
But arpg's are fast paced and all about efficiency. X attacks per second, highest dps etc.
The Runemaster goes completely against this. To get the best effect you need to choose your spells and unleash your invocation. Even a second of hesitation, a bad choice of spells for the situation leads to a net loss of efficiency.
Does it look cool? Yes. Do you deal good DPS if you try to make it work as intended.
Hell no.

In game solutions?
Imprint the combination to get the best spell for your setup. Completely avoiding the core idea of invocation to gein more DPS.
Auto-random spells allow you to fire three spells of and just punch the invocation button. The higher rate of invocation outshines a more controlled choice of invocation. Once more undoing the main idea of the Runemaster.
CD+Empowered Invocations allow you to choose your invocation more carefully but still forces you to use the right spell combo at the time, no matter if the spells are efficient or not. This solution is better than the base version but still is a net DPS loss and causes a high amount of maintanance for the player.

Ultimately the Runemaster is not weak, one can always crank up the numbers to get there, but the fundamental idea of the Runemaster is incompatable with a fast moving arpg.
What makes it even worse is how much time and energy the dev team must have spent on this mastery just for all the skill effects alone.

For me this is a sign the devs struggle with their game's identity and vision.

Play another class/mastery them.
It good there are a mastery like this for the people that like it.
Its a good sign that they try new things and not just make a fast game like all other arpg.

[Amigo]

Agree. Who needs all those dozens of spell combinations if you are going to stick to one or two of them? It's entertaining at first but then the effect wears off.

[Firebead Elvenhair]

Originally posted by Parallaxe:

Does it look cool? Yes.

Good enough for me !

[Metadigital]

Wow, everything you don't like about Runemaster is exactly what I like about Runemaster.

Sounds like a personal preference thing more than a design thing.

[Adalon]

Originally posted by Amigo:

Agree. Who needs all those dozens of spell combinations if you are going to stick to one or two of them? It's entertaining at first but then the effect wears off.

So you can empower different builds?

[Snuggy Serian]

So far i like that stuff. Still have to see how far i can get with it though.

[RhodosGuard]

I dislike it for the simple reason that the most fun to use lightning skill in runic invocation requires a Heo Rune, so you cant run a full lightning build without using the ♥♥♥♥♥♥ GGG Invocation.

[FDMasakaki]

currently using runebolts rune shuffle node so i literally am constantly casting random invocations because its fun just spamming all sorts of everything out

[Kalle]

Originally posted by FDMasakaki:

currently using runebolts rune shuffle node so i literally am constantly casting random invocations because its fun just spamming all sorts of everything out

Totaly agree,

Elemental Nova + Random runbolts + the nodes from invoke where i cast rune 1 and rune 2 combos automatic....

I just did the first Monos with the Runemaster.. But no other chars what i had was so easy and fast with clearing.

[orionar101]

Originally posted by Zekken:

Originally posted by Amigo:

Agree. Who needs all those dozens of spell combinations if you are going to stick to one or two of them? It's entertaining at first but then the effect wears off.

So you can empower different builds?

then just amke those as individual skils rather than crunching them into one

[orionar101]

Originally posted by OokerDooker:

For me, this is a sign you didn't even read the Runic Invocation Skill Tree before you took the time to rant about it on the steam forums

i have and hes still right. everything about the skill is inefficient and a chess game. runic energy requires waiting too long, same with the cooldown, the jump back thing is just whack to do 4d chess with. ive removed it from my skill bar and my damage has gone up not down, and i have to mircomanage far less. many of the ivocatiosn themselves are underwhelming, with 1 or 2 runes never being worth it on their own

[Miyagi]

Well, the problem is a perceived incompatibility of what you think should be the standard for arpg, and what the philosophy of the runemaster design entails.
When you say "arpg", you're actually saying Isometric Hack'n Slash Looter ARPG. I personally prefer a tone down hack'n slash for arpgs. I think this industry (isometric arpg) is stale for far too long. I noticed that Diablo and POE fans think that there's only one way to make "arpgs", but they are not even talking about specifically arpg mechanics, just like you yourself, but hack and slash and looters.
So I think that the Runemaster is a really good sign about the game design, that we will have actually good action rpg combat, with weight and deliberation (like the famous souls series are recognized for) instead of a combat design of speed, poping collors and a painful focus on "efficiency" that sacrifices the rpg aspect of the gameplay.
RPG, Role Playing Game, is made of choices, and a more deliberate combat mean to intertwine action and choices.

[RhodosGuard]

Originally posted by Miyagi:

Well, the problem is a perceived incompatibility of what you think should be the standard for arpg, and what the philosophy of the runemaster design entails.
When you say "arpg", you're actually saying Isometric Hack'n Slash Looter ARPG. I personally prefer a tone down hack'n slash for arpgs. I think this industry (isometric arpg) is stale for far too long. I noticed that Diablo and POE fans think that there's only one way to make "arpgs", but they are not even talking about specifically arpg mechanics, just like you yourself, but hack and slash and looters.
So I think that the Runemaster is a really good sign about the game design, that we will have actually good action rpg combat, with weight and deliberation (like the famous souls series are recognized for) instead of a combat design of speed, poping collors and a painful focus on "efficiency" that sacrifices the rpg aspect of the gameplay.
RPG, Role Playing Game, is made of choices, and a more deliberate combat mean to intertwine action and choices.

But runemaster is not at all focused on weight and deliberation?
The best builds either autocast Runic Invocations, cast 3 Invocations with 1 cast, or set it to always produce the same outcome.
If anything, RM is focusing, very specifically, on speed, popping colors and efficiency.
RM is the epitomy of grinding Runic Invocation to max efficiency by either not having to bother direct casting it, have it cast 3 invocations at the same time, or having it produce the optimal outcome every time by pre-setting the most efficient invocation.