As True Dungeon continues to grow, equipment in any form is part of what keeps players interested. This is a double edged sword. People want the best equipment available, and when they have the best equipment, they want better equipment. Over time however, this can bring the problem of power creep. <br /><br />Power Creep in True Dungeon is very unique. Because you want to continue to woo new players, the challenges in the dungeon cannot creep up with tokens. Working as a team makes all players want everyone in their party to be as "tanked out" as possible. Having new and veteran players in the same party make the challenges of the directors even harder, as balance between the 2 groups continues to wane.<br /><br />The first solution that I see to this issue is powerful consumables. Scroll: Keen Edge was a really weak rare, that I was quite unhappy to pull several of this year. If it would have enchanted a weapon for the entire dungeon, I would have been much more likely to use them. I may have been tempted to use Keen Edge on the Iuz Snake had both 19-20 been on the same slide board. But, alas, I used none in the 4 times through the dungeon this year. Had I been able to use a scroll and a spell with my Bracelets of the Zephyr, using a consumable would have been more likely.<br /><br />Chain Lightning in contrast, was used in 3 of my 4 runs. (BTW would Chain Lightning hit the snake twice? 2 slider boards and all =D . . .) There were 2 rooms where I saw Chain Lightning used: Stirges and Monk/Angel. Chain Lightning seems to be near the sweet spot of powerful consumables.<br /><br />Mage Armor is another excellent consumable. However, it should be "fixed" to be usable with the Cloak and Robe of the Mage. Most of the Fighters, Clerics, and Paladins that went through the dungeon with me had 23 or higher defense. As a Wizard, I was stuck at about 13. Would a 17-20 be unbalancing? Make us want to use the rarer consumables. The more we use the more we buy!<br /><br />The flip side to the Mage Armor argument, however, is again Power Creep, at least at first glance. But, if you dig deeper, you see: 1. Mage Armor is a consumable rare, and 2. still well below the higher end Armor Classes that will be seen in a party. As a consumable, Mage Armor is a limited supply item. Power Creep can be kept in check by not producing them every year, as (theoretically) most will be used in the year they are released. Because the average Armor Class of a Wizard is on the bottom side of the party, Power Creep may not even apply in this case.<br /><br />One of the biggest areas of concern for Power Creep is Armor Class. Currently a Fighter can achieve +20 to AC or more. A Fighter that makes a "perfect" AC pull from a (not 00) token pack given on a run can achieve a +11 to AC (Plate Armor +8, Large Shield +2, and Great Helm +1). This is a huge amount of Power Creep. A monster with +6 to Attack has a 25% chance to hit the new guy and a 5% chance to hit the veteran. <br /><br />To help curb this Power Creep I suggest not printing anything more that the "tank" classes can use to boost AC. Instead make a new arc similar to the Dragonscale Set. Over several years, items could be made to reduce cold damage, acid damage, and other damage types. These items, like the Dragonscale Set, also might have a lower AC bonus to help offset the damage reduction. Also monsters might force a hand slot to be used by something (like a mirror) to help lower the hyper-ACs. A room that is laden with magnets might also slow down people wearing (and using) metal items, allowing them to attack every other round, forcing decisions between AC and damage output.<br /><br />The best solutions for Power Creep seem to be: more usable consumables, esoteric challenges within the dungeon, and finally making creative items that do not push any one class over the other. Items like the Amulet of Wonder, Medallion of Greyhawk, and Belt of Retrieval do a great job expanding useful items without causing a Power Creep. Items like the Bracelets of the Zephyr should also be able to use consumables to turn over more tokens, giving cause to buy more token packs. <br /><br />Any thoughts from the people who have a plethora of tokens already? or the new guys just starting a collection?
The Worst Rogue Ever!
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--Rocky
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