NPCs & Enemies Making post-Golem progression a bit better.

[willsp]

There is a massive heap of content in the post Golem (and in some cases even post Plantera) world that many people would rather skip in favor of using the Terra Blade or getting weapons from the celestial pillars immediately. Here are some examples:

*The Pumpkin/Frost Moon
*The Old ones Army
*The Biome Chests
*The Empress of Light
*Any Solar Eclipse melee weapon that isn't the Terra Blade


I suggest that after Golem is defeated the Lunatic Cultist appears as a suspicious non-hostile NPC that needs you to help him prepare for "a grand event of cosmic importance" by collecting a series of special quest items scattered throughout the Post Golem world. These could either be found in events like the pumpkin and frost moon, or if the devs want to keep those events optional they could just be just gathered from post golem enemies and/or minibosses around the map.

For each quest you complete you are granted a biome chest key with the last reward being the broken hero sword (now no longer dropped by Mothron).
Once all quests are completed he disappears with an evil laugh and his followers begin their ritual at the dungeon the following day, from there the boss fight is started same way as before, with his previous quest rewards now become potential boss drops.

This would provide a longer period where players are actually incentivized to use weapons from post golem instead of moving on from this phase of the game as soon as possible. What are your thoughts on this idea?

 

[77ForumBone]

I disagree with this. The simplest way to smooth out post-Golem progression is to just make Cultist harder. This would incentivize players to do post-Golem content to get better gear while not streamlining progression by making everything required for this boss.

 

[Moth to the Lampshade]

I agree with @77ForumBone. I think if you made Cultist around as hard as, like, Empress or Fishron(and added a way to return it to pre-buff level after killing it) people would be more incentivized to do the other events. They’d still be optional, just a much better idea to do. You should definitely be allowed to choose which ones you do. The alternative would just be forcing the player to experience content that may not even benefit them(i.e. summoner frost moon)

 

[Asternove]

I remember suggesting something similar a while back, but I’ve changed my mind. Just make Cultist harder.

 

[Letsgotrees]

This is ok, but I feel like that the cultist as an NPC would kinda ruin his whole persona, what I do think is needed is that you have to get the cultist mad, and example is getting things from the frostmoon, pumpkin moon, ect, and crafting it into a tablet esc object to summon him, but that's just what I made up on the spot

 

[willsp]

I remember suggesting something similar a while back, but I’ve changed my mind. Just make Cultist harder.

I agree with @77ForumBone. I think if you made Cultist around as hard as, like, Empress or Fishron(and added a way to return it to pre-buff level after killing it) people would be more incentivized to do the other events. They’d still be optional, just a much better idea to do. You should definitely be allowed to choose which ones you do. The alternative would just be forcing the player to experience content that may not even benefit them(i.e. summoner frost moon)

I disagree with this. The simplest way to smooth out post-Golem progression is to just make Cultist harder. This would incentivize players to do post-Golem content to get better gear while not streamlining progression by making everything required for this boss.

While that would work I still think the Terra Blade needs to be made available much later so that other weapons can have their chance to shine. No matter how hard you make the Cultist It wouldn't help make post Golem melee any more useful if you already made the ideal weapon to take it down before you even killed Golem, heck even the items made available by Duke Fishron and the Empress of Light fights pale in comparison in most scenarios

Having it be a drop from the cultist would be my solution, potentially buffing its stats slightly to compensate if necessary (though perhaps it's strong enough as is without buffs) because having it available any earlier makes stuff like the Influx Waver or the Christmas Tree Sword pointless

 

[Nekohime]

Psycho Knife is problably my favorite melee weapon from Post Plantera.
Range Sucks sure... BUT THE DPS MAKES UP FOR IT LOL!

 

[Asternove]

So I actually read it and tried understanding it… you might be on to something but it just feels modded. NPCs aren’t this complex in Vanilla.

 

[willsp]

So I actually read it and tried understanding it… you might be on to something but it just feels modded. NPCs aren’t this complex in Vanilla.

I mean not really. I took the idea of gathering items for an NPC quest from the angler and the whole "naturally spawning NPC outside the dungeon who summons a boss after you've fulfilled certain circumstances" shtick from the old man

 

[willsp]

This is ok, but I feel like that the cultist as an NPC would kinda ruin his whole persona, what I do think is needed is that you have to get the cultist mad, and example is getting things from the frostmoon, pumpkin moon, ect, and crafting it into a tablet esc object to summon him, but that's just what I made up on the spot

By a "friendly" NPC I don't mean him being all cheery and kind. I just mean he wouldn't actively attack the player like an enemy would

realistically he'd say that he needed the materials for an event of immense cosmic importance and would act all aggressive and dodge the question If you asked what he was planning on doing. Perhaps he'd talk like he was a bit mad with a little "hehe" here and there or occasionally say too much and immediately try to change the subject. I want the NPC to make it clear that he's suspicious and probably evil, the player would only be helping him because he promises to make it worth their while

I didn't originally make it clear in the post (I have since added this) but you don't just go up to him and ask for a fight like it was a friendly sparring match once he's ready. once you give him all the materials he would probably do an evil laugh and then disappear in a cloud of smoke and his followers would begin their ritual the next day ready for you to intervene