For an advanced guide on the game, check the link below. Also includes links to the other major guides (AFAIK) so you can find them easily.
https://www.kongregate.com/forums/3-general-gaming/topics/1779765-idle-raiders-second-run-intermediate-guide-for-idle-raiders-sr
Suggestion: Change the island gold/xp summary into a city-specific gold/xp summary. This makes more sense from the player's point of view as each city is an enclosed money-making system. To diagnose it, we need a specific summary.
The game itself is surprisingly complex, allowing for a range of strategies to maximize progress efficiency (the incrimental/idle game "goal"). I still haven't figured out what works best, while in most other comparable games it's dead obvious. Special mention to Realm Grinder and Idle Raiders, as they also accomplished a similar level of complexity.
However, I do fully agree with xithbaby; the whole P2W system found so often is outdated, inefficient for all parties involved and a dead giveaway of an opportunistic, immoral publisher. One day the market will no longer tolerate these.
Another guide! Advanced tips:
END-GAME: For a perfect playthrough you'll need these things:
- A good build: Pick the right stats for your Soulbounds.
- High level items: Use only high level items in your combinations. Use the "+1 to loot level" and "grabs loot ASAP" rings on one hero to maximize item levels further (you should soulbind these rings ASAP).
- Stack combining charges. Keep your excess Soulbounds over several ascensions to create overpowered items later on.
- Most important is a strong weapon. I personally love the lifesteal/multishot two-hander Vampire Fang (drops in City of Dead) and equip it on all my heroes, combining it only with other Vampire Fangs.
Lastly, a little cheat I've found: You keep any gems you've earned when you reset the game. You can farm a whole bunch and start a new game. You could use gems to soulbind helmets, seeing as these don't drop from existing bosses, as well as loot rings (mentioned before).
A guide! Combining explained:
At the 2nd Ascension you unlock the "COMBINING" tab. Place a Soulbound (yellow) item with at least one charge (check the Soulbound item's tooltip by holding mouse over it) into one of the combining slots (first OR second). Any item of the same type (helm, ring, weapon, shield etc.) goes into the other slot.
Placing two Soulbounds with charges into the combining slots while combining result in the use of 1 charge on the first Soulbound item. Other charges are added together and will be present on the new item. A new charge is added to each Soulbound you own when you ascend.
IMPORTANT/ADVANCED: The item you put in the first slot will affect the resulting combination more strongly than the one you put into the second slot. Item level is also affected by this: The first slot item determines the base level for the new item, while the second determines how strongly it is upgraded.
Also, I notice there are an absolutely massive amount of particles being rendered. Do these have a significant effect? I can't really play past wave 2500, and that's with a low-elemental build (full effects cause the game to crawl at 1000 for me).
TheFlatDragon, I'd say this game's speed is limited more in it's design than it would be after an upgrade in grahpics (they don't have to be pretty, just something that gives it atmosphere/allows the player to relate).
The problem with the "lag" we are experiencing is because of all the different effects interacting with one another on multiple enemies. The calculations at max speed and max wave skip are computer-boggling, so to speak. ^^ All in all, The Perfect Tower 2 is what I was going for (or The Even More Perfect Tower, I suppose).
I'd like to say this game is far beyond my expectations. The gameplay design is impeccable, better than most idle games, including the popular ones.
I think you have something worth fully developing here. Add graphics to make the game popular, and players will stay because of how good it is.
Here's an opposite game, horrible in design and lacking in perfectionism, but great graphics: http://www.kongregate.com/games/Avaloid/tap-adventure-time-travel
As you can see, it's very popular despite the trillions of flaws. Just a heads-up. :) I'll keep playing this as is, regardless.
Been playing for 10 minutes now: No challenge (no consumables required, ever), no fun, horrible pathing, no reason to try new heroes, skeletons block my movement. 1/5
So... we buy the XP upgrade, allowing us to rush the soul upgrade, allowing us to finish the game in 30 minutes total using the staff. Why would you give us control over the enemy spawns (door HP) and give us upgrades which give flat bonuses on kill?
I'd give this game a 5/5 if not for the misguided views on religion (religion produces culture, leads to practical upgrades, is a necessity to advance scientifically later on...?).
A suggestion: Improve tooltips to be more clear. Explain which mechanics apply where (attack speed affects healing, which is not an attack...? Range works on healing, too. Does damage affect healing?), give full ability information (resource cost shown even when 0, graphic yes/no/projectile, AOE, range) and provide a description for the "Essence of Rage". There are many specific tooltips which need fixing (too many to list), I can compile a full list (with fixes) if requested.
Also a tip: Because Crit stats deteriorate when combining items, keep several pieces of equipment purely for the sake of crit. This increases your freedom of combining new items into your gear without having to worry about crit going below 100% chance. Also, Wrath of God + Wrath of God = Hellwrath, giving 1000% crit damage. Extremely important late-game.
 "Guild Quest"){kind=icon}
 "Idle Raiders: Second Run"){kind=icon}
 "Idle Sword 2"){kind=icon}
 "Spell idle 2"){kind=icon}
 "Immortal Hero Idle"){kind=icon}
 "Dragon Fortress"){kind=icon}
 "The Perfect Tower"){kind=icon}
 "Loot Heroes 2"){kind=icon}
 "Zombie And Juliet"){kind=icon}
 "Kittens Game"){kind=icon}
 "Idle Raiders"){kind=icon}
 "RobotPet"){kind=icon}
 "Idle Sword"){kind=icon}