I know that bards have excess to wizard spells and that they learn it slower, but can they learn Level 9 spells in SoA? Man, soloing a Jester in SoA with the Sola Mod v 71 is hard... I am really having trouble with the game right now...
Can't even complete that simple thief quest(improved?). Also, does the spell Chromatic Orb petrify targets? It didn't say it can in the manual.

<font color="lightblue">Bards can get up to level 6 spells in SOA.
And no, Chromatic Orb doesn`t petrify. It can blind, inflict pain, burn, stun, cause weakness or parylise; aswell as causing damage. </font>

Well then something went wrong, coz I petrified a enemies using the spell Chromatic Orb, and my jester was on level 10, the guy I petrified is that Slaver captain. Now what do u call that? I'd call it a bug, a VERY cool bug...

No, both Bards and Mages can't memorize level 9 spells in SoA. They can cast it from scrolls.

Yes, the Improved Mea'Var is indeed much tougher. Try gaining a few more levels.

Accroding to the Manual, no, but maybe you got the paralyzing effect?

No, both Bards and Mages can't memorize level 9 spells in SoA. They can cast it from scrolls.

Quote:

Can't even complete that simple thief quest(improved?).

Yes, the Improved Mea'Var is indeed much tougher. Try gaining a few more levels.

Quote:

Also, does the spell Chromatic Orb petrify targets? It didn't say it can in the manual.

Accroding to the Manual, no, but maybe you got the paralyzing effect?</font>[/QUOTE]No, I didn't get the paralyzing effect. I got the Petrify effect, it said in the battle text window, PETRIFIED. After petrifying that slaver captain, I got my XP, and then I walked up to him(in stone shape) and whacked him with my spear and he just crumbled to the groundd in pieces.

Hmmm... That's weird!
Must be a bug.

That's not a bug, that's a lack in the manual.
Chromatic Orb can petrify later and after level 11 or 12, it can instantly kill.
I used the petrify-ability on the Shadow Dragon. Was an easy kill (was already down at injured, though).

Pertified a dragon?! With Chromatic Orb?!
Talking about luck! Dragons already have low saves, and the Orb effect has another +6 BONUS to the throw...
You lost the loot, i assume?

As far as I know Bards will never in any circumstance be able to memorize 9th level spells, no matter how high their level might be, but then I might be mistaken.

Pertified a dragon?! With Chromatic Orb?!
Talking about luck! Dragons already have low saves, and the Orb effect has another +6 BONUS to the throw...
You lost the loot, i assume?</font>[/QUOTE]Well....
1) I used Greater Malison and Doom first.
2) I used Chromatic Orb to petrify the dragon - I don't know what the save is, but I know that when it kills instantly, it's just a measly save vs. death.
3) I got experience.
4) I felled the dragon with a Flame-Arrow from Edwin.
5) I collected the loot.

That was everything. [img]smile.gif[/img]

No, bards never learn lvl 9 spells...my blade didn't even learn lvl 7 spells by lvl40.

Oh... my head. Time to clarify some things.

Bards and Mages can scribe scrolls from spell level 1-9, depending on their INT. If either Bard or Mage has less than 18 INT, you will need to gulp down some Potions of Genius or Potions of Mind Focusing to learn level 9 spells.

Bards however, can only cast from spell level 1-6. They can know spells from spell level 7-9, but never cast them( save from scrolls).

Chromatic Orb petrifies from level 10-11. Read the spell description in the game. It auto-kills at level 12+.

Chromatic Orb is really useful I'd say...

Just make sure you remember to cast Greater Malison and/or Doom beforehand to help counter the +6 penalty. It is always fun to barrage a Dragon with COs though... since sooner or later, the Dragon will fail its saving throw.

ADD] On a side note, I do not use COs when my Mages are level 10-11, since petrify means a chance that loot will be destroyed. In the Shadow Dragon's case, its Shadow Dragon Scales.

[ 09-01-2002, 02:05 AM: Message edited by: Dundee Slaytern ]

Really...? I also found out that the victim that gets hit by the Chromatic Orb has a chance of dying instantly(like when they get hit by the Finger of Death)... It's really funny to find that a level 1 spell has these effects.

Sigh... read my first post on this thread. Chromatic Orb acts like a weaker version of Finger of Death when the caster is level 12+.

Fear the power of Chromatic Orb! [img]smile.gif[/img]
I like to use it, it's one of the best spells ever.

Not if the target has the Cloak of Mirrors, eh?

That will be cute. Giving somebody like Jon Irenicus a Cloak of Mirroring.

That will be cute. Giving somebody like Jon Irenicus a Cloak of Mirroring.</font>[/QUOTE].................................................. .............

By the way, another question - does bards get extra weapon proficiencies as his level goes up?

Yes... ...

ADD] 1* every 4 levels.

[ 09-02-2002, 02:53 AM: Message edited by: Dundee Slaytern ]

Don't worry, Dundee, my head hurts too.

To learn about Bards:
1) Link in my sig
2) Chapter 4
3) Scroll down to the Rogues and read the Bard introduction
4) Click the link to the in-depth Bard stuff

I have read Volothamp's analysis. Good work!

Just a small remark: CHARISMA also affects where in your turn you start your attack.

I my case I chose an ugly Thief with very low charisma (thought that stat isn't important). I really got problems backstabbing. Most of the times I tried, he actually came out of the shadows before attacking his target(rolling the attack dice). Of course the beast immediately turned and hacked me into peaces.

He became visible not because of failing the Move Silently dice (I hade 100% in this and could stay for "hours" hidden).

So I think Charisma is a very important skill for thiefs, stalkers and monks.

Eh? I do not recall reading anything about that in the game code. Is there any concrete evidence to back this up? I have had a Thief with only 8 CHA, and she backstabs just fine.

Does Charisma affect ur to hit hit when coming out of stealth?

not to my knowledge

Thought so...

VERY good guide to understanding how the Baldurs Gate series works SixOfSpades, thanks [img]smile.gif[/img]

(bows)

Keep watching for Volothamp's Comeuppance, Version 1.2, to be uploaded soon (in a week or two). More data, some slight corrections, and pictures! Yes! Goodbye, endless, boring blocks of text!