Here's a tactic for those of you wanting to reach ahead and tackle mobs that are of a higher lvl.

You need two things for this tactic:
1) Someone who can cast elementals or a canned elemental
2) A corner

This has proven to be a beautiful thing for me, and I've lvled hardcore using this tactic. Come as close as you can to seeing enemies that lurk around a corner (obviously you know they are there) start combat early, summon up the meanest elemental you can but summon him in the same room as the enemies. Once you've done this cast 1 AOE (Area of Effect) spell minimum. This will ensure that the elemental will hold the mobs agro when you end the turn, and not simply end combat and waste the summon. Back down the hallway on your second turn, or path depending on where you are, and blast away with AOE's and non-sightline spells like Psionic Blast (targets party no visual component). Everyone dies...and if your lucky you don't see a lick of damage, unless they beat your ele down and come gunning for you.

how to get more than 3 people in your front rank:

***this tip was suggested in a different thread by someone else but it absolutely belongs here***

i verified this last night and it works.

dont use the front most rank. put your melee'rs in the middle and side ranks. put your rear guys (ranged only and casters) in the back rank. the flanks wont be able to hit mobs on the opposite side (understandable) but all 5 (3 middle and 2 sides) will be able to smack mobs dead-ahead of you, which is normally where you place your frontal assault mobs.
this is such a wonderful tip. now my monk, lord, samurai, and the cane-of-corpus faerie ninja can all melee the same badguy.

thanks to the person who originally suggested this.

Priests?! We don't need no stinking Priests! A bard with the dulcimer of mending and an alchemist to cast stamina is a never ending supply of group heals. Ever since the discovery of the Dulcimer of Mending and the abiblity to use it of course I have yet to see a death.
1) Bard chain casts group heal every turn
2) Alchemist casts stamina when needed
3) All the tanks live to fight another day [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 01-06-2002: Message edited by: Davrem ]</p>

One excellent way to maximize a character's teleport ability is to set a beacon down right in the T'Rang teleport room. Since the T'Rang teleportal lets you choose one of four locations, that spell in effect can send you to five separate locations for the price of one. And in addition, it's a safe place to rest when you teleport out of nearby trouble (always assuming the T'Rang still regard you as a nice guy, of course).

Myles can be very effective as a substitute for buying goods. In other words, use him to steal merchants blind. I don't invest my party members' skill points in that, since their combat skills are arguably more important. You can grab Myles in Arnika.

A REALLY helpful hint that I haven't found mentioned by anybody (could I be the only one who knows about this?), is that for you phased combat goers, instead of pressing enter to start your turn, you press the '\' button twice. This way, if you want to make a change, you can just enter continuous and change it. Also, if you for some reason started the turn normally, if you keep on switching, you will eventually reach the continuous mode where you can change your actions.

Also, the Valkryie's cheat death is stamina feuled. If you'r valkryie is getting low on life, but you don't have healing abilities available to you/your healer doesn't have high enough initiative, then go ahead and have her take the hit; she will fall unconcious for a few rounds, but will have quite a bit more life than small healing abilities could do.

*slight item spoiler*

Ninjas aren't just useful for the CoC. Of course it would only be smart for anybody who knows of it to have the appropriate race associated with the Ninja, they also deal damage unhindered by armor class. That means, that unless the enemy has damage resistance (like several adamant creatures do... *groan*), your ninja will do the amount of damage listed on the character profile.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by madmarcos:
how to get more than 3 people in your front rank:

.

dont use the front most rank. put your melee'rs in the middle and side ranks. put your rear guys (ranged only and casters) in the back rank. the flanks wont be able to hit mobs on the opposite side (understandable) but all 5 (3 middle and 2 sides) will be able to smack mobs dead-ahead of you, which is normally where you place your frontal assault mobs.
this is such a wonderful tip. now my monk, lord, samurai, and the cane-of-corpus faerie ninja can all melee the same badguy.

thanks to the person who originally suggested this.<hr></blockquote>

I agree with the tip, but have an improvement to it, instead of:
1 left flank, 3 in the middle and 1 in the right flank, try:
2 left flank, 1 in the middle and 2 in the right flank.

All 5 can STILL assault the front, BUT you now have two guys for each of the flanks.

You do not have to level up just because you are able to...

When your character gains enough experience to level, there is nothing requiring you to use that level up right away. Don't forget that monsters level with you. If you are not prepared to face monsters of higher strength, wait to level your characters until you have gotten some practice in. You can train your skills by fighting monsters near your current level and practicing spells in and out of combat (see previous tips in other posts).

NOTE: Don't worry, if your character has enough experience to gain multiple levels once you do decide to "hit the plus sign" to gain (a) level(s) you will go up a single level at a time, so 1) you will not lose out on anything and 2) you can stop/exit out when you feel the character(s) is/are at a good stopping point.

Regarding damage vs. disabling spells (in response to Thol's tip)...
(Note I don't know if this is spoilish or not, so I'll just take the precautions anyway):
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I've actually found that many people prefer disabling spells over damage spells in this game, because most of the parties I see are heavily melee-oriented. In a melee-oriented party part of the goal is to get close to the enemy to beat them down. Because of that goal, disabling spells are almost always a better option as they make situations safer, faster and more reliable

Damage spells tend to do much better when you have all spell-casters in your group (or very close). I've found that then and only then do these types of spells REALLY shine (multiple casters can use spells to lower enemy resistances and the whole group is focused on ranged killing). Disabling spells seem to be better for most parties, because most people seem to have very melee-heavy parties. I know the mage-party works from experience (albiet annoying when starting out). Keep in mind that mythology is EXTREMELY important as stated in a previous tip (especially so for this type of group).

Have fun...

Want a powerful Bishop? Start him/her as a mage. Put your 15 points (5 each) into Wizardry, Water & Air (or any other mage power of your choice). Change classes at level 2. When you change-over you keep your points in your magic types and add the other spell books. You lose nothing as your Bishop class will give you "start up" levels. You put points into areas you'll use a lot.

Ninja tip: Get a Wazakashi. Equip it in you SECONDARY weapon. Keep the PRIMARY weapon hand empty. You're still at two attacks. The Wakashi CAN raise your SWORD skill. The UNARMED skill can still rise, too.