I heard about parry is useless but discipline is deadly necessary. Concentration is useless too? IMO, lore is useless too its always posssible to find some one to identify items

If your a spellcaster, concentration is invaluable. When your surrounded by say 4 or 5 foes and call-lightning is your best choice to kill them all, that skill makes the difference between getting the spell off or having it disrupted. Combat casting and skill focus-concentration make it all the better. It is useless for fighters though.

Discipline is definately good for warriors.

Parry is excellent IMO since its possible to get a dual wielding character with 7 attacks per round (i.e. can block 7 incomming attacks, and depending on the roll + skill modifier counter attacks are likely enough). It means that a character with a poor AC can block massive blows that would otherwise cripple the character. It also parries combat feats such as called shot, sap and knockdown. Plus, it looks cool when you're good enough at it too ;) It also means while your enemy is getting angry with his inability to hit you, tommy can run round and stick him for a 7D6 sneak attack :D

Concentration is only useful for spellcasters. Warriors have no need of it. The only other use is to prevent successful taunts, but I never once saw an emeny try to taunt me in the entire game.

I always invest in around 5 points of lore, since this combined with two rings of insight, dual wielding 2 black riders quills can identify anything. (I have a lore reserved quickbar slot where I put the rings and rapiers, for those long "save before you open a boss chest and keep opening it till you find something cool" times ;) )

[ 08-01-2002, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: Jim ]

No. Parry isn't useless. It's not that great. But it's not useless. If you have points to burn, like 21 INT mage. [img]smile.gif[/img] After all, if you're a mage and you're keeping the horde off you while your Hound Archon chops them into bits it helps...

Lore isn't useless. You pick up some cool stuff. Why not use it now, instead of hopping back-and-forth to a temple? Sometimes you can't leave an area (ex: Helm's Hold) unless something has been done. Also, lore saves spell slots. No need to memorize identify. I'd rather have the odd magic-missile or color-spray spell. Or a Summon Trap-Tripping Creature 1...

Concentration is very, very important to avoid spell casting failure when hit in melee. If I've ever been taunted, I haven't noticed.

Concentration is only useful if you're a combat spell caster. I never took it for my ranger, because he only uses his spells outside of combat. Occasionally, he'll throw an entangle, but it's not worth using the skill points to use a skill once or twice in the game.