Hi! I'm just starting out and would like any advice on which non-magical skills are required, e.g., communication. I don't intend on having a rogue character so I probably will pick locks through magic. Currently, my 6-person party will probably contain:

1. Fighter
2. Monk
3. ??? maybe a ninja
4. Bard
5. Bishop (offense)
6. Bishop (defense)

Any thoughts on which skills I definitely should have someone working on?

Go for Ranger as your ?? character

As for your bishops, I would specialize say in fire/air/mental for one and water/earth/divine for the other. And since there is also Wizardry/alchemy/psionics/divinty branches focus on 2 or 3 for each at the begining then expand later or you may have weak caster till higher levels.

Also give all your guys slings/bows and allow them you learn as they fire them in combat. This way when spell points are low or somebody can't reach the front line you can still do something. I don't invest any points in ranged/bow/sling skills just let em build up on thier own.

Communication is not necessary nor is mythology. They go up by huge increments just by routine use. Put points into pickpocket which REALLY pays off later, lockpick, and artifacts for someone early. Once you get someone with an artifact skill of about 20, it will go up quickly enough on its own

Thanks for the quick replies! Yeah, I was thinking about a Ranger for it's scouting and detecting abilities but I read a few posts stating that the Ranger was particularly useless later in the game. Having not played the game, I don't know how the Ranger measures up early and later in the game.

when you make your chars, you will see what skill is most important for each one, because it will be highlighted in blue (the char's main attribute).
points are not in abundance, so you must stay focused on 2 stats and 3 abilities for each.
some chars have as much as 5 main attributes, but you have to decide which ones are most important, based on how they are being used.

this is where the manual is your friend! at the end is a listing of races and professions. so once you've decided on who you want, read to find out the most important stats for them. then, ONLY put points in those areas. all areas increase with use, but you want to get your party strong quickly.

the first area of the game can be HARD. so just breathe deep and plunge in. lol!

keep each char's personal stock filled with pots and bombs, from the beginning. it's a times waster to have to take pots from the party pack when you're in battle.

also remember that your bishops learn spells VERY slowly. it's prolly best to concentrate on 2 schools max at first. otherwise, you will get very frustrated.

good luck! and also, i think everyone here has re-started at least 4 or 5 times, trying to get the best party for their playing style. so, don't worry, if you aren't happy with your group, join "ReStarters Anonymous" and be proud! :D

V***V

EDIT: rangers r0xx0r!! criticals in the early game are GREAT!! i will never ever replace my ranger, never ever. she's wonderful! besides her scouting, she learns alchemy. we can't live without our little mooksie sweetie. [img]smile.gif[/img]

My current party have 2 bishops as the only magical firepower(round lvl 10 at the mo). The trick is to concentrate on 2 out of Wizardry/alchemy/psionics/divinty as far as I have been able to see. This is to get access to spells as quickly as possible. Put exactly 1 point into fire/air/mental/water/earth/divine before putting the rest into Wizardry/alchemy/psionics/divinty. This is because it seems like it is MUCH harder to get the first point.

Then you have to get the spells that you can cast in non combat situations to train your skills. Spells that seem to be particularly effective is knock knock and charm. I was able to quickly go from 5 in earth to 90 in earth using knock knock on a certain vault door ;)

Be aware that the bishop using this schema is pretty usless early on. There also seems to be hopless to train skills before you reach somthing between lvl 6 and 8 then you can train as hell.....

I have to agree with Vesselle about the ranger. I would not trade my Mook Ranger for any other character. Right now she has the second most number of kills behind the Samurai. Since I have specialized in Senses, she does more crits than either the ninja or the Samurai. She may not be the highest damage producer but I still like her. I also finding the scouting ability amazingly useful.

I have not tried two (2) Bishops but I do have one and Psionic. At the beginning Bishops can be a little behind in the spell power but now (level 10) she is just starting to come into her own. She is specialized in Wizardry and Divinity. I do not take the time to sit around casting spells to just raise their levels as it is just to boring but I do cast spells in combat from all realms every chance I get. With her high Piety she learns quickly and I think is extremely useful. Now if I can just find some more good spell books I will be all set.

My Mook Ranger is now level 23, and along with his great long-range critical hits, he has some pretty respectable spell power as well. Element Shield at power level 5 is handy in battle, and Acid Bomb, a duration spell, keeps on taking it's tol, plus other group combat spells and a bit of handy healing and stamina in a pinch.. His Chameleon spell is at level 7 and allows the party to get much closer before combat engages. Wouldn't trade him fer nothin'!

OMG!!

my mooksie ranger just got 2 arrows per nock! nothing quite like hearing that "thud, thud" twice in a row as they hit less than a second apart!!!

i am so amazed at her! and her kills are double what my second highest teammate (felpurr monk) gets.

omg! i am SO proud of her!