I'm only about level 8 or so, but this is my second time getting that far due to my computer crashing, and I have used the exact same route this time as last, but I'm not getting near as many encounters, and thus not near the XP as the first time. For instance, first time through the northern wilderness, I had constant battles with vines and juggernauts, but this time, from the Arnika road to the bridge, I only had the one battle with the battering hogar, then killed the marble golem. On my way back, I only had 3 encounters besides the rogues at the camp. Is it just random? I have the same settings as before, still on normal difficulty, same party, and I used the exact same route getting there.

Second question: My bishop backfires all the time! I'm doing everything right (I think). Putting my points into 3 spellbooks, casting spells from all realms during combat, keeping up the enchanted blade, light, and missile shield...but roughly 20% of my spells seem to backfire, and that's not counting the fizzles. I don't cast beyond the orange circles on combat spells. Am I doing something wrong? Or is it just bad luck?

Each location in the game has a range of monsters that might appear (aside from set encounters, like the marble golem). This is usually adjusted to the party level, but the random factor could give you either stronger or weaker opponents. So you could come across juggernauts, or just plain piercer modais.

Regarding magic, only green is safe. Once you move out to the other colors, you risk backfire or fizzle on the spells. Genereally, if the power ring color has no green, you're likely to have a spell fail. Even yellowish-green is no guarantee of success.

<center>Nightowl2</center>