[DraconisRex]

Nice post in the entirety, but I think you've made an error or two due to your frustrations and early game errors.

Like you, I have started multiple games. I think I'm on Game 15. [img]smile.gif[/img] So far, what I've found is that it's all about character management and that you don't have to "play to type" or "play to maximize" various character types. Here are some of my favorite characters:

1. Morlon Bluewing - Fairy Lord. Weak. So-so armor (with the custom
armor). Has another fairy in the party. Dual-weild fairy wands.

Speed, dexterity, senses, some into vitality & strength.
Nearly impossible to hit. Knocks opponents out (sleep really) all
the time, allowing his Felpurr samurai friend to get lots of kills
due to striking helpless enemies.

Looking at the stats, he sucks. But he's like a good 7 inning
pitcher setting up the game for a great closer.


2. Balin Dainson - Dwarven Monk. Slow, stupid & obtuse. Not your
typical enlightened, dexterous and observant monk yes? [img]smile.gif[/img]

Dwarven damage resistance. Monk damage resistance. He's as
tough as old boots.

Keep pumping the points into speed & dexterity. Keep pumping
the skill points into martial arts and stealth.

A major attitude here. He's sort of like the kick-boxer of the
martial arts world. None of this fancy jumping around stuff.
Just walk right in and crush bones...

3. Human anything. Jack of all trades, master of none. Not really.
Felpurrs are fast. The manual touts their samurai & ninja
capabilities. Too bad they're so darn weak and frail.

Sure, you get bonus points. Too bad they've got to go to strength
and vitality. Unless you like to spend a lot of time reloading.

Hobbits are wonderfully dexterous. Not so good as a bard, because
they're weak. A weak bard is a poor flanker in my system. A
weak bard suffers from encumbrance problems. Low piety leaves
them more susceptible to turncoat and other annoying spells.


So, to me, it's all about management of strengths & weaknesses. Sure, many of those races *look* good because of their specialization. But that specialzation also makes for inherent weaknesses.

Let's look at your lizardman fighters. Uh-oh. With a -10 to mental and divine resistance, coupled with a 25 piety, the first turncoat spell you hit is going to render most of your party dead.

So, here you are, in the swamp. And you're level 11 & have your nice iron skin and power strike abilities. You hit a herd of nightmare. Suddenly you have 350 hp of enraged, buffed lizardman fighters chopping on your bishop. How long will he last?

To make things worse, because of their low ability scores in intelligence and piety, the Lizardmen will recover from mental and divine conditions much more slowly. So you'll either have to have a counter-spell handy, or you're going to hope like hell for a miracle.