Getting to Arnika

[Ziggurat]

Getting to Arnika is one of the first goals of the game because the game gets so much more "friendly" to fighting and moving up the ladder after that. I am talking relatively, here. The game is always tough in certain areas. You can hang around Arnika and get your guys and gals up to a reasonable level and build up skills. But up to then, the outlook looks iffy. It is a test of the party.

I tried something new with my party of four (Mon, Sam, Nin and Bis). I wasn't sure they would survive the Monastery. But I didn't lev up past level 2 until they got to those gates. It worked!! (normally I go for levs 3-5 to get there) I don't recommend it to everyone, especially starting out, because you have to know what is coming next (like lev 4 rats and lev 6 wasps). I did use things like the landscape to make them attack one at a time, when I could.

Gregor was a pain, as always. The Sam and Nin bought it and I had to Res them. I was surprised I survived the battle at all. Ms. Monk knocked him out for three rounds, that definately helped. I also did not do a beeline to get out, I cleaned out the Monastery.

FYI, I took no great pains to develop this party in the Monastery like some have. I did a double circuit before seeing Gregor, to get a Res potion at the waterfall, and opened the safe to get Resurrect potions for the 2nd dead one after they were dead. You lose about 4500 units of money by using these potions instead of selling them: I just wanted to see if you can get to Arnika at level 2. It is answered. Some of it may have been luck. I wonder if anyone has got to Arnika at lev 1 without alot of tricks or tactics to buff the chars?

[Nightowl2]

Level 1? Hah! I'm surprised you managed it at level 2 and with a short party, no less. I never went on the road at less than level 5. Then again, I didn't go any higher level, either. And always with a full group.

You've certainly accomplished something there, Zig. Are you continuing with this party or was it just an experiment?

Nightowl2

[Ziggurat]

It's continuing. I have all protections and am about to leave Arnika for Trynton. I am getting some crits, but not many. We are lev 8 now.

[tuckyboy]

Zig, I hope the party of 4 continues to be enjoyable. My party of 4 just returned to Arnika and picked up the Ebon Staff. Four is definitely much tougher than 6, but I think that it's making me into a better player. My tactics are becoming more refined with 4. Please continue to let us know how you're doing.
- tuck

[Ziggurat]

Here's an update, for those who want to know:

Instead of reaching Trynton (on the road we ran into 2 parties of Sige and Piercer Modais, plus some Crimson guys, survived two groups and ended up sneaking back to Arn to avoid the third, and this was when we had barely passed the house!) we went to the Monastery to use the Wheel Key. Ran into nine Pestilent Rats that were beyond us. Killed four or five of them, blinded the rest and they left us alone. The rest of the Monkery was unremarkable but we did run into 20 Acid Vines and an Ironweed on the way out of the area. Not a hard battle, death-wise, but stamina-wise quite taxing. Bis did a blind to negate the Ironweed so we could kill the bigger threat. Went on to Northern Wilderness from there, sneaking past the Hogar. Not hard if you know the trick. Easily dominated the thief group, got the Umpani flag and headed towards Bela. Ran into 5 Piercer Modais. They also were stronger than we could handle in the open. We ran away after a few attempts.

Side note: The faerie Nin, bless her soul, only has a Bo (1-8 damage, +1 to hit, +1 init). There are no weapons available that are better so far. At least her staff skill is going up (to around 42) and she can heal a bit. And she rarely gets killed, with her 50+ stealth and ninja armor. BTW, the only kills I saved were against Gregor.

No problem with the Marble Golem or the three lev 10 sprites (well, no big problems). We were and are lev 9 now. There seems to be a big gap in reaching lev 10 from 9. Probably just level of monsters you want to face and the areas you have to explore next.

After seeing Bela and fighting some lev 10 flying snakes, we turned the corner to go back and ran into a scorcher lev 34!!! That seems a bit much. We were toast by the second round, even with Magic Screen up to 6 or 7. We went back to Bela and rested. When we came back the path was clear and made it back OK to Arnika. We considered going after the good stuff in the wilds, and then remembered a recent post on getting stuck against a monster you could not beat at this level. Yeh, should have tried anyway.

This is not an easy party, especially with Redstart, our valiant Ninja, being so hobbled that it is closer to a party of 3. She has had only one or two crits. Not too surprised. Ms. Monk (Ophydia) is getting up to six attacks per round, Zax the Dracon Sam is getting Tiger Strike about every second or third battle, and he has Bloodlust. Johvol the Bish is holding his own with a whip, shield and stones, only missing Elemental and Soul Shields for protection.

Next step is Trynton and beyond!

(Sorry, I edited this thing a few times to get it right)

[ 07-01-2003, 12:00 AM: Message edited by: Ziggurat ]

[ChaosTheorist]

....Easily dominated the thief group, got the Umpani flag and headed towards Bela. Ran into 5 Piercer Modais. They also were stronger than we could handle in the open. We ran away after a few attempts. Side note: The faerie Nin, bless her soul, only has a Bo (1-8 damage, +1 to hit, +1 init). There are no weapons available that are better so far.

Kunar sells the Hayai Bo: 5-14 Dmg, +2 To Hit, +2 Init, 5% KO, useable by Samurai, Ninja, and Monk, all races. Or did you not sign up with the Umpani?

[Ziggurat]

Thanks, CT. I generally don't sign up with the Umpani until I've done the first three T'Rang quests. From recent notes here about how to contact the T'Rang safely up to the first 2 quests, maybe I should reconsider this. It would be nice to have a Hayai Bo before Trynton, and that stretch leading to the Northern Wilderness (Arnika Road?) is a great training ground at lower levs.

[ChaosTheorist]

I've gotten to where I turn right rather than left when leaving the Monastery about 2/3 of the time. That way I can pick up stuff from Kunar, and also am ready to immediately complete Z'Ant's first two missions when I first see him. Even using the back-door to the T'Rang teleporter, it's a pretty long round-trip from the Bluff to Gigas and back just to get the flag. Not that you have to ally with the Umpani to get the flag (I've started making it a point to *not* buy the flag), but you still have to go to Gigas to get it.

[Ziggurat]

I did take your advice and got the Hayai Bo. What a difference!! So glad I did. Of course, Sgt. Kunar didn't have it at first and had to rest 3 cycles (cast protection spells up to max to practice each time). Maybe that is how it didn't register as the next place to get a staff for a faerie Nin. Now Redstart the Nin is doing more than 2x damage from what she did and making a name for herself. I did the obstacle course with the Umpanis to get access, will see if this hurts later in T'Rangdom.

I'm thinking of just checking in with the group here when I get to Arnika, which is where I am now (again) and the original theme of the post. I always felt this game somewhat cycled around that place as a restarting point. This is a bit of a continuing narrative. Hope no one minds.

[ 07-02-2003, 12:32 AM: Message edited by: Ziggurat ]