Trynton

[Gab]

I've arrived at Trynton and have done badly there. My party is level 8. I've fought these level 10 plants(Rank Weed?) and have been unable to beat. There are also groupes of ants with a queen ant(level 11!) who wipes out my party and forces me to reload. What should I do?

[ 05-25-2003, 11:02 AM: Message edited by: Gab ]

[Kakero]

go to places where there is corner and fight them one by one. also try to use mass damage spell as this makes the battle shorter.

[Nightowl2]

Also keep an eye out for the Trynnie patrols. They will help you if anything attacks. If possible, try to lead monsters near to the patrols.

Nightowl2

P.S. You can cast healing spells on the Trynnies (or any other allies) to keep them going longer.

[EEWorzelle]

Gab, welcome to Wizardry 8!!

There are a few battles with fixed level monsters in Wizardry 8, but 95 percent of the battles will be with "spawned" monsters.

When monsters spawn, they do so at "close" to the current level of the highest level character in your party. That can mean two or three levels above or below, however.

It sounds like you are finding your parties skills and abilities to be less than what you need to handle the opposition you are facing. First know that you are not alone. Pretty much all of us have been there at first. You did better than me, actually. My first party never made it to Arnika.

1) Try the advice above. You can improve the results you are getting by using good batttle tactics (like hiding in a crevice where enemies can only come at you one or two at a time. Don't forget running and seeking the help of others (green dots on the radar screen), as part of that strategy.

2) Change the difficulty level. If this is your first game and you are playing on Expert Mode, then you are making the same mistake I did. It led to needless frustration. There are no rewards for playing at a higher difficulty level (even normal). If you are like many of us, you will start the game with several different parties until you are satisfied.

3) Trynton and level 8 may seem like a lot, but you are still in the beginning of the game. Don't be afraid to start over. You can keep the party you have and come back to it later, if you wish, as your skills improve.

The bottom line is to change rather than continue something frustrating and not fun. Once your player skills go up the learning curve a little, the game becomes easier.

[ChaosTheorist]

Are you sure you didn't wander into the Swamp? I've run into Soldier Ants in Trynton and both road zones, but I only remember seeing a Queen Ant once outside of the Swamp.

The plants are plenty tough for a level 8 party, and the Queen Ant is pretty much a non-starter at that level. I just took an all-hybrid group through the Swamp at level 9 (Expert difficulty), and my standard combat tactic any time we ran into a Queen Ant was simple: run screaming like a schoolgirl. It usually only takes a couple of low-level Fireball or Noxious Fumes rounds to take out the Soldier Ant escorts--and then the Queen Ant kicks our asses single-handed.

When you're up against the plants and the Queen Ant, a decent Missile Shield is vital; the plants' thorns hit pretty hard for their level (even when they don't poison you), and the Queen Ant's venom hits *very* hard--and then makes the character insane! If you don't have anyone who can cast Missile Shield at power level 2 or better, buy some scrolls.

I'd head back to the Arnika-Trynton road area for a while. There are lots of good crevice/corner spots where you can force the beasts to come at you single file. A group of 7-8 Piercer Modais can be handled fairly well by a party at your level in such a location: your tank(s) up front dish out (and aborb) the melee damage, while your casters or ranged attackers in the rear soften up the ones waiting in line, plus healing the melee fighters as required.

[Wereboar]

1. There might be Queen Ants in Trynton (although i don't remember seeing one there, i even encountered them at arnika road). The large weed group indicates that its indeed Trynton.

2. It seems that you are very unlucky with the placed monsters. Since it's your first game, i might be best to retreat to arnika-trynton road, rest one or two days (3-6 rest periods), and come back. Then the monsters are usually replaced.

3. If you play with a walkthrough and maps, you could try to reach the entry to the tree (at least if you have x-ray). Try to run toward it, while avoiding the monsters. In fight, run each round. When you approach Chief Gari, the monsters will usually reatreat (if not, the chief and the Trynnies will help you). This won't work if you don't know where to run to.

4. The advice with the missile shield is important. Together with armorplate and magic screen. You need them in those fights. Thats why you should have a mage and a priest, or a bishop, in your first party. When a hybrid learns this spell (and is able to cast it at a decent level), its often too late.

5. Eventualy you can set the difficulty to easy for this fight (assuming you play normal), and set it back afterwards. The monsters will hit you less often in this setting, and you'll hit better, but against that enemies it probably doesn't help.

6. You could post your party. Then we might be able to give more detailed advice.

[Gab]

My party is well balanced and I've read the manual about the races and classes. It's the following:

1. Fighter
2. Rouge
3. Ranger
4. Bard
5. Mage
6. Priest

My priest has just learned how to cast magic screen. I don't have any missle shields.

[ 05-26-2003, 08:23 AM: Message edited by: Gab ]

[Wereboar]

Very good party for a first try.

Missile shield is a mage spell, IIRC spell level 2. Learn it at your next level-up, its one of the most important spells in the game.

[Mr Creosote]

Sorry, I am not sure how to cut and paste from two other replies.....


As to Queen ants, I seem to run into them regularly outside of the swamp, certainly several times in the RFS area and especially in the wilderness, which one is it?... the one with the hoard of goodies and the waterfall. I also had one in the T'Rang base, which did make a change from goddam millipedes.

I dont think the posters problem is all about level as has been alluded to.
First game I played I managed to beat the Queen temple at lev 8 on normal setting. Mind you, it took me a whole day of game play and in the end I only beat it by being devious (but within the game rules). Mind you same game I didnt beat the Don until level 12 so I guess it all balances out.

As to the posted party Mage and Priest are a waste of slots, totally hopeless in Wiz8, unlike the previous Wiz series. I am just SOOOOOOOOO dissapointed with offensive spell-casting in this game, it almost is a joke. This is a melee game and while skilled experienced players who have the benefit of previous knowledge of the game can play a magic party, for the newcomer melee will get them through every time - 3 fighters with polearms, a rogue, a bard, and a bishop is eay to play and will be pretty much unstoppable if playing the game in the correct order of location visiting.

[Gab]

The problem was finally solved! I left Trynton. Fought monsters along the road
and camped for a day. When I returned to Trynton, the mosters were of a lower level(6 and 8) and I got to the Trynnies with no prblem and doing their quest.