Before Going West of Dragon Spire...

[Elowin]

I've finished all the quests from Ishad N'Ha and I'm ready to move on west past Dragon's Spire. But first some loose ends:

1. Now that I have the Mavin Sword and everything's done inside the Dragon's Spire is there ANY way (I don't have any teleport capability) to go around or climb over the Spire to avoid going through it again? Going through I found it convenient at times to just jump off bridges into water below but it seems that was going west to east and we have to go east to west one more time.

2. My lead character was using a two-handed sword. The Mavin in one-handed. What's best, a shield or a second weapon? Or should I continue using my two-handed weapon and use the Mavin only when needed?

3. Where is the switch or how do you open the main gate of Shurugeon Castle?

4. Considering all quests and needs done east of Dragon Spire will the party ever need to return to any regions east of the Spire again? Torin is a loose end located just east of the Spire. Or is he just wetting my whistle of things to come and won't be needed later?

Thank you for your ideas and thoughts.

[Davros]

To avoid going through Dragonspire, create a portal up on the ledge above Torin. If you want to travel between Ishad and Brimloch, just teleport, and walk the rest of the way. Yes, of course that means if your going to Ishad that means you should throw youself lemming like off the cliff. Why should that give you pause - just think of it as a ladder.

Go the two weapons - much better.

The castle - in the right hand tower (thats facing the locked door) there is a lever (same as any crypt entrance - use Spitit Eye.

Nothing else in Dragonspire

[carg]

1) I heard that if your athletics skill is high enough you can climb the dragon spire (near Torin) to the ledge. Level 5 didn't seem to be enough for me. But do get those teleport spells as soon as you can: they can save a lot of time, and in the third part you'll face the same problem of having to go through a dungeon.
2) Almost anyone (me included) prefers a second weapon to a shield. I seldom have problems with recieving physical damage, but because I play on hard, I do need to do a lot of damage. When your 2nd weapon skill is high enough, and you're skillful enough with your second weapon (e.g. dagger skill), you'll do mostly almost twice the amount of damage of a single weapon, and both weapon damages are boosted by traits, spells etc. So all my characters use a one-handed weapon and an off-hand weapon.
3) The eastern tower next to the closed gate contains the switch (climb it).
4) I believe the last things you need to do in Ishad N'Ha are the Colanth eye crystal of the wizard quest and the reward for killing the bandit king in the town hall. Torin is just an example of a NPC incapable of reacting to the advancing story: I haven't heard anyone yet who was able to do anything with him about finding his father. (So you'd best put your whistle under the tap now: little wetting it in the game I'm afraid.)

[carg]

Blast. I took so much time typing my response that you got there before me Davros!

[Davros]

Hi Carg,

Yes, I have learned to keep it short - particularly if you want to beat Wyvern or Xenotoca. You and I seem to be online at similar times lately Carg - what time zone are you in??

[Wyvern]

LOL!!!

When I joined this board, I was unaware of the fierce competition among the stalwarts to reply *FIRST*! =)

BTW, Davros: "Why should that [the Lemming thing] give you pause - just think of it as a ladder" (LOL) Well, first off, if the ladder's long enough I no longer fall all the way: I backstep off at the top, and immediately press the forward key. On long ladders, I'll fall just long enough for everyone to start screaming, but I'll catch the ladder without any point loss. As an aside, I thought the ladder issue was "looked into" in the patch; it's still the same.

Oh, and I said this on another thread as well: SHIELDS SUCK! 2nd Weapon is infinitely more useful. If shields gave you a reasonable AC bonus (and I mean like 3 or 4) then I'd consider their use, but this whole "chance to block" affair is ridiculous. And, like carg said, you really protect yourself from damage much better by doing MORE damage to the enemy, especially on hard.

[carg]

Davros, I'm in GMT +01:00 (Western Europe mainland).
Since connection to WWW isn't free for me, I even sometimes type the message before connecting (although that only works for new mails, like the Alababa one).
About shields: if you start blocking once every three attacks it might be similar to say 5 points of AC, so I think it is not worse than if it would give armor class. But then I don't need AC that hard: even when a would-be monk is walking around with AC 0 around the middle of the game, I have no trouble keeping him alive.

[Davros]

Hi Carg, Gauleiter,
I am further out out of phase with you guys than I thought - West Australian Mainland here. There is no big competition to be first to answer - but I have been in the position before of writing a really lengthy and elaborate reply to someones question. When I finally finished it and posted - it ended up number 6 in the queue (sigh) - I think Wyv had even got in TWO answers . I think ladders and cliffs are one of the endearing qualities to the game. Since I learnt how to tackle them, I have steadfastly refused this option - it would feel like cheating the ladder of its due. I have become addicted to the Geronimo solution - leap before you look is my motto.