What abilities do magic-wielding characters lose when ...

What abilities do wizards, warlocks, and priests lose when they transfer to another class, e.g., when my rogue-like barbarian became a warlock he was no longer able to use lock picks (this character will eventually become a ninja gaining his ability to use lockpicks again, i hope)?

I originally had planned to have one of my wizards become a samurai and then a warlock, but after reading a few posts about the warlock losing some skills gained from the samurai (like using two-weapons), I changed the order and my wizard is a now warlock who will later become a samurai.

But I'm left wonderfing if pure magic-wielding classes like the priests, wizards, and warlocks lose any abilities or traits or effectiveness in stuff besides ability to learn new spells. Any of the experts know?

Better yet, has anyone come up with a matrix of skills/traits gained by class role and which traits are lost or lessen in effectiveness when ascending to another class?

Merry X-mas!!!!

Not an expert by any means . . . just drowned at Collaseum after playing for an hour and realised I hadn't saved at all. The manual gives guidance but one needs to read close. Would be interesting to plot it out on a chart . . . okay, I'm weird. Usually if they don't say you can use a weapon in that role you won't be able to (" . . . the Warlock is limited to using staffs and daggers, and may not wear armor. . ."). For some silly reason I thought I could keep my swords. Neural pathways clogged, I guess. Bards seem to be able to continue to use instruments even when they ascend to a new class. When Mussy went samurai she could not USE lock picks (a guaranteed opener if the level of the lockpick was high enough) but could open chests using that first option I assumed was pick locks. What's up with that? Perhaps, she is using a bobby pin? Dunno.

[Wyvern]

Basically what you loose when you change a magic user to another class it the ability to learn new higher level spells. I think they are limited to only learning spells up to half their spell class proficiency. Best advice before changing magic users is to at least get them up to level 14 and learn all the higher level spells you want them to know before changing class. They will still be able to cast all the spells they know.

Wyv

[carg]

The problem with compiling that table is you need to list per item which classes may use it, because that is what the game checks. Lockpicks may only be used by the rogue classes: rogue, barbarian, bard, ninja and assassin; warlocks may not use heavy weapons and armor etc. On the other hand: skills and traits can still be used, so you can still open chests at full traps&locks skill once a character learned that skill, even when you change to say warlock. The only exception (I know of) is the spell skills, but you know about those.
I am compiling a list about all traits and skills, with where and when you can learn it, which roles can learn it and prereqs. It will probably never be complete, but it's pretty far by now, and I hope our story archive will publish it soon. Otherwise I'll try one of the other sites. I'll post here when it's up.
A while ago I posted a query for the traits I didn't know, but the response was not that good, so I still have a number of blanks. Can anyone tell me how to gain the following traits:
Chi Master, Divine Aura, Enlightenment, Firebrand, Guardian Ward, Heroic Legacy, Mercury's Heel, Mindspeak, Nature's Keeper, Regeneration, Soul Bane, Soul Drain, Spellfire, Vampire Breath?

[Dr. Bob]

Where can I get a copy of this table? I think I could really use something like this. I am at a point where all of my characters are getting to be around level 13-15, and thus they are progressing VERY slowly. It's probably a good idea to change some classes, but I want to make sure I get all the necessary spells and traits before I do. Has anyone made a list of all the spells and classes, noting which ones are vital and which ones are frivolous? Please let me know. Thanks!

Cheers and wild clapping for CARG! I will welcome that list as I want to make a second try at the game. Just finished Collaseum! I missed invoking the Assassin Dagger . . . and would like to play my second time through without missing quite so much. Raising this to the top of the list in hopes someone can fill in your blanks. I wonder how many quest items have invoke options that I have missed or that are only invokeable by certain roles. When I left the collaseum I had about a dozen books of magic that only one character could use and he either didn't have that book of magic or had already learned the spell. GRRR. Thanks in advance for your effort.

I haven't changed roles yet, so I don't know if or how this works, but doesn't the manual say that once you surpass the level of a former role you regain all abilities of that role?

Example: A lvl 15 samuri changes to warlock so he loses the ability to use swords. When the warlock reaches lvl 15 or 16, he can use swords again?

Vagabond, that sounds like the AD&D (2nd Ed) dual-class restriction... does this apply in WW?

carg, Nature's Keeper is a trait gained upon becoming a monk. That's all I'm sure of!

Sorry, I guess not. I went back through the manual to see if I could find it, but it only says that until you exceed the highest level of any former role you will gain minimal hit points, attribute points, and skill points. I guess I just transposed the D&D rules when I read "until you exceed the highest level".

It also says that when you switch roles you retain all previous skills, traits and abilities. I would think that wielding a sword is an ability, but apparently the game doesn't see it that way.

[Davros]

Carg,

When my party got teleported back to Brinloch after the "big stoush" I was able to purchase the Chi Master trait at the DOJO for my (then) level 12 Zenmaster. I was about level 6 the last time I headed out, and am sure it wasn't available then. Wish I knew more of the others - obviously you already have several that I missed.