Music Skills

[MaraJade]

I'm in a bind and need some advice.

When I started the game I did not know much about it, so I a very basic group. I had never played a bard before, never saw much use for them, so I did not create one.

After playing for a while and looking through this forum I realized that having a bard is important in the game. Unfortunately I can not turn a rogue into a bard (I had two once I found Myles), so I took my Lord and turned him into a Bard. His music skill of course was way low.

Unfortunately it takes forever to get the music skill up to 15. I'm at 14 now and need a huge amount of experience to level again. Is there any way to raise the music skill? I have been using the only instrument I can use, the Angel Tongue, but it never gave me that one point that I still need in order to use the other instruments I found.

Any ideas for this? I would hate to have to start over.

Mara

[Warhammer]

First and foremost having a bard is not important for the game, IMHO the bard is a little bit overhyped.

My party level 27 is composed of
Fighter
Ranger
Samurai/Mage
Lord/Priest
Ninja/Alchemist
Fighter/Psionic

Nothing even ressembling a bard or a gadgeteer, no deaths since level 2. Hardly a difficult combat since level 6 on Arnika road. And Having a great time with 5 characters each knowing all the spells of their respective books.

To answer your question, keep playing that Angel Tongue, in each and every occasion, your music skill will raise very soon.

[catzenpewters]

I increased my bard's skill dramatically in Arnika by using that charming violin on everyone over and over and over. It took a while but my music skill is in the 80s now. You can do this anywhere you can talk to NPCs.

[chimera99]

As above, use the viola you find in Arnika to cahrm NPC's. Becareful though, I think I remember someone saying that if you you are charming Antone and hot a wrong nte (that is, fumble), he attacks. So, choose someone other than a rapex to practice upon. In about 45 real minutes I increased my music from 20 to 65. IMHO if Bards aren't essential, they are VERY useful. You get some instruments later on that are really useful. It's very nice having a lvl 10-11 char that can cast spell lvl 7 magic shield at a small stamina cost.

[Goumindong]

yup, my bard is good enough that i have hired the bard merc, so i can let him die and steal his insurment... hehe, had to kill off myles because he would leave me to hire the bard

[Warhammer]

quote:

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Originally posted by Goumindong:
yup, my bard is good enough that i have hired the bard merc, so i can let him die and steal his insurment... hehe, had to kill off myles because he would leave me to hire the bard

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Silly question: Why did you have Myles killed to free an RPC slot ? Why didn't you just dismiss him ?

[DraconisRex]

Bards are not required. No class is required. Bards are a lot of fun.

The solution to your problem is to practice, practice, practice. Did you think Yoyo Ma became a great cellist because he didn't practice?

And don't forget your scales. Don't just practice set pieces. Bad form.

And sit up straight. And no running with knives. And change your underwear. What will the other party members say if they find you dead in dirty underwear?

[MaraJade]

Thanks to everyone for the advise. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Unfortunately all the practice in the world doesn't help if the only thing you can do is play the Angel Tongue. If you start with music skills below 10 at level 7 I found it to be almost impossible to get up to 15 so you are able to use the other instruments.

So yesterday I decided to start over. Hey, I was only in the swamp and I made many mistakes early in the game, so creating a new group and starting a new game seems to be the best solution.

I want to share some of my mistakes here, might help others just starting out.

I found that in Wizardry 8 support and defensive spells are extremely important. I always went for offensive spells first, creating a very strong attack sorcerer. This time around I split up the spells and got some of the support spells early on (like enchanted blade). I also decided to get a Psionic for the havoc they can cause with enemies.

Running through the early game again it was much much easier with the new group. I only had my Psionic die, and only once. Battles were much easier with the new group and the Bard has a lot do do with it. Being able to put enemies to sleep from the start is a great tool that I never even thought about before.

MaraJade