Question on X-Ray

[Hermit Boy]

There are all sorts of posts mentioning how great X-Ray is. I use it because it makes the red dots on my radar show up from further away than they would otherwise. Helps me avoid monsters when I don't want to get in a fight.

Is that all it does? Or is there some other thing that I am missing. If it just shows where monsters are that is good to either avoid them or prepare for the fight, but does not seem as good as most people talk it up as.

What am I missing?

Thanks,

[Scatter]

I like to use X-Ray so i can start combats from around the corner, getting some destruction or protection before the mobs even know i'm there. Any of the ball spells, like Noxious Fumes, Quicksand, Death Cloud, etc. can be used on opponents you can't see (before they have a chance to put up Eye-4-Eye), and you can also start combat within a short distance of visual contact, if you're around a corner or behind something, and get your Haste or Soul Shield (etc) going as you step out to engage.

[Hermit Boy]

Aha! That makes sense. I just was not thinking about it enough as a strategy tool.

i dont often use xray strategically as scatter describes (when i do that, it's usually a boss fight i know is coming anyway), but i still think it's a great spell. i never really appreciated it until i ran a party without spellcasting - that was an eye opener!

[Loudhy]

It's a very important spell. I found out that last night. Because my party had no magic-users I was forced to move very carefully. So I sneaked along the walls of the Arnika Road to reach the Crossing to Arnika and Northern Wilderness. You cannot look very good there and the monsters mostly are on the road, so you see them very late. I had bad luck and ran into a group of 5 Higardi Brigand. With their high initiative they surrounded me before I could run away and my Level 8 party was gone .
That's the reason why I think that X-Ray is the most important spell early in the game , because it can help survive in the beginning ( especially on Arnika Road and Arnika-Trynton-Road ) . Unfortunatly, with my party I have to wait a long time to get it.)
With magic parties, I used X-Ray to maximize spell effects. F.e. with X-Ray you see there are three groups , get into combat with one, move to the second and third ( of course you need patience for that ). Then all the area-spells ( Noxious Fumes, Fireball etc.) are far more effective.
Edit: "You get more kills for your mana"

[img]graemlins/monster5.gif[/img]

[ 12-11-2003, 12:25 AM: Message edited by: Loudhy ]

[Wild Rose]

The other thing X-Ray does is make a difference about what shows up on your Map. It's great for avoiding fights when hit points/mana are down or you are just in a hurry. Definately a major strategy tool!