Seeking help with my Bishop

[Yaaj]

I just started playing this game a few days ago and I'm having problems developing my Bishop. I can't remember how I did him in Wizardry 7, it's been almost 10 years since I've played it after all.

The problem I'm having is he's realms aren't increasing all that well, the books themselves are fine tho (at least I think they are). Right now he's stats are;

Books:
Wizardry- 31
Divinity- 7 (I can't get this to raise for nothing!)
Alchemy- 28
Psionic- 24

Realms:
Fire Magic- 9
Water Magic- 1
Air Magic- 7
Earth Magic- 5
Mental Magic- 6
Divine Magic- 14

I know I can probably raise his skills and realms by casting spells like Mindread over and over again, but that's something I don't want to do (althought I have been casting Mindread two to three times for every NPC I talk to).

If anyone is curious here's my party.
Human Lord
Felpurr Samurai
Hobbit Ninja
Hobbit Gadgeteer
Mook Ranger
Faerie Bishop
No RPCs

Everyone is level 7. For my Bishop I've been putting everything into Intelligence and Piety at level up.

[the mighty stamar]

Well the truth is without training, ie sort of cheating, a bishop is worse than any spell caster.
But to even get started training your stats you need to cast spells in the orange. It looks like youre getting there.

Its up to you what seems natural. Every combat is a chance to raise a stat. Cast a spell from all five of your realms every combat.

In short Id just like to say the bishop requires more skill advancement than the game offers by far. It is intended for training.

[Yaaj]

But to even get started training your stats you need to cast spells in the orange.

Ahh!! I didn't even think about casting spells in the orange. I'll have to start doing that.

Cast a spell from all five of your realms every combat.

That's what I've been doing. At the start of the fight I cast Bless, then the next round I cast Insanity, the next I cast Web, and from there I heal anyone that needs it or cast Enegry Blast or Make Wounds. The only realms I have that don't have spells that are all that useful is Water and Air, but I just found the Missle Shield book so hopefully my Air realm will start going up.

[Kakero]

also, let your bishop keep on casting spell even if you are not in combat. example, keep on casting light will improve your Fire magic skill.

[the mighty stamar]

You also have an entirely slow developing party so you will take lumps for a long time. Not that there is anything wrong with that, do it all on expert.
Make the game a bitch to beat theres no wizardry 9.

[Wereboar]

At level 7 with a first party, you've probably not been in Arnika yet. There you'll have the chance to buy a number of books (especially priest books), and things will go better.

Didn't you find the Stamina spellbook yet? This should be a chance to improve water realm.

A spell that is in several books has a chance to improve the skill of the highest scool. So in your case, heal may improve alchemy. To raise Divinity, you need priest-only spells. Use bless and make wounds a lot. When divinity is at 14-15, you can learn more priest-only spells.

A bishop has a lot of spells available, but he takes a long time to develop in Wiz8. Pure spellcasters will improve much faster.

To the light spell: cast it once before (or after) each rest, not more often. In my experience, it may improve fire skill up to 3 times a day.
There are other spells wich may improve skills even if cast outside combat. For example, heal and missile shield. But other spells like stamina don't raise skills outside combat.

[Yaaj]

My party actually got to Arnika at level 6. I've also bought my Bishop every spell book the shops have to offer.

Things are getting a little better for him. He's level 9 now and currently lost in the dungeon in the Graveyeard. [img]tongue.gif[/img] His stats right now are;

Wizardry- 51 (I've been casting Knock Knock to open every trap I've come across)
Divinity- 16 (going up SLOWLY)
Alchemy- 34
Psionics- 50 (From Midreading, IDing items, and Insanity)

Fire- 19
Water- 8 (Still haven't found a good spell becides Stamina)
Air- 17 (Missle Shield is doing wonders for this realm [img]smile.gif[/img] )
Earth- 56
Mental- 82
Divine- 39

I think I'm going to change the way I've been developing his skills. I'm going to start pumping Divinity, Water, and Air sence they are developing really slow.