Newbie to Wiz and Warriors...need some help... =)

[Blackthorn]

Hey fellow Warriors...

I just started on Wiz and Warriors this week (I was holding out on the patch and until I finally beat BG2 I am Level 2 on all my
characters and am asking for alittle help. Here is a run down of a few things I am have probs with...

Torches and lighting... I have tried using Software and D3d settings... I normally run at max detail with D3D 1024 resolution. My problem
is in the Crypts... The torches don't light up anything at all.. Gama doesn't help in the dark area of the crypts and I even have tried
casting "Torch Spell" on different characters... Nothing lights up at all, but if I smash a barrel, then the area lights up a brief
second... Odd! Anyone got any ideas? I really could use some light in these dungeons...

Do I have to "set a trait" to use it? The readme file mentioned this but the manual didn't say much. Like the Gold Digger for example...

Opening chests... my rat thief (named Rat Trap.. hehe) seems to open the chest at random... I try until he gets it right, but cancel before
it "goes in the red and set the trap off".. Certain trap types are always the same.. Any way to manually just do the combination or must
the computer randomize it each time based on your skill stats?

What are some of the best (most needed at the SOONEST level available) spells? What crafts should I mainly focus on before most others?

What about skills? I hear that swords and axes are better than any other weapon skills... is this true?

How or when can I identify items myself? It is a chore to run to town from the bottom of the Crypts and identify everything you have and
waste all of your gold...

When is a good time to join the warrior, priest, and mage guilds? Being level 2 and with no gold... 500 a character runs 3000 gold...
Hmmmm...better armor or join the guilds...

Any other pointers you might care to mention?

Thanks... W&W is a great game..pending the serious bugs... Going from BG2 to W&W... The element of fun is very high and reminds me of the
olden Ultima Underworld days... I love it! =)

I have been playing since October (I'm slow). Technical things I KNOW NOTHING! If you have a whiska in your party you can lead with them (they light things up a bit). I thing the Torch spell only works for the person you cast it on. So make sure they are leading. If that isn't the problem, eek. To my knowledge the traits function on their own (unless you need a SKILL to work with them; ei arcane lore and identify). Evil eye does need to be activated. Once have viewed a trap its "alarm" never seems to change. But the actually success will. Some are just too hard. You can also have a very strong person "pry" or when you get high enough in VINE (3 or 4) use pry spell. You can USE lock picks.

I would recommend having one character focus on raising certain magics. Vine has cure poison (4th) you want this before serpent temple. Spirit has great heal at (3rd). Fire is one I love!!!! But stand back if you cast flamedrop (it will "hold" monsters with small spurts of repeated damage. Usually any spell in the manual that says "any monsters in area effected" means if you are too close you take damage. I read some nifty things about MOON and the sleep spell can come in handy on low level monsters in large groups.

ID comes much later . . . do all the guild quests they will give you! Note: If your fighter or cleric becomes a paladin he can become a member in the other guild. So get into as many guilds as possible and get the same quest for as many of your characters as possible to avoid repeating them. I have been advised and it makes sense to wait to ascend to new ROLE until you reach a certain level or you may be limited in the level of spell advancement. Each time you ascend to a new role you start at level one for that role and receive puny point advancements until you get up to your highest level of your previous role. (If I am wrong correct me wise sages . . . wait til you meet some of the 2nd time players . . . you'll be reading threads and saying why didn't I think of that?)

Hope some of this helps . . . time for me to seek wisdom, I am SO stuck.