Tips for new players

Here's my general strategy...I may actually start the game over to implement...

1) Re-roll characters to get the highest attribute bonuses possible (experiment.)

2) Figure that while ascending levels that you will gain 1-2 attribute points per level while in your primary role.

3) Level changes: For most characters...around level 10.

4) Map out your character race/primary role/secondary role combinations

5)Create a matrix with class minimum attributes for each role.

6)The most important attribute for your characters to have early in the game is high intelligence. Why? Intelligence directly impacts the number of skill bonuses that the character achieves at each ability level.

This may not seem terribly important at lower levels, but becomes critical once level 5,6,and 7 spellcasting is desired (try to get your warrior/paladin to level 7 Spiritcraft on one attribute bonus per level!)


7) Don't buy armor or weapons...find it. Sell everything except for quest items, the best armor and weapons, and a few must-have potions and scrolls (cure poison, unbinding for the snake temple)

Do the temple quests early...get one priest to Priest Guild Level 3 to get the Ancient Lore trait. Put points/training $ on this skill - identifying items in the towns is very expensive.

9)Join the guilds early...Train at each level. You need a lot of gold to accomplish this, and some patience. When ascending roles, try to make a series of short, combat focused forays into a neary dungeon. That way you can take advantage of the skill training at each level.

P.S. For D.W...this is a great game that is taking a lot of flak for its interface (Mouse and keyboard commands are "non-intuitive."

Easy solutions:

1) Enable double-click on save games.

2) Hot-buttons on keyboard to attack nearest hostile creature (trying to target bats will drive you batty!)

3)Move the movement keys to the left side of keyboard (I really think that this game was designed by a lefty...It is awkward to work the numeric pad with your left hand.)

4) Map...put the map somewhere permanently on the screen...too much toggling between combat and map view.

KFM

[Davros]

Playing a second time right now - the BIG reommendation with bats (and works well with worgurs and fish) - Flamedrop - if you pick the right target, one cast and then the whole pack dies.

There are a couple of character changes that I wouldn't wait for. Warrior to Barbarian (espicially if you have no rogue), and one wizard to warlock (if you have 2 in the party). Have done both of these before entering the crypt this time.

[Wyvern]

Good list - should also include basic advice on how to save your game -

I find the best approach is to have several save games: 1 for the town, 1 for the beginning of a new area/dungeon, 1 for any tricky bits within a dungeon. That's the basic list, I often keep separate saves for the next dungeon as well and alternate as I move through the game. Keeping several save games avoids loosing a lot of game playing time if you have to restore and backtrack.

Wyv

[carg]

Hey KFMAYER,
that's a useful list I think (though I disagree on a few minor points). Why don't you try to get one of the W&W sites to pubish it, like the story board archive or ironworks.

Also, less is more. Using fewer characters (I'm using 2 now) allows more xp and gold for levelling and training. My party of two is far more powerful than my previous party of four - by a huge margin. They were chucking level 7 spells around in the serpent temple, at which stage my previous party was still on level fours.
I disagree about changing a wizard to a warlock asap, rather, change to warlock as your *second last class*, so you can fill out any level 7 spells that you missed. A wizard should hang in there for high level Stone spells - no other class gets them, and when you're a warlock you'll want to focus on Fiend spells, which they share only with assassins.
After changing roles the first few levels come really fast (my Samurai with Crusade trait was getting 1-2 levels from every ghost at Shurugeon -run to the castle, kill a ghost, run to town and train, rinse and repeat) - you can level up during a fight so you can train back in town. If you get more than one level they go up all at once and you miss out on training.
If your character needs to train a magic school to level 7 but doesn't have the cash (eg a level 7 char with 6 in a magic school) just hold off levelling until you have the cash to train - you'll probably get all level 7's in one go, whereas you'd get none if you levelled without training.