starting over with better insight

[somebody]

I made it all the way up to shudgeon (or something like that) castle and am starting over because of my lack of character development. I need some advice, do you think i should have three fighters, rogue and two magicians or just two fighters and three magicians? also how can i fully develope my party, so that all my guys kick ass and get all the spells and all the best traits. should i develope my identifying skill first or my blessing and enchanting skills first? should i learn moon magic first instead of stone or wait to learn moon with my ninja or bard? also one more thing, how should i train my fighters, i heard i should wait only for level 5 then change their role, but wouldnt it be better wait until level 12 for everyone?

sorry for the long post,
somebody

[ 04-30-2002, 12:38 AM: Message edited by: somebody ]

[Korvican]

Heyah!
Have you checked the best tips thread?
From posts with D*one and Wyv, they suggest getting moon magic early on as well as stone if possible.
I'd get identify item as a skill as soon as possible, because it helps keep the costs down for low level characters. Enchantments/blessings are fun, but less important than getting the identify item/forge skills. With these you can identify and repair just about everything in your inventory. It's handy for building up your gold in a hurry (you never have to pay Smitty either!)

As for character classes, - every player has a different opinion. You don't really need a rogue if you get a warrior/barbarian. When you upgrade to the barbarian character class (easiest character upgrade) you pick up the lockpick skill as well as a few other rogue skills.
Having a wizard or two would be handy, as well as a priest (to heal your party when you really, really stuff up). I run with a warrior/Samaurai, warrior/ranger (Vine magic), warrior/barbarian, priest/monk, wizard/warlock, and rogue/ninja. I found that I don't really need the rogue when i've got the barbarian.

Hope this helps, happy hunting!

Korv.

[Packrat]

.. .. Another usefull skill to consider is.. pickpocket. If you steal the dragon ore back from King Freyedies, you can get Dragon armor for all your characters.

Unfortunately, thats about all it's really good for.

[Wyvern]

My own preference for a 6 member party is 1 fighter, 1 rogue, 2 wizards and 2 priests but there are so many good possibilities. It would be difficult to say one is better than another.

IT was suggested recently that you could create a great party that ends up knowing all the different magic spells by starting with only wizards. Sounds like an interesting idea!

Do let us know what you decide to do!

Wyv

[the_young_one]

Various spoilers...

Remember to join the guilds and buy as much training as you can. If you're short on money and don't want to use any of the money laundering tricks, make sure you join the magic shop so you can get the level 7 spells quicker. Don't role change your wizards until they get to level 7, especially since only wizards and valkyries learn stone spells.

The ghost Rumphy in the crypt is a nice chap to get experience. Your wizard can fire shock spells safely at a distance (your archery skill probably sucks, and you don't want to risk getting caught in melee (save game and try and you'll see!). After defeating Rumphy, run back to the Statue of Kerah room which automatically resets Rumphy, and you can return to Rumphy who reappears again and do more practice. You can keep repeating this ad infinitum. So you can collect all the wands, pay the money to identify once, then sell all those wand sfor 500 gold each.

The guild quests are also easy experience and useful to get your guild level up to buy better training. Donating at the temple will raise your presence, so you don't need to spend your valuable levelling up points here..
If you're still desperate for gold and experience, after going through the crypt, you can reenter and go down the other warrior/wizard path. The warrior path gives you the plate armour, the wizard path, a few goodies.

For fun and variety, I would suggest that your starting party includes two wizards (one specialising in stone spells, the other in sun spells and get to level 7 quickly), one priest (learn the spirit spells for healing and the cure poison vine spell so that the Serpent Temple is a breeza), one rogue (focus on lockpicking, this character will be behind the others since there is no rogue guild shop in Valeia (something to do with no point stealing from farmers)), and two warriors. The game is actually very easy to complete so if you plan ahead you'll be fine. (ps: I've completed the game as a solo faerie wizard with no role changes!)

I suggest you focus on the identify skills since there is no point focusing on the blessing skills early on the game since you also need the artifact spells. If you want to save money at the start of the game, identify your potions and powder and keep one in the inventory. Then when you find new potions/powder and have that character select it, then the item will already be identified.

The most useful spell is the artifact of fiend. Don't bother at all with enchanting weapons 'cos you can do more damage via other ways (hint: weapons blessed with artifact of fiend).

I don't like to role change to barbarian so early on the game because barbarians can donate boogre brew and gain the giantstrike trait (well nifty). You can plan your warriors in any number of ways. Making them into a ranger is easy and they can learn vine spells. Or have them bacome a paladin and learn spirit spells too (gives you more healing spells). Or become a monk and learn spirit spells (martial arts is so so). Then once you get to Ishad N'Ha, you can be ninja, samurai, and my preference barbarian.. As you can tell, your warriors can become all that you want them to be!

I can go on and on - better stop so you can figure it for yourself! Good luck!

[somebody]

WOW, you guys rock!!!

Thanks for all the tips because i just get racking my brain and i guess im kindov a perfectionist. ive decided to go with two fighters, a rogue, two wizards and a priest. the fighters are to take the damage and one will become a barbarian and the other a paladain. the rogue will learn pick locks and pick pockets, as the wizards and preist will learn moon, spirit and stone first, then vine, sun and fiend later. definetly learning ancaint lore first and identifying right away and blacksmith and forge aswell for the figters.

P.S. what weapon is good to specialize in for my fghters? sword and axe for each? sword for both?

Once again thanks,
Someone

[Packrat]

..And thanks to Wyvern, We can Roll too.. ..

I personally like Sword, and it's usually easier to get a good one early on. Then after they get 2nd weapon skill, I add dagger skill and look for a main gauche.

Time to play... Have fun..

[Wyvern]

"Roll" - Lol!!

Yes, this is a very nice, helpful place which is something that makes me smile every day!

Wyv

[Packrat]

.... ...Aye ..Oh.. A..oh..Aye..

[Noble Wolf]

Sword skill for fighting, as someone else has already said that all the good weapons are swords.

Try not to waste "level ups". Whenever the characters reach a 'level up' take the whole party back to the nearest town to buy attributes, skills, magic books, etc. I know that early in the game all this running back and forth to town can be a little annoying when charaters only need a thousand or so exp, but early in the game the new skills etc don't cost very much either.