NPCs

[Hoggar]

In the manual, it says "Edwin, Haer'dalis and Mazzy is harder to find than the rest, but their skills is well worth the effort". Anyone thinking there's truth in this? (In them being better that is, not whether they are hard to find...) Edwin is a nice mage of course, but is the other two that special?

Edwin is a fantastic mage. He's a specialist, so he gets +1 memorization slot in each level naturally, and on top of that, the bonded talisman he has gives him another +2 memorization slots in each level. Mazzy is a very good archer to have around, and aside from that, she can Haste, Strength and Lay on Hands herself (she's a regular fighter class - those skills don't come naturally to most fighters). She's like a halfling paladin except not nearly as annoying. Haer'Dalis, however, is just crap. He has specialisation in short swords instead of just a proficiency, which is all that bards are supposed to get. That's supposed to make him 'special'. What I'd say makes him even more 'special', however, is his pitiful HP, which renders him completely worthless as a fighter, thus making that specialisation in short swords totally redundant. On top of that, his lore stinks because he's a blade... sigh.

[Hoggar]

Perhaps I've played too little with him and yet have to test his guts against tough guys (still chapter 2) but I find Haer'dalis at least somewhat useful. He can get 3+ at two weapons and with two decent shortswords and offensive spin he can deal quite a bit of damage.

As long as noone hits him, of course, which tend to happen those in the front line.

(...continues rant...) and his voice makes me want to upchuck. Oh, and that sparrow / hound bullshit. Go back to Sigil, you blasted lute-playing twit.
Ahem. Anyway, you'll see what he's worth when he has to test his mettle against a beholder, or a dragon, or a pit fiend, or anything more impressive than a xvart, which could still probably give him a sound beating if it had its own set of custom-made cheap swords.

[Hoggar]

ROFLMFAO

[Memnoch]

HaerDalis should have been a jester. His performance in Chap 7 was pure slapstick. He died so many times in my endgame that I ended up wasting 5 charges of my resurrection wand to resurrect him because I got sick of having to reload all the time. I mean really, how often did anyone use Offensive Spin or Defensive Spin? Now be HONEST! Oh well, he performed adequately at his assigned task - to get the enemy's attention and be the sacrificial lamb while the rest of the group lay in ambush.

I just completed the prison rescue and added Haer'dalis. I don't really have room for him in this party, but we were attacked by bandits on our way back to town(I know, this is a cheap fight) and he was in the middle of the pack with +3 Melodic Chain and 2 short swords. I had just given him a 3rd point in 2 weapon style so I thought I would try him out by defending my magic users. I had my Paladin kill the MU and then sent him to help out Haer'dalis. By the time he got there, the 2 fighters were dead and Haer'dalis didn't have a scratch. I dumped him anyway, but I think I will design a party to utilize his skills next time through.

These wouldn't happen to be the bandits that run up and try to fist you to death, would they? If so, Haer'Dalis' victory was tantamount to pouring kerosine down an anthill and squishing the blasted things as they flee eratically for their lives.