Trying to be well prepared

[Knip Dyolf]

Hi all,
I still havent got Wiz 8 but have been coming into this forum regularly to get tips on the game.
At this stage I think I have my first party worked out
Fighter - male Lizardman
Ranger - male Felpurr
Bard - male Human
Priest - female Rawulf
Mage - female Elf
My last character is still undecided. It must be a female, as I like to keep a balanced gender party. I am trying to choose between a Monk and a Valkrie as I feel that I definately need another front end fighter.
I have never played a Bard character before but loved the Bard in the demo so I am going to give him a go, leaving him to take the role as a rogue which I have always had in previous rpg games.

Any ideas on the last character for me would be appreciated. (As would on the total makeup).

Countdown is still go Houston - 7 days

[Werdna]

Looks pretty good, although I'd change the lizardman to a Dracon myself. Those acid breathes can be invaluable. As fo a monk or val, well, it's up in the air, really. Although, with the ones you have set there, I'd go with a monk, because you only have one "true" frontline character (the fighter). If you had another fighter or a samurai, I'd say the Val, because you can put her in the middle and she can still use her spear on things. As it is, I'd put the monk and fighter up front, the priest and ranger in the middle, the mage in back, and possibly the bard on one of the flanks. Just my 2 cents. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Demosthenes]

Right now I have a similar party:
Sam (instead of Fig) - Ran - Rog (instead of Bard) - Mag - Pri

and....

Valkyrie.

My Valk is the hardest hitting fighter in the group. Once you get Polearms up to 75 she hits at least twice per round for roughly 30 damage each with the right weapon. (My chars are lvl 10 right now). Plus the extended range of the spear lets her hit things that a monk would have to shoot at. I do plan to give the game a 2nd go (after I win) and use a monk/ninja/bard next time. But I definitly vote Valkyrie.

Regarding the above post:

I keep my spellcasters in the center of the formation so that no one can sneak up behind them and they are protected form all sides (once you have 8). IME Valkyries (or anyone with a polearm) work well on the flanks because they can still hit front facing monsters from there.

[Skrewloose]

Maybe consider a rogue (Felpur). They're excellent good frontline fighters (dual weilding daggers), it will free up some skill points for your bard, and if you have no moral opposition to pickpocketing, your money woes will be over!

Of course you can pick up both a rogue and/or a valkyrie in the first town you come to, so you may want to rely on those NPCs.

If you want to lean more towards magic, maybe get a Psionicist. You get extra healing right off the bat, and Insanity, one of the best spells, pretty early as well.

[Morgalas Everhate]

This is my party:

Dracon - Fighter - Front Line
Dwarf - Monk - Front Line
Human - Ninja - Front Line
Mook - Ranger - Mid Line
Elf - Bishop - Mid Line
Faerie - Mage - Mid Line

As you can see, Three Front liner for good melee and three in back for purely range/spells. Ninja has crtitcal and some important rogue skills. Since we tend to camp a lot in this game, Bishop is nice for doing the dual roll as Mage/Priest. 3 guys to do crits and 1 to beserk...... very nice.

And of course all my guys have ranged weapons ready in the swap. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Virgil]

Make the bard a female. Bards use stamina to play their music (cast spells). There are stamina regeneration emulets, but they work for females only.

I'd recommend a monk for your other front line fighter, and make her female as well, again to make use of the stamina amulet. (You can find two in Arnika.)

Don't think of the ranger as a front line fighter. Rangers are most effective with a bow. I rarely give my ranger an alternate (melee) weapon. Therefore, they shouldn't be on the front row. Move your bard or priest up, or put an NPC in the front.

[Lumieres]

My party:

Ranger, Mook, Male
Ninja, Human, Female
Monk, Human, Female
Bard, Hobbit, Male
Bishop, Elf, Male
Mage, Faerie, Female

We are in what, I believe, is called the "Classic Wizardry" formation. Ranger, Monk, Ninja are the frontline with the Bard, Bishop, and Mage behind.... and currently 2 NPCs guarding the rear. My Ranger shoots his bow constantly (at least 4 times a round now)and rarely tries to use his sword. He seems to be able to shoot no matter how close the wicked-and-soon-to-die-baddies get (difficult for me to judge true distance on the screen ).

I don't understand why people keep saying Rangers or Ninjas can't be frontline! I swear my people have no problems doing this...really. Is it because I have never played Wizardry before that my party is so odd?

This is my third party. The first was Lord, Ranger, Ninja, Bard, Priest, Mage.... I found the Lord and the Priest to be adequate but lacking. The second party was exactly the same as the current party, but I started over in order to raise them correctly... I didn't really understand the interaction of the all the attributes. LOL! Yeah, like I do now?!?!

Just a Wizardry newbie's thoughts... not worth even two cents...

Rangers work fine in the front line...at least mine does, heres my layout.

Male Lord Front line
Female Samauri front line
Male Ranger front line
Female Val (Vi) left flank
Male Gadgeteer right flank
Female Bishop middle
Female Mage Middle
Male gadgeteer back.

All characters are human except for the back gadgeteer he's an NPC and
of Course Vi is Higardi...I just had to have a gadgeteer of my own though...Heh His name is of course Inspector [img]smile.gif[/img]

Go go gadget Lava Lamp!!!!!!

[Werdna]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MagiK:
I just had to have a gadgeteer of my own though...Heh His name is of course Inspector [img]smile.gif[/img]

Go go gadget Lava Lamp!!!!!!

---

Heh. Is his intelligence about 5?
I wish *I* had a gadget laser....

[Spooks]

Hullo folks,

I'm mostly a lurker, but figured it was time to
give a little back.

I've redone my party upteenmillion times and this is what
I've recently settled on.

Human Female Lord (swords)
Dracon Female Fighter (the Aggressive "You talking to ME!" one. High-larious)(swords)
Dracon Female Valkyrie (polearm)
Human Male Rogue/Bard (Daggers)
Rawulf Male Ranger (Bow, Axe)
Human Male Bishop (Magic, Whips)

What a great party. Plan to pick up Vitalia in Anrika. You can make use of Myles for a bit just as a free hand until you nab the Gadgeteer from the Trynnie town.

I put the Lord and Fighter flanking the Rogue/Bard in the front. Vitalia in the right flank, my PC Valkyrie on the left flank, the Bishop alone in the middle and the Ranger and Gadgeteer bringing up the rear.

The Polearm Valks can hit anything engaged in Hand to Hand with your front or back line. The berserking Fighter really anchors the front end and keeps the party healthy with the substantial help from the Lord and Rogue/Bard. I put 2 points of every level into Axe for my Ranger. This slowed his advancement some, but when surrounded, that two handed axe sure comes in handy. I threw a bullwhip on the Bishop for grins and emergencies. With the bullwhip, he can hit around the whole circle.

With both Valks and the Lord having heal/cure condition spells, the Bard's instruments and Bishop are able to provide more than enough magic to supplement the party.

I've been having fun with a varied party and still whoop it up in combat.

My $0.02