A few questions, comments

[prodigal]

I am one of the lucky few (though not lucky for my law practice) that has discovered this game just recently.

My experience of the game has been great, though I got frustrated a couple times till I found this site. The retro dungeons were really annoying. Still, it was really annoying to discover this game (best I've ever played) then find out through this board that the company is kaput and no sequel likely anytime soon.

I confess I didn't even finish the game - and still haven't.

Most of the way through (post rapax castle) I realized I had blown the away camp part of the game by exploring too much too often too early, and killed some people maybe I shouldn't have for a good experience (like all the t'rang [img]smile.gif[/img] )

And, of course, I hadn't configured a great party, used an eight-player party through most of the game, so had my fun spells only available at the very very end...

Anyway, I am now playing two four-characted games. One is an absolute kick-ass dual-class group, though a little tough early on, and that one is:

faerie ninja (1st three levels alchemist), cane of corpus and winterwand
hobbit monk (1st three levels psionic), staff of doom
hobbit (I think they're the best overall race) samurai, (1st three levels wizard), bloodlust, heater shield (no ivory blade yet)
dwarf lord, (three levels priest), fang and dragon kite

this dual class party seems too easy though at later levels - every fight has multiple death spells cast first, plus power ups, then close to melee range and critical hits all over the place - even the lord is getting instant kills more than just from the weapon (don't understand this), all are pushing armor class 30 or higher in combat, hardly even get hit anymore

they have just acquired their last level 6 spells and are about to go level seven and we are in rapax rift

other party is more traditional, though took some tinkering

lizardman fighter
hobbit rogue
hobbit bishop (mage/psionic)
hobbit bishop (alchemist/preist)

I am thinking of doing a three-player party later, as above but with only one bishop (alchemist/mage/psionic) with only bless really necessary as priest spell

I have a couple of questions though:

1. Why can't my bishop alchemist/priest combine potions? (this is a recent discovery for me due to the board) I can't seem to do it - is it because of the bishop status as opposed to pure alchemist? I noticed that my ninja couldn't do it but I expected that.

2. Can someone recommend a party that is challenging but not impossible (practically speaking - I don't have a free month-on-end to do solo spell-less bishop for example) at all stages of the game at normal difficulty?

3. I've found the gimmicky classes not too great (bard and gadgeteer) - is there something that makes them indispensable in anyone's opinion?

4. I have run into one problem with new games.

5. I usually train stealth and shield skill in the lower monastery if I have patience for it. Otherwise, my characters come out pretty standard at level 6 or 7 out of the monastery. I have run into normal opposition in iron-man games on arnika road (the odd crimson poppy and maybe small groups of higardi highwaymen but mostly easier stuff) on the way to arnika.

A couple of times, for no apparent reason, I have run into groups like:

7 higardi highwaymen
4 caustic vines
6 higardi highwaymen
3 cultists

cultists!

my guys haven't even learned soul shield or element shield at this stage!

any explanation for this? difficult is one thing, but that seems crazy. Makes iron-man a lot less fun when you ahve a fight that you might get out of 1 in 10 times...

[Oruboris]

1>Forgive me for asking, but are you using the 'merge command? Its in the bottom of the inventory screen. Select your bishop/alchemist pick up the first ingredient, click 'merge', and then click the second ingredient.

Other wise, check your alchemy level: you can't merge anything until alch 15, when you can begin making heavy heals. Some merges require an alch75, I believe...

2>Am thinking of either a 2 bish or sam/valk duo...

3>Gadges are great if you develope them well. Good lock pickers, the omni gun rocks, and some of their items are very nice. BUT no class is 'indespensible'-- thats what makes it fun.

4>have seen this, too: there are a few things that can cause these oddball spawns, but honestly don't remember what. My usual strategy is to get to the road, cling to the northern hill [not going into the road itself], and RUN all the way: you may need some stamina spells/potions to make this work out. Course, so long as one character is awake, he/she seems to drag the others along, with no extra stamina drain...

Done this way, its possible to make arnika without a single encounter: a very good thing, esp. if you are trying to get there early and/or are saving spell picks.

HTH
Oru

[MaskedFrog]

3. The advantage of Bards and Gadgeteers is that their instruments or gadgets usually cast spells 1 to 3 levels higher than your spell casters can at early levels. Also the Gadgeteer has his Omnigun which at higher levels rocks. Granted Gadgeteers are weak at the beginning although it seems all the best classes for the late game are slow to start.

5. The Arnika road can be one of the most difficult areas in the game. If I were playing Iron Man I would hug the cliffs and either run or hide until I get to Arnika. There are many nooks along the cliff where you can hide and let the monsters pass you by. If you do get into combat give a run orders until the monsters give up.

[crimsonjoe]

2. Can someone recommend a party that is challenging but not impossible (practically speaking - I don't have a free month-on-end to do solo spell-less bishop for example) at all stages of the game at normal difficulty?

---> How about an all melee party? Four warriors... should be easy in the early part of the game, but how will it work at the end?

3. I've found the gimmicky classes not too great (bard and gadgeteer) - is there something that makes them indispensable in anyone's opinion?

---> I disagree here. I ran a gadgeteer in my party, and he quickly was indispensible to me. Picked up the bard NPC for a short while as well.

The bard is probably the only class I'd recommend giving the Bloodlust sword to. It's a nice weapon, but you can't use a ranged weapon while wielding it. And the bard's musical instruments are very potent.

The gadgeteer's items aren't as nice in combat as the bard (IMHO), but they are better outside of combat (nice not to have to waste spell points for Armorplate). The Omnigun is a great weapon, and the gadgeteer also handled lockpicks and traps. Plus one other advantage- the gadgeteer was able to make double and triple crossbows, which I found to be incredible powerful in the hands of my ranger and warrior.

Just my $0.11

[Wereboar]

2. Can someone recommend a party that is challenging but not impossible (practically speaking - I don't have a free month-on-end to do solo spell-less bishop for example) at all stages of the game at normal difficulty?

No.
In normal difficulty, you skills increase quite fast.
IMO you can't have challenging late game with this setting (maybe unless you go for very unusual class combos, which could be quite hard at start)

3. I've found the gimmicky classes not too great (bard and gadgeteer) - is there something that makes them indispensable in anyone's opinion?

Bards have some very nice spells quite early (shrill sound, insanity, haste) and use only stamina to cast it.
A bishop that casts insanity every round will be out of spell points soon. For the bard, just cast stamina on him.

5. I usually train stealth and shield skill in the lower monastery if I have patience for it.

I did the stealt training one (with the fighter/bishop duo). Makes the game far too easy IMO.

A couple of times, for no apparent reason, I have run into groups like: 7 higardi highwaymen 4 caustic vines 6 higardi highwaymen 3 cultists

It just happens sometimes that you get a group of monsters (or two) at a slightly higher level than yours. Highwayman may be level 7, the vines level 8 - just above your party.

cultists! my guys haven't even learned soul shield or element shield at this stage!

But IIRC they are very easy to kill with say fire ball (about 15 HP), and don't have dangerous attack spells (when alone).

You should try to divide them into several fights.
Advance slowly, and when you see a group of monsters (before being in fight range), slowly walk back and drag them with you. Then wait for them at a point where you are protected by terrain (the often won't follow you into close spots, so engange combat just outside and walk back during the first round of combat)