Anama

[Doomblob]

Curently running my first run through of A3.

 

I've heard of the Anama but haven't met any of them yet.

 

I also know you can join them aswell. My question is does this have a large affect on the game (difficulty and such, please tr to avoid large spoilers ). Thanks

[Alorael at Large]

The Anama has one huge effect on gameplay: you don't have mage spells. Depending on how you play, this can be a minor obstacle more than compensated by bonuses to priest spells you get for joining the Anama, or, as for most players, it can be a disaster. Look at how you're playing now and decide whether you'd rather have mages or not.

 

Because mage spells are so useful and powerful, the Anama is definitely and deliberately a challenge. A party set up from the beginning to become Anama can do fine, although the game is a bit tougher; a party not originally made without mages has squandered valuable skill points and is likely to have a very, very tough time.

 

—Alorael, who recommends a normal playthrough first. After you've gotten through the game you can decide if it's worth doing as Anama.

[Doomblob]

Thanks Alorael, I've got mages in my party so I think I will not join for my first playthrough.

 

So does joining the anama disable mage spells? And what are the bonuses to priest spells like?

[Lilith]

Originally Posted By: Doomblob

So does joining the anama disable mage spells? And what are the bonuses to priest spells like?

Yes.

The bonuses are pretty significant: you get easy access to some of the highest-level priest spells in the game.

[I am Spartacus]

They may be fun to play as if you like a wee bit o' a challenge, but they are equally as fun to kill. They remind me of the religious guys who come door to door trying to convert me too much.

[Randomizer]

Plus you can get early access to buy lots of knowledge brews to increase skill points.

 

There are a few encounters that you will have to do differently than with a normal party. Some people won't talk to the Anama, especially the mages.

[Tarson]

I find the conversation options with some of the mages after you have joined more fun the the anama itself. Half the bonuses can be taken by buying fake anama rings. Killing them is kinda fun thougt not worth while. Like him or not the anama priest in the main temple (cant spell his name) takes care of dread curse for free. I have never found another cure spot for dread curse.

[Alorael at Large]

There is no other cure for Dread Curse. That's one very strong reason not to rob the Anama.

 

—Alorael, who believes that joining the Anama also gives all your characters a point or two in Priest Spells. For your priests that's a not inconsiderable saving in skill points, especially if you join later in the game. For your fighters it's the ability to cast a few healing spells if necessary and a way to provide protection from certain enemies that like to target spellcasters.

[Tarson]

Is 2 points in priest spells and a couple of level 3 spells you could get elsewhere worth no mage spells? I think unlock dispel barrier and haste make the anama less then helpfull, let alone lightning spray and capture soul. Priest spells dont have a good anwser for those.

[Randomizer]

Piercing crystals replace dispel barrier in almost all cases in Avernum 3. In Avernum 5 there are plenty of places where they don't work.

 

Level 3 war blessing gives haste for a few turns and potions will do the rest.

 

The Anama were meant as a challenge.

[Untamed Banana Slug]

Originally Posted By: Thuryl

Originally Posted By: Doomblob

So does joining the anama disable mage spells? And what are the bonuses to priest spells like?

Yes.

The bonuses are pretty significant: you get easy access to some of the highest-level priest spells in the game.

The bonuses unique to the Anama are trivial (ie. +2 to Priest Spells?), and pale in comparison to being able to use mage spells. As for the highest level priest spells, you can easily get those spells from other places in the game early on.

Also, you can't join the Church of Divine Lucre, which gives you a bonus to magery.

[Earth]

Originally Posted By: Untamed Banana Slug

Also, you can't join the Church of Divine Lucre, which gives you a bonus to magery.

Erika trains on Magery so why joining to DL would be needed?

[Alorael at Large]

Erika gives very expensive Magery up to 5 points, I believe. If I'm remembering right, the Church of the Divine Lucre gives you a bonus to all party members that you can add to Erika's bonus. It's not free, of course, but it's the Church of the Divine Lucre. It really can't be.

 

—Alorael, who believes they are the only true faith for an adventurer. Kill everyone and take their stuff? As long as it's valuable, the Church is behind you!

[Barzhal]

Agreed Alorael, but unfortunately killing each band of the Divine Lucre in northern Valorim decreases your reputation by 1. They deserve to be killed though, they're extortionists. Besides they won't let you join if you have fake Anama rings, and I love fake Anama rings.

[Callie]

Joining them also lowers your reputation, which is why I never join them.

[Tarson]

Reputation is very easy to come by and only helps to about 45. -1 or -2 doesnt really matter unless your going for max reputation.

[Earth]

what tarson said and rep needed to get all benefits on it isn't that high.

[Faerie Storm]

I don't see any reason why joining the Anama would be worth while. even at level one the ice lances spell has two targets whereas the smite spell has only one.

[The Mystic]

Originally Posted By: Faerie Storm

I don't see any reason why joining the Anama would be worth while.

In the course of gameplay, there's no real reason to join the Anama, except that you can get some good priest spells earlier.

As far as I can tell, joining the Anama is supposed to make the game more challenging by giving you a handicap of not being able to use mage spells. This can provide for a more satisfying win.

[lostchildoth]

Hey, So i made the mistake of Joining the Anama, and now I cant cast mage spells. I realize now that was stupid, and I really want to cast amge spells. Ive tried everything to be able to, but nothing works. Ive tried telling the guy I quit, didnt work. Then I tried to re learn the mage spells, that didnt work. I killed my character and revived him, that didnt work, And when I gave up hope I even went back and killed him, that still didnt work. So yea, How do I cast mage spells again without ruining my progress in teh game so far (ie i dont wanna start a new game)

[ĐªгŦĦ Єяŋϊε]

in the editor in advanced option you can click on leave the anama

you lost all your mage stats and spells though

[Randomizer]

In Avernum 5, Shafrir in the Azure Gallery can remove the Anama condition and has a spellbook to restore the first 8 spells.

 

In Avernum 3, Ahonar will remove the Anama condition but you have to pay to regain spells or use spellbooks for some.

 

I suppose it's too late for autosave file and you don't want to go back to a much earlier game.

[Vicheron]

Joining the Anama in A3 isn't too bad. You still have Smite, Divine Fire, Wall of Blades, and Divine Retribution. It's not as good as Ice Lance, Lightning Spray, Fireblast, and Arcane Blow, but it gets the job done.

 

The biggest losses are the level 3 versions of Haste, Unlock, Far Sight, and Dispel Barrier.

 

I wonder why Jeff decided to replace Divine Warrior with Divine Retribution. It would have been much better to replace Control Foe with Divine Retribution. That would have made joining Anama much easier.

 

It's also too bad that you don't get your mage skills transferred to priest skills like in Exile 3.