Nether Arts

[Tyranicus]

So, I'm playing Nethergate again for the umpteenth time (surprise, surprise), and I just finished finding all the Nether Arts spells. I do this every time I play, but I really wonder if it's worth the bother. I mean, if you pump your druidism high enough, Darts of Ice or Soul Lance are better than Clouds of Night and uses fewer SP. I've used Create Elixer a few times when I'm really in a bind, but I hate doing it because of the lost skill points. I rarely ever bother with summoning spells of any sort, so Wind Warriors and Call Hunt usually just sit there looking pretty on my spell list. When you get right down to it, Miraculous Revival is the only truly useful spell.

 

It seems to me that the much-vaunted Nether Arts spells that are supposedly ultra-powerful are overrated. Anyone else find this to be true?

[John S]

It's about the journey, man.

[Alorael at Large]

I've used the summoning spells occasionally when desperately in need of meat shields, but I basically agree.

 

[Edit: I don't even use Miraculous Revival much. Lesser healing spells are usually adequate and cheaper.]

 

—Alorael, who thinks Hero of Old should have been the Nether spell for War. The fact that you can start with it is just plain broken. (Yes, it's literally broken because you can only do it through an oversight, but still!)

[Tyranicus]

Quote:

Originally written by Alo:
—Alorael, who thinks Hero of Old should have been the Nether spell for War. The fact that you can start with it is just plain broken. (Yes, it's literally broken because you can only do it through an oversight, but still!)

Agreed. That is probably my favorite Nethergate spell.

[Slawbug]

Was that spell basically the equivalent of Avatar? I'm trying to remember.

[Tyranicus]

Pretty much, yeah.

[Lilith]

More like Divine Warrior, really, since you could cast it on PCs other than yourself.

[Randomizer]

Maybe Jeff will revise the spell list a bit. It has been years since Nethergate first came out and he's had plenty of feedback to work with both here and with the Avernum games.

[Alorael at Large]

Hopefully. I'd settle for actually being able to use all the spells. Soul Lance was a great letdown. How did an entirely unusable spell slip through betas?

 

—Alorael, who thinks Nethergate did fairly well on spell usefulness. The Beast Circle isn't great, but nearly all of the War, Healing, and Craft Circle spells have their moments to shine. Spirit is hit or miss, but at least it's exciting. Nether spells are the ironic exception.

[Micawber]

What's unusable about soul lance, then?

 

Edit: I have just used it to hurt some Romans in the Spire of Ages.

[Sudanna]

-X- went Wind Warrior crazy in the underworld. he hasted, ran up ahead, cast five times, ran back, and waited. No threat at all.

[Alorael at Large]

In the first version of Nethergate Soul Lance was a town mode only spell. This would be acceptable, though odd, but for the fact that you cannot target enemies in town mode. The spell was thus useful but entirely unusable.

 

—Alorael, who at least thought it was some nice variety. Light in Exile was always usable but entirely useless.