Chittering Clawbug Leaper Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I'd appreciate as few spoilers as possible, BTW, which is one reason why I'm reluctant to go to the sticky (and because it's just numbers, not strategy). So I'm building up my party (human archer/fighter, slith dual-wielding vanguard, human cleric, nephil mage - those are the templates I used to start with, and manually distributed stats and skills from there), and this whole "no stat boosts until you pay for them" thing is really making for some tough decisions! Is the additional mental resistance worth putting ANY points into intelligence for the fighters? I suppose I could just to Arcane Lore and/or equipment if I wanted to boost mental resistance, but I wondered. I also ask about Intelligence specifically because it seems clear to not put too much into Strength for my magicians (just enough to make sure they can wear a reasonable amount of equipment without too much encumberment), and that Dexterity and Endurance are good for everyone. Speaking of leveling up, I noticed that some of the second-column stats (like Blademaster) do seem to go up when I level - the only ones that do, it seems. Is there any rhyme or reason to that (if it's not too spoilery)? I know another thread said I won't have major problems until the last third of the game, if even then, but I'd love to be able to stay on the right track party development-wise (I'd prefer not to use the character editor unless I majorly screwed up). Thanks! Oh, one last question: I sold quite a few bags of meal from early in the game (all of what you can find inside the food depot at the start of the game) before I accidentally saw something that said that was the wrong thing to do, and starting saving it. Is this a major issue? I assume not, since I now have 28 of the things, but I want to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 1) No, don't pump intelligence on fighters just for mental resistance. Dexterity isn't that great either, since your dodge rate will just not keep up with enemy hit rates, especially on higher difficulties: unless you're making an archer, get enough to unlock Parry and leave it at that. 2) Some traits cause skills to increase automatically with your level. Elite Warrior causes Blademaster and Parry to increase automatically every few levels, for example. There's a full, spoiler-free list of trait effects here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 (edited) There is no point in giving fighters intelligence since even mage and priests with 90% mental resistance will still suffer from mental attacks. Some traits, like elite warrior and divine touch, give blademaster skill every 4 or 6 levels. Edited November 24, 2012 by Randomizer sniped by Lilith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Xaiya Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I'd avoid splitting your points between archery and melee for your first character. Bows aren't very good in this game, so might as well just make him a fighter. I personally just keep bows on my magic users, if only so if I accidentally click on a monster while on them, they don't go rushing up to them with swords. With bags of meal, there's tons in the game so no need to worry that you sold some in the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Mosquito---Slayer Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Dexterity and Endurance are good for everyone. Magic users don't really have any need for dexterity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chittering Clawbug Leaper Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 1) No, don't pump intelligence on fighters just for mental resistance. Dexterity isn't that great either, since your dodge rate will just not keep up with enemy hit rates, especially on higher difficulties: unless you're making an archer, get enough to unlock Parry and leave it at that. Oh, right, the manual says that's how some of those advanced skills get unlocked (I already unlocked Gymnastics - not sure how - on my human fighter). But does that mean I should boost Intelligence on my fighters and Strength on my mages to unlock certain advanced skills? Should I just bite the bullet and read the damn sticky for this info (although again, it probably doesn't have a lot on strategy - just hows)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Some of the prerequisites to unlock skills don't make much sense so just read that topic. The best ones like lethal blow can't even be unlocked until the last 10% of the game so most players don't even try for them. For fighters it's easy to get parry and resistances. For mages and priests it's magery, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chittering Clawbug Leaper Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 So is it a waste of time to try to give my mages parry, for example, or my fighters Resistance? I can see how it may be, considering that there's only so many skill points to go around. (Speaking of, something I've been wondering: what level are characters, usually, by the time they get to the end of the game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Getting Parry on a spellcaster isn't a completely nonsensical idea, since the unlock requirements are actually pretty low; on the other hand, Parry is most useful against melee attacks, and if your spellcasters are frequently being attacked in melee then chances are something has gone wrong with your tactics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Mosquito---Slayer Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 (Speaking of, something I've been wondering: what level are characters, usually, by the time they get to the end of the game? ~38, maybe a bit less depending on how you played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 FWIW, I finished the game with a party of three Nephils at level 36 and a Slith at level 34. I think I did just about all there was to do except that I passed on Gladwell's quests and didn't finish all of Melanchion's quests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chittering Clawbug Leaper Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Okay, so I looked at the prereqs (I figured I'd be at too huge a disadvantage if I didn't, and I was right!). Resistance for my fighters seems relatively easy. Parry does seem relatively easy, even for the spellcasters, and it does add against missile attacks, so I'm gonna do that. Is it worth it to train Anatomy to get Lethal Blow for the fighters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Not for second trilogy games. I think there was a calculation of the skill points needed to unlock Lethal Blow and its in the 100+. You can train for 2 levels and maybe use points for another 2 or 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chittering Clawbug Leaper Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Okay, then, no intelligence for the fighters! Yay! One more question: I've seen posts that say my slith should be a spear/pole user. But right now, as I said in my OP, he's a dual-wielder, and my human has a shield. Should I be nudging my slith towards spears/poles? I went with dual-wielding because that was better in Avernum: EFTP, but I realize it may not be the same now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody The Reverend Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Okay, then, no intelligence for the fighters! Yay! One more question: I've seen posts that say my slith should be a spear/pole user. But right now, as I said in my OP, he's a dual-wielder, and my human has a shield. Should I be nudging my slith towards spears/poles? I went with dual-wielding because that was better in Avernum: EFTP, but I realize it may not be the same now... Sliths got free extra points in pole weapons as they level up, so if you want to take the best advantage of that, it makes sense to make them pole users. However, even non pole users can get some benefit from the pole weapons points because they unlock battle disciplines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Sliths got free extra points in pole weapons as they level up, so if you want to take the best advantage of that, it makes sense to make them pole users. However, even non pole users can get some benefit from the pole weapons points because they unlock battle disciplines. This is incorrect. Skills gained from racial bonuses or from traits (e.g. Divinely Touched) do not count toward battle disciplines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Jerakeen Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 This is incorrect. Skills gained from racial bonuses or from traits (e.g. Divinely Touched) do not count toward battle disciplines. Actually they do. What they don't count towards unlocking is secondary skills like Blademaster and so on. Triumph 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Aha! I stand corrected. Thanks for clarifying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody The Reverend Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Whew! I was pretty sure I remembered using nephils as spellcasters so that the free bows points would help unlock battle disciplines for them, but it's been long enough that I started to doubt my memories ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 my 4 kitties party is at lvl 38 before last mission, 2x dt+ew and dt+pm and dt+ps and did all quests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.