Character Creation Help

[MrAndersonMan]

Alright. Since I'm more familiar with the past games, it took me around 3 tries to get a team I liked. But I always ended up making some sort of error that made me restart. Can someone post an *ideal* or close-to-ideal team to make?

[Bomber]

I would suggest an all mage/priest party.

[Randomizer]

There is no ideal party. What I use is a party with a nephil archer elite warrior divine touch, a slith pole weapon elite warrior divine touch, a human mage/priest/thief natural mage divine touch, and a human priest/mage pure spirit divine touch. You could use nephil or slith instead of humans since experience penalty is not a real problem. Both spell casters start at spell level 5 in mage and priest to get all free spells. The mage/theif gets all mage spell levels but doesn't get all priest spells, The priest/mage gets all priest spell levels and at least lightning spray.

 

Tool use of at least 5 to start for mage/thief to be increased to 8 before reaching Fort Draco, It gets raised to 12 before reaching the Eastern Gallery. Tinker's gloves and bauble make it an effective 15. You need 16 for the end.

 

Nature lore of 12 will work for most of the game. Explorer's ring will give 2 more. At the end you need 16 for the total in the party to get everything but Heartseeker Bow.

 

The combine party arcane lore maximum is 15. But you don't need more than 12 for most of the game.

 

There are several threads that address party creation. I know others have different views.

[Ephesos]

Quote:

Originally written by Bomber:
I would suggest an all mage/priest party.

This actually works surprisingly well. As long as you have two characters who are sufficiently proficient in melee/pole/combat stuff, you can level pretty much everything in your path. That, and there's never a door you can't open.

Of course, it's just fun when you can cast Daze twice in one round (particularly fighting Nociduas), as well as doubling up on RETRIBUTION!!!

[Mister Fox]

The party I have now that works quite well uses a slith custom (focusing on Pole and Strength with the elite warrior and quick movement or whatever it's called), a soldier (I used a Nephil) with focus on melee and nature lore (I don't remember what traits he had) I have this character using the 6 major artifacts. A nephil priest/archer with pure spirit and deadeye, focusing on archery and priest spells. The fourth character (I used a slith) is a mage/thief with natural mage and nimble fingers, focusing on mage spells and tool use. This party works really well for me.

[Zeviz]

Quote:

Originally written by MrAndersonMan:
Alright. Since I'm more familiar with the past games, it took me around 3 tries to get a team I liked. But I always ended up making some sort of error that made me restart. Can someone post an *ideal* or close-to-ideal team to make?

It's possible to win the game with the default party. So don't worry so much about making "the perfect party" and just start playing. As long as you have at least 1 mage, at least 1 priest and at least 1 character good at killing stuff you'll do fine.

[Dikiyoba]

There are also plenty of previous discussions about party combinations, if you have the time and inclination to search for them.

 

Dikiyoba's only tip is that the thief and the mage should the same character, not two different ones.

[Aaron Kashtan]

Which are the six major artifacts?

[Dintiradan]

Ever since A1 I have always played a Nephil Archer, Slith Polefighter/Meatshield, Human Priest, and Human Mage (technically, they are all Customs). No traits, although I do use them for my singletons in BoA. A Fast on Feet Nephil Archer in the 4-Point AP system is a deadly thing.

 

The trick isn't to find the perfect party, but find the perfect tactics for your party. For instance, at one point I was ambushed by Plated Chitrachs and everyone died except for my mage. I found out just how powerful a hasted mage casting Ice Lances and Daze repeatedly was.

 

Is it just me, or are the magic users much more powerful than melee/range fighters? Perhaps it's just the fact that I only bother to allot skill points every ten levels or so.

 

By Ephesos:

Quote:

Of course, it's just fun when you can cast Daze twice in one round (particularly fighting Nociduas), as well as doubling up on RETRIBUTION!!!

Odd, I just fought him yesterday.

 

--------------------

Nociduas: You fools! Once I finish my thaumaturgy, I shall respond to your futile efforts in reducing my Hit Point total with a devastating Fireblast, and you shall... what are you doing?

Hasted Adventurer: No thanks, I'd rather steal all your stuff as you are wasting your time. Catch you ten levels later!

[Ephesos]

Quote:

Originally written by Dintiradan:
Odd, I just ran from him yesterday, like everyone else does.

FYT, weakling.

[Dintiradan]

By Ephesos:

Quote:

By Dintiradan:

Quote:

Odd, I just ran from him yesterday, like everyone else does.

FYT, weakling.

Okay, the "I just fought him" was a little misleading. I'm sure I could beat if allotted the fifty-some-odd skill points that each character has, or if I turned off Torment. But where's the fun in that?

 

None of the usual tricks worked on him (somehow, he was able to continue casting his spell while dazed. Odd.). And even when I reduced his HP by half, he'd just drink a potion and continue casting.

 

Your comments have inspired me, however. I shall spend the next five hours attempting to defeat the Cauldron Bones and Black Shades through sheer force of arms.

 

EDIT: Pesky verbs.

 

--------------------

Run away!

- Monty Python and the Holy Grail

[Mister Fox]

Quote:

Originally written by Aaron Kashtan:
Which are the six major artifacts?

Demonslayer, Crystal Aegis, Infernal Shroud, Emerald Plate, Lightning Girdle, and I think the last one is the Avenger's Ring but I'm not 100% sure. There is a list of them and how to get them in the hint book but I don't have it with me right now.

[Aaron Kashtan]

Quote:

Originally written by Mister Fox:

Quote:

Originally written by Aaron Kashtan:
Which are the six major artifacts?

Demonslayer, Crystal Aegis, Infernal Shroud, Emerald Plate, Lightning Girdle, and I think the last one is the Avenger's Ring but I'm not 100% sure. There is a list of them and how to get them in the hint book but I don't have it with me right now.

Thanks for the list. I was thinking the Jade Halberd would be one of them.

It's interesting that, unlike in Avernum 3, some of the artifacts are available quite early in the game.

[Alorael at Large]

The A4 "artifacts" are just powerful items except for Demonslayer, which has a few quests and a special area involved. A3's artifacts were all part of quests and areas, some of which were tortuous and torturous, respectively.

 

—Alorael, who simply can't see A4 getting Remote Cave questions years after its release.