Marak

Indeed, Haste Level 3 will haste the entire Party at once, and it still only costs 3 MP. Thus, you should make finding it a top priority, as this spell can literally double your Party's combat ability, and it makes those monsters that slow the entire Party at once from 2 1/2 screens away 3 times every round (COUGH DEMONS COUGH) much more managable.

Whew... loaded question. In combat, such potions typically last for about 5-7 rounds on average. Outside of combat, every "step" seems to count for the same amount of time as a round of combat. Thus, you should either drink them IN combat (preferably in the first couple of rounds). If you're going to drink them out of combat, you should only quaff one or two, and them immediately iniatiate combat. The moral of the story is that if you drink potions outside of combat and then cast spells, wait, move, etc. before iniating combat, your potions' effects are going to wear off VERY quickly.

Ok. I SWEAR I humped EVERY wall in that place five times, and never found that secret entrance. I must not have every gone that far South for fear of exiting back to the World Map or something. Sigh. Thanks.

I suppose it might help if I gave you ALL of Dirk's relevant stats instead of only half, eh? Let's try this again... Dirk, Warrior-type, Level 49 Strength 16, Dexterity 8, Melee Weapons 16, Bows 15, Hardiness 11, Defense 11, Assassination 5. Blademaster 6, Anatomy 6, Gymnastics 8, Parry 6. This guy, as far as I can tell from what I know about the game's stats, should be a pretty darn good fighter. I mean, come on, 16 Str, 16 Melee, Blademaster 6, Anatomy 6 and I'm still barely breaking 50 damage to the average humanoid with an unbuffed attack? Is melee just that underpowered? I realize that Mages typically carry the day, but their damage output potential compared to your fighter-types borders on the ridiculous sometimes...

Am I screwed? I entered Athron's Cave waaaaayyyyy early on in the game (early, EARLY Chapter 4, I believe) and she called me pathetic, yadda yadda, when I stepped on the Pentagram in her Lair. Well, now I've beaten the game, gotten Erika's OK to talk to her, etc. etc., but when I go back to Athron's lair and walk onto the Pentagram, nothing happens. Did I screw myself over because I visited Athron too early? And if I did screw it up, can I somehow reset it using the Editor? I've tried everything, to no avial. I'd really like to get my last Level 3 Mage Spell (I know it's in there, thanks to FAQs and such) and have a complete set, you know? If anyone can help me... please let me know.

Yeah, you'd think that they'd at least drop Clubs or something... Clubs and Hide Armror that weigh a ton, sell for very little, and can't be equipped was what I expected Giants to drop, instead of Silver Bars (?) and coinage (?). Oh well, the Bars make them "better" to fight, I guess, since you encounter them later on in the game (normally) and it's nice that they drop stuff that a high-Level Party can still use (read: sell).

I don't get it, and I'm hoping someone can help me out. I have a Party that's beaten all 3 "game-winning" quests, Level 47-49, with (most of) the best weapons in the game. Here's my problem: We'll start with my Fighter-type, Dirk. Dirk, Level 49. Strength: 16. Melee Weapons skill: 16. Weapon: Flaming Sword (2-20+3, additional Fire damage). Now, when Dirk attacks, he does about 35 damage on average. With Blessing, 45 or so. With Blessing AND Divine Warrior, up to 70 damage. Here's my problem: Dirk, after having drained my Priestess and Mage of almost 20 SP (2 for Bless, 14 for Divine Warrior, 3 for Haste), can attack 3 times per round and deal 70-100 damage per attack, for a total of 210-300 damage. Fine. However, my Mage can, with NO buffing from other characters, cast Level 3 Fireblast for a mere 10 SP and hit 8 Targets for 80-110 damage, for a (possible) total of 640-880 damage. Now, if you Haste him (only 3 SP), he can do that TWICE A ROUND, for a grand total of 1280-1760 damage. So, my Fighter, fully buffed, can deal 210-330 damage a round. Without buffs, he deals a rather pitiful 35-55 (70-110 with Haste) damage. Whereas my Mage, buffed with only Haste, can deal 1280-1760 per round. Is melee that underpowered, or am I doing something wrong? Is my Strength or my Melee stat too low? Is it because I'm not using a 2-Handed Greatsword or Polearm of some sort? Any info you can give me would be appreciated.

Eh, I kind of go by the old adage... It ain't a crime if you don't get caught. You can get some NICE starting gear (especially in Avernum 3) if you check your morals in at the door and rob the townsfolk blind, and that includes pushing crates/barrels into secure, windowless rooms and taking the goodies within. I always wonder why the guards don't get suspicious: Soldier Bob: "Hey, Frank, those 4 Adventurers and pushing crates out of So-and-So's shop into that old, windowless, abondoned building." Soldier Frank: "Yep. But I'm sure they have the best of intentions. Let's just keep on standing here, since we can safely assume such honorable folks would never steal from our poor, beleagured town." Yeah, it cracks me up. I do stop raiding towns after a while, though. I mean, when you're playing Avernum 2, and you're Level 48 with all Blessed armor and Elemental Weapons, etc, etc, is it REALLY worth searching every dresser in Blosk for goodies? Not really.