Hume

Had Jeff been a Java programmer, we wouldn't have to wait. What does the angel think about it?

Originally Posted By: Slarty Gazers are the biggest problem since they resist fire, ice, AND magic attacks. That's when the melee attack of fire creations come to use. Fire creations have a decent physical melee attack, which a gazer cannot cope well with.

Has anyone tried fire shaping only? Fire creatures have the most versatile attack types of the three shaping. I think all-fire may be only second to all-battle.

Originally Posted By: Slarty Originally Posted By: Hume No so. Creations have +1 all stats for every starting level. But for levels gain through exp, +1 all stats for every two levels, plus 2 most-likely-useless skill points per level. Hume, you are incorrect. You are describing how things were in Geneforge One. In G5, there is no difference between levels creations gain at inception and levels they gain from experience. (Well, except the skill points.) In each case it is +1 to all stats for every 2 levels. Sorry for the mistake. Seems that I was overly impressed by the 1 stats for 2 levels thing in Geneforge 1. Forgot about that things have changed.

Originally Posted By: If vlishes were wishes... Another minor but noteworthy difference is skill points. If you make a creation now and then gain experience with it until it gains five levels it will have 10 more skill points, which you can use to add to its stats (but that costs essence). If you shape a new creation with five more points in the relevant shaping stat, it will be at the same level but won't have the skill points. —Alorael, who finds the distinction largely academic. He rarely adds many stats to his creations, and you can always boost however high you'd like (and can afford) when you first make the critter. Actually, it's a bit odd that the skill point limit only kicks in after the thing is made. No so. Creations have +1 all stats for every starting level. But for levels gain through exp, +1 all stats for every two levels, plus 2 most-likely-useless skill points per level.

Originally Posted By: Delicious Vlish The cryoa (my second, the first died) has almost died a few times. It is to fragile. If I had pumped fire shaping more, it might be a bit more durable, but I have a strange feeling of doubt about that. I'd need to turn AI on to manage a cryoa pack. Originally Posted By: Slarty No, no, no. This is how powerful ALL creations are when used properly. P.S. It was definitely possible to turn the AI off in Geneforge 3, and in Geneforge 1, with a good setup on Torment. In fact I never turned the AI on for my team of Vlish in G3, not for the entire game. (Granted I did get bored and quit before the Monastery of Tears.) Pals, sorry for the nit-picking, but you don't seem to understand what AI means. When AI is ON, it means the AI, the computer is controlling the unit. When AI is OFF, it is the player, who manually controls the unit. Yes, when you buy a creation 2 intelligence, a new option "AI off" will appear. It is not a status saying that the creation's AI is off, but a option, when click allow you to turn its AI off.

Quote: Originally written by Muffin transformed into flamingo: I never knew that the emerald chestguard was in G3. I only knew my favorite armor from A4 from A4. In G2 and G3, it is hugely more powerful: the emerald chestguard in A4 pluses another 2 action points bonus.

The tower in ToM is very difficult the first time your go. My party of 4 found that it was undoable right away on torment. Just come back later.

Quote: Originally written by Ephesos: Your best bet is gonna be the Crystalline Aegis. Again, I don't know the number, and I encourage you to try looking it up in the scripts. Also, checking the Items List helps in determining which item best fits your needs. Quicksilver Bulwark is way better. 1 ap is more than the bonuses of CA add together.

Quote: Originally written by Thuryl: Nope. The Oozing Sword is probably the best sword in the game in terms of total damage. Right. But oozing blade is not that good. It pales compared to jade halberd and it doesn't stack well with other acid-covering weapons, so once I have the jade halberd, I would sell oozing blade.

Right, by challenging golems in Testing Ground, each victory will upgrade your no-stone bracelet. I ususlly come back after finished the third island. The bracelet ultimately become full-fanged bracelet, and gives one bonus in all shaping skills and one in creation stats, in addition to a good armor bonus. It is something a shaper can not miss.

No, there is no casting failure in this game. Encumberance simply prevent you from casting mage spells (with the exception of a few bottom level ones) at all. Without natural mage only 5% is allowed. With will add your tolerance to 25%. It is not as important as you think. In late game, top shields, gauntlets, and helmets no longer encumbrance. Only heavy armors does, except emerald chestguard. So even I have the natural mage trait, My mage ends up with 0 encumbrance.

Quote: Originally written by Cryptozoology: You mean you can't cast a spell and then move unless you make a melee attack. Not exactly. You can't move along, but you can move performing other actions that require moving. Melee attack is one of these. Also casting spells on a friendly unit that is out of range. You can still hit and run by manipulating a creation in the right distance and the direction you want to run after attacking, then a minor heal.

Quote: Originally written by Flume and Waive: I always find bows useful enough in A4 that the bonus to your archery is very helpful, and Gymnastics is nice too. I prefer a sword and shield to a spear for a singleton, although I know others disagree, so there's no reason to take a slith. Even with a polearm you don't really get all that much benefit, and the 10% fire resistance is negligible. —Alorael, who isn't all that caught up on race in the end. As long as you're Divinely Touched everything will work out fine. Archery is helpful because when your warrior or mage or priest has nothig better to do he or she can shoot an arrow. It is very different when playing solo. You are a warrior AND mage AND priest, it is rare that you have nothing better to do.

Quote: Originally written by Flume and Waive: I always find bows useful enough in A4 that the bonus to your archery is very helpful, and Gymnastics is nice too. I prefer a sword and shield to a spear for a singleton, although I know others disagree, so there's no reason to take a slith. Even with a polearm you don't really get all that much benefit, and the 10% fire resistance is negligible. —Alorael, who isn't all that caught up on race in the end. As long as you're Divinely Touched everything will work out fine. Archery is helpful because when your warrior or mage or priest has nothig better to do he or she can shoot an arrow. It is very different when playing solo. You are a warrior AND mage AND priest, it is rare that you have nothing better to do.

It is a problem of quantity vs quality. Drayks and most other creatures (even war troll) miss a lot in late game. Besides they don't have good enough hit points and resistance to survive. Area affect spell will be nightmare for your lower-tier army. Besides, a drayk can never be evolved or upgraded as powerful as a drakon. Out of the question. A minimal party for a lifecrafter at the end should be a ur-drakon (for slow), a drakon and two wingbolts. They provide reliable fire and magic damage, cost a total essence less than 800.

Quote: Originally written by SevenMass: the highest tool use check in the game, other than unlocking doors, is rank 16. You can find one item in the game granting +1 TU and one other type of item granting +2 TU, so if you just get rank 13 TU, you have all TU that you ever need. Since TU synereses with the spell "unlock" you should make your thief also the party mage. The power of unlock is effected by: 1: the level of unlock in your spellbook (so do buy training in this spell, as well as reading tomes of lore) 2: the rank you have in mage spells (should be about 18 because that is all you need to be able to cast all 20 spells in your mage's spellbook) 3: the ranks you have in spellcraft and magery. 4: and, as mentioned, the rank you have in the TU skill. (should be 13+3) The formula is (0.75)(1+2+3)+4

Though it seems everyone here says 25, I am sure I need only 23 natural lore. Mine was A4 1.00 for windows. Once get the heartstrike, I give my archer the AP shield and Mercuric Plate, so she can shoot three time a turn. She is my most reliable firepower.

Quote: Originally written by radix malorum est cupiditas: Which makes Divinely Touched (or was it Elite Warrior) a must. And do Nephilim get a dex bonus? If so, go with one of them. Yes and no. They have weak gymnastic bonus, which is dex minus it give no bonus to ranged attacks, and a stronger bow and missle bonus. Since solo means you can't get the best bow Heartstrike, it is better to go with melee, so slith might be a better choice.

Quote: Originally written by radix malorum est cupiditas: Which makes Divinely Touched (or was it Elite Warrior) a must. And do Nephilim get a dex bonus? If so, go with one of them. Yes and no. They have weak gymnastic bonus, which is dex minus it give no bonus to ranged attacks, and a stronger bow and missle bonus. Since solo means you can't get the best bow Heartstrike, it is better to go with melee, so slith might be a better choice.

Quote: Originally written by Cryptozoology: Parry is more important than endurance, at least early on. Going for it early will render enemy melee attackers mostly impotent. Parry is very effective against melee, a ten-level parry can block half attacks greatly reduce damage taken even if hit. Unfortunately it is not good against ranged, so it alone is not enough.

Quote: Originally written by Cryptozoology: Parry is more important than endurance, at least early on. Going for it early will render enemy melee attackers mostly impotent. Parry is very effective against melee, a ten-level parry can block half attacks greatly reduce damage taken even if hit. Unfortunately it is not good against ranged, so it alone is not enough.

A necklace +1 in Thronton, A robe +1 from the dead body of Shaper Monarchy, +2 from greaves, +2 from shapemaster's boots.

Ur-drakons are absolute nessecity since not only they have the best offence and defence, but also their attack slows their victims. The only creations need to keep at the end are Drakons, Ur-drakons, Gazers and Wingbolts.

If one is playing windows version, gazers are a good upgrade of wingbolts. For levels and another 115 extra hit points are nice, but not for that 50% extra cost. What counts more is that gazers have good fire resistance while wingbolts none.