RAmpaGE

I doubt you'll be able to choose a Drakon. They are born too powerful. In RPGs, you have to start with a lot of ground to cover in order to reach decent power - and that goes for Geneforge too, even if it's not that much of an RPG. RAmpaGE.

Well, I had no good expectations for Geneforge 4, but the "Not a Shaper" thing had me sitting up straight and reading the e-mail again. Now I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, we'll get more of a plot and less combat in the next game. Hmmm... unlikely, since it'll be an all-out war. Bah. Make that just "more of a plot", then. And maybe the opportunity to change someone's point of view without having to rip out their eyeballs? RAmpaGE.

Hmmm... I didn't mean to say I had a stealthy party. Actually, all I said was that my party leader used the ninja graphic and was a melee tank equipped with razordisks. RAmpaGE.

I went down the first hole that lead to the chitrach caves, northwest from Cotra or Silvar. I went on to clear the entire cave in one go... or at least I planned to. I cleared all but the three norternmost parts of the map (another chitrach cave and two spider caves). Cleared the lizard island too, which left me with enough loot to encumber my entire party (but I was leaving stuff on the ground while I cleared each screen). It definitively wasn't as hard as it was annoying. I don't ever want to see that cave again. But I will, since I started over. As if I didn't have enough of the clawbug chitraches. Now, if only I could still fight in town mode... T_T RAmpaGE.

Quote: Originally written by Synergy: Here is Jeff's reply, which showed up today: "Heh, that's fun. Did you post it to the boards?" ... which tells a lot about where is all the criticism on Avernum 4 going to. Oh well. RAmpaGE couldn't care less. He just loves to hear his pretty voice echoing through the caves.

Err... dropping items does not cost action points, but opening the inventory does. Which is quite a bummer. Having a base 8 action points, which would be just enough to attack and use an item, is now not enough, because you'll be spending four action points to use an item that is not in your quick use item slots. I guess that's the advantage of keeping things in your utility belt. RAmpaGE. Edit: typo.

Uh... yeah, sorry about that. Didn't remember what the abbreviation was, so I looked it up on google and then just ignored the "S", for whatever stupid reason. I would head down to Avernum myself. Never was a fan of the Empire. But, if I ever had kids, I would let them see the sun a little first, instead of imposing darkness on them. RAmpaGE.

Hehehe! But there's a pretty good reason for the lack of children. Avernum's a war zone, and, having a choice, not many would like to raise their children in a place like that. Money is pretty much the only reason keeping people down there. I would guess that most of the people are living in upper Avernum or trying to settle Valorim. Anyway, as far as previous games go, the dead were being replaced by newer "exiles". That said... there's hardly anyone not in the army, too. And there are not enough houses for everyone. I wonder where do all those merchants live. RAmpaGE. Edit: I remember there was a reason for the lack of children in Valorim. You read it in the introduction dialogue for a child. Edit 2: Damn, I forgot to ask! Do we get our lawful GIFT love in this game? Or is THAT gone too?

Yeah... I was baffled when I first saw the "Hellhound". Here I was, waiting to see the face of the beast that I couldn't be trusted to fight until I was quite a few hours into the game, expecting to see what this new monster looked like. "Maybe something like an alien beast?" And what do I get? THE RIDICULOUS ROAMER MONKEY!!! I mean, c'mon, Jeff... why would you create a new monster NAME to give him and OLD creature's model? And one I could never respect in the first place. Obviously, now I can't take hellhounds as a whole seriously, even if they are strong. RAmpaGE.

Hmm... a good way of... uh... overcoming the benefits of divinely touched nephils is to use Hawk King's editor right after you start the game. That way you can already plan exactly what you'll be doing with most of your skill points. I have just cleared the Monastery/Grindstone area, and I already know I'll have a "mean, lean" nephil melee meat shield, an nephil archer/priest (what the hell, I'll get 19 levels of sharpshooter for free, why in the world would I waste skill points in bows?) attacking first and three times every round (priest up to smite), a hedge wizard (mage up to slow) slith equipped with The Big Poke, and my sexy human mage/thief/archer. Oh, the power, the power!! RAmpaGE. Edit: You can also use the editor after you have started. You'll still be better prepared to use the skill points coming your way. On luck: yeah, I've also noticed that you get more items with more luck. I got an emerald from the goblins locked up under Fort Monastery the first two times I killed them, but not in the third, when I neglected luck. The only other benefit I know of luck is the increase in your resistancies, wich is *really* useful in itself. On items: I pick up anything that will give me more than 1 coin. Actually, I mostly pick anything with monetary value. Strength is not a problem. I give 3-4 to mages and 4-5 to archers and warriors. That's all they'll ever need for their equipment. I always clear the entire area BEFORE I start picking up items. Once I'm done, I backtrack picking everything up, not having to worry about the encumberance, since I won't have any more fights. If I have to enter another area, I just drop everything at the beginning of it and clear it. There must be a point where you won't be able to do that, but there are none as far as the end of the eastern gallery. My PCs will have bad backs in their old age, but they won't mind. Not with an harem available to massage them.

Hmm... a good way of... uh... overcoming the benefits of divinely touched nephils is to use Hawk King's editor right after you start the game. That way you can already plan exactly what you'll be doing with most of your skill points. I have just cleared the Monastery/Grindstone area, and I already know I'll have a "mean, lean" nephil melee meat shield, an nephil archer/priest (what the hell, I'll get 19 levels of sharpshooter for free, why in the world would I waste skill points in bows?) attacking first and three times every round (priest up to smite), a hedge wizard (mage up to slow) slith equipped with The Big Poke, and my sexy human mage/thief/archer. Oh, the power, the power!! RAmpaGE. Edit: You can also use the editor after you have started. You'll still be better prepared to use the skill points coming your way. On luck: yeah, I've also noticed that you get more items with more luck. I got an emerald from the goblins locked up under Fort Monastery the first two times I killed them, but not in the third, when I neglected luck. The only other benefit I know of luck is the increase in your resistancies, wich is *really* useful in itself. On items: I pick up anything that will give me more than 1 coin. Actually, I mostly pick anything with monetary value. Strength is not a problem. I give 3-4 to mages and 4-5 to archers and warriors. That's all they'll ever need for their equipment. I always clear the entire area BEFORE I start picking up items. Once I'm done, I backtrack picking everything up, not having to worry about the encumberance, since I won't have any more fights. If I have to enter another area, I just drop everything at the beginning of it and clear it. There must be a point where you won't be able to do that, but there are none as far as the end of the eastern gallery. My PCs will have bad backs in their old age, but they won't mind. Not with an harem available to massage them.

Indeed. My favorite Spiderweb game is Nethergate. All fresh, and self-contained. The Geneforges felt like sating an addiction - not a lot of pleasure, just a desire to finish it -, and Avernums weren't much different. Except that Avernum 2 left a good taste in the mouth, but that's probably because my second favorite game is Exile 2. RAmpaGE. Edit: typos.

Quote: Originally written by arghhhhhhhhh: what is the armor called? I wonder what's about this game that makes him read all these topics (and post on them) but STILL isn't enough to make him bloody register it. RAmpaGE.

Never had the "pleasure", but I can imagine your pain. Still, nothing beats the image of my adventurers fighting for their lifes, surrounded by the mantises and covered in their gooey blood. One of the advantages of more power for melee in previous games. Come to think about it, how the hell could a clawbug chitrach riposte a melee or pole attack, or even parry them, while we're at it? Those pincers are too small and clumsy to be able to do all that. -__- RAmpaGE. Edit: claws/pincers in the last paragraph.

Oh yeah. But it still wouldn't beat my disappointment in discovering the "clawbug chitraches". I was so looking forward to kill waves of those bugs I spent my entire gaming life hating... really, I was. I could imagine my adventurers' desperation when they were surrounded by creepy mantises with poisoned blades for claws. Clawbugs are dull. RAmpaGE.

Thanks for the input guys, but nevermind the "vexing" part. I'll start over anyway. The "overpower syndrome" is afflicting me. Guess that's just another way of saying "I have nothing better to do". On to my nephil divinely touched elite warrior+fast on feet nephil archer+pure spirit divinely touched slith hedge wizard (equipped with Vlish's The Big Poke™)+human nimble fingers natural mage party! Yeah, I just NEED that sexy witch on those cold cave nights. And I *DO NOT* want to see two of my precious characters looking like each other but with different clothes. ¬¬ RAmpaGE.

Oh well. I got Fast on Feet and a mercuric leather on my Nephil archer. With quick strike 3, at level 16, he frequently gets 15 AP when hasted. At times, even 16 AP. Not hasted, it's between 9 and 11 AP. Guess I'll just grab one more level of QS and be happy ever after. RAmpaGE.

Well, he has 45 of them now, and just one typo in this one. Maybe he's getting there.

LOL. I can't even remember when it was that I left 800x600 behind (did I ever used it? First computer was a 1992 Quadra). But, come to think about it, I'll probably be like you guys and stick to 1024x768 for a long while. Me and my good ol' 1998 G3 B&W. Anyway, I just noticed something. This is the first of ALL Spiderweb games (yes, I played all of them too) in which I'm not roleplaying. Probably the ugly side effect of less character models and no graphics for skill descriptions... oh, and the uselessness of thrown weapons. Who can guess what the above adds up to? My super cool ninja party leader throwing razordisks and slicing everyone who dared stand on his badass way! Ah, the good Exile 3 days, when I would go all the way back to Ghikra just to stock up on razordisks... Anyway, seriously, I guess I'm so focused on the mechanics of the game (battle and leveling) that I completely forgot the roleplaying. RAmpaGE.

Quote: Originally written by Synergy: Yeah, for me, the challenge would be not having Energy Potions or Invulnerability Potions for occasional use and convenience. Acquiring the Emerald Chestguard, for instance, can be exceedingly difficult on Torment without at least one Invulnerability Potion. Ephesos, I tried using daze in that battle, which worked for you, but I failed to Daze the foe every time I tried except once with my two mages. Your mages must be more potent than mine. I was forced to face my adversary's summons on Torment. Ouch. When I found the secret passage, I thought "what the hell, I'll go down the hole and leave my quicksave outside". Of course, I overwrote it after a couple of battles. I had pretty much cleared all the missions in the eastern cavern and was thinking about heading to Mertis, but had just started exploring the Slith islands. After clearing the cave, my party's levels were between 14-17. So, Nociduas pounded me hard. And harder. And even harder. And then I decided I had to use everything I had or start another game right away (which would be even more vexing). In the end, I used 2 or 3 group heal scrolls, a mindshield scroll... and THREE invulnerabilty potions, leaving me with four total. Oh, and a couple of healing elixires. Nicocidua is now officially my personal Spiderweb nightmare boss. But then, this is my first time playing an Spiderweb game on a higher difficulty level (Tricky...), and my first time through Avernum 4, so I made some mistakes with my money and skill points... Well, what do you guys think? Was it to be expected (having my ass kicked), trying to fight him at that point? Or is this party hopeless? RAmpaGE, deeply regretting underestimating this game's combat difficulty.

It's extremely useful. And fast. Much more than having to press command+s, reaching for the mouse to select the slot and then pressing enter/return twice. Use quicksave for battles and unexplored ground. Use the normal saves when you're quitting or before big events (like going down a hole).

Guys? Am I the only one curious about that empty spot between Gymnastics and Magery? When making my experiments, trying to find just how much I'd have to train in each skill to get this or that one, for some reason I took note of each skill's position, and got this: Quick Strike Parry Blademaster Anatomy Gymnastics *********** Magery Resistance Magical Efficiency Lethal Blow Riposte Sharpshooter Did you guys not say anything because it's revealed later in the game, or was it that no one noticed it? Anyway, I don't think it's pathfinder, because I boosted intelligence and nature lore as much as possible, to no result.

Guys? Am I the only one curious about that empty spot between Gymnastics and Magery? When making my experiments, trying to find just how much I'd have to train in each skill to get this or that one, for some reason I took note of each skill's position, and got this: Quick Strike Parry Blademaster Anatomy Gymnastics *********** Magery Resistance Magical Efficiency Lethal Blow Riposte Sharpshooter Did you guys not say anything because it's revealed later in the game, or was it that no one noticed it? Anyway, I don't think it's pathfinder, because I boosted intelligence and nature lore as much as possible, to no result.

One more way, it seems. After I killed all the rebels, everyone started looking weird at me. When I went and told it to Diwanya, he basically told me I should get the hell out of the island before I screwed things up even more. So I could move on, he said he was granting me permission to leave the island towards Dhonal Island. Too bad I killed the rebels before completing the speak with rebels and find rebel spy quests. Not that I got any good feelings from it. How do I miss the almost intelligent awakened. At least they weren't as fanatic as the rebels and loyalists in this game.