BenS

I think there are 2 mistakes in this list. Anatomy: under Anatomy you need to buy 4 Intelligence, but under Intelligence, you need to buy only 2. Resistance: under Resistance you need to buy 4 Endurance, but under Endurance, you need to buy 6 pts. If no one updates, I'll try to figure these out in-game. Thanks for the great list. I always miss out on these secret skills b/c I'm pumping pts into main attributes and ignoring others (e.g., I never get Anatomy b/c I'd never think to spend precious sp on Int for my fighter-types).

I had the same problem. You need to get the key from Astoria after the assassination attempt. Talk to her, after you searched the assassin's room, and she should give you the key that will get you in there.

I must be missing something. Where do you order the hint book, printed or otherwise? The order page only lists the game itself.

Looks like I completely misunderstood how the geas was supposed to affect me

Quote: Originally written by nearart: Can't you fulfill Shafrir's request for the Anama scrolls first, which he gives you copies of to hand out, and then give a copy to Gladwell. Or will Gladwell only accept the originals? I don't see how this would work. If you have the geas from Gladwell, you can't leave the Anama lands (i.e., go into new areas). Shafrir doesn't appear until the Azure Gallery, 2 areas later. My problem w/ the scrolls was different. I wanted to retrieve them later in the game after I killed Gladwell, and then either give them to Shafrir, Ruth, or Melanchion. But the game doesn't allow that.

I forgot to mention in my other thread--about finishing the game--that the new way of having secret doors is way, waaaay preferable to the old "walk into every 10x10' wall space you can find. That was too much...

I think I stood there and let them pummel me, but I also had my 2 summoned creatures to act as (short-lived) distractions. Buff spells, and I think at least 1 Invulnerability potion per character. I didn't realize we had the option of killing them to make them stop beating me I guess I thought I'd fail the test that way. Anyway, one of many harrowing moments in this great game...

Slightly on-topic, I wondered why, if you turned over the Anama scrolls to Gladwell, and then killed him later in the game, you couldn't just recover them as loot somewhere in his complex and use them either for Shafrir or Melanchion?

Quote: Originally written by NickLemming: My favourite was a certain chitrach... Ah, yes, the GIFTC. It was too endearing for me to hurt it. An in-joke on an in-joke, as it were. I wonder if they'll return for Av VI...

Quote: Originally written by Randomizer: Now to gain the powers you must remove your own head and place it on in place of yours. I see there are a few D&D players here, familiar w/ that joke module from WOTC. The funny (scary?) thing is that you just know some people didn't get the joke until it was, um, too late

I just finished this last night, after an incredible amount of hours put into it. Got both endings (and even felt dirty about the Darkside Loyalist ending). I'd just like to say this was my favorite Avernum game. I've liked them all--yes, even Avernum IV--but this just blew me away. What I liked: Battle Disciplines were fun w/out being broken. The writing was crisp. The boss battles were just so memorable. The bits of humor throughout. The thrill of exploration. Moral quandaries. Choosing sides. The screenshot art was fantastic! How Jeff's games continue to favor shades of grey over black and white; if you know what I mean. Icon-art (when speaking w/ X). I loved all the optional stuff, like Lark's monster quests, and the 4 artifact dungeons. How the lich in the Pit of Abominations revealed a hand behind the creation of the Rockhounds plaguing the Vahnatoi. How natural ecologies played an underlying theme in the game, and affected the perceptions of the various races. The challenge felt real throughout the game. I never felt overpowered and underchallenged. The new encumbrance rules. Minor criticisms: Not much, honestly. B/c I'm more anal-retentive than most, I would have preferred the sprites to match up by gender Other than that, I have the feeling there are a few too many skills, both secret and not secret (e.g., I might not have Magery in a game where Spellcraft is already available). And why not lay out the "secret" skills in the manual, so players can choose to build their characters accordingly? I've played many of these games where I only stumbled onto a secret skill by accident. Players might like to plan ahead for their character creation. Just a thought. Anyway, this was just a fantastic effort, and I enjoyed it immensely. P.S. Thanks for the old-time D&D nod. "Vesna" the lich. Heh heh heh...

Not counting a few do-overs, that fight took about an hour for me to get through. But fun in it's own, twisted way...

Looks like my earlier post got eaten, but in short, thanks! I'll just spend the points on whichever is cheaper at the time, since apparently they do the same thing.

Quote: Originally written by Randomizer: It depends what you mainly do with your characters. Melee and pole weapons gain damage with strength but after the costs get too high it's easier to get the cheapest. Combat skills (melee, pole, bows, and thrown) are needed to get battle disciplines so it pays to get them once you have enough strength for armor and whatever you normally equip. You may want to buy cheaper skills to get all the battle disciplines. Quick action is cheap and can give an extra strike in melee and pole. Spell casters need intelligence, spellcraft, and magery. Ok, sounds like I'm on the right track. I'll start concentrating on 2ndary skills that I can raise immediately. Thanks.

Does there come a point of diminishing returns when raising attributes and skills? Obviously more is better in general--especially Intelligence for spell-casters--but it gets frustrating when it takes 2 levels to raise a single point; especially for the attributes. I've got 10 Endurance on everyone; 10 Strength for the 2 Fighters; 10 Intelligence on the 2 spell-casters. Getting weapon skills up around 10 for the fighters. I'm now wondering what I should start spending points on now. Levels are about 24ish I think. Any suggestions? For example, do I go for 11 Strength over 11 Melee Weapons, or take those 8-9 skill pts and put them into a few levels of something else w/ lower requirements? That kind of thing.

My wizard got Magery, I'm guessing b/c of his Natural Mage trait, and I'm not sure if it's better to put skill pts into this or the generic Spellcraft. Anyone figure this out? I think I asked this in a previous Avernum, but sadly don't remember which one... Thanks.

Quote: Originally written by Synergy: After years of inquiry and conjecture, Jeff gave the final word on the Puzzle Box and Pearlblossom's Necklace here. -S- Ahhh, I see. Thanks for clearing that up (as best it could be).

Ok, finished game as Romans. Having played as both Celts & Romans, though, I never figured out what to do w/ the special item "puzzle box". Did this do anything for anyone??

I think I can finish the game as Romans just fine w/out completing certain quests that I--not a Roman, so this is metathinking I guess--find morally repulsive. I don't have a problem killing things that attack me on sight in these games, but walking up to a non-hostile entity...I just can't stomach it. Cool loot is great and all, but I don't have to acquire everything. In a way it's roleplaying. W/ the selkies, I had earlier saved the poor guy tied up and left to die. No way I'm going to do a 180 and start slaughtering them. It's too close to how I feel about seal hunters in the real world... Anyway, this is just me. I don't mean to sound preachy or tell anyone else how they should play the game.

Ok, working for the 3 Crones as the Romans, I didn't mind stealing the goblet from the Temple of Brigantia; didn't mind killing the Widow Queen; but didn't feel great about killing the Rose Lady. And I'm not sure I can stomach killing the Bazaar Master either. But I'm definitely not ok w/ killing Sleek for his pelt for the witches of Hagfen. I just can't do it. I started to try it out, though, and wondered just what game effect his "mumbled curse" would have had. If anyone knows?

Quote: Originally written by Randomizer: You can't get in as Celts, period. As Romans it helps to pray at the altar on the upper level to get permission to get past the wards. You still need rune reading of 14 to find out what is hidden in the northern crypt area of this hidden area. Thanks, I got it. Somehow I missed the altar room on this playthrough...

Quote: Originally written by Synergy: As it turns out, the Rune Shield is broken, as is the Rune Reading given by the Knowledge Charm. I have notified Jeff, who will be releasing a patch to fix a few bugs, and hopefully, this will be fixed too. -S- Thanks for the scoop. I appreciate it.

My Roman "druid" has a 21 Rune Reading. When I equipped him w/ the Runeshield (+2 R.R.), nothing changed. Is there a max Rune Reading? That seems strange. Anyone have any ideas?

I couldn't get into that crypt as either Celts or my current party of Romans! What gives?! Did I need to accept a mission/quest first??

Ok, thanks guys! I'm getting a better handle on how to focus on my Roman skill pts. One other question: if I decided to get a 5th and/or 6th party member in Vanarium, would they slow down my level increases (i.e., is Exp divided by all available members)? I didn't bother w/ them in the Celt game, but haven't read about people using them for either side, and wondered why.