Randomizer

Soultaker and the last test in the Lake of Trials were ones where I abused the summon horde of shades, but the one that pushed Jeff over the edge was the Master of the Pit. After Jeff revised the encounter to make it clearer what you were supposed to do, almost everyone testing it used the same tactic of summoning creatures and retreating to deal with the death curse. Even with most of the damage being done by the party and not the summoned creatures, Jeff decided to nerf summons to prevent the leave tank like divine host shades standing there pinning down the Master. For people playing with less than a full party, being able to recruit an instant army makes a major difference. But it mostly means a change in tactics where finding a position to minimize being swarmed is the key to dealing with hordes of opponents.

Quote: Originally written by Compound Tyr Hamsubstantiation: Wait, does that mean that a singleton can't complete the fight? A singleton, according to Jeff, automatically bypasses the possession part of the fight. At this point you are facing 2 skeletal warriors and 8 vengeful shades. If you retreat to the entrance you can reduce the number of foes that can attack you so you don't get swarmed.

You need return life scroll or spell to go onto the next portion of the fight and that can be tricky to time with just one character. You rarely can make it through with just one character. At least since Jeff reduced the summoned creatures to 2. Jeff didn't like my army of shades pounding away at his undead.

There are two entrances to the Slith kidnapper area. The first is by going south from Exodus and finding information about footprints leading to a hidden door and a gate that you can't pass. The second needs a boat and checking the shore south of the river until you find another secret area that leads to a ladder down to their back entrance. Do both to since you leave by the northern entrance and don't want another fight on the way out.

Not here, but Exile games occasionally had bugs that require using cheats to move around obstacles. The worst was having your money go negative. Cheats can cause unusual side effects.

Happy as a leaping trout?

Having the towns mad at you only means something if you have unfinished quest that you want to do. It's actually nicer since you can use the self-defense excuse to kill and loot for a little extra. I've done Harkin's Landing and Ahonaria without missing much. Some of the reward items are nice especially the second offensive magic reward of the magus vest. You can avoid getting Muck and Thalants mad at you for doing those items. Melanchion is optional and late in the game. You can steal the item without a major fight by running, but the town is then hostile. The only questionable ones are the Anama Scrolls and Radiant Prism since they can give you a nicer reward from Melanchion's Desire quest where they will give you +1 strength, dexterity, and intelligence. On the whole it pays off if you are an amoral powergamer. I don't know if you can wait to the end and then pick and choose which ones to give him without facing the "curse."

This is a preliminary list from Synergy's Item List of the the locations to knowledge brews (2 skill points), elixirs (4 skill points), wisdom crystals (2 skill points), and the ingredients to make them. In Muck (Chapter 6 - The Azure Gallery) you can get knowledge brews and wisdom crystals made: CHASH-AH makes knowledge brews with all 5 herbs BRENNAN makes wisdom crystals with Energetic Herbs, Mandrake Root, Focusing Crystal, and 300c Knowledge Brews - Chapter 1 (demo) NORTH OF HARSTON - FORTUNATO’S BREWERY (Slightly Expensive) Knowledge Brew Chapter 2 - The Northern Isles GLADWELL’S KEEP (A2) - QUEST: Message: Gladwell - Knowledge Brew - NW SHANKER’S TOWER [3 thefts permitted] - HORYN’S POTIONS (Pretty Average) - Knowledge Brew QUEST: A Gassy Brew - Knowledge Brew FANG CLAN VILLAGE - LOWER LEVEL TEST 2: TRAPS (8) (TU 8 or less) - LOCKBOX (TU 8 or less) - Knowledge Brew - NCE Chapter 3 - The Drake Pillars NORTHERN RAPIDS (3) - 3RD RAPIDS (A) SECRET AREA - N - QUEST ITEM: Clean Cache - Fireeater Gremlin (kill) - Knowledge Brew [requires second trip down rapids] Chapter Five - Anama Land AHONARIA [4 thefts permitted] BRENDAN’S POTIONWORKS (Exorbitant or Average to Anama) : Knowledge Brew Private stock for Anama - (Expensive): Knowledge Brew THE HOWLING DEPTHS (A2) - LOWER LEVEL BARRIER - CW - TRAP (TU 10 or less) - Knowledge Brew Chapter 6 - The Azure Gallery AZURE GALLERY A4 - LOWER LEVEL QUEST ITEM: Janelle (kill) - Knowledge Brew MUCK - LOWER LEVEL SECRET AREA - C - to Rotting Shambler (kill) - Knowledge Brew Knowledge Elixirs Chapter 4 - Tranquility SOLBERG’S TOWER - UPPER LEVEL North Tower - BARRIER (dispel barrier) - Blue Chest - Knowledge Elixir Chapter 6 - The Azure Gallery AZURE GALLERY (B3) CACHE (NL 13 or less) - Knowledge Elixir - N Muck CHASH-AH - Sells Elixirs (Expensive) - Knowledge Elixir (1) - 1680c Wisdom Crystals Chapter 1 (demo) NORTHERN AVERNUM - LOWER LEVEL CACHE (NL 8) - Wisdom Crystal Chapter 2 - The Northern Isles SHANKER’S TOWER [3 thefts permitted] SARRAMOR’S CRYSTALS (Utterly Ridiculous) - Wisdom Crystal QUEST: Rogue Kherr - Wisdom Crystal QUEST: The Crystal Field - Wisdom Crystal Chapter 3 - The Drake Pillars DRAKE PILLARS (A2) - LOWER LEVEL Cryos Slime (kill) - Wisdom Crystal - E - Levine Mine DRAKE PILLARS (B2) - Three Tunnels Claim CACHE (NL 10) - Wisdom Crystal - NW of Stonecarver Claim Brinn Stonecarver [after killing Lysstak] - SELLS CRYSTALS (Slightly Expensive): Wisdom Crystal HARKIN’S LANDING - LOWER LEVEL under FULLER’S SHOP: TRAP (TU 8 or less): Wisdom Crystal KHORA-VYSSS - LOWER LEVEL Gargoyle (kill) - Wisdom Crystal - SW Stone Gargoyle (kill) - Wisdom Crystal - SW EXODUS NORTH DELLINGER: QUEST: Claim Jumpers - Wisdom Crystal EXODUS SOUTH - LOWER LEVEL MORO the crystals dealer SECRET AREA - S - BARRIER (Dispel power 20 or 21): DOOR (magically locked, TU 12): NW TRAP (TU 14 or 15) - Wisdom Crystal Chapter 4 Tranquility SENTINEL WORKSHOP Prime Sentinel (kill) - Wisdom Crystal Chapter Five - Anama Lands AHONARIA [4 thefts permitted] ANAMA STORES (GALANAI) Wisdom Crystal - SELLS CRYSTALS and POTIONS to Anama (Average) - Wisdom Crystal (3), THE HOWLING DEPTHS (B3) CACHE (NL 8 or less) - Wisdom Crystal - W THE HOWLING DEPTHS (A1) DOBRILA’S CRYSTALS (Slightly Expensive) - Wisdom Crystal THE HOWLING DEPTHS (A1) - LOWER LEVEL Cryos Demon (kill) - Wisdom Crystal Wisdom Crystal Chapter 6 - The Azure Gallery LAKE OF TRIALS - LOWER LEVEL SOUTH TRIAL - BARRIER (dispel barrier) lever to SECRET AREA - Wisdom Crystal - CNW HIGHGROUND DOOR (Magically Locked, TU 10 or less) - TRAP (TU 12 or 13) - TRAPPED BOX (TU 12 or 13) - Wisdom Crystal -SE AZURE GALLERY (C1) - LOWER LEVEL SECRET AREA - SW - Wisdom Crystal Gladwell's Keep Gladwell’s Wisp (kill) - Wisdom Crystal Chapter 8 - The Dark River HEDGE WIZARD LARK NEW HARSTON QUEST: The Black Horror - reward access to SPELLBOOK: Arcane Blow and Wisdom Crystal, Mandrake Roots Chapter 1 (demo) HARSTON LOWLANDS TECHTAR’S HOUSE - SW of New Harston - after killing Lowland Slime, he SELLS (Slightly Expensive): Mandrake Root (1) Chapter 2 - The Northern Isles NORTHERN ISLES - GRANDO - CS GOODMAN GRANDO (GRANDO’S GOODS) (Utterly Ridiculous) - Mandrake Root SHANKER’S TOWER - UPPER LEVEL - NE BARRIER - E: (Dispel power 20 or 21) - Mandrake Root NORTHERN ISLES - GOODWIFE AMBER - LOWER LEVEL TRAP (TU 9 or less) - C LOCKBOX (TU 9 or less) - Mandrake Root Chapter 3 - The Drake Pillars DRAKE PILLARS (D3) CACHE (NL 8 or less) - Mandrake - S (from Slith temple) Chapter 4 Tranquility NORTHWEST QUADRANT - Lower Level CACHE (NL 10 or less) - Mandrake Root - NE SOUTH BARRIER - LOWER LEVEL CACHE (NL 10 or less) - Mandrake Root - SW SENTINEL WORKSHOP Mandrake Root - CS NORTHEAST QUADRANT - UPPER LEVEL SOLBERG’S HIDEOUT - NW BARRIER (E): Mandrake Root Chapter 5 - Anama Lands CHITRACH NEST (A2) - LOWER LEVEL SECRET AREA - CACHE (NL 10 or less) - Mandrake - E THE HOWLING DEPTHS (A1) - LOWER LEVEL Mandrake Root, Chapter 6 - The Azure Gallery REMOTE RIVER (A) CACHE (NL 12) - Mandrake - W HIGHGROUND - LOWER LEVEL SECRET AREA - SE - to TRAP (TU 12 ) / TRAP (TU 14) - BARRIER (dispel barrier) - Mandrake Root (2) AZURE GALLERY (B2) - SHAFRIR’S TOWER Barriers Room - magically shut - (TU 12 or less) - Mandrake Root AZURE GALLERY (B4) CACHE (NL 13) - Mandrake Root - SE AZURE GALLERY (B4) - LOWER LEVEL (Incantor Temple’s Garden) - S SECRET AREA - BARRIER - Mandrake Root AZURE GALLERY (B5) CACHE (NL 14 or less) - Mandrake Root - NW of Corrado’s Mine AZURE GALLERY (C2) CACHE (NL 14 ) - Mandrake Root - C AZURE GALLERY (C3) Body - Mandrake Root - NW - Island AZURE GALLERY (C5) CACHE (NL 12 or less) - Mandrake Root - CS QUEST ITEM: Swamp Monster (kill) - Mandrake Root Muck BRENNAN’S SHOP - LOCKBOX (TU 13) - Mandrake Root Gladwell's Keep - Private Area (need Gladwell's Key) behind barriers - Mandrake Root Energetic Herbs Chapter 1 (demo) SOUTH OF HARSTON CACHE (NL 4) - Energetic Herbs - S THE BLACKCHASM STORGALD’S HERBS (slightly expensive) - [1 theft permitted] - NW of Blackcrag Outpost - Energetic Herbs (3)/ Energetic Herbs (steal) Lower level STORGALD’S STOREROOM (below) - Middle LOCKBOX (TU 8) - Energetic Herbs (3), NORTH OF HARSTON - LOWER LEVEL (SCUTTLER CAVE) TRAP (TU 10 or less) - Under FORTUNATO’S BREWERY - NE- Energetic Herbs NORTHWEST HARSTON - LOWER LEVEL - SPIDER CAVE CACHE (NL 6 or less) - Energetic Herbs - SE HARSTON LOWLANDS TECHTAR’S HOUSE - SW of New Harston - after killing Lowland Slime, he SELLS (Slightly Expensive): Energetic Herbs (3) SCUTTLER PITS Energetic Herbs - N SCUTTLER PITS - LOWER LEVEL SECRET AREA - Energetic Herbs HARSTEN DOCKS Energetic Herbs - CNW Chapter 2 - The Northern Isles NORTHERN ISLES - FAE’S FARM CACHE (NL 8 or less) - Energetic Herbs - CNW NORTHERN ISLES - GRANDO CLAUDIO'S ISLAND - CN CACHE (NL 8 or less) - Energetic Herbs - E SHANKER’S TOWER - UPPER LEVEL BARRIER - SW: Energetic Herbs NORTHERN ISLES - GOODWIFE AMBER REWARD: Free Amber from spell - Energetic Herbs NORTHERN ISLES - GOODWIFE AMBER - LOWER LEVEL TRAP (TU 9 or less) - C LOCKBOX (TU 9 or less) - Energetic Herbs Chapter 3 - The Drake Pillars DRAKE PILLARS (A2) CACHE (NL 8 or less) - Energetic Herbs - SE NORTHERN PLATEAU (A3) Cultist Summoner (kill) - Energetic Herb DRAKE PILLARS (C1) CACHE (NL 8 or less) - Energetic Herbs - CE - island DRAKE PILLARS (C4) - Merrum CACHE (NL 8 or less) - Energetic Herbs - SE DRAKE PILLARS (D2) - LOWER LEVEL - Ogre Botanist Energetic Herbs KHORA-VYSSS - MAIN LEVEL Energetic Herbs - SW in Shaman's rooms EXODUS NORTH HASKELL’S POTIONS LOCKBOX (TU 11) - Energetic Herbs - N Chapter 4 Tranquility NORTHWEST QUADRANT - Lower Level SECRET AREA - Energetic Herbs - CS SOUTHWEST QUADRANT LOCKBOX (TU 10 or less) - Energetic Herbs (steal)- SE EASTERN BARRIER CACHE (NL 10 or less) - Energetic Herbs - CW NORTHEAST QUADRANT - UPPER LEVEL SOLBERG’S HIDEOUT - NW Energetic Herbs Chapter Five - Anama Lands CHITRACH NEST (A1) Energetic Herbs - SE Chapter 6 - The Azure Gallery REMOTE RIVER (A) Energetic Herbs - CNW CACHE (NL 10 or less) - Energetic Herbs - CNW HIGHGROUND DOOR (TU 11 or less) - Gormus (kill) - Energetic Herbs Energetic Herbs- NE BARREN HONEYCOMB (1) Energetic Herbs AZURE GALLERY (B4) CACHE (NL 12 or less) - Energetic Herbs - E AZURE GALLERY (B4) - LOWER LEVEL (Incantor Temple’s Garden) - S SECRET AREA - BARRIER - Energetic Herbs AZURE GALLERY (B5) Energetic Herbs - N AZURE GALLERY (C2) Energetic Herbs - CW Energetic Herbs - S THE GIANT’S SPIRE - LOWER LEVEL DOOR (magically locked, TU 12 or less) - Energetic Herbs -NW AZURE GALLERY (C5) CACHE (NL 12 or less) - Energetic Herbs - C MUCK - LOWER LEVEL Under CHASH-AH - energetic herbs

"D" should be moved over to the next land mass to the right. Go back along the inlet and take the next inlet to the east. It got missed during checking since we mostly looked at text.

During beta testing I spent two hours using unshackle mind to kick Soultaker out while fighting an endless stream of skeletal warriors. Jeff decided to make it slightly clearer when others had the same problem.

Well aimed blow is about 50%, mighty blow is about 100% extra damage. It thought the last one did about the same, but I was just happy that it lasts for several rounds with the increased AP. Oh for a nephil party of 4 with 55% extra experience penalty from traits. Chapter 1 ends at level 6-7 depending upon quest order and finding all the secret areas, etc. You get some minor XP from removing traps. Chapter 3 is about 12-13 levels but this depends more on quests, accepting Gladwell's "help" and whether you can get through Khora-Vyss (expert area). Chapter 4 is about level 16. Chapter 5 ends in about level 19-20. Chapter 6 is 24-25. Then end is about level 30. If you are careful, you can exit chapter 4 before doing the Sentinel Workshop to become or at least visit the Anama. Keep a save before entering the Southwest Quadrant because there are some things that may make you change your mind before you reach the Anama Road to "safety." It took me a few hours of replaying to find out which golems/sentinels could be killed with out making the region hostile. Once you are past this point and know what you're doing you can race ahead to the end and cherry pick the better crafted items to improve your party.

Baquba the Arenea can be talked to and there is a dialog option that eventually gets a fight. This is the first of Lark's recipe quest so you want to do it. The little scuttlers webbed to the walls are not hostile, but can be killed for a very little experience. This can be a hard fight so be prepared.

This is a tricky one so if you have a save before entering the central chamber where you get possessed then go back to town using the egress to raise your party. You are supposed to have a member of your party get possessed and then attack him/her to damage him/her. You have to also keep healing your party because possession changes every few rounds. After Soultaker takes enough damage in possessed bodies, he will summon vengeful shades. At this point the skeletal warriors stop being replaced. I found it helps to summon 2 minor creations to keep the possessed party member and/or shades busy. Switch to the least damaging weapons so you don't lose a party member during the fights. If you have divine restoration spell or some other regeneration it helps.

Before you get too far into the game let me correct some misconceptions. The chapter 4 trainer isn't available until you've done the main quest (Mad Sentinels in the Sentinel Workshop). So don't expect any bought weapon skills until then. Spellcasters can usually wait until here to train and spend skill points for the archery skills since they are more useful in the early game. Jeff weaken non-human weapon skills to 2 at the start and 1 every 8 levels. Still 4 in combat skills by chapter 4-5 isn't bad. There are two spell books in Khora-Vysss (chapter 3). The thrown missles one is easy to get to, but the pole weapons requires dispel barriers so you have to do the two tower quests for Tiacoura in chapter 4. Luckly you can do those before the Sentinel Workshop. You won't make level 20 until about the end of chapter 5 with that level of experience penalty. I play that way through torment so I know. You will finish chapter 6 with over level 24 so it's easy to have all the battle disciplines for all characters by then. Money for skills is somewhat tight for using the trainer. Weapons skills start at 1150 and go over 1500 by the time you get your 3rd level. Chapter 5 has a discipline knife (+2 melee weapon, +1 pole) that's great for a spell caster. Chapter 6 has an archery cloak (+2bBows, +2 thrown missles) that's almost as good. Here's something that will give Jeff a fit. You can start a nephil fighter with 6 melee weapons/2 pole weapons/6 bows/4 thrown missles or reverse melee and poles and bows and thrown. Either way the 13 combat skills (1 for each melee and pole and 1/2 for bow and thrown) give you mighty blow before you start. For a pure fighter it's possible to have all the battle disciplines by chapter 3. You can easily make level 12-3 range in chapter 3. You are right that having battle disciplines more than makes up for lower individual combat skills. The double damage of battle rage and it's increase AP means hefty damage for all attacks including spells. So it sometimes pays off to spend skill points for combat skills that are cheapest to get more battle disciplines. Quote: The first 3 levels or so were a little tough, with one or two fights I had to reload forever (Dirty Desiree). After that the second level of DT bonuses kicked in, my spellcasters started to have decent SP, and things have been pretty smooth sailing. Dirty Desiree is something to do a little later at least on torment. I tend to go along the southern zones and head east to the Goblin Warrens to get the steel spear and after doing the Friendly Giant quest I go back and kill Marrowbones for the girdle of might (strength +2). The Rat Lord is also easier than the fight with Hirickis even after Jeff got rid of the insane lightning spray attack.

Quote: Originally written by Sleeping Dragon: One more question, who do I hand in mined crystals to at Harkin's Landing? Fuller in the southeast working for the Underworld trading company. Quote: Orignally written by Azuma: Whoa..hold on..if I read that right..that means that there are possible quests that can't be finished.. You can finish the spy quest when you finish off Lysstak to have it removed even though you miss a spy. You have to go back to Pefko to mention that you are leaving. There are some quests that don't get removed even though you can't finish them. Fuller's Mined Crystal quest seems to stay even if Harkin's Landing turns hostile, you steal from him, and/or kill him. There are others where several people want the same item.

You need to first talk to the miner sitting outside the gates in the northeast before Kolata would give you the info you need. Kolata disappears if you use the lever to the hidden entrance of Three Tunnels claim and get ambushed there. It's a minor loss of loot and experience if you can't find Kolata.

It depends upon how much you want to spend on spells and training. Dorikas' escape is scripted so he could return as the main villian in Avernum 5 (just released this week). Now you get a chance to make up for your Avernum 4 frustrations at his cowardly retreat.

Without seeing your IQ results, I can't classiify your mental ability. You don't need a mortar and pestle to make potions. You might have gotten the idea from Nethergate because of the Sylak item. Considering how few inventory slots you have, you should get rid of it.

The Celts aren't meant to open the door to the room where the sprite stashed the scroll. After you reach the door, you are supposed to make your way back to talk to the Sidhe. There is an opening stone available in the Hollow Hills later in the game and you can find one in the Roman fort in the guest quarters.

Quote: Originally written by Waterbearer: —Alorael, who actually wasn't able to start that quest chain. Where, exactly, do you find the Xian Skull? First you need to deliver an anvil from Solberg to X. Then you have to survive listening to X tell his life story and his quest to perfect his anvil spell.

There are only 2 eyestalks in the game from Corusca at the Lake of Trials and Morbo under Muck. Thalon Ten-Eyes in chapter 8 doesn't drop eyestalks *grumble*.

A4 slith spears are one handed. A5 made them like all other pole weapons as two handed.

The advantage to combat skills is getting the battle disciplines. It's cheaper in skill point cost to get them a few of each one or wait to the trainer in chapter 4. I never found the earlier bows doing enough damage to make archery a valid option in play. Thrown missles did enough to be useful, but I ran out of the found ones fairly quickly and learned to save them for the important fights. The best use for archery is unstable monsters. Unfortuneately think pyroroamers in a small room. Spell damage still is the way to go through out the game. With divine touch increasing magery from the start and being able to buy 3 levels from Shankar or in Exodus you up the damage level fairly quickly.

Once you get Gladwell's geas you have to do certain things before you can leave chapters 3, 5 (well you can leave under a curse), 6, and 7 with chapter 8 being optional. You can't kill Gladwell until chapter 6. Being under geas prevents you from joining the Anama and doing Shafrir's quest to get Arcane Summon spell. You do get a stat boost and for each quest completed for him you can get a reward (see Synergy's list). Has anyone stuck it out to the end without killing Gladwell?

Parry was weaken from 5% per level to 3%. Essence Armor no longer adds to health, gives 6% armor and lowers chance of being hit.