Randomizer

For the Windswept Farm the first time I killed all but the rotgroths in stasis. Jeff made it harder after I told him that. For a lifecrafter I just plugged the door with high health creations and spine shielded them. It was easy to fire over my wall of bodies and sometimes the Eyebeast never got to flee.

In the opening screen you see a wingbolt curled around a pillar in the upper left of center. The first time you can see one is in Chapter 2.

I tried most of the regular creations as both a fire shaping and magic shaping lifecrafter. Fyora are the cheapest and easiest to get for starting characters with the bonus that they never run out of missle attacks. Jeff improved it some, but kyshakks and wingbolts both suffer terribly when they run out of spell energy in long hasted fights. The wingbolt's melee attack with poison is better than the kyshakk or even a gazer. Vlish are just a shadow of their overpowered self and I prefer an artila with a little extra essence for strength. Glaahks are okay but they are only a stop gap. Wingbolts and gazers are still great but you have to watch their spell energy to switch over to melee. If you have helped the Shapers enough in Chapter 2 then you can gain access to Shaper Camp Gamma at the start of Chapter 3. This gives you a chance to get kyshakk and wingbolt ahead of the Rebels. By the time you could get them in Chapter 4 they already have at least 3 levels of experience. Kyshakks are just meat shields with decent attacks. Drayk, cryodrayk, and drakon are all better for attacking although the cryodrayk can run out of spell energy. War tralls are underpowered for their level. Unless you have a Shaper bias against barred creations go with a drakon or gazer. Attacking the new creations - I found that drayk does the best damage versus wingbolt for cost. Kyshakks are fairly resistant but force them into melee and they are weaker. War tralls are overgrown battle alphas and are usually destroyed in a few rounds. Drakons are the hardest to kill with the new creations so you are better off using drayks, cryodrayks, or drakons against them. Charged creations are upgraded pyroroamers. Kill them from a distance and try to get them to provide collateral damage to monsters that are around them. In the expert area a few well placed shots can kill a whole pack so they never can attack you.

There are some special monsters in Chapter 5 that are resistant to magical and the whole FEC type group, but take physical. The Maddened trall in Valeya Ruins is the best example. This is a list of all the creations, but some of the essence costs maybe off since they came from different betas and I didn't always remember to copy the saved game over to the current one to recheck, Battle creations have only a melee attack except for the war trall and its creation level 3 counter part, Creation level 3 monsters require a higher shaping level than the base creations. Creations sh lvl lvl base Int+2 missle melee Fire shaping Fyora 1 2 8 11 fire bite Roamer 2 10 28 35 acid bite Drayk 3 24 60 75 fire bite Kyshakk 3 25 125 152 lightning aura bite Drakon 3 32 183 fire bite Battle shaping Thahd 1 4 12 17 physical Clawbug 2 10 30 39 poison Battle alpha 3 20 55 68 physical Rotgroth 3 28 125 152 acid War trall 3 32 175 212 physical physical Magic shaping Artila 1 4 12 17 acid bite Vlish 2 12 32 41 acid/curse magical Glaahk 3 20 60 75 physical/stun Wingbolt 3 28 125 152 magical poison Gazer 3 32 180 219 energy magical Level 3 creations Fire shaping Cryoa 2 7 25 32 cold bite Pyroroamer 3 4 15 20 fire bite explode Cryodrayk 4 28 90 111 cold bite Burning kyshakk 5 28 160 195 lightning aura bite charged Ur-drakon 6 35 220 267 fire bite area attack Battle shaping Unstable thahd 2 12 25 37 physical charged Plate bug 3 16 50 63 poison Battle beta 4 26 80 99 physical Corrupted rotgroth 5 37 160 181 acid charged Shock trall 6 33` 230 279 physical physical charged Plated artila 2 12 40 51 acid bite Charged vlish 3 12 75 92 acid/stun physical charged Ur-glaahk 4 30 80 99 physical/stun Unstable wingbolt 5 28 140 171 magical poison charged Eyebeast 6 38 240 291 magical/stun magical

it's supposed to be a bonus versus undead, I'm guessing some increase in damage. I'm trying it out now on the road to the Forgotten Ones. Using all 4 items and it doesn't seem to be significantly better.

Since the game is still only been officially released yesterday it's a little early to start a Strategy Central similar to the one in GF3. Still the beta testers have enough experience to make a list of possible threads and start discussing what to call the different character styles. I didn't know how effective terror was until I read Delicious Vlish's description. Having been underwhelmed by the earlier game versions I just used daze and destroyed everything starting with the ones that resisted. So let's get started so we can have a central thread and several specific threads related to the five classes: warrior, servile, shock trooper, infiltrator, and lifecrafter and the different attack methods: melee, missle, spell, mental, etc.

Spine shield is great for attacking golems, glaahks, and rotgroths since they do more damage to themselves then you usually can. Mental spells are the way to go. Get them all. Daze from the start and strong daze if you can get it from the Shapers in Chapter 3. Essence shackles with mental magic at 9 will slow down the Titan to almost a crawl. Mass madness or madness gems for the group fights. In Northforge Warrens I got almost everyone to fight on my side. Even before Jeff made them more effective I used mass madness against the Southern Sentinel to convince his enslaved cryodrayks to come over and fight for me. The madness gem in Valeya Ruins got the Guardian's creations to mostly fight amongst themselves. Most monsters will first attack charmed ones ahead of you.

Purified essence is located in Circle of the Drayk to southwest of the drayk after you kill him and it's hard to find the path. The other is in the Sealed Catacombs lab. Only one essence infused hide in Khima-Uss. Only one crystalline fibers in Matala's Workshop. You missed - Sunstone belt - recipe added to Grosch Pits in revised beta perfected belt+deep focus orb+unmelting ice Armor +14%, +40 Radiance (undead bane), +20% Fire res, +20% Energy res

There are more items to raise Fire shaping than any other shaping class. Between the Shaper's cloak (+1 in all shaping classes) and the shaping artifact (+2 in all shaping classes) it's not that hard at the end to make whatever creation that you want after Chapter 4. Lifecrafters can easily make an army. I sent Jeff a generic lifecrafter that could wait until finishing the first 9 areas to decide upon shaping class since there is a creation available that will accompany you near the start. So you can have decent mechanics (8) and leadership (6) skills with high intelligence and shaping skills to when you choose. By Chapter 3 when you get tier 3 and 4 creations you can have shaping at 10 and intelligence over 12 for plenty of essence. Seeing a kyshakk with over 800 health in Chapter 3 is awesome since you don't need to augment him for combat. I finished the game at level 42 with an effective 22 intelligence and fire shaping at 15 when I wanted to create. 1000+ health kyshakks and only 3 level behind drakons make a terrifying army. The creation buffing items can add 8 or more to creation strength. Having too few creations makes it tough to run a lifecrafter. Push intelligence all through the game and it doesn't matter that your endurance is 1 for most of the game. The extra essence will make enough creations to kill most everything that you can't daze. Serviles are almost gods in the game. Strong fighting skills and health plus almost as good magic make them nasty. You can easily switch from melee to missle as needed. They have better to hit for missle spells like essence shackles (slow) than lifecrafters or infiltrators. Shaping is weak, but you can easily get the minimum for fire shaping from equipment so all you need is essence. Mental spells are the most important category. Starting with daze and ending with mass madness this is one category to get almost all the spells. A servile doesn't need battle magic since he can fight and blessing spells can use Captain's Shiv for +2 when needed to get the higher level spells for buffing. Some healing spells are nice to preserve pods for during combat. I wasn't too thrilled with the Vampiric touch items but I'll wait to try the full set. You get some health back from time to time in combat.

Jeff thought that my mechanics at 15 in Chapter 2 was high (3 from items). High mechanics can easily add 3 to 4 levels to your character and reduce the rate of using living tools. It takes more mechanics to replace one living tool than in previous games. The highest locked/trapped chest in Chapter 1 is difficulty 12 but mechanics of 8 will do nicely for starting out in Southforge Citadel to get most items except for a difficulty 10 and 12 chest in Upper Southforge Citadel. The highest difficulty chests in Chapter 2 are also 12. I found in replaying the game that mechanics 10 was the maximum needed level using skill points. There is a canister for mechanics and enough items to raise Mechanics to effective 17. In Chapter 2 you need mechanics of 10 and items can raise it to 14 which is the highest difficulty needed in Eliza's Bunker. Tinker's gloves (mechanics +2) are available in Chapter 2 and 3. There is a difficulty 12 trapped chest that allows you to steal an Infiltrator's tunic (mechanic+1). Tinker's bauble (mechanic +1) is a quest reward in Chapter 2 and buy from Shapers in Chapter 4. Infiltrator's cloak (mechanic +1) is in Thornton an area that is hard to explore unless you help the Shapers. Chapter 4 has a canister and the Infiltrator's charm (mechanics +1). Chapter 5 gives you the last part of the artifact Cloak of Shadows (mechanics +2) but there is much need for it by then. You can use mechanic at level 17 to shut off power spirals in the Titan's Hall but you can avoid the damage with only 14 and some care. The highest difficulty trap is 30 in Northern Grosch and Grosch Pits. You'll find out how to get that high when you are there and it really isn't worth it except for completeness. Leadership of 8 seems to be fine and the Infiltrator's tunic and cloak can raise it to help. You need leadership of 5 in Southforge Citadel. Leadership 6 for Chickweed Bridge. Leadership 7 in Chapter 2 and to recruit in Chapter 3. I think Leadership of at least 8 for the rest of the game. If you get a control baton then you need at least leadership 7 to effectively use it. There is supposed to be an Infiltrator's shelter in I think Chapter 5.

In hasted mode under the new combat system you can attack, use 1 or 2 items at 3AP each and then attack again. So for instance you can daze, attack with a crystal or use a pod/spore, and attack anything that wasn't dazed. The retreating after an attack is still possible if you only use crystals but there aren't as many as in earlier games. The old tactics still work but you need to modify them. Also batons were restored to their former deadliness so it's easy to do over 100 points in damage with moderate dexterity and missle weapons skill.

Most of the items for artifact recipes are valued at 0 so you can't sell them. The only ones that will give you trouble are the quest items since not all the ones from previous games are needed this time.

I reran the Monarch fight as a servile and missle attacks are slow but sure way to kill him. I tried melee to speed it up and found that he repeatedly slowed me so the fight was a lot closer than usual. My first lifecrafter barely finished the game because he used almost every essence pod up in chapters 3 and 4. I found the revisions to chapter 5 helpful since I could replay most of 4 and all of 5 and conserve essence pods to slowly let me play more of the game. Mental spells are way more powerful than they used to be. Essence shackles when you can hit can slow even the Titan to barely an attack, Mass madness can switch most of your enemies over to your side and make fighting armies relatively painless.

I don't know if batons are invertabrates. They definitely have an exoskelton and are easily breakable,

Just because the creations can't usually talk back is no reason to abuse and misue them. They are more intelligent than we give them credit. For example in Rivergate Keep when you first meet Shaper Duncan: "When you find this Shaper, he is adjusting a piece of equipment, using a living tool to carefully bend a piece of piping in place. The tentacles of the tool shape the metal, while the creature squeaks in annoyance. The job done, he sets aside the tool (which tries to drag itself away) and says, _I am Shaper Duncan, keeper of this place. Greetings. I was told that you might be stopping in._" For those that still think that we are above mere creations and using the Geneforge makes it even more so. When meeting Shaper Grim: question = "You are being forced to deal with me?"; text1 = "_Of course. In my eyes, once you were warped by the Geneforge, you became a creation. You fall under the control of the Shapers. To be commanded, or, if rogue, destroyed._"; text2 = "_Of course. You are a creation. In my eyes, you are to be commanded, not aided, or parleyed with. Only your special utility to our cause gives you a measure of independence._"; text3 = "_And, of course, I believe you are working for us out of greed for power or fear of death. You do not owe true allegiance to our cause._"; question = "You will even keep your word to a creation?"; text1 = "This question gives him pause. _Probably. Or we may command you to release us from our word and, when you refuse, deem you a rogue and destroy you._"; text2 = "_It is not my affair._ He smirks. _But I would recommend against making any long-term plans._"; question = "You don't think that I am loyal?"; text1 = "_It is not that. It is just that I don't care whether you are loyal or not. I care no more about your motivations than, say, the deep desires of a squirrel._"; text2 = "_You are a thing I interact with. That is all._"; Guess what, now you are the creation.

Now that the game is officially out I'll give the complete creation list: Base creations - Fire shaping Fyora Roamer Drayk Kyshakk Drakon Battle shaping Thahd Clawbug Battle alpha Rotgroth War trall Magic shaping Artila Vlish Glaahk Wingbolt Gazer Level 3 creations - Fire shaping Cryoa Pyroroamer Cryodrayk Burning kyshakk Ur-drakon Battle shaping Unstable thahd Plated bug Battle beta Corrupted rotgroth Shock trall Magic shaping Plated artila Charged vlish Ur-glaahk Unstable wingbolt Eyebeast The level 3 creation versions that are new are charged creations that are stronger and shorter lived. Some also have the nasty habit of exploding when they die inflicting damage on those in the blast radius. A good reason not to get too close to your own creations.

Actually you can get to level 42 as a lifecrafter will half a dozen creations if you are willing to do quests for both sides. I found that with an army and being buffed that even the improved impossible fights are doable. My gripe was that the southern sentinel takes a long time to kill unless you have drakons since they have twice the effective damage of other tier 5 creations against drakons. Cryodrayks also do well. Playing off both sides allows you to find the weaknesses of the Shapers before you attack. Going in cold as a Rebel tends to result in many reloads.

The Agent is invited as dinner.

Consider it compensation for being the ultimate pack rat.

The things I like that didn't make it through beta testing: 1) Being able to kill stasis bound creations since they couldn't hit back and it didn't make the area hostile. Then when the boss monster tries to summon its minions they are all dead. Kind of like killing pylons on the way into a trap in Avernum 4. 2) The infinite Titan bug in beta 2.0.4 where you could slay the Titan again to gain the great treasure. It gets easier with repetition. 3) Finding out in the Shaper fight in Northforge Warrens that if you don't kill all of them you can't finish the game. So go back until you get it right or use an earlier save. 4) In Northforge Citadel, finding out that if you kill a tested creation during testing that the door won't open so you can leave and they won't talk to you. If you attack again then they all turn on you.

There are very few items that are unique in the game that are worth stealing unless you are short of money or essence pods.

The graphics overall seem to be an improvement. I haven't seen them all since Jeff kept adding new ones in the last 2 betas. He really made an effort to bring a new look to Geneforge. Now if he could just bring back the Avernum elevations, especially since Chapter 5 takes places in the mountains.

I don't want to critcize Jeff's programming since I haven't seen the source code. It may have been left in there just because it's not worth fixing. Depending on the memory location it may be changing some other value that the players haven't seen.

See this page for downloading info Geneforge 4

Most of the fights were grinding battles that once you figured out a trick reduces them to trivial. I liked the Rebel battle in the Northforge Warrens because Jeff placed a time limit in which you had to win before you died. I wish Jeff hadn't eliminated my trick of killing stasis bound monsters before they can be released in a fight. Loved the graphic for the wingbolt. Hate how the wingbolt and kyshakk both run out of spell energy for the missle attack in long hasted fights. Has anyone suceeded in killing Moseh after you repair him? I've tried twice with no luck.