Randomizer

If you want a decent weapon from early in the game, the ghostly blade from the Mertis Spiral when you slay the keeper at the bottom. Decent damage and the jinx to curse monsters, although less than the oozing blade in the Honeycomb, and it has defensive bonuses. Demonslayer in the Scree Caves is the next step up in power from the ghostly blade.

If you want a decent weapon from early in the game, the ghostly blade from the Mertis Spiral when you slay the keeper at the bottom. Decent damage and the jinx to curse monsters, although less than the oozing blade in the Honeycomb, and it has defensive bonuses. Demonslayer in the Scree Caves is the next step up in power from the ghostly blade.

None of the shades are hard to kill for a party of 4. For a singleton it comes down to positioning your character so you don't get swarmed by created monsters. I found I needed to summon monsters as a wall to give me time to divine retribution the shade's monsters to oblivion.

I think I saw Jeff say that there were no plans for Blades of Geneforge. Not starting off as a Shaper (creating monsters) would be okay. The ability could always come later. Especially since Jeff made servile as an option.

Jeff will probably transfer some from A4 since it will reduce the work in graphics. After all the replacements over the years in the Avernum games, I bet we'll lose some old spells.

Exile 1 is the oldest and you probably will hate having only a few slots to store items. Exile 2 has the best plot, better graphics, and a better game engine. Exile 3 is the surface, but you now have a weight limitation. Blades of Exile depends upon the scenario. The graphics aren't that bad and the plots are good. It depends upon what you like.

In X's upstairs area, one door opens with the second key as a reward for killing the demon. The other doors don't have anything of value behind them. There is a mention in a very early thread about unlock and tool use. It is possible but not in ordinary game play.

There are plenty of wisdom crystals in the Great Cave. There will be no problem getting tool use and mage spells high enough. You don't need tool use above 12 in the demo section and even later on in the game. You only need TU 16 for the end. I wrote a spoiler listing wisdom crystals if you wonder when you will get them.

My divine touch elite warrior nephil archer used razordisks on Nodicuas. I save the remaining razordisks, fine razordisks, and fine lances for a long time before I decided to just sell them. They do great damage, but the weight sucks and it's easier with bows. No keeping track of ammo even for less damage.

My divine touch elite warrior nephil archer used razordisks on Nodicuas. I save the remaining razordisks, fine razordisks, and fine lances for a long time before I decided to just sell them. They do great damage, but the weight sucks and it's easier with bows. No keeping track of ammo even for less damage.

The vahnatai, who I can't remember the name of either, is the one grumbling around the kitchen area about having records of everything. You can ask him about Borgia Toadstools only after getting the quest.

The highest level spells are at the end in Bargha in the Abyss. I listed the spellbooks in another thread. Spellbooks and training for spells are interchangeable so don't wait. They can be learned at any time and in any order. Certain spells like Augmentation, Enduring Shield, etc. don't increase with learning more levels and the duration rarely is a factor. Gymnastics has one level as a reward in the Giant Lands past the Abyss. The only skills to buy before training are Nature Lore, Arcane Lore and First Aid (wait until Cotra). Fort Dranlon gives an extra level in Nature Lore and First Aid as quest rewards (don't get reward before buying 2 levels - I lost a level that way). There is a thread listing the cheapest places to buy skills. That list will give you the best indication on when to buy skills. Money for training and spells is tight until the Great Cave. Luck and Endurance are given as quest rewards without being affected by earlier training. The wishing well in the Great Cave gives a special for 50 coins.

Quote: Hypothetically, do the words "burn in hell" break the CoC? Technically they might, but if you apply an FCC type interpretation then in would depend upon context. Quote: From the CoC: + Using vulgarity and/or obscenities in any language (whether it's in the open, masked, or abbreviated) I guess it's up to the mods, or as their now called protectors.

Spire is easier to destroy than Bargha. You can get through the monsters and traps if you don't want to kill either one. Since Spire is allied with the Darkside Loyalists it might help your decision.

You're not that far along that you can restart and catch up quickly. Having a thief that isn't a mage isn't helpful in A4. The unlock spell and mage skills combine to get you through locked doors and chest with difficulties over 20. The skill points could have been used elsewhere. Otherwise your party is fine. I prefer to start with two spellcasters that have both priest and mage spells. The duplication means more attacks and/or healing as needed. There are a few threads covering party formation.

Thrac in Fort Saffron needs someone to go through the cells in the southeast corner into the Darkside Loyalist camp and kill the bandits there (2 levels). I don't know if you also need to kill their spy in his fort. The Darkside Loyalists hidden under Erika's ruins are accessible from the Dark Lands by finding the secret trapdoor. There is a glowing rune that needs to be stepped on to reveal the trapdoor.

The reward is a blessed bow in Silvar. There is a second quest for locating his hideout in Mertis.

The trick is that one piece is on the east side of the river. At least one and maybe two are hidden by secret passages. You don't really need to do this except it means one fewer step in reaching Erika.

Jeff took a lot of shortcuts to get Avernum 4 out. The plot is weak, the graphics are swiped from Geneforge, and he got rid of elevations. It comes down to how much you like the game. It does get better after the demo, but if you aren't having fun then wait for Avernum 5. There are some good features like the combat system is better so you don't have wait as an option. There are area spells like in Exile. The skills like first aid are actually worth getting. It's just that the game is incomplete. Most of the problems will be fixed in A5, but I got though the game by running a singleton for fun since Jeff said it wasn't supposed to be possible. I think in A5 he's really going to make that happen.

Blasting party members is just something that fighters have to suffer with when they engage monsters. I always try to save a healing spell for that little problem. Avernum 4 took care of friendly fire. But I still like area effects like fireball for clearing out monsters that are hiding around corners and out of line of sight.

The golems shouldn't be that much of a problem. You must be doing something wrong in killing them. Use lightning spray from hasted mages to blast them to rubble so you can get past the area. I got past as a singleton without shutting it off.

Quote: You don't get yew longbow drops for a long while. Here you can get 4 before reaching Fort Draco. And yew longbows make a huge difference. If you have enough luck the nephil archers in the Nephil Lands drop yew bows. I got by without them.

I'm not sure if there are more. Besides the Easter Egg there may be a few to the other major cities. I remember Jeff mentioning in the Exile Hint book that he listed only the important ones needed for the game. I never looked in the game for additional ones.

The identify spell pays off in the long run when you have lots to identify or want to decide what is worth hauling out of a dungeon. By the middle of the game you no longer want to carry everything since money is no longer tight.

It's a neat item and there are some other items in the area. Mandrake for knowledge brew, etc. It was meant to be a challenge to get as you will find out when you get there.