Walter

You do however get a reward for killing thier leader from a nephil merchant in silvar (a blessed bow I believe).

No, learning spells from other means will not prevent you from buying two levels from a trainer in this game. However, there is no fixed highest level, and I suspect getting spells to a higher level merely provides the same effect as increasing your mage or priest spell skill and magery and spellcraft.

I've found that at around level 20 with a number of points in magical efficiency due to 2 of my characters having both natural mage and pure spirit that it does have a noticeable effect. In casting spells that are suppossed to cost 15 or so, they almost never take the full cost, but vary between 1-5 points lower. Not a huge effect, but noticeable. Also, I thought it was wierd that though magery initially costs more skill points to raise than spellcraft, if a trainer can train both skills magery costs less gold.

I've found that at around level 20 with a number of points in magical efficiency due to 2 of my characters having both natural mage and pure spirit that it does have a noticeable effect. In casting spells that are suppossed to cost 15 or so, they almost never take the full cost, but vary between 1-5 points lower. Not a huge effect, but noticeable. Also, I thought it was wierd that though magery initially costs more skill points to raise than spellcraft, if a trainer can train both skills magery costs less gold.

I'd advise using the blue pools of water, as one of them gives you some sort of protective spell. Also, you are strongly advised to use prismatic shield, and likely a mindshield scroll. Also, when I fought him he managed to charm 3 of my charcters with one attack, and the uncharmed one couldn't cast unshackle mind, though I managed to wait it out using a couple of invulnerability potions. The emerald chestguard you get is an exceptional item, hampered only by its low stun resistance, which is why I'd suggest pairing it with that shield that gives +40% stun resistance, and use it on a mage since it has no penalty.

There was some nephil bandit in the great cave that had "half-breed" in his name, and when you first see him the text that pops up describes him as looking almost like a human.

I remember seeing posts about people having trouble finding the list of spell levels in the Geneforge 3 forum as well (or was that Geneforge 2?)

X first spoke of an anvil dropping spell back in the orginal exile game I think, and I think he has mentioned it in every game since that he has appeared in (in Avernum 1 he actually gives you a quest to find where a large anvil is located).

If you look at the description for the luck skill, you can see it is reused text from Avernum 3 with its "this skill has a base level of 0" despite that being true for all skills in Avernum 4. Many items have reused descriptions as well. Also, though some of the graphics originated in Geneforge, many graphics in Geneforge originated in Avernum, and even a few item graphics first appeared in Nethergate. I guess Jeff figures if a graphic works for a given purpose he doesn't necessarily need to make a new one just because its a new game.

Yes, but the text says silver. Also, for two separate keys that you get in the tower ruins incorrectly are described as being for Patricks tower instead.

Also, it is completely possible to complete a quest before recieving it and still get a reward for it.

Thats odd, both my mellee characters now have 5 points and it seems like it is more often than one in 4 times.

I was wondering if anyone knows what the formula is for your chance for an extra melee swing from quick action, or how high it needs to be for it to happen all, or almost all the time.

Just noticed another minor oversight. In Silvar you get a special item named "silver sewer key", however in the item description it describes it as copper, not silver.

I find it more useful to give your fighters 2 levels of priest skill so you can start fights by having them cast war blessing and protection (since skill affects duration, not potency), leaving your mages to cast haste or other spells, so in addition the small amount of mp used will be restored by first aid leaving less mp drain on your mages per fight as well.

One thing I'm curious about, is that though the weapons tell you thier base damage, they don't say how much extra is added per point. Do spears give more per point than swords? How about shortshords vs broadswords or spears vs. halbreds?

One thing I'm curious about, is that though the weapons tell you thier base damage, they don't say how much extra is added per point. Do spears give more per point than swords? How about shortshords vs broadswords or spears vs. halbreds?

Yes, that allows you to get both rewards, but it doesn't make things better from a moral point of view.

Yes, that allows you to get both rewards, but it doesn't make things better from a moral point of view.

How about the comment that "many of avernum's greatest adventurers have worn pants"

You get the code in a tiny message in the message log when you step on the last tile in the long corridor of lava.

I noticed that if you start a character with no spell skills they will still know minor heal and bolt of fire at level one, and if you then tive them skill and train the spells you can get them to level 3, however if someone starts with some points in the spell skills trainers will only train them to level 2, so to get the best possible skill in those spells you have to start out being unable to cast spells.

What about that ogre in the swamp north of Cotra? They say it hasn't done any harm yet, but they assume it will because its an ogre, and when you confront it it simply asks you to go away, with the option to kill it being "I'd rather kill you and take your stuff". Also, there is that farmer who wants to know what is happening in Fort Avernum (does anyone know if it actually matters whether you tell him, or follow the rules and keep it a secret?) And how about the imprisioned eyebeast west of Cotra? If you kill it the mayor is quite upset about how much they could have learned from it, yet you get some nice rewards for doing so, and if left alone it might trick someone else into letting it escape. Also, are there any consequences of taking up bandit lord Bragg's offer to go away for a year so you can get rewarded for killing him? Will you meet him later in the abyss? And I'm sure there are other ones in the game too, as I haven't even gotten past the eastern gallery yet.

What about that ogre in the swamp north of Cotra? They say it hasn't done any harm yet, but they assume it will because its an ogre, and when you confront it it simply asks you to go away, with the option to kill it being "I'd rather kill you and take your stuff". Also, there is that farmer who wants to know what is happening in Fort Avernum (does anyone know if it actually matters whether you tell him, or follow the rules and keep it a secret?) And how about the imprisioned eyebeast west of Cotra? If you kill it the mayor is quite upset about how much they could have learned from it, yet you get some nice rewards for doing so, and if left alone it might trick someone else into letting it escape. Also, are there any consequences of taking up bandit lord Bragg's offer to go away for a year so you can get rewarded for killing him? Will you meet him later in the abyss? And I'm sure there are other ones in the game too, as I haven't even gotten past the eastern gallery yet.

Thing about those bonus points confusing you about how much more skill you need, is that most traits that add to skills add more points as you go up in levels. Every few levels my two characters with pure spirit and natural mage get bonus levels of mage and priest spells and magical efficiency (I first noticed this when I found my priest could cast mage spells she couldn't earlier). My nephil with nimble fingers and elite warrior keeps getting bigger bonuses to many skills, including bows, tool use, first aid, parry, blademaster, and gymnastics. Also my slith occassionally gets extra levels in pole weapons.