A4 - What now? (Stuck)

[Tenebrous]

I've reached a point in the game where I can't figure out what to do next. My characters are all level 15 or so. I can't figure out how to get into the Abyss; I can't get through the locked doors in the Vahanti mage's castle; I can't get past the glyphed doors in the ruins or outside of Cotra. I still can't kill any shades. I've used up nearly all the job boards, too! Help!

[Sudanna]

Did you do all the quests from the Castle?

[Randomizer]

You can't enter the Abyss until you finish Rentar-Inhro's fortress west of Fort Remote. To get inside once you get through the pylons there is an entrance on the south side of the entry area that gets you past the barred gates.

[Alorael at Large]

The door near Cotra you can't get to should have a map on it pointing out that there's another door near Formello that you can easily miss. It's hidden around a bend north of the city on the way to Motrax's old lair.

 

—Alorael, who would be surprised if you couldn't get into the Formello door. If you can't, though, there's another test near Grindstone. They all have to be done in order.

[GivingPerformer]

So those doors are testing locations?! I've been puzzling over that for weeks...

 

Which one did I miss? I did the one near Grindstone and the one near Formello. Where's the next one?

[Alorael at Large]

It's Grindstone, Formello, Cotra. If you can't enter the door in the chitrach warrens under Cotra you haven't finished the one by Formello.

 

—Alorael, who supposes its worth pointing out that killing the skeleton in the Formello test doesn't count as a victory. The only criterion for winning is taking a certain amount of damage over several rounds. That means that invulnerability also isn't going to help.

[D Pliss]

before doing that rentar quest thing, i recomemend you are lvl 40 on all party members a least, and you have the good items eg: demonslayer, emerald chestguard, and more goodies.

[Radix Malorum Est Cupiditas]

Umm, the first rentar encounter really isn't *that* hard. I'm kind of hazy on the details, but I think level 20 will do it.

 

EDIT: And Demonslayer sucks in A4. Seriously. Get a good shield and a stick. Seriously, who was the person with the bright idea to make a stick deal more damage than a broadsword?

[Xaiya]

Actually I suggest getting your guys/etc. to level 25 or above, but that is just me.

[Randomizer]

If you really need experience, then just kill pylons. Stand just outside their attack radius which is one less than your attack radius. It takes a long time, but they give such nice treasure.

[Tenebrous]

Quote:

Originally written by Randomizer:
You can't enter the Abyss until you finish Rentar-Inhro's fortress west of Fort Remote. To get inside once you get through the pylons there is an entrance on the south side of the entry area that gets you past the barred gates.

Ok, gotcha. I have made past the first barred gates, and then made it down into the lower level. That's when I see the second barred gates and I cannot get in. The doors all need level 20 of tool use, and my Nephil only has 13. Is there any other way besides trying to get her tool use up? I ask that because I've gone everywhere that I know to go and I can't find anything else to kill.

[Tenebrous]

Quote:

Originally written by Sullen Plummet:
It's Grindstone, Formello, Cotra. If you can't enter the door in the chitrach warrens under Cotra you haven't finished the one by Formello.

—Alorael, who supposes its worth pointing out that killing the skeleton in the Formello test doesn't count as a victory. The only criterion for winning is taking a certain amount of damage over several rounds. That means that invulnerability also isn't going to help.

I can't even find the one near Cotra. I've cleaned out the ruins (west of Dharmon) and found the glyphed door. It lead me to a place SW of Almaria where there was another glyped door. That one said to go a place NW of Cotra. That's where I'm at, and I'm finding nada.

[Alorael at Large]

It's underground in the chitrach warrens. It's in the northwestern part of one of the more eastern map sections if I remember it right.

 

—Alorael, who would just check the automap for suspicious areas. You could easily have run by it and ignored it.

[Randomizer]

You don't need more than tool use 16 for traps. Any door above that needs a mage using unlock. Your mage should be the one with tool use for maximum effect.

 

To get past the lower level barred gate, go south from the stairs and then go east to an altar room. Go north until you come to a window that looks out on the gate. The lever is hidden next to the window by being almost the same color as the floor. Turn up your monitor brightness to see it. You need your Vahnatai allies to be there next to the gate before you can confront R-I.

 

The Cotra test is best reached by entering the chitrach tunnels near Fort Dranlon. Go to the northwest corner of that map section and follow the tunnel north until you come to a 6 way junction. Follow the northwest passage to the test.

[SevenMass]

Quote:

Originally written by Randomizer:
You don't need more than tool use 16 for traps.

I would even say: you don't need more than 13! there are gloves that add +2 and an amulet that adds +1.

If you go that route, it does mean you'll have to go back to earlier area's to clear traps you couldn't clear before finding those items, though.