Newbie Questions

[Rob A]

I just recently started playing this game and have a few questions. I am currently playing the demo and waiting for the cd to arrive.

 

1) Are there any "random" encounters? It says in the manual that dead creatures in dungeons will usually remain dead. If there are no random encounters, then the total amount of exp. you can get is fixed. I haven't had any random encounters outside yet. How does woodscraft affect the number of encounters? If it decreases random encounters and you have a lot of woodscraft, that would decrease the amount of experience points available. I accidentally got 3 levels for lockpicking for the wrong character, and then started building another character up to 4 lvls. Maybe I can use the character editor to fix that.

 

2) What does it mean if you are drained (from the undead in the 3rd lvl. of the first abandoned mine)?

 

3) The manual and the in-game help contradict each other. Do both woodscraft and herbcraft both increase the chance of finding herbs? Are there only certain places where you can get herbs, in which case it would be useless to put up both these skills very high?

 

4) I have a magic user/thief who makes potions and has 19 hit points. (I am playing the Romans.) I don't want to give him "weapon" skills so he can hit better; I would rather spend them on magic skills/making potions. Should give him hardiness and defense just in case he gets attacked, with the added benefit that it will increase his hit points?

 

5) Is barter skill worth it? I took some points when it was cheap.

 

Thanks

 

Rob

[Odile von Rothborne]

1)There are plenty of random encounters outside throughout the entire game, where hostile creatures will attack you if you allow them to. I personally get sick of too many. Woodscraft skill allows you to decide whether you wish to fight them or not.

 

2) I'm not sure. It either means you move slower (and more vulnerable to be hit) or you lose some health.

 

3) Both woodscraft and herbcraft allows you to find herbs, or so I believe. There are several places throughout the game where you can acquire these.

 

4)Give him a couple of points in weapons just in case but definately the hardness skills. I think it does increase his hit points though.

 

5) In my opinion, no, not really. I find that it stays low mostly no matter how many points you put into this skill.

 

Hope this helps.

 

______________________________

 

My head is longer my own - I am furious. When will my torment end?... If anybody is frustrated or unhappy in this lycee, it is me! They will make me lose my head.

[Alorael at Large]

Draining attacks cause you to lose some experience. It's not much, but too many draining hits can add up and make it more difficult to hear the precious clink of a new skill point.

 

—Alorael, who doesn't recall any skill letting you get herbs at random while wandering. There are spots where herbs grow scattered throughout the outdoors, and herbs regrow every so often. To pick them, you need to have a certain amount of some secondary skill that is based on both Herbcraft and Woodscraft.

[Rob A]

Thanks. All the suggestions were helpful!

 

Rob

[Rupert]

Barter helps you buy stuff more cheaply. Just remember the golden rule: money can be exchanged for goods and/or services, it is however unwise to exchange 1000 gold pieces for some supposedly "magic" beans and then eat them, even if the guy you got them off did seem really wizened, first feed one to the cat, if it starts growing into a giant green plant or just can't walk straight, then they're probably good beans.