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Finally beat the game, but not the Shaper Crypt...


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I beat the game for the first time! I first bought it at least 5-6 years ago, so this is quite an accomplishment. I have also played Avernum (1) several times, and never finished it. So I feel good.

 

However, I also feel a little unfulfilled. I played a guardian, and I think I spent my points somewhat wisely. But I couldn't master the Shaper's Crypt. I'd go in, do one fight, head back to town, and repeat. I eventually ended up hitting combats I just couldn't win (I didn't use pods or spores because I hadn't yet won and didn't know if I'd need to store 'em up for the end).

 

I started feeling very cheap about my tactics, picturing my poor character walking all the way back to Kazg or Pentil after 5 minutes or less in the tomb.

 

I've seen people mention they've beaten these. Obviously pods and spores would help, but, otherwise: HOW? Where did I stat up wrong?

 

Can't wait to play 2 - 5!

 

I hope these images post...

 

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Shaper's Crypt is an experts area meant as a challenge to the really hard core players. Using items is a necessity in the end.

 

Click to reveal..
I remember it as being always in combat mode since you can never eliminate the spawners. Saving was only in a secure room near the exit. You need to reach the next part because you can't win the first zone.

 

Welcome to Spiderweb Software. I guess it's too late to ask you to leave your sanity at the door. Don't expect agreement from the maniacs here about what to do. smile

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Originally Posted By: Randomizer
Shaper's Crypt is an experts area meant as a challenge to the really hard core players. Using items is a necessity in the end.

Welcome to Spiderweb Software. I guess it's too late to ask you to leave your sanity at the door. Don't expect agreement from the maniacs here about what to do. smile


Actually, I beat the entire thing yesterday as a Mage (solo) on Tricky difficulty, without using the Geneforge and without using any items (Buffs, pods, spores, crystals etc).

Then again, I am a mage, so I do have Blessing Magic, which makes me a walking god.
Suggestion? Even as a Guardian, get Blessing Magic.

EDIT: Damn, I only just realised that I should have played through as an Agent instead of a Shaper for going mage. I'm an idiot, but I guess now I know that if I ever want to beat it on Torment.
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It looks to me like you probably spent some skill points on shaping that not really be helpful to you, and maybe boosted Dexterity unnecessarily, but other than that your build seems decent.

 

I think you can probably do it, just make liberal use of items to pump you up. The game has more than enough consumable items, especially since you don't need them for anything else now. It'll be a hard slog, just a guardian, but it should possible. Remember, as Randomizer said, to stay in combat mode pretty much from the moment you enter the zone. If you haven't already, there's servant mind near the entrance that you can feed in order to turn off some pylons; it's not a huge thing, but every little bit helps.

 

Also, if you don't have a crescent stone, you might want to go find one (randomly dropped by creatures in the Western Wastes zone, I think?), since if you fight your way all the way through the crypt and then don't have one, it'll be annoying.

 

I hope that's useful!

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Originally Posted By: Triumph
It looks to me like you probably spent some skill points on shaping that not really be helpful to you, and maybe boosted Dexterity unnecessarily, but other than that your build seems decent.

I didn't put a single point into dex and I still get these stats:
Click to reveal.. (Click for image)
0MeTl.png


Originally Posted By: Triumph

Also, if you don't have a crescent stone, you might want to go find one (randomly dropped by creatures in the Western Wastes zone, I think?), since if you fight your way all the way through the crypt and then don't have one, it'll be annoying.

I hope that's useful!

There's one special Thahd in the Western Wastes that drops it, I just constantly left and re-entered the area until it spawned (when you travel from the Dry Wastes).
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Thanks for the feedback!

 

I don't know if I actually put any points into Dex--I do know I fed some skill points to that drayk near the beginning, and I won't be doing that again anytime soon.

 

I don't think I'm going to go back and beat the Shaper Crypt/Inner Crypt. I guess the point of it would be to build my character up for the final conflict, which he was already more than prepared for.

 

I have to say, having finally beaten the game, it did something I've wanted to see in a game for a long time.

 

Spoiler--

By the end of the first Mass Effect, I had bumped my dialogue skills as much as possible. When I made it to the final boss, I sincerely hoped to talk my way out of it. Apparently, this was impossible.

 

Final boss (ish) in Geneforge--tricked him into killing himself. No boss fight (sort of--he had some moderate-difficulty minions).

 

That was a good role-playing experience.

--End Spoiler

Thanks again for the feedback! I'm looking forward to G2!

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Yeah, me too. It would be really fun and complicated (as Jeff's games usually do) if you fully utilized the game. For example, you killed Special Monster A and saved Special Monster C and Convinced Special Monster B and try doing it by changing... errmmm... you know what I mean. Anyway, it was also tough to complete without my brother. He told me his cheap walkthrough and now I'm starting to explore since my curiosity has dies down...

---------

-Mediocre sucks, Nightwatcher

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I did it as a singleton agent on torment. The secret is to just not bother trying to wipe everything, but instead try to keep moving, grab the items, and only fight when you are cornered.

 

Plus, save whenever you drop out of battle. Even if you are cornered you can always just run back to the exit, so there's usually no danger in it.

 

The main goal is the boss ghost lady (can't recall her name) as she drops a pretty awesome stat belt (I think it's +2 all stats, or something like that). She's actually really easy, though, as geneforge 1 boss AI can be a bit wonky at times. When I fought her she would just heal every time I damaged her, and given that I did slightly more damage than she could heal, she kind of just got stuck in a heal loop and healed herself continually until she died. I don't even think she attacked me at all.

 

It was a bit anti-climactic. Almost as good as when bosses occasionally get stuck repeatedly blessing themselves while you beat them to death.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I managed to finish the Shaper Crypt, and compared to your stats, I focused more on magic shaping (cheaper than fire shaping), and some of the points you spent in dexterity, I spent on intelligence and endurance. I had two searing artilas, one vlish and one terror vlish. I still went back to town to rest way too many times though. It took me for ever to finish that place. Steam tells me I used 83 hours to play through the game. The only rpg that took longer to finish was Final Fantasy VII.

 

P.S.

This being the first Spiderweb Software game I've ever played, I must say I'm impressed. Sure, there are things that could be better interface-wise, graphics, etc., but still it was just as much, if not more more, of a pleasure to play this game as the big blockbusters. Great story, great game! Wow. I join Geelpete in saying I look forward to playing Geneforge 2.

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