Garrulous Glaahk Dear Potato Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Hi! I'm replaying Geneforge series right now and I'm trying to do things differently (specially with class selection). Right now I'm about to finish Geneforge 2 as a Shaper, and I'm planning to start Geneforge 3 right away with the Guardian class. I would like to see recommendations on how to build a Guardian, or simply just builds you like to play with this particular class (so, not necessarily the best ones, but just the ones you consider fun or interesting to play with). I'm used to play as an Agent and I had some problems to enjoy building my pure Shaper in G2. So, any ideas or recommendations for my future G3 Guardian? Also, I have a concern for when I reach G5. In my first playtrhough, G5 was the only game I didn't play as an Agent, since the Sorceress seemed pretty awesome. But I noticed that the "speed" spell and the "speed" effect in general had been modified radically. Maybe I was way to used to rely on the speed spell for obliterating foes with my agents, but I don't see if I would be able to play as a solo Agent in G5 without the magical AP accumulation. Is it viable? Or any other recommendation for playing Agents in G5? Thanks a zillion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I would like to see recommendations on how to build a Guardian, or simply just builds you like to play with this particular class (so, not necessarily the best ones, but just the ones you consider fun or interesting to play with). I'm used to play as an Agent and I had some problems to enjoy building my pure Shaper in G2. So, any ideas or recommendations for my future G3 Guardian? Geneforge 3 isn't the best game in the series for Guardians to shine (that'd be G2), but you should be able to do okay. Obviously you want to invest in Parry and Endurance to help keep you alive, as well as some weapon skills for damage output. Given your limited but usable essence pool and the fact that low-tier creations are actually very viable right into the late game in G3 if you keep them alive and let them level up, consider backing up your combat skills with an army of cheap but powerful creations like Vlish. Magic isn't your strong suit, but you'll do fine at healing and some investment in blessing magic can still be worthwhile as well. A tough main character backed up by support fire from hard-hitting but fragile creations should work reasonably well, in theory. Also, I have a concern for when I reach G5. In my first playtrhough, G5 was the only game I didn't play as an Agent, since the Sorceress seemed pretty awesome. But I noticed that the "speed" spell and the "speed" effect in general had been modified radically. Maybe I was way to used to rely on the speed spell for obliterating foes with my agents, but I don't see if I would be able to play as a solo Agent in G5 without the magical AP accumulation. Is it viable? Or any other recommendation for playing Agents in G5? Basically, the way to make a solo character work in the later Geneforge games is to use mental magic to disable enemies and pick them off one at a time. Daze and Charm are both excellent crowd control: dazed enemies won't act until you attack them first, while charming one enemy in a group can make the rest of the group focus on it instead of you. Don't be afraid to pump your Mental Magic and Spellcraft into the stratosphere: invest enough and by the endgame you'll be able to successfully charm Gazers. Also, even as an Agent it's not necessarily a bad idea to make a creation or two, unless you're particularly committed to the idea of a solo run. Dear Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Some at-length description of what to do with a Guardian. That's mostly for a melee-focused Guardian. You can easily go the Missile route, though, culminating in the mighty Reaper Baton. Just pump Dex and Missile instead of the melee-related skills. Dear Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slarti Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I believe G3 is the game where Agents are strictly better at missile attacks than Guardians, despite the intention for it to be otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Agents are better because of buffing and mental spells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slarti Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 No, I mean their missile attacks skills will always be at least as good as and sometimes better than a Guardian's given the same investment. They started with extra points and extra Dex, I think, despite the higher skill cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Dear Potato Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 Never tried the missile weapons path... I'm tempted to spend some points into it, but I've always wondered how you deal with the ammunition. It seems a bit scarce, given the number of enemies and their HP. I've finally started G3. I'm trying to do a decent melee Guardian as suggested by Triumph; also, I'm trying to level up a battle creation from the beginning, as Lilith said. I've just left the school, wish me luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Missiles work well since you don't have to move as much to attack, but ammunition for the better weapons runs out. So try to avoid upgrading to the next better one until you have to even though it means having to use two shots instead of one. Dear Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 None of the creations you can get at the beginning (like Thahds or Fyoras) are worth bothering about. Too weak. G3 is the game of the Vlish; for various statistical reasons I don't fully recall, they are the optimal creation in G3. If you want a small number of relatively early creations that you can level up and bring along all through the game, your min-max best bet is to get Vlish on the second island (that'll be Magic shaping not Battle shaping). Dear Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenderfoot Thahd priumcyaes Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Can confirm that vlish are the best things to drag around, at least with your shaper (and probably with your guardian). Matter of opinion here, but battle creatures were only really worth lugging around (as opposed to the other types) during Geneforge 5. GF3, though -- if you're going on a Guardian run, a vlish might be able to hit/damage what you can't. The ranged attack will really help for those "don't want to get too close" battles. Plus, a Guardian will be dealing physical damage, so the nature of the vlish's attack will help counter anything that's weak to magic. Admittedly, vlish don't seem like the ideal punching bag that an early-game Thahd would be, but they were more useful over the long run than a lot of other creation types.* Fyoras and Thahds are useful for a while, but they don't seem to hold up past a certain point. Vlish are 100% (or 90%, at least) the way to go. *I don't claim to be an expert. Take everyone else's advice into consideration before mine. It's been a while since I've played the Geneforge games. Have been going through my own little replay ever since I bought them all off Steam. Side note, I have my own replay question. Any class recommendations for a GF4 run? Still need to play through the game as a fence-sitting trakovite, can't decide which class/build would be worth playing this time around. Dear Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slarti Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 The statistical reasons are here: http://spiderwebforums.ipbhost.com/index.php?/topic/5111-broken-vlish-a-too-long-analysis/ Artila are fine early on with pumping Magic Shaping, but G3 Vlish are probably one of the top 5 most overpowered abilities in any SW game ever. (Not sure about the others. Exile Luck, Exile Bless, old style Haste, and G2 Parry, maybe? Okay, some of those are crazy. Top 10 though!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Nim Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Don't know about Exile Luck/Bless, but I'd put G2 Strong Daze ahead of old style haste and G2 Parry in brokenness. Being able to stun 99% of enemies with minimal investment in skil for more than 10 turns or so on torment is just gross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Dear Potato Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 All right, finally I've decided to hear the forum wise words and invested two points in Magic Shaping and Create Vlish. The fact is, Thahd seemed extremely powerful at first, and I was seduced Also, it was easier to create them since Guardians start with 1 point in Battle Shaping but none in Magic Shaping. Anyway, I'm starting to foresee problems in the future. Right now, my Guardian can obliterate enemies with brute force, but I don't think he will be able to stand a chance in the upcoming major battles. Is there any teacher or book out there that gives points in Battle Magic Blessing Magic? Or I'll have to resort to canisters? Also, the essence pool seems a bit... poor. I'm not spending any points in intelligence as suggested. Any recommendation to palliate this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Nim Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Girdle of Genius can be gotten relatively early on Dhonal, at Spharons Golem Iirc. Gretchen in Dhonals Keep teaches 2 points of all magic skills, the walkthrough has a section at the end with all that stuff if you need more. And there is nothing wrong with putting a few points into intelligence. Dear Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Triumph Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Battle magic? I wouldn't recommend it. Stay the course! You'll be better served by items / Blessing magic / careful tactics. Without powered-up Mental magic or a horde of creations, one of your most important skills is maneuvering carefully enough to avoid drawing the ire of more than a few enemies at a time. Also, is it possible you wandered into a slightly harder area and need to spend so more time poking around easier areas for now, until you level up more? The Geneforge games are very good at providing multiple paths, so that if one zone is too tough for you currently, there's almost certain another path in the zone or an entirely different zone where you can go to advance. Dear Potato 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrulous Glaahk Dear Potato Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 Yes, yes. I said Battle Magic but I was thinking of Blessing Magic. The Agent inside me tricked the keyboard I think Blessing Magic would be very effective due to Guardian gameplay style. If there are teachers/books about it, that would be wonderful. I'll look into the guide and FAQS Thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Nim Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 Just a reminder that the guardian gets only 1/3 the spell energy the agent gets. So it will take some time and/or Int investment to be able to cast speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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