Avadon 1: Should I equip people I don't plan on using?

[Chopkinsca]

Just as the title says. Will I ever be forced to take certain party members with me? Just wondering if I should be equipping them with items or to just continue ignoring them.

[Randomizer]

At different points in the game, there are Hand missions where a Hand will request your assistance on their own personal quest. If you don't do the mission or do it, but don't do it the way they wanted it, then they won't help you in the final mission at the end.

 

There may be times when you want to use the others because they will be more effective against monsters in an area. However I got through the game with rarely using the Shaman since I never was good at building the character.

 

Just keep moving equipment to the Hands while in Avadon whether you use them or not. You can always sell it later if you change your mind.

[Chopkinsca]

Ah, thanks. I'll hand some equipment down to the characters I won't really use. 

 

It took some time to warm up to the game. It's a new engine for me, and the skill system is a complete change. Having fun though.

[TriRodent]

There are also rare items that can only be equipped by a specific character type.  May as well give them to the appropriate person.  Likewise, in the early game, even if I can't use a certain type of common loot (say ranged weapons, bows, disks, etc), they can be used by someone else at the castle.  You may as well equip everyone as best as you can as you go along because you never know when you may need to head out into the wilds with one of them.

 

/I never made it through a full game being a shaman either. Rarely took him along for the assorted jaunts out into the wilderness too.  Between the front line guys generally being able to heal themselves at least once during a fight & the 'heal self/group' scarab given to one who can't, having a shaman along wasn't all that useful for my style of play

[Chopkinsca]

I've been taking Janell along with me every time. I'm using her as a healer and kind of a beastmaster. I'm a Blademaster and I've also been taking Nathalie with me. I haven't had too many troubles so far, but I'm only playing on hard.

 

There's something about he game I can't put my finger on, but this game feels different from Avernum and Geneforge past the different mechanics and a new-ish engine.

[Edgwyn]

Also, if you have been picking everything up, you can afford to fully equip all of the hands and still have plenty of money left over

[Chopkinsca]

Oh, I pick up every item that has a value.

 

I wonder how far I am into the game. I think my characters are around level 17/18. I also lowered the difficulty to normal and I'm having a better time with the game. It makes big fights less stressful and that lets me relax a bit more.

[Randomizer]

Characters are capped at level 30, but the game goes on a bit more past that point.

 

You are about half way through the game.

[Chopkinsca]

Ah thanks. I was wondering if it would be needed to grind to get the level 30 medal after finishing the game. Good to know I have a lot of game left.