Can anyone give me good beginner tips?

[MrRoivas]

Hi, im new to Avernum. Can I get some tips? I'd especially like tips on the classes.

[Alorael at Large]

First, realize that classes just allocate your skill points for you for the first level. They have no effect during the game beyond that. Secondly, you'll eventually decide what you like and use all custom characters.

 

That said, Berserker is a decent starting package and the only one I'd consider using. For casters, while the premade classes are all right, I prefer making a pair of characters who have nothing but mage and priest skills boosted up so that they start with as many spells as possible. Their power suffers with low starting intelligence, but you'll be rolling in spell points and having two characters able to zap or heal (I prefer two melee and two casters) is useful.

 

—Alorael, who can answer more specific questions more specifically, obviously.

[Drakefyre]

Schrodinger's Avernum 2 FAQ has a great section on character creation, as does my Avernum 3 FAQ.

[Soltedas]

Study the instructions carefully, and often.

Play the to about the limits of the demo, learn, and then start the whole game again.

Ignore the classes, create custom characters.

Concentrate skill points, don't spread them thinly.

Give every character two positive character traits according to their function.

Search every town/dungeon/outdoor area carefully by tapping against every wall for secret areas. Leave nothing unexplored.

Talk to everyone to thoroughly, always buy a drink.

Loot every town and dungeon thoroughly, on principle. Steal stuff from barrels/crates by moving them into a safe place.

Once you've reached the gold cap,create supply caches so that you've always got plenty of stuff to sell.

Don't sell or use anything unusual, wait and see.

Make notes of everything of interest.

The list could go on and on.