Max level possible: likely 29

[Mea Tulpa]

Note for casual readers: Most people finish the game somewhere around levels 19-23, what's described here is not sane.

 

Via Pigeon on discord, looks like it is in fact possible to hit level 29 without any cheating.  Steps:

1. Reach level 26 by killing the Door Golem repeatedly.  Note that this will take somewhere around 2500 kills, so "tedious" doesn't even begin to describe it.

2. Kill all exceptionally high-level targets that won't anger the Servants or Barzites.  This includes the denizens of Gazak-Uss and other high level zones, as well as all the Takers, Learned Thani, etc.

3. Learn each creation type besides the fyora; read all codexes; turn in all Shaper Records and all Iron Bars; complete Zensital's quest.  (You need to have not done any of those things previously.)

4. Finally, kill Zakary, Barzahl, and anyone else you had to leave alive.

 

Steps 2 through 4 provide enough XP to go from level 26 to to level 29.  If you kill literally everything there's even a little wiggle room.

 

As an additional point of amusement, if you do this, it's possible to shape a level 50 creation, specifically an Eyebeast.  You need to be a Shaper will all skill points put into Magic Shaping, Shaper Robe equipped, with all 5 points of Create Gazer, and purchase all the augments for said Eyebeast:

 

[Genernumlover]

Good grief, I sincerely hope Pigeon had fun with this.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 29 by Genernumlover

[Randomizer]

42 minutes ago, Drayk Armitage said:

1. Reach level 26 by killing the Door Golem repeatedly.  Note that this will take somewhere around 2500 kills, so "tedious" doesn't even begin to describe it.

 

As some one who found the level caps in the Avernum remakes, this is even more tedious. It's worse than chopping down the tallest tree in the forest with a ... herringbone.  

[alhoon]

Very interesting! Really. 

 

Now, several random remarks: 

- That one can have absolute control over a creation 21 levels above him or her is IMO hard proof control needs to be nerfed. 

- 50 level Eyebeast and just 345 health?! My Ur-Drakons are not even 30 and beat that. Are gazers that fragile?

- How level 50 is considered better than level say 45, aside of pure 'awesomeness' factor? Nothing can hit either of them. And I mean even those "high level" bosses you mentioned. 

- Yes, that sounds tedious. Cudos to Pigeon that did it. 

[Randomizer]

Minimum 5% chance to hit anything.

[Genernumlover]

1 hour ago, alhoon said:

Very interesting! Really. 

 

Now, several random remarks: 

- That one can have absolute control over a creation 21 levels above him or her is IMO hard proof control needs to be nerfed. 

- 50 level Eyebeast and just 345 health?! My Ur-Drakons are not even 30 and beat that. Are gazers that fragile?

- How level 50 is considered better than level say 45, aside of pure 'awesomeness' factor? Nothing can hit either of them. And I mean even those "high level" bosses you mentioned. 

- Yes, that sounds tedious. Cudos to Pigeon that did it. 

 

The total character level and skill points spent in Shaping are what really matters here. Given that Drayk Armitage's post says that Pigeon put everything into Magic Shaping, and is wearing the Shaper Robe, that character has 27 or more levels of Shaping skill and 29 levels in the character. That equates to roughly 56 control for a single level 50 creation. 

Edited May 29 by Genernumlover

[alhoon]

12 minutes ago, Genernumlover said:

 

The total character level and skill points spent in Shaping are what really matters here. Given that Drayk Armitage's post says that Pigeon put everything into Magic Shaping, and is wearing the Shaper Robe, that character has 27 or more levels of Shaping skill and 29 levels in the character. That equates to roughly 56 control for a single level 50 creation. 

You are right, and it is probably more. Shapers start with 1 in battle Shaping and there are probably 2-3 points in leadership there, for 60 control + 29 for level = about 90 control! 
Which again, makes me say: Control is broken the difference should be more "scaling" i.e "Level difference ^ 1.5" (so that 10 level difference is about 32 control needed!) or even just "level difference x3" (10 levels difference is 30 control needed). 

Edited May 29 by alhoon