A3 - Singleton game

[Maledictis]

I've decided to attempt a singleton game through Avernum 3. Of course, this presents a lot of complications, particularly with character creation. Here's what I'm looking at so far...

 

Divinely Touched or Fast on Feet? The largest benefit, IMO, of Divinely Touched (Divine Aid) becomes obsolete when you get the mind crystal, whereas Fast on Feet remains useful forever.

Natural Mage is a given, of course.

 

Blades or Polearms? I've always been a one-handed kind of man (I always had two ambidextrous PCs in Exile), and blades would allow me to use the Mithral Broadsword and some of the more useful shields. However, this knocks out the use of the Radiant Slith Spear, and, later, the Black Halberd. Putting points into both would not only spread my points too thin, it would waste precious, precious inventory space.

 

Diversify, or start with Ice Lances? It's easy to see how Ice Lances could be immensely useful early on, but would it be useful enough to sacrifice some other skills to get at the start?

 

Max out Mage or Priest spells first? Mage spells would give the benefits of create illusions, lightning spray, and possibly Forcecage earlier, whereas Priest spells would bring better Repel Spirit, Move Mountains (!), Divine Fire, Cloud of Blades, and possibly even Divine Restoration. Quite the quandry.

 

Strength or Intelligence? Need I say more?

 

Tool use: Pour or pass? Obviously, some would be useful, but those points add up quickly.

 

Alchemy: To hoard, or not to hoard? They could, of course, be dropped off and stored somewhere, but is carrying around dozens of healing herbs for that long worth it?

 

Well, I think that's about it. Veterans, particularly those with practical experience in such a venture, I welcome your input.

 

Edited to address other posts: I do plan on using both mage and priest spells. It immerses me more, and I very much disagree with the ideals of the Anama. Yeah, this game sucks me in too much.

 

-N

[Randomizer]

First you need to consider if you're playing straight through as a mage using spell caster or will go Anama. I tried a character that split into an Anama version and have gotten into the Giant Caves section before I stopped to play A5. Both routes work well, but you need weapons by the end of the Isle of Bigail.

 

Intelligence is a must for someone that uses spells. Ice lances at the start speeds up the fighting. Once you get level three war blessing you don't need haste.

 

Put points into strength instead of swords or pole weapons. That way you can use the radiant slith spear versus the null bugs and their antimagic area effect. Then you can switch later to swords when you get a better weapon. Also it increases your carrying capacity for the Roach Factory. You can always pick a weapon later in the game.

[Callie]

With the alchemy, I'd suggest beginning with just enough to brew healing potions.

 

The tool use isn't a biggie, I think you need about four or five early on, and this also increases with dexterity.

 

With the weapons, I'd say to pump the dexterity as well as strength.

 

The beginning of the game doesn't require heavy spell casting. I suggest a level three priest, one mage. That way you can heal yourself and cast light and firebolt. I don't think ice lances can be added after gaining about four or five levels.

[Jeran Korak]

A3 is much, much easier on a singleton then A2 or A1. As your character started out so weak, and melee combat was so hard.

 

I have a qustion aswell. How does the roach factory effect your carrying capacity?

[Randomizer]

Until you go past the lasers to reach the lower level of the Roach Factory, you can leave and sell or store what you find. For the last area, I suggest minimizing weight and inventory slots so you can maximize what you can carry out of there. Once the factory is destroyed there is no going back for more.

 

I suppose you could loot the lower level and return to destroy it, but with the scripted nature of the route in, I'm not sure if that's possible for the few extra minor items.

[Maledictis]

Well, it's begun. And aside from limited carrying, and instant death from paralysis, I've noticed something: I seem to be completely unable to read ANYTHING. I took Rune Reading and Item Lore for granted in a 4-PC party, but now, as things stand, I only have 15 of each. And it's gonna be a HUGE pain to raise to 35... My points are spread thin as is...

[Randomizer]

Intelligence adds to those abilities and you want it for spell energy anyway. I found that you can get to the levels you need a little after you first find the spell books. Mage levels add to item identification and priest levels add to rune reading so you can add when you can afford it to arcane lore to make up the remainder.

 

Item identification is just money. As a singleton you get enough.

[Mivayan]

My singleton notes says each point of vahnatai lore is worth one point of rune reading as well.

 

also: this thread

[Maledictis]

I think it's probably every 2 points, because I have 7 right now, equal mage and priest skills, and my rune reading is 3 higher than my item lore.

[The Mystic]

Quote:

Originally written by Maledictis:

I do plan on using both mage and priest spells. It immerses me more, and I very much disagree with the ideals of the Anama.

I've never played A3 as a singleton, but I do know what it's like to play as combination priest/mage. Here's how I start off in A3 with such a PC:
Strength: 2
Dexterity: 2
Intelligence: 4
Endurance: 3
Mage Spells: 5
Priest Spells: 5
Everything else starts out at either zero or its base level. The remaining skill points I save for more Strgength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and spells skills. I also take the "Cursed at Birth" and "Completely Inept" traits; they're not half as bad as you'd think, and make leveling up very easy.

[Maledictis]

And now, adventurers, I pose another question... Avernum 2 singleton game. Is it any fun? Be honest, now. I'm not familiar enough with 2 to be able to think of a whole lot of things that would be significantly more difficult, annoying, or fun.

[Randomizer]

I haven't tried it, but I have heard that others have done it. The only hard part is going through the Dark Waters section because you have limited inventory slots. You have to consider what you want to take at the start besides energy potions and what you want to keep.

[Maledictis]

I suppose if you're a massive packrat, you could always store things at checkpoints in the Black Waters and get them later...

[Randomizer]

That only works if you use the character editor to keep resetting the boat back to the start of the Dark River section each time you reach the end. Even a party of 4 has trouble getting all the non-cursed items to sell or use.

[Maledictis]

Done. Avernum 3, single character, Torment difficulty. Final stats:

 

STR: 18

DEX: 18

INT: 20

END: 20

Melee: 10

Pole: 0

Bows: 10

Thrown: 0

Hardiness: 10

Defense: 10

Assassination: 5

Mage: 18

Priest: 18

Arcane: 19

Potions: 16

Tools: 21

Nature: 21

First Aid: 6

Luck: 10

Barter: 8

Herbs: 1

Blademaster: 5

Anatomy: 5

Gymnastics: 8

Pathfinder: 8

Magery: 9

Resistance: 5

Vahnatai Lore: 10

Parry: 5

(A nice little tidbit that made me giggle: My respective resistances were 115%, 115%, 155%, 145%, 95%.)

 

Reputation: 80

Level 74

121860 EXP

 

Naturewalker's torc (+10% cold res)

Pachtar's Plate (+1 Defense)

Mithril Blade (+10% magic res)

Boots of Speed (+1 parry)

Pants of Power (+1 defense)

Fury Crossbow (+1 parry) with Bolts of Life

Archer's Cloak (+10% melee protection)

Gauntlets of Might (+5% chance to hit)

Ring of Endless Magery (+5% missile chance to hit)

Mage's Bracelet (+10% magic res)

Dryad's Blessed Charm (+10% fire res)

 

Level 3 in all spells but Light, Forcecage, and Return Life.

 

I was absolutely awed by how broken all this equipment could be, when combined with godlike stats. I'm hoping to use this information to create a real challenge in Blades of Avernum.

 

Good luck to all future single heroes of Ermarian. Maybe I'll try double-cursed next.

-N

[Brock The Archmage]

Quote:

Originally written by Maledictis:
I suppose if you're a massive packrat, you could always store things at checkpoints in the Black Waters and get them later...

im such a packrat i steal plates-in every single spiderweb game-even though tey are unsellable in most of them. Thus my house/base gets really full.

[ginger8445]

The one thing you can do it go into the character editor. Raise all your stats to max. Then click energise and raise health which will put it at max. Then get the best armor, weapons and things like that by clicking on the lists. Also arm yourself with the Orb of Tharlini, so that when it does get stolen you can say you fond it and not have to do that quest. Keep setting back the days every so often so day 150 doesn't happen because then you have to save the Tower. Become an Anama and when they take away your mage spells, go into the character ediotr and set them back to level 3.

[Lazarus.]

Um... Is there any reason you revived this thread? And is there any reason that you repeatedly answer people's questions by saying "use the editor" when it has been made clear that cheating ISN'T the answer people are looking for?

[Pig Catapult]

Because they don't grasp that a game can be fun without cheating? I once knew someone who swore up down and sideways that video games weren't fun unless he could god cheat his way through everything.