My experiences with IA 5.0, Continue Shadan's topics with similar name Options

[Ryel ril Ers]

When Shadan started to play with IA 4.2, he opened a topic for write his experiences. I want to continue this with the v 5.0. So everybody who want to share his/her experiences could write it in this place and don't opened hundreds of topics wich tells somebody walkthrough. I want to gather lots of information in one place. (Sikret's walkthrough is too good so i don't want write to that place), and the starter player see which tactics, parties and quest orders works, and how use his/her money.

I ask everybody who write in this topic:
-Use spoilers tag for the tactics
-Don't write down serious spoilers
-Don't write down statistics (like xy has 69% fire resist) and immunities. (except the weapon enchantment and spell level immunities)

This post has been edited by Ryel ril Ers: Aug 1 2008, 06:05 AM

[Shadan]

I have found Haer'Dalis very very usfull in my 4.2 run... Yes at start he was not so powerful, but after some levels and items he was. Here is why:
1. High lvl - His Remove magic was very good. Rarely used Skull trap also.
2. 8 attacks (Improved Haste, Cutthroat, Offensive Spin). OK, Cutthroat is nerfed now, but that means 6 attacks, and usually I had enough spins per days to use offensive spin in battles.
3. improved bard armor: this was very powerful item. With this HD was able cast at any time, and many spells in a row. He was able to renew his buffs within 2 secs, Remove magic when needed, launchecd 9 Magic Missile to an enemy within 2 secs (even when majority was resisted and others caused 1 damage, it was more damage to Supreme golem then a warrior with 2-3 hits)
4. Mislead + improved bard song (only ONE of course )

He had almost same spells per day as Nalia with her ring, just max lvl was lower with 1 than at Nalia.

If you play dual mage, that won't help you at start, when blade is weak also, especially because of slower leveling in v5. Your mage will be low lvl without fighter skills at that time. So with kensai/berserker-mage dual, you won't get stronger char at early game. Imho you will get a slightly better melee damage dealer at end game, but he won't have those nice features like permanent cleansed aura, improved bard song and high level Remove magic.
If you want simple F/M multi, that is even worse with slower lvl progression.

Imho your grp is not lacking of arcane magic if you use blade, but I think I would let that Spirit Armor to my blade instead of sorcerer, and I would pick that spell what I could use it a bit later also. Spirit Armor is useless when you get a bit better equipment. I would use some scrolls when it is important and my blade run out of them or he don't have the lvl for this.

And last comment: Is Sunfire nerfed in v5? I haven't read it.