New Player Questions after reading docs and forums Options

[dante2377]

From the docs in the folder

40- The magic level of Carsomyr +6, Ravager +6, Staff of the Ram +6, Ixil's Spike +6 are all
reduced to 5 (while THAC0 and damage bonus's are still set to 6).

[Sikret]

A couple of questions

- i didn't have a druid in my party. Some of the other posts I see have the protagonist challenge Faldorn, but I didn't see that option. I had Cernd take her out, but didn't know if I did anything wrong.

- After the trademeet quests (druid grove and Potion seller), I've got about 25k in gold. With my party description above, any advice on how to spend it (buy potions, a particular item, etc). I've just got some scrolls for Nalia so far.

- after the shadow thief in Trademeet told me about the rakshasha, when I went to fight her, I just attacked her - the other two didn't spawn in and she didn't seem to fight back from what I remember. After I attacked her, she turned red (e.g. I didn't use the Fake-Talk strategy)...

On a non-game related to the forum mods, how many posts are required to be validated until my posts don't have to approved and I can use the PM function? The forum and board FAQ/readmes weren't all that specific - "The BWL Council reviews each new user, and will probably relax this moderator approval restriction for their account."

Ad. 1

Uninstall IA - install "multiple strongholds" form ease of use - install IA again (probably you've need to start a new game)

Yes, he will need to start a new game.

[dante2377]

Since I'll have to start a new game to get the strongholds, I'd like some specific weapon proficiency advice:

For my Berzerker who will use 2-handed weapons (2h sword, staff, halberd), for my 6 starting slots I'd choose:

** 2Handed weapon style, ** 2-handed sword, * staff, * halberd. I'll then put the next two points in staff and halberd to get ** in all of them. After that, which weapon should I max out to ***** first?

For the vagrant, he gets ** in two-weapons style for ranger, so I'd go for my 6 points this way: 3rd * in two-weapon, ** in axes, ** in clubs, * in shortswords? Thoughts?

[Raven]

Since I'll have to start a new game to get the strongholds, I'd like some specific weapon proficiency advice:

For my Berzerker who will use 2-handed weapons (2h sword, staff, halberd), for my 6 starting slots I'd choose:

** 2Handed weapon style, ** 2-handed sword, * staff, * halberd. I'll then put the next two points in staff and halberd to get ** in all of them. After that, which weapon should I max out to ***** first?

I would recommend not putting ** in Two-Handed Weapon Style - at least not at the beginning - the second point doesn't give much in the way of benefits. I would max staff first, blunt weapons are generally useful against a wider variety of enemies.

For the vagrant, he gets ** in two-weapons style for ranger, so I'd go for my 6 points this way: 3rd * in two-weapon, ** in axes, ** in clubs, * in shortswords? Thoughts?

Sounds good to me.

[dante2377]

Raven - the second * in 2-Handed weapons makes you hit a critical on a roll of 19 or 20. That's doubling the number of times you crit. How is that not worth it? That's a big damage output, especially in a mod that's designed for longer battles and during the early stages where THACO can be an issue, you're doubling your chance to hit.

[Sikret]

Isn't it the first star which gives the critical hit bonus?

[dante2377]

No, it's the second * for 2-Handed weapons. For single weapon style it's the first * that gives the extra crit.

[matti]

AFAIK , are not the upgraded Staff of the Ram , Ravager and Dagger of the Star +6 also?

They're all vanilla.

I mean that there's no other, than Treefolk's Arm, +6 (THACO) weapon added by the mod.

Raven - the second * in 2-Handed weapons makes you hit a critical on a roll of 19 or 20. That's doubling the number of times you crit. How is that not worth it? That's a big damage output, especially in a mod that's designed for longer battles and during the early stages where THACO can be an issue, you're doubling your chance to hit.

Yes, you're right.

Generally, 2H weapon style bonuses are, imo, the best - exellent bonuses to hit, damage, speed and critical strike, no penalty to hit.

But, on the other hand, for exemple ***** in staffs and * in 2H is probably better than **** in staffs and ** in 2H, so maybe it's a good idea to go for the grand mastery first and then put the second * in 2H. Heh, I prefer barbarians over berserkers so no problem for me.

This post has been edited by matti: Jun 15 2009, 06:19 AM

[Sikret]

Treefolk's Arm was a tad overpowered in v5. It's rebalanced and fixed in v6. As you know, IA v6 will be out soon; so, if you want your v5 game sessions to be somewhat useful for future, I recommend that as long as you are playing v5, you start practicing tactics which don't heavily rely on this club. Go for forging Phosphorus rather than Treefolk's Arm.

[Raven]

Raven - the second * in 2-Handed weapons makes you hit a critical on a roll of 19 or 20. That's doubling the number of times you crit. How is that not worth it?

Like Sikret said, it's the first point that gives the crit on 19. My druid (who cannot put more than one point into weapon-type styles) still scores a crit on a 19 with her staff.

That's a big damage output, especially in a mod that's designed for longer battles and during the early stages where THACO can be an issue, you're doubling your chance to hit.

You should never be needing a crit to even land a hit with a single class fighter, even in IA. So scoring a crit on a 19 is not doubling your hit chances. However, it certainly is useful which is why I recommended one point in Two-Handed Weapon style (rather than none).

[dante2377]

Weird

The exact text (I'm staring at the character creation screen now) reads:

...if one slot is spent on this proficiency, the wielder gets +1 bonus to damage and -2 bonus to speed when using a two handed weapon. A second slot spent on this proficiency gives a further -2 bonus to speed while wielding two handed weapons. The character will also score critical hits on a roll of 19 or 20 (instead of just 20)

I've always read the last sentence about critical rolls to be part of the "second slot spent" criteria, otherwise it would have been mentioned prior when describing one slot benefits.

But I did test it out with that new character with just one * in 2HW and it did crit on 19's. Weird.

Maybe we should change the text on the proficiency to match so it's clear?? I read the text above as the crit bonus on the second slot. Maybe it's just me..

[Raven]

No, you're right, the text is misleading. Unfortunately, lots of the descriptions both in-game and in the manual are inaccurate.

[antizyclon]

Maybe wrong topic to ask but i dont wanted to start a new one.

Question about vagrant quest?

SPOILER!

When you give an item from list to "him", do i get back that item or not.

I finished quest and cant find "him".

Spoil me free or send pm anyone thanks

Anyway if mod thinks this post contains any spoiler can remove post.

Thanks.

[Raven]

If you have finished the whole quest including the final battle I would have thought you would know the answer. I can send you a PM if you want.

[antizyclon]

I dont want to spoil to much, if can send me pm, thx.

[Raven]

I'm not sure I understand you - is it that you don't want to post spoilers in this forum (in which case, don't worry, you haven't), or you don't want any spoilers in the PM I send you?

[antizyclon]

Sorry my mistake You can send me PM with full spoil, i just dont wanted to spoil topic ok.

[Raven]

No worries I understand now. I'll send you the PM in the next few minutes.

[antizyclon]

SPOILER!

Judgement day encounter spawning (after forged sword) are infinite or no ?

[Raven]

No, but there are quite a few of them.