Avernum 5 FAQ/Walkthrough Version 1.0 By Matt Pasek Email: Elementalizard@aol.com Avernum 5 (A5) is the fifth game in the Avernum series. A5 builds on the technical capabilities of A4 with a hugely improved plot, fascinating new land to explore, and improved strategic aspects. Major technical/strategic changes from A4 to A5 include: A new inventory system. No longer are you weighed down by all the stuff in your backpack. Now your character's encumbrance is decided solely on what your character is wearing (presumably your character can drop the backpack with 40 tons of iron prior to fighting). This de-emphasizes the importance of strength for wizards, and allows you to carry more stackable items as desired. New combat movement. A5 uses the Geneforge 4 combat system, which means that your characters can attack with 1 AP left. This allows for some intriguing strategic options, most notably the ability to shuffle characters around mid- fight. For instance, if your bowman is your first character (since they tend to be the fastest at the beginning), your bowman can move your melee fighter forward one to three spaces as necessary. For instance, if you are trying to get to a Monster M with Bowman B and Fighter F: .F. .B. ... ... .M. Do the following: .B. ... ... ... .F. .FB .F. .B. ... > ... > .B. > .F. ... ... ... ... .M. .M. .M. .M. until you reach your foe. This becomes especially important when you get the haste spell, as it may mean you can attack twice instead of just once. New battle techniques. There are now eight battle techniques available for your characters to use (detailed further below). All give significant bonuses, and can be very useful when used tactically. Also, it is now more useful for mages/priests to add some points to bows and melee so as to access a few of these skills to boost spell damage. Boats! Elevation! A few new, really cool items are elevation (making forts look really cool) and boats, which really help add to the "Frontier" perspective of A5. Bold story- you now have several choices to make, and are no longer stuck in the save-the-underworld mentality. Lots of new monsters + a whole new area to explore. You will see all of 1-2 areas that may be familiar from A4, but otherwise everything is all new. The monsters are also very imaginative, including several boss fights. Table of Contents: 1. Miscellaneous Info 2. Skills Guide 3. Spells Guide & Battle Disciplines 4. Traits 5. Walkthrough 6. Item Overview 7. Spell Teachers, Skill Trainers and freebies 8. General Strategy 9. Munchkin Guide -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 1. Miscellaneous Info -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- The following is a list of important tidbits for things you should pick up and take with you on your travels through Avernum. Pick up these items throughout your quest, as well as any item worth anything to sell. Money is scarce in the game. Quest and job items: 20 Parchment All mined Crystals 9 Sentinel Power Stone 25 Chitrach Claw 8 Chitrach Husks Fishing Pole Pipe Potted Plant Scissors Vase Crafting Items: All Herbs Focusing Crystals Fine Leather Fine Steel Rare Items: Eyestalks Mandrake Tincture Demon Bile A few: Gold Necklace Platinum Ring Sticks \ Emeralds > for wands Rubies / Also, you will rapidly get the ability to travel via the pylons. The following is a list of their locations: Pylons: Blackchasm Outpost (00) New Harston (03) Shanker's Tower (19) Gladwell's Keep (23) Harkin's Landing (38) Exodus (43) Tranquility (58) Anama Lands (66) Highground (82) Muck (90) Vahnatai Lands (A4) Melanchion's Keep (B8) Darkside Lands (D1) ALWAYS GET JOBS FROM JOB BOARDS AS YOUR FIRST ACTIVITY WHEN YOU REACH A NEW AREA! If you don't you may end up with uncompleted quests, especially with quests like "Collect item Q from enemy Z". Don't say you weren't warned! -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 2. Skills Guide -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- Main Stats: Strength (Str): Strength affects the amount of damage you do in melee, the amount you can wear as armor (without losing APs), and your stun resistance. An average character will want about 6 points total to wear nice armor, and a melee fighter will probably want 8 points to access some of the better skills available. Dexterity (Dex): Dexterity increases your To Hit (TH) percentage with all weapons, your attacking order in combat, and your dodging ability. It's also a major prerequisite for several special skills. Aim for about eight points, that's all you'll need. Intelligence (Int): Intelligence affects the amount of spell points (SP) you have, and your mental resistance. Magic users will want about 8 points to be able to cast a bunch of spells and to access magery and other key skills. Melee fighters can probably ignore this skill, although they may want to invest a few to access Anatomy, which is a lot easier to get to than previous Avernums. Endurance (End): Endurance affects your hit points (HP), and your poison and acid resistances. This skill is a bit more necessary than A4 because HP are more necessary. Also, Magical Efficiency is a lot more powerful, so it's probably worth try to get a decent amount of these points even for magic users. Combat Stats: Melee Weapons (MW): Melee weapons affects the amount of damage you do with melee weapons (daggers & swords), your To Hit percentage (TH) with these weapons, and increases the number of battle disciplines you can use. Melee fighters (even pole weapon users) will want six points in this skill to get access to Blademaster. For magic users, you may want to buy three points here to get some of the nicer battle disciplines, but otherwise ignore this ability. Pole Weapons (PW): Pole weapons affects the amount of damage you do with pole weapons (spears & halberds), your To Hit percentage (TH) with these weapons, and increases the number of battle disciplines you can use. Melee fighters (including sword users) will want six points in this skill to access Blademaster. As before, magic users may want to buy three points to get some of the nicer battle disciplines, but otherwise will probably want to ignore this ability. There tend to be fewer, but more powerful pole weapons than melee weapons. Bows (Bow): Bows affects the amount of damage you do with bows (bows & longbows), your To Hit percentage (TH) with these weapons, and increases the number of battle disciplines you can use, though at half the rate of MW and PW. There are a lot of really nice bows, and though they tend to be less powerful than thrown weapons, they have better side bonuses. Also, they weigh a lot less, and you don't need to carry around a large selection of them. Pretty much everyone should try to get a few points in this skill, unless they're using thrown missiles exclusively. Thrown Missile (TM): Thrown missiles affects the amount of damage you do with thrown weapons (javelins & razordisks), your To Hit percentage (TH) with these weapons, and increases the number of battle disciplines you can use, though at half the rate of MW and PW. Thrown weapons are the most powerful weapons available, but are limited in number. I tend to have 1 character devoted exclusively to these weapons, usually a mage. Note that these can also be quite heavy. Quick Action (QA): Quick action gives you a chance of having two attacks in a single round and increases your turn order in battle. It's not an especially powerful skill, since you don't get a large chance to double-hit, but it's not bad to invest 3-4 points in since it's fairly cheap. It's also an easy way to increase your turn order. Magic Stats: Mage Spells (MS): This skill increases the damage you do with your mage spells, and the number of mage spells you have access to. If you're going to cast magic spells, this is your skill. Eighteen points is all you'll ever need, and if you have the natural mage trait, you'll get an extra point every five levels or so. Add about 13 points to this skill for your mage, and that's about all you'll need. This skill is a bit more expensive than priest spells but gives access to better spells. DON'T INVEST HERE IF YOU WANT TO JOIN THE ANAMA! Priest Spells (PS): This skill increases the damage you do with your priest spells, and the number of priest spells you have access to. If you're going to cast holy spells, this is your skill. Eighteen points is all you'll ever need, and if you have the pure spirit trait, you'll get an extra point every five levels or so. Add about 13 points to this skill for your priest, and that's about all you'll need. This skill is cheaper than mage spells but doesn't have as good of spells. Arcane Lore (AL): Arcane lore increases your ability to read books (giving new spells) and increases your mental resistance. Everyone should probably try to get about four points in this skill so that you won't be upset when you run across a book you can't use. The mental resistance is a nice icing on the cake. Spellcraft (SC): Spellcraft increases the damage and duration of your spells. All magic users should increase this skill, though probably after buying a few points in it from Shanker. Magery is similar to this skill but more expensive. General Stats: Hardiness (Hard): Hardiness increases your armor and resistances. It is a cheap and effective skill. Buy at least 2 points for everyone, 4 if you've got a few points (or brews or crystals) to spare. This skill is a precursor to resistance. The only resistances it doesn't increase are mental and stun resistances. Defense (Def): Defense decreases your likelihood of being hit. It's relatively cheap and inexpensive. It is the precursor to the quite useful skill parry, and riposte. Definitely buy 6 points for all your fighters so as too access parry. Tool Use (TU): Tool use affects your ability to disarm traps and open doors (as well as a few special encounters). A maximum of 15 is all that's needed for 98% of things, 17 will open nearly everything (especially when you equip the two tinker items). Only one character need acquire this, and I'd recommend giving said character the "Nimble Fingers" trait as well. I'd recommend about 8 points for Chapter 1, 10 for Chapter 2, 12 for Chapter 3, and 15 from then on (which means add about 8-10 points for a character with Nimble Fingers). First Aid (FA): First aid affects how many HP and SP you gain after successfully killing something. This is a useful, cheap skill that can help delay your need to go back to town. I'd recommend buying at least 2 points for everyone early. Increase to 4 when you have the spare points. Nature Lore (NL): Nature Lore affects your ability to calm wild animals and to find caches, and is used for a few special encounters. Buy 2 points for everyone at the start of the game, then set 4-6 skill points in reserve for the occasion later when you can't get a cache (by about chapter 3 you will need to add a few more points). Luck: Affects pretty much everything, including resistances, armor, dodging ability, and probably damaging ability. Expensive though, and I might recommend holding onto your points until you find the late-game trainer for at least some of your party. Maybe add 1 point for everyone to increase survivability. Special Skills: Key: (initial skill point cost) Name: Requisite 1 (cost of requisite when requisite is reached) + Requisite 2 (cost of requisite when requisite is reached): Description. Note that special skills have requisites before you can train in them. You can buy points, get quest rewards, get them through traits or as racial bonus, or equip items to get points in these skill, but can only train in these skills once you have reached the requisites. Additionally, the requisites must be reached through training or buying points in the requisites- they do not include other bonuses (whether through traits, quest rewards, or equipment). Thus you must reach the point where the skill starts to cost X points, where X is the number to the right of the skill. This will help clarify what you need, and explains why you might have 10 points in dexterity and still not access some of these skills- equipment, quest, and racial/trait bonuses do not count. (3) Quick Strike (QS): 6 Dexterity (starts to cost 8) + 6 Melee or Pole (starts to cost 7): Quick strike will give you a slight chance of getting bonus movement points in a given round. If you invest heavily here you get a chance for getting even more AP. One of my favorite skills, well worth trying to get for all fighters. (3) Parry (Par): 6 Dexterity (starts to cost 8) + 6 Defense (starts to cost 5): Parry gives you a slight chance of blocking an attack completely (about 3% per point invested). A good skill for fighters, and a prerequisite for riposte. Worth trying to get for fighters. (5) Blademaster (Blm): 6 Melee (starts to cost 7) + 6 pole (starts to cost 7) + 6 Strength (starts to cost 8)- Increases you to hit% and your damage done with melee weapons. Also decreases your fatigue time so you can use battle techniques more frequently. A prerequisite for the top tier abilities Lethal Blow and Riposte. Worth getting for devoted fighters as you'll be able to burn through battle techniques with this skill. (4) Anatomy (Anat): 4 Intelligence (starts to cost 7) + 8 Melee or Pole (starts to cost 8): Gives a bonus to your first aid recovery, and gives a damage bonus when fighting against humanoids. This skill is a whole lot cheaper than it has been in previous Avernum games, and is worthwhile for fighters and/or priests. Buy points in this skill first though. This skill is a prerequisite for Lethal Blow. (4) Gymnastics (Gym): 8 Dexterity (starts to cost 9) + 6 Strength (starts to cost 8): Increases your attack order and decreases your likelihood of being hit. Not too bad, and you can get it pretty easily. I recommend training in this skill first though. Pathfinder: Pathfinder affects your resistance to acid and poison. It's cheap but untrainable, and no items seem to offer it. Go ahead and buy three points in this skill when you can, just because that'll further diminish the affects of poison and acid. (4) Lethal Blow (LB): 8 Anatomy (starts to cost 8) + 8 Blademaster (starts to cost 9): Gives a chance of doing massive damage when attacking with melee/pole weapons to a single foe. Not that bad, though quite difficult to obtain. I'd recommend buying training in this and leaving it at that. By the time your warriors could access this skill you'll probably doing way more damage with your magic users instead. Fighters will serve primarily as meat shields. (5) Riposte (Rip): 8 Parry (starts to cost 7) + 6 Blademaster (starts to cost 8): Gives a slight chance of reflecting damage back at a foe. This skill doesn't do too much damage, but is a modest improvement from parry. If you build your stats for your fighters with getting this skill in mind, you will have very powerful fighters by the end game. (4) Sharpshooter (SS): 6 Dexterity (starts to cost 8) + 8 Bows or Thrown (starts to cost 6): Increases damage done by bows and thrown weapons. Nice to buy points for all characters, and then train your archers in this skill even further. Don't bother investing skill points for non-archers in this skill, as it takes a devoted archer to get to it. Essentially the next "Bows" skill for archers. (4) Magery (Mgr): 8 Intelligence (starts to cost 9) + 6 Mage Spells (starts to cost 8) or Priest Spells (starts to cost 7): Gives your spells larger bonuses in terms of damage and duration. Probably mostly equivalent to spellcraft, though a prerequisite for magical efficiency. Aim your mage to get this skill, and probably your priest at a later time. (4) Magical Efficiency (MEf): 8 Magery (starts to cost 8) + 8 Endurance (starts to cost 8): Gives a chance of decreasing the spell point cost of a spell. Much more effective in A5 than in A4, this spell is well worth getting for your mages and probably your priests as well. With this spell you'll be able to spam lightning spray and smite much longer, and your buffs are much cheaper. You won't go wrong if you build your mage with this skill in mind. (5) Resistance (Res): 8 Dexterity (starts to cost 9) + 8 Endurance (starts to cost 8) + 8 Hardiness (starts to cost 5): Gives a bonus to most physical resistance stats. Probably not worth try to get to, due to its cost, I'd still recommend buying three points or so for everyone. It will make you last that much longer. -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 3. Spells & Battle Discipline Guide -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- The spells and battle disciplines are described below. Each spell is also affected by spell "strength" which for a given spell is equal to the number of times trained in that spell, plus the spell class skill (either mage spells or priest spells), plus your spellcraft, plus your magery. The effects for increasing your spell strength in a given spell are described by "+". The best way of increasing your spell strength is to add points to magery and spellcraft as both skills affect all spells cast. Training in a spell with a teacher has less of an effect, and may not be worth the cost, especially if you have found a book that will train you instead. The bonuses from spell strength (from the manual) are described as well. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Priest Spells These are the healing spells, the buff spells, and the occasional damage spell and summoning spells available to everyone. In general they have a much smaller damage output per SP than mage spells, but can compensate in other ways. These spells are cheaper and easier to use than mage spells. Minor Heal: The staple health returning spell at low level. Very useful early in the game, a bit less so later in the game. + Increases HP regained (+ 1d3) Curing: Removes negative effects like poison and acid from a character. Necessary for some fights, and cheap to cast. + Removes more levels of poison/acid. War Blessing: Cast this before every moderate fight, it increases your chance to hit and your damage done to foes. + Increasing the level of this spell makes it last longer. Protection: Decreases your chance of being hit by a foe and decreases the damage received. Cast this before every moderate fight, it lasts for fairly long. + Increases the duration of the spell. Repel Spirit: Does disruption damage to undead and demons. Undead take a lot of damage from this spell, and this spell is the main damage-dealer for priests when available. Couple it to a mighty blow to kill many undead instantly. + Increases damage done by spell (+ 1d5). Smite: The first major damage-dealing spell of the priestly repertoire. This spell is costly but does a decent amount of energy damage (not ice, I don't think). Great, useful spell. + Increase damage done (+ 1d5). Summon Shade: Summons a shade (~43 HP) or a greater shade (~62 HP) to fight for you. + Increases the chance of getting a greater shade (?) and the length of time they stick around. Enduring Shield: Places a long-lasting shield that decreases the likelihood of getting hit. Well worth casting before every decently large board. Less powerful than Enduring Armor. + Makes the spell last somewhat longer. Unshackle Mind: Removes charm, daze, and terror effects. Doesn't seem to always remove daze or terror, but charm is easily broken. Very useful spell for those occasions. + Increases likelihood of removal. Heal: Provides a nice batch of health to a single character. Well worth it for the middle of fights. + Increase HP regained (+ 1d5). Mass Healing: Casts a healing spell on all your (nearby) characters. Often useful right after a nasty hit (for instance, by a fire shrub). + Increases HP regained (+ 1d3?) Mass Curing: Casts a curing spell on everyone. Very useful when fighting poisonous-cloud launching creatures. + Increases poison/acid levels removed. Steel Skin: A long-lasting shield spell that decreases the damage you receive from most attacks. This one can be cast in conjunction with enduring shield/armor. + Increases the duration. Divine Fire: Hits foes with fire in an area of effect. The staple mid-high level damage spell for priests. Not as powerful as fireblast, but still respectable. + Increases damage (+ 1d5). Control Foe: Seizes the mind of a foe, forcing it to fight for you. Doesn't work on enemies without brains, or undead. + Stronger strength of spell. Enduring Armor: Strongly reduces chance of being hit with a long-lasting protection spell. Better than Enduring Shield, it replaces it if you cast this instead. + Increases the duration. Return Life: Brings a character back from "unconsciousness". Useful for D'oh moments. Better than traipsing all the way back to town, for certain. + Increases health restored (?). Divine Retribution: Casts a fire spell on all visible enemies. Especially powerful on weak, distributed foes. Kind of cool, acts like a wand of the inferno. Not too useful on higher level foes. + Increases damage (+ 1d4). Divine Restoration: THE healing spell, this spell removes all negative effects other than "unconsciousness". Also, gives the invaluable ability to regenerate, making your characters last much longer. Some crystals can also give the ability to regenerate, so hold on to those. + Increases HP regained, and regeneration duration. Divine Host: Summons a battle wraith (133 HP) or a protector wraith (118). The protector wraith will cast spells on you. + Increases spell duration. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mage Spells These spells are capable of the most damage in the game. Couple that to a high magical efficiency and a high first aid and you're mages will be the major source of damage in the late game. Bolt of Fire: A single fire attack to damage your foes. This spell is good early on, and good late in the game as well. It is strong against humans and most undead, and weak against demons, reptiles, and things colored red. + Increases damage (+ 1d3) Call Beast: Summons a weak foe to come fight for you. Summons cave worms, giant rats, huge bats, cave wolves, and cave crawlers (19-27 HP). Summoning spells got a boost in A5, and are pretty cool for some assistance. Useful for distractions, no doubt. + Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon. Spray Acid: Hits a foe with a blast of acid, which continues to do damage through time. A bit nerfed since Avernum 4, this spell is no longer as strong as it was. Useful at the beginning of the game, but not near the end. + Increases initial damage (+ 1d3), adds more acid. Daze: Stuns foes until you wake them up by attacking them. Cool and occasionally useful. + Increases spell strength. Haste: Adds about 2 or 25% to your AP for a single round. An invaluable spell, this spell will help you attack twice in a single round, or up to three times late in the game (depending on your character setup). Cast this on everyone before every major fight. + Increases spell duration. Slow: Drops the AP of a foe so that they only attack once every two rounds. Really useful on bosses, and/or on splitting monsters (e.g., doomguards). + Increases spell duration. Icy Rain: An area of effect ice attack. One of the few ice attacks available in the game. It is nearly always useful except on ice loving foes or undead. Don't forget about it as you fight higher level enemies, it often does more damage than lightning spray or fireblast, depending on the size and number of foes. + Increases spell strength (+ 1d3). Unlock Doors: Removes magical locks. A moderately necessary spell, this spell removes the magical parts of locks. No longer as powerful as in A4, you can't unlock normal locks with this spell. You can replace this spell with "tinker's crystals" for the Anama or magically-disinclined. + Increases magical lock removal strength. Augmentation: Casts a long lasting boost to HP of about 35 HP, give or take. This is a very useful buff at middle levels, and still good at high levels. It will last about two maps worth of slow exploration, so you may need to recast on long jaunts. + Increases spell duration. Minor Summon: Summons a middle level foe to fight with you (Searing Slimes, Ghasts, Spitting Wyrmkins, Chitrachs, Fire Lizards, Wights, Hellhounds- HP 53- 78). Good for distractions, and some have some special attacks. Especially useful for mage-heavy parties. + Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon. Lightning Spray: The middle-upper level staple damage spell, this spell does energy damage to up to three foes. The foes must be 2 spaces (diagonal counts as one) from the target foe in order to give them spray damage. Few foes are strong against energy damage, so this spell will do damage consistently. Its expensive cost in SP is moderated by a high magical efficiency and first aid. + Increases spell damage (+ 1d4). Terror: Scares foes so that they run away. Might be useful on melee-focused strong foes, I don't use it too much. + Increases likelihood of terrorizing. Prismatic Shield: Provides resistance to mental attack spells (charm + confusion + maybe terror + daze?) and to cold (petrification-like) attacks. Worth casting whenever fighting an opponent that freezes or tries to confuse you. One of the nice, generic buffs for mages. + Increases spell duration. Dispel Barrier: A necessary spell that removes barriers. Piercing crystals are its anama equivalent, but piercing crystals don't always remove barriers. You'll get this in Tranquility. + Brings down stronger barriers. Summon Aid: Summons a pretty powerful creature to fight with you (Warped Wolves, Mutant Lizards, Experimental Rats, Rabid Hellhounds, Plated Chitrachs, Revenants, Worgs- between 58 and 111 HP). Some have special attacks or good resistances. + Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon. Strong Daze: Strongly stuns enemies. Useful when surrounded by low level melee fighters/foes. Not bad in emergencies. + Affects stronger foes. Fireblast: The generic damage spell at high level, this one replaces icy rain in damage output. Expensive to cast though. + Increases spell damage (+ 1d5). Arcane Summon: The strongest summon spell for mages, summons Writhing Massses, Guardian Hellhounds, Enormous Cavebats, Terror Wolves, Pustulant Zombies, Gnawing Stoneworms, and Skeleton Warriors (HP from 125-154). Very useful as distractions and as damagers. + Increases duration, may increase probability of getting a good summon. Arcane Shield: The ultimate buff for mages, this one gives you potent resistances to magic, as well as spiny shield. The spiny shield ability reflects a portion of the damage you take back onto the foe. That's very nice for most battles (except with splitting foes!). Cast before boss fights. + Increases spell duration. Arcane Blow: The final rung on the damaging ladder, this spell casts an area of effect blast of energy. Does a lot of damage, and costs a lot of SP. Actually manageable if you have enough magical efficiency, though not for too long. + Increases spell damage (+ 1d6). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Battle Disciplines Battle disciplines are new to Avernum, and are the closest thing to fighter- spells. These operate on a different set of rules than spells- your character can use a discipline, but will become fatigued for a certain amount of time so that they can't use another. You can decrease the number of rounds your character is fatigued for by adding points to Blademaster, and by wearing armor that has "fatigue removal" under the description. I've maxed out at about 3 fatigue points removed per round. These disciplines are extremely worthwhile for all characters, and I would recommend training everyone in some skills so as to access these skills (at the very least the first two) by mid- late game. These disciplines are stackable with spells, and if a caster can get to the last skill (battle frenzy) they can become a dervish of destruction. The highest level discipline you can access is equal to your melee weapons + pole weapons + bows / 2 + thrown missiles / 2 skills (I call this battle skill). Points can be trained or acquired by equipment, they aren't picky. Points from traits or racial bonuses count as well, making it very easy for sliths and nephilim to get these disciplines. Well-Aimed Blow. 5 battle skill points needed needed, gives 3 fatigue. Increases the damage done of your next attack by about 20-30%, give or take. Can make a huge difference late in the game, especially for mages (an extra 30 damage every three rounds will bring that boss down 30% sooner). Shield Breaker. 6 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Curses your foe so that they take more damage (again about 20-30% more). Use this skill on foes first then hit them with a well-aimed or mighty blow. Try to get to at least this skill for your mages and priests once you've maxed out their priest/mage spells skills. Leg Sweep. 8 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Curses your foe so that they do less damage to you. Makes a big difference early on in the game, less later. Use on low-level bosses. Berserker Rage. 9 battle skill points needed needed, gives 6 fatigue. Blesses and shields you but does some damage as well. Myeh, I prefer war blessing + protection to this. Focus Spirit. 11 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Removes negative effects from your character (slow/curses). The ones that you really need it to remove (terror/charm/daze) it can't affect because you can't use it. Occasionally useful, but the next discipline is much more so. Mighty Blow. 13 battle skill points needed needed, gives 4 fatigue. Adds a hefty bonus on your next attack. Excellent for everyone, including mages and priests. Priests are a bit more likely to get to it though. Adrenaline Rush. 15 battle skill points needed needed, gives 8 fatigue. Adds some AP in exchange for HP. Sometimes useful, but if you're here you may as well just build up to battle frenzy. Blade Shield. 16 battle skill points needed needed, gives 8 fatigue. Increases your parry ability. Cool while waiting to get to battle frenzy. Stunning Blow. 18 battle skill points needed needed, gives 5 fatigue. Stuns an enemy with your next attack. Couple this to a slow spell and that foe won't be moving any time soon! Battle Frenzy. 20 battle skill points needed needed, gives 12 fatigue. The ultimate discipline, this ability blesses you, and hastes you (stacks with the haste spell and other AP increasers). Makes your fighters incredible. Magic users become even more incredible, but would have to invest a lot of points here in order to get this discipline. Still, Wow! -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 4. Traits -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- Traits are character features that increase (or decrease) the effectiveness of certain abilities. You can have up to two traits which will affect the rate you gain experience, plus a race, which will also do the same. You will get about 40 levels for a human with no traits, which means that each 6-8% decrease will cost you about 1 level (or 5 skill points) by the end of the game. However, most traits more than make up for this decrease. I do not recommend any negative traits. Traits give slow increases to skills which means one point at the beginning of the game and one point every 12 levels or so, and fast increases to skills which means two points at the beginning of the game and one point every eight levels or so. Good Constitution (1 level lost): Increases your resistances. Effectively acts as a free two points in hardiness, and gives a few more points in mental and stun resistances. Good cheap trait if you hate losing levels. Nimble Fingers (1 level lost): Gives a bonus of 2 points initially to tool use which increases quickly, and a bonus to first aid which increases slowly. It's worth giving one character this skill just to save points on tool use (effectively about 42 skill points by the end of the game!). Thick Skin (1 level lost): Gives a bonus to armor naturally. No bonuses to resistances, and I prefer good constitution slightly. Strong Will (1-2 levels lost): Hugely increases your mental resistance (by about a full 50%!). Good if you hate charming and terror, especially good for priests (so that they can cast unshackle mind in following turns). Not necessary though. Deadeye (1-2 levels lost): Gives a bonus to sharpshooter (+2) which increases quickly. Pretty good for dedicated archers and nephilim. There are better traits for everyone else though. Fast on Feet (2 levels lost): Increases your attack order and occasionally gives one bonus AP. A really nice cheap trait if you can't stand not maxing out your level. Pure Spirit (2-3 levels lost): Gives a bonus to priest spells which increases quickly and gives a bonus to magical efficiency which may also increase quickly. Any dedicated priest (the character who is aiming for 18 in Priest spells) should get this trait. Natural Mage (2-3 levels lost): Gives a +2 bonus to mage spells which increases quickly, a smaller bonus to magical efficiency which may increase slowly, and a bonus to the amount of armor you can use before losing access to your high mage spells. Extremely potent for mages, definitely go for it for your dedicated mage. Elite Warrior (2-3 levels lost): Gives a bonus to parry and blademaster which increases quickly for both skills, and a slight bonus to your carrying capacity. Great for melee warriors, or any sort of meat shield characters. Divinely Touched (4-5 levels lost): Gives slow increases to magery, blademaster, and sharpshooter, with +1 free points to these skills. Also gives a very healthy increase to armor. You can't go wrong with giving any character this trait, especially characters who want to do more than one thing. This trait will benefit everyone. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weak-Minded (1 level gain): Decreases your mental resistance. Not worthwhile. Delicate Skin (1-2 levels gained): Decreases your fire and cold resistances, and perhaps your energy resistance. Ouch. Sluggish (1-2 levels gained): Decreases your attack order, and sometimes takes away an AP. May find mild use for late-stage characters (for instance, priests who need to cast cure or healing spells) but probably not worthwhile. Brittle Bones (2-3 levels gained): Increases damage taken from melee attacks. Ouch. Frail (3-4 levels gained): Everything goes badly for you. Double ouch. The extra levels aren't worth it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Races: Due to the introduction of battle techniques, all non-human races are quite useful as they will get you significant bonuses to the abilities which decide what level battle techniques you can use. Some may suggest that you give your entire party a non-human race, which really isn't a bad idea as the cost isn't that high. I would recommend making an all-nephil party due to the power of bows in the late game, or a 3 nephil-1 slith party. Anyway you try it, you'll be wiping the world clean. Human: No penalties or bonuses. Nephilim (about 2 levels lost): Gives a bonus to bows, thrown missiles, (+2 for both and which increases quickly ) and gymnastics (+1 which increases slowly). Excellent for archers or anyone who can use a bow (OK, so everyone). Slithzerikai (about 3 levels lost). Gives a bonus to pole weapons (+2 and which increases quickly), and a bonus to fire, poison, and acid resistances, and a few bonus HP. Excellent for melee fighters. -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- ------------------------------------------------------------- ====================WALKTHROUGH============================== ------------------------------------------------------------- -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- KEY: Name of place (number) Q: Quests available {rewards for job board quests} I: Items of Note C: Cache supplies S: Skills, spells, and trainers (cost) D: Secret Doors $: Merchants [Key Items] *Constructions* ////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 1. DEMO AREA \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\///////////////////////// Map of demo region: 15 17 |^^^^^| 11-10-09-16 14 | | | | | 06-04-03-08-12 | | | | | 05-01-02-07 13 | 00 Blackchasm Outpost (00) Q: Get Out of Basement Transit Papers See the General The Pylon Lesson Get Your Boat The Northern Frontier Intisar's Cauldron Dirty Dan Dirty Desiree Message: New Harston {100c} Nice Scuttler Eyes {Healing x2, Speed, Energy Potions} The Bargha Walls {Ice Bolt and Lightning Scrolls} Aid to Aminro {Platinum Ring} I: Shielding Band, Blessed Bauble, Blessed Shield S: Incantrix Intisar (slightly expensive) D: Rivlin's room. $: Sergeant Damien You start in Blackchasm Outpost, exiting a portal. Grab the few items to the NE (some supplies), you will need all the gold you can find. There are also some bolts of cloth to sell hidden a bit to the SW. Anything that has any value you should pick up and sell. Towards the end of the game this becomes less necessary, though you will always want to have a few thousand in reserve. Captain Newsom greets you off the platform. Talk with him, then leave to the east. Grab some supplies from the rooms, and continue on, getting messages of the suspicious sort. Head south, and you'll see what happens. Kill the skeletons, and grab their stuff. One may drop a short sword, equip it instead of your knife. If you want to understand the damage potential of a weapon, take the high number and divide it by the low number. For instance, a dagger does 2-4 damage. This is 2d2 in RPG terms (roll 2 two sided dice and calculate). The short sword is 3-6, or 3d2, slightly better (with a bit better chance to hit). Most melee weapons have d2 or d3, pole weapons are d3 or d4, Continue east and kill the rest of the undead. Grab the stuff on the bodies, and continue south. Grab the nearby spear and energy potion. You have a choice- kill the lizards or kill the zombie. Or both, if you want some xp. Head west through the skeletons, north through the worms (ignore the pot for now), then face Newsom. Kill him and his zombies, then go through the door. He drops a shielding band on death, the first magic item you'll find. Open the doors to the north (there's a key near the beginning of the level from here) to grab the stuff (slightly better equipment than what was first available). Soldier rush out as you head to the east, then go up the stairs. Sergeant Cienna greets you. Talk with her to get your official quest, Transit Papers. Immediately nearby is a job board with four more quests for you. Grab them all if you'd like. Incantrix Intisar is an empire-approved mage who will teach you some weak magic skills for slightly expensive costs. She also gives you a quest to take care of her cauldron down below. Go back downstairs and open her cauldron, kill the 10 or so worms that fly out (the leader, a brainy worm, drops a blessed bauble). You get a fiery wand from Intisar for your troubles. Once you get to Tranquility or so her spell repertoire increases. Sergeant Damien is the quartermaster who will trade with you. He also gives you a series of quests, starting first with "Dirty Dan". Completion gets you 300c. You then get the "Dirty Desiree" quest. Completion gets you 300c and a pair of plate vambraces. Rivlin is an Avernite agent to the south. Talk with him and he'll complain about noise in his quarters. Go to his quarters (they're nearby), and search for a small black spot on the wall. These are secret door buttons, which are among the best return to old-school features of A5. These buttons are common and will open up much. Use the "U"se button frequently to find them if you're not sure how to enter a secret spot. Use this button and kill the rat. Grab the scroll and tell Rivlin about it. Report back to Sergeant Cienna with the news from the mayor. You're instructed to see the general. Go west and talk with general Manfred. You get your next quest, to learn how to use the teleporters, and you can get a blessed shield out of him. Go ahead an touch the pillar to the SW twice. You are teleported to (08). Once done, you get two quests- to get your boat, and to explore the northern frontier. Outside Outpost (01) C: Beautiful Crystal, Energy Potion There are lots of routes down here. But first, head north, and you'll find Dirty Dan. Beat up his dogs (you're not really supposed to kill him), then demand he give you his key. Let him go. Underneath the level to the NW you'll find Dan's stash, as well as some bats. The eastern tunnels hold rats. There are a few herbs spread around. Press "g"et often when in dark places. South of Harston (02) I: Piercing Gloves C: Energetic Herbs, Healing Herbs Not much here beyond some worms and an avernite soldier who doesn't like you. Underneath, you will find Aminro, a nephil who would like your help (provided you got the quest in Blackchasm Outpost). First head north and kill a bunch of worms. You'll get the maximum xp return if you do so, but don't kill too many as you head to the east. Then get Aminro, and go on the hunt. Go to the north then east, and kill the gassy crawler. Aminro leaves you, then pillage its loot for some piercing gloves (+1 to anatomy). New Harston (03) I: Shadow Band Q: Hunt Hirickis Land Grab The Rat Lord The Friendly Giant? The Anama Letter Baquba the Aranea Venomous Mongbat Pit Crawler Lost Shade Moref Mindwarp Chitrach Whirling Thrasher Hraithe Lord Black Horror Message: Gladwell {Invulnerability Potion, Knowledge Brew} Package: Harkin's Landing {Fine Razor Disks} Rat Bounty {Beautiful Crystal x 2, Focusing Crystal, Piercing Crystal} Lowlands Slime {300c} Courier Satchel {Blessed Belt} C: Lovely Crystal S: Minister Pilhofer (exorbitant), Lark (expensive), Augmentation, Control Foe, Strong Daze, Spellcraft, Quick Action, Magical Efficiency, Parry, Resistance, Riposte, Magery, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence D: In Lark's upstairs $: Vaosh This is a decent city loaded with quests and things to do. You are first recommended to go talk with the mayor. Go ahead and do so (talking with the mayor solves one of your job board quests, getting you 100c). She tells you that before you can be given the papers of transit, you must first defeat Hirickis, a crazed mage to the NW. You can go up from her room, however, there's a locked door (12 tool use to unlock) that houses a nasty shade. Kill it if you'd like and grab the nice armor and goods. There's a job board here, grab everything that you'd like. Note that "Courier Satchel" will only appear when you have completed a few tasks already. Vaosh the slith will trade with you. Dionicio is an avernum agent who gives you a quest to deal with a friendly giant. Tell him when you've completed this quest (500c), and you'll see more of him later. Minister Pilhofer is a priest of the Anama who talks with you. He will train you in spells for exorbitant prices. He will also give you a message to deliver when the mayor sends you on your way. Two strongly-locked doors are upstairs. One you can get in near the end of the game (20 tool use required). Behind is a book of Control Foe. You'll find several people at the inn. Most are unfriendly, and the soldier at the bar will hint that you're marked. Go up the north stairs and you can loot the inn for a disruption wand (among the most useful of the wands). Go up the south stairs and talk with Goodman Wulf for a new quest- to claim the Rat Lord's lands. He also wants you to tell him first when you remove him. Lark the hedge wizard gives you one of the most interesting and involved quests of the game. She will also sell you a number of spells, including icy rain and unlock doors, which is probably worth your while buying from her. Unlike previous Avernums, unlock doors isn't the uber-spell it used to be, but it's still very useful. Upstairs she has a spellbook with "Augmentation," and two very-locked doors. They will become unlocked as you complete her quests. Lark's first quest is to kill the Aranea Barquba (10). Do so for a free point in spellcraft for all your characters. Next she wants you to kill the Venomous Mongbat (26). You get a free point in quick action for finishing this quest. Next she wants the brain of a pit crawler (42). Do so for a point in magical efficiency. She then wants some of the ectoplasm from the lost shade Moref (63). Do so for a point of Parry. She then wants you to hunt the Mindwarp Chitrach, which is in the anama lands (72). You can also now explore her top floor (one room, anyway). Enter it, kill the lizard, then read the book for a point in strong daze. Once you return with the Mindwarp Chitrach's mandibles, Lark cooks up another stew that gets you a point in Resistance. She then asks you to hunt for the Whirling Thrasher (88). Bring in the Thrasher's claw for a point in riposte (nice!). Lark will then request the eyes of a Hraithe Lord. Bringing this item to Lark will get you a point of magery, and she will open up her rooms upstairs, allowing you to read a book on Arcane Blow, and grab a wisdom crystal and a shadow band. Her last hunt quest for you is the Black Horror (C1). This is easily the most difficulty battle in the game, but it's well worth it. When you have its skin, come back. Give it to her for +1 to strength, dexterity, and intelligence. That's it, the end of one of the most involved quests in the game! Mother Alice gives you a quest to depose of the rat lord. She also wants you to inform her of his removal first. Upstairs she has a magically-locked door with a piercing crystal (woo!) and other goods behind it. After you depose of the rat lord, you can choose to tell either Goodman Wulf or Mother Alice about it. Telling Goodman Wulf first gets you a Chilling band from him and 20c from her. Telling Mother Alice first gets you 600c and nothing from Goodman Wulf. The money is probably a bit more useful in the long run. West of New Harston (04) C: Speed Potion D: Goodwife Paulette's house Scuttlers live here. These are the bugs desired for a quest in the Blackchasm outpost. Occasionally, when you kill a scuttler or you'll get an eye from it (it's a special item). Try to collect nine. Go down below and collect even more. You may want to reload if you kill a batch without getting any eyes, since there are limited numbers of the things. Not all scuttler batches will drop eyes, so don't try too many times. Beneath Paulette's house is a secret door that will get you a curing potion. The Blackchasm (05) I: Nimble Chain C: Heavy Boots $: Storgald More monsters here. Also, Storgald the scum farmer sells a variety of herbs, none of which are direly necessary. Go down his stairs and loot his stuff for some more herbs and the ultra-useful invulnerability elixir. Go through the tunnels and head west after cleaning them out. Go back up the stairs and you'll encounter Dirty Darius. Get rid of him however you'd like, then go north and fight Dirty Desiree. Kill her for a nimble chain, and loot her stuff. You'll get a bar of fine steel from her stuff. Bargha Gates (06) C: Energetic Herbs Not much to do here. Watch out for the guards as they're not too friendly. Try going to the north and west till you receive a note along the lines of, "It's not your job to invade the fort", then head south and get a similar note. That's all you need to do for the job board quest. Harston Lowlands (07) I: Bladeshield C: Energetic Herbs, Assault Crystal $: Techtar [Mandrake] You're probably here to do the Lowlands Slime Quest for Mother Alice. First talk with Techtar, he will help you get ready. Then head south, killing all the slimes. When you reach the SE, the slime will run away. However, hang around the lizard (talk with Techtar to get one), and it'll return. Kill it and it'll drop a few nice items. Tell Techtar and he'll tell you about some other slimes that live under the swamp. He'll also sell you some stuff, most notably a piece of mandrake (buy it!). He also warns you of a slime living underneath the swamps. Head underneath the swamps and kill the batches of slimes nearby. Make your way to the NW, and bless, shield and haste your characters. Then go north. Wait for the slime to attack you, then lay into it with all you've got. If you don't do a lot of damage to it, then when it splits, the second slime will be as strong as the first. Kill it and take its stuff (bladeshield chain, nice minor items). Static Fields (08) Q: Portal Shades More Portal Shades I: Shining Silver Band, Ghostly Blade. C: Beautiful Crystal x2 S: Summon Shade, Minor Summon, Summon Aid There's not too much to do here until you've defeated Hirickis and got the papers of transit. You are teleported here whenever you touch a pylon. This is an excellent place to store your junk. Drop everything you want on the floor. When you get here the first time, Sergeant Cienna will talk with you. She will want an update every time you find something new (which is fairly often). Talk with Portmaster Pirro and you'll get a quest to kill some shades. Also explore the southern staircase to get another piercing crystal. Then take the northern staircase and fight the shades. One has a lot of HP and should only be attacked with missiles and spells, otherwise it will frighten your melee attacker. Once they are dead, explore the area. The magic barrier to the south is guarding a shining silver band, which is a fairly weak ring. You can use Pirro's book for a point in Summon shade for your victory. He will have a second quest for you when you get to Tranquility. The second shade is a fragmented shade. This shade will spawn off help after every round you do damage, and will also slow/curse your melee attackers. Hit it hard with spells and take it out. Use your melee attackers to kill the spawned shades and occasionally hit the fragmented one. Once dead you get a point in minor summon. He has a third quest once you get to the Azure Gallery (or soon thereafter). Several shades have taken up residence again. The Shamanic Spirit is the leader of three shades. If you hit it with melee, it may freeze your characters. Try using your meleers on the accomplice shades and focus magic attacks and missiles on the shamanic spirit. When it dies it drops a ghostly blade, which has the quite powerful ability to curse those it hits. It's a very cool weapon. You also get a point of summon aid for your time. Underneath this area you'll find some goblins. Not too big of a deal. North of Harston (09) Q: The Crocolisk C: Healing Herbs S: Daze D: Underground entrance to Fortunado's basement. $: Apprentice Tess [Knowledge Brew]; Fortunado: *Healing Potion* *Curing Potion* *Speed Potion* *Energy Potions* Fortunado the alchemist lives here with his apprentice, Tess. As you enter Fortunado's room, he is attacked by some goop. Kill it with him. He doesn't have too much to say, but will give you a quest to kill a crocolisk. He can also make potions for you, if you like. Don't drink from either of his basins. Tess is more interesting, as she sells some interesting items, most notably a knowledge brew and invulnerability potion. Check his basement for a lot of herbs and a spellbook for the daze spell. Head to the north and walk along the coast with a fish in your inventory. You will be attacked by Fortunado's crocolisk. Tell him after you kill it for a focusing crystal, fine steel, and fine leather. Northwest Harston (10) I: Nimble Sandals, Blessed Bauble C: Energetic Herbs, Spiritual Herbs, Speed Elixir Spiders rule this region. Otherwise, this area is just there to hinder you in your pursuit of Hirickis. Underneath Northwest Harston you'll find a lot of spiders. Fortunately, they're fairly easy to beat. In the southeast tunnels you'll find a body with some nimble sandals (+1 Dex), and a cache. A bit north you'll find some slimes guarding herbs. Towards the center of the underground you'll find Baquba the aranea. It's a fairly easy enemy, and drops a blessed bauble on death. Scuttler Pits (11) I: Blessed Silk Tunic, Warmth Ring, Warmth Shield, Apprentice Belt C: Curing Potion S: Slow D: Red brick room This area should be your focus for the demo region. There are lots of scuttlers around on the surface. Kill them all and take as many eyes as you can (you need 8, and can check on them in your special items). Try to at least have 6 by completing the upper area. You can summon some scuttlers with the gong (pick up the whip as well!), but other than a cache, there's not too much here initially. Go down the NW passage and you'll find Hirickis. He runs away initially, after taunting you (with a bit of funny dialogue). Grab the scroll of raise dead (wow!), read the book, and pick up a whip somewhere if you haven't found one yet, then go south. Use the gong, and if you have the whip, two scuttlers will be friendly. There are three gongs on this level, and each one will give you two more friendly scuttlers. When ready, pillage the main fortress. There's a secret door that leads to some nice armor and a piercing crystal in the room with the red blocks, at the very least grab the crystal. When ready, charge Hirickis. He's not too difficult, especially if you have scuttlers helping you. When he gets to about a third of his life, he will plead with you to spare him. If you want to spare him, you can claim his hidden treasure, 3 rubies, a blessed silk tunic, and a focusing crystal. Otherwise kill him for the blessed silk tunic. Sometimes mercy is the better route (as far as loot), as in this case. Explore his stuff for a book that teaches you slow, and some decent armor. Ascend his stairs, and kill the altered scuttler (haste and bless beforehand). It drops a warmth ring on death. There's a barrier nearby, go ahead and use a piercing crystal to get a warmth shield and some other goods. Kill Apprentice Kvell for an apprentice belt. You're done here, so head on back to New Harston to tell them your success. Northern Avernum (12) I: Nimble Sandals C: Lovely Crystal x3, Piercing Crystal, Beautiful Crystal x2, Wisdom Crystal D: SE under tunnels The bridge is out here. To the north you'll fight the rat lord, to the south, a bunch of goblins. Take your pick. Underneath this level to the NW you'll find some shades guarding some crystals. Two of caches include a piercing crystal and a wisdom crystal, very nice. If you head to the SE, you'll find a secret door that leads to a room loaded with barriers. Bring them down then open the door and kill the wight. Claim its nimble sandals. If you head west, a golem will stop you. So long as you have the crystals for the pylons, you'll be safe. Otherwise, you will have to fight it. Two rubies are your reward. Goblin Warrens (13) I: Swampwalker Leather, Tribal Symbol, Coated Cloak, Fine Cleaver, Girdle of Might S: Minor Heal, Smite D: Caves SE Goblins are your foe here. Kill them all. Grab the swampwalker leather off of the shaman to the SW. Grab the tribal symbol off of the altar and kill the demon that pops up. There are four routes to the caves below. The first two are near the altar. If you go down these, you will have to use missiles and spells to take out some goblin flingers. Another route is to the north, and takes you to the upper ledge which is tactically a slightly better position. The final route is a secret door to the SE, which takes you directly to Chief Throngul, who on death will drop a coated cloak. Take stairs down to the north and then head west for a spellbook of minor heal. Head east from the same door to find Chef Vorlag who drops a fine cleaver on death (great for archers). To the west you'll find a courier satchel, which you should show to Minister Pilhofer. To the east you'll find Marrowsucker the giant. Talk with him and tell him Dominicio's request. He'll agree. If you want, after you've cleaned up that quest, you can kill Marrowsucker. He drops a girdle of might on death (+2 Str). Rob his stuff, and kill his giant spawn. You can get a point of smite as well. The Rat Cave(14) I: Swamp Boots, Bonding Knife C: Healing Herbs, Fine Steel D: Near middle stairs up Before coming here, be sure you have the job board quest to kill rats from New Harston. This is the home of the Rat Lord, another Avernite crazy. He'll taunt you from his ledge. Go ahead and chase after him. Go down the stairs, and you'll get into a series of fights with the rat lord's rats. Foul rats are the end rats of the first two, and an oozing stinkrat is the last one of the third. When you make it out, be on the lookout for a secret door that gives you access to a fine steel cache. Head a bit north and you'll come to a room with some swamp boots. Head up the north passageway to face the rat lord. The rat lord calls some well-bred rats to help him fight. Kill him and he'll drop a bonding knife. Harston Dock Road (16) I: Girdle of Insight, Shielding Knife C: Woven Golden Chain Immediately to the East are some old ruins. There is a cache with a woven golden chain and a few lizards. You can't really go too far here without having taken care of Hirickis. Once Hirickis is removed, head back here to get your boat. Hasen, a mage, intercepts you and tells you he will help you escape some darkside loyalists. Follow him, and then fight the loyalists. Hasen drops a shielding knife on death. You can get underneath this area by coming from (12). The notable items here include a mung rat guarding a girdle of insight (+1 Int) and other goods. Northern Isles (15) You can get here by starting near the spider caves (10), and going underground then north. Alternatively, you can get here later when you get a quest to do so. This area will be revisited in the post-demo section. Harston Docks (17) Q: Revenge on Ronaldo. Message: Shanker {200c} Western Rapids {Piercing, Purging, Assault Crystals} We Hate Basilisks {unlock nearby locker} $: Aspen Welcome to the last place in the demo. You have a lot you can do here, and there's a message board ripe for quest giving. Talk with Schwarz to tell someone about the assassination attempt. He'll tell you about what to expect around here. Aspen will trade with you. The last person to talk with is Duaria, an empire spy. She gives you a quest to kill Ronaldo, an evil avernite (26). When you do, return for no real reward. When you're ready, grab your boat and head on out! *********************************************************************** ======================================================================= END OF DEMO! BUY FULL GAME FOR $28! EXCELLENT PRICE FOR SEVERAL HOURS OF FUN! BEST AVERNUM GAME YET! ======================================================================= *********************************************************************** ////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 2. NORTHERN ISLES \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\///////////////////////// NOTE: You have three boats with which to explore. If you follow this walkthrough, you will use two of them to explore the drake pillars and fulfill a minor job board quest. You should always have one spare. Map: 31-32-33-34-35 | 30-29-28-27-26 | | | | 22-21-19-20-25 | | | | 15-18-17-23-24 | | 09 14 Northern Isles (18) I: Blessed Gauntlets, Grounded Boots C: Energetic Herbs There are islands here ripe for exploration. The eastern island has lizards and a path down to a lizard den full of crystals. Clean it out. Head out the NW ladder to grab some blessed gauntlets, then head down to the SW and kill the basilisks (fulfilling a Harston Docks quest). For your troubles, you get a pair of grounded boots and a piercing crystal. North of Harston (09) C: Purging Crystal Come here quickly to pick up the purging crystal. That's it. Shanker's Tower (19) Q: A Gassy Brew The Crystal Field Ogre Thwacking Machinery Repairs The Mad Crystal Wanted: Paper! {Scrolls: Acid Shower, Madness, Group Haste} Skull of the Black Wight {terror wand} Rogue Kherrr {Wisdom, Purging, Assault Crystals} I: Magestone Band, Enchanter's Robe, Symbiotic Cloak S: Shanker (pretty average), Haste, Terror, Arcane Shield D: SE building, outdoors- fine lances hidden. $: Horyn [Knowledge Brew], Sage Belkin, Sarramor [Wisdom Crystal], Landman Shanker's Tower is one of the more interesting places you will visit. Shanker is a mage on the run from the empire with a number of helpful merchants. She has a job board as well. Explore the area thoroughly to see what's available. There's a pylon here as well, and a boat in case you need to use one in the late game. Horyn is an alchemist living to the SW. She's quite weird, and gives you a quest to take care of her cauldron. Head up her stairs, then use the cauldron. Prepare for a fight. You'll fight three waves of hallucinations- undead, slimes + ogres, demons. Make it through the three and talk to Horyn for your reward- an energy potion, an invulnerability potion, and a knowledge brew (Wow!). Sage Belkin will sell you scrolls, and will take your paper if you've got his quest. He gives you some powerful scrolls in exchange. Sarramor is a nephil crystal worker who will sell you a wisdom crystal (1100c, the most expensive to purchase. Still, quite worthwhile though maybe not immediately). He also gives you a quest to find and clear a field of crystals. Once you do, you get some beautiful crystals, a piercing crystal, and a wisdom crystal. Landman will also trade with you. He has two barriers upstairs, one of which is too strong to bring down with a piercing crystal. Come back here later and loot this place. Finally you should talk with Shanker. She is upset that empire soldiers have found her, but if you promise to help her remain hidden from the empire, she'll help you a lot. It's in your best interest to do so, so I'd say to go ahead and lie to Cienna the next time you see her. Shanker will teach you magic (pretty average prices), will teach you skills (post-lying to Cienna) and give you a few quests. Buy points in magery for all of your magic-using characters from her, she has the best prices early in the game. You may also want to buy some points in magical efficiency, though you can get those points for cheaper a lot later on in the game. I would prioritize with magery, then magical efficiency. Also, if you lie to Cienna, she will give you a magestone band ring. Her first quest for you is to go calm down an ogre servant. Go up the stairs, break the barrier, go south, then haste, shield, and bless your characters, and thwack away at the ogre. Once it gets down to searing slimes --> writhing mass hoard. To the west you'll find Ysss the drake. Kill it and take its stuff. To the east you'll find a room down. Go down the stairs, kill rockhounds, take their stuff (radiant vambraces), and check on the switchbox. The main item of note here is the house to the NW which, provided you've gotten the clues from Epiron-Bok, opens to give you a clear path to the Hraithe Lord. Go down the stairs when you're ready to fight. Buff up (big time!), and charge it. The first time I fought this thing it killed me in no time at all. The second time I fought it, I kept my main power-houses back (in this case, my magic users) and whacked it with two melee fighters up close and personal. The second time the Hraithe Lord was a cakewalk, as my magic users were able to keep their SP. The Hraithe Lord has a special attack which drains your SP, stuns your characters, and casts a nasty charge on them. Use lightning spray and disruption on it, and keep it distracted with melee. Shield breaker and mighty blow are your friends. If you find yourself in a bind, you can go grab some powerful curing crystals (which will disappear very rapidly) to the SW. They will help remove nasty effects on your characters, but aren't terribly necessary. Take its eyes back to Lark. If you're here from the underground of (A9), go ahead and kill the bushes. Then head north. You'll spot a series of about five stairways. Go up any one of them, loot the body, then take the center hatch back down. This is a secret area that takes you to the pit of abominations (B1). A teleporter will provide an easy route to the surface level nearby. Pit of Abominations (B1) I: Chaotic Halberd, Crystalline Plate, Mandrake Tincture, Flowing Silk Cloak, Crystalline Aegis C: Mandrake S: Fireblast (+2), Divine Host D: See below. Scary name for sure. This is the home of a particularly challenging foe, but less challenging for your level than Khora-Vysss. Lurking crawlers are the primary enemy for this region. Hit the switch to the west, and go down the stairs. Kill the Lurkers and grab the boat. Go to the second bit of land and grab the herb, then travel to the north piece of land. Kill the lurkers, then head up a bit. Prepare for a battle with some stone behemoths. These enemies have lots of HP but are otherwise slow. Kill them and take their stuff (don't bother with either basin). Then hit the turn wheel to the north and go back to your boat. Pilot your boat over the now-submerged plot of land and head east. Get out on the NE plot of land, grab the herb, touch the button, kill the slimes, and grab some more herbs. The head south, kill the behemoths and go up the stairs. Kill the chained zombies for fun (and profit, as one drops some graymold). Go to the altar, buff up, then grab the chaotic halberd (an excellent weapon for pole-weapon users), kill the demons (you'll be fatigued and slowed, so use any good battle disciplines (e.g., battle frenzy) prior to grabbing it. Continue north, dispel the barriers, grab the stuff in the chests, kill the lurkers that attack, then hit the button. Go west, disarm the traps, and read the book for a hefty increase in fireblast. Go east, and up the stairs (grab the zombie loot too) and you'll be attacked by lurkers again. Head west, then kill the worm-ridden shambler. Hit the secret button and you'll find an altered wolf. Kill it too, and grab the nearby knowledge elixir. Continue east and you'll be attacked by some more lurkers. Almost through though! You will find Gashlah the lich here. He will tell you that you are to die. Kill it instead. He's weak against fire and doesn't have much in the way of special abilities (other than shielding and blessing spells, which he uses liberally). Some lurkers will come running to help him as well, so kill them all! Once you defeat him (not really yet), he drops a crystalline plate, some excellent armor. Also grab the mandrake and mandrake tincture. Read the nearby book for a point in divine host, and the desk has a hint of want you will be facing next. Hit the button as well, and enter the teleporter. Go down the now-opened route to the stairs. Buff up. You will be facing one of the most obnoxious enemies in the game. There is a doomguard waiting for you. This throwback to A2 and A3 is pretty cool. Every turn you do damage to it, it will split. Hit it hard or not at all. The slow spell is also your friend. Fire is not, nor are area-of-effect spells. Do as much physical damage you can in a single turn (use those battle disciplines as often as you can!), and the copies will be equivalently weaker. So long as you are prepared this battle isn't too tough. Now head up the nearby stairs. Open the coffin, kill Gashlah's official remains (one hit should do it), and grab the flowing silk cloak and crystalline aegis shield as your reward. The shield is the best shield for mages/priests. Head on back to town. The Dark River (B2) I: Quicksilver Sandals. C: Graymold, Mandrake D: In Darksider Camp You've made it through the vahnatai lands. Regardless of how you got here (from underground or above ground), you'll find someone waiting for you here. Ruth, the enemy mage. She will attack with some fellow loyalists. Kill her and take her quicksilver sandals. Continue exploring and you'll find out who has been sending notes to the nasty darksiders. This actually surprised me a bit. ////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 8. The Dark River \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\///////////////////////// The next time you use a pylon confront the traitor. If you don't kill her now, she'll be back later. Anyways, your best bet is to attack her. She drops a charmed plate on death and a blessed longbow. The charmed plate is superior to the blessed breastplate, in case you were curious. C8 | 99-B3 C1-C4-C5-C6 Nothing at (99), B6 | | | | | -B2 B6-B7-B8-C3-C7-C9 | | | | | B4-B5-C0-B9-C2 Dark River (B3) I: Deadeye Chain Get off on the land. You'll find the Bonesmaster as well as his legion of dancing bones. Concentrate on the Dancing Bones until the Bonesmaster pays attention to you. Then kill it for a deadeye chain. Dark River (B4) Pilot your boat down the rapids and loot the body. Dark River (B5) C: Spiritual Herbs, Graymold, Mandrake Land on the island here and talk with the golem. Head a bit further east and you'll find Tryessa the drake. She's not friendly. Kill her and take her stuff. Head to the NW plot of land. Kill the unstable mass and send a solo character in to loot the place. Dark River (B7) C: Mandrake x 2, Graymold D: Nearby friendly chitrach, North plot of land with spiderwebs Head first to (B8) to get most of the quests in this region and trade. Go to the central island here when you have the GIFTSs quest. Kill the chitrachs, then go underground where you'll find even more chitrachs. You'll be swarmed a couple of times, bust out the area of effect spells and take the bugs down. Eventually you'll reach the friendly chitrach. Talk with it, and that'll be all. Melanchion's Keep (B8) Q: Tribute: Lich {Dragon's Key} Tribute: Haakai {Dragon's Key} Tribute: Gremlins {Dragon's Key} Tribute: Eyebeast {Dragon's Key} Dragon's Reward {Item of Choice} Melanchion's Desire Goro's Ogres Goro's Giant I: Answering Gauntlets, Radiant Plate, Radiant Soulblade, Hero's Necklace C: Focusing Crystal S: Resistance, Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Arcane Blow, Divine Retribution D: West wall nearby Melanchion $: Kossilin [Knowledge Brew x 2] Darkstalker Helft: *Putrified Gauntlets* *Blasted Vambraces* *Heartstriker Bow* *Blessed Armor Band* *Wand of the Inferno* *Rod of Alacrity* This is the closest thing to civilization you're going to find. Melanchion is a dragon and one of Athron's spawn. He's surprisingly friendly, if quite naive and juvenile. Nonetheless, he's very powerful and it's quite fun to interact with him. However, look around and you'll see why it's probably not a good idea to upset him. First let's take care of the necessary stuff. There's a job board here with several nice quests for you. Go ahead and grab the ones that interest you. You should probably go ahead and do them all, just because there's a nice reward at the end. There's a pylon outside to the west, and several herbs (including a mandrake) kind of hidden to the north, outside the main wall. Kossilin the drake will trade with you, and has two knowledge brews available for purchase. Darkstalker Helft is a vampire-smith who will construct several items of power for you. I wouldn't bother with the wands, you're better off saving your eyestalks for other items. The heartstriker bow is extremely powerful though and may be something you'd like for your dedicated archer. The blasted vambraces are pretty cool too. The putrified gauntlets are potent but expensive. You probably have better rings than the blessed armor band, or have found enough to ignore that recipe. When you're ready to talk with the big boss, go speak with Melanchion (and give him the vahnatai letter if you have it). He is interesting enough to talk with. He will give you a quest- retrieve several items of power for him. He will take Solberg's papers, the Anama papers, and the perfect crystal spiral. In exchange he will increase your resistance skill. Bring him a second item and you will receive a point in strength. The third item will complete the quest and will get you points in dexterity and intelligence. All in all, these rewards are quite impressive, if a bit end-game loaded. When you've done all of his tribute quests, speak with Melanchion when you've grabbed the "Dragon's Reward" quest. He will let you take a single magic item of his. Go up the nearby stairs, go past the doomguard, and pillage the nearby containers for some decent loot. Then decide what you'd like- north is a hero's necklace, south is a radiant plate, and west is a radiant soulblade. All the items are quite worthwhile. I'd recommend the necklace if you don't have a designated melee-weapons user, and the soulblade if you do. The radiant plate is good if you've been lacking powerful armor (though I prefer the mercuric plates from Endereba in Highground). Also, once you've got all the tribute, you can go back and kill the tributers if you'd like. If you're really out to kill everything, steal Melanchion's egg. One of the major characters here is Goro, the ogre in charge of the beasts here. Goro will give you a series of quests to tame some of the locals. First, she will ask you to tame some ogres upstairs. Go up the nearby stairs. Beat the ogres until they lose about half of their health, which calms them down. Then head back down the stairs and tell Goro for your reward, a rod of succor. Next she wants you to tame her giant. It's upstairs, and significantly harder than the ogres. Keep your magic-users at the very edge of the battle field so as to stay out of the giant's stunning attack. Blast it down to about 1/10th of its health and it'll calm down. For your troubles Goro gives you some nice answering gauntlets. Goro will also give you some extremely valuable information- how to summon the black horror. She will also give you keys as rewards for job completion. Use them first on the potion rooms as those rewards are more valuable in my opinion. When you do all four tribute quests, check the message board for a very nice final quest. If you head up Melanchion's keep stairs from the SE you will find several books as well as the potions that Melanchion trades with you for items of power. A jar near one book spills a Gloppy popslime if you get close to it. It will drop a popslime every turn, so try to kill it fast. Read the nearby books for points in arcane blow and divine retribution. Upstairs you will also find Belichick, a darkside loyalist. There's not much you can do with him. Dark River (B9) I: Knowledge Elixir C: Blessed Armor Band S: Luck (+2) D: Throughout challenge I usually don't note caches, but there's one in the maze of rocks to the NW. Remember to row your boat with your number pad, or space by space with the mouse. Get to the island and grab the blessed armor band from the cache (requires 16 nature lore). Also, search behind all of the columns on the islands for minor nice loot. This area is home to the gremlin king, from whom Melanchion would like to win tribute. Buff up before talking to High King Fwizzle. Take his challenge. You must now collect nine trinkets from the area to the north. The trinkets look like trash of the *** type- kind of like little gray golf tees. There is one set of trinkets in the right skull pile nearby the entrance of the trial. There is one set of trinkets if you hit the button to the north (guarded by giants), go through the secret door to the west, and look in the crates. There are some trinkets nearby the pustulent zombie in the tomb east of the secret door you just went through. More trinkets on the floor near the horde of worms to the NE. More trinkets in the crate behind the barriers to the east. More trinkets on the gremlin body behind the bushes to the east. More trinkets hidden to the east on a crate which is behind one of the crystal pillars. Hitting the button to the NW near the entrance opens a room to the east which has some trinkets. South of the room above, dispel the barriers and grab the trinkets in the crate. Just east of the entrance is a writhing mass guarding a tomb with some trinkets. Drink out of the east-most basin of the batch to the east for some trinkets. Some more trinkets are in the room to the north, though you'll have to find the secret door somewhere south. Any nine of the above will make King Fwizzle happy. Return promptly and you'll get a free knowledge elixir and two points added to your luck stat (nice!). There's also a nice chest to the SE that can be looted at your leisure. Be sure to get the tribute guarantee from Fwizzle as well so as to complete the job board quest. Once you've completed the tribute quests come back and kill him for some more knowledge elixirs. Dark River (C0) Q: Chitrach Advice I: Eliavri's Bow C: Graymold $: Spider Head to the south here. Go kill the chitrach, then go talk with the GIFTS. You can get a quest here to find out about the chitrachs living to the north. Additionally you can trade with Spider (you'll know it when you see it). This place gives a bit of levity to this fairly foreboding region. Tell the spiders once you meet the chitrach for eliavri's bow. There are some less friendly spiders on the island to the north. Kill them and take their stuff. Dark River (C1) I: Emerald Chestguard This plot of land is home to the arena, in which the black horror lives. Kill the golems and make it to the arena. If you have the hint from Goro, buff up big time (probably including some invulnerability potions for everyone just in case) and hit the gong to summon the black horror (you need Goro's advice to do so correctly). You'll have to tell it of all the foes you've slain. Then it will attack you. The shade is always weak against disruption magic, lightning spray, and firebolt, so keep that in mind. First you must fight its flaming form. Luckily it's not too difficult a foe- just hit it and heal. If it hits you, you'll be stunned heavily, and you should also beware of the omni-fire it can cast. Once you've brought down nearly all of its HP it will transform. In the second form, it summons a bunch of golems and have poison attacks. These golems are quite annoying since they will usually target your casters. They are weak against fire. You may want to go ahead and kill all of them while fighting so as to maximize your caster's life. Whittle the shade down to near 0 HP and it'll transform again. The third form will freeze you if you hit it with melee. Hit it with spells as best you can. Use missiles when not hitting it with spells. Bring it down to near 0 HP and it'll transform again. This form gives you a death curse and summons a hoard of vengeful shades. At this point, use those jeweled wands you've been saving up with your melee fighters! They do about 100 damage a hit, and you can use them several times per round (especially with battle frenzy). This will take care of the vengeful shades and do decent damage to the battle horror. Bring this final form down to 0 HP and you'll win (emerald chestguard + wisdom crystal). Whew! Go back to Melanchion's island and return to Lark for your mega reward. Dark River (C2) I: Quicksilver Bulwark A lich lives here. Kill the dancing bones and skeletons that replace them then head up the stairs. Your goal here is to threaten the lich Vesna, and then go a bit south. Destroy a pylon here, then go whack on the lich. You have about 3-5 rounds of attack, then the pylon regenerates. Kill one again, and repeat until the lich surrenders. Get its tribute to Melanchion, then you can loot a bit. You can only loot fully if you kill Vesna, which I'd recommend doing only after you've gotten the various tributes to Melanchion. You'll have to fight it like you did the first battle (destroying the pylons before you can do any significant damage), but Vesna will fall. As a result, the gate to the south will open. Go up it and kill the demonic sentinel, then loot the place. You get the most excellent Quicksilver Bulwark for your efforts. Dark River (C3) I: Polychromous Girdle. C: Mandrake, Graymold Go on down the stairs here. Buff up, then threaten the vahnatai shade. Move your mages and priests far away from the shade and keep it occupied with your melee fighters. It'll summon a lot of undead help, but you'll know you're near the end when it summons vahnavoi. Kill them and the shade will disappear. Then loot the place. The most notable item here is the polychromous girdle just up the stairs. Dark River (C4) C: Graymold D: To Nashazzar A haakai lives here. Kill the guardian hellhounds and head down the stairs. Destroy the fungi on the nearby islands using missiles and magic, then head up. Kill the demonic doormen and go up the stairs. Use the secret button to open a door and face Nashazzar. Threaten him on behalf of Melanchion, then whack him till he runs away. Head down the nearby stairs. This battle is a bit more intense. What you will have to do in order to not all die horrible deaths is concentrate your attacks also on some of his soultender imps. Once you kill an imp, a shade will spawn which will cast healthy magic on you before it disappears. Once you've summoned one, hit Nashazzar as hard as you can. The shade will eventually be wiped out, so then go summon another one. Rinse and repeat and Nashazzar will surrender. I'd recommend getting him to give tribute, as you can then collect the reward from Melanchion. Dark River (C5) I: Spirit Cloak C: Mined Crystal x 3, Wisdom Crystal, Mandrake x 2 S: Divine Restoration D: One in room with book, one up ladder. Here you will find some more cultists of the monster-loving sort. Go ahead and investigate their property. You'll meet Beastkeeper Vyck. Threaten her, and whack her till she runs away. Then head into the nearby room. Vyck will lock you in and will summon a bunch of crawlers. Kill them then kill the cultists to the north. Continue west to the next gong. Kill the spineworms that pop out. Continue west and go ahead and kill Vyck. You get a spirit cloak for your troubles, excellent garb for priests. Continue exploring to claim a spell point in divine restoration and other nice goods. Then head up the path and you'll come out in the Azure Gallery (92). Tell Dionicio to complete his quest. After you've found this route, head back here using the magic boat (belonging to Melanchion) and reclaim you old craft. Dark River (C6) S: Thalon Ten Eyes (Expensive) D: Popping slime room A minor item of note here is a stairway down that leads to a bunch of popping slimes. Some of your characters will be rendered unconscious if you try to take them on. To avoid losing everyone, you can hit the nearby switch and send someone to hide in the secret area. The major item of note is the lair of Thalon Ten Eyes. Before you enter the ruins here, buff up. Then run past the first set of stairs to the second level. Kill the rats, then kill the ogres and giants. Then go whack Thalon. He will run away, but keep concentrating on him until he gives up. Killing his minions first saves you lots of pain later on. Thalon Ten Eyes will surrender, and will offer tribute. Also, he will train you in some skills, including mage and priest spells. Not too bad! Dark River (C7) I: Coated Cloak, Stained Swamp Gloves C: Healing Herb, Spiritual Herb There is a small landing spot here to the NE. Go down, buff up, and kill the fungi. Loot the body at the end for a coated cloak. Then head to the central area and kill the shamblers. Claim the caches, and the giant shambler drops a pair of stained swamp gloves. Dark River (C8) D: Several This is a nasty little area. Land at the spat of land, then hit the secret button. Go a bit east and hit the next secret button. Kill the demons, and grab the potions from behind the barriers. Head back to the boat. The lizards are guarding some mined crystals if you want to take them out. Up to you- it may be worthwhile. That's it for here. ////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 9. The Darkside Loyalists \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\///////////////////////// D3 | D2 | C9-D0-D1 Dark River (C9) You have reached the home of the darkside loyalists. Most of the boxes here are trapped with no goods. As you head a bit east you'll be attacked by a bunch of nasty hellhounds. They can catch you off guard, so be prepared and use ice. Most of the boxes here are highly trapped (~20 Tool use required to disarm); one of the box has a few herbs but that's about it, so don't worry if you can't disarm them all (or heal up after triggering all the traps). Darkside Lands (D0) C: Assault Crystal You are greeted by Dervish Kelehr. No matter what you do, he's hostile (if you've been pro-Avernum, anyway). Kill him and his cronies for some decent (but non-magical and non-noteworthy) items. Once he dies, go through the gate. From here up to the last board there is a steady stream of enemies that constantly respawn. While annoying, you can take their items and sell them to max out the last few points with trainers or spell teachers, if you so desire. Darkside Lands (D1) C: Wisdom Crystal D: East wall to open west wall to cache Go south as you enter here. You'll find some graves and the final pillar of the game. Talk with Captain Waxman for some info. He's pretty well beaten up. This is the location to go to if you need to sell off any of your last items and boost up spells/skills. Use the pillar if you'd like, then return when you're ready to take out the darksiders. Head north, and prepare for some fights. You'll face a non-stop batch of battles from here to the final fortress. Cultist Bhras is the first named foe you will fight. Kill them and continue north. Darkside Lands (D2) Continue north then west and you'll find more loyalists, including Woodswalker Thrah. Kill them and head north. Now head east, and kill Incantrix Bella. Disarm the chest (it's tough but necessary) for a rod of alacrity. When done continue north to the final area (for pro-Avernites). Fortress of Dorikas (D3) I: Armor Band, Polar Fur Cloak, Radiant Plate, Blasted Vambraces, Chaotic Halberd, Radiant Shield. C: Energy Elixir S: Fireblast, Arcane Summon, Arcane Shield, Arcane Blow D: North of Ximens This is it, the final area. Head north and kill the archers (probably grab the cache hidden to the west beforehand). Enter the fortress, but don't head to the end of the hall just yet (you'll trigger the end fight with a lot of help for Dorikas). Instead, let's take the west door. Loot this room, then head up the stairs. Kill the foes here and you'll find Dionicio for the last time. Recruit him when you're ready to take on Dorikas. Otherwise head down the stairs. Head north, you'll find an armor band and a polar fur cloak. Head north and go up the stairs. Kill Regicide Pharon and search the area for the wand that may have killed the Empress. Head down the stairs, go east, and you'll find Cultist Thran. Kill him and his group. Continue east, kill Cultist Zouala, Dervish Ximens, and friends. Go up the stairs if you'd like and continue to loot and kill. Go south, kill Incantrix Damita, and read her book to improve Fireblast, Arcane Summon, Arcane Shield, and Arcane Blow. Head up the stairs to the SE, and you'll find Dorikas' room. Loot for a radiant plate, blasted vambraces, chaotic halberd, and radiant shield. You can't enter the main SE chamber yet. When ready, confront Dorikas. Recruit Dionicio, buff up heavily, and parley with him. Don't surrender (it's a trap) and start smacking him around. Kill his cronies first, then take him down. He'll first hit you with an energy- spreading wand. Heal up with divine restoration after these hits. When you get him down by about a third he casts a fear spell on you and runs. Get him down to about half of his HP and he'll summon four orbs that must be slain to get past his defenses (the bladeward needs to be hit with melee weapons, the iceward ice/smite, etc.). Continue after him once they're gone. He now has some defenses against normal attacks compared to earlier in the fight, so hit him with energy and fire based attacks. He'll run to the SE sector with some accomplices. Kill them. Then hit Dorikas till he runs out of HP. I'm not sure what the difference between the two endings is, but it may not matter much if you spare him humiliation. Leave the fortress and you'll have your ending! The game's ending is decided by a few things- Most important is of course which side you played. Also, if you still have Gladwell's Geas, if you joined the Underworld Joint Trade Company, and possibly if you joined the anama. THE END! -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 6. Item Overview -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- The following is a list of weapons and armor with some recommendations. These lists are not yet complete, but should give most of the info. Weapons Stick 1-2 Dagger 2-4 Bronze Short Sword 3-6 Iron Short Sword 5-10 Steel Short Sword 7-14 Stunning Band 3-6, Stuns Fine Cleaver 6-12, +1 Dex Bonding Knife 7-14, 6%, -1 Str,Dex,Int, +4 End Discipline Blade 7-14, 30% Ftg Rmv, +2 PW, +1 MW Falchion of Evasion7-14, +2 Def, +4HER Shielding Knife 4-8, 6% Nephil War Blade 10-20, +4 Str, +4 Dex, 75% Ftg Rmv Singing Rapier 10-20, +2 QA, +1 Blm Seeking Rapier 13-26, +1 Blm, +3 Anat Radiant Short Blade16-32, +10TH, +15ER These weapons are great for non-melee fighters (like archers and magic users). The discipline blade is probably among the best as it gives you access to more battle disciplines if you have a few points to begin with. My end game priests and archers find it invaluable. Bronze Broadsword 4-12 Iron Broadsword 6-18 Waveblade 8-24 Fine Waveblade 10-30 Blessed Broadsword 12-36 Ghostly Blade 8-24, +6HER, 6PFW, Jinx Flaming Sword 11-33, +10TH, +10FR, Fire Oozing Blade 11-33, +10AR, +5TH, Acid Frozen Blade 11-33, +10CR, +15TH, Jinx Venomous Blade 12-36, +12AR, +12PR, Poison Radiant Soulblade 16-48, +8%, +2 LB, +2 QA, +3 Par For melee weapon users, the various ghostly blades, flaming blades, acid blades, Frozen Blades, and Venomous Blades are your staple as far as weapons go. The single radiant soulblade in the game is incredible for devoted melee weapon users, just from bonuses alone. Bronze Spear 6-18 Iron Spear 8-24 Slith Spear 8-24 Steel Spear 10-30 Lava-fired Spear 10-30, +10FR Chaotic Halberd 12-36, +10CR, +1 Dex, Jinx Spear of the Fen 12-36, +10AR, +3 Def, +1 Rip The Chaotic halberd is my personal favorite of these, however, you should change it with a more powerful pole weapon when dealing with regular foes. Jinx attacks are excellent for boss fights. Bronze Halberd 6-24 Iron Halberd 8-32 Steel halberd 10-40 Fine Slith Spear 10-40 Molten Halberd 9-36, +1 QS Slith Warspear 12-48, +8FR, +5TH Slith Bloodspear 14-56, +10FR, +5TH These weapons follow a fairly standard progression. I'd recommend switching to these for your pole user as soon as you find one, as the bonus damage is significant by switching to a d4 from a d3. Cavewood Bow 2-4 Yew Bow 5-10 Composite Bow 8-16 Blessed Bow 11-22 Cavewood Longbow 2-6 Yew Longbow 5-15 Bow of Decay 7-14, Acid Shockwave Bow 8-16, Stuns Farsight Longbow 10-30, +1 SS, 10% Ftg Rmv Ebony Longbow 14-42, +10 MR, +1 QS Eliavri's Bow 14-42, +2 QA, +3 Bow, +2HER Ceremonial Longbow 15-45 Heartstriker Bow 8-32 Switch to long bows for your devoted archers as soon as you find them, but everyone else should just have a regular missile weapon. By the late game, go ahead and give people bows that have bonuses, and get your archer a heartstriker bow for the major increase in damage output. Javelin 4-16 Steel Javelin 6-24 Fine Lance 10-40 Razordisk 7-35 Fine Razordisk 11-55 For thrown weapon users, I tend to use the available but weak javelins and steel javelins as they are easiest to replace. The razordisks can do the most damage in the game for a physical weapon, but are fairly sparse. Save them for bosses. Armor Cloak 2% Fine Cloak 4% Vahnatai Cloak 5%, Worgskin Cloak 7% Drakeskin Cloak 10% Archer's Cloak 3%, +2 Bow, +2 TM, +1 QA Coated Cloak 4%, +5FR Grounded Cloak 4%, +5ER Ratskin Shawl 7%, +6PR, +5TH Deadeye Cloak 4%, +1 SS Infernal Shroud 4%, +15ER, +15FR, +2 LB, +1 Anat Warrior's Cloak 5%, +1 MW, +1 PW, +1 Hard, +1 Def Symbiotic Cloak 5%, -1 Str, -1 Dex, +2 Int Flowing Silk Cloak 7%, +1 Par, +1 QS Spirit Cloak 8%, +2 PS, +2 FA, +2 Hard Belt 2% Studded Belt 4% Blessed Belt 6% Radiant Belt 8% Apprentice Belt 2%, +1 MEf Girdle of Strength 2%, +1 Str Girdle of Nimbleness2%, +1 Dex Girdle of Insight 2%, +1 Int Girdle of Endurance 2%, +1 End Girdle of Might 5%, +2 Str Girdle of Avoidance 5%, +2 Dex Girdle of Genius 5%, +2 Int Girdle of Life 5%, +2 End Mooneye Girdle 6%, -5TH, +10ER, +15MR Stability Girdle 6%, -5TH, +12SR Silk-Woven Cord 6%, +5PfW, +2 AL, +1 SC, +1 FA Polychromous Girdle 7%, -10TH, +10HER Lightning Girdle 8%, +2 QA, +2 QS, +2 LB, +8ER Pants 2% Leather Pants 3% Leather Vambraces 4%, +5SR, -5TH Plate Vambraces 6%, +7SR, -10TH Blessed Vambraces 8%, +8SR, -10TH Radiant Vambraces 10%, +10SR, -10TH Swamp Pants 2%, +5PR Pustulant Vambraces 4%, +5SR, -5TH, +8AR Warrior Vambraces 4%, +5SR, -5TH, 20% Ftg Rmv Airy Vambraces 4%, +5SR, -5TH, +1 Gym, +2 QS Runed Vambraces 4%, +5SR, +5ER Acid-Etched Legs 6%, +7SR, -10TH, +1 Anat, +5AR Icedrake Vambraces 7%, +5SR, -5TH, +12CR Ceremonial Leggings 8%, +8SR, -10TH, +4 Str, +2 Res Blasted Vambraces 8%, +8SR, -10TH, +1 Str, +2 Res Wooden Sheild 6% Iron Shield 8% Steel Shield 10%, -5TH Blessed Shield 12%, -5TH Radiant Shield 16%, -5TH Warmth Shield 6%, +5CR Silken Shield 8%, +1 Gym, +1 Par Inertial Shield 8%, +40SR Reflecting Shield 8%, +5HER Nullity Shield 10%, +15SR, +5ER, -2FR Treated Carapace 10%, +10PR Assassin's Shield 12%, +2 QA, +1 Anat, +2 LB Quicksilver Bulwark 12%, +1 AP, +1 Anat, +2 LB Crystalline Aegis 16%, +10HER, +2 AL, +2 Mgr, +2 MEf Tunic 4% Robe 6% Fine Robe 10% Leather Armor 10%, +10SR Chainmail Vest 16%, +20SR, -5TH Iron Breastplate 22%, +30SR, -10TH Steel Breastplate 28%, +40SR, -15TH Blessed Breastplate 34%, +50SR, -20TH Sniper's Vest 4%, +1 Dex, +2 SS Thick Wool Tunic 6%, +5CR Aranea Silk Tunic 6%, +8FR Blessed Silk Tunic 6%, +1 SC Enchanter's Robe 9%, +1 MS, +1 PS, +2 SC Swampwalker Leather 12%, +10SR, +5PR, +5AR Treated Leather 10%, +10SR, +2HER Specter Robe 10%, +5ER, +20SR, +20MR, -4FR Crystal Woven Chitin12%, +20SR, +1 SC Woven Silk Robe 12%, +10ER, +10FR, +20SR Mercuric Chain 16%, +20SR, -5TH, +1 AP, -1 Str Grounding Vest 16%, +20SR, -5TH, +10ER Deadeye Chain 22%, +20SR, -5TH, +5 SS, 10 Ftg Rmv Fibrous Breastplate 20%, +50SR, -15TH, +12ER, -5FR Magus Vest 20%, +1 MS, +1 PS, +2 AL, +1 SC Ruby Breastplate 22%, +30SR, -10TH, +8FR Charmed Plate 28%, +40SR, -15TH, +3 Luck, +8HER Mercuric Plate 34%, +50SR, -20TH, +1 AP, -1 Str Crystalline Plate 34%, +50SR, -20TH, +15AR, +15ER Runed Plate 34%, +50SR, +20MR, +2 Mgr Radiant Plate 40%, +50SR, -20TH Emerald Chestguard 42%, +20PR, +20AR, +1 Blm, +20SR Gloves 2% Gauntlets 3% Leather Bracers 4%, -5TH Steel Gauntlets 4% Blessed Gauntlets 5% Bronze Bracers 6%, -5TH Iron Bracers 8%, -10TH Piercing Gloves 2%, +1 Anat Tinker's Gloves 2%, +2 Tool Use Stained Swamp Gloves2%, +20AR, +20PR, +2 NL, +3 TM Suede Gloves 3%, +2 SC, +2 Res Duelist Gloves 3%, 10% Ftg Rmv, +2 Rip Answering Gauntlets 3%, +2 Par, +3 Rip Thrusting Gauntlets 4%, +1 Blm, +1 Lethal Blow Spectral Gloves 5%, +5ER, +10SR Drakeskin Bracers 6%, -5TH, +3SR, +2FR Gloves of the Hammer8%, +2 Str, +1 QS, +2 Blm Putrified Gauntlets 9%, -1 Str, -1 Dex, +50AR, +5 SC Blessed Bracers 10%, -10TH, +3SR, +2HER Radiant Gauntlets 10%, +15TH Sandals 2% Boots 4% Heavy Boots 6% Blessed Boots 8% Radiant Boots 14% Nimble Sandals 2%, +1 Dex Samaritan Sandals 2%, +1 PS Quicksilver Sandals 2%, +1 AP, -2 Str Swamp Boots 4%, +5AR, +5PR Grounded Boots 4%, +5ER Clover Boots 4%, +3 Luck Viperskin Boots 6%, +10PR Spectral Boots 8%, +5CR, +1 Def Stabiltiy Boots 8%, +20SR, +1 Dex Gazerskin Sandals 16%, +10HER, +10SR Poor Leather Helmet 1% Leather Helmet 2% Tin Helmet 3%, -5TH Fine Leather Helmet 3% Iron Helmet 4%, -5TH Steel Helmet 5%, -5TH Wyrmskin Helmet 5% Blessed Helmet 7%, -5TH Cap of Thoughts 3%, +1 Mgr, +1 MEf Cap of Farsight 3%, +1 Bow, +1 SS Serpentskin Helmet 5%, +10PR, +5AR Ice Hydra Helmet 5%, +10SR, +5CR Helm of Khar 7%, +1 Anat, +1 Gym Warmaster Helm 7%, +25SR, 25 Ftg Rmv, +2 levels damage Basher's Helm 7%, -5TH, +1 Blm, +8SR Helm of Klin 9%, +1 Par, +1 Blm Runed Helm 10%, +1 Mgr Jewelry Shield Ring 4%, +5SR Armor Ring 6%, +8SR Blessed Armor Band 8%, +10SR, +4HER Shining Silver Band +7CR Warmth Ring 2%, +15CR Chilling Band 2%, +15FR Static Band 2%, +15ER Mica Band 2%, +15PR, +15AR Ivory Band 2%, +15MR Magestone Band 1%, +1 MEf Incantor's Ring 6%, +8SR, +1 MS, +1 Mgr Archer's Band +1 SS Farsight Ring +3 SS Shadow Band +1 Par, +1 Gym, +1 Def Shining Golden Band 1%, +7ER Explorer's Ring +2 NL, +3 FA, +2 Lck Avenger's Ring 6%, +8SR, +2 Anat, +2 LB, +2 Dmg lvl Pearlescent Band 4%, +5SR, +2 PW, +1 SS Leaden Band 8%, -10TH, +15SR, +4HER Blessed Bauble 2% Woven Silver Chain +1HER Woven Golden Chain 1%, +2SR Nimble Chain +1 Gym Tribal Symbol 2%, +1 Luck, +1 Hard Stability Bauble +10SR Crystal Symbol 1%, +1 MEf Ruby Necklace 2%, +5FR, +10ER Clarity Talisman 4%, +1 MS, +1 Hard Temperate Necklace 2%, +10FR, +10CR Ruby Chain 3%, +18FR Opal Chain 3%, +18CR Mica-Flecked Chain 3%, +18ER Runed Jade Necklace 2%, +10PR, +10AR Jade Chain 3%, +25PR, +25AR Talisman of Might +4 Str Hero's Necklace 6%, +1 MW, +1 BM, +1 LB -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crafting Guide: You can make the following weapons, armor, potions, and wands by meeting the right people and giving them the right stuff. I tend to avoid paying cash for an item, unless it's an end-game item (e.g., the items the last four crafters will make for you). You can usually find nearly equivalent equipment nearby, though these help fill out your collection. As far as potions are concerned, I tend to hoard all energetic herbs and mandrake, as these are the least abundant herbs. Healing herbs, spiritual herbs, and graymold are a bit more common, but don't burn them off too fast. Fortunado (09): Healing Potion = 2 Healing Herbs Curing Potion = 1 Healing Herb Speed Potion = 1 Healing Herb, 1 Spiritual Herb, 1 Energetic Herb Energy Potion = 1 Healing Herb, 1 Spiritual Herb, 1 Energetic Herb Galena (27): Fine Leather Helmet = 1 Fine Leather Leather Vambraces = 1 Fine Leather, 30c Blessed Boots = 2 Fine Leather, 1 Focusing Crystal, 50c Girdle of Strength = 2 Fine Leather, 1 Focusing Crystal, 200c Mercuric Leather = 4 Fine Leather, 2 Focusing Crystals, 500c Gorp (44) Blessed Short Sword = 1 Fine Steel, 1 Focusing Crystal, 200c Blessed Shield = 2 Fine Steel, 1 Focusing Crystal, 300c Blessed Spear = 3 Fine Steel, 1 Focusing Crystal, 600c Blessed Vambraces = 3 Fine Steel, 2 Focusing Crystals, 700c Blessed Breastplate = 4 Fine Steel, 2 Focusing Crystals, 800c Haskell (44) Healing Elixir = 1 Graymold, 1 Healing Herb Curing Elixir = 1 Graymold, 1 Healing Herb Energy Elixir = 1 Graymold, 1 Healing Herb, 1 Energetic Herb Armor Elixir = 1 Graymold, 1 Spiritual Herb, 1 Energetic Herb Smith Mandivian (55): Blessed Bracers = 1 Fine Steel, 1 Focusing Crystal Blessed Gauntlets = 1 Fine Steel, 1 Focusing Crystal Blessed Helmet = 3 Fine Steel, 1 Focusing Crystal Blessed Broadsword = 4 Fine Steel, 1 Focusing Crystal Shayla (59): Drakeskin Bracers = 2 Fine Leather, 1 Focusing Crystal, 200c Ice Hydra Helm = 3 Fine Leather, 2 Focusing Crystal, 200c Drakeskin Cloak = 3 Fine Leather, 2 Focusing Crystal, 200c Sportz (68): Fiery Wand = 1 Stick, 1 Focusing Crystal, 1 Emerald, 1 Energetic Herb Disruption Wand = 1 Stick, 1 Focusing Crystal, 1 Emerald, 1 Energetic Herb Terror Wand = 1 Stick, 1 Focusing Crystal, 1 Ruby, 1 Graymold Sparkling Wand = 1 Stick, 1 Focusing Crystal, 1 Ruby, 1 Mandrake Brendan (68): Augmenting Potion = 1 Chitrach Claw, 1 Graymold Armor Elixir = 1 Healing Herb, 1 Spiritual Herb, 1 Energetic Herb, 1 Beautiful Crystal Endereba (82) Blessed Broadsword = 3 Fine Steel, 2 Focusing Crystals Blessed Halberd = 4 Fine Steel, 1 Mandrake, 3 Focusing Crystals Mercuric Plate = 5 Fine Steel, 1 Mandrake Tincture, 1 Demon's Bile, 4 Focusing Crystals Runed Vambraces = 3 Fine Steel, 1 Mandrake Tincture, 4 Focusing Crystals Brennan (90): Suede Gloves = 4 Fine Leather, 1 Mandrake Tincture, 2 Focusing Crystals, 300c Wisdom Crystal = 1 Energetic Herb, 1 Mandrake, 1 Focusing Crystal, 300c Talisman of Might = 1 Gold Necklace, 1 Demon's Bile, 4 Focusing Crystals, 1 Eyestalk, 300c Warmaster Helm = 5 Fine Steel, 1 Mandrake Tincture, 1 Demon's Bile, 4 Focusing Crystals, 300c Armor Ring = 1 Platinum Ring, 1 Mandrake, 2 Focusing Crystals, 300c Chash-Ah (90): Healing Elixir = 1 Healing Herb, 1 Graymold Curing Elixir = 1 Healing Herb, 1 Graymold Speed Elixir = 1 Spiritual Herb, 1 Energetic Herb, 1 Graymold Energy Elixir = 1 Spiritual Herb, 1 Energetic Herb, 1 Graymold Invulnerabilty Potion = 1 Healing Herb, 1 Spiritual Herb, 1 Energetic Herb, 1 Mandrake Knowledge Brew = 1 of All Herbs Darkstalker Helft (B8): Putrified Gauntlets Blasted Vambraces = 4 Fine Steel, Demon's Bile, 4 Focusing Crystals, 500c Heartstriker Bow Blessed Armor Band = 2 Fine Steel, Mandrake Tincture, 4 Focusing Crystals, 500c Wand of the Inferno Rod of Alacrity -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 7. Skill and Spell Trainers -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- Spell Trainers I recommend only buying a spell if you haven't found it yet. Don't bother buying points in spells you already have, at least beyond the first six or so. The bonus isn't worth the cost. Use your money on skill trainers instead. If, at the end of the game you have maxed out your skills sufficiently, go back and buy a few points from people. Magic Spells: Incantrix Intisar (Slightly Expensive) *Level based Bolt of Fire Spray Acid Call Beast Daze Haste Slow *Icy Rain *Unlock Doors *Augmentation *Minor Summon Lark (Expensive) Bolt of Fire Spray Acid Call Beast Daze Haste Slow Icy Rain Unlock Doors Shanker (Pretty Average) Bolt of Fire Spray Acid Call Beast Daze Haste Slow Icy Rain Unlock Doors Augmentation Minor Summon Lightning Spray Terror Tiacoura (Expensive) Bolt of Fire Spray Acid Call Beast Daze Haste Slow Icy Rain Unlock Doors Augmentation Minor Summon Lightning Spray Terror Prismatic Shield Summon Aid Incantor Temple (Slightly Expensive) Bolt of Fire Spray Acid Call Beast Daze Haste Slow Icy Rain Unlock Doors Augmentation Minor Summon Lightning Spray Terror Prismatic Shield Summon Aid Strong Daze Shafrir (Expensive) Bolt of Fire Spray Acid Call Beast Daze Haste Slow Icy Rain Unlock Doors Augmentation Minor Summon Lightning Spray Terror Prismatic Shield Summon Aid Strong Daze Fireblast Clodeca (Slightly Expensive) Bolt of Fire Spray Acid Call Beast Daze Haste Slow Icy Rain Unlock Doors Augmentation Minor Summon Lightning Spray Terror Prismatic Shield Summon Aid Strong Daze Fireblast Arcane Summon Epiron-Bok (Very Reasonable) Dispel Barrier Priest Spells: Incantrix Intisar (Slightly Expensive) *Level based Minor Heal Curing War Blessing Protection Repel Spirit Smite *Summon Shade *Enduring Shield *Unshackle Mind *Heal Minister Pilhofer (Exorbitant) Minor Heal Curing War Blessing Protection Repel Spirit Smite Summon Shade Enduring Shield Mother Kriss (Pretty Average) Minor Heal Curing War Blessing Protection Repel Spirit Smite Summon Shade Enduring Shield Unshackle Mind Heal Mass Healing Mass Curing Seeker Meena (Expensive) Minor Heal Curing War Blessing Protection Repel Spirit Smite Summon Shade Enduring Shield Unshackle Mind Heal Mass Healing Mass Curing Steel Skin Divine Fire Priestess Bela (Expensive) Minor Heal Curing War Blessing Protection Repel Spirit Smite Summon Shade Enduring Shield Unshackle Mind Heal Mass Healing Mass Curing Steel Skin Divine Fire Control Foe Enduring Armor Clodeca (Expensive) Minor Heal Curing War Blessing Protection Repel Spirit Smite Summon Shade Enduring Shield Unshackle Mind Heal Mass Healing Mass Curing Steel Skin Divine Fire Control Foe Enduring Armor Return Life Epiron-Bok (Very Reasonable) Divine Restoration Skill trainers Cost/skill point General strategy with trainers: Although it's hard to place a value on skill points, I'd say don't pay more than 400c per skill point. The average knowledge brew/wisdom crystal runs about 600-800c, which means that the skill points won are each about 300-400c. For freebie skills (skills that only cost 1 point like the lore skills, hardiness, and first aid) definitely just go ahead and invest in them ASAP. You can pretty much do so in one or two level ups. Money is fairly scarce through the majority of the game, and you will rarely be able to max/min your game to grab lots of skill points from trainers. Shanker (19- Pretty Average) Arcane Lore 500/550/300 ? Spellcraft 333/367/300 Magery 250/275/240 Magical Efficiency Mother Kriss (38- Pretty Average) Nature Lore 500/550/300 First Aid 500/550/300 Hardiness 900/990/540 Foramon (44- Slightly Expensive) Magery 1200 Resistance 300/330/288 Magical Efficiency 1440 Captain Dixon (62- Expensive) Melee Weapons 315/346/302 Pole Weapons 315/346/302 Bows 570/627/456 Thrown Missiles 420/462/336 Priestess Bela (82- Expensive) Nature Lore First Aid Luck 210/231/202 Lethal Blow Anatomy Pasquale (90- Very Reasonable) Anatomy Gymnastics Pathfinder Oramorra (95- Expensive) Bows 560/616/448 Sharpshooter 245/270/235 Epiron-bok (A5- Very Reasonable) Arcane Lore Luck 120/132/115 Magical Efficiency 240/264/230 Lethal Blow 240/264/230 Thalon Ten-Eyes (C6- Expensive) Mage Spells 350/385/360 Priest Spells 420/462/420 Arcane Lore Spellcraft Magical Efficiency Dervish Tholmen (Darkside Loyalists only- Extrememly Cheap): Melee weapons Pole weapons Bows Thrown missiles Hardiness Defense Quick Action Quick Strike Parry Blademaster Anatomy Gymnastics Lethal Blow Riposte There are also a lot of skills available as quest rewards, in books etc, which go to the whole party and don't count against the training limit: This help was originally taken from a post from Khoth (thanks!) on the spiderweb message boards. Lark: +1 Spellcraft +1 Quick Action +1 Magical Efficiency. +1 Parry +1 Resistance +1 Riposte +1 Magery +1 Str/Dex/Int Gladwell: +1 Str/Dex/Int/End (Lost if de-geased). Khora-Vysss: +1 Thrown Sentinel Lab: +1 Magical Efficiency, +1 Magery Upper Khora-Vysss: +1 Pole Kherebass: +1 Melee Gremlins: +2 Luck Melanchion: Melanchion's Desire quest Turn in one item - +1 Resistance Turn in second item - +1 Strength Turn in last item - +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 8. General Strategy -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- Party Setup: There are about four general character types- Melee fighters, archers, mages, and priests. In general, characters can do two jobs well, or one job very well. At the beginning of the game your melee fighters will do the most damage consistently, by the end, your mages (and occasionally priests) will be doing the most. Archers will consistently do as much or a bit more damage than meleers at the last part of the game, due to the high parry and riposte skills of your foes. I would recommend having a melee fighter (probably slith) as your main meat shield. Have an archer (probably a nephilim with some magic skills) as support, give him a few points in melee weapons to increase battle discipline availability. Then have an archer priest (probably a nephilim) as your main buffer with some physical damage competence. Finally have your devoted mage (human is OK, but so is any other race to get some battle disciplines) stand back and fire away. Pole weapon users (especially sliths) almost always do more damage than melee weapon users, so they are probably the best meat shields out there. Two meat shields gets a bit redundant by the mid-late game, though they can carry the beginning quite well. Traits to take- for meleer, go for elite warrior. For your archer, either go for a nephilim or go for deadeye (or both!). For your priest, go for pure spirit For your mage, go for natural mage Add "nimble fingers" to at least one character, and increase tool use to 8 or so. Maybe add strong will to your priest, and divinely touched to everyone else (or fast on feet). -------------------------------------------------------------------------- General strategy against normal foes (first 60-80% of the game): Cast enduring shield or steel skin and augmentation on nearly everyone in your party as you enter an unexplored area with monsters. Your archer often attacks first, especially if they are a nephilim. Hit your foe with a shield breaker bow attack. Then hit your foe with well-aimed blows or mighty blows, and firebolt, and icy rain (and later, lightning spray). Repeat till dead. End combat, and continue to explore. General strategy against bosses (first 60-80% of the game): Cast enduring shield or steel skin and augmentation on nearly everyone in your party as you enter an unexplored area with monsters. Add haste, war blessing, protection, and prismatic shield. For very tough fights, use an assault crystal for the regeneration bonus. Your archer often attacks first, especially if they are a nephilim. Hit your foe with a shield breaker bow attack. Then hit your foe with leg-sweep, well-aimed blows or mighty blows, and slow, firebolt, and icy rain (and later, lightning spray). Repeat till dead. Heal as necessary. End combat, and loot away. General strategy against normal foes (last 20-40% of the game): Cast enduring armor and augmentation on everyone in your party as you enter an unexplored area with monsters. Your archer still attacks first, especially if they are a nephilim. Hit your foe with a shield breaker bow attack. Charge your meleers with battle frenzy, and move in for the kill. Use lightning spray, fireblast, and smite. Repeat till dead. End combat, and continue to explore. General strategy against bosses (last 20-40% of the game): Cast enduring armor and augmentation on everyone in your party as you enter an unexplored area with monsters. Cast haste, war blessing, protection, prismatic shield, arcane shield, and divine restoration. Your archer still attacks first, especially if they are a nephilim. Hit your foe with a shield breaker bow attack, or if they have it available, go into battle frenzy and attack. Load your meleers with jinxing weaponry, charge them with battle frenzy, and move in for putting on the pain. Switch back to high-damage weaponry after a few hits. Use lightning spray, fireblast, arcane blast, and smite. Repeat till dead. Loot. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- General money strategy Buy all wisdom crystals and knowledge brews. Buy all Mandrake. Only buy skills that are less than 400 gold per skill, and then, only if you need it. Compare prices on the list above. Only buy spells if you haven't found a book yet, even then look around a bit. Never buy more than one point in a spell. Pick up anything worth money and sell it. Don't bother buying moderately- appealing items, only buy the best items, or items from crafters. Sell mined crystals to Fuller, and then to the vahnatai. -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- 9. Munchkin Guide -/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\- Note- I've not actually tried to do all of these. The ones with * are untested. Demo Region: Let Dirty Dan go. Kill Dirty Darius and Desiree. Let Hirickis go. Get the Giant to agree to Dionicio's terms, then return and kill it. Tell Mother Alice about the land first, then Goodman Wulf. Northern Isles Don't tattle on Shanker Kill Fae Kill Ronaldo Kill Nephilim guarding rapids Kill Nephilim guarding crystal field Take Gladwell's Geas Drake Pillars Kill all the lieutenants (even the ones that try to run) Train as desired with Mother Kriss Give 40 crystals to Fuller, then steal his crystals Kill Anemona Purge Harkins Landing Tranquility Steal Solberg's Papers Anama Lands Steal Anama Papers Highground + Muck + Vahnatai Lands Steal the Perfect Crystal Spiral Agree to help Highground and the Vahnatai, then deal with the queen Get your rewards Kill the Queen Get your reward from Muck *Destroy Epriron-Bok Give Gladwell the Drake skin and Crystal Soul Bits- claim two major rewards Try to get Geas Removed (minor spells in nearby spell book) Kill Gladwell Let Shafrir copy the Anama Scrolls Dark River Give Melanchion Solberg's Papers, the Anama Scrolls, and the Perfect Crystal Get tribute from all four locals Get reward from Melanchion Kill 2-3 of the tribute-giving locals *Kill Melanchion- give Solberg the Egg Cheat: To keep the Fang Clan ceremonial items, put them all on a sacrificial character. Let the sacrificial character die before leaving the testing area. Beat the testing area and leave it. Restore sacrificial character. Never drop the items, and never enter (30) again