Brand New to Gothic. Questions on Class/Character Build for Gothic 1
 

I just bought Gothic Universe that contains all three versions plus the expansion pack to G2. I will soon install Gothic 1.

I am not a stranger to RPGs: BG1 & 2, NOX, Divine Divinity, Neverwinter Nights 1, Morrowind, etc., but I really don't much about Gothic other than a few things I have read. Gothic Universe doesn't come with any manuals other than what I assume what is included on the disks.

All of the above allowed the possibility of multi-classing or character builds that allowed mixture of several class skills on the game mechanics.

In Gothic, is your hero basically limited to one class? For example, I don't like playing a straight mage, but I really like serious magic being able to supplement my fighter. And if I am a fighter I also like to use ranged weapons.

So my questions are as follows:

1. If I choose to go fighter is it possible to have magic skills and range skills or will I be spreading too thin?

2. In your opinion, what makes for a wise hero build?

Thanks!

First things first: In Gothic you don't make the choice from start on. You have a predefined loser and you chose your own way. You can play it as a mage, but that path is only later on available. Everyone has to start out as just a normal dude with a stupid sword. I like that idea, others don't.

1. As a fighter you can always use the spell scrolls, but not the runes. Runes do the same kind of magic, but you will keep them after you use them.

2. The path that I liked to follow is that of the old camp both as guard and as mage. The reason is that with this path you will see that almost all the armour becomes available to you. But you should chose the camp you feel is right for you. (I'm someone who tries to do every little quest in every camp before I have to chose.)

I would also say stay flexible for as long as possible. At some point in the game you have to commit - and then stay focused on that path.
Invest the first couple of skill points in things useful for combat. Even a mage needs to servive until he finds good spells.

Download JemyM´s FAQ as a replacement for the manual. Choose the alternative controls if you are right-handed. That´s a permutation of a normal shooter setup (ASDW + [CTRL or LMB]). Learning the controls takes ca. 3*5 minutes if you can find a clear explanation. Unfortunately most reviewers didn´t even try to understand them. So don´t worry about the controls. They´re fast and effective when you´ve understood them. Especially the combat becomes second nature later on, when your character learned how to correctly use a sword.
Some people think a gamepad is the best input device.
Gothic is traditionally pretty hard in the first few hours, so don´t worry if you get killed often. It´s non-linear, you can - and should - run away if you think you cannot win. One or two levels later things might look different. A little bit more Str, a better armour, a new sword and suddenly you are much more effective.

1. Save, Save often !!!
2. Play for a few hours, just to get a feel for the game, controls, use of scrolls, herbs, weapons, start over if you like or continue.
3. JemyM's FAQ is really good… There's a few things missing there, I think, but 99% of the game is there.
4. The first chapter is massive, so even if you made a choice (choosing to be a shadow, novice, …), save before you go to the guy, so you don't have to go through all of chapter one again and again for replays. (For me the First chapter constitutes for about half of the game, so…)
5. Also, like they said above. Gothic isn't a game where you go from one place to the other and it gradually gets more difficult. You can find people, animals and monsters which can kill you in a heartbeat so again, be sure to save often. Just remember the places you can go to and don't approach the big monsters wo can rip you to shreds before you're ready for them …

That's my two cents for now…

So if I am understandiing correctly what all of you told me then I need to carefully explore, run tasks/fulfill quests, and gain points (without getting killed too often in the process) before committing. Right?

And then once I commit to stay on the path. If I stray are there warnings?

Will the story line dictate when it is demanded of me to commit?

Thanks again to all of you who answered. It is clearer now.

Getting ready to play Gothic for the first time?

I truly envy you right now……

Yes, it will, but you will have seen quite a lot of the game by then.

Getting killed is only a problem if you don´t have a collection of save games. ;)
You can play more straight forward, but it´s easier if you move on slower, slay a few minor creatures here and there to gain a level and also do quests for the other camps.
Sometimes you have to make quest related decisions during a dialog. Don´t expect to get a second chance to accept an offer. Choices have consequences.

Don´t worry about that.

Oh man, the first time exploring the world of Gothic! One of my best game experiences! Felt so great to notice all the little details around the Old Camp for the first time, people talking, making food, playing music, washing their face in the morning, etc.

Anyhow, I wouldn't worry too much about "class" in Gothic. You'll get plenty of skillpoints to make a powerful character, unless you completely waste them all on nothing.

Wow! It's pretty nice and surprising in a way to see that even now people start to play Gotic! I will never forget this game as it has marked my gaming experience! As for advice… well I can tell you this, never rush things! Take them slow and you will reap the benefits later on! Pay attention to everything! Get anything you see on the ground as there is no weight limit. The other things have already been said!

I wish you luck! Have fun!

P.S. Tell us when you finish the game and your impressions on it

I have to agree with JDR13:
I envy you being able to play Gothic for the first time. I can still remember the intro movie, made me laugh and want to beat up the guy asap :)

Okay, I installed the game and I am presently taking my time going around the outer ring of the Old Camp engaging various members. The only bug that kicked me back to my desktop so far was when I entered through the gate and I got too close to the guard near the winch. I remember in JemyM's FAQ stating these winchs are known to be buggy. So I reloaded and got as far from that guard as possible. So far so good.

By the way, my game version is 1.08j So does anyone know if this is tha latest of G1 versions?

I have to admit: I don't like the game controls one bit. I am sure I will eventually get used to them but I find they significantly take away from the game play.

A question:
I found one lock pick and even early in the game I have been able to get into a few huts with no one looking. I attempt to equip the lock pick in order to open a few chests but no can do. What am I doing wrong? Do I need Fingers to teach me first?

Thanks!

There are chests where you can use a lock pick. Be sure to make a savegame before the process !

You'll learn when you've reached an thus unlockable chest, I guess.

And try to stay out of creatures early in the game.

For starters, I think it's a good idea to forge your own sword.

But you don't need to, because you can find old, rusty swords very, very early on the first path. You just need to look around.


Save often !

The controls are very weird at first. I completely agree, but once you get used to them you won't want to change :)

you have to use the left and right with the lockpick and you will hear a sound if you are doing it wright. after a couple of lefts and rights the lock will be picked.
Be sure to save before you try because the lockpick may break

Okay, thanks for this. I see my mistake. I was doing the left mouse control + the Up key trying to "use" the lockpick. There is absolutely nothing in the Readme that tells one how to do this correctly. I will still need to equip said lockpick, correct?

Thanks again.

By the way, Alrik, I did find that sword and it wasn't until I got into camp that I discovered it causes considerable more damage than a pic ax.

And, yes, I certainly am saving often. :)

No, it should be enough to have at least one lockpick in the inventory. Then simply use the crate. PC_Hero should kneel in front of it and wait for left-right input.
The lockpicking skill enhances the chance that a lockpick will survive a wrong move. So strictly speaking it´s not necessary to invest skill points here.
The gothic.ini includes an option to scramble the locks after each reload, if you prefer it that way.

Close to the starting position was a teleport rune to be found, I think. You could also climb up a hill an collect some loot.

Quicksave can be activated in the gothic.ini, AFAIR. Use at your own risk and avoid doing it during interaction of any kind. Don´t forget to make a regular save as backup every 30 minutes or so.

1.08k should be the latest. I uploaded it to our server some time ago, together with the fps-patch to unlock the frame rate. An unofficial texture pack can also be found somewhere. The search function should reveal how to install this stuff.

This impression will change. Just remember that "Action key + forward" does almost everything. The combat will get more attractive when your character knows more sophisticated tactics.

A little hint: You can find two people in the ring who offer to escort you to the other camps. Acccept their offer immediately. They´ll wait until you are ready. Follow them and stay 10m behind. They´ll clean the roads for you and you´ll get the xp.

That was in Gothic2 when you re-entered the colony. But you can still collect the loot over there. I believe it was a young molerat waiting for you there. When you go back over the bridge and jump up you can kill some more of those creatures. (good for xp)

To me, not at all.

Maybe that's because I was used to playing Commander Keen a lot. ;)
And similar games. ;)

The only criticism I really had was that the trading screen did not *automatically* equal both sides, so to say.

I was a strategy player before Gothic, the only other RPG I had played was DII, so using the keyboard felt awkward except for shortcuts…