Random mid-game questions

Saw that - but it's not for elves.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
Thanks for all the replies. I have no idea if Tallon is mid-game -- I just guessed.

No, I didn't forget to put points in spells - but I did forget to include that in the math. So, 10 points in Strength does have some effect - thanks. The "badger" bit wasn't meant to be literal; she actually summons a boar at the moment but it doesn't last long. This is why spell documentation would be good - I can't tell what spending more points actually gets me some of the time.

Cheers!

It's really all in the 'right click' text. Right click on any spell and it will tell you exactly what it does, how long it lasts, how many SPs it costs, etc.

Originally Posted by elkston
With regards to equipment, I was kinda dissapointed that there were no better non-magical arrows you could craft other than War Arrows (DP +1). I *did* find a single 20-quiver lot of armor piercing arrows (DP +2) as an enemy drop, but I never found a recipe available to craft more of them.

There are many more arrows you can craft, you just haven't found the recipes for them. Poison arrows, flame arrows, armor piercing (or something like that), plus the super-powerful but very limited 'harpy' arrows (don't remember the exact name, but you need harpy feathers for them)

Originally Posted by Grandor Dragon
Praios is the God for honesty, Rondra is honour.

Okay, maybe I'm not that good in English language.

Originally Posted by wolfing
There are many more arrows you can craft, you just haven't found the recipes for them. Poison arrows, flame arrows, armor piercing (or something like that), plus the super-powerful but very limited 'harpy' arrows (don't remember the exact name, but you need harpy feathers for them)

The "harpy arrows" are the arrows modelled after Tenobaal Totenamsel (in English roughly: "Tenobaal Deadblackbird") made them, hence their name: Tenobaal Arrows. He was a legendary master archer - or still is, I don't know. He is or was an elf.

I just wanted to add that there are several different bows to craft also, with different power.

Originally Posted by wolfing
It's really all in the 'right click' text. Right click on any spell and it will tell you exactly what it does, how long it lasts, how many SPs it costs, etc.

Not really. I can't see where it says what sort of animal you'll get with A Helpful Paw (or whatever its called) and how powerful they are.

Originally Posted by wolfing
It's really all in the 'right click' text. Right click on any spell and it will tell you exactly what it does, how long it lasts, how many SPs it costs, etc.


There are many more arrows you can craft, you just haven't found the recipes for them. Poison arrows, flame arrows, armor piercing (or something like that), plus the super-powerful but very limited 'harpy' arrows (don't remember the exact name, but you need harpy feathers for them)

Let me clarify some of my concerns.

I did indeed find and use the recipes for making Poision, Flame, and "Harpy" arrows. However, I don't consider these to be normal "walk around" arrows because they require at least one rare ingredient (leather strips), and thus their limited output dictates a more conservative use.

What I was hoping for was at least one more type of bulk arrow above the War Arrow. Like I said, I found 20 armor piercing arrows (+2 DP) as a drop, but never found the recipe for them.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, in D&D terms, is that I was looking for some +2 or better arrows that I could obtain in bulk.

That being said, it does seem that this RPG system centers ranged damage around the bow type more than the ammunition type; and indeed, there were a variety of bow types you could craft.

Originally Posted by Gorath
A fireball should become available in or after Tallon. I don't know if elves can use it though.

The only attack spell I remember they can use is thunderbolt. But a spellweaver has other strength, later in the game the summon is the best, it's a nice combination to mix some spells with bow attack. And spells that can be useful aren't only for healing and damaging, weaken an opponent can be quite efficient too.

But overall pure human mages have much more powerful spell tools.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
Not really. I can't see where it says what sort of animal you'll get with A Helpful Paw (or whatever its called) and how powerful they are.

Yes but quote you don't need train more the spell than you character level, above it's waste.

I agree that a more detailed information about summons like in NWN2 would be cool.

A Helpful Paw summon are:
Level 1-2: Wolf Rat
Level 3-4: Wolf
Level 5-6: Black Wolf
Level 7-8: Boar
Level 9-10: Wild Boar (at this point the summon began quite powerful but still not as much than the skeletons but quite close depending of the opponents)
Level 11-12: Bear
Level 13-14: Black Bear (that's when it becomes the most powerful summon)
Level 14-17: Spirit Bear (quite strong then but will require some healing support for the best efficiency, quite stronger than any other summons I tried)

Originally Posted by vanedor
But generally, I feel there is a lack of variety in term of weapons and armors. Especially when you compare with a game like Baldur's Gate.

Baldur's gate is close to an abuse of magical stuff, there's so many that they become the standard stuff. For me this sort of abuse reduce the fun to find a rare magical stuff.

Originally Posted by Dasale
Baldur's gate is close to an abuse of magical stuff, there's so many that they become the standard stuff. For me this sort of abuse reduce the fun to find a rare magical stuff.

I agree, but that's a problem with most AAA RPGs (most games made from Diablo are even worse offenders). They think more magic items is better, but in my case, I prefer less. BG is based on AD&D, but from all the AD&D games I remember, we never had so many items. I guess the DM in Baldur's Gate was a "Monty Haul" type

Well a point is that a stream of new items help support the gameplay of CRPG. P&P don't need such tricks. But even if a little fake you could throw a slow stream of new non magical stuff and only rare more special magic stuff. With D&D strict rules the set of non magical weapons or armors is limited and with no surprise but with a more free license it's more easy to do.

When the stream is constant like a harassment in Diablo, I just hate it and give up look at each new stuff if it worth use it or not.

EDIT: I should add that BG1 manages this stream quite well by using two sort of magical stuff, those more common with a +x and those with more special abilities and always a little story about the item.

Originally Posted by Dasale
I should add that BG1 manages this stream quite well by using two sort of magical stuff, those more common with a +x and those with more special abilities and always a little story about the item.

Hmm, yes. Who didn't kill Drizzt for his equipment ?

Originally Posted by Turjan
Hmm, yes. Who didn't kill Drizzt for his equipment ?

Me, I wonder why I look few pixels for more than there are… Well it's not pixels, but symbols, more important than real stuff in fact.

On BG2, you start the game fairly high level with a wide array of magic items which is pretty consistent with what you should have at such level with the DnD rules, imo.

I don't know, I just not like being stuck with no choice of equipment, no matter how filthy rich (or filthy poor) my character becomes. It seems to be an important part in customizing your character.

But I agree, NWN2 has certainly too much of it with the first village inn you encounter having a ridiculous amount of weaponry.

Originally Posted by wolfing
I agree, but that's a problem with most AAA RPGs (most games made from Diablo are even worse offenders). They think more magic items is better, but in my case, I prefer less.

I liked this about "The Witcher". You had your sword, could customize it somewhat, and there was one other armor available at some point. I hate wading through heaps of junk. That lets me feel as if the game were some warehouse manager simulation. A few nice items are fine, but I guess my disdain for Diablo-style games comes mostly from this flood of items, which seems to be a draw for many players.

Originally Posted by Dasale
Me, I wonder why I look few pixels for more than there are… Well it's not pixels, but symbols, more important than real stuff in fact.

I thought this way on the first playthrough. When I noticed that you will meet him again in BG2, no matter what you did - and he remembered what you did - I noticed that this decision is unimportant. That map is specifically laid out as Drizzt trap. And really, what kind of intelligent hero can that be, jumping up and down at a lake shore, waving his scimitars in the air, while he is turning into a porcupine.

Originally Posted by Turjan
A few nice items are fine, but I guess my disdain for Diablo-style games comes mostly from this flood of items, which seems to be a draw for many players.

Between Diablo and The Witcher there's more than a giant step, biased comparison if you ask me.

I also dislike the items onslaught in Diablo but a few more items won't hurt in The Witcher and I agree that it's quite weird that you cannot compare new special swords you get.

Originally Posted by Turjan
I thought this way on the first playthrough. When I noticed that you will meet him again in BG2, no matter what you did - and he remembered what you did - I noticed that this decision is unimportant. That map is specifically laid out as Drizzt trap. And really, what kind of intelligent hero can that be, jumping up and down at a lake shore, waving his scimitars in the air, while he is turning into a porcupine.

Aren't you jealous to not be able to do the same? That's the difference between heroes and normal guys, heroes does incredible things, like fantastic acrobatic and strange resurrection.

I'd definitely prefer more equipment. I don't want piles of ph4t l3wt but with half the spells and skills only available at Tallon and very little equipment, I've been using the same gear, same spells and mostly the same skills for a loooooong time. Not very exciting.

Originally Posted by Dasale
Aren't you jealous to not be able to do the same? That's the difference between heroes and normal guys, heroes does incredible things, like fantastic acrobatic and strange resurrection.

No, I'm not. The stupid AI Drizzt had in that game didn't make him look all that enviable.

Originally Posted by Dhruin
I'd definitely prefer more equipment. I don't want piles of ph4t l3wt but with half the spells and skills only available at Tallon and very little equipment, I've been using the same gear, same spells and mostly the same skills for a loooooong time. Not very exciting.

:shrug: I'm okay with that, as I usually don't like to change stuff more than twice. On the other hand, I was a bit miffed that some normal gear was rare, like leather stuff with armor 2. The game contained only one single leather cap with armor 2, and one or two studded greaves.