Wiz8 n00b33

Shade81

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I recently got a secondhand copy of Wizardry 8, and was looking around for some help files on the game, ended up here. I don't have any of the documentation that should have come with the game, just the disks. Anyone have any advice for a starter party? Any links to any help files with helpful information that should have come with the disks? Any information I should know before I dive into the game? Any help and advice would be great.
 
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We have a resident Wiz8 guru who I'm sure will chime in, but this is my favorite Wiz8 site. it has maps, which are extremely helpful, and all the quests with or without spoilers as well as a great section on character development.

Flamestryke's Wizardry 8
 
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For a first-timer, I recommend the following formula for building a party:
1- Ranger: auto search is too valuable to miss
2- offensive caster (mage, psi, alchy, bishop): I'd go with the mage for simplicity and power
3- defensive caster (priest, bishop): Priests can actually get fairly strong in melee and will get access to magic screen much sooner, so I'd go with that over a bishop
4- locks-n-traps (rogue, bard, gadgy): since pickpocket was nerfed, rogues aren't as valuable; gadgys are cool and total beasts by the end game but pretty weak until then; bards are fun and very helpful early but run out of gas a bit in the end game--I'd favor a bard for a first-timer
5&6- tanks (fighter, valk, sammy, monk, ninja, lord): I would avoid the last 2 for a first-timer since they're tricky to develop. I think monks are awesome, but that's just me.

You'll come across some characters you can hire. Other than a few brief moments with 3 of them, I would discourage recruiting them. You don't need their skills if you build your party properly and they sponge XP. Just say no to RPCs. ;)
 
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Well, you'll miss certain story aspects if you say no to the RPCs the first time around, especially some of them has part of the story, and interessing comments for different situations. I'd suggest allowing some RPCs to join you for your first play through for this reason.
 
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You need to pick up Vi for a bit and it's wise to pick up a certain Umpani and Trang for a bit, but none of the others add anything significant story-wise that I know of. Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed with Vi's additions the time I drug her from start to finish. Rumor has it that Sparkle offers the best "entertaining babble", but she's one of the 2 RPCs that I've never recruited even for a moment (the other being the Trang merchant).

edit- oops, forgot about Glumph. Unfortunately, it's wise to pick him up, too. So make that 4 RPCs for a short time each.
 
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hehe, I like their talking at least, let us not ruin all the characters for him anyway. My favourite is:

That robot which was owned by the dark savant, he offers some interessing stuff.

I stick by my opinion that some RPC are fun to have tagging along anyway, many of them will comment on each location you go to, and also have comments about different things that happens throughout the game.
 
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I mentioned this in some other thread, but my first party (that I'm currently running through the game with) is: Dracon Fighter, Dwarf Valkyrie, Mook Bard, Mook Ranger, Rawulf Priest (water and divine magic realms seem to be the most important) and an Elf Mage (fire, water and air realms seem to be the most important). I'm some ways into the game now, and I'm quite happy with the composition.
 
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Cool, thanks for the tips. I used to play wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, and a little bit of Knight of Diamonds, so learning how the formations especially are different is a little bit of a learning curve. Back then it was fight, fight, fight, parry, parry, parry, and you never wanted a spellcaster in one of the first 3 slots. This looks a lot more fun, though, back then I could literally hold the button down on fight-fight-fight-parry-parry-parry unless it was something that warranted spells cast. BO-RING
 
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I should know the answer to this but I don't. I had been entertaining the thought of replaying Wiz8 for a while, but, you know - I just don't have the patience for it anymore. The combat every 20 feet is just sadistic.

Is there a combination of Wizfast, something to reduce the combat frequency and something else to keep it balanced without all that extra XP that might make it palatable?
 
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@ Dhruin, please don't hijack my post. Make your own.

@ everyone else:

Thanks for the advices, I've got the party I'm starting with set. Dwarf Fighter (str, vit), Human Monk (spd, dex) as my two tanks. Rawulf Ranger (dex, spd), Felpurr Ninja(dex, spd) for locks and traps, and ranged support. Elf mage (int, pty) for offensive caster, mook priest (int, pty) for defensive caster.

What do you think? Look good?
 
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Sure. Just don't forget senses for your ranger (for the expert skill eagle eye), and speed for your casters (better AC and initiative).
 
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@ Dhruin, please don't hijack my post. Make your own.

@ everyone else:

Thanks for the advices, I've got the party I'm starting with set. Dwarf Fighter (str, vit), Human Monk (spd, dex) as my two tanks. Rawulf Ranger (dex, spd), Felpurr Ninja(dex, spd) for locks and traps, and ranged support. Elf mage (int, pty) for offensive caster, mook priest (int, pty) for defensive caster.

What do you think? Look good?
Anything will work. If you're happy, go with it. A few thoughts:
1) Except for lizardman fighters (where it's easy to max out vit quickly), I do str and dex. Hit hard, hit often. Once those are topped out, then I come back for vit and spd.
2) Rangers need senses first and foremost. Go dex and sen.
3) Using a ninja for L&T is interesting. Could be tricky development, but definitely interesting.
4) Int does not affect divine casting at all. One of the beauties of priests is that they only have one "wanna have it" stat. Since I usually develop my priests for melee, I go with str and pie. There are other, equally valid, approaches.
5) Are you sure you didn't reverse the races for your ranger and priest? Anything will work, but what you listed are unusual choices.
 
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I should know the answer to this but I don't. I had been entertaining the thought of replaying Wiz8 for a while, but, you know - I just don't have the patience for it anymore. The combat every 20 feet is just sadistic.

Is there a combination of Wizfast, something to reduce the combat frequency and something else to keep it balanced without all that extra XP that might make it palatable?
I'm not aware of any mods that do that. You might want to consider Monty Python tactics: "Run away!" By watching your radar, you can avoid most battles on the open road (where they're most annoying) if you so desire. Your radar can be augmented with the x-ray spell so you can figure out good scamper plans. I don't like x-ray because the maps where it's most useful (open roads) are also the ones where it really bogs down the map display (which was always a bit slow to load anyway, IMO). Running screaming like a schoolgirl will not screw up the balance much due to the auto-leveller, so put on your frilly panties and high-heeled sneakers and get to playin'! ;)
 
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