A couple of questions regarding arcanum

Hello

Although I've played arcanum a few times already, I want to play it "for real", aka not stopping at level 15-16 because I'm lost or something ...

After a few hours in, I have a couple of things that I don't understand, for some of them I found some kind of answer but i'm still unsure

1 - is there a "battle log" where I can see back what happened ? Sometimes during a bttle it's confusing and I don't see everything and i see like 5 hours later than I've been scared and carried a beauty penalty ...

2 - is beauty "really" usefull, aka does it help getting people agree with what you say/ask, or shoulkd i prefer charism/persuasion

3 - is there a list of weapons and armor sorted by "greatness" ?
3bis - I found an "Elven Hunter's Bow" inside some elvish ruins, it says "magick 10 to hit" ... wtf does that mean ? Why is there no damage or fatigue indicator as to how good it is (like regular weapons) ? When lloking on the web people seem to like this bow, why ?

4 - "magick power available : xx%" am I right to assume (based on what i read) that this is the amount of its magical bonus i will get ? so say it gives +10 FR and magick available at 50% i will get +5 FR ? If yes, how do I make this increase ? higher my magickal alignement ?

5 - How come firearms seems to *always* miss, I have some kind of "nice" rifle to magnus but he misses 9 out of 10 shots ...

6 - acronyms list says that TH = to hit, what does it mean when i have a sword with TH (+ 5) ? I deal regular damages +5 damage everytime i hit (assuming 100% magick available) ?

7 - what is armor class (AC) usefull for ? Armors have two number, damage resistance and armor class (+ whatever other resistance), and i don't kniow which one is more important

8 - is it possible to know why you get a bonus somewhere ? my charism is written in green and i think that's because i've got a bonus, but i've got no clue as to which one ? I guess it's one of the 2 blessings i have, but unless i'm mistaken you can't see what a specific blessing does to you ?

9 - I have 2 things in reputation, are they usefull to anything ?

thanks a lot !

 

I can answer these questions:

Beauty affects the initial reaction of people. So if you have a high beauty the reaction of the NPC's will be better.

It depends how good his Firearms skills is, because if he is not good in that skill, he probably miss more often.

They can give you some bonus or penalty in the reactions of the NPC's. So, if you have a bad reputation in Blackroot, the people there will give negative reactions towards you.

 

Thanks for your answer

 

I believe BE also effects merchant prices.

 

1 - don't know, didn't see anything like this in manual or guide.
2 - beauty of 1 and charisma of 15 is better than other way round in most cases. BE defines the initial reaction, while CH defines the prolonged conversation, with the exception of merchants, as papa_dog said.
3 - I'd suggest the e-guide and some guides at gamefaqs.com which include equip suggestions.
4 - yes, yes and yes, increase your MA. grab a Dark Helm - +20 MA - 10 alignment just to wear in combat.
5 - firearm accuracy depends on skill, training and perception stat. Magnus, unless modded, has minimal skill there (2 of 20, just the dwarven racial bonus), no training and average perception (his skilling is of a tech melee fighter). the game's AI doesn't take that into account. either make sure that the follower in question is skilled at whatever you intend to equip him/her, keep the items yourself, or modify the skill trees.
http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=15359 here is the thread on skill tree modding, courtesy of Rroyo and my banned account.
6 - no, TH is a bonus to the chance of hitting the target, not to damage done. pretty much useless after you master the skill and max DE or PE.
7 - what Arthgon said. note that damage resist caps at 95%, so you take some (minor) damage anyway.
8 - the non-divine blessings have a short description, but as those are rather cryptic, I'd suggest the e-guide. it lists the blessings, some hints on how to get them (and avoid curses) and the effects.
9 - same here as 8. check either gamefaqs.com or e-guide for a list of reputations, how to get / avoid them and their effects. (there are some nasty ones, i.e. earning you kill-on-sight from some factions).

 

Here is the list of the blessings and curses:

Name: Blessing:
Arbalah's Blessing Reaction Adjustment +5
Jewel of Hebe Medallion Beauty +2, Charisma +1
Madame Toussaude's Gypsy Charisma +1
Priestess Brigitte's Blessing Beauty +1
Gypsy Blood Curse (non removable) Charisma -2
The Curse of Stringy Pete (non removable) Constitution -1, Strength -1, Dexterity -1, Beauty -1



Name of the God/dess Curse Effect

Alberich Strength -1
Bolo Pick Pocket -4, Pick Locks -4
Geshtiann Beauty -1
Kerlin Haggle -4, Persuasion -4
Makaal Dexterity -1
Ter'el Perception -1, Bow -4
Torg Constitution -1
Shakar Melee -4, Dodge -4

Name of the God/dess Blessings Effect
Alberich Strength +1
Bolo Pick Pocket +4, Pick Locks +4
Geshtianna Beauty +1
Halcyon For completing the First Circle, that of Goodness: Will Power +2, Perception +2, Heal +4, Spot Trap +4
Kai'tan For completing the Third Circle, that of Neutrality: Persuasion +8, Haggle +4, Bow +4, Charisma +1, Beauty +1
Kerlin Haggle +4, Persuasion +4
Makaal Dexterity +1
Moorindal For completing the Second Circle, that of Evil Backstab +8, Melee +4, Critical Hit Chance +10, Prowling +4
Shakar Melee +4, Dodge +4
Ter'el Perception +1, Bow +4
Torg Constitution +1
Velorien For joining the Three Circles, and offering your life to Velorien: Resist Magick +30, Dexterity +4, Resist Damage +30, Max Hit Points +100, Max Fatigue +100, Melee +12, Pick Pocket +12, Persuasion +12, Firearms +12, Dodge +12

Here you can find all about the reputations:

http://arcanum.rpgplanet.gamespy.com/questinfo/reputations.php

 

How the hell do you get a god-curse? I've never managed it m'self.

 

the 8 lesser gods are divided into 4 opposing pairs AFAIK. making an offer to a god outside of the correct order defined by Mazzerin's Puzzle will make the opposing god curse you. you can remove a curse by making an offer to the curse originator. (don't get cursed by Makaal - heartstone is RARE)

Spoiler

the Gypsy Curse comes from killing Madame Toussaude - offing the other fortune-teller in Tarant is much less of a mess. the Pirate Curse comes AFAIK from disregarding Stringy Pete's quest

 

I thought heart stone was one of the ones that was plentiful in one of the mines? Though I've played in awhile. Also, Soviet, will you please type out AFAIK? I'ven't the faintest idea what that acronym stands for.

 

I had to look this up on the internet (because I didn’t knew what this suppose to mean), but it means As Far As I Know.

 

AFAIK stands for "as far as I know"
nope, the common ones are

Spoiler

Lava Rock (Alberich offering, found in most dwarven locations), geode (Kaitan offering, found in most mines and Gorgoth Pass) and black diamond (Moorindal offering, found in the Bangelian Deeps).

heartstone is AFAIK extremely rare - I've found only 3 pieces during a full game.

Spoiler

keeping in mind that Makaal needs 2 offerings and 1 heartstone is needed in the Iron Clan quest, that's none to spare

offtopic - did anyone break that dwarven strongbox in the Tarant archeological museum open, preferrably without killing half the city guard in process?
EDIT: this is what the scientists dub a lazy 2-finger typer. BTW, I've actually thought the IIRC="if I remember correctly" much less common than AFAIK

 

Thanks all for your answers

A few other things I've been wondering

1 - on some magic weapons it says they have some "powers" (healing, halt poison, etc ...) and a given number of "uses". I haven't bought one yet since I'm a little low on money, but before doing so I would like to know:
1a: how do i uses these powers ? i equip the weapon and the corresponding power will be available as if i had learned it ?
1b: can such a weapon be "reloaded" and if yes how ?
1c: sometimes i see "uses: +" (instead of a number), what does that mean ?

2 - is it possible to see the minimum strenght required by a weapon before buying it ? I just bought some kind of giant sword which had cool stats but then it tells me that i don't have the required minimum strenght when i equip it (which i guess is wrong and means i will fail a lot with it)

4 - is it possible to lockpick without a lockpick and if not where can i buy one ? (i have the magical power for that but sometimes it doesn't work and although virgil has a nice lockpick ability i can't seem to make him use it)

5 - i see that doors and other objects have health points, is it possible to blast through them ? if yes how do i do that ?

6 - i'm still not sure about AC and damage resistance, for exemple say i have an armor with 15 AC and 5 DR and another one with 5 AC and 15 DR, which one should i prefer ? AC helps againt all kind of attack ?

7 - what is "mana: 10" on some weapon ? some fatigue point they will add to my character ?

8 - is it normal that when i have say a dagger of speed (4 speed) with 100 magick power available, i equip it, the "speed" indicator doesn't change and stays at ten ? should'nt it say 14 ? Do i still get the bonus ?

9 - where can i store some of the stuff i have without the risk of losing them ? is it the purpose of all those "inns" all over the place ?

Again, thanks a lot to help me understand this wonderful game (full magickal elf all the way ! )

 

azera, you might want to consult the manual and the e-guide available in the downloads' section of this site some of your questions are there
1a - if you equip an item with spells (usually staffs), an "item spell" button apeears left next to the hotkey slots
1b - no idea, my mage actually went all the way on his own.
1c - infinite uses, this is actually a permanent effect of the item. AFAIK this is the difference between permanent effects that have a % to work and effects triggered when hit or so.
2 - the e-guide lists that and if a weapon is too heavy, you miss more often.
4 - manual again - lockpick button on the "thievery" bar. a lockpick only increases your chances, but your followers always need them. followers will only lockpick if you try it first. and IIRC, unmodded Virgil was at best mediocre at it.
the Unlocking Cantrip spell has the power equal to your magickal aptitude. Dark Helm again
5 - dinamite or other explosives used on a door / a chest / some other objects will damage or destroy them. you can attack items by holding alt in combat most NPC owners might attack you in return.
for mages I wholeheartedly suggest going with the Force college - the disintegrate spell will reduce any door (and a lot of enemies) to a neat pile of ashes.
but do NOT disintegrate chests or any containers (or enemies if you want to loot them) - disintegrate spell destroys content (LOOT).
6 - AC helps against melee and IIRC ranged attack. I'd prefer higher AC because getting hit less IMHO helps more than getting less damage, more so because some enemies inflict more than physical damage.
7 - yes. such weapons' mana is used for your spells before your own fatigue. the weapons' mana recharges itself overtime. (slowly, if you come to rely on that mana, carry them by the dozen )
8 - no idea here. grab a regular dagger and compare
9 - yes and no. you can store anything in any receptacle you like - an open chest, a barrel in a cave, a box somewhere. don't use rubbish bins - those get emptied from time to time. don't use lockpicked merchants' chests - they recycle IIRC.
most players come to storing stuff in the Plough warehouse in the Tarant docks district - a nice little building (after you exterminate the rat plague) with about a dozen different boxes to sort stuff.
if you decide to geek the building's owner, tell your good-aligned followers to wait a few meters away - else the moralist buggers get pissed.

 

this should be an edit, but got me banned, so here is a correction on 5 and previous post.
some items that can be interacted with have no hitpoints assigned. such items are AFAIK effectively indestructible. I suspect that e.g. the dwarven iron strongbox in Tarant is scripted immune to lockpicking as well, meaning that the item only works in the corresponding quest.