The balanced character.

Obviously you cannot have a world of Tech And magic without some idealist wanting to create a balance. Not unlike a real world struggle between science and Spirituality.
Therefore as a newbie to this game I quickly realised that trying to create a balanced character causes some early game difficulties. Thus I have al ready decided to first beef this character up in attributes and skils that do not affect the tech magick bar. At least until she is self sufficeant in the devious world of Arcanum.
My quetsion is for the long term result of this character. If I make sure that the bar remains at 0, not favoreing either magick or tech. Will this character be pathetically weak in both areas or will the long term result be in a moderate to powerfull charcater with the felixibility to use whatever is most appropriate at the time. Any other players plying this way. From what I have played so far it seems that the game lends to one extreme or the other. Hopeing this is not entirely true.

Oh and I have allready discovered that by chooseing nature mage as a background for a 20 ap and then keeping the bar to 10 and the tech bar will reulst in a postive 10 for either magick or tech depending on the surface you are on. My only problem with this is what if I really need to use something magical on a manmade surface and viceversa seems like the penalties may out way the benfits as a pposed to a coonstant 0 in each area. What are other peoples success or failers in this character concept.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Incubuspawn on 2002-03-04 13:07 ]</font>

 

welcome incubuspawn :wavey: and you really should of posted this in the hints and tips section not here. (don't worry about starting a new one there "it will be moved shortly")

 

Hello!
Welcome to this forum!
:wavey:

Jinxed will come here and say something like:
"this message will be moved to the tricks&tips section shortly"

so dont create an extra stuff to do for the moderators.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ring lord on 2002-03-05 04:28 ]</font>

 

To be honest I pposted this on the general to ....

Avoid spoilers that people are too free with in any hints and tips forum. I was hopeing that character discussions did not qualify for hints and tips only subject. oh well. I am as new to the game as I am to the board, so all responces please keep it in the confines of character developement within the character sheet. NOt items and quest etc... that may make this character concept easier. Thank you.

 

prime example. Comeing into the hints and tips forum to see if there was any other responses to this thread I see a title that says Killed bates..... Well I am just new enough to the game to think he is on my side. Now I know he is not. To bad that thread did not say *spoiler about Bates * that would tell me nothing. Note I am not complaining just pointing out that general non spoiler game stuff should be allowed in the general section.

 

Don't get discouraged. Do not assume something just from the thread title. I will not spoil it for you, but your assumption is wrong.

 

I agree with vlad. There are so many ways to play the game that any thread might be one way to play the game. Also another way to solve your problem is to print out a detailed walkthrough and use it only when you need to. At least for the first time throught the story. I am not discouraging you from posting to looking through the forum. But that is one way to make sure you don't get any unwanted spoilers. :grin:

 

besides which, some of us have a habit of killing the characters on our side...

 

Back on the balanced character thing.

Well so far I have noticed that mages have an easy early game. And technologist seem to to shine in a more mid game setting. Melee in early game runs in the middle. So I have decided to begin with magery then focus on fighting abilities and stats. Finally the tech. Sence I have all ready focused on fighting and stats I can safely advance in tech skills without depending on magic as much as I have in the early game.
The impression I get from this is that mages must have a more difficult time latter in the game than other character types. Either that or early game balance is out of whack :grin:
Anyway , I just hope that a balanced tech magick bar has both the tech and magick skills work at the base level. And not find out that neither works very well at all :grin: Other wise I may end up with a pathetic high level character. :grin:
BTW how do I create my own auto level scheme? I noticed one is called user test. I assume there is a way to do this.

 

If you ask me there is nothing better like evil necromancer harming others and then summoning them for a good use(breakong doors..)Also,If you're evil use hostile dialogue and kill everybody..........:smile:

 

Well, acording to the strategy guide the spell "Unlocking Cantrip" will unlock a door: "if your Magical Aptitude exeeds the lock's difficulty rating". I'm not sure if this means overall aptitude, or aptitude in Conveyance, but I get the impression that it is overall.

Also, if a spell does 20-70 points of damage, it means 100% aptitude does 70, 50% aptitude does 45.

So a balance seems to be tough on magic, not sure about tech.

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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Kandelon on 2002-03-06 21:38 ]</font>

 

Well, the drawback to tech presents itself it the increased aptitude for failure-which we all know.

I do have a question which I have not been inclined to check so if anyone reading this thread has a definite yes or no answer, please respond. My temporal battle mage has several pure melee-dodge followers, Chukka, Sogg, and Gar. He equips them with the pyrotechnic axe. He made these by buying the schematics and then a couple of tech manuals which allowed him the expertise to do so. He really likes the pyrotechnic axe-it adds 30-50 fire damage. Who wouldn't? Chukka, Sogg, and Gar do not have an increased chance at critical failure b/c they have no magic (or tech) aptitude, but my character had something like a 35% (i forgot the actual % b/c I retired the character) chance for critical failure. Finally, the question. WOULD MELEE MASTERY (which says that I cannot critically fail with a melee weapon) PREVENT ME FROM CRITICALLY FAILING WITH THE PYROTECHNIC AXE EVEN WITH SUCH A HIGH CHANCE OF CRITICAL FAILURE DUE TO THE TECH/MAGIC APTITUDE? I would really like to know for future characters...

 

I believe you would still have critical failers directly due to youre magical aptitude, but you would have less failers than if you where not a master in it.
IF the ring of chance works against critical failer this may be a possible way to get away with it, but I doubt it It probably only increases the critical success chance. I stringly suggest some fire resistance buddy :grin: