Still struggling with effects of extreme tech aptitude

Though I've been able to reduce my PC's tech aptitude below the 75 apparently required to barter with the magick shops in Tarant, I still can't shop anywhere else I've tried. This is only problematic because it makes adequately outfitting magickly oriented Jormund, Perriman and shortly (I hope) Raven difficult. I've gotten it down to about 63, but that apparently isn't enough. Can anybody tell me how much closer to "balanced" my aptitude will have to get before I cross that threshold and if there's any other factor constraining the situation? I'd hate to invest any of my last remaining character points uselessly.

 

once you go over 75, the shopkeepers won't talk to you, even if you bring your apptitude back down... it's kind of ghetto...

 

So, the magick shopkeepers in Tarant are the only ones that are more tolerant? They forgave my tech tendencies, which is fortunate or my magick followers would be rather naked. I thought the ones in other towns would eventually relent. The only items I was really hoping for were some gauntlets that boost dexterity. Jormund is so slow he hardly gets to play. Are there other goodies (especially ones that boost folowers' dexterity and/or strength) that I could acquire from someone besides the obnoxious, rude elf who's lucky to still be alive on Ashbury's dock?

The charged rings are a great solution for the tech guys' dexterity and the 1st level Fire spell does the job, but my PC has to cast and maintain it. The gauntlets or some other self-contained magick-oriented booster would be ideal.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Eloc Knarfnos on 2002-03-18 14:30 ]</font>

 

There are very few. The Axe of Strength gives +1 to ST and CN. However, magic users will do more damage with arcane axes and it's ilk than the axe of strength. You already know about the gloves of dexterity. The finger of mannox gives +WP and .5 melee but there is only one of those. Same for the amulet of N'tala (+1 ST and CN) and amulet of K'anel (+4 CN). Forgive any mispellings of those. There are very few stat boosters available besides the gloves or charged rings that are practical. Things that increase beauty and charisma are slightly more plentiful but for your followers are ineffective. Shadowing robes are plentiful due to the molochean hand but are little benefit due to the narrow uses of prowling. So you are pretty much searching for things that don't really exist. Sorry...

 

The Gypsys will talk to you, I used stuff I found around to outfit my magickal followers, or just told them to get lost

 

Or you can talk to the magic shopkeepers. They'll refuse to trade with you. Reply "You're once young and inexperienced, but you're not anymore" or similar lines. Notice their reaction towards you will drop.

Continue until they attack you - and don't do anything. Let your followers do the killing.

This way the guards will leave you alone (since you're not the attacker), and your followers won't complaint that you hit a good creature. You'll still take a reputation hit though.

Then break into their bedroom and pick their chests open. Take all you need.

That's the way my techie get his Li'tan'i (sp?) for the Gods quest.

 

the magic shop owners in tarant have keys on them, so you don't have to break the doors... careful, though, when picking the locks, cuz there's some kind of hell-hound beast in the back room...

 

You can also wait till late at night and make your followers wait outside. I am a mmage and have killed almost all of the smithies I come across. Theone in Tarant has like $20,000 on him and all of the stuff in his chest. i ended up with almost 25 G's when I was done. I do it to all of the smithies then sell to the junk man in Trant. I got mucho money. I can buy all of the Arcane stuff from the gypsy in tarant.

 

If you don't want to kill them you can use elixir of hypnotic suggestion which will make a shopkeeper become your party member for a (short) period of time. Then you just quickly run away from the shop to some and tell shopkeeper to wait somewhere away from the building then get back and do all the looting unbothered. Problem is using this elisxir is still considered as an attack so they'll hate you anyway.

Also you might try getting your beauty to 20 instead of lowering your tech aptitude - it would grant you good reaction but I don't know if it would allow you to buy anything unfortunately.

 

If I plan to have magic users as followers, I stockpile magical items I find. Found items are better than the ones you can buy, mostly.

 

even if most of them are cursed...