Magick or Technology?

A question that has, I am sure, stunned every Arcanum player, perhaps more than once. What to choose, Magick or Technology? Although common, it always comes handy talking about which one is better, depending on the persons point of view.

So, going directly, from your point of view, which one is better, the Olde Art of Magick, or the Revolutionary Science of Technology?

 

Depends on what you mean by "better".

Magic and Melee is definitely better in the sense that the game becomes very easy if you choose this route. Tech and Melee is not too far behind, since you get the Pyro Axe so early in the game.

In terms of fun, ranged/tech is probably the most difficult, and I think the most fun.

 

I can onty say one thing:

Play both.

The thing I most liked about Arcanum is that you will have to play more then once to actually solve all the puzzles and encounter all the different quests and places.

It's not a life decision you are making here. Its a game decision.

So, play both.

Play a Magic User of one sex, then, when you complete the game 200 hours later, then you can play again, with the opposite sex and a Technologist.

Some quests are available from Men, some for women.

In fact, it is amusing to see that if you have a "beautiful" womas as a character, the reactions from NPC's and others are much more interesting.

Another challenge (for example):
To become master of haggle and gambilng you will need to enter a gentleman's club. If you are a woman, this is a quest in itself!

Just my opinion for you.

 

First of all you don't need to go into the gentlemans club to become a haggle master (its in the other pub).

Magic, I recommend for super good (go to tulla and become a master) or super evil (harm them all, every one of them) characters. Its nice to start with as the spells dont need to much skill to use (unless you want to kill maug at level 12 (which I've done) or something. Another good thing about magic is that you can use it easily without any skills at all (freeing you more skill points to spend in spells and constitution)

If you want to have lots of fun then I recommend technology, the main difference is that technology needs its resource (gold) and magic needs its (fatigue) however technology can make gold (sell exoplosive grenades and eye goggles) yet magic cant make fatigue (regenerate isn't cost effecive. Its easier to be partial to technology than magic as you can get essence of intelligence and tech aptitude doesnt do much. However technology (with the exception of arachnids and automatons) needs skills to use and magic as I've said doesnt.

Both are well balanced chose wichever you like.

On a side note women make better magi and men make better technologists, work it out.

 

What an inane question it is. Technology all the way. It's fun, you can tinker with things and annoy all those pompous short-sighted mages with your mere presence.

 

...... but its harder to get the gods quest because you dont have teleport.

 

True, so true. And if you have Dog in your party travelling is really screwed as they don't let you use trains.

 

Wait... some of you used a term that is new to me. Gentleman's clubs? What are those?

 

There's just one in Tarant next to inn and close to RR station (I don't remember the address). You won't notice anything special about it unless you play female character since they're not allowed inside (IMO males also shouldn't be allowed inside unless you have x money and smoking suit to make it appear more snobbish). The most interesting thing about it is that deCesare resides there and he's one of the key characters in Aranum's X-file quest. There's also a men involved in painting theft but nothing other than that really.

 

And the gambling master and peole who ask you easy questions for 500 gold.

If your going to be a technologist I greatly reccomend being a dwarf so you can wear magnus' gloves. Put them on when you have 100 tech aptitute for +3str,dex and con

 

I forgot the Gambling Master. As for those 500gold riddlers they not neccessarily have to be found in gentelman's club. Riddle option is triggered randomly when you start talking to characters inside inns and such.

 

I enjoy playing both magic and technoloy.

 

I myself am extremely drawn to Magic, i can't help it. Maybe because technology actually exists and magic doesn't .....oh i dunno :wink:

Magic is just soooo cool but tech is fun cos you get to make stuff yourself. Like the pyro bow ^_^ one time I chose a halfling archer with explosive skills (this is the only way I know to get the fire obsctruction to make the pyro bow-and im sure there are other ways)

Random point- If your a mage then the social skill to go for is haggle cos it works off willpower which you need to buy spells and gamble uses int which u need for tech skills ........so if your a newbE don't go for gamble if your a mage etc (obv you can but you will waste alot of tech points on raising your int)- End Random point.

....I think I've gone on about stuff everyone already know enough for now 3

 

I was a magic/tech thief, using both to be successful in my thieving.

 

Well if you wanna get "technical" about it Magic is the best 3

Has anyone tried play the game without magic OR Tech?

Just using skills and maybe a little sword play?

Also has anyone taken the Teacher roll? I am thinking about playing a teacher with high persuasion, theiving and gambling skills and no magic only a sword... :minigun:

 

I played a thief with no magic ...

The ugly Halfling thief how faced the Cursed Paladins in single hand combat ....

It WAS difficult.
Possible, but difficult.

Until he became master of Prowl and backstab, it was hard.
Due to his low charisma (4) and beauty (4) people didn't relly like him.
Not even after all the blessings he could get.

But ...
It teaches you ...
.... to never do it again.

Now I'm playing with a POWERFUL thief/mage.

 

Play 'em both. there are many more ways to get through this game than two. I have mages, battle mages, gunslingers, an armorer, an archer, tech thief, skills thief, skills fighter, diplomats, & a few others. Next chalenge? Pacifist. Or maybe a bomb throwing anarchist. (Kill all authority figures in the game, set off the Orcish riots, free the T'sen-Ang four. Otherwise lead a blameless life.)

The gentelman's club also has a complete newspaper file. And a pool table which I can't play on.

A lady can eaisly gain entry. A true lady has pickpocket & needn't even talk to the ugly Gnome. He lives longer that way.

You can steal a pyro bow late in the game, in, of all places, Tulla.

 

:lol: some very funny and entertaining thoughts! Welcome to the forum Shadygrove!

 

in one of my games i played without magick or tech. i was a hot girl with high per.lots of followers.very very suductive. :wink:

 

I was a tech/thief/melee. Lots of fun. Also had high charisma so i had lots of followers. Then add in the creatures i could make and the dog, i had quite a band considering i was very powerful myself. I specialized in smithy and mechanics. Didn't touch any other discipline, just those two. I just beat the game and am trying to decide what I want to play as now. I would have beat it a long time ago, but when i got to the vendigroth wastes my comp was goin so slow i just couldn't do it. I finally brought my saved games to someone elses house and finished it up.