I took the Arcanum challenge

A while back Eros Rex made a post challenging everyone to conquer the game at the lowest possible level (I think it's buried somewhere in the Vault of Folly). Well, I took that challenge and defeated the final boss at level 19. For the most part I took only those quests which were required but I did diverge by taking the Lukan the Witless and Lethe wyvern quests; I doubt that these two quests would have made a difference as I was very close to level 20 after defeating the final boss. I killed three things in the entire game: 2 dark champions guarding the front door and the final boss.

I doubt that any character build can get fewer kills throughout the game. The front door is inoperable unless you kill those two dark champions and the "pacifistic" ending requires that you kill three things to release Arronax from his shell. I was somewhat disappointed that I couldn't complete the game peacefully. Technically, my character didn't dish out a single strike throughout the game and yet my companions were forced to resort to violence. My party for most of the game consisted of Virgil, Dog, and myself, Martin Gilder (Dog was necessary for death-dealing purposes, Virgil was just along for the ride because I hadn't yet fully explored that branch of the storyline).

Martin was a halfling nature mage whose main spells were unlocking cantrip, charm beast, entangle, and invisibility. He had acquired 3 ranks of persuasion upon entering the Void, that being his only skill besides the aforementioned spells. Martin had the most difficulty getting through the horde of undead beneath P. Schuyler and Sons and the BMC mines without becoming surrounded and dying. Oh, and resurrecting Virgil's ass without killing anybody required a LOT of quick-loading. A lot of times getting money without the attached experience was a difficulty until I was able to gamble with Killian Drake (examples include the Stillwater giant pelt and library membership). All in all, I think level 19 is the absolute minimum for defeating this game; I'd like to hear from anyone else that has done better or perhaps has a theory as to how to further minimize experience gain.

I'd also like to know why Eros Rex was banned; I've skimmed through the old posts and I couldn't find any good reason for it except for his dislike of the Vault (if you call that a good reason).

Please don't waste post space by welcoming me to the forum; I'll feel welcome enough when you acknowledge my existence with a reply to the above queries. I've spent quite a bit of time at this forum during the last week or so and am somewhat familiar with the regular characters that frequent this place -- this is actually the first forum I've joined although I have perused others. That being said, I await your acknowledgement of my existence (and it would be just like you to leave this post sitting here for a week or two before replying. . . just kidding).

 

If you wish your stay here at the HoL to be a positive one, don't ever defend, or mention for that matter, Eros Rex. That goes for any of his other manifestations as well. If you want his side of the story, he's got one of the most fucked up websites in the known universe(he makes and sells toy elves out of colored pipe cleaners, yes, pipe cleaners)where you could try and make contact. I would not advise doing this however, I just wanted to throw it out there so you could appease your curiosity without dredging up bad memories for the rest of us who remember that mother fucker.



On a side note, I find it rather suspicious that you have been here all of two posts and are immediately talking about the banishment of arguably the worst spammer to ever plauge the forum. Are we to assume you had no problems with the banishment of the others whose misfourtunes are chronicled in the vault? People who were much less deserving than Eros for that matter?

 

Eros rex/ hel khat and so on was the lowest stinking arsehole to ever visit this foum. he was banned because he was an arsehole, spammer, and he did nothing else here than trying to piss people off.

 

As I said, I merely skimmed some of Eros's old posts; I was not aware that he was such a public enemy (does he really make pipe cleaner elves?? I'd like the URL, if you please). One of the first posts of his that I came across was about this homosexual wizard barbarian build that he was playing and I found it rather funny -- excuse ME for making such a gross misjudgment of character based on this first impression. It seems that you have a lot of pent-up anger when it comes to this subject and so I'll drop it.

Still, I'd like to know if anyone has beaten my record of level 19 for game completion. I've been through four times now (male half-elf wizard/warrior, female half-orc gunslinger/thief, evil half-ogre meat machine, halfling pacifist) and I like to think that I know most of the game's ins and outs. If you haven't tried conquering this game at the lowest possible level, then you haven't LIVED!!! Perhaps you should take up the Arcanum challenge. Anyone?? Anyone??

 

I tink if you do that you won't appreciate the story that much you'll be like should I do this quest? nope too much expierence. Hmmm high level follower doesn't want to join forget him.

But I am surprised you were able to do it.

 

I love doing the side quests in Arcanum- almost most than the main quest, I'm embarrassed to say. (One of my adorable quirks.) Therefore, I don't think I could stop myself from doing all the quests that I love to do.

 

Actually, Cobra, I heard that, if you are a master of persuasion, you can convince Kerghan to kill himself (I believe). This would mean one less kill, but one extra quest to be completed. It's kind of a give-n-take thing. Also, you may gain xp for persuading Kerghan propperly.

Also, if you really tried, you could run from the majority of Arcanum's battles.

BTW, I never knew Eros Rex, but I made Hel Khat his sig pic.

 

Yes, I know that you can convince Kerghan to simply kill himself but you have to have Arronax in your party in order to pull this off (persuasion master alone won't cut it). In order to get Arronax you have to kill that ghostly elemental snake and his two dark champion buddies so that the shell surrounding Arronax is lifted; that's three kills right there. Believe me, I tried just killing the snake and entangling the two champions -- and vice versa -- but all three are needed to free Arronax.

Being a pacifist in Arcanum requires a LOT of fancy footwork. Martin Gilder could have been a quarterback for the New England Patriots by game's end.

 

Actually, you don't hae to kill those three creatures. All you hafta do is steal the amulet off of one of the door guards, and then release the snake creature, and arronax will be freed.

 

Huh! I didn't know about that amulet thing; I might have to try that. But I just remembered that simply speaking with Arronax at level 19 grants one just under a complete level's worth of experience. Martin walked right by his alleged arch-nemesis with nary a glance in order to pass up the gain.

It's too bad that I can't re-load and try pickpocketing the guard. Martin used all two of his fate points picking K'an H'ua's note and that gravedigger's shovel.

 

You should be able to talk the shovel out of the dwarf if you are good at persuading, or simply buy one elsewhere.

 

Admittedly, it was a fate point squandered. I didn't have the 500 gold he was trying to charge me for the shovel, nor did the general store have any shovels in stock, nor did I feel like spending 400 gold that I didn't have sailing round-trip to Tarant in the hopes that the general store there would have a shovel -- I was overcome with my slothfulness and the evil urge to steal a dwarf's single possession and basis for livelihood. But I suppose it wasn't THAT evil after noticing the Molochean amulet hanging around his neck.

 

Well, next time, steal Retezi(sp?)'s key and open his chest, then take the gold in it. Then, leave the building and walk a little ways away, wait a day, and then do it again and again til you have all the money you want.

 

Hey, Virg, lemme holla at ya'...

That is quite a challenge, I'm impressed. But I couldn't play that way for more than five minutes. Usually the first thing I do when I start up a new game of Arcanum is stab Virgil in his annoying mouth until he dies. But then, I've played it enough that I take a few liberties I might not have taken six months ago.

"Flexing like suburban Sparticus." - Beck

 

Quite an accomplishment there. I doubt I could do that. I love to do the side quests and such. I don't think I have ever gotten to level 50 though. Part of that is cause I try and get to places usin teleportation when I am a mage so I don't get the experience from the random encounters. And whenever I actually DO just travel by foot, my followers usually kill anyone at a random encounter before I can do anything so I don't get as many XP there. Gonna have to try a character without so many followers sometime.

 

If you're going to pick Ristezze's key then you might as well pinch his shovel too.

There is also one for free in a dilapidated house in the north of Dernholm.

 

Why waste your time doing all that? What do you think the sidequests are there for? So that you could avoid them?

And isn't stealing Riz's key standard practice? You don't even need any in the pickpocket skill. Like taking candy from a child. :razz:

 

I don't think I could beat the game that low-levelled with the evil characters I always make. I tend to kill Magnus as soon as I see him

 

I've never done this in Arcanum. But I remember trying something like this in Fallout1. I think I was level 5 when I finished. (The final battle was insane with only a hunting rilfe. But I managed to pull it off thanks to some nice critical hits.) Also, Drugs helped a lot as well. Drugs always help.

I know I could have tried to persuade the master. But I needed pretty much all my skillpoints for my small guns skill. Also, going to the glow and joining the brotherhood would have given way too much experience for my liking.