Concerns- Lockpick vs. Unlocking Cantrip

I have a question, and would like to present it before the combined experience of this august assembly. :wink:

"What is your experience with lockpicking and the spell equivalent "Unlocking Cantrip". I have found so far the lockpicking skill to be vastly superior. Is this intentioned? I understand that the success of the spell versus a certain object is determined by the caster's magical apititude/alingment, but why isn't it silent and otherwise unnoticible???? When I prowl up to the chest by the shopkeeper's bed and pick the lock, he doesn't wake up; but when i prowl up to the chest by the shopkeeper's bed and cast the spell he's on my neck determined to do me bodily harm. Is this just the demo, or is the spell never going to be unnoticible? If the spell alarms/wakes up all people nearby even when prowling, then it is virtually useless. Ninety-nine percent of the time when you need to pick a lock you need to do it surreptitiously, right under their nose. How can I rob a store to avoid those exorbitant prices if I wake everyone up every time I try to unlock the door or chest?

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Life is short and hard... like a body-building elf.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Lord Jantar on 2001-06-08 17:36 ]</font>

 

The thing is that the cantrip spell is low level spell, and it only needs 1 CP and a fairly low willpower, something most mages would need more of anyway.

the lockpick skill is pretty bad at skill level 1 (without extra gadgets), and its perhaps really here we should compare them, both requires low stats, and only 1 CP to get.

it would be stupid if the level 2 spell was as good as 5 levels, i would go perhaps so far as even 2 levels of a skill you must invest more levels and time in.

also i think that troika is trying to keep the tech side and the magick side apart, trying to avoid them getting too alike.

personally i found the unlocking cantrip to be a good spell, not when trying to sneak though, but during other situations. its wonderus when none can pick a lock, and the key is missing, as breaking down some doors are tedious, and might destroy you and your weapons, even more so when you are alone, and don't want to carry around a spare axe just for such situations.

also, in theory you can use other spells to keep you hidden, and avoid confrontaiton(invisibllity for example, or the option to teleport of there and return on a better day etc).

 

I think the unlocking cantrip is a little annoying at times seeing as you cant always get all the spells and everything. And it doesn't matter what you unlock, you get attacked

 

A plus for Unlocking Cantrip is it works way more often, I'm sure there are dungeons with locked doors that you could use it on without being attacked. If I found this to be true I would get both the Lockpick skill and the spell.

 

I managefd to rob the bank by using unlocking cantrip without getting people attacking me, apparently the door is in exactly the right spot if there's no people inside the bank that you can unlock cantrip it without being noticed... But I think it's actually supposed to be used in dungeons and stuff.

 

Excuse me: But where will these "Dungeons" be? I think its been proved that there aren't any in the game

 

I meant dungeons in the general style of "Place with monsters in it where you can find treasures and stuff", like for example the mine.

 

Thats just a location that will in the full i believe busy up once you eliminate the ghost, because the workers will return

 

Jureel, I remember from reading Jason’s journal that there are in fact dungeons and quite difficult to pass, but don’t ask me for link to that specific journal.

 

The Lord of Terra Arcanum has been proved wrong again! Besides I'm just asking I know there are "Dungeons" but where are they, How tough are they, When do you find them and how many?

 

I have a question about this...
In shrouded hills, are there any worker's house anywhere? I stiiill haven't found what I', looking foooor...

 

Despite the noise, unlocking cantrip is still pretty damn useful for shoplifting, you just need to adjust your tactics a little. In the demo I found that it works well in conjunction with the entangle spell - hop into turn-based combat before you enter the store, and tangle the proprietor before he has a chance to react to you. Once you're done raiding, get away from the store before you stop maintaining the spell and the owner won't chase you.

The greatest part of this is that if you only target tech-oriented stores, it doesn't count as immoral - just think of it as doing your part to remove the blight on our fair land that is technology.

Monkeypunch:
Using the unlock cantrip counts as an attack, so invisibility won't save you.

 

...But then everytime you try to enter their store for anything they attack you.

I think that the mental spell tab should have a forget spell. Get rid of drain will and bump domonate will down one and its a perfect top lvl spell. It would make ppl forget they ever met you. It be perfect for that kind of stuff.

 

Borghal;
well in theory anyway, if they can't see you they wont attack you.

 

That's what the oh-so-rare fate points are for. One of their uses is "force good reaction". If for some reason you have pissed off someone important (to you), you can make them civil again.

Making it the top level spell in a college would be an incredible advantage for people with that college - too much of an advantage. Making it a low-level spell would be too easy for everyone.

However, everyone gets a few fate points. There's one in Shady Sa^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^HShrouded Hills, there was one available in Tarant in the beta. From conversations, etc, I think there are approx. 10 or so Fate Points in the game, so you need to use them *very* sparingly. However, if (for example) a shopkeeper has something which you *desperately* need, but can't afford, and can't gamble for, and you're not a good enough thief to steal ...

First, make sure there are no guards nearby who will hear what you are doing. Then cast entangle on the shopkeeper. Cast "unlocking cantrip" on their chest (better have a high MA and even then, I'm sure there are some chests which won't open). Take what you want, and then use one of your precious Fate Points to make everything right again.