Goal: survival – can not die eve once. If dead appears, start new game.
I was playing game using those two web pages:
http://eschalon.wikia.com/wiki/Ability_Scores
http://eschalon.wikia.com/wiki/Skills
and I have turned off waiting for vertical synchronization (or somethin like that) in graphic card options and using OpenGL to make Book II run much more faster. I was saving game sometimes becouse happens to me, that game dropped while Windows update was doing his job during gaming.
1) Character creation
Rule for Book II: hardcore – becouse of given +5% to experince
Male, Emayu, Druidic, Magic User.
Attributes: all should be at minimum ten points. Endurance, Inteligence and Perception to 14 and Wisdom 11 is a must.
Strenght: more points better – character can carry 4 lbs per point and gives 1HP per point when creating character (I had 13)
Dexterity: at least 10 – gives armor rating +1 per 5 points (I had 9 after perception rised to max risen to 10)
Endurance: 15 – gives 2HP per point in creation of character and gives +3 lives every level up (1HP per 5 points in Endurance)
Speed: at least 10 – gives armor rating +1 per 5 points (after Perception rised to 70 points goes here in my build. Strenght can be in consider if Mercantile is not at least lvl 25)
Inteligence: 15 – allows to learn spells from beginning in Book II
Wisdom: 12 points – to achieve tour 2 spells (Ogre Strenght)
Perception: 34 points – 70 points reached in atribute means +5mana per turn
Concentration: more points better – gives +2 lbs carry per point (I had 14)
Skills:
Elemental – +5 – keep all others points for later
Mercantiel – I guess is better rise Elemental at least to 20 and try to obtain book, but one skill point „waste“ is not sacrifice..
2) Loot
From begining just put all loot to boxies or barrels. When reached Mercantile at lvl 16 sell all and buys offensive spell and Portal (best spell for survival character). Unidentified items will wait a bit longer..
3) Gameplay for Book II
Finish all quests from starting area and clean east side (at Farrock monolith return to start with quicktravel) and take quest from south part (Yoma Narrows). After that, walk through main quest line: from starting area to west to Green River Lake, than to north to Western Kessian Basin (there take quest to kill Lycantrop). Than to east to Wolfen Wood and take Citizen Writ and quest to cure small boy. Go to Everdale take all quests and promise to kill Lycatrop Hunter and run east part of Everdale map where U kill plant, after go to north (Northwest Kessian Basin) and to east immediately to Port Kuudad. From port Kuddad to north to Forsaken Coast and there U finish for now main quest line.
After that go to city of Dwarfs to Durnore through – start location to west Green River Lake – to north to Western Kessian Basin – to west to Yoma River Headwater – to north to Ravens gate East Entrance – give 50 gold to teleport U to Everdale
After Everdale go to Edon – Ravens Gate East Entrance to south to Yoma River Headwater – to south to Eastern Sleetwood Forest – to south to Northern Harpoon Bay – Edon.
Gameplay for Book I
To me happens, that first offensive spell was fireball I have gained at lvl 10. I was using Sonic Blast and killing with hands after with +dmg weapon.
4) Items
In Port Kuudad U r able to buy almost everything, but can happen that there is nothin to buy, therefore is good to have opened other two cities Everdale and Edon becouse of better chance to get needed items – „always“ more usable items to obtain there.
Items U need:
Wolf Hunters Ring – loot from killing Lycatrope Hunter Xed +2 to Wisdom – do not turn quest, keep ring. If Ur Wisdom is 14 points, U dont need that ring unless U want use Divine tour 3 spells.
Grand Hat of the Magus - +3 to Divination +3 to Elemental +5 to Perception. That hat was in each game I played, there should be no problem to get that one. Bought in Durnore. Rather optional hat, but in begin saves skill points and rises perception to 70. +3 to divination is nice as well.
Warlocks Hat - +3 Wisdom +3 Inteligence +3 Perception. That hat was in each game I played, there should be no problem to get that one. Bought in Durnore.
Manaflow Pendant - +20 to Mana Points
Alchemy Rings - +2 two rings
Inteligence Rings – +3 two rings (happens to me that, I was able buy only one ring in one game from 7 games)
Philospohers Pendant - +3 Wisdom +3 Inteligence
Streght Rings or Concentration rings for rising weight capacity.
5) Spells
Spells to buy if U have money and spells not found quickly:
Reveal Map - first spell U have to buy and only one to buy without Mercantile skill. 240 gold – its best beginers spell – U can see enemies, treasures – everything there – its a must.
Sonic Blast – best survivel spell in the beginnig when Teleport or Supernova is not available.
Portal – best survival spell – during fight teleport to resting area and vice versa.
Ice Lance
Fireball
Supernova – great great spell – mostly made me laughing. Its somthin like Stuff of Apocalypse in Diablo with 50 charges
.Spells to buy after money left or find them
Gravediggers Flame – walking in bad weather, no torches needed.
Draw Water
Element Armor – i didnt used even once, but if U have no items that gives +life, than can be usefull.
Lockmelt
Trapkill
Invisibility
After gaining all items:
Divine Heal
Lore
Detox
Create food
Cure Ailments
Ogre Strenght
6) Leveling and Skills
All attribute points put into Perception till lvl 70 is reached. After whatever U want. U dont need more inteligence if U have all items listed here and using spells listed here as well.
Skill points: put points into Elementary till lvl 20 after that rise Ur Mercantile to lvl 16 (or 25 but better is to rise Elementary to 28 (31 if hat is missing) and mercanitle to 25 after). Mercantile book can be bought sooner or later, but when U open all cities U should gain book very easy.
Buy Divination and Alchemy – and after use books. Divination U need lvl 11 and Alchemy lvl 16. That means 1 skill point into Divination and 6 points into Alchemy. Alchemy is good for +3 to armor rating.
After put wherever U like to. I suggest rising Mercantile to lvl 25 or higher becouse U wont have problem with gold and U wont have to take loot to sell. I have tried put skill points into Hide in Shadows to 20 (24 with rings), but once enemy saw me, I wasnt able to hide again when they were close. In Book I I was able even to shoot from shadow and was not seen. Hide in Shadow is not very helpfull in Book II for Mage character in my opinion.
Buy Repair skill in Durnore.
Foraging skill I was not trying, but after Mercantile at least at 16, Elementary rised to 28 or 31, and before Divination at 11 or 14 (becouse of Ogre Strenght) and Alchemy at 16 can be Foraging good to buy and to rise. But better I guess is to have Mercantile at lvl 25 becouse of „infinitive“ gold and no problem with loot carry weight. Alchemy ingredience r easily to buy, especially when Portal spell is set at right places. Depends what r U enjoing more – Wall Street or selling loot .).
7) Potions
Green potions for detox are very very good.
Health and mana potions and excelent whe fighting in in last levels in game.
The ways I diedIn Book I survivel goal without dead.
In Book II I have died 7 times
1 – Starvation – better keep ur sounds on .)
2 – wrong food eaten
3 – in Port Kuudad I have entered room that belonged to guards and they slayed me down in one turn
4 – door smashed me for 370 dmg - guess which one
5 – used fireball on enemy, but NPC didnt liked it at finished me
6 – I have entered secret guild without glass and was not able to get out – portal is not working there – I had about lvl 15 or somethin around with last quest line there – even when i killed those two npc there, no glass loot from them – it was rather badly thought out place in my opinion, but it is as it is...
7 – Taurax with spears killed me – I didnt used Portal – stupid move .)
Here is picture of my number 8 finally survived and won character before last fight. U can see that hide in shadow is at lvl 20 but those skill points next time I will invest to Mercantile lvl 25 and to light armor to get higher armor rating. Attribute points after 70 in Perception Ill invest into Speed or Dexterity instead of Strenght. I had +20 to life from leggins or belt (dont remember now), but was destroyed by acid. If I remember well I have started with 32 points in Perception.
Well, I hope U found there something usefull and enjoyed a bit of it and I am looking forward to see more nice topics about that very good game and more builds as well. I would like to tell that game is really great and after playing Gothic I and II I have to say that I have enjoyed more Eschalon. Nice graphics, nice sounds, nice gamplay, fine story.. really nice. Cu!
Note for developers: when is pressed middle mouse button, walking can be stopped only by pressing mouse button(s) again. I would really appriciete, if pressing quick-set spell would stop walking as well. And second thing i was missing was not able to set portal spells to shortcuts – mayby alt+number could be used for that. Thats just two tips form me how to make game much more user friendly, but at other side the way it is is very good as well!