finished as ranger , kind of (spoiler)

[palendrome]

I don't think this is a spoiler as such more of a helpful suggestion. If your playing a ranger and looking for a better weapon, wait until your level is sufficiently high enough or, towards the end of your game before doing the assassin quest. The bow in his trunk levels up with the game. You will then have yourself a 'Divine Timber' recurved bow +9 damage.

[noname]

Ranger (with support magic, but no damage magic) is my favorite build. I don't use alchemy until the end of the game, but fortunately there's an easier way. There are two items that add magic damage to all your attacks, melee or ranged: Bloodlust Ring and Animal Rage Amulet. I always make sure to pick up one of these before going to Westwillow or Hammerlorne.

Is that magic damage? all this time I thought it was just regular damage and was of no value against things like the Prospector.

[noname]

You can have three enchantments on an item, so you can add a bonus to Warmoth and make it work, and that's how I did it I suppose. Looking at that character in my saves, Warmoth has +2 to hit on it.

Wow, didn't know that. Kreador, does that mean that I can go pick up that spear with a damage of 12 in Westwillow, enhance it 3 times for a plus 2 damage each time resulting in a whopping damage of 18? I think I have been neglecting alchemy too much!!!!!

[Kreador Freeaxe]

You can have three enchantments on an item, so you can add a bonus to Warmoth and make it work, and that's how I did it I suppose. Looking at that character in my saves, Warmoth has +2 to hit on it.

Wow, didn't know that. Kreador, does that mean that I can go pick up that spear with a damage of 12 in Westwillow, enhance it 3 times for a plus 2 damage each time resulting in a whopping damage of 18? I think I have been neglecting alchemy too much!!!!!

No, you can only do each type of bonus once, so you can add +3 to hit, +3 damage, and one other bonus (fire or poison).

[noname]

You can have three enchantments on an item, so you can add a bonus to Warmoth and make it work, and that's how I did it I suppose. Looking at that character in my saves, Warmoth has +2 to hit on it.

Wow, didn't know that. Kreador, does that mean that I can go pick up that spear with a damage of 12 in Westwillow, enhance it 3 times for a plus 2 damage each time resulting in a whopping damage of 18? I think I have been neglecting alchemy too much!!!!!

No, you can only do each type of bonus once, so you can add +3 to hit, +3 damage, and one other bonus (fire or poison).

That's still a nice boost! I never liked alchemy but now I see I should never have avoided it. I just did a little experimenting and I think your numbers above should be +2 not +3.

[Randomizer]

It depends upon how much alchemy you have whether you get to +3.

[noname]

It depends upon how much alchemy you have whether you get to +3.

Yeah, I only had a alchemy of 10. I wonder how high you have to go to get the +3 or maybe +4?

[Vroqren]

*cough*

http://www.basiliskgames.com/forums/vie ... =12&t=3715

I believe this will answer your question.
No matter how much higher you go after that I don't believe it ever goes to +4, sorry.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

Yeah, +4 can sometimes be found in shops or random loot if you're high enough level, but you can never make it yourself.

[SpottedShroom]

Ranger (with support magic, but no damage magic) is my favorite build. I don't use alchemy until the end of the game, but fortunately there's an easier way. There are two items that add magic damage to all your attacks, melee or ranged: Bloodlust Ring and Animal Rage Amulet. I always make sure to pick up one of these before going to Westwillow or Hammerlorne.

Is that magic damage? all this time I thought it was just regular damage and was of no value against things like the Prospector.

Yup, the bonus damage from those items counts as magic for the purposes of affecting the Prospector and dwarven spirits.

[IJBall]

A little alchemy to add +1 damage to Warmoth is a lot simpler than becoming a ranger-mage. I don't recall what I did in that section with my ranger, as it was a long time ago, but I certainly had no problem killing him.

The problem with this suggestion, IIRC, is that the "Pure Fighter"(?) in-game challenge precludes the use of both magic and Alchemy.

This was the problem I had when I played through Book II under the challenge - no magic and no Alchemy pretty much forces you to use The Mayor to kill the Prospector...

I imagine playing a Ranger with the same challenge would lead to the same quandary...

[noname]

A little alchemy to add +1 damage to Warmoth is a lot simpler than becoming a ranger-mage. I don't recall what I did in that section with my ranger, as it was a long time ago, but I certainly had no problem killing him.

The problem with this suggestion, IIRC, is that the "Pure Fighter"(?) in-game challenge precludes the use of both magic and Alchemy.

This was the problem I had when I played through Book II under the challenge - no magic and no Alchemy pretty much forces you to use The Mayor to kill the Prospector...

I imagine playing a Ranger with the same challenge would lead to the same quandary...

Yup! That's the way it looks to me too.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

Perhaps there is a reason I never cared about the in-game challenges.

[Randomizer]

I think you can still kill the Prospector with kegs of powder, but you have to place them and lure him to the right spot. I think I did it that way for unarmed combat.

[Painted Lady]

The one major skill I have not explored yet is Alchemy. You guys have convinced me to give it a go. Sounds like some fun options will open up.....