Spoilers! Staying a Level 1 Mage as long as possible game :)

[Sade]

I decided to try your challenge, tungprc. To make things a bit more interesting, I also tried to meet as many "regular" challenges as I could.

All in all, the game was much more tedious than challenging. Especially so during the endgame, since I had to rest after each and every enemy. 85 mana points don't last too long.

I just wanted to see how many quests were possible without leveling up.

The answer is simple: all of them. However, going for the challenges makes things harder. To complete To hunt an assassin, you would have to pick at least two locked doors with 1 % chance (as far as I know). Not very reasonable.

it'd be cool to see on one of your completed game screenies.

Here you go.

[Dragonlady]

Good Grief! My aching wrists!!

Congratulations!

[tungprc]

Absolutely awesome dude! I can't believe somebody had the chutzpah to do it. I knew it'd be tedious, it's why I didn't try it Congratulations!!!

[tungprc]

A question about the locked doors: If you have 10 skill in elemental and then wear other items that raise elemental, I think you could get up to 15 or 16. You could then cast a level 3 or 4 lockmelt, I think. Can anyone confirm? It might make completing the Assassin quest, at least feasible. Sure, your lockmelt will probably fail 6-10 times, but it might work eventually. I was using lockmelt in my game, but only at level 1 or 2 I think. It would open doors I just had no chance with otherwise. I wasn't even trying it with a hardcore game though. I like rerolling chests too much. You were also doing the no armor challenge which would limit what you can wear.

[Sade]

Congratulations!

Congratulations!!!

Thanks a lot!

A question about the locked doors: If you have 10 skill in elemental and then wear other items that raise elemental, I think you could get up to 15 or 16. You could then cast a level 3 or 4 lockmelt, I think. Can anyone confirm? It might make completing the Assassin quest, at least feasible. Sure, your lockmelt will probably fail 6-10 times, but it might work eventually. I was using lockmelt in my game, but only at level 1 or 2 I think. It would open doors I just had no chance with otherwise. I wasn't even trying it with a hardcore game though. I like rerolling chests too much. You were also doing the no armor challenge which would limit what you can wear.

With a trainer, a book, and two Mystic rings, I could get the Elemental skill up to 14. Casting level 4 Lockmelt didn't seem to be able to melt level 7 locks, although I didn't try to cast it multiple times.

Level 5 version would have required Elemental skill of 17. I haven't seen any non-armor equipment other than rings that would increase the skill, let alone by 3 levels. Not sure if I've just missed them.

[tungprc]

Yep, I figured that. In my games it wouldn't matter because I don't use the predetermined seed. I can use the hat that gives another 3 points of elemental magic. I'm not really into the default challenge games because reloading makes most of the challenges irrelevant. They seem to be very popular though, and I don't mind being in the minority. I'm glad someone took up the gauntlet I threw down and tackled my idea of a challenge. Thanks!

[Sade]

Speaking of "homemade" challenges, an extremely challenging one came to my mind while playing with the level 1 mage:

The Ultimate Challenge
You must meet all of the regular challenges, except Hellbringer and Jack of all trades, without ever leveling up.

Basically, you could never attack anyone, cast any spells, buy potions or food, do alchemy, wear anything, etc. All that with the horribly low attributes and skills of a level 1 character.

Theoretically, it might be possible. Even thinking about actually doing it, however, just makes me shiver.

[Randomizer]

How do you get past the difficulty 10 doors in the ultimate challenge? I know theoretically you can charm the nearby tauraxes to get the advanced key, but will any of the others survive to kill General Ghorr? I haven't tested it, but I don't think flask of charm cloud will work on them.

[Sade]

How do you get past the difficulty 10 doors in the ultimate challenge? I know theoretically you can charm the nearby tauraxes to get the advanced key, but will any of the others survive to kill General Ghorr? I haven't tested it, but I don't think flask of charm cloud will work on them.

You could always pick the lock. You would only have 1 % chance, but there's infinite lockpicks to buy so it is possible.

How to kill General Ghorr? Just lure him to walk on the lava tiles over and over again. I don't think it would affect any of the challenges, because you aren't actually attacking him. It doesn't count as a kill of yours if the lava kills him, at least.