How to break rock in schalon book 2

[john]

How to break rock in eschalon book 2 ? I'm playing a mage in book 2 (purchased a while ago but just gotten around to playing). And I've come across a rock formation that is cracked but there are no powder kegs so I need to cut through the rock to reach a chest but I can't 'target' the rock with spell via holding shift and attack (nor can I hit it). Is there a method to break the rock ? (this is central fragon region).

Also at level 9 I find my character very weak (barely able to kill wolves). I've thought about restarting (maybe a mage was a mistake) but maybe this is also normal. I've not a huge number of open quests (the only side quest currently open is kill 23 beatle; the other is the main quests (find a killer) and go to some new region to do step 4 of secret society - I figure I was too weak to go to a more difficult area so I was trying to obtain some levels first (I am also too weak to do the underground area near the damn; zombies are too hard )

[Kreador Freeaxe]

You can pick up explosive barrels from anywhere you find them and carry them to where you need them. Just right-click them in your inventory to put them down when you are standing facing the square where you want one placed.

A well built mage is, I think, the easiest to play in Book II, so perhaps you've done some things in building the character that aren't optimal (or are detrimental). These games are designed so that you can have an easy time or a hard time depending on how you build your character.

[john]

Ok thanks. Where can I find these barrels ? I'm very weak (low str) so I hope I don't have to carry them very far.

[john]

Related question; in the cave with jawbreaker (just found and killed him) there is a barrier with a crack in it. Ok I want to put a barrel next to it to break the wall but I can't because there is a piece of wood in front of the cracked area. How do I destory that wood? Again I can't hit it.

[xolotl]

Ok thanks. Where can I find these barrels ? I'm very weak (low str) so I hope I don't have to carry them very far.

They're all over the place, though more common underground. There's at least one tucked in the woods behind Eastwillow. They are quite heavy; as a mage I can usually only carry one or two at a time. (And it's too bad BW fixed the carry-an-item-with-your-mouse-pointer bug. :)

Related question; in the cave with jawbreaker (just found and killed him) there is a barrier with a crack in it. Ok I want to put a barrel next to it to break the wall but I can't because there is a piece of wood in front of the cracked area. How do I destory that wood? Again I can't hit it.

Were you talking about this area?

esch.png (32.7 KiB) Viewed 7618 times

If so, you have to destroy the existing barrel first; you can smash it by holding down Ctrl and then attacking, or via other means (though beware of item damage when you do so).

Also it's good to note that not every area with a cracked wall can be blown open.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

In the cave: Destroy the barrel next to it.

There are 4 barrels in the old well in Eastwillow, I think, and two around Eastwillow itself (remember to run your mouse along any walls to see if something is hiding behind them), and several in the caves once you get past the spiders. They weigh 20 pounds each, so you may need to move them in stages until you find the Ogre Strength spell.

[Kreador Freeaxe]

Ok thanks. Where can I find these barrels ? I'm very weak (low str) so I hope I don't have to carry them very far.

They're all over the place, though more common underground. There's at least one tucked in the woods behind Eastwillow. They are quite heavy; as a mage I can usually only carry one or two at a time. (And it's too bad BW fixed the carry-an-item-with-your-mouse-pointer bug.

Related question; in the cave with jawbreaker (just found and killed him) there is a barrier with a crack in it. Ok I want to put a barrel next to it to break the wall but I can't because there is a piece of wood in front of the cracked area. How do I destory that wood? Again I can't hit it.

Were you talking about this area?

esch.png

If so, you have to destroy the existing barrel first; you can smash it by holding down Ctrl and then attacking, or via other means (though beware of item damage when you do so).

Also it's good to note that not every area with a cracked wall can be blown open.

He's a mage. He can fire dart the barrel to death.

[john]

Yes that is the area. I did destory that barrel but I still could not drop a barrel on top of it
--
Ok I went back and was in fact able to place the barrel there. Not sure why it didn't let me the first time (the first time it said not enough room). I obviously did something incorrectly

Ok thanks. Where can I find these barrels ? I'm very weak (low str) so I hope I don't have to carry them very far.

They're all over the place, though more common underground. There's at least one tucked in the woods behind Eastwillow. They are quite heavy; as a mage I can usually only carry one or two at a time. (And it's too bad BW fixed the carry-an-item-with-your-mouse-pointer bug.

Related question; in the cave with jawbreaker (just found and killed him) there is a barrier with a crack in it. Ok I want to put a barrel next to it to break the wall but I can't because there is a piece of wood in front of the cracked area. How do I destory that wood? Again I can't hit it.

Were you talking about this area?

esch.png

If so, you have to destroy the existing barrel first; you can smash it by holding down Ctrl and then attacking, or via other means (though beware of item damage when you do so).

Also it's good to note that not every area with a cracked wall can be blown open.

[xolotl]

He's a mage. He can fire dart the barrel to death. :)

Ah yes, of course. Not thinking straight apparently. :)

Yes that is the area. I did destory that barrel but I still could not drop a barrel on top of it :(

Make sure you're facing the proper direction; the game will always drop the barrel immediately in front of your character. I believe it's shift-leftclick to rotate your character without actually moving.

[john]

Bleh all that and I cannot get past the 350 HP trap. I tried placing a barrel on top of it and blowing it up but it didn't work so well

[xolotl]

Bleh all that and I cannot get past the 350 HP trap. I tried placing a barrel on top of it and blowing it up but it didn't work so well :(

No, you can. There's a trick to it. :)

[john]

Bleh all that and I cannot get past the 350 HP trap. I tried placing a barrel on top of it and blowing it up but it didn't work so well

No, you can. There's a trick to it.

--
I'm a wimp; tell me

Well wait I will go back first and look around again. I did not notice any walls with cracks in this area but maybe I missed on teh first pass. Btw should I go back ? I'm like level 10 will i be able to get very far or will I just get chased out again (I went to thief area below prot kudd again and they chased me away).

[john]

Well this is lame I already tried blowing up a barrel on top of the trap that should have been equivalent solution

[Randomizer]

For those of you looking for kegs of black powder:
http://www.basiliskgames.com/forums/vie ... =12&t=3990
this list should help you find them.

[xolotl]

Btw should I go back ? I'm like level 10 will i be able to get very far or will I just get chased out again

Fathamurk (the area with that puzzle) is intended for higher-level characters; you may want to head back towards the end of the game. I believe BW said it was engineered towards level 15-17 characters.

That said, if you're up for a challenge it is certainly doable with lower-level chars, though it may take some knowledge of how to "exploit" behavior in the game engine to have a more effective character than you might otherwise have at those levels. I was (just barely) able to get through with a carefully-crafted level 7 mage (who was level 11 by the time he got out).

Getting back to the portcullis puzzle, I'll say that even a weakling cleric with 1 HP can get past the portcullis without dying. There is a way. If you've given up and just want the answer, a look through the FAQ should prove enlightening.

Happy adventuring!