The Drunken Lizard Pub

Hey, I'm doing my 2nd playthrough and I'm hoping to build a better character this time so I have few questions I've been wondering.

-Is 5 MP/step the highest you can get, no point having +70 perception?
-Nefarious Axiom, does this work with magic spells or weapons only (5% chance to inflict extra damage)?
-Does the Dodge skill work against enemies who use magic?
-Any point having higher than 31 Elemental/Divination? Do these skills add magic damage or anything?
-If I pick any weapon skill, are Cleaving weapons generally the best damagewise? I've noticed they mostly have highest base damage but weight a lot

Luigi64 wrote:Hey, I'm doing my 2nd playthrough and I'm hoping to build a better character this time so I have few questions I've been wondering.

-Is 5 MP/step the highest you can get, no point having +70 perception?
-Nefarious Axiom, does this work with magic spells or weapons only (5% chance to inflict extra damage)?
-Does the Dodge skill work against enemies who use magic?
-Any point having higher than 31 Elemental/Divination? Do these skills add magic damage or anything?
-If I pick any weapon skill, are Cleaving weapons generally the best damagewise? I've noticed they mostly have highest base damage but weight a lot

I don't know the answer to your first question. I've never pushed a character's Perception past 65 yet. And I didn't play a Nefarious Mage, so I can't say for certain if the bonus axiom damage effects spells, but I'm pretty sure it does not. However, I can answer some of the others.

Dodge doesn't work against magical attacks. There are only a few of those out there (unless you plan to attack the various magic shop owners and priests).

I don't believe the calculations take your casting level into account beyond the ability to learn to cast the spells at their highest level, so no point in going over 31, no.

If you want to pick a weapon class as a mage, I'd say your best base damage to weight is with Piercing weapons (though you can't get to the most awesome of those until the final third of the game, there's a terrific named piercing weapon in Westwillow which you can probably get to at reasonable level as a mage, it's 2 pounds and does 6+6 damage). Piercing weapons also have a much more powerful weapon feat (two attacks guaranteed to hit in one round on a single opponent) than cleaving weapons (a sweeping attack that is guaranteed to hit one opponent and can hit others adjacent).

Okay thanks. I'm not planning on using any weapons in this playthrough, was just wondering if I make a Fighter after this one which weapon class should I stick to. Would you still go for piercing weapons if I had massive strength and stuff?

You're probably right about the Nefarious Mage not getting the bonus damage, I started a new game and casted about 100 fire darts and didn't get the extra damage even once.

Luigi64 wrote:You're probably right about the Nefarious Mage not getting the bonus damage, I started a new game and casted about 100 fire darts and didn't get the extra damage even once.

The issue with Nefarious having no effect on magic is why I've suggested that BW rework the Nefarious Mage title, for Book III if not for Book II.

But it makes no sense not to get a weapons Skill with Nefarious Axiom for any of the Classes, including Mage...

Luigi64 wrote:Okay thanks. I'm not planning on using any weapons in this playthrough, was just wondering if I make a Fighter after this one which weapon class should I stick to. Would you still go for piercing weapons if I had massive strength and stuff?

You're probably right about the Nefarious Mage not getting the bonus damage, I started a new game and casted about 100 fire darts and didn't get the extra damage even once.

For a fighter class character, any of the weapons are good, though I like the Bludgeoning Feat a bit more than either the Swords or Cleaving feats (especially with foes like the Boreheads and later the Taurax, halving your opponents armor can be helpful). If you can put together the money, I actually discovered in my last playthrough that getting the main weapons to level 10 through Sonya and the books gives you some interesting options in fights. If you focus your skill points on one weapon of choice, but have the others on hand you can use the feats sequentially (just switch to Parry mode for a round to swap weapons) to help you in various situations. By late in the game, you'll probably have your primary weapon skill up high enough that it won't be that much help anymore (you'll be getting your primary weapon Feat active every 5 rounds), but it can give you some help mid-game where Fighters can run into difficulty.

Kreador Freeaxe wrote:...If you focus your skill points on one weapon of choice, but have the others on hand you can use the feats sequentially (just switch to Parry mode for a round to swap weapons) to help you in various situations...

You know, now that you mention it, this sounds to me like an 'exploit'.

But, to my thinking, you shouldn't be able to 'Parry' while switching weapons or armor... (Added to my Book III discussion list!)

IJBall wrote:

Kreador Freeaxe wrote:...If you focus your skill points on one weapon of choice, but have the others on hand you can use the feats sequentially (just switch to Parry mode for a round to swap weapons) to help you in various situations...

You know, now that you mention it, this sounds to me like an 'exploit'.

But, to my thinking, you shouldn't be able to 'Parry' while switching weapons or armor... (Added to my Book III discussion list!)

Well, you get the parrying power of the weapon you're switching TO, so generally +10 for those alternate weapons, which is not nearly as strong as your main weapon is likely to be. Besides, haven't you ever seen those scenes in movies where the hero's weapon gets broken and he wildly parries incoming attacks while he finds an alternate weapon?

Kreador Freeaxe wrote:

IJBall wrote:You know, now that you mention it, this sounds to me like an 'exploit'.

But, to my thinking, you shouldn't be able to 'Parry' while switching weapons or armor... (Added to my Book III discussion list!)

Well, you get the parrying power of the weapon you're switching TO, so generally +10 for those alternate weapons, which is not nearly as strong as your main weapon is likely to be. Besides, haven't you ever seen those scenes in movies where the hero's weapon gets broken and he wildly parries incoming attacks while he finds an alternate weapon?

Ah, but as you've pointed out elsewhere, Unarmed Combat currently can't Parry!

(But, in all seriousness, I do feel like it's an 'exploit' - I don't think you should be allowed to 'Parry' at all when switching weapons or armor...)

IJBall wrote:Ah, but as you've pointed out elsewhere, Unarmed Combat currently can't Parry!

(But, in all seriousness, I do feel like it's an 'exploit' - I don't think you should be allowed to 'Parry' at all when switching weapons or armor...)

It is a bit of an exploit. Perhaps switching weapons should automatically drop you back to "Normal" combat mode, as happens when you get stunned or paralyzed.

But Unarmed Combat should DEFINITELY let you parry. Hasn't BW watched any good kung fu epics?

Doing the mage playthrough now, does anyone know what's the highest WIS, INT Elemental and Divination boosts you can have in equipment?

There is a hat for +3 divination, +3 elemental, and +3 perception with others specializing in +2 divination or +2 elemental.

Rings for +3 intelligence, +2 divination, or +2 elemental.

Philosopher's pendant for +3 intelligence and +3 wisdom.

There are a few more items.

There's also a unique +2 Wisdom ring, and also a hat that's +3 Wis, +3 Int and +3 (or is it +5) Perception--the Grand Hat of the Magus, I think it is.

Okay cheers. I've got the pendant, warlocks hat (+3 INT, +3 WIS, +3 PER) and then I'll buy 2 rings for INT so I'll get it to 25 for tier 3 spells. If there's only one +2 WIS ring that's unique I guess I have to level that up a bit.

Trying to get very high PER and maybe END once perception is at +70