MMVI: Party composition

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:24 pm

I'm probably going for Knight, Archer, Cleric and Sorcerer. I'd really like to take Druid, but I don't see any advantage whatsoever. Am I overlooking anything?

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:31 pm

Unfortunately, Knights are weaker in MM6 than MM7 or MM8. You are better off in my opinion with a class that can cast spells. Just to give you an idea of how powerful magic is for MM6, the title should really be Magic & Magic 6. As far as Druid goes, it's a good complement to Cleric AND Sorcerer. Just bear in mind Druids will need a LOT of skill points to start to shine.

The important things to keep in mind are the statistical breakpoints. 11, 13, 15, 21, 25 and 30 are breakpoints where your character will improve. For character creation, you can't exceed 25 points for any stat but I'd advise keeping low stats low and improve the stats that matter a bit more. For example, for Paladins and Archers and Knights the Might statistic will be more useful early. For Clerics and Sorcerers and Druids, the Might statistic is low and not as useful as the applicable statistic for spells.

Garriath · Post by **Garriath** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:34 pm

Hm. Bear in mind that I haven't played the game in quite literally about a decade, so take my response with a grain of salt:

The most efficient way to play the game, I remember finding, was never closing with the enemy. Give all your characters bows, and have some nasty ranged spells. If you're caught in a dungeon and forced to go toe-to-toe with your enemies, which doesn't need to happen often, use your highest damage spells to clear them out. Once you get fly, you won't lose a battle outside again.

With this in mind, avoid the knight; as much fun as it is to outfit him with the fancy armors, he'll only be able to do most of what your archer does, but worse. If I were you, I'd get two sorcerers, an archer, and a cleric; the sorcerers are really the highest damage-doers of the game. The cleric does your healing. And your archer will get you through the game's early levels.

Hope this helps!

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:40 pm

Actually, I loved that the Knight doesn't get spells: means you got someone to Repair and ID. I also always loved his high HP. Anyway, I'd either be a Paladin or a Knight: I have to be able to equip all the plate! (Really, it's stronger than myself: I have to be able to equip as much different kinds of equipment as possible.)

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:45 pm

I have to disagree in regards to closing distance unless the monster has a special attack. The multishot spells like Sparks and Poison Spray will do a lot of damage for the cost if you are at point blank range. At the start of the game, turn in the reward for the letter in New Sorpigal and then head to Ironfist to obtain bows. You can then progress thru quite a few of the land areas with decent bows.

My first party was Paladin, Archer, Cleric and Sorcerer. If your preference is for the miscellaneous skills, then Knight is by far the way to go. All of the other classes need to focus on the magical skills sooner or later.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:00 pm

I'm considering swapping the Archer for a Druid, but I think would leave me weak at the start of the game, and the best attack spells are Elemental, which the Archer has anyway.

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:10 pm

Elemental spells are indeed the most useful. You won't have to develop the elemental capabilities of an Archer early, so they are a good gap measure to help the spellcasters survive the early part of the game. You could get by in the early game with one healer if you're aggressive in picking up reagents for potions. In fact, healing potions are better than the Heal spell until Master level. I don't see a problem picking Knight, Archer, Cleric and Sorcerer since it sounds like you're leaning in that direction. Knight or Paladin can use Plate Mail, Archers and Clerics can use up to Chain, and Leather is for the rest. BTW, Knights and Clerics and Paladins and Druids IIRC can learn the Shield skill to improve Armor Class.

If you've never played MM6 before, than I do advise at least one of the Might oriented characters like the Knight or Paladin or Archer.

P.S. - I believe that the initial party composition is sufficiently SOLID!(MM2 reference) to get thru the game with enough leeway for skill and character development.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:13 pm

Yes, but only my Cleric will end up with a shield, probably, since the Knight will be dual wielding.

Thanks for the explanation!

doady · Post by **doady** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:50 pm

I always play Archer, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer. I choose Archer for roleplaying purposes (I wanted a more dex-based dual-wielding melee fighter), but the Paladin could be better because they can use plate armour, and all the stats become ridiculously high by the end anyways. Archer also can't use shield, but I think equipping shield on your best melee damage dealer is a huge waste. The best melee character(s) should always dual wield or use two-handed weapons to maximize melee damage.

Paladin, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer is good party also because they use of all 3 armour types. For the Paladin I would stick with two-handed weapons (sword, spear and/or axe) and leave the shield for the Cleric. However, using Paladin instead of Archer does reduce the elemental spell power, and it's true elemental is better than the self spells. So there's that drawback.

Paladin can repair easily having only 3 magic skills as opposed to 5-7 magic skills that the other classes have. And of course, no one forces you to pump a paladin or archer's magic skills as much as the others. At least there is that option with the paladin or archer. Knight gives you no option, and lack of options/flexibility is not an advantage. Knight sucks. The only reason to use the knight is more HP (a lot more HP).

So...

Archer, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer
Paladin, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer

....those are the two best party compositions, imo.

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Sun Dec 19, 2010 7:54 pm

You can safely replace your archer with a druid, you don't have to worry about attack power.
Unlike in MM7 there are no class specific specialisation restrictions, so a druid will be as good with bows as an archer. The main difference will be that the druids can learn cleric spells and get more spellpoints while the archer has a broader choice of melee weapons available and gets more hitpoints. But the sorcerer will die before the druid anyway and a second healer should make the beginning rather easier than harder.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 1:10 pm

Thanks. INT/PERS only add to spellpoints, right? Not some form of spellpower?

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 7:15 pm

INT/PERS only add to spellpoints.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:31 am

Thanks! I'm planning on, at the very beginning, statting the Druid more or less as a fightertype, and let the spellpoints come from Meditation. More over, once you have enough potions, you can mix to increase all stats.

doady · Post by **doady** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 1:52 pm

Don't drink the stat-enhancing potions unless you have maximised the stat-enhancement you can get from certain fountains...

You can also use the potions to increase the number of times your chars can drink from the fountains. For example if a character drinks a potion that decrease to 14 or less, you can drink from the fountain that permanently increases luck.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:59 pm

Good pointers, thanks!
You can't drink the same statboost potion more than once, I think?

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:21 pm

Just one use for the black potions if that's what you're referring to. You get roughly +10 to all stats for making them, but please find fountains that enhance attributes past 15 first. You won't be able to use them again past that point.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:26 pm

I just created my party. Cheated a bit to give my Druid Spears instead of Staffs.

Any suggestions to play the game either widescreen or windowed, so that I could size it? Stretched out looks no good.

DaveO · Post by **DaveO** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:15 pm

Set your display settings to 16 bit, run the game, and then use the F4 key for windowed mode.

doady · Post by **doady** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 12:56 am

Why not just simply switch the widescreen mode of the monitor to 4:3 to add black bars at the side? I always use the 4:3 mode of my monitor for all my old games; no need to run the game in windowed mode or to install any mods.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 1:14 pm

doady wrote:Why not just simply switch the widescreen mode of the monitor to 4:3 to add black bars at the side? I always use the 4:3 mode of my monitor for all my old games; no need to run the game in windowed mode or to install any mods.

You can do that?

EDIT: Found out how, but is it possible to prevent your desktop items from being shuffled about? Very important.