Newbie Needs Advice

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Wed Jun 13, 2001 11:44 am

I am new to this game and I need advice on the advisability of changing characters midstream. i am currently a fighter at around level 7 and I know how to change over to a mage or a thief, but I am rather unsure as to what benefits (or drawbacks) there would be to do so at this point. Can someone give me some advice please?

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed Jun 13, 2001 12:51 pm

The drawbacks are identical to the ones you'd expect: you lose all profession-specific abilities of the original class. So although you keep your proficiencies with any given weapon, if you become a mage, you lose the ability to wield, say, a mace, or an axe, or a sword. If you switch from mage to thief, you lose the ability to cast spells--and so on.

Note that the game doesn't suddenly "end," so if you switch professions, you don't lose on experience for your first profession--you can always switch back, anytime.

You gain experience as a fighter, thief or mage by killing things and finishing quests. But you also gain experience as a thief by training Annah in thievish skills like pickpocketing. (If she trains you, you gain in that skill. If you train her, you gain overall experience. It's a win/win situation.) You increase your thievish skills as in other Interplay RPGs, but allocating points when you make a level.

Note that the first profession in which you reach level 7 gains you a special tattoo at the tattoo shop that offers bonus of use to that profession. If you also make level 12 in that profession before any other, a second tattoo appears which is a great deal better, still. No tattoo appears if you make level 12 in a different profession, first.

Hope that helps.

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Wed Jun 13, 2001 1:06 pm

Yeah, fable, it helps some. I would consider changing over to a mage(not a thief) but if I do that, do I start out at level one Mage or whatever level my current experience points put me at? do I have spells or do I just take some form Dak'kon and pick up some more as I go along? If I do decide to change back to a fighter, do I lose all ability to cast spells? Sorry for the dumb questions, but this is such a great game, I am trying to get the most out of it.

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed Jun 13, 2001 3:49 pm

You're given some starter spells by Mebbeth, plus you have the spells that derive from Dak'kon's training (quite a few, actually), and more when you train with Ignus (though these come at a personal cost, usually in hit points). You can then find or buy spells, and frankly, after a while--especially after playing around in the Modron space--you won't ever lack for money.

You lose spellcasting abilities in another profession, just as you lose thief abilities when not a thief, or the ability to use certain weapons when not a fighter. Some tattoos, too, are profession-specific. You regain skills and spells as soon as you shift back to a profession that lets you handle 'em.

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Wed Jun 13, 2001 4:04 pm

Hey, thanks, fable. Maybe I'll give it a shot. You've been very informative.

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Thu Jun 14, 2001 8:31 pm

Advice eh? Well, besides working on your swordsmanship, besides that... I’d have to think. I know! Find someone rich then kill em! Then find someone richer and kill them too! Hack and slash your way to fortune! WOOHOO!!!

[ 06-14-2001: Message edited by: Kayless ]

Shadow · Post by **Shadow** » Tue Jun 19, 2001 12:40 pm

Uhh...we are still talking about the game, right Kayless?

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Jun 20, 2001 11:54 am

I've found it advantageous to level up to a 7th level fighter to gain extra weapon proficiencies and hit points, no matter what class I played. You keep the extra half-attack/round, specialization, and hit points no matter what class you play. If I played a thief or mage, I leveled up to 7 in that class first to get the thief/mage specializtion bonus.