Where to spend points?

[BlueOval]

I've figured out that STR = damage, DEX = strike and AGI = speed. At lvl 14 I increased AGI to 70 (from 60, rapidly in quick succession) and noted that speed stopped increasing at +262. I exited without saving and did it again slowly and found that my speed does not get any higher than 262 at 67 AGI. Is there a cap on speed, strike, and damage?

Also, is it worth it to increase Athletics past 4? I'm not really sure if it's worth it to increase skill lvls past the point where you get the advanced moves or not; but I saw that several people with higher lvl chars have their weap skills at 10, so I figured what the heck.

Does the added damage you get from your STR work? Even with 10 in M. Weaps I'm not hitting any harder and I still get a couple of 2-pt dmg hits, although it does seem as if my average dmg has gone up. It would appear this is a benefit of having 10 in the skill as opposed to my STR which is currently 50 and supposedly adding an extra 25 damage.

Lastly, I'd like to know if I should increase magic weaponry past 3. And, speaking of magic, if I should raise Celestial, Nether, Rune or Channel past their current lvls of 5, 3, 3, and 1 respectively.

After making lvl 15 I didn't try adding a point to AGI to see if speed would increase with the lvl increase - just too tired to experiment. Figured I'd post here to see if anyone can answer my questions, then going to bed.

[Hounder]

1) There are caps in a sense. You saw the cap for speed, although there is question on whether it is effective to go that high. SOme people believe they get less interrupted more often during an attack, while others don't really notice anything. As for STR and DEX, there is a point where you find yourself actually not hitting or doing damage, but most people who have that problem hacked their character for insanely high stats.

2) Apparently, an athletics skill also allows you to stay under water longer. Helpful if you are looking for the underwater chests. Yes, you will want to advance your weapon skill above 5, as there are weapons and armor that require higher weapon and armor skills ( blade of death requires a 12 heavy weapons skill, for example).

3) The extra damage is actually a percent bonus, so if you have a +10, that means you are doing +10% damage. It is more niticeable with more powerful weapons. Weapon skills apparently only assist in allowing you to use the weapon, with no extra damage benefit other than ereducing it when you aren't skilled enough.

4) Yes, higher level magic skills are useful. If you want to use magic weapons, then you will need higher levels of magic weapon skills. The magic weapon tells you the minimum level of that skill you need in order to activate the weapons magic ability, and having higher levels of skill may also help in being able to use the skill more often. Special magic weapon skills include the sceptre of storms "lightning" that appears occasionally. Also, just something I noticed, higher levels of arcane or celestial magic assist in the abilities damage as well.

As for the magic skills themselves, if you want to use magic spells, yes you want higher levels. Higher levels of skills increases the damage you do, or allows you to in some cases to use a spell. FOr example, it appears you have to have the spell level listed in order to use a Nether magic spell, but are able to use any arcane magic spell regardless of what your current arcane magic is ( although a higher level arcane will result in higher damage). I believe rune magic may have an effet as well, more along the lines of duration of the spell, and celestial magic definitely improves the power of the spell ( I used healing crystals and neve wasted my money on restoration crystals- the healing crystals were more than enough to take care of my damage with a high enough celestial skill).

[Vequ]

Well said Hounder. Now, I do not know a thing about Nether, as I saw it more trouble then beneficial, seeing how the reagents can cost a lot to make a spell in bulk, and its mostly just conjuring and detrimental spell work, I dont use it, so I never advance it far. Celestial and Arcane are perhaps the only 2 I would advance higher than 7. So far, my new Fighter/mage Marauder/Battlemage Warlock has come quite nicely. I can do Nova Blasts for about 60 damage. Very usefull when running and those damned wolves spawn onto you. I have quite an offensive arsenal of Arcane spells, and they do decent damage. Spells are not worth the money you need to get them, nor the time, if you do not have a proper level of the school. Again, The main reason I have strong offensive spells, is just because of Bosses. If I can, i will run around hitting them with spells and arrows untill they get stuck, in which case I commense what I call chain nuking. I dont stop casting spells untill Im out of charges, or the monster is dead. Usually Effective.

As far as the skills for weaponry, i dont think its worth upping too drastically. Get Heavy Weapons to 12, and a Blade of Death will last you probably throughout the rest of the game. There are some harder hitting weapons, but I have yet to see them. Blade of Death is sufficent enough. I do wonder, however, is upping Light Dual Wield would maybe allow you to use another light sword in your off hand? Something I noticed, was the Elven Sword of speed would not go into my offhand, even with 5 in Light Dual. Maybe it's a length of the blade thing aswell? It seems that anything over 5' reach wont go into offhand.

[BlueOval]

Thanks guys.

[Hounder]

I haven't experimented enough with dual weapons to knowwhat exactly goes in the offhand, but I don't believe that sceptres will go there, and they are only 5'.

Ther are some very useful rune spells. The rune blade is very good, IMO, but is apparently only useful if you weild a bladed weapon. And Sanctuary is onvaluable when fighting high-damaging opponents, as it seriously reduces their magic damage. This is assuming you didn't do the game out of order and collected the ring prior. I was able to basically blow through the Shadowlord almost without a scratch as his magic spells were useless thanks to Sanctuary. Those plus the Rune armor were the only Rune magics I used, so I can't speak for the other spells. One other note, maybe it was me, but it seemed that I was suffering a bit less knockback with the rune armor spell.

[BlueOval]

My character is not a samurai, so I have no access to dual-wield anyway. Too bad too, because that's exactly what I wanted when I first began playing. It's taken me 3 tries to get a character that will be viable when I get to the upper levels and I just don't want to start all over again now. But after I finish the game with this guy, I'll go back and make one who is a samurai so I can try the dual-wield.

Vequ, what progression did you follow?

[Hounder]

Saumari isn't the only one who gets dual-weilding. The Fighter/Maurader/Deathlord line also gets it. Surprisingly enough, I had originally gotten Saumari just for the inflict wounds abilty. The magic-weapons/drain life/ with dual weapons combo just turned out to be one really evil bonus.

[BlueOval]

O ya, I forgot Marauder. My char's not one of those either.. :\

[Vequ]

Do you mean what I made? Fighter/mage Maruader/Battlemage Warlock human. I ended up increasing HA, and Heavy Weapons once I acquired Crimson Plate chest and gloves, and got Deathlord Pants and shoulders. Hehe its pretty nice what I use now. Winter Great sword and Kama of the Void, great damage output. I Did not really need the extra strike that I did have on my armor.

[BlueOval]

Yeah. I'm gonna make one of them next. Do you find yourself using your weaps more than your magic, vice-versa, or 50/50?

[Vequ]

Actually, I would say I use my weapons and spellsequally. Spells are my main ranged attack, as they do about as much damage as my melee hehe. So 50/50. Ill use spells for bosses over melee, because I dont have to chase the boss (such is the case in Irynthabal Sanctum) and I can use my blades on things that get too close. I use Nova/Fire/Ice blast when Im running to places because Im too lazy to turn off hard/more when I travel. Those spells pretty much take care of anything I run into on the road.