Combat tips/Coterie help (possible spoilers)

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 3:08 am

I started playing this game yesterday and everything was going great, and I thought I was getting the hang of it, until Petrin Monestary. I got through loads of the monestary easy enough but (I think its on level 2) there is one area where I just keep getting surrounded by 4 or 5 Cappadocians and I end up frenzying and constantly try to feed off them (as my blood is low) - needless to say that they kill me within a few seconds once I frenzy. The same happens with my henchman guy (the Brujah you get near the start).

So, anyway, has anyone got any tip on how to make the best use of your coterie and Christof, and how to survive battles like this. Any advice would be appreciated (no matter how trivial it may seem).

The Balance · Post by **The Balance** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:09 am

General Hint: The easiest way to get rid of your foes is to split their coterie and feed on the single target (it is not the way to enjoy the game but it helps in situations like this one). In order to split enemy's coterie you should use a single character of yours as a bait to lure one or a few bad guys. Sometimes it happens that they kill the bait but there's no need to worry about it! indeed they will return one per one to their original position.. I wouldn't be in the last one's shoes! :mischief:

Of course you will be able to revive the bait with a scroll or a common discipline.

BTW Sir, which is the exact area in the monastery ?

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:28 am

It was a bit where you walk up a wooden ramp to a room where they all come out of the ground. I've got past it now - I decided to temporarily turn off auto disciplines, which helped a lot as it meant I could keep the Brujah henchman guy's blood levels pretty high so he didn't keep frenzying on me. I also took out a couple with arrows before descending into the main area.

How do you stop your henchman from following you everywhere? Is there a way to get them to stay in one place?

The Balance · Post by **The Balance** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:50 am

Of course you can tell them to stop and wait for you by clicking on the special icon provided or by pressing the "G" key of your keyboard ("G" is as default, of course).

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Sun Jul 09, 2006 8:01 am

Thanks. I tried that but they still seemed to get involved. Maybe I was telling them to go to defensive mode when they were too close to enemies lol.

Edit: Ok I really can't get the hang of the party control in this game and now I can't get past Othelios in the Nosferatu bit where you are in the prague tunnels trying to get to the cathedral. Any more tips/advice would be appreciated.

The Balance · Post by **The Balance** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:23 am

Have you already spent all your experience? If not, you could run back to your haven and increase some stats before challenging Othelios again.
Which weapons, armors, items and scrolls are available? Couldn't you afford a new equipment for your characters?

Without knowing more of your condition I can't elaborate an appropriate strategy..

The hint i always give is to increase in the main character Strenght and Stamina and concetrate in a few disciplines till they're mastered.
I would suggest (translation from my language) "Feed" "Blood Heal" "Obfuscate (just the 1st subdiscipline)" "Protean" and "Thaumaturgy" (the most useful but, unfortunately, available late in the game)

Then I'd propose to "waste" a character to master "Auspex" "Common Disciplines" (among which "Revive", "Haven's Door") Social Attributes such as persuasion. The henchman will be of little use in battle but will grant you unlimited gold ergo unlimited equipment, etc..

Acleacius · Post by **Acleacius** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:28 am

Yeah, it is important to to pull enimies to your coterie trap.
The most important are feeding with it high enough you could almost solo the game and make Damn sure you get all the books when your in Viennna the Mage shop ower will give you a Book of *** after you compete ***, he says it's yours but it is on the self you have to pick it up and in the Tremere Chanty make Damn sure you search down every hall there is a Book of **** possibly the most important book in the game.

Always try to be humane when you reach the 2nd half of the game there is an great oppurtunity to to Gain *** and Get *** but it will cost you 20 humnaity, you can easily have 100 by that time, well not easy but not to difficult.

Also in Vienna when leaving a barred area try to only carry small valuable items on you, you can come back for all the large gear and Dont forget the Damn *** under the large Murel.

Just hit the G key to make each member wait, just don't have them wait too close, as I think they attack if you fight too close to them.

Also Don't even think about playing this with out the 1.1 patch.

Spineles · Post by **Spineles** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 8:34 am

@mr_sir

about the coterie control. If you don't want the others to follow the currently selected member you need to press the little green button or the G key apparantly. However, the coterie still remembers the last selected stand, i.e. defensive, neutral or offensive. To make the coterie stay put, select the defensive stand and then press G. In offensive mode, the members can still walk a long way to help you defeating the enemies.
Also note that there is a regroup button.

If I remember correctly, Orthelios is a real pain in the lower region. He's wielding a scythe that invokes frenzy. You should try the new party control and let the main tank stand in the sewer opening. Another option is to lure them out of their tunnel down the stairs where you can outnumber them because only 2 can pass at the same time.

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:27 pm

Thanks for all the help. I got past Orthelios in the end by using the green button to seperate my party and then used Christoff to lure out the nosferatu one at a time, then my party took turns feeding on them, and then my Brujah sidekick actually killed Orthelios by feeding on him (he had a higher feed than my other 2 as well as better strength, which is why I used him).

As for stats, I'm increasing the stats pretty regularly (after playing bloodlines I know that its important to raise stuff like stamina) and I have decent armour (all 3 have leather armour, light helms and some gauntlets). Christoff has an exquisite broadsword, my Brujah sidekick has an exquisite claymore, and the girl has a fine rapier (but I tend to keep her out of melee if I can cos its seems her stats are more geared towards disciplines). The actual combat isn't the problem, as I've got the hang of that. Its the party control that I was struggling with. If I leave them to it they just use all their blood and end up frenzying but if I turn off the auto discipline function, then its a nightmare to manage them all. Its a pity there isn't a pause button like in BG2 and the Kotor games. It would make party management so much easier. Now I know how to split them up its a lot more manageable though so thanks for your help.

@Acleacius, the first thing I did was install the patch

Acleacius · Post by **Acleacius** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:23 am

There is a pause button, on my game it is the Pause button, I couln't imagine playing without it.
Maybe you have disabled yours by reconfiguring your keys?

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:40 am

I have not reconfigured any keys. Which key is the pause button? There is Esc which pauses it in the same way as in Bloodlines, but what I was meaning is that I wanted a pause like in Kotor where you just press pause and then you can leisurely tell each party member what to do next with no fear of being killed while trying to decide on the right discipline etc.

Spineles · Post by **Spineles** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:54 am

If you put your coterie on a defensive stand they wouldn't attack anyone! not even when someone is hammering them down into torpor

Acleacius · Post by **Acleacius** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:28 pm

It is called the "Pause" key on my keyboard, it's to the top-right of the right hand keys next to the "Print Screen" on my keyboard and yes it pauses the action like any other game, i.e. you can switch between the different characters and change settings, the game is on my HD and I tested incase I was dreaming or something.

Every keyboard I have ever had, has a Pause button, i.e. currently using a Microsoft Natural ksyboard, they range from about $20 to $100 all the different models have a Pause key, maybe your using a nonstandard keyboard?

I sure hope you have one and just missd it, it sure could be frustrating without one.

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:13 pm

Lol, I never thought of using the pause button on my keyboard. I'll give it a go. Thanks.

Acleacius · Post by **Acleacius** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 5:31 pm

Hehe, np.

One last thing and so I don't give any spoilers, I will tell you this always give Christof Magic Books FIRST, once he has it then give a second or thrid out to whatever members you choose, trust me on this.

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:09 am

Originally I thought there was just one book of each so I was doing that anyway as I'm the kind of person where my main PC gets all the good stuff and the henchman etc. get the hand-downs lol. I'm more that half way through now so I fully understand why you said give them to Chrisoff first. My only problem is I now have 3 books I can't use as I already have the disciplines and cannot decide who to give them to lol.

I finally seem to have got the hang of the coterie/combat aspects of the game now
thanks to the tips in this thread so thanks to everyone.

Knox2 · Post by **Knox2** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:38 am

One little tip. Give Christof the Ainkurn Sword that you'll find when you complete the Teutonic Knight Base quest. That sword will drain the blood from your opponent when you use it in a fight. When a battle is over the others can feed on Christof, because his blood pool is at his highest point.

mr_sir · Post by **mr_sir** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:08 am

I already use that sword, but it makes little difference as I have maxed out Theft of Vitae so I always have maxed out blood lol - plus use it on any vampires and they cannot use their disciplines (including all the bosses I have met so far - makes boss fights really easy lol). Of course this may not work on the final bosses but I'll find out soon as I've nearly completed the game now.

Acleacius · Post by **Acleacius** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:12 am

Well I could tell you who to give the books to with hints of just stait out.

I sure hope you found that very special book in the chantry.

Slight spoiler DON"T look.

Something sweet and something dirty, don't forget keep one for a rainy day.

ProgRockGhoul · Post by **ProgRockGhoul** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:16 am

I wanted to tack on my own word of thanks for the advice given in this thread. I've been struggling with similar issues, and the disappearing Nosferatu are giving my Christof and his two companions a rough time of it.

The controls are pretty tough to work with. I'm so in love with Bloodlines, though, that I'm very motivated to figure Redemption out and see what it has to offer.