The Best NPCs

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Oct 04, 2001 6:44 am

Given the number of potential party NPCs and the variety of their skills and personalities, this seemed an appropriate question to ask. Whom do you like adding best to your parties?

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Oct 04, 2001 8:54 am

So far, I've added Virgil. There is a half-ogre in shrouded hills who is a drunk. It seems like he wants to join but says I'm not the man through some drunken spittle. Also, there is some healer in Dernhold but she won't join either and then another person (priest) in the soggy barnacle? tavern in black root who says I'm not experience enough. I'm level 7 but can't seem to get anyone to join me.

okuth0r · Post by **okuth0r** » Thu Oct 04, 2001 9:09 am

ok, virgil will just about join you no matter what, hes pretty good too, lots of healing. to get sogg mead mug in the first town you need to have a 9 cha. to get the healer in derholm you need a tech level of 11 or higher. as for the preist im not sure. [url="http://www.terra-arcanum.com"]http://www.terra-arcanum.com[/url] [url="http://arcanum.netfirms.com/index.shtml"]http://arcanum.netfirms.com/index.shtml[/url]

Taralon · Post by **Taralon** » Sun Oct 07, 2001 1:26 pm

The top five NPC's I think are:

1) Worthless Mutt (Dog)
2) Chukka
3) Sogg
4) Gar
5) Loghaire

Obviously, I lean heavily towards melee types...but then again, what else are NPC's good for?

friend_al_23 · Post by **friend_al_23** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 8:45 am

I like Raven!

Shadowwarrior · Post by **Shadowwarrior** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 1:30 pm

Is there anyway to use a npc´s skill such as lockpick? It seems to me that the npc´s indeed are worthless at everything except fighting&healing, and perhaps making some tech-items. But everything else such as lock-picks and other skills only the protagonist may use. Why?

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 4:33 pm

This really should be in a separate topic, however--if you ready the lockpick in the NPC's hand, then attempt to unlock an item, the NPC will jump in and do it for you. This presumes you have the 1.70 patch, since earlier versions require both you and the NPC to have lockpicks readied.

friend_al_23 · Post by **friend_al_23** » Mon Oct 08, 2001 9:31 pm

Both? Then you need two sets?

Vicsun · Post by **Vicsun** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 7:34 am

About the NPCs...
You can only have as much as NPCs as your charisma allows. The forumla is:
(charisma)/4=(number of possible NPCs)
For example if you have a charisma of eight then (8/4=2) you can only have 2 followers. If you have a charisma of 20 then you can have 5 followers. The worthless mut (dog) doesn't count as a follower, so you can have 5 followers + dog.
And oh yeah... Almost forgot - expert (or master) persuation also adds 1 to your max number of followers.

friend_al_23 · Post by **friend_al_23** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 11:24 am

FYI, you can have up to 20+ followers.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 10:57 pm

Originally posted by Al Reyes:
<STRONG>FYI, you can have up to 20+ followers.</STRONG>

I've read elsewhere that the limit was nine. Where did you find more than twenty?

friend_al_23 · Post by **friend_al_23** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 11:42 pm

I knew you would ask that.

Summons = 5
Followers = 5
Persuasion (expert) = 1
Dog = 1
Quest NPC = 1
Arronax = 1

and so on and so fort... Those other followers that do not count Arronax, Bane, Dog, etc.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 12:22 am

Al, I don't believe you can take summoned creatures very far, nor can they exchange inventory with you. They're not followers per se.

What do you mean, Persuasion (expert)? If you persuade somebody to join you, then they're a follower, and count to the total of nine you're permitted.

I also admit, I don't understand what's meant by Arronax, Bane, Dog, etc. By Dog, do you mean the Mutt? He's simply a follower, and counts (again) again the total your charisma can support, up to nine.

friend_al_23 · Post by **friend_al_23** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 9:07 am

FYI, the total number of followers your charisma can support can only be 5. You can, again, only have 5 followers since charisma do not go over 20 unless you cheat. Even with backgrounds, you cannot increase Charisma to more than 20.

Next, when I meant they "do not count", I mean that they do not take follower slot. Dog do not take the follower slot. See for yourself. Also, there are other followers that do not take follower slot including Arronax and Bane of Kree. Which concludes that you haven't finish the game yet.

Now, when I meant Persuasion (expert), it means that you will gain +1 bonus in your number of followers if you have persuasion skill level 3 and is an expert in that field. Read the manual or visit my site for more info about persuasion.

Yes, I do agree with you that you cannot take your summoned creature for a very long time since they will disappear if you sleep or if you loose all your manas. However, your familiar can be with your team and not take up follower slot for as long as you want. Cancel that, he will never go away unless he got killed or if you use Disperse Magick.

Back to summons. Yes, they can not exchange inventories with you but they do stay with you during battles and thus they are followers. You can control up to 5 followers as per intelligence.

My original statement was that you can have up to 15 followers and then someone (at the other board) made some corrections and said you can have up to 20+ followers. I don't know the exact number but that is what he said. He did list all of them.

What else would you like to know?

fable · Post by **fable** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 2:43 pm

Originally posted by Al Reyes:
FYI, the total number of followers your charisma can support can only be 5. You can, again, only have 5 followers since charisma do not go over 20 unless you cheat. Even with backgrounds, you cannot increase Charisma to more than 20.

Next, when I meant they "do not count", I mean that they do not take follower slot. Dog do not take the follower slot. See for yourself. Also, there are other followers that do not take follower slot including Arronax and Bane of Kree. Which concludes that you haven't finish the game yet.

Which concludes wrongly, then.

I've played through twice, as an evil female Elven spellcaster, and a good male Dwarven techno-type. But I never focused on the "underlying math" questions, like how many followers you could max to at a time. I was more concerned with details of good/evilness plot derivations, etc.

What else would you like to know?

You're a fine resource to have in this category, @Al. I hope you'll think of some topics to open about the game that might be interesting to discuss. Just don't think your knowing something that something else doesn't about Arcanum makes them automatically ignorant and you all-wise. Life doesn't work out that way, not even for Bill Gates.

friend_al_23 · Post by **friend_al_23** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 11:03 pm

Yes, I know that. If you must know, I spent my time at 6 different Arcanum forums. I often post in each of them at least 3 times a day. Believe me, I've answered several questions and not all of them are right. Someone has to correct me for my mistake. I, of course, admit it and do like it. It is how I learn even in real life. In this other forum, someone said I'm dumb. Maybe I am. He said he would be expecting to receive a long reply from his but I only gave him 2 to 3 sentences. I also believe that all of us are ignorant and have something to learn from each other even from people we think otherwise. Sorry if I never realize you finishing the game twice as I thought you haven't being that you never met Arronax or Bane of Kree.

fable · Post by **fable** » Mon Oct 15, 2001 12:08 am

@Al, I didn't say I hadn't met either of 'em. Please re-read my post.

friend_al_23 · Post by **friend_al_23** » Mon Oct 15, 2001 12:13 am

I assume you have since you said "I don't understand what's meant by Arronax, Bane, Dog, etc." Sorry if I do not know what you meant by this and misunderstood you.