Useable items?

[frostdiamond]

Hi guys,

So I'm about 8 hours into the game and ended up with a whole slew of "usable items", including books, notes, and all that crap.

1) Do I need to carry these around? Or could I destroy / sell them off for gold?
2) Do they take up inventory weight (or space)?
3) I understand there are skill books. How do I tell the difference between a skill book and a regular junk book?

[AbedsBrother]

1) Plot-related items cannot be dropped - even after their relevance to the plot has passed. Otherwise, you can destroy / sell any and everything else.
2) Non-plot "usable items" do take up inventory space (especially potions). Recipes, alchemy and crafting supplies do not take up inventory space.
3) Open the book and read it. If it is skill-based, a message will pop up with something like, "Reading this book will provide 1 skill point, but will consume the book / render the item useless afterwards, do you wish to continue?" If you're looking at a book in a merchant's inventory and wondering if your should purchase it or not, usually the item description will tell you what type of tome it is.

Worth noting that completing the Canneroc spider-queen quest in Webwood will provide you with a house and a storage chest that will hold 150 items. Completing several side-quests elsewhere (like in Adessa or Rathir) will also grant access to a house and that same inventory (it's a magical chest, so its contents are available in every house you receive). Canneroc is just the closest to the start.

[myarmor]

Remember to buy backpacks when you can afford it (each add +10 to max items).
They are only available at certain (regular) locations/shops.

You won't be able to remove certain items you pick up throughout the game (most likely a bug), but it probably won't matter much..at least as long as you get those backpacks here and there.

Plot-related items are usually removed when you're done with the quest. However, some
quests don't remove them, and won't allow you to drop them.

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by abedsbrother:

1) Plot-related items cannot be dropped - even after their relevance to the plot has passed. Otherwise, you can destroy / sell any and everything else.
2) Non-plot "usable items" do take up inventory space (especially potions). Recipes, alchemy and crafting supplies do not take up inventory space.
3) Open the book and read it. If it is skill-based, a message will pop up with something like, "Reading this book will provide 1 skill point, but will consume the book / render the item useless afterwards, do you wish to continue?" If you're looking at a book in a merchant's inventory and wondering if your should purchase it or not, usually the item description will tell you what type of tome it is.

Worth noting that completing the Canneroc spider-queen quest in Webwood will provide you with a house and a storage chest that will hold 150 items. Completing several side-quests elsewhere (like in Adessa or Rathir) will also grant access to a house and that same inventory (it's a magical chest, so its contents are available in every house you receive). Canneroc is just the closest to the start.

Hey man, thanks again for the help, I noticed you are the resident expert on this game.

1) So as long as the item is "usable", it takes up space?

2) Does the game tell you how much space an item takes up? In Diablo, one could literally see the occupied space. In Oblivion, items are measured by weights (indicated by number of feathers). In Kingdom, I know the items are also measured by.....something.....indicated by a total number. However how do I tell what this number is, for each item?

3) I heard skill books "carry some kind of number in a bracket behind the name". Is this true?

4) Should I really just read every book I find then, so not to miss out on any skill books?

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by myarmor:

Remember to buy backpacks when you can afford it (each add +10 to max items).
They are only available at certain (regular) locations/shops.

You won't be able to remove certain items you pick up throughout the game (most likely a bug), but it probably won't matter much..at least as long as you get those backpacks here and there.

Oh yeah, I'll be buying additional storage space for sure.

[AbedsBrother]

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

Hey man, thanks again for the help, I noticed you are the resident expert on this game.

I like the game, am glad to see others playing it. Happy to help. :)

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

1) So as long as the item is "usable", it takes up space?

2) Does the game tell you how much space an item takes up? In Diablo, one could literally see the occupied space. In Oblivion, items are measured by weights (indicated by number of feathers). In Kingdom, I know the items are also measured by.....something.....indicated by a total number. However how do I tell what this number is, for each item?

3) I heard skill books "carry some kind of number in a bracket behind the name". Is this true?

4) Should I really just read every book I find then, so not to miss out on any skill books?

1) Yes in general (there might be exceptions). One item = one allotment in the inventory, except potions. For potions the rule is one variety of potion = one inventory slot, up to 10 potions per inventory slot.
So for instance if you have 10 health potions, they will only take up one inventory slot. If you have 11 health potions, they will take up 2 slots: 10 in one slot and 1 in the other. 20 health potions will take up two slots (10 per slot), but 21 health potions will take up three slots.

2) There is no visual depiction of space in the inventory, and no weight restrictions. The number of items is the only restriction.
Hit I to access your inventory. At the top of the screen on the left will be some text that says something like, "Inventory Restriction: 66/80" for instance. Room for 80 items, and currently have 66. Definitely need to buy backpacks to increase the size, as myarmor suggested.

3) I haven't noticed this, but it could be true.

4) I'd recommend it, especially if you're attracted by the lore (unlike Skyrim, Amalur's books are usually quite short). If reading the books isn't something you want to do, look for the words "usable item" in the item description while in the inventory.
Here is the webpage on the Alchemy skill book as an example.
http://amalur.wikia.com/wiki/Skill_Book_(Alchemy)

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by abedsbrother:

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

Hey man, thanks again for the help, I noticed you are the resident expert on this game.

I like the game, am glad to see others playing it. Happy to help. :)

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

1) So as long as the item is "usable", it takes up space?

2) Does the game tell you how much space an item takes up? In Diablo, one could literally see the occupied space. In Oblivion, items are measured by weights (indicated by number of feathers). In Kingdom, I know the items are also measured by.....something.....indicated by a total number. However how do I tell what this number is, for each item?

3) I heard skill books "carry some kind of number in a bracket behind the name". Is this true?

4) Should I really just read every book I find then, so not to miss out on any skill books?

1) Yes in general (there might be exceptions). One item = one allotment in the inventory, except potions. For potions the rule is one variety of potion = one inventory slot, up to 10 potions per inventory slot.
So for instance if you have 10 health potions, they will only take up one inventory slot. If you have 11 health potions, they will take up 2 slots: 10 in one slot and 1 in the other. 20 health potions will take up two slots (10 per slot), but 21 health potions will take up three slots.

2) There is no visual depiction of space in the inventory, and no weight restrictions. The number of items is the only restriction.
Hit I to access your inventory. At the top of the screen on the left will be some text that says something like, "Inventory Restriction: 66/80" for instance. Room for 80 items, and currently have 66. Definitely need to buy backpacks to increase the size, as myarmor suggested.

3) I haven't noticed this, but it could be true.

4) I'd recommend it, especially if you're attracted by the lore (unlike Skyrim, Amalur's books are usually quite short). If reading the books isn't something you want to do, look for the words "usable item" in the item description while in the inventory.
Here is the webpage on the Alchemy skill book as an example.
http://amalur.wikia.com/wiki/Skill_Book_(Alchemy)

BRILLIANT. Thank you my friend, now the item limit system makes perfect sense now.

I'm merely 8 hours into the game, but am having a total blast. I'm still at Gorhart. I've found and lead Brother Egan out of the cave, only to have ran into the two "Faes" who admit they've simply tricked Egan to get the Selkie Veil. At that point I said "well to hell with you then" and killed the 2 clowns lol. I understand killing NPCs have a permanent effect on the game. Hopefully I didn't just prevent myself from some special plot / loot.

[AbedsBrother]

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

I understand killing NPCs have a permanent effect on the game. Hopefully I didn't just prevent myself from some special plot / loot.

Only one way to find out! :) lol

The Selkie Veil is the only important thing acquired from that quest, so hopefully you have it, or had the opportunity to get it (it's decent mage armor for the early game).

While you can do good / bad things, there's no morality or reputation system to bother your conscience. You can go to jail though if you get caught doing something bad (stealing / murdering), so be careful ;)

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by abedsbrother:

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

I understand killing NPCs have a permanent effect on the game. Hopefully I didn't just prevent myself from some special plot / loot.

Only one way to find out! :) lol

The Selkie Veil is the only important thing acquired from that quest, so hopefully you have it, or had the opportunity to get it (it's decent mage armor for the early game).

While you can do good / bad things, there's no morality or reputation system to bother your conscience. You can go to jail though if you get caught doing something bad (stealing / murdering), so be careful ;)

I'm after a Finesse build, am using daggers / longbow at the moment, so I sold the Veil to a merchant as it's more for Sorcerers.

Speaking of which, you know how initially there was a chest by the Inn at Gorhart, which contains one set of armor + weapons for each build? Since I'm going after Finesse, I've basically sold the Might and Sorcery armor and weapons for gold. This is OK right? These items are good, but not THAT good (as in, I expect to see better ones later in the game) : )

[AbedsBrother]

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

Speaking of which, you know how initially there was a chest by the Inn at Gorhart, which contains one set of armor + weapons for each build? Since I'm going after Finesse, I've basically sold the Might and Sorcery armor and weapons for gold. This is OK right? These items are good, but not THAT good (as in, I expect to see better ones later in the game) : )

Absolutely fine. You'll be able to craft much better armor yourself by the time you reach Ysa. Even if you change destinies to add some Might or Sorcery to your character, the armor you craft will be superior to what you find, 9 times out of 10.

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by abedsbrother:

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

Speaking of which, you know how initially there was a chest by the Inn at Gorhart, which contains one set of armor + weapons for each build? Since I'm going after Finesse, I've basically sold the Might and Sorcery armor and weapons for gold. This is OK right? These items are good, but not THAT good (as in, I expect to see better ones later in the game) : )

Absolutely fine. You'll be able to craft much better armor yourself by the time you reach Ysa. Even if you change destinies to add some Might or Sorcery to your character, the armor you craft will be superior to what you find, 9 times out of 10.

So, I should invest a few points in Blacksmithing then eh? OK.

[Ishamaeli]

Re: skill books, don't worry about missing them as their status is stated in the book title, e.g. "Skill Book (Sagecrafting)".

I've never noticed any merchants losing items I've sold them, either, so even if you sell a skill book and want it back X amount of levels and adventuring later, you can still get it back as long as you remember which merchant you sold it to... This is also useful in terms of sagecrafting because if in the early stages you sell all the shards you find for money, you can later buy them back and use them to make gems. Which reminds me; unlike shards, gems stack like potions etc. so each different gem in your inventory takes up one slot.

Uh, what else do I wish I'd known back when I started... if, for a quest, you're required to pick up a respawning item (e.g. plant, flower) or something there is more than one of in the game, and you need one item only, don't absently pick up more because it's likely that you either 1) can't hand the extra item over to the quest giver, and/or 2) can't get rid of it by selling or destroying it, so it'll forever take up a slot in your inventory.

And yeah, do invest in Blacksmithing (also Detect Hidden, but I figured with a Finesse build, you're so inclined anyway). I can tell you that after a certain point, the difference in quality between what's available for a lot of money and what you can craft yourself starts to look a little ridiculous.

Have a good time! Remember to experiment with different enemy/damage/weapon types! Talk to people! Like abedsbrother said, the books are shorter than in Skyrim, and talking to people about stuff can give you new bits of interesting lore and information that may or may not be helpful in making decisions.

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by Ishamaeli:

Re: skill books, don't worry about missing them as their status is stated in the book title, e.g. "Skill Book (Sagecrafting)".

I've never noticed any merchants losing items I've sold them, either, so even if you sell a skill book and want it back X amount of levels and adventuring later, you can still get it back as long as you remember which merchant you sold it to... This is also useful in terms of sagecrafting because if in the early stages you sell all the shards you find for money, you can later buy them back and use them to make gems. Which reminds me; unlike shards, gems stack like potions etc. so each different gem in your inventory takes up one slot.

Uh, what else do I wish I'd known back when I started... if, for a quest, you're required to pick up a respawning item (e.g. plant, flower) or something there is more than one of in the game, and you need one item only, don't absently pick up more because it's likely that you either 1) can't hand the extra item over to the quest giver, and/or 2) can't get rid of it by selling or destroying it, so it'll forever take up a slot in your inventory.

And yeah, do invest in Blacksmithing (also Detect Hidden, but I figured with a Finesse build, you're so inclined anyway). I can tell you that after a certain point, the difference in quality between what's available for a lot of money and what you can craft yourself starts to look a little ridiculous.

Have a good time! Remember to experiment with different enemy/damage/weapon types! Talk to people! Like abedsbrother said, the books are shorter than in Skyrim, and talking to people about stuff can give you new bits of interesting lore and information that may or may not be helpful in making decisions.

Good morning!

A series of questions if I may:

1) My understanding of quality of gems, from low to high is:

(no name quality)-->cloudy-->lambent-->pristine

correct?


2) So each piece of gem, even if it's a cloudy one, would still take one ONE inventory space?


3) Wait, so the items you've sold to the merchants remain in their list of purchasable items FOREVER?

[Ishamaeli]

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

A series of questions if I may:

1) My understanding of quality of gems, from low to high is:

(no name quality)-->cloudy-->lambent-->pristine

correct?


2) So each piece of gem, even if it's a cloudy one, would still take one ONE inventory space?


3) Wait, so the items you've sold to the merchants remain in their list of purchasable items FOREVER?

Afternoon! :D

1) Yes, correct! Both the shards you use to make gems and the gems themselves use the same scale which is indeed as you wrote above. I'm pretty sure that if you use two shards with different qualities to make a gem, the gem's quality will be the same as the lower quality shard's.

2) No, because shards are like alchemy ingredients and are stored in the... Sagecrafting Pouch, I think it was called. All crafting components - recipes, reagents, components and shards - are stored in the four Crafting containers under Items precisely to save space in your inventory. Gems are stored in your regular inventory like potions, so a stack of gems takes up a slot, and there are many types of gems so when you get to crafting, they'll take up slots fast (I'm not sure what their stack limit is; it's 10 for potions). It doesn't matter how many stacks of shards/components/whatever you've got in the Crafting containers, afaik they never max out.

(This is why I need coffee, I almost wrote a complicated explanation of what I meant that was completely wrong. *facepalm*)

3) I'm level 33 now, and Gorhart merchants still have the stuff I sold to them way back when, so yeah, as far as I can tell.

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by Ishamaeli:

Originally posted by frostdiamond:

A series of questions if I may:

1) My understanding of quality of gems, from low to high is:

(no name quality)-->cloudy-->lambent-->pristine

correct?


2) So each piece of gem, even if it's a cloudy one, would still take one ONE inventory space?


3) Wait, so the items you've sold to the merchants remain in their list of purchasable items FOREVER?

Afternoon! :D

1) Yes, correct! Both the shards you use to make gems and the gems themselves use the same scale which is indeed as you wrote above. I'm pretty sure that if you use two shards with different qualities to make a gem, the gem's quality will be the same as the lower quality shard's.

2) No, because shards are like alchemy ingredients and are stored in the... Sagecrafting Pouch, I think it was called. All crafting components - recipes, reagents, components and shards - are stored in the four Crafting containers under Items precisely to save space in your inventory. Gems are stored in your regular inventory like potions, so a stack of gems takes up a slot, and there are many types of gems so when you get to crafting, they'll take up slots fast (I'm not sure what their stack limit is; it's 10 for potions). It doesn't matter how many stacks of shards/components/whatever you've got in the Crafting containers, afaik they never max out.

(This is why I need coffee, I almost wrote a complicated explanation of what I meant that was completely wrong. *facepalm*)

3) I'm level 33 now, and Gorhart merchants still have the stuff I sold to them way back when, so yeah, as far as I can tell.

It's 8:31AM here so good morning again! I'm at the office, but was playing this game till 1:00AM last night so I just might need a coffee also lol, even if I never drink coffee.

Indeed. "Generally, combining shards of different clarities but the same effect will result in a gem with an average of the two shard's clarities, rounded DOWN".


Another question:

So I'm upgrading the skill tree for Finesse. When it comes to upgrading long bow power, each point I invest says "Physical damage +2, +3........etc".

Level Physical Damage with Longbows
1 +2 +5%
2 +3 +10%
3 +4 +15%

Say my base damage is 10 to start. At level 2, I should be 10+2 =12. But at level 3, am I at 10+3=13? Or 10+2+3=15 (ie stacking)?

[frostdiamond]

Originally posted by Ishamaeli:

Re: skill books, don't worry about missing them as their status is stated in the book title, e.g. "Skill Book (Sagecrafting)".

I've never noticed any merchants losing items I've sold them, either, so even if you sell a skill book and want it back X amount of levels and adventuring later, you can still get it back as long as you remember which merchant you sold it to... This is also useful in terms of sagecrafting because if in the early stages you sell all the shards you find for money, you can later buy them back and use them to make gems. Which reminds me; unlike shards, gems stack like potions etc. so each different gem in your inventory takes up one slot.

Uh, what else do I wish I'd known back when I started... if, for a quest, you're required to pick up a respawning item (e.g. plant, flower) or something there is more than one of in the game, and you need one item only, don't absently pick up more because it's likely that you either 1) can't hand the extra item over to the quest giver, and/or 2) can't get rid of it by selling or destroying it, so it'll forever take up a slot in your inventory.

And yeah, do invest in Blacksmithing (also Detect Hidden, but I figured with a Finesse build, you're so inclined anyway). I can tell you that after a certain point, the difference in quality between what's available for a lot of money and what you can craft yourself starts to look a little ridiculous.

Have a good time! Remember to experiment with different enemy/damage/weapon types! Talk to people! Like abedsbrother said, the books are shorter than in Skyrim, and talking to people about stuff can give you new bits of interesting lore and information that may or may not be helpful in making decisions.

And over 1000+ hours in Skyrim?!?!?!

LOL I bet you like RPGs better than cookies.

I've sunk about 100 hours into Oblivion. At first I was mildly interested, then eventually things became boring and bland. Oblivion does have a very subtle set of colour palette, and its combat is primitive compared to Amalur.

What would you say, about Amalur VS Skyrim?