Best party set up?

[Saica-Fox]

optimal party set up so you dont get screwed half way threw game?

[glassm]

Probably far from optimal, but I went with dual dagger blademaster, orc hunter, freemage (dark/prime/focus gm + light master) and runepriest (fire/earth/focus gm + shield/med armor expert). Game was a breeze even on warrior mode with that, including the final boss battle which unexpectedly ended on about turn 4 or so...

In retrospect I'd focus sooner in light magic with freemage instead of dark, the later dark spells were really not that great (not sure about gm light, could get that with runepriest). Whispering shadows and especially dark vision were great though.

[Traul]

There are a lot of viable parties. You just need to cover a few bases to make the game easier:
-Earth magic from the start.
-Expert Prime ASAP (i.e.: level 3, so you need it from the start too).
-A way to deal with blocks, mainly dual wielders or Radiant Weapon.
-Expert Fire early on for Burning Determination.
-No Defender.

All things considered, the Rune Priest is a fantastic mage: as good damage output as the Freemage, better survivability and better support thanks to GM Burning Determination that lasts forever. Pair him with a backup healer (Ranger, Shaman or Paladin), two melee specialists, and you are good to go.

[Saica-Fox]

Originally posted by Traul:

There are a lot of viable parties. You just need to cover a few bases to make the game easier:
-Earth magic from the start.
-Expert Prime ASAP (i.e.: level 3, so you need it from the start too).
-A way to deal with blocks, mainly dual wielders or Radiant Weapon.
-Expert Fire early on for Burning Determination.
-No Defender.

All things considered, the Rune Priest is a fantastic mage: as good damage output as the Freemage, better survivability and better support thanks to GM Burning Determination that lasts forever. Pair him with a backup healer (Ranger, Shaman or Paladin), two melee specialists, and you are good to go.

Why no defender
and why expert prime magic?

[Traul]

No defender because you want you fighters to fight, and that means that they need to use both hands to do damage, either with a Two-Handed weapon or Dual Wield. With his mandatory shield, the Defender does only half the job of any other fighter. In theory, he is supposed to compensate with tanking, but undead and bosses are immune to taunts, and spellcasters are not affected when they decide to cast a spell, so it does not work.

Expert Prime Magic for Identify. In the early game, you can barely afford training and spells, so you cannot pay to identify magic items at the shop. And you cannot equip items at all until they have been identified.

[Saica-Fox]

Originally posted by Traul:

No defender because you want you fighters to fight, and that means that they need to use both hands to do damage, either with a Two-Handed weapon or Dual Wield. With his mandatory shield, the Defender does only half the job of any other fighter. In theory, he is supposed to compensate with tanking, but undead and bosses are immune to taunts, and spellcasters are not affected when they decide to cast a spell, so it does not work.

Expert Prime Magic for Identify. In the early game, you can barely afford training and spells, so you cannot pay to identify magic items at the shop. And you cannot equip items at all until they have been identified.

wow you have really played alot any more tips you could offer me?

[steele.knuckles]

I haven't finished the game yet but I made a few starter parties and my favorite by far is:

Paladin
Blademaster
Runepriest
Freemage

This party can Grandmaster in all magic skills except water and there's 3 characters to split them between so no one character has to do it all. The blademaster is the only non-magic but duel wielding daggers can do crazy damage in this game, I think my blademaster is actually out damaging my casters.

One thing I really like about the Paladin is that it can GM Light (so the Runepriest doesn't have to) and get up to Master Warfare skills. At first I was running a sword and shield and my Warfare skills kept missing but then I realized the paladin can use the Magical Focus skill (staffs/wands/orbs) and those *always* hit so my Warfare skills became a lot more useful. My paladin may not be the biggest damage dealer but one he gets going he can pretty much make it so that even boss enemies do Zero damage to my party and if they do get a few hits in then he can heal. Very nice.

[dudex]

If u unlocked the relic pack from uplay i recommend using a merc

the 2h axe is really powerful in the first chapters (hardest part of the game) End game they are also powerful with gm warefare they get 100% crit chance and eliminating enemy block chances. Because they get 100% hit and crit u can put almost all the stat points into might making him/her a beast.

blademasters are good but they are pretty awful early game.

[Traul]

A few areas are race-restricted, so you need one of each to enjoy the whole game. Nothing essential, but you might miss some side dungeons. Gender has no in-game effect at all.

About GM all elements: maybe you can, but you probably shouldn't: you also need skill points for Magical Focus (GM for nuker), Mysticism, survival skills,... You only need to GM one element for damage, then raise the others just enough to get the utility spells you want.

[Samseng Yik]

Finish the game twice. My 2 cent......

- Find a way to detect secret wall or illusion. Good things inside.
There is a dog companion you can get in mid game.

- Use multi-hit attack to waste enemy block attempt. Then just hit with Heavy hitter.
Dual wielder is best at this.

- Earth magic save your party life a lot.

- Expert Fire Burning Determination is important.

- Range attack only give small bonus to your party survivalability. Focus on Melee is better.

- Weapon guy max their weapon skill ASAP.

- Go into side dungeon to discover relic and start using it ASAP to unlock more power.

[Thorak]

I am trying out a hardcore run and I put the following limitations on my run:
1) no loading except in start of acts (because of dying and so on, of course if I stop playing for the day I can load)
2) No missed xp - if I have a char that is disabled (stunned paralyzed dead) at the time I get xp I am forced to start over from the start of the act.
3) Ability to open every secret (you don't need a freemage for this even if some people seem to think so).
4) One of each race (this goes hand in hand with no missed xp).

I have choosen the following party:
1) Crusader built as a mage: Crusader is a veritable fortress with heavy armor and shield. Will take master air later on to get clear mind, perception buff for secrets and cyclone for DoT.
2) Blade dancer: Specialized in daggers. Combos well with crusaders class ability and my might choice to open perception and might secret doors.
3) Rune mage: Planning to GM light and fire. I am going double light GM because I want 2 chars to be able to ressurect and cast celestial armor, I would go fire + earth if I didn't play hardcore. Will cover the identify needs in prime as well.
4) Shaman: Planning on GM earth + water + expert fire later on to have burning determination backup. This is the most questionable choice, but I do feel it gives me better survivability than a barbarian because without this one I only have my rune priest that can cast burning determination and dispelling paralyzing.

I am planning on letting all my three spellcaster get expert shield.

[Thorak]

First act completed without problems = no loading needed no deaths. Skipped secrets in castle and elemental forge (waiting for doggie). Stats after act 1, all chars at lvl 12:
1) Crusader: Increased only magic (26) vit (21) and spirit (26)
Skills: 1 lvl heavy armor to wield heavy armor, light magic to max (main school), shield 1 lvl to use a shield (good for blocks), endurance 1 lvl (I always get 1 lvl in case I find + endurance items), air magic 1 lvl gust of wind is REALLY useful early on, mysticism 1 lvl (same as endurance), crossbow 1 lvl to be able to wield xbows, magical focus 1 lvl with heavy armor I can't hit with a sword so need this.
16 skill points saved
133 health, 118 mana
Wields a magical focus + shield

2) Blade dancer: increased only might (27), Perception (20 I want to hit stuff), destiny 19 (good for avoid + crit early on), vitality 21
Skills: 1 lvl bow, 1 lvl endurance, 1 lvl dual wield, dagger maxed on expert, maxed medium armor
11 skill points saved
133 health, 24 mana
Wields 2 daggers

3) Rune priest: Increased only magic (28), vit (26), spirit (22)
Skills: fire magic expert (burning determination is the best spell in the game), earth magic 1 (for regenation and cure poison early on), light maxed on expert (main school early on), spear 1 (still using it), mysticism 1, primordial magic to expert (identify), crossbow 1
4 skill points saved
150 health, 125 mana
Wields a spear (will have to replace this soon as I won't be able to hit)

4) Shaman: increased only magic (33), vit (23), spirit (27)
Skills: water 1 (ice bolt is useful in certain fights to reduce enemy attacks), air magic 1 (gust of wind), earth magic maxed on expert (poison cloud is too good early on), endurance 1, magical focus 1, mysticism 1, bow 1, shield 1, medium armor 1
129 health, 121 mana
wields magical focus + shield

[Thorak]

Ouch just killed a ghoul with a party member unconscious in act 2, time to start over...

[Thorak]

Ok completed act 2 now. Managed to get the doggie as well so it's time to go back and collect all the secrets I skipped (which is plenty).

Stats after act 2 (all chars at lvl 16):
1) crusader: magic 39, vitality 26, spirit 25, 163 HP, 152 mana
Additional skills: shield expert for extra blocks and relic shield, light master and maxed, mysticism expert
6 skill points saved

2) blade dancer: 45 might, 23 perception, 23 destiny, 25 vit, 205 hp, 24 mana
Additional skills: dual wield master, medium armor expert (for relic), endurance expert
3 skill points saved

3) Rune priest: 41 magic, 30 vit, 21 spirit, 166 hp, 122 mana
Additional skills: light master and maxed, magic focus 1, medium armor 1, shield 1 (switched from spear to shield + focus)
3 skill points saved

4) Shaman: 48 magic, 27 vit, 26 spirit, 180 health, 155 mana
Additional skills, water expert, endurance expert, mysticism expert, shield expert
2 skill points saved

My blademaster is still wielding 2 daggers and my 3 mages all wields a shield + focus. My blademaster together with poison cloud does almost all of my damage in most battle and my 2 other chars mostly buffs (celestial armor mostly). Act 2 was a lot harder than act 1, especially the fight to save the doggie in which I had to use like 10-15 medium mana potions and a number of clarity potions.

[Thorak]

Well, this party was rather effective but booring. A bit too defensive. Starting over with a blade dancer, barbarian, freemage and rune priest. This is the party I would recommend to a new player...

[jbridso]

I think the only thing you really need to have in a party is an earth specialist (high level stoneskin), and a basic fire caster for the anti-stun buff. Things that are nice in a party are: Freemage so you don't have to rely on scrolls/npc to find secrets, high level water caster for the water shield spell, and a maxxed out primordial caster is extremely helpful.

The reason why stoneskin is so important is that the effect is an additive % with armor. So if you have 100% (stoneskin + armor) = immunity to physical damage. The water shield has a lower reduction, but isn't limited to physical damage I believe (stacks with stoneskin).

Other than stoneskin, everything else can be overcome with scrolls/potions and is really more of a convienence factor. Ideally, though you want a mix of damage types since monsters tend to be strong vs a particular damage type, but weak vs another. If you go with a highly physical damage party, be sure to max out an armor stripping ability and use tatics abilities to bypass blocking.