Making Enhanced characters for Wizardry 6

[5k Chicken]

Since I own the game from GOG, it won't let me make a guide with pictures... so for anyone wondering how to get further in the game with better characters, a strategy that has worked great for me is going for a high roll (maybe 16 or higher), then using those stat points to make a non-hybrid class but with stats close enough to class change whenever you feel like it to a better hybrid class. Sure you may miss out on some starting gear, but that is not a big deal in the long run.

Here's some examples: Start with a Mage and give him the stats a Samurai requires (or as close as possible, maybe 1 point below requirement since you will want to get at least 5-7 level ups before class changing). Put all of your level up points into Thaumaturgy, since the weapon skills upgrade from use. Once you hit level 6 or 7, realistically you'll have anywhere between 60-80 in the Thaumaturgy skill. Then you can class change into a level 1 Samurai that can wear much better gear and will be an excellent spell caster as well.

Other good examples are: Priest - Valkyrie/Lord (Theology)
Ranger - Ninja (Alchemy)
Thief - Ninja (Skullduggery)

** A Psionic has much different stats than a Monk, so this one is not as practical.
The strategy is to use those 5-7 levels in your first class to get a boost in a complementary category of the hybrid class you will NEVER get if you start with the hybrid class. If you desperately need that ninja gear, just roll one character as a ninja that you can class change to something else and transfer their gear to your much more powerful ninja you made using this strategy.

You can get your first level up or two from the random encounters on the first floor, and once you feel confident, head to the Bell Tower and farm fights against the bats. If you don't get the stat point you need to meet the class change requirement, just reload and try the fight again. Once you're set, enjoy your adventure with your enhanced characters.

[Aros]

Here's my own strategy that cheeses you through 6 and 7 rather handily. Here are what I'm aiming for with class changes.

1. Getting *everyone* access to the various class locked skills. Any time a character changes into a class with a restricted skill, 1 point even if I'm not focusing on it yet so I can dump more points into it at will.

2. Filling up spellbooks. Completely filling them up. This is mainly because every time you learn a new spell, it boosts your magic points in that school.

3. Getting massive HP totals, along with more skill points than I would ever need.

The hard requirements for my starting party is a Ninja, for the set of hard to obtain gear, and a Psionic for spamming sleep magic. A second caster should be either a Bishop or an Alchemist if not just a second Psionic. It doesn't matter that these classes 'suck' because they have sleep spells for the spamming and ALSO get heals which you will need.

The only reason I'm not suggesting THREE sleep spamming casters for more sustain is because you want to buy that Ninja an Awl Pike ASAP and stick it in the back row too so the low HP doesn't do it in. You can do this almost immediately in W6 if you pawn some of those free less than useful loot potions to Queequeg and know where he is.

Then three front line fighter classes, doesn't matter if they're hybrid/advanced or not as long as they can equip armor. Fighter, Samurai, Lord, Valkyrie, any of those.

Samurai is a decent one to get if you can, not for the swords which you can buy from Queequeg, but so you can get that character at least 1 point in kirijutsu. EVERY party member needs to unlock and max that skill out for maximum carnage, so the earlier you get the points there the better.

Skill points are prioritized into spellcasting school skills to 100, then Kirijutsu, the broken skill that even lets back rank mages one hit KO with melee.

Rather than starter class into final class, it's starter class, live with it as high a level as you can suffer to keep grinding it... Then it's an endless carousel of class changes to follow, only settling on the 'final' composition once you already have ALL the skills and ALL the spells you want.

The whole point is to get strong enough to where your party's spells and skills let them handle relatively 'high level' opponents fresh after class change at level 1. Cycling them from 1 to 7 or 8 as fast as humanly possible.

Your starting casters don't have HP for a front line rotation? Well, promote them to something like Samurai then immediately to Fighter while still level 1. Now they'll have full HP gain on every level up, since the game only knows the level of your previous class not the highest level ever obtained by the character. It dumps stats sure, but you can just go from fighter to a class with stats closer to your desired next class and cycle around until they get the one you want to settle on.

The comfortable point of this grind is when you have multiple characters that can take turns rotating into having the mage skillbook to spam a few NUCLEAR BLAST spells in any given class change configuration. Until you can nuke them, you can fight enemies that are vulnerable to SLEEP. Killer rats, jungle vines, stuff like that.

Being able to kick off with higher level enemies is nice, but you can make it work in the Old Castle in 6, and other relatively early access areas in 7 if you set your mind to it.

Save scumming stat gains for 'nicer' class changes is tempting, but it's way too labor intensive when you can just swap to an intermediate class, level up a bunch in six more fights, then get the desired class anyway plus a bunch of extra skill points and spells.

Queequeg can outfit you with decent enough gear for every class except Ninja armor, so it's pretty easy to set up.

[5k Chicken]

There's one square I found on the lower level right near a locked gate where you can fight ninjas/samurai/skeleton warriors/liches/haunts right away. Sometimes you can cheap out a kill with dispel or fireball (usually the skeletons) and get massive XP and some good items early.

[halpolord]

can i still do this if i started with all adv classes? like for my lord, i notice ive i change his class i cant change it back to lord so im curious if its all messed up and i should just start over. im not very far in, i was doing kind of a blind play but i made it to the belfry and ground out quite a few bats lol.

[5k Chicken]

Originally posted by halpolord:

can i still do this if i started with all adv classes? like for my lord, i notice ive i change his class i cant change it back to lord so im curious if its all messed up and i should just start over. im not very far in, i was doing kind of a blind play but i made it to the belfry and ground out quite a few bats lol.

From what I remember you need to meet the basic requirements to go into one of the advanced classes. Like if you made a lord first he needs STR 12, INT 9, PIE 12, VIT 12, DEX, 9, SPE 9, and PER 14 minimum stats. If you got 5 levels with your lord and switched to fighter, the stats would revert to the baseline race/class stats, so for a fighter they only need 12 STR.
In the back of the manual they have the charts for each race base stat and the stats needed for each class. Long story short, if you switch from lord to fighter, you'll meet the STR requirement of 12, but will have to get level ups in all the other specific stats to meet the requirements of switching back. Basically, when you get close to a level up, save and then reload until you get the right stat points since it is random. You can jump into any class if you reload and make sure you get the right stat upgrades at level up.

[halpolord]

So if it just resets to base stats, that would defeat the purpose of getting a high roll like op said wouldnt it?

[5k Chicken]

Originally posted by halpolord:

So if it just resets to base stats, that would defeat the purpose of getting a high roll like op said wouldnt it?

The only reason you'd be shooting for a high roll early would be to meet the requirements of what you want at the start. Switching classes a few times makes your characters WAY stronger though. I'd say if you want to be a samurai, roll for those stats but make a mage, then switch into samurai once you've gotten a few levels (will make his magic skills way better). For a Lord, start as a priest if you want better casting or a fighter if you want someone a bit tougher.

[5k Chicken]

The way I've always done it is:

Priest and Mage back and forth eventually Bishop
Priest ---> Lord
Mage ---> Samurai or Bard
Alchemist or Ranger or Thief ---> Ninja
Forget his name (the mind mage) ----> Monk