A bishop guide

[Hannibal Sm!th]

This is a guide about how to develop a bishop to have a powerful casting character from midgame onwards. There are too many ways of making a goob bishop, but this is my personal approach and this is a character class I've played lot of times.

The first question is to ask, why do I want a Bishop in my team? And the answer is, because dominating all four magic schools liberate party space for other members (gadgeteer, bards, rogues and so on). I have my own ruleset. If I have a Bishop in my party he's the only specialist caster.

Having a character that can fill all magic shools has it's benefits and downsides. The benefits are what I wrote before, the downside is that a bishop is never going to be no matter what you do as good as a specialist caster. But he can be almost as good is proper developed.

There is no need to powertrain a bishop to make it strong. You don't need to waste half an hour casting knock knock on Arnika vault, or casting divine trap on a chest.

So, let's get started. As character creation you want to focus on INT/PIE. For a simple reason. INT determines how fast a Bishop will acquire new skill points on Alchemy, Wizardry and Psionics. PIE will determine how fast he gains Divinity skill points. After these attribute points are maxed, going SEN/DEX is a good choice because these two are a principal attribute of Psionics and Alchemy along with INT. Powercast is essential on any kind of offensive caster and bishops need it most because of their higher EXP requeriment.

PIE influences how many SP you get per level, and how fast you gain new realm skills (Water, Air, Fire, Mental, Divine and Earth). If you combine this two you have on a single caster the highest skill proggresion possible. Iron will is not the strongest expert skill, but having a slow character that can resist negative effects come in handy.

In my current game I chose a human because they are all well rounded, but other good choices are gnomes and elves.

When selecting your skill points you have to make sure that realms go in this exact order. Alchemy > Wizardry > Psionics > Divinity until you reach Alchemy 50. Since Bishops learn spells that are common to one or more realm schools (Healing for example, belongs to psionics, alchemy and divinity) when you get a skill increase the game automatically assign it to your higher realm school. In case of a draw between two, or even three, it's randomized.

Later on it doesn't matter because you have spells you are going to use that are exclusive to a single magic realm which guarantee skill proggresion on every magic realm.

It's very important that Alchemy remains as your higher level school because you want to reach as fast as possible Alchemy 50 to be able to craft renewal potions, which are an essential part of this build.

On level ups, never ever take a spell until you get 10 spells saved. I think, but i'm not sure that you can't save more than 10 spells. And the reason is simple. All your saved spells are for LVL5, 6 & 7 picks with notable exceptions of spells like Psionic Blast, Toxic Cloud, Draining Cloud, Death Cloud, Nuclear Blast, Pandemonium, Hex, Falling Stars, Prismic Ray, Prismic Chaos, Tsunami, Blizzard, Mind Flay, Death wish and so on. These are the spells you want to invest on level up. Because most of these either cannot be bought, or you can only access them through Ferro on the Rapax Castle.

Of course this comes with a handicap on the character development, but when you have a Bishop on your party you want to modify your "standard route" to reach Marten's bluff and the T'rangaporter as soon as you are able to craft renewal potions. This way you can buy a lot useful spells and you don't have to invest precious spell slots on something that can be bought early.

Be sure to rest after every combat to cast these chain of spells as soon as they are available. Armorplate, Chameleon, Magic Screen, Enchanted Blade, Detect secrets, X-ray, Missile Shield, Shadow Hound and Light. If you cast these spells after every battle, in no time you'll have his realms maxed. It's tedious but it pays off quite fast.

As far as equipment goes, I try to have the best armor available (armor, mace and shield) until Ferro's gear, and Nebdar Amulet which in my games is a priority if I have a bishop.

These are images of the current state of my level 9 bishop following the hints I gave in this guide:

https://i.imgur.com/xD0qQq4.png

https://i.imgur.com/2PvKrQk.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwvIF2k.png

Another thing before closing the guide I forgot to write. Just cast every round a spell, no matter what. Cast every round, cast every combat until you have your bishop maxed on his skills. I hope it helps players that struggle a bit with Bishop development. Because this way with patience and determination a Bishop can become a powerhouse of magic in this game.

[mpnorman10]

This is a very impressive Bishop build. Most impressive is the fact of developing all four skills no grinding, other than, arguably, the policy of casting a spell in every round, which I do not consider to be grinding at all, but rather just a smart policy.

In spite of what I said about PIE in my earlier post, the use of PIE here makes total sense. When I spoke of Specialist Casters earlier, I did not intend to include the Bishop for which an emphasis on PIE makes total sense. Of course the Bishop is the ultimate specialist caster. The other four specialist casters are typically weak if a physical fighting skill is not also developed, yet the term Specialist Caster usually refers to those four (Priest, Alchemist, Psionic, Mage). The strategic impact of a slow, but highly resistant Bishop also makes sense, and is not a unique strategy to your builds, but makes sense as a strong strategic element here, an alternative to fast Soul and Element shield casters.

To clarify, do you create your Bishop with spell picks? If so, which spells? Also, how do you ensure you are following your desired development order between the schools?

[Hannibal Sm!th]

Mpnorman10, thank you I appreciate your post. There are some ways about spells picks but I usually choose between this two: Healing wounds & Energy blast or Healing wounds & Mind stab. Mind stab cannot be bought or found but it's not the end of the world if you miss one spell.

In this game i've started with energy blast, because with the light book free SP you can do some damage in the early stages of the game which is needed.

You can also get sleep, I think it's maybe the better option to train all schools early: fire (light), divine (heal), stamina (water), sleep (air). Mental realm is going to be trained just identifying the potions you craft.

To ensure the desired development you only have to be careful a certain school never surpases alchemy. And this is in fact, very difficult to happen because if you cast healing wounds, stamina in combat, and light after resting alchemy is going to be the higher one. After alchemy 50 it doesn't matter anymore but it's too important to reap the benefits of potion crafting to be able to buy all the spell books.

[mpnorman10]

A followup question if I may about spell picks. You answered the question about picks at creation (very logical), but you also spoke about saving up spell picks for a certain list of useful spells that are rarely (maybe just Ferro) or never available at vendors.

The followup question is if you take additional picks in the early levels (like Sleep, Mind Blast, etc., assuming you take Energy Blast and Heal at creation). Sleep is sometimes available at vendors but seems rare. It is clear your route takes you to spell vendors in Arnika, Trynton (?), Croc (?), Marten's bluff, and Umpani Camp, in that order, with an emphasis on Alchemy and generating money. Do you stop off at Fuzzfas and/or Croc or just proceed to the Mine Tunnels?

[CeterumCenseo]

No arguments this time , just some additional information:

1) You can save more than 10 spells. I tested it with a party, in which casting was not allowed at all, but I wanted an Alchemist for her potion mixing.

2) For skill increase calculation, the game works internally not with the figures displayed on the char screen, but with a finer distribution, where 8 skill increases give 1 additional point in that skill. So internally a skill is logged eg as 45 + 4. Successful rolls bring 4 to 7, and the next successful roll changes the skill to 46 + 0. In case you are interested, ask peddroelm for his script. It shows exactly each roll in a game and its result. The script can be exported for further analysis. I find it very useful. So even if 2 realms show the same figure, internally the counters are taken into consideration. I do not know what happens, if also those are equal.

3) Level 4 spells from Crock are available mostly only, when the party has reached L12. Mostly, because it is not always the case, the pattern is unknown yet. Early visits to Ferro in some games had the same result: He offered L1 and L2 spells, if my chars were too low, but the level 5 spells only at a later stage, but I do not recall when exactly.

4) The exact calculation spellpoint quantities is available in the Guide section here on Steam: Game Mechanics by Peddroelm. Just in case you are interested.

5) Duration spells. like Light, Enchanted Blade, Armor Plate etc. have an internal timer, I think, but not 100% sure, it is 3 minutes. If you cast that spell within that time, it does not roll for skill increase. The timer is reset with loading the game, so after quicksave+quickload, you get again a roll for every skill increase.

6) Alchemy skill also increases from potion mixing, so if Alchemy is at the top, it will stay there, if you play normally.

[Hannibal Sm!th]

MPnorman10:
I save every spell until I reach LV4-5 PL. I pick Toxic Cloud as soon as it's available, then every PL5,6,7 spell I wrote on the list if I haven't got access to Ferro (which is very likely I don't have at that stage). The route is Arnika until alchemy 50, a quick visit to Fuzzfas at Trynton to grab Itching Skin & Missile Barrier and +5INT fountain, then Crock for items and some level 1 books, Sadok at Marten's for a pletora of spells, then Kunar through the T'rangaporter. In this game I'm going at level 9-10 for RFS after doing all of this. As soon as you hit lvl 11, Crock, and if he doesn't have his inventory upgraded, another visit as soon as you hit level 12. Crock is the most important vendor early on, but as CeterumCenseo said, sometimes he doesn't have the spellbooks as soon as you unlock the spells.

Kunar also sells whipping rocks but for some reason the game consider it a level 4 spell (both in availability and price), so he only sells it at the same time Crock sell PL4 spells.

CeterumCenseo:
1) That's useful to know, thanks.
2) I noticed that every X amount of skill points in realm, you get a single point on the main domain. In case of the Bishop who knows how it works.
3) Crock spells are available sometimes at L11, and guaranteed at L12. It's a must to visit him as early as you get lvl 11 on a char, then on level 12 if you are unlucky. If a certain book doesn't appear, but every cheap book you can from him and all of his ammo, and rest 24h. If at this point he doesn't sell PL4 spells, grab the marten Idol and do his quest. This forces him to replenish his stock.
4) Thank you, I'll take a look.
5) It's likely that between two combats the internal time is reset. I usually rest after every combat, to cast again all the magical protections.
6) After alchemy 50 I only have the option to raise it twice before potion mixing & combat raises it to 75. So I can spend the rest of the skill points into Psionic, Divinity and Wizardry. Something I forgot to write is that it's not worth it spending a single realm points until you've maxed all the primary schools.

[mpnorman10]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Hannibal Sm!th:

In this game I'm going at level 9-10 for RFS after doing all of this.

Oh, so you are not going to the bluff via the mine tunnels then, after Croc, but rather straight to the bluff? Interesting. Yeah, I can see that at level 9-10 that this party might be able to handle Tanto Wasps. I assume you are using X-Ray to avoid the crocs on the way in to the bluff. You must be sneaking through the forbidden room then to get to the telepprter. Nice.

[Slooge]

vendor inventories are refreshed every 24 hours, so rest 3 times and the books you're looking for could very well appear on the vendor. Of course, you may have to clear out things like ammo from their pool to see them in some cases. I do this periodically when I need something specific, like buying the theives dagger in Arnika. Even if your'e there at level 5, it will eventually appear in the shop's inventory if you have the patience for it. Spells are the same way.

[Hannibal Sm!th]

Oprindeligt skrevet af mpnorman10:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Hannibal Sm!th:

In this game I'm going at level 9-10 for RFS after doing all of this.

Oh, so you are not going to the bluff via the mine tunnels then, after Croc, but rather straight to the bluff? Interesting. Yeah, I can see that at level 9-10 that this party might be able to handle Tanto Wasps. I assume you are using X-Ray to avoid the crocs on the way in to the bluff. You must be sneaking through the forbidden room then to get to the telepprter. Nice.

I take an easier way to the teleporter. Use the elevator on Marten's and go directly to the room where the guards stops you. The way to bypass the guards on your way to the T'rangaporter is to step into until the watchers halt you, then start combat, activate running, and cross the room. You can use the same method to steal the mindblast rod (sleep near the guards until something attacks you, then enter the room the same way). Just make sure you have enough movement left to avoid the guards attacking you.

[CeterumCenseo]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Slooge:

vendor inventories are refreshed every 24 hours, so rest 3 times and the books you're looking for could very well appear on the vendor. Of course, you may have to clear out things like ammo from their pool to see them in some cases. I do this periodically when I need something specific, like buying the theives dagger in Arnika. Even if your'e there at level 5, it will eventually appear in the shop's inventory if you have the patience for it. Spells are the same way.

No. There is a min and a max level, at which items can appear.

[biogoo]

This guide advocates a very questionable order of training of magic schools, it advocates not picking up any spells on level ups and it discourages from any powertraining just to propose a "tedious" way of training few paragraphs later on, which can also turn out to be very dangerous in certain parts of the game. I don't think those are very good ideas.

[Slooge]

Oprindeligt skrevet af CeterumCenseo:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Slooge:

vendor inventories are refreshed every 24 hours, so rest 3 times and the books you're looking for could very well appear on the vendor. Of course, you may have to clear out things like ammo from their pool to see them in some cases. I do this periodically when I need something specific, like buying the theives dagger in Arnika. Even if your'e there at level 5, it will eventually appear in the shop's inventory if you have the patience for it. Spells are the same way.

No. There is a min and a max level, at which items can appear.

You guys keep saying that, but I keep getting these items without any issue doing this outside the levels you insist are the key. Try it, it works.

[Hannibal Sm!th]

Oprindeligt skrevet af biogoo:

This guide advocates a very questionable order of training of magic schools, it advocates not picking up any spells on level ups and it discourages from any powertraining just to propose a "tedious" way of training few paragraphs later on, which can also turn out to be very dangerous in certain parts of the game. I don't think those are very good ideas.

To have a powerful bishop late game you have to make sacrifices early game. It's how it works, unless you want to spend a spell pick on shrill sound that could be nuclear blast or death cloud late game. Spells are limited on a bishop. Is there any reason to pick a spell that can be bought or found later? No. That "early" advantage of picking spells at level up is the better way to maim your bishop.

Thanks to saving these spells slots I just hit level 14 and I was able to pick quicksand, firestorm, prismic ray, draining cloud, blizzard and pandemonium in the way to ferro's armory to buy the other spells I was waiting for. And I still have 4 spells saved for the next PL which will be 8 at the time I reach level 18.

The very questionable order of training matters nothing after level 8 or 9 where you get the desired 50 alchemy. It's just a start order to get the funds needed for the books.

This is the current state of my bishop. Everything is maxed, unless psionics which is 71 or 72. I have no skill points to spend other than power cast and iron will.

https://i.imgur.com/ladknyO.png

Honestly I think you can hardly have a better bishop at this stage of the game without powertraining, something I neglect to do.

[biogoo]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Hannibal Sm!th:

To have a powerful bishop late game you have to make sacrifices early game. It's how it works, unless you want to spend a spell pick on shrill sound that could be nuclear blast or death cloud late game.

That is a misconception. A bishop can be very useful member of the party from almost the very start, provided you train him in the right direction. The most important role of an early game caster is to provide AoE damage to the party, which a bishop can do thanks to his wizardry skill. While much slower than a mage on getting to fireball, a bishop can get magic missiles quite easily, which is the best AoE spell of the level 2 spells and remains relevant for quite a while. Furthermore, casting this spell in combat trains wizardry, which speeds up getting to the fireball spell later on. Sadly, a bishop cannot simply rush to level 5 and grab fireball as a mage can, in fact, a bishop struggles a lot to get it even on level 6, which creates this impression that a bishop will never be good in early. But magic missiles almost make up for it. So no, no real early game sacrifice necessary.

Thanks to saving these spells slots I just hit level 14 and I was able to pick quicksand, firestorm, prismic ray, draining cloud, blizzard and pandemonium in the way to ferro's armory to buy the other spells I was waiting for. And I still have 4 spells saved for the next PL which will be 8 at the time I reach level 18.

Good luck casting the level 7 spells when you get them on character level 18 in a meaningful way. Out of the level 6 spells you picked, only 3 are relevant in any way, and out of those 3 only 1 can be of any use on the character level 14 when you got them, because they too can only really be cast on power level 1 at that point.
The way spellcasting in Wizardry works, higher level spells remain much weaker than their lower level counterparts for a long while, until you get enough character levels to be able to cast those higher level spell on a higher power level.
Another thing is, with how slowly a bishop levels up in a full party, it may very well be that you will finish the game before even getting to the point where the level 7 spells become better than the lower level ones, the only exception perhaps being the death cloud due to how unique it is - but that requires only one spell pick and is still quite useless on power level 1.

The very questionable order of training matters nothing after level 8 or 9 where you get the desired 50 alchemy. It's just a start order to get the funds needed for the books.

You can get alchemy funds as soon as with 15 alchemy. Books are not that expensive, and it is not like the bishop has any use for them if all he can is alchemy. Alchemy is btw the worst of all spell schools in the first third of the game. No wonder it feels like a sacrifice to you if that is the one the bishop focuses on.

A bishop does not have to be a burden for the party during the hardest parts of the game. I congratulate you for getting past that point, you can enjoy your bishop now.

[mpnorman10]

It is a pleasure to see two experts in Bishop development discuss options and finer points of developing the character and handling spell picks and spell power levels. I have no comment but am reading with interest.

I do have a question. If, as in this case, the entire party consists of hybrids and elites, does that mitigate the experience differential between the Bishop and the rest of the party?Recently playing the suggested beginner party from my guide with no RPCs the one hybrid (Ranger) seems dead slow at leveling compared to the fast (Fighter, Bard, etc.) and medium fast levelers (Priest, Mage), but it has been a while since I played a party with lots of hybrids and elites. If the hybrids and elites are effectively not too far apart in how fast they level, the mechanics of the game would seem to bring no penalties at all to the hybrids leveling speed as compared to other characters not in the party. In fact it would seem to make the levels slightly longer in terms of battles per level for more skill increases with no penalties (if no non hybrid/elites in party). Does this point hold merit, or am I missing something?

[Syrris]

It would mitigate the issue to some degree, but only if you're compensating for the overall slow leveling by grinding more XP to get them up to where they 'should' be, level-wise. If you don't, you'll run into trouble because the characters will be underleveled relative to the zones they're visiting, and that affects hit chance/resistances/etc.