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Thank you for sharing your expertise.
So, do you recommend entering Berserk mode with the Polearm Fighter at Polearm Skill = 20? There will be more misses, certainly, but a lot more damage per penetrating hit. I am inclined to follow whatever you recommend on this point.
I need to start over because I left the sword in place while lacking the Polearm when I now realize I should use the Bow exclusively until a Polearm appears (or at least that is what I intend to test). Starting over (it will be from a save after the starting chest contents were fixed) at this early stage is not a burden at all, fun in fact.
Yeah, I do not do that and go with whatever is given (just a bunch of healing potions mostly this time). There is nothing wrong with what you do but I am experimenting with and honing the parties I recommend for new players. The last thing I would ever want to do is give the new player the false impression that the game needs to be manipulated to make it playable. So my tests always are as absent of cheats as I can make them but without any negative connotation that cheats are wrong or bad. The purpose of the game is fun and that is the bottom line. No player has anything to prove. If that player is enjoying this game so many of us love, I am happy. It does not go any deeper than that.
A bow hits quite often even at the beginning with few skill points and does moderate damage.
Your bow skill will develop well on its own and if necessary you can (temporarily) give your Fighter a 2x crossbow, then he will quickly catch up in the bow skill with many attacks.
My build for the Polearm Fighter is like this: 1. Sword 5 points at creation and at level-ups to level 4 - then stop. The Fighter has over 20 points in the sword skill and has enough accurucy for Berserk in the fight against Gregor or stronger monsters. 2. From level 5 onwards, you level up Bow, cc or rc instead of sword. 3. Put points 5 at creation in polearm and at every level-ups. 4. If you have 20 in the Polearm skill and have found an Awl Pike or Hellbard, switch from Sword to Polearm.
Thank you. That is exactly what I will do then.
I will share the method I am testting, using a bow exclusively on the Fighter until a Polearm is found. This is based on observation that the skill increases via use of a bow are fast and the Bows are quite impressive early.
Creating a Double-Shot Crossbow (with Engineering >= 35) is not an option during the portion of the early game that I will do this. This is because I limit level-up points into engineering to 5 points at creation and 3 to 6 points at level-up. First Gadget obtained just before leaving Monastery. Also, I used a Double and then Triple Shot Crossbow (with Engineering >= 70) on the Fighter for the entire game and was disappointed with both the performance as well as growth of the skill. That is not a claim, just an observation that needs more observing and comparing.
The experiment extends to getting one of the kinds of weapon (melee or range) that the character will use onto the character as soon as possible. No claim, that is just what I am testing.
I hope this is going a lot of fun, testing fresh ideas.
About the stack mixing, my procedure actually is I mix "a stack". I do not rearrange existing stacks nor wait for full stacks to appear. If a stack has one or four potions, I click on it as well.
About the polearm for the fighter, the chance to find one in the chest is around 10%. Absolutely safe is to start with a valk and replace her with a fighter on the beach. You get the polearm, but are stuck with some female weak armor (armor has no impact anyway in the early game, so that doesn't matter a lot). You will miss out a shield, which the Polearm fighter doesn't need anyway, but may be useful for another char and early shield training.
Going with X-bow, once you get it, is the strongest option, imv, due to the higher damage of the quarrels, and the low ini doesn't trouble in the first levels. I think the hit rate is higher on short distances, penetrate is about the same (impression, not calculated). You miss the berserk bonus, of course.
Going with the sword, until you get that first polearm for the fighter, is also an excellent imv. You build CC skill using the sword, have a decent berserk-attack vs. Gregor, and you don't miss a lot, if you keep the investment at level up, as HOK suggested.
An Axe would also work, btw, if you want to test something new. The cleaver has the highest damage of all weapons at that stage (unless you stumble over something enchanted). I do not recommend axes in general, but for the polearm fighter it is a solid starting weapon.
The open questions for this build are imv:
What are you going to do with the mage instead of Powercast? Make her a frontline fighter?
With your polearm fighter, what will be your "approach" in battles? Stay where you are and kill everyone at range, if the opposition doesn't move, or walk up? Polearms with their extended reach can reach almost everything in a battle, so what is the deal with the X-bow?
Last, look out for a bec de corbin, the only 1-hd Polearm weapon. It is not brilliant as a weapon, but you can use it in combination with a shield.
Uh, no.
Kill
I used it the entire game last run, including the 2x and 3x versions when they could be made. I was thoroughly underwhelmed by their performance. It is just an experiment. It has been claimed by several players that use of these Gadgeteer-made crossbows causes Bow and Ranged Combat stats to rapidly rise but I have not found that to be the case at all. Maybe it is just me; thus experiments.
Some of the observations include yes, firing 3x for the first attack, but then usually only 1x on the next attack, with lots of misses, much more than with regular bows. I am not ready to claim anything about that.
CC, this quote from HS is exactly why the experiment of no Power Cast for the Mage. I have plans for those "extra skills". Not attempting to max Intelligence means that all six level-up attribute points can go towards increasing initiative at the fastest rate (3 to each of Speed and Senses). Further, the male Priest and female Mage are both Felpurrs in this party, that have the highest starting Speed + Senses attribute totals.
As far as their second duties, it turns out that Wrist Rockets using Medusa stones in the late game is very powerful. Dexterity can be next in priority and then very late in the game, Strength, more for carry capacity than anything else.
The third priority for both characters is using their magic (bufs, healing, curing, protecting by the Priest and bufs utility, like X-Ray, and some enemy softening via AOE spells by the Mage). The Mage can also do fast Heal All with an Amulet of Healing, resurrect fast and many other useful things, as can the Bard and Gadgeteer (do useful things, although probably not so fast).
The party focused on melee/range does not need magic damage or magic disabling late in the game. Is it fair for me to say that I have shown that I am not opposed to the use of Magic Damage in this game? Even if I am a proponent of its use and wrote an MDP guide and love that example party and other MDPs, it is not out of line for me (still allowed
In essence I am studying a problem that most experienced players never have to face because (according to their posts here, which I, of course, believe) they finish the game at like levels 19-21. There are a handful of level 30+ fixed enemies on the peak. That is not what I am talking about. Some might say that experimenting with all of this is unnecessary and unimportant, but it is just an experiment and my time to waste.
The experiment is to look at numerous aspects in detail. Observations (including or especially mine) can be wrong, there can be unexpected holes, something can inadvertently overkill, etc. That is why I am investigating instead of claiming stuff. It is also fun to do so. About the initiative I do not believe it is overkill at all, not even a little, but the vast majority of players think it is and they might be right and me wrong. I do not care. I am more interested in finding the truth, whatever it happens to be. I do not care who finds it. You, CC, are definitely finding some
One remark about those higher levels. I have written that I run a solo fairie ninja in parallel to this challenge. This has turned out to be more than I expected for the point you brought up with changing enemies at higher/lower party levels.
In the swamp, while the 6-8 char parties are at Lv11 (mostly, a few are still at Lv10) and see millipedes (a lot), 2 kinds of frogs, insects up to blood drinkers, the SFN (Lv16) gets additionally Tiger moskitos and Soul drinkers, which require different approach. I confused the blood with the soul drinkers, costing another wipe for her. No problem with that.
In the mine tunnels however, I did not get anything above Tantos for the SFN.
It is too early for any results from Alchemy by pile only or not pursuing Power Cast for the Mage (or Priest, but no change on that). This is a melee/range focus party.
The party order is Priest, Mage, Gadgeteer, Fighter, Ranger and Bard, it is an optimized order, experimentally tested over a dozen plus runs of the party (not all taken to the circle).
The formation (usually) is a wide front line with Fighter on the left flank, Bard on the right and Ranger and Gadgeteer in the middle. The Priest and Mage are kept in the back armed and locked onto the slings they are wearing (but not using at this point).
The Gregor fight happened at Level 4 and had no deaths. No thrown items such as bombs were used. No disabling spells were attempted. All magic damage casts were in the green. The Enchanted Blade and Missile Shield bufs were both up at Power Level 1. A few Heavy Heals were found and those were kept (and one used) for the fight.
The Priest had Heal at Power Level 1 as its highest priority (if such a cast would make a big difference - happened three times). The Mage did Power Level 1 Energy Blasts until out of mana (eventually) and then switched to Power Level 1 Frost.
The Priest and Mage were both ready with a Rez powder, but none were needed. The Priest and Mage were both armed with Slings, but neither was used in the battle. The Gadgeteer was armed with Broadsword and Bow. The Fighter was armed with Bow only. The Ranger was armed with Long Sword and Bow and the Bard was armed with Short Sword and Crossbow.
Following a Biogoo suggestion, the party started battle by positioning in the doorway after starting battle out of sight of Gregor (verifying in the process that the bug was alone). The Surprise Round was mostly wasted ammo (out of range of single target magic damage spells, but the next round both casters both casters (Make Wounds PL1 and Energy Blast) plus 2 arrows connected with Gregor still out of range of the party as Biogoo pointed out.
Other than the 2 or 3 Heavy Heal spells found (none sold) there were Moderate Heal potions that were used, if not a Heavy Heal by the character that had been attacked in that previous round. An exception was the Mage that was only half dead and poisoned by 3 Gregor range attacks. For that the Priest took care of the healing with a PL 1 healing spell and the Mage took care of the Poison by drinking a potion from his inventory.
When the Gadgeteer was paralyzed it was close to the end, so that condition was ignored and Gregor was destroyed in the next round. Every Gregor battle is different, but this one was very simple.
Of concern is that some paralyzing spiders attacked just after Gregor died (and after the party rested, re-buffed and visited Burz), They were easily defeated, but it made the 3 fastest leveling level-up (Gadgeteer, Fighter and Bard). The concern was this party leveling fast and with most of the upper floor of the Lower Monastery still yet to do. Indeed, the last (spider) fight before heading to the Upper Monastery made the rest of the party (Priest, Mage and Ranger) also reach Level 5. So the entire party is now Level 5 and has just entered the Upper Monastery.
The use of the Bow on the Fighter (to avoid building up other weapon types unnecessarily) went fine:
Fighter: Close Combat (includes bonus) 28, Ranged Combat 21, Polearm 17, Bow 21
Ranger: Close Combat 18, Ranged Combat (includes bonus) 25, Sword 19, Bow 20
Gadgeteer: Close Combat 16, Ranged Combat 16, Sword 17, Bow 17
Lots of skills that are pushed but not yet used are at level 17. In addition to the Polearm skill of the Fighter with no Polearm, there are the Ranged Combat and Throwing and Slings skill of both the Priest and Mage, all four at 17. There is also Engineering of the Gadgeteer with no Gadgets and the Locks and Traps Skill of the Bard, both at 17.
Magically, the focus on combat skills means a lot of realms are put into use at Realm Skill of zero. This is so successful for me that I consider it a personal discovery. All realms of both are well started and will somewhat catch up. There is no need for the spells to be more powerful then they are at this time (IMO).
Priest: Divinity (includes bonus) 31, Fire 5, Water 5, Air 0, Earth 3, Mental 0, Divine 8.
Spells: Light, Stamina, Armorplate, Web, Identify Item, Heal Wounds, Make Wounds
Level-up points included in the above realms: Water 1, Earth 2
Mage: Wizardry (includes bonus) 31, Fire 9, Water 9, Air 6, Earth 4, Mental 5, Divine 1
Spells, Fireball, Energy Blast, Frost, Missile Shield, Whipping Rocks, Enchanted Blade
Level-up points included in the above realms: Earth 3
Ranger: Alchemy 8, All realm skills 0
Spells: Heal Wounds
It is Day 4 and the entire party is Level 6, including the Ranger, and nobody is Level 7 (experience just under 23k). The Monastery is thoroughly done (except Cierdan's weapons, of course).
Alchemy Skill is 11. Polearm Skill is 20 (but no Polearm yet).
The four main buffs, usually successful, are cast on Power Level 2 (first orange).
No character deaths so far.
Did not work back to Burz after the Upper Monastery cleared.
Party has 5 Resurrection Powders and 3 Magic Nectars. Only 2 Heavy Heal Potions left but either a Heavy Heal and a Moderate Heal or 2 Moderate Heals are on every character in their inventory.
Part of this tactics is to begin combat with a combat-walk or combat-run. You then cancel the move as soon as Gregor comes into range. This way your surprise round would've launched all of those spells. Biogoo uses this tactic in almost all combats--it depends on starting combat just before the monster enters spell range, but far enough away that it cannot reach you in one round. It takes time to master the exact distances required.
My Polearm users who have no polearm tend to use whatever melee weapon comes to hand, just to keep Close Combat going up. But using a bow exclusively is good option, I agree, if that characters will use a bow regularly in the future.
Good luck on Arnika Road!
Gregor's position is (almost) always at the far end of the hall, close to the portcullis. I keep myself at the distant wall and move sideways in fake combat, when he comes into sight, I stop.
Combat will start, and characters with ranged weapons at long distance can reach him and may fire or not. Better let them not fire, explained below.
Normally I do not get a surprise round, sometimes I get it, when Gregor faces another direction, when he comes in sight. Theoretically this gives an opportunity to move in or out of sight, until he faces the "right" direction, but he also might move into the direction of the party, which spoils the fun of the next round, in which...
the bug cannot attack, because the distance is too big. Only if the bug got hurt in the previous round, i.e. lost one HP, his walking distance is increased (double?),and the UI says "charges" instead of "advances". Therefore damage from a single arrow or bullet in that fake combat round is strictly prohibited. In that round, he gets everything that works at range. Ranged projectiles, magic. Only the priest, if I have one, casts a GA on herself, so she can help out chars in need with healing or protective GAs.
The next round is a first strike round for the party, because Gregor covers the remaining distance first, and all chars have their action, before Gregor starts his 3 attacks.
I love stink bombs, because they can knock Gregor unconscious for one turn, in which he suffers double damage from melee attacks, and evenly important, without giving him the chance to do damage. (Almost) safe usage of stink bombs is necessary, if one char was built with focus on T&S. Those 2 rounds, before Gregor can himself attack for the first time, are 2 options to get him nauseous or unconscious and he loses his attacks. Stink bombs from Burz are around 420g à piece, and having a good alchemist available at that stage, definitely helps with the funding.
Any damage taken by chars from Gregor is assessed, whether repair is required immediately, or another offensive round is possible.
Paralysis is the biggest risk, because char cannot do anything, and is subject to double damage, if attacked in melee. A GA will help a bit, but only for one round. I do not use Cure paralysis powders, because their requirement is too high to be used reliably, and for unreliable stuff, I do not have the money left. The wide frontline helps a bit, because of the chance Gregor attacks a different target in the next round, and you can move another suitable character into the front quadrant, in which case the paralyzed char behind is safe from double damage melee attacks.
Whether he is fought as early as Level 3 or full-on Level 4, the strategy now is the same, pepper the heck out of the bug with reliable, green dot, single-target magic damage casts or attempt to hit it with a weapon. For this party this is Make Wounds for the Priest and Energy Blast (preferred) or Frost by the Mage.
With Alchemy > 15, if Burz has enough ingredients for sale, some extra money can be made to buy something that will help. The problem is that everything thrown, including Stink Bombs, can backfire or fizzle.
Enhancements might go away quickly (like a Granite Potion), but never had one fizzle or fail to help... very expensive.
I have used Cure Paralysis Powders with great success, but they can fail in two different ways, one is that the use of one of those can simply fail, and the second is that the powder can succeed but be unable to remove the Paralysis.
Disabling spells cast by party (like Paralysis or Web) are great, even decisive when they work, but the odds of success are low. These are great for new players who can save before the battle and try as many times as necessary until that works. As a player, with no bragging rights therefrom, I consider any reloading of the party needed there is a major or minor failure. Major failure is party death and minor failure is any result where less than the entire party is alive and shares in the victory when the bug dies but the party can be made whole again after battle.
Therefore the method settled upon is to use any Magic Damage in the green, or attempt to damage Gregor with a weapon, period. Actually, if the Priest (and/or other healers in the party) has no curing to do and if Web can be cast in the green on Power Level 1 (or higher... dream on), that attempt (with almost zero chance of 1 or 2 damage with a sling) will be made. Usually the bug is not webbed or, if he is, it is just for 1 round of combat (which is great).
This time coming around the corner into the open door with battle locked (the surprise round), Gregor is way at the other end of the room, almost at the beginning of the tunnel to the Upper Monastery. Being so far away only physical range weapons, in particular bows and crossbows, could reach. After walking into view (surprise round) a portion of the round of combat is already used up when stopping. At long range the one or two that still are able to attack generally miss. However, I was not aware of any danger of charging allowing Gregor to cover more than maximum distance by charging (thank you, CC), so probably it is a good thing that those long range attacks in the surprise round miss.
In the next round Gregor ran the whole round toward the party but did not reach it, so the party (which waited for this by pressing walk but not walking) could fire its Single Target Magic Damage Spells at the maximum green dot, which in this case was Power Level 1. The Priest cast Make Wounds at Power Level 1 and the Mage cast Energy Blast at Power Level 1. They both could cast those spells in the green but a fizzle or backfire wastes the round at best. The other four had bows or crossbows equipped and a couple of them (and the spells) hit for damage.
Gregor in that second (first non-surprise) round could not reach the party and could only chitter in frustration. The next round, by pressing walk and not using it, Gregor had to spend part of that third round running up into melee range with the party (it could fire at range without melee contact but never does). Gregor can use some, the majority, of that round to damage the party and so it begins.
Yes, the time to repair is always immediately (if more than 1 or 2 HP). To assist with this the party has developed the Heal Wounds spell to be in the green at Power Level 1, and is carrying Light and Medium Heal Potions (and a couple or three found Heavy Heal potions - unidentified.
A side note on unidentified Heavy Heal potions is that they can usually be identified by their placement in inventory. There is a button to press that sorts the entire party inventory... I use it a lot. Potions work fine whether identified or not (but vendors will cheat you in this game if you sell them unidentified stuff).
This is true and the reason to repair any damage immediately. That second attack might be stronger and even if the character is still alive it might be paralyzed and now unable to drink a Moderate Heal Potion or one of the identified or unidentified Heavy Heal potions. All characters in this party have zero Alchemy skill at the time Gregor is fought.
About surviving the paralysis, one strategy is do not, especially if you have Resurrection capability. Death and resurrection "cures" Paralysis as a side effect.
This party has a wide front line, so another strategy as mentioned in your post CC is to move the three not paralyzed wide front line characters into the front position if you are quick enough to do so before the round ends. This protects the paralyzed character left behind from Gregor's melee, but not ranged, attacks, just as you say.
By peppering the bug with Single Target Magic Damage spells with zero chance of fizzle or backfire the spell points are used efficiently and then attempting a moderately damaging weapon or range attack in every round of combat when not specifically healing or curing (like with a Cure Poison Potion from inventory, for example) it becomes a race to see who kills who first. Out of my last half a dozen games, usually at Level 3 but sometimes as high as Level 4, only one character was dead at the end of one of those battles and immediately resurrected. The distortion of experience points this causes is annoying, but becomes hardly noticeable in time.