How hard is it to get strength to 160?

[JohnJSal]

I've been using a quick start guide from GameFAQs to help guide me with things like what to train and when, and which weapons to look for early on. It's listed under the NotR section so I thought it was up-to-date, but apparently it's not, because it mentions using the Dragon Slicer in chapter 1 or 2. Another guide says that the Dragon Slicer does 80 damage and requires 80 strength, which is no longer accurate, so I'm guessing this quick start guide is also using that old information.

Or is it possible to get to 160 strength in chapter 2? I'm having trouble seeing how to bridge the gap from 94 to 160 strength, even with all the little extras like apples, tablets, etc. I definitely don't want to have to start spending 5 LP per point. I have a few strength items like a belt and an amulet, but should I be relying on them later in the game?

Thanks!

[JuLLe]

In chapter 2 definately not, even at the end of the game you'd be pushing a lot of points into strength. In Irdorath you can get a potion that increases your STR by 10 if I remember correctly. Before that the easiest way to get STR is by drinking potions, and finding the best stone tablets. Most of the tablets are found in Jharkendar, so be sure to give that place a try when you can
Also the guide is meant for Gothic 2, not Night of the Raven

[JohnJSal]

Thanks. About what level do you end up by the end? I'm just about done with chapter 1 and have done almost all there is to do before moving on (except Jharkendar), and I think I'm about level 12. That's definitely not a lot of LP so far.

[JuLLe]

Originally posted by johnjsal:

Thanks. About what level do you end up by the end? I'm just about done with chapter 1 and have done almost all there is to do before moving on (except Jharkendar), and I think I'm about level 12. That's definitely not a lot of LP so far.

Maybe somewhere around level 40-50 if you do pretty much everything (last playthrough for me ended on level 44).
Also level 12 really isn't that high, I was level 16 or 17 when I started chapter 2. Killing lots of monsters is a good way to gain experience

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

You would need to do a completionist playthrough and clear Jharkendar and as much as possible around Khorinis before entering the Valley of Mines to start chapter 2. Then you can reach level 24-26 or even more. As a mercenary, I've had 182265 XP level 26 STR 157 including +10 amu +5 belt +3 ring before entering the valley. Also note that monsters respawn as you level up, so return to areas to kill more of them. Later in the game, you can get +28 STR via amu/belt/ring.

The comments on my first playthroughs can still be found somewhere in the forum archives. My Paladin ended the game as level 47 100% 2H STR 171 (STR 199 with amulet/rings/belt) 55 LP saved 566056 XP 45 DEX 111 Mana 939 HP bow 15% crossbow 44%. Usually I stopped spending LP on STR around 64-66 before applying all bonuses I could get. STR 66 is hard enough to reach already.

[JohnJSal]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Usually I stopped spending LP on STR around 64-66 before applying all bonuses I could get. STR 66 is hard enough to reach already.

Hmm, I was planning to get strength to 94 before using the boosting items. Should I just start using them at 64?

I just don't want to get stuck without enough strength and then be forced to use more LP to continue raising it.

I'm just not sure how much more I'll get from the extra items. If I stop at 64, that's nearly 100 more I have to make up elsewhere.

Edit: Any particular reason you go to 66 instead of 64?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

With regard to STR, you can get a bonus between +140 and +155 through food, stone tablets and items.

Depending on how you spend your LP, it will get harder and harder to gain more LP you would want to spend on raising STR. Eventually you would need to start chapter 2 - and you want to be prepared when doing that, so you can raise STR a lot immediately with anything you've collected so far, including the first stone tablets.

STR 64 is okay. Really. The extra 6 LP to raise it to 66 have been noticably painful in my case.

[Oneeyed]

I'm just curious. What is the reason you want to get to 160 str in chapter 2? Just for using a weapon?

I'm asking because I cant even imagine any reason for doing this.

Originally posted by johnjsal:

I've been using a quick start guide from GameFAQs to help guide me with things like what to train and when, and which weapons to look for early on. It's listed under the NotR section so I thought it was up-to-date, but apparently it's not, because it mentions using the Dragon Slicer in chapter 1 or 2. Another guide says that the Dragon Slicer does 80 damage and requires 80 strength, which is no longer accurate, so I'm guessing this quick start guide is also using that old information.

Or is it possible to get to 160 strength in chapter 2? I'm having trouble seeing how to bridge the gap from 94 to 160 strength, even with all the little extras like apples, tablets, etc. I definitely don't want to have to start spending 5 LP per point. I have a few strength items like a belt and an amulet, but should I be relying on them later in the game?

Thanks!

[JohnJSal]

Originally posted by Oneeyed:

I'm just curious. What is the reason you want to get to 160 str in chapter 2? Just for using a weapon?

I'm asking because I cant even imagine any reason for doing this.

The Dragon Slicer, which is the best 2H sword in the game (not sure about forged swords), requires 160 strength.

I don't necessarily need to get to 160 by chapter 2. I had that in mind originally because I was using some outdated guides. But my main question is simply if there is enough strength to be had with items to eventually get to 160.

[JohnJSal]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

With regard to STR, you can get a bonus between +140 and +155 through food, stone tablets and items.

Depending on how you spend your LP, it will get harder and harder to gain more LP you would want to spend on raising STR. Eventually you would need to start chapter 2 - and you want to be prepared when doing that, so you can raise STR a lot immediately with anything you've collected so far, including the first stone tablets.

STR 64 is okay. Really. The extra 6 LP to raise it to 66 have been noticably painful in my case.

Why painful? I'm currently level 14 and I have 12 LP remaining, which I could use to raise my strength to 66 with 6 LP left over. But I don't understand what's so special about 66.

I also seem to have run out of things to do in chapter 1, so it may be time to advance. The only things I haven't done require pickpocketing. I'm debating using my 12 LP for that and getting The Blood Chalices and Lehmar's Ledger quests done now. But I don't think I have the dexterity for it anyway. I guess I could start using the few dexterity items I have, but again I'm wondering, should I spend any LP on dexterity first, while it's cheap?

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally posted by johnjsal:

Why painful? I'm currently level 14 and I have 12 LP remaining, which I could use to raise my strength to 66 with 6 LP left over. But I don't understand what's so special about 66.

What other skills have you learned so far? Brew Potions? Brew Elexir of Strength? Learn Ancient Languages 1+2+3? 2H weapons a bit? Skin animals? Picking locks?

[Oneeyed]

Thanks for your answer. I never got 160 strength in chapter 2 but I never tried it. If I remember correctly you can reach level 19 in chapter 1 if you kill everything in Khorinis and beat up most of the NPCs and do all available quest.

Then in chapter 2 you have Jharkendar and the Valley of Mines for XP which is quite a lot.

With all the power ups (praying, apples, stews, stone tablets, permanent potions) it is maybe possible but I don't know anyone who has ever done this.

So read about all the power ups in www.mondgesaenge.de. There is an english database which contains all the necessary information. Then just substract the sum of strength power ups which are available in chapter 1 and 2. The result is the strength you have to learn with learning points.

Originally posted by johnjsal:

Originally posted by Oneeyed:

I'm just curious. What is the reason you want to get to 160 str in chapter 2? Just for using a weapon?

I'm asking because I cant even imagine any reason for doing this.

The Dragon Slicer, which is the best 2H sword in the game (not sure about forged swords), requires 160 strength.

I don't necessarily need to get to 160 by chapter 2. I had that in mind originally because I was using some outdated guides. But my main question is simply if there is enough strength to be had with items to eventually get to 160.

[JohnJSal]

Originally posted by D'amarr from Darshiva:

Originally posted by johnjsal:

Why painful? I'm currently level 14 and I have 12 LP remaining, which I could use to raise my strength to 66 with 6 LP left over. But I don't understand what's so special about 66.

What other skills have you learned so far? Brew Potions? Brew Elexir of Strength? Learn Ancient Languages 1+2+3? 2H weapons a bit? Skin animals? Picking locks?

So far, strength 64 and 2H 30 (I didn't do the 29>34 trick for either of these!), Skin Animals, Alchemy (first healing potion, 1 LP), Sneaking, and Picking Locks.

I haven't done the strength potion or languages yet, because I figured I'd be waiting to use those things later, after I get my strength to 94. But I suppose I see your point. If I'm going to start using items now, I'll need to train all of that as well.

[JohnJSal]

Originally posted by Oneeyed:

If I remember correctly you can reach level 19 in chapter 1 if you kill everything in Khorinis and beat up most of the NPCs and do all available quest.

Man, I'm not even close! I'm level 14 and I think I've done pretty much all there is to do in Khorinis. I have several wargs left, but they are pretty hard to kill right now. I've done every quest I can find, except two that require pickpocketing.

Also, I've read that you get XP when you beat up people (including the mercenaries at Onar's Farm), but is this a vanilla Gothic thing? Because unless I'm blind, every time I beat up a mercenary for the first time, I never got any XP for it.

Is there perhaps some big thing I'm missing in order to gain another level or two? I've explored pretty much everywhere and killed just about everything I've seen, including two trolls and the black troll. I can't handle the wargs or the two skeletons in the room with the Dragon Slicer. Other than that, I don't know what remains.

[Oneeyed]

For reaching level 19 you have to go the route where you get the most XP which means you have to join the monastery. Besides that there some unlogged quests like the Valention quests or Lehmar's debt book.

So did you empty the crypt with a lot of skeletons? Did you clear out the mine behind Dexters place with a lot of skeletons? Did you clear out the cave with the dragon slicer and kill the skeletons and shadow lords? Did you sell Lehmar's debt book 3 times? Did you kill all the wargs in the northern big forest? Did you kill the shadow beasts and the wargs in the small valley directly besides the town? Did you get 500 XP for entering the town? Did you beat up Valentino and then talk to Regis and then to Coragon? Did you kill the dragon snapper? Did do all the quests in town for all the 5 masters and then go to the mercenary camp and do all their quests and after that go to the monastery and join them and do all their quests? (Thats what comes to my mind right now without thinking about it but I'm pretty sure I forgot a lot of things)

A small tip for the shadow lords: Merchants sell kill undead scrolls. Use these scrolls to kill shadow lords and skeletons. You can do it even at level 0.

Originally posted by johnjsal:

Originally posted by Oneeyed:

If I remember correctly you can reach level 19 in chapter 1 if you kill everything in Khorinis and beat up most of the NPCs and do all available quest.

Man, I'm not even close! I'm level 14 and I think I've done pretty much all there is to do in Khorinis. I have several wargs left, but they are pretty hard to kill right now. I've done every quest I can find, except two that require pickpocketing.

Also, I've read that you get XP when you beat up people (including the mercenaries at Onar's Farm), but is this a vanilla Gothic thing? Because unless I'm blind, every time I beat up a mercenary for the first time, I never got any XP for it.

Is there perhaps some big thing I'm missing in order to gain another level or two? I've explored pretty much everywhere and killed just about everything I've seen, including two trolls and the black troll. I can't handle the wargs or the two skeletons in the room with the Dragon Slicer. Other than that, I don't know what remains.

[JohnJSal]

Thanks again! There are quite a few things you mentioned that I haven't done yet! I can't join the monastery now, but I'll try the rest before I move on.

Except wargs. Ugh. They are too hard and almost always come in packs.