Is it worth to lvl up skill to 100 before using the books?

[➕⁺+₊ ⁺]

Min-maxing maniac here :) The Q: Is it practically possible? Or will I need lvl 30+ to get enough points just to get there? That feels like finishing the main game AND the expansion. Twice. lol. I'm talking about enviro magic and alchemy ofc :)
For example, enviro magic trainer only trains it up to 30 and then I'm supposed to put 2 points per lvl into it till I crawl to 100 somehow, but just how much lvlups is that?
Another thing is that I can't find a "safe container" to keep all that heavy stuff, is there any?

p.s. found a couple of different +3s, +5 and +8 books for alchemy for example, they tempt me to read em so much right now XD Do +10...+20 books exist?

[Elendil / Redshift]

Yeah, the "max 2 points per level" will prevent that. I think you can get to level 17 if you do everything in the base game. I don't remember how far you can get in the expansion.

+8 is the maximum in a book. There are quite a few +3 and +4 alchemy books though.

[➕⁺+₊ ⁺]

Ahhh so it is safe to assume that books should be read right afterwards maxing the skill at a trainer and putting all the accumulated skillpoints into it? I love alchemy and having 120-130 in it instead of a base 100 seemed like a worth enough reason to wait&suffer a bit :)
Tnx for the game btw - having tonns of fun :D

[Elendil / Redshift]

You can read them whenever you wish. Some delaying certainly can help becoming more powerful, but the game is not that hard that you'd need super min-maxing. Of course it can be fun to try and become as powerful as you can possibly be. :) I haven't minmaxed at all when I played, but I think the best route is to enchant appropriate gear with +skill. That way you can basically "break" the game. :) I'm sure there are guides available.

I'm glad you are enjoying the game! If you haven't already, please consider writing a review. Thanks!

[GlassDeviant]

I just finished going through the base game and expansion in HD on iOS and you can easily get through the entirety of both without ever reading a single book and only spending a little bit of cash on skill training, though eventually I went around and trained up most skills towards the end of I&F. I use Alchemy a lot, and never really needed to take it past 50 or 60 (though I did, it's 80 now, 85 with the +5 alch amulet, but only because it was somewhere to put skill points).

With an enchanted alchemy gear set you can easily make full health and mana potions without using fortify potions to boost your alchemy skill. Currently I have:

Mystic Dragon Blade: +20 Alchemy
Golden Armored Pants: +3 Alchemy
Silver Gauntlets: +6 Alchemy
Ancient Belt: +6 Alchemy
Gilded Round Shield: +16 Alchemy
High-Quality Quilted Armor: +26 Alchemy
Archmage Cap: +16 Alchemy
Ranger Boots: +5 Alchemy
Robe: +20 Alchemy
Inkeepers Guild Medallion/Alchemist's Medallion: +5 Alchemy

Total: +118 Alchemy + whatever your skill level is

I am sure you could do better but that's probably pretty close to the best you can get between the main game and the expansion, maybe if you can do an Eye of Lava and a pair of Enchantable Ring (that's a specific item, "Enchantable Ring") and one or two armour items with better enchanting capacity. Perhaps boost that 118 to 190 or more.

Though I've only ever found one Enchantable Ring so that might be overly optimistic.

I still have not used a single book to boost any skill level, they are all still sitting in the Ruined Crypt below Matras (I never turned in the smugglers quest to the mayor, just made a Mark to Recall to and use all the shelves and barrels for storage. If the player house had more storage (it's rather pathetic and should be redesigned with more storage) I would have moved all my stuff long ago, but here I am at the end of the game + expansion still using that damp, puddle filled, old crypt to store my things.

P.S.: If I read all my stockpiled Alchemy books it would add +40 to my Alchemy skill, so really no need for anything more, especially when you can get by with no books at all.

P.P.S.: With training from NPCs these ar my current skills at the end of game+exp:

(naked/no gear on)

Repair 54
Appraise/Mercantile: 70
Persuasion: 70
Attack magic: 102
Environment Magic: 70
Alchemy: 80

Block: 50
Light Weapon: 54
Heavy Weapon: 46
Dual Wield: 50
Light Armour: 58
Heavy Armour: 70
Accuracy: 40
Healing Magic: 80
Protection Magic: 50
Mind Magic: 80
Undead Magic: 0 (obviously I am not Rasvim ;P )
Lockpick: 58
Disarm: 40
Stealth: 40

Towards the end though, you don't really need skills, period. Everything is done with wands. The only thing I cast anymore is Recharge Wand (and the occasional Cure Poison/Paralysis), and the only potions I use are Full Health and Full Mana. I have 4 wands of Wild Lightning Storm (L90/10 charges each), 4 Harm Undead (60/10), 4 Ultimate Resistance (90/10) and 2 self-enchanted Stone Skin (100/10). There are others but I never use them anymore.

P.P.P.S.: Did you know there is NO trainer for Light Weapons in The Quest? Come on, Redshift! :P

P.P.P.P.S.: Let's get some more expansions converted to HD for PC and iOS! Then I might have to actually use all those books I have stuffed into a barrel in the Ruined Crypt! :) :) :)


Apologies for any typos, I can't really read well right now through my tired, blurry, allergy-infested eyes.

[➕⁺+₊ ⁺]

Thanks for all the info! Actually I did just that with wands - nocticed how good they are while visiting the second town. My current build lacks any type of offence skills, just some light armor and a lot of social everything ^^ Proves to be a challenge at first but so much fun after :D

[Oji]

Does the training cap increase in high level expansions?

[Elendil / Redshift]

There are higher level trainers in Islands of Ice and Fire, if you are talking about that. (I presume there are level appropriate trainers in Zarista Games' expansions too.)