Can't progress early in the game [minor spoilers]

[Dehexed]

Is this game just way too hard or am I missing something? People have obviously gotten further, given the reviews.

Just started yet another game, trying to make careful choices in character generation and how I spend my money.

As I see it, there are three (as of now) unsurmountable barriers to progress:

1. The bridge troll; just can't seem to beat this guy
   
2. The ice golems in the ice caves; again, not able to kill even one of them
   
3. The slavers with the big mallets; as above

Part of the problem is that there just does not seem to be any more monsters or quests around to allow me to level up some more. I've cleared out the crypt beneath the inn and Dog is in my party.

Does anyone have any suggestions, with as few spoilers as possible?

Can't remember the last time I was stuck this early in a game :)

[Johny_G]

The recommended path is through the troll. Take advantage of the option to split the party, try to use the Web spell, gear up with potions, and if you are still stuck, please note that he does not regen his health, so you can just run away, let the party sleep and kill him in multiple fights :-). But I recommend you to try to get him in one go. It's never too early to start building your strategy :-).

[Dehexed]

Thanks for the feedback; I'll concentrate my efforts on the troll :)

[.avatar]

I beat the troll by splitting the party, 1 in front with sword & shield and 1 behind him playing healing song on the flute. I've also bought earth armor spell and casted on figther. With this strategy I ended up with almost full health

[Dehexed]

Thanks for the help; just managed to defeat him :)

[Yograin]

I did the slaver ship first and when done the log is referring to some mage called Styn I dont even have.

[.avatar]

You'll find Styn in swamps, so your next steps should go there.

[Yograin]

I meant it more like a glitch report. Anyway I feel like I chose wrong progression method and made the game more difficult on myself.

I did: Dog-Slaver-Styn-Hoyt-Lucias-Genead
and it would have been easier to do: Dog-Styn-Slaver-Lucias-Hoyt-Genead or even Hoyt as last.

Slaver ship was mostly OK except there was no food there and you cant go back.
Dragons Gully was a PITA namely beating the Fireworms using just the mind attack spell (no water fist due to missing Lucias)

[troika]

Originally posted by Johny_G:

The recommended path is through the troll. Take advantage of the option to split the party, try to use the Web spell, gear up with potions, and if you are still stuck, please note that he does not regen his health, so you can just run away, let the party sleep and kill him in multiple fights :-). But I recommend you to try to get him in one go. It's never too early to start building your strategy :-).

Wait, how are you capable of communicating like a normal person when the writing in this game is like trying to decode the secret twin language of a couple of brain-damaged 10-year-old neckbeards?

[Tiny Turtles]

I'm stuck here too and I've done everything but get the earthen spell as I cannot afford it.

i did buy the shield blows. Oddly, I am unable to use moves such as the shield blow or the webbing, despite it being colored in, its not letting me use them.

The bigger issues is that:
1. He does 20 to 48 damage per hit and can sometimes progress through 3 hits per round, and two rounds before it gives my chars a turn to hit him. (my chars life is at 78)
2. Even though the party is split up, it keeps trying to give dog a turn while he is flute playing, thus skipping me.
3. Would it be too hard to give enemies a life bar? sheesh. How many hits s this brute going to take?
4. Sometimes he does 32-48 points of damage per hit 2x in a row before giving the char their round. Then, using a potion to save your life takes up that round, so he does 2 to 3 rounds again, before its your turn and you get 1 shot to drink a potion and repeat.
5. Running away ends the fight and he seems to regain health.

This is the second char I've rolled and i rolled for max strength instead of max magic. I'm somehow doing worse melee damage than before, despite buying the training pack.

[pipo.p]

Hello, it's been a time since I played but no: the troll doesn't regenerate as the dev answered the OP.

You'll know the stats of monsters only after won them while using a special ability you don't know at first.

How can the troll hit Dog if the party is split up and you are in the front?

It's a hard opponent (a hard-hitting meat bag) but when you win you pretty know how to fight encounters.

1) Be prepared: it takes experience and gold.
- have you fully explored the underground? There are several hidden, optional places with experience and items to gain.
- in case of need make gold by selling secondary items: you'll can rebuy them when you have plenty of gold.
- buy enough items and skills to have one character (either you or Dog) tanky, deadly and quick, and the other character a good support (at least playing flute to heal the first-liner), and/or archer?. I don't remember if you have money or stats enough to play another tune,
- you should have enough potions by now, but you can perhaps buy more (if you didn't waste them in the underground)

2) Magic tunes can be heard from afar (more than two cells) by both allies and ennemies, so split-up the party before the fight begins. You won't lose on turn to move at round 1. Train in an open space as a town square or a glade.

3) Out of combat, whith no sustained spell or negative effects active, and no roamers around, time is nothing is this game: you can rest several days once you find a quiet place. There is no time requirement to fulfill the quest either. You can save the world two years later.

4) As wrote by the dev, you have to exploit the game concepts:
- most encounters (all?) don't regenerate, at least if you don't leave the zone;
- you fully regenerate at no cost but food when you rest between two fights;
- some magic and weapon manoeuvers allow a character to attack from the rear;
- you only have one action point per round at the moment (except if you go high in Speed), so you have to take into consideration the hit or two you might take while you withdraw;
- be patient: a single arrow or fireball per fight is all it takes to kill the troll;
- don't die: it takes money to resurrect at the moment;