Using the living idol to its best advantage

[Ninth Hour]

I don't know if this is a widely known strategy, but the wooden statue from Thatmus, once upgraded fully to the living Idol, can really help with recovery time while camping. If you place it on a seriously wounded character, and rest overnight, you can regain all or most of his/her vitality (especially if you also use a medikit). Healing probability for the team as a whole is also higher when the idol is equipped, since it adds one rank to the Healing skill.

Even without the full upgrade, its out of combat regenerative value is great. It's just troublesome to move it around to different companions. In addition, quests involving multiple combats in a row don't allow you to access the companion or rest screens, so that you can move the idol around between battles.

Where I found the idol's properties to be a huge boon was while farming spectral residue at the Temple of the Sleepers. After raiding a tomb (and getting mauled in the process), I just camp a bit outside the Valley and move the idol between wounded characters, while resting a few days in a row. Meanwhile, my crew hunts and forages to prevent supplies from dropping too low. After recovering, I then move back to the tomb to do more raiding. Because I have a fully mounted comitatus, it is no problem, as long as I do not spend too much Movement while tomb diving, to return to the outskirts of the Valley when I'm too battered to continue.

Of course, I'm just asking to be ambushed by specters while doing this but it has been a sustainable strategy so far. And I needed to resort to it because of the large amount of spectral residue required by Nedir's quest (12) and part of the Golden Theory quest (6)- a total of 18. I accomplished this number within just a few days in the vicinity (both through tomb raids and fights with the Haunted, who seem to be fewer in number once you are a little outside the Valley).

The only limiting factor to this farming strategy is the duration of the Blessing of Unbinding, which only lasts 12 days. Still, I was able to get about 3 tomb raids in before having to retreat to Deven.

On another note: having strong reputation with the Temple of Akhsul is great. I was at level IV rep at the time of these tomb raids, and had the Great King's Blessed Ring (one of the level 4 rewards), which providers + 5 accuracy, 25% cold resist, and the Unstoppable trait (to harm specters). In addition, Akhsul gives you a higher heal rate.

[Molotova]

> Wooden statue from Thatmus, once upgraded fully to the living Idol

Mind posting the guide as to how to upgrade it. There is one interaction in TZS if memory serves... but forgot the rest

[Ninth Hour]

There are 2 upgrades. The first is obtained at TZS, when you talk to the superintendent at the garden. The second occurs at Deven's Hanging Gardens. You need to have Magic Sense 6 and Herb Lore 6 in order to study the surrounding plants and crystals, which means that both you and your companions have to have enough levels in these skills.

I personally accomplished this requirement by taking 3 levels of Herb Lore (which is actually useful, as it adds to your Foraging ability). Eylani already had 1 level in this skill, so I gave her another one and had her equip the Herbalist Tools (which adds +1 a bonus).

I also took a level in Magic Sense. Both Nedir and Finndurarth already have Magic Sense (I think Nedir has level 1 and Finn has level 2). I gave one extra point to Nedir. Then I achieved the remaining point by having one of them equip the Murky Eye Broche (which adds +1 to Magic Sense). The Broche can be purchased in Lumen (from the crystal mage).

If you manage to achieve Level 2 reputation with Scythicnis Covenant, you can also get +1 to Magic Sense (in addition to +1 Arcane Lore and +1 Arcane Lore +1 Outsider Lore).

Personally, I don't like spending my Companion's proficiency points on skills, as it leaves them with fewer for combat abilities, which is why I put most of those skills on the vagrus.

[Molotova]

Thanks for the answer. Yeah I got the Superintendent to upgrade it to "Gardner's Idol" but in Deven I do get the Magic sense 6 / herb lore 6 option to look around but nothing about the idol. Not on this play through anyway.

[Ninth Hour]

I just discovered that there is one final upgrade to the idol:

If you visit the Last Oasis, Dhuzani, the resident shaman, gives you the option to transform it into the spirit idol, which gives +2 POW, +10 all resistances, +1 Healer, Regeneration, and Unstoppable. You also gain the Life Finds A Way achievement.

Pretty neat series of hidden side quests.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Ninth Hour:

I just discovered that there is one final upgrade to the idol:

If you visit the Last Oasis, Dhuzani, the resident shaman, gives you the option to transform it into the spirit idol, which gives +2 POW, +10 all resistances, +1 Healer, Regeneration, and Unstoppable. You also gain the Life Finds A Way achievement.

Pretty neat series of hidden side quests.

Yep and explains why Skarnor had magic damage in my part:D
Did not notice the last buff on it:) edited: as i remembered wrong.

[aquaricorn]

Is this true for the other idol as well? I had no idea it (the wooden one) could be upgraded; I'll be sure to pick it up next chance I run through Arken.

[Ninth Hour]

Yeah, the idol in Arken is the only one that triggers this chain of events. It's not even a quest, since there is no related journal entry. You simply have to stumble upon the events that allow you to upgrade it.

Without this forum, I wouldn't have even have known the value of that idol. There's no quest that directs you to buy it and no clues as to what it is for or where to bring it. If you were to play without guidance, you would simply have to get lucky and decide to buy it out of curiosity, then bring it to the Superintendent, who- if you've already seen once- you might not think to visit again.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Originally posted by Ninth Hour:

Yeah, the idol in Arken is the only one that triggers this chain of events. It's not even a quest, since there is no related journal entry. You simply have to stumble upon the events that allow you to upgrade it.

Without this forum, I wouldn't have even have known the value of that idol. There's no quest that directs you to buy it and no clues as to what it is for or where to bring it. If you were to play without guidance, you would simply have to get lucky and decide to buy it out of curiosity, then bring it to the Superintendent, who- if you've already seen once- you might not think to visit again.

Actually i just allways visited the hanging gardens for resourcefulness and occasional insight bonus. And since occasionally i unlocked something (herbalist), i just kept looking around. Allthough the first two times when the idol was being upgraded i just save scummed if i really get a better item, was so not trusting:)

[Ninth Hour]

Originally posted by Molotova:

Thanks for the answer. Yeah I got the Superintendent to upgrade it to "Gardner's Idol" but in Deven I do get the Magic sense 6 / herb lore 6 option to look around but nothing about the idol. Not on this play through anyway.

If you already surveyed the crystals and the plants and have the idol, you then need to talk to the botanists. You will share with them your observations and they will notice your idol and have ideas of how to improve it.

[Nordil(Hun)]

Just found another unstoppable item, the dragonstone sold in Salum. BUY IT. (I cant set sadly)

[Diveyoc]

I wasn't thinking about the regeneration when camping. When I bought this, I thought it was for combat. Does it work for combat too?

Also, I equipped it on Goro, but on his stat sheet, Regeneration still says zero, is that a bug?

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2710207305

[sanahtlig]

I don't think the character sheet correctly registers regen and power regen. It works though. And you'll be able to observe the effect in combat: it's 1HP per round, pretty substantial over the course of a battle. Out of combat you'll also regen heavily each day, though I think the state of wounding may apply some sort of cap.

[Wlerin]

It grants the Regeneration Perk, which restores one HP at the start of each combat round (including the start of combat iirc). It doesn't affect your Regen stat (this is something that could probably be fixed to improve clarity).

[Diveyoc]

Originally posted by Wlerin:

It grants the Regeneration Perk, which restores one HP at the start of each combat round (including the start of combat iirc). It doesn't affect your Regen stat (this is something that could probably be fixed to improve clarity).

Ok thanks. I only recently started paying more attention to the combat log. I see that it's triggering at the start of each round.

[Handy]

Originally posted by Ninth Hour:

If you already surveyed the crystals and the plants and have the idol, you then need to talk to the botanists. You will share with them your observations and they will notice your idol and have ideas of how to improve it.

So I've got the gardener's idol (talked to the TZS gardener). I have the option to "Observe rare crystals and plants" (herb lore 6, magic sense 6, Codex Entry: Crystalmancer). I can buy things from the botanists, but I can't talk to them or share observations. Might be a dead end.