Hidden Geneforge Mechanics

Hidden Mechanics in the game series

Geneforge Mechanics Summary

This is an overveiw on the hidden mechanics of the game series not mentioned in the manual. When using this guide please take into account the first couple of notes on skills over ten and Ability multiplier calculations for attacks.

High level skills 10 and above

Unlike most other Geneforge games increases are linear for both hit and damage.
In previous games some effects would decrease any percentage bonus chance for skills over 10 by half and a third for any over 20.

Ability multipliers calculations

Well you might think a multiplier should effect the end result geneforge games seem to do this differently. The multiplier seems to be done on the maximum dice roll for the attack meaning you will only see the upgrade on certain levels of the skill multiplier.
Example (spellcraft multiplies all magic effects)
Firebolt *d4 (random 1 to 4 damage)
Spellcraft (10% bonus per rank)
1 no change
2 d5 (d(4*120%)=d4.8 rounded =d5
3 d5 (d(4*130%)=d5.2 rounded =d5
4 d6 (d(4*140%)=d5.6 rounded =d6
5 d6 (d(4*150%)=d6 rounded =d6
6 d6 (d(4*160%)=d6.4 rounded =d6
7 d7 (d(4*170%)=d6.8 rounded =d7
8 d7 (d(4*180%)=d7.2 rounded =d7
9 d8 (d(4*190%)=d7.6 rounded =d8
10 d8 (d(4*200%)=d8 rounded =d8
*this is only an example exact firebolt damage varies between games.

Multiplier skills

Melee Weapon
-(+10%) bonus on damage per level no other effects found
-Only works in Geneforge 3 to 5
Ranged Weapon
-10% per level on damage
-Wand and gem effects as if spellcraft for casted spells
-Only works in Geneforge 3 to 5
Spellcraft
-(+10%) bonus damage per level
-(+10%) bonus duration per level
-(+10%) bonus effect ranks given per level
Examples of effect bonus
-Unlock (Tool ranks saved)
-Bless (hit chance and damage bonus)
-Augmentation/Essence infusion (effective endurance given)
-Essence shield (dodge chance given)
-and more

Spellcraft the ultimate skill?

Spellcraft will not enhance all spells in fact it has no noticeable effect on the daze or strong daze spells when it comes to multiplying. The magic within the game is also limited to spell power which regenerates at a set rate and your essence supplies which doesn't regenerate at all. When using powerful magic it is easy to use it all up in a few shots even with insanely high intelligence. Here is what you can expect from the multipliers:
Battle Magic 
-More damage in all spells and not much else
Mental Magic 
-Longer duration on non daze spells
-Stronger Wrack
Blessing Magic 
Warblessing - greater to hit, damage bonus and duration
Protection - Longer duration
Essence Shield - greater dodge chance
Haste -Longer duration
Spine shield - better damage dealt when hit
Essence armor - more effective endurance and Dodge chance
Steel skin - No apparent change?
Elemental aura -Fire, cold and energy resistance bonus?
Healing Craft
Healing and effect removal multiplied.
Augmentation(Essence infusion) - More effective endurance

Please note that some of the bonuses are said to be bugged and may change slightly between games

Cannister usage

Canister usage will change the ending of every geneforge game and the general rule is use 6 or less for the unaltered ending. When you play using the canisters the game will preform a check against your canisters used to determine whether you control your urge to kill and if you have used too many combat will automatically start.

Within the series 2 games can be played without effecting anything but the ending. The first game has no apparent negative to using canisters requiring them for new skills as no training is available. The fifth and last one uses your leadership skill in order to counteract the urge to kill but exactly how I am unsure. Should you wish to use all the canisters you find the skill of leadership in Geneforge 2 to 4 will have a much less uses available.

Note: canisters can reduce the amount of cash you need to spend on skills, make more powerful creations available or give small bonuses to your abilities 

Merchant prices

The prices for the merchants in the first 2 games will raise their prices as they run out of money. This is in theory reversable but the costs required are not worth it. While this is possible for item merchants the trainers prices can only be changed via quests or faction supported.

Lucky Character

With Geneforge games luck doesn't state what exactly it does but here is a short list of the benefits you could expect. Please keep in mind initiative is only added every few levels exactly how often is unknown. I personally doubt this is everything and believe it also can effect damage dealt and other effects as well but it is too difficult to verify.
-Initiative 
-Hit chance
-dodge chance
-item drop checks (coin is bugged in some games and disappears)
-all non physical resistances mental, acid, poison and stun also physical damage resistances in some geneforge games 1 to 3 it would appear
Note: it is not recommended that you have a base of more than 4 or 6 on your character

Creation Statistics and what they do

Strength - 5% to hit and +1 damage strength
Dexterity - 5% evasion and +1 initiative
Intelligence - 5%mental effect resistance and set amount of spell energy per level
Endurance - Health and small armor bonus (too small to accurately measure) 

Creations level requirements

The creation requirement for your skills is 1 for the first 2 tiers and rises by 1 after then. When making an enhanced version you need +2 on top of that. This makes it possible for any character with skill increasing items to get a weak creation army. Please note that these figures can and do vary by +1 for certain creations in some games but this should provide you with a general idea of what you need for creations in each game.
Tier 1 = 1 Skill
Tier 2 = 1 Skill
Tier 3 = 2 Skill
Tier 4 = 3 Skill
Tier 5 = 4 Skill
Improved versions +2 skill required

Creations Special attack damage (ranged unless otherwise stated)

Fyora - Fire bolt ranged attack
Cryoa - Ice spray ranged attack
Artila - Searer (for all versions)
Roamer - Searer 
Pyroroamer - Energy explosion
Clawbug - poison melee damage bonus
Vlish - Energy bolt no equivalent spell and poison melee attack
Terror vlish - Fear spell but low chance of working (will not work on some versions) and poison melee attack
Drayk - Fire bolt empowered
Cryodrayk - Ice spray empowered
Kyshaak - Lightning aura (for all versions)
Wingbolt - Death (all versions)
Drakon - Disruption* damage hitting 3 targets in geneforge 2 and 3 
Drakon - Extremely powerful firebolt in geneforge 4 and 5 
Ur - Drakon - Disruption* damage attack hitting 7 targets in geneforge 2 and 3
Ur - Drakon - extremely powerful firebolt in geneforge 4 and 5 
War thrall - Physical ranged attack uncertain whether javelin or baton damage dice used
Charged thrall - Same as the normal version as far as I can tell
Gazer - Death ranged attack and fear melee attack
Eyebeast - Aura of flames ranged attack and fear melee attack
*Disruption damage has no damage reductions

Creations Power notes

Creations have base skills which enhance their attacks giving them multipliers or higher base damage which are higher for every tier of creations. With the benefits to base skills comes a penalty to hostile mind effect resistance meaning they will go rogue or run away more easily. When considering spending extra essence on high level creations for more base statistics keep in mind the percentage benefits above decrease with effectiveness every 10 ranks. This means that you will not be able to guarantee the control of the most powerful creations and risk them killing you or running should they get hurt.

When making your creation army keep in mind
- levels on creations are mainly for spell energy and health other benefits are minimal
- high shaping skill is almost useless for the increase to base level
- Magic can be used to boost health, evasion and other stats cheaper then raising base stats
- low level creations need a bonus to their stats by spending extra essence or having more skill
- Cheap battle creations make excellent bodyguards for the main character as they generally have the most health and natural armor
- Most Fire creations are resistant to fire or ice and have a good ranged attack
- All Magic creations are highly resistant to energy attacks from geneforge 3 to 5
- Absorbing mid to high tier creations for essence has no big penalty
- When you reach near the end of the game you want 3rd tier or better creations.
- You will need to use mind shield aura to keep reasonable control over the toughest creations
- Grab shaping up to +4 early on or wait until you need it for a good creation. There is no need for more than 6 in the game, in fact your don't need to raise it during the whole game for any character in any one of the series. Your character using items or other benefits can get at least +3 in shaping skills
- Some creations can effectively cast spells without using up essence every shot or needing magical skills

Recommended Creations

Thahd - can take a hit even on nightmare without dying for a lot of the game
Artila - Shoots searer for those to lazy to cast themself but easily killed
Artila Plated/Searing - like the normal one but higher level
Cryoa - Decent all rounder with icy spray ranged attack but a bit expensive
Vlish - Cheap all rounder with energy attack
Terror Vlish - For those that cannot let the outdated vlish go
Battle Alpha - Melee tank perfect bodyguard for cost good till endgame
Battle Beta - Stronger battle alpha but may be a bit expensive (has extra armor too)
Drayk - Good all rounder until near endgame can be lacking at the end
Cyrodrayk - Stronger Drayk expensive but more effective at ranged attacking 
Glaahk - Super stun melee attack use 3 to paralyze a tough foe 
Ur-Glaahk - Super stun tank can easily hold back the enemy and take a few good hits
WingBolt - Death spell but limited shots due to recharge rate recommend absorb when out of ammo
Charged wingbolt - absorb when out of ammo before it dies but stronger death spell
Rottghorth - Zombie that deals high acid damage but dies quickly from non physical attacks
Drakon - Strong all rounder but expensive get no more than 2

Not Recommended Creations

Fyora - Weak attack and cannot take much of a hit but cheap
Thahd shade/charged - too slow at killing for essence/too expensive or weak to use much
Roamer - Vlish is better nuff said
Pyroroamer - only used as a suicide scout so you can leave safely and quickly
Clawbug - Thahds are better value for essence but this is still a viable creation
Plated Clawbug - lower hit chance for +2AP not worth the cost
Kyshaak - Low hit chance and is very expensive while still effective
Charged Kyshaak - Limited life so little point in making it for a couple encounters due to cost
Rotzerhedron- Cost is too high for very little improvement
Ur-Drakon - Only available at endgame point just stronger and more costly
Gazer - Recharge time too long otherwise it is a good wingbolt/tank
Eyebeast - Only available at endgame point casts the most powerful battle magic spell but suffers from a very long recharge time
WarThrall - A strong battle beta with a weak ranged attack
Charged Thrall - A doomed tank... no thanks and it is only available around endgame too

Basic Spells recommended

At the request of a player making a list on recommended spells however it has been a long time since I last played and will take some time to rebuild my notes.

Battle (optional if not good at magic skip all)
Firebolt - Light fire element damage
Acid Spray - Damage over time acid (useful as unusual for enemies to resist it)
Searer - Magic damage and poison damage over time
Ice Spray - Cold damage (possibly best damage spell most of the game due to resistances)
Lightning aura - Energy damage and energy damage over time

Mental
Daze - Disable for a few turns
*Mindshield Aura - Greatly aids control of creations (low requirement but useful)
*Wrack - Lower resistances
Unlock - Reduce number of lockpicks needed

Blessing
*War Blessing - Increases damage and hit chance
*Protection - 20% damage reduction
*Speed - chance of getting another action

Healing
*Minor Heal - Cheap out of combat heal
*Cure Affliction - Cures poison and acid damage over time
*Essence Infusion - Greatly increases health
Heal - Decent combat healing

*All characters can benefit greatly from these spells

Crafting artifacts link

Due to the way this game was made you may need this crafting information to finish the game. These are seriously overpowered items compared to everything else but were intended to be made in order to get some endings.

Crafting link[spiderwebforums.ipbhost.com]

[Athena_the_Goddesss]

In G5, the only way I can kill the extra hardmode dungeon at the end is by making war thralls because they resist most things but physical. In G5, at least, Thralls > Betas

[RoyalGuardian7]

havent try others yet and might try as well on my another playthrough. good guide nonetheless cover most useful things for newbie and veterans alike.

[Chronie]

Getting a single War Thrall and keeping them alive through the whole game is viable. All creations can be useful to some extent however there are base statistic values for each one and multiplier s based off the type. This means some creations will give a greater benefit for the cost.

Recommended creations were those I had found to be useful due to hidden multipliers or base statistics for a good portion of the game. They are recommended as the can be replaced if you struggle with a part of the game and need to absorb them for essence.

[RoyalGuardian7]

You could get War Thrall on very early game and useful if you level them up till the end.

[nitrogames2_1]

This is a pretty good guide, but for Geneforge 5 at least, most creations are pretty good, even the unstable ones, for example the Unstable Thahd is amazing for dealing with enemies in the early parts of the game and from what I remember group of them will effortlessly destroy a single unbound.

[Chronie]

Shaping skill gives +1 level to the creations and every 2 levels you only get a +1 to the creations stats. The after raising it to around 6 in a skill the bonuses are minimal and it is usually better just to invest in Intelligence being able to pick what creation best suits the situation. There are also special items you can make to greatly increase your shaping skills in this game so there is very little use later on.

[Aleccia Rosewater]

You sure about that not needing more then 6 in a shaping skill? The shaping skills are supposed to affect what level your highly-expendable creations start at. Does the level of your creations not matter or something that you only recommend the minimum?

[Chronie]

Spellcraft improves daze just like a mental magic skill level and also effect that spells max duration IIRC however made hit checks for each round or some other check (Didn't work out the exact formula)
Spellcraft gives no new skills but acts as 1 level in Battle magic, Mental magic, Blessing Magic and Healing magic as well as giving additional bonuses.

[OneArmedDog]

Also are you sure Spellcraft doesn't affect Daze? Cause I'm almost completely positive it's made my Daze much more effective

[OneArmedDog]

Alright, I'm now at Mera and I can confirm this guide has helped a lot with the insight provided

I didn't put points into shaping(probably will later) but instead dumped almost all my points into intelligence and spellcraft(currently at 10 base int +1 from geneforge and +1 from student belt) and at 8 spellcraft

What a difference it's making, the power of my spells is leveling the playing field enormously because of the insight provided, my cure affliction reliably removes acid, and even my minor heal is pretty strong this early on, my battle magic and blessing magic is quite potent and capable of doing some serious harm.

I suspect once I get some points into Shaping, and have powerful creations on top of all that, I'll be pretty set build wise, especially once I get artifacts going.

Thanks a ton, you helped so much