Replaying Arcanum

[Fri]

Back then after some hunting I finally got myself a copy of arcanum. I always want to play it as a gun user, because, hey, playing as a victorian gentleman with gun in the world of elves, dwarves, trolls, and magic is awesome.

But it's HARD. I even stuck at the first town for a bit. It's nothing unlike fallout's combat system. I gave up and changed into a melee fighter somewhere in the middle of my playthrough.

For some reason, I stopped playing. Now I think I want to replay it from the beginning. I remember seeing a site with tips for gun wielding character, but I can't find it now. I realized whatever the fluff said, using gun, and technology, isn't the best choice in this game. But I still want to play it for my second playthrough. So any tips for making a gun user? Maybe technologically inclined, maybe not?

[13_CBS]

I've made a good gunslinger a few times. Protips:

1) You won't be needing strength or constitution a heck of a whole lot (though being a gunslinger will be tough no matter what you do, so be careful), especially if you have companions, so a background that boosts perception and/or charisma is handy.

2) The Fine Revolver is your friend.

3) Afterwards, the Long Range Pistol is your friend.

4) Getting a doctorate in Gunsmithy (investing 10 points into the discipline, that is) isn't really necessary if you're just trying to maximize your combat efficiency. You can make a long range pistol by stealing William Thorndrop's Looking glass rifle and boost your gunsmithy aptitude with tech manuals.

5) Turn Based Combat will help out a lot.

6) Droch's Warbringer is your friend.

7) If you expect to go into combat, sniping is your friend.

8) Being able to make your own bullets is handy. Just remember that carrying lots of ammo slows you down, and you likely won't have too much strength.

9) Although having a weak, ill character is fine, DO NOT LET YOUR DEXTERITY SUFFER! Combat speed is the name of the game in Arcanum, and investing two points into Electricity to make Charged Rings is a good choice.

10) Eye gear is ok, but a Helmet of Vision isn't worth it, IMO.

11) Companion choice is pretty important. Due to your high tech aptitude, Vergil won't be very useful for healing, so you may wish to pick up Jaina instead.

12) Since you'll be having lots of companions and plenty of excess skill points to use aside from those devoted to making a gunslinger, don't forget to bump up your Charisma and Persuasion skills! A lot of quests are very satisfying when completed with only words.

13) Remember that, while crafting your own weapons is pretty cool, and making things like grenade launchers, napalm guns, and Tesla rifles sounds awesome, the latter weapons aren't all that useful.

14) Armor will be useful, but remember that you probably won't be having much strength, so remember that you'll either be slower or more lightly protected than normal.

15) The Medical Spider is your friend.

16) Outside of a couple of points in Electricity and Gunsmithy, and maybe herbology for healing items, there's not a whole ton of tech disciplines that you really need to invest points in.

17) Perception will be your most important stat! Therefore, AVOID HELMETS OR ANY HEADGEAR!! Except for, of course, Eye Gear and Helmets of Vision.

18) Remember that, as a technological character using a tech weapon, you will have a penalty against hitting magical creatures (especially golem-type creatures like Earth Elementals, Ore Golems, Seething Masses, etc.), so take care.

Starting races:

For my succesful gunslingers, I've used gnomes and humans. I've yet to even play a Dwarf for any sort of character, since the Charisma penalty makes getting good companions more difficult, and elves and half elves aren't meant to be used for tech characters anyway. Halflings...eh, the dexterity bonus is handy, I think they would work. Half-Ogres are too stupid and half-orcs are better off being melee, I think, though they might work too.

Backgrounds:

Again, one that bumps perception is handy. I think Miracle Operation worked out alright for me, though the beginning was very difficult. Try to level up at the Crash Site as much as possible, and if at all possible get to the Fine Revolver and Apprenticeship in Firearms ASAP! If not, there are lots of experience points that you can get from just Shrouded Hills, and if you don't bother bumping up your Persuasion, the bridge thieves will be tough to handle if you're not prepared.

I've found that doing every quest around the crash site, Shrouded Hills, and Arbalah's house can get you to around level 8 or so by the time you confront the bridge thieves.

[Nerd-o-rama]

I <3 gun users in Arcanum, but they are difficult to play. Unlike casters, who can just spam Disintegrate until they win the game.

Some tips:

Race: I usually play Half-Elf because I'm a min-maxer and they have one more point than humans, but quite frankly your life will be easier at the beginning if you go Human, since Helfs have a slight penalty to Tech skills (which includes Firearms) until they get a heavy Tech aptitude.

Background: I like Raised by Monks for +1 Perception with no real penalty. Sure you get less starting gold, but that doesn't matter because you don't buy a starting handgun. In a cave at the north of the starting area, you can find the components for the first craftable firearm, which is actually superior to the stuff you can buy.

Points: In general, you want Dexterity because it's broken, Perception for Firearms skill, and Intelligence for Gunsmithing. If you have some spare points, I like to have Charisma/Persuade as a sideline. Prowl and Lockpicking are also useful. With your first few levels, make sure you get level 2 Firearms ASAP, level 2 Gunsmithing by the time you get to Shrouded Hills (to craft a Fine Revolver, your best friend for the first part of the game), and level 1 Explosives by the time you get to Tarrant (and preferably before, so you can spam Molotov Cocktails at Lukahn the Witless; 1 rank in throwing is a good bet as well).

Once in Tarrant, pick up the Bullets schematic from the Gadget Shop or the Gun Shop; it requires a level in Explosives, but it will save you massive amounts of money in the long term, since instead of Bullets, you can just buy Saltpeter from gadget shops and general stores.

The problem with guns is that they generally lack in damage, especially against tough enemies like you find in the first few plot dungeons; I recommend sidequesting a lot before you go to the Black Mountain Clan Mines. A Repeating Rifle and several thousand bullets (and several dozen molotov cocktails) are the way to go - if you want to be really overleveled, wait until you can craft a Looking Glass Rifle. Looking Glass Rifles (or if you prefer, their modded Long Range Pistol form) are awesome enough to last you nearly the rest of the game, until you pick up some exotic guns and schematics in Vendigroth (some people prefer the Elephant Gun and its badass cousin, the Blade Launcher. I wasn't willing to invest that many points into Int/Gunsmith, though). Pick up tech gadgets that help your Dex, Perception, and defenses. You can boost up Strength to wear Clockwork Armor (and make carrying stuff a lot easier), and you need it for several of the better guns, but it's a secondary concern.


EDIT: ...you know, I never thought to pickpocket Master Thorndop. With that, you can probably get by just fine with just the two ranks in Gunsmithy. Bear in mind you need to be Rank 5 in firearms to even get him to show up in the game...at least, I think so.

And of course, the best craftable stuff in the game requires ACQUIRED schematics, not ones bought with levelups. You can get by putting no points into tech disciplines and just buying Manuals from the University of Tarrant, but that is insanely expensive.

[Fri]

Do I have to focus on technology (or magic), or can I be a neutral inclined person?

[Nerd-o-rama]

Given that Firearms is a Tech skill, Gunsmithy is a Tech discipline, and that it doesn't really pay to spread out your points between tech/magic, you're probably going to end up tech biased.

Tech/Magic(k) alignment is based on where you use your character points, and you don't really have enough to spread around.

[Fri]

Gddamnit. I've installed the game, playing with a miracle operation-ed character now. I have the handcrafted flintlock now, and trying to get to level 3 before going to shrouded hill. But I can't even fight a bunch of wolves! It's almost like the operation killed his eyes and now he can't even shoot straight!

Anyway, it's been a while since I play this game. How do you repair equipment?

[Coidzor]

I <3 gun users in Arcanum, but they are difficult to play. Unlike casters, who can just spam Disintegrate until they win the game.

Hell, just good enough at clicking quickly in the real-time mode and level 1 harm spell will get you everywhere.

Hmm... I know there's a dialogue option with blacksmiths but as far as the repair skill itself goes I can't remember how to bring it to bear...

[13_CBS]

Gddamnit. I've installed the game, playing with a miracle operation-ed character now. I have the handcrafted flintlock now, and trying to get to level 3 before going to shrouded hill. But I can't even fight a bunch of wolves! It's almost like the operation killed his eyes and now he can't even shoot straight!



Check the strength requirement for your gun: if your strength is too low to use it effectively, you'll have trouble aiming the gun.

[Tom_Violence]

RE: the difficult monsters in some of the story-required dungeons.
I found that the Charged Rifle (I think that's what its called, but its been a long time since I last played) works pretty good in those situations. It does electric damage, and was one of the few things that ever seemed to make a dent in some of the stuff down in those places.

[Fri]

Right. it turned out that gunslinger character can be awesome too! And it's way cooler than magic user. thanks for your help guys. I just have this nagging question.

How many character point do we got each time we got a new level? Only one?

Oh, and a few seconds after starting the game, my character scarred himself by the virtue of an exploding flintlock. Can we heal the scar?

[Nerd-o-rama]

Your character gets 5cp at level 1, 2cp at every level divisible by 5, and 1cp at every level besides those. The level cap is 50, so you'll have a total of 64 points over the course of the game.

Scars can only be healed with...not sure, but either Expert or Master Medicine skill. And I'm not sure if Expert or Master NPC doctors can actually use that on you, so if you're that early in the game, either restart, train up Medicine, or suck it up and enjoy your cool scar.

Also, you're going to friggin' suck at combat for the first two levels, especially with a flintlock, and especially especially with any non-guns. You'll just have to deal.

[Trazoi]

Scars can only be healed with...not sure, but either Expert or Master Medicine skill. And I'm not sure if Expert or Master NPC doctors can actually use that on you, so if you're that early in the game, either restart, train up Medicine, or suck it up and enjoy your cool scar.
I remember healing magic would get rid of scars as well, but I don't know if there's a restriction on that for really tech oriented characters.

[13_CBS]

That major healing spell (3rd tier White Necromancy) will heal any scars and such. It might not work as well on tech characters, of course.

[RPGuru1331]

I remember healing magic would get rid of scars as well, but I don't know if there's a restriction on that for really tech oriented characters.

Medibot heals scars. Medibot is your friend.

I felt stupid playinga Techie in my game though. I mean, sure, crank up Firearms and get a little tech proficiency, but it's useless overall. You can find almost all of the useful stuff pre-made.

Now, the COOL stuff, like the Frankenstein's Monster Maker? That you need to level up and earn.. :smallbiggrin:

[Morty]

I've once tried to make a half-orc gunslinger. I went as far as Tarant, but I stopped playing due to having to reboot the system. It went quite well, except for low reaction from NPCs, but I fixed that with fine clothes. If I ever play Arcanum again, I think I'll make an explosive specialist.
On the subject of spells, I once found a mod that changed the spells quite a lot, but I didn't use it since my character was far in the main plot by then so it messed up my spell list completely. But it did remove Harm and Disintegration, so maybe it's worth it.

[13_CBS]

If you have financial troubles, here's an exploit:


Go to Shrouded Hills, find Ritezze. Pickpocket the key he has off of him, MAKING SURE TO NOT KILL HIM AT ANY TIME.

The key opens up both his bedroom that's right behind him AND his chest full of junk and, more importantly, gold. Take the gold off of him (usually 500-2000 gold), scroll your screen over to the left or right so that the chest you just opened is not on the screen, then advance time one day.

If done correctly, the next time you open the chest there will be even more gold. Repeat the process as many times as you like. But don't kill Ritezze!

[Trazoi]

If I ever play Arcanum again, I think I'll make an explosive specialist.
I tried a character like that - throwing expert with explosive skills. Molotov cocktails are one of the best tech schematics you can get.

[Fri]

Sigh, I want the healing spider, but the way for it is completely redundant. I have jayna for making all the drugs that I need and magnus for all mechanical things that I want. I guess it's really worth it though, even if I only take the doctorate for making the spider.

[13_CBS]

I don't know if going down the mechanical route just for the medical arachnid is worth it. For one thing, IIRC, I don't think you can get the schematic for the spider until you actually get the spider for free.

[Fri]

Nah. I'm caught in girl genius' archive now, and that makes me want my own clank! I want my clank! And anything is worth it for my own clank.

[GolemsVoice]

Why, good Sir, while I regrettably can't help you with your firearm problems, I am delighted to inform you of this fine site here
http://www.terra-arcanum.com/
These electronic gentlemen have collected a whole host of data, both helpfull and informative, on everything of Arcanum's aspects, be they grisly orcs, or the high art of persuasion, mechanical devices of miracle and ingenuity, or magical wonderworks beyond compare.
Furthermore, I must say, that, having played both a magick-user and a scholar of the technological arts, while, for sure, a wizard can have his way with almost any foe, the mechanical contraptions your engineer can devise prove to be a whole world of exciting and dangerous technological nightmares and niceties. Sure, it may not be the wisest choice if you go for pure power, but a gentleman of refinement and quality always goes for the most elegant way.

[Ozymandias]

I'm playing this for the first time, and I opted for a gunman because Mages were boring (Is there anything beyond spamming Harm until you KO yourself?) and Melee was even more boring (although much easier).

I'm really only having trouble finding bullets, which means I end up punching quite a few wolves to death. Where can you get the schematic? I tried the Gun Shop(pe) in Tarant and there wasn't one.

[Fri]

I'm playing this for the first time, and I opted for a gunman because Mages were boring (Is there anything beyond spamming Harm until you KO yourself?) and Melee was even more boring (although much easier).

I'm really only having trouble finding bullets, which means I end up punching quite a few wolves to death. Where can you get the schematic? I tried the Gun Shop(pe) in Tarant and there wasn't one.

It's random. I think the shops are stocked daily, you could try to wait and keep advancing the time until finally they got the bullet schematic. Or maybe you have to actually exit the town, wait for a day, and then enter the town, to get the store stocked. I can't really sure

[rayne_dragon]

I always found it easier to steal bullets.

I'm also a fan of the awesome gun

that one of the soldiers has during the raid on the warehouse in Tarant against the orc revolt


It was enough to make me want to switch from melee to gunslinger.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Oh yes, the Maxim Machine Gun clone. Great for riot control, if you're a capitalist oppressor.

Also, stores' inventories are randomized (with some constant items) every day when they open. You don't have to exit the town or anything.

[rayne_dragon]

Oh yes, the Maxim Machine Gun clone. Great for riot control, if you're a capitalist oppressor.


I resent that remark. I'll have you know my subjects are not allowed to have anything resembling an economy. Possessing wealth is a shootable offense. :smallwink:

[Nerd-o-rama]

I was referring to the situation in which it was used in-game.

[rayne_dragon]

I thought you might be. Still, I was at least partially referring to how I used it in game. My character was very much a bandit and by that point I'd gotten tired of picking pockets and took to just gunning down people if I felt like it.

[Fri]

My character had turned from a gentleman gunslinger into a mad scientist followed by his cadre of minions .

Ah, the effect of witnessing technological marvel and sniffing too much bromide...

Now he's on his way for his first clank.

"It's Alive!"

[13_CBS]

I always found it easier to steal bullets.

I'm also a fan of the awesome gun

that one of the soldiers has during the raid on the warehouse in Tarant against the orc revolt


It was enough to make me want to switch from melee to gunslinger.

Eh, the damage is good, and the rate of fire is, of course, amazing, but I've found the bullet consumption rate to be not worth it. DRoch's Warbringer FTW!

Also, Fri, have you found the automaton schematic yet?

[Fri]

If you mean the one with platemail, not yet. I only got the medical arachnid.

[Thant]

How many character point do we got each time we got a new level? Only one?


You get 5 starting points, 1 on every next level and 2 on 5, 10, 15, 20...(and so on) levels.

A tip: don't waste a single char pts on intelligence if you want to be a good tech character - 8 is all that you need. Instead buy intellect potions wherever you can find them and drink one when you level up and want to improve some of your tech disciplines. The said potion will bring your IN instantly to whooping 20 points and then you can buy levels all the way up to doctorate if you want and save yourself ~12 char pts for something else (you get a total of 64 pts to distribute in game, so spend them wisely) and do this also when you want to make tech-stuff; you'll spend some more gold but char points are priceless:smallsmile:

Also a good gunslinger build is to invest in gunsmithing/electricity to their full level - once you get your hands on the Tesla Gun schematics and build it, you will have technological equivalent of the disintegrate spell:smallcool:

[Fri]

now you're telling! My crazy scientist guy already got 17 int! Oh well, roleplaying and all that. Anyway, where do you got intellect potion? Do they sell it in store? And do any of you remember whether if they sold wonder drug in shop or it's strictly craft item?

[Thant]

now you're telling! My crazy scientist guy already got 17 int! Oh well, roleplaying and all that. Anyway, where do you got intellect potion? Do they sell it in store? And do any of you remember whether if they sold wonder drug in shop or it's strictly craft item?

The wise woman in Shrouded Hills, the one at the outskirts of Tarant and the one on the south side of Ashbury - all of them sell intellect potions. I don't recall that any of the trader npcs was selling wonder drug, but I might be mistaken.

Tip: for additional expertise in tech discipline(s) you might want to purchase some tech manuals from Tarantian University - they give you expertise points for just holding those books (they are blue colored, non-readable, ~350gp (if I remember correctly)) in your inventory, so basically with them you can make items beyond your current tech level for free.

[Fri]

New update on my character's road to mad sciencedom

Ookay. There is something funny going on around here. My character just got his first clank, that is those cute little clockwork decoys that I guess is supposed to hop merrily and annoy my enemies so they choose to hack those helpless things instead of my character's soft and vulnerable skin.

But there is something funny. The decoys work AGAINST my party instead of for my party. Every time I throw them into battle, they start with hateful attitude, and my minions, I mean my party choose to chase those hopping clockwork robots instead of protecting their master's hide.

Is that a sign of future creature uprising? Man, my character is a better mad scientist than my guess.

[13_CBS]

:smalleek:

I've never used them before, but...I'm wondering if that's a bug :smalleek:

Uh oh.

As for the wonder drug, I could swear I saw them in dungeons sometimes. I'm pretty sure the Black Mountain Mines has one, in a chest near the beginning of the long hallway full of traps.

[Nerd-o-rama]

A tip: don't waste a single char pts on intelligence if you want to be a good tech character - 8 is all that you need. Instead buy intellect potions wherever you can find them and drink one when you level up and want to improve some of your tech disciplines. The said potion will bring your IN instantly to whooping 20 points and then you can buy levels all the way up to doctorate if you want and save yourself ~12 char pts for something else (you get a total of 64 pts to distribute in game, so spend them wisely) and do this also when you want to make tech-stuff; you'll spend some more gold but char points are priceless:smallsmile:...son of a bitch, really?

Also, I was never a robot-user, but I'm pretty sure hostile robot minions are a bug.

I think next time I play this, I'll focus on robot minions, and possibly regular minions. A proper mad scientist.

[Thant]

...son of a bitch, really?

Yes, really.

[GolemsVoice]

Have you installed Drog Blacktooth's patches? Long after Troike ceased looking after the game/ceased excisting, he made patches fixing and improving various things in the game. He eclared his work finished just a few months ago.

[Thant]

Have you installed Drog Blacktooth's patches? Long after Troike ceased looking after the game/ceased excisting, he made patches fixing and improving various things in the game. He eclared his work finished just a few months ago.

That sounds good, didn't know about it. Link please!

[Fri]

do you mean the unofficial arcanum patch? I think I had them. Though, now I'm not really sure whether I had successfully applied the patch. Sigh, if it didn't patch successfully, I have to continue with the game, because I'm too far ahead now.

And man... now what am I supposed to do with the hostile decoys and my points on mechanical? I guess I must try to make another type of bot and look whether they also turned hostile or not.

[Ozymandias]

I accidentally spent my accumulated fortune (about 3k) on manuals because I was experimenting and mistook the quicksave and quickload keys (WHY ARE THEY SO CLOSE TOGETHER?). I really wanted that electro-axe before I realized I'd need smithy expertise...

On an unrelated note, is there a faster way to get bullets than saltpeter/rest? I burned through about 600 (using the revolver, not the rifle, thank you very much) in the Black Mountain Clan place and have about 100 left. Why is that place so long, and have so many traps, and such mediocre loot?

Edit: Also, what do I do with gems? Virgil's inventory is like half-filled with them by now... should I sell or is there a better purpose? Also, is there a place to store goods? Is there an identifier in Tarant? And what's the best way to heal a Tech character - both spells and potions are magic...

[Fri]

use salves for healing tech characters. I think the higher your heal skill, your salves get more potent. That's why you recruit.. whose that girl's name? the tech healer? Give her your salves, and he'll heal you automatically. And he can also make healing stuff.

There is an identifier in tarant. Go to the dock, there is a gypsi just outside the wall. look at your map. I also missed her at first.

[GolemsVoice]

The link to that patch can be found on the website I posted earlier in the thread.
And, yeah, Jayne Stiles, I think she was named, Is a very good technological healer. The only thing that bugs me is that she uses bandages and salves everytime you are slightly wounded, but, unlike Virgil's mana, they don't regenerate. Sure, often there is no shortage of them, but it can get annoying. She's a very great source for all manner of potions, though, be it strength, awareness, the like.
And, you can make a cartload of money with many electric items. As far as I know, you can buy the components for a tesla-staff (a staff, and a conductor or something) for maximum 100 gold, and it sells for 750. Quite the same for the charged ring, which is even cheaper, but the outcome isn't as great, as well.

EDIT: Almost every town has an identifier, they just mostly hide out of town, being gypsies and all. However, stillwater and Black Roots misses one, as far as I remember. Maybe Qunitarra as well.

[Ozymandias]

Thanks, guys - I really would like to know about Gems, though. I have enough rough-cut emeralds to choke a cow.

Also, are there any more dungeons like the Black Mountain Clan one? Because if so, I may not finish this game.

[Thant]

Thanks, guys - I really would like to know about Gems, though. I have enough rough-cut emeralds to choke a cow.

Also, are there any more dungeons like the Black Mountain Clan one? Because if so, I may not finish this game.

You need only one or two gems/diamonds/mnura coins and the like if you want to slove the "Gods Blessings Quest" (and one Cathorn crystal to make the spectacles that let you se the entrance to the Wheel Clan), you can just sell all the others.

[13_CBS]

Thanks, guys - I really would like to know about Gems, though. I have enough rough-cut emeralds to choke a cow.

Spoilers ahoy! There are uses for certain gems:

Ruby: you'll need two of them to correctly complete the pagan gods side-quest.
Black diamond: you'll need one of them for the pagan gods side-quest.
Diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, etc: useless. Sell them.
Mnura coins: again, necessary for the pagan gods side quest.
Kathorn crystals: you may need two of them to make the Wheel Clan spectacles.
LAva rocks: again, pagan gods side quest.
Everything else you can probably chuck away.



Also, are there any more dungeons like the Black Mountain Clan one? Because if so, I may not finish this game.

The later mandatory dungeons will be:

The Dredge
Caladon catacombs
The Void
Thanatos island

The Dredge and catacombs can be completely bypassed if you have the knowhow, however.

Spoilers on how to bypass them:


For bypassing the Dredge, you'll need some persuasion and a good bit of intellect (at least 12, I think?). Talk to Randaver. You must be able to understand the concept behind the core Dwarven philosophies of Stone and Shape. Don't say silly things like "there are no Dwarven philosophers?", and such. If you do it right, he'll let slip that he's been seeing his father lately, and he'll allow you to use a secret passage to bypass the entire Dredge (which is actually much harder than the Black Mountain Mines, due to the number of golem-like enemies in the Dredge).

For bypassing the Caladon catacombs, simply either borrow/buy/steal pilgrims' robes and get past the guards, or kill the guards and bust open the door. The rest of the temple will be none the wiser.

[Fri]

Thanks, guys - I really would like to know about Gems, though. I have enough rough-cut emeralds to choke a cow.

Also, are there any more dungeons like the Black Mountain Clan one? Because if so, I may not finish this game.

Why so? Massive underground maze filled by traps and monster are the staples of RPG. ANY RPG.

[Ozymandias]

Why so? Massive underground maze filled by traps and monster are the staples of RPG. ANY RPG.

No healing + frail characters + copious, undetecable (by me) traps = quickload ad infinitum.

[Fri]

well... now you have healings. And the dead thieves have scroll of detect trap. Even my extremely technological character can use them fairly effectively.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Also, I know of no better way to load up on Bullets than Saltpeter+Rest (maybe buying out shops of Bullets as well, but that costs about twice as much per unit). If you're a gunslinger, get used to long rest periods after major adventures. And my sympathies to those who went through the BMC mines with only a revolver. I told you to grind for better weapons from personal experience, you know.

All other questions have been addressed quite well.

And yes, despite her total lack of personality, Jayna Stiles of Dernholm should be your BFF as a technologist.

[Morty]

Why so? Massive underground maze filled by traps and monster are the staples of RPG. ANY RPG.

Unfortunaetly, in Arcanum they're tiresome and annoying.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Shorter, piecemeal dungeons aren't so bad. The sewers of Tarrant, the tomb in...Blackwater and the castle in Ashbury, or I might have those mixed up, the various small ruins sites...they're not so bad.

[Shikton]

Thanks, you all made me have to go and replay this game...

Character creation is so frustrating, because I can never decide on what route to take! Magick? If so, what domains? Gah, can't decide, so let's go another route...gunslinger? Bowman? Swords? AH! Crafting?! Nono, can't decide. And pre-made characters aren't fun either, auto leveling is boring. Rargh.. Caster it is.

BUT! At least the game is awesome when you first start playing. Until your first fights. What's this? 4-5 castings of Harm suddenly makes you faint. Wow. This is going to be fun. And you have to wait so long until you can cast again! Bah!

Ok, fine, let's just keep going with my pretty little human bookworm lady. At least she's going to be powerful when she "grows up"!

It's the same thing every time, except that I decide on different characters...

[Ozymandias]

I don't really get how bandages or salves work - I gave her a bandage (uses:10) and it disappeared, without me being healed at all. The problem with the scrolls is that, firstly, my allies still walk into traps and, secondly, they sell for a whole ton of cash and I'm sort of OCD about not using expensive resources.

On the bright side, I now have four followers, three in platemail with sweet weapons, a looking-glass rifle, and about ten thousand gold and around 900 bullets. This game really has its ups and downs.

But yeah, thanks a lot for all the advice. This game is pretty confusing - it sort of reminds me of the first time playing Fallout.

[GolemsVoice]

I found that playing an intelligent, charismatic character, no matter the arcane7technology disposition, always is the best idea. Because your companions can do the fighting for you, but not the talking. And the game offers so much more dialog options if you're smart and charming.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Exactly. That's why I like Persuasion so much as a sideline. Plus the Master Persuasion quest is hella amusing, and about the biggest effect you'll have on the metaplot.

[Morty]

Yes, Arcanum is one of the games that really reward high charisma and persuasiveness. First time I played, I didn't put much into it, and only in the second gameplay, in which I did invest a lot in Charisma and Persuasion I realized how much I missed out.

[Thant]

the tomb in...Blackwater Blackroot

Fixed it for you:smallwink: But there's no tomb in Blackroot(or Stillwater; now when I look at the city you named, I'm not sure on which one of the two you were refering. As for the tombs (within city limits), there's one in Ashbury (at the graveyard) and one in Dernholm and few of them outside towns - in Ancient Temple, in Belerrogrim's Lair (more of an underground) and one in Elven Ruins.


Thanks, you all made me have to go and replay this game...

Character creation is so frustrating, because I can never decide on what route to take! Magick? If so, what domains? Gah, can't decide, so let's go another route...gunslinger? Bowman? Swords? AH! Crafting?! Nono, can't decide. And pre-made characters aren't fun either, auto leveling is boring. Rargh.. Caster it is.

BUT! At least the game is awesome when you first start playing. Until your first fights. What's this? 4-5 castings of Harm suddenly makes you faint. Wow. This is going to be fun. And you have to wait so long until you can cast again! Bah!

Ok, fine, let's just keep going with my pretty little human bookworm lady. At least she's going to be powerful when she "grows up"!

It's the same thing every time, except that I decide on different characters...

Spellcaster, you say? Then you should know that 3 spells are a must for every spellcaster:

1. Harm, Black Necromancy 1 - THE most powerful spell in the game that will kill your enemies and let you loot them (because disintegrate takes it all away:smallyuk:); with magical aptitude of 100 you will do with it more damage than Quench Life (end level Black Nec spell)

2. Unlocking Cantrip, Conveyance 2 - with this one you can open anything (no more jammed doors or broken lockpicks or magically held locks:smallwink:) and save yourself from investing 8-10 of those all to precious char pts in locksmith

3. Teleport, Conveyance 5 - around the world in a blink of an eye; 'nuff said

these three are also handy:

4. Disintegrate, Force 5 - THE most powerful weapon in the game, but also THE greatest nuisance in the game (prevents looting:smallyuk:)

5. Tempus Fugit, Temporal 4 (or is it 5?) - seemingly endless action points, equivalent of the potion of speed

6. Conjure Spirit, Black Necromancy 2 - ~related to some quests

... after mastering these spells, you can choose whatever your heart desires - the game will be a cakewalk already.

[13_CBS]

Fixed it for you:smallwink: But there's no tomb in Blackroot(or Stillwater; now when I look at the city you named, I'm not sure on which one of the two you were thinking. As for the tombs (within city limits), there's one in Ashbury (at the graveyard) and one in Dernholm and few of them outside towns - in Ancient Temple, in Belerrogrim's Lair (more of an underground) and one in Elven Ruins.

Don't forget Caladon! Though it's actually called a catacomb...

[Cespenar]

Did anyone else went "screw the duality, I'm going swords!" and well, just focused on melee?

Besides getting some minor useful things from both sides like the unlocking cantrip from magic and some traps from technology, I did so, and found the game... excessively easy. I don't remember the details besides pumping dexterity, strength and melee, but with the help of a special sword, I was attacking at the endgame boss at a rate of 21 hits/turn, or something like that.

Plus, you end up saving a good amount of skill points, which you can invest in persuasion etc. to boot.

[Dhavaer]

I found the game easiest when combined melee with magic. The third level Time spell + a Potion of Speed + Torian Kel's Ancestral Sword means you're basically the Flash. It worked very nicely for me.

[Fri]

This is bizarre. I searched the net and I can't found any mention of hostile robot minion. I even braced myself and registered to terra arcanum forum. But it seems that nobody ever heard any hostile robotic minion.

What happened here? Or do I use them wrong? Where is the 'pet clockwork decoy' and 'ask them to work nicely' button?

[Nerd-o-rama]

How did you deploy these clockwork decoys of yours, precisely?

[Fri]

How did you deploy these clockwork decoys of yours, precisely?

Well.. I put it on one of my quick slot. And like molotov cocktail, I click my quickslot, then throw it to the ground/the enemy/my friends. Whatever I do, they always turned hostile. Or rarely, they're duds that didn't work. just like molotov cocktail.

[Ozymandias]

I just traded a camera for a medical arachnid.

How does it work? Is it a nonmagical, reusable heal-all or will it run out or what?

[13_CBS]

Medical arachnids are tech creatures that you can "summon" (throw out onto the map and it'll activate). It's got an infinite amount of healing, and it heals really really fast. Outside of combat, it's easily worth ten times its weight in salves and stuff.

[Ozymandias]

Medical arachnids are tech creatures that you can "summon" (throw out onto the map and it'll activate). It's got an infinite amount of healing, and it heals really really fast. Outside of combat, it's easily worth ten times its weight in salves and stuff.

For half the items I see I think "There has to be a catch" and there usually is. The higher-end guns, for example, and the neat electricity-based weapons, eat ammo really quickly. Also, Harrow sucks, for some reason.

Heh, I finally made the charged axe. More like charged hax - 21-42 damage? Si, por favor.

One more question (sorrow, guys, the FAQs on this game aren't exactly comprehensive): If you buy training while a skill is temporarily boosted (say, a blessing) will that stick after the blessing is gone?

[GolemsVoice]

I think it will, though I am not really sure, never tried it.
Also, I'v heard that if you don't fix the game with Drog's patch, there is a hilarious bug in Vendigroth, one of the last dungeons. The dungeon is populated by robots, just like the ones you can build with a steam engine and a platemail. When not hostile, they lie around, waiting to be activated. For some reasons, sometimes they didn't awake when you approached them, and you could pick them up and use them for yourself, thus collecting a small army of robots. Provided you had space and carring capacity, though the latter should not be a problem for Sogg Mead Mug, your trusty mule.

[13_CBS]

Does Drogg's patch fix the Ritezze exploit? I hope it doesn't...

[Thant]

Hmm...robots uprising, you say? Maybe its a bug, but I have another idea: did you try using them only with your inventory "hand" button? Just to deploy them not throw them at people/things? Because, maybe for some insane reason the game is taking your action (throwing them) as an attack against the arachnids/autonoms - even if they resist all damage - and they just automatically go evil on you and fight back...I'm not sure about this, but it does sound somewhat logical. It can't be from a low CH/beauty, because from what you mentioned so far I understand that it must be around 10-14 points high.

[Shikton]

I never got the robots working either. But I threw them as well, so it might just be that.

Sogg Mead Mug is just whee powerful. Who needs to help during battle when he's around anyway? Teh powah teh powah.

I tossed a couple of points in melee as well, just to be useful in the beginning, but I'm generally playing a talker with a splash of magic and a sprinkle of melee. Not taking points in dodge, although I probably should.

Just arrived in Tarant, so I'm off to visit a certain sheep. Baaah...

[Fri]

Intriguing...

I try to use the 'hand' icon. But it seems that it didn't work. The hand icon's border turned red like when I try to use un-usable items on the icon, instead of green like when I use molotov cocktails or salves.

I might need to give this intriguing piece of clue to those gentlemen at terra-arcanum.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Intriguing...

I try to use the 'hand' icon. But it seems that it didn't work. The hand icon's border turned red like when I try to use un-usable items on the icon, instead of green like when I use molotov cocktails or salves.

I might need to give this intriguing piece of clue to those gentlemen at terra-arcanum.Yeah, this was going to be recommendation. When you use them in your quickslot, you're actually throwing them (I think), which they might not like.

[13_CBS]

IIRC, machines like arachnids and, by extension, clockwork decoys HAVE to be used by the quickslot.

[Fostire]

Does Drogg's patch fix the Ritezze exploit? I hope it doesn't...

I tried it and it doesn't work as you put it since there is no gold in the chest, but he does have 2000+ gold with him that you can pickpocket 100 at a time or you can sell him a bunch of expensive stuff then go to his chest and get your stuff back. Repeat this until he has no more gold left.
Once he's out of gold the trick to get him to get more is to talk to another shop and then wait a day (you don't have to buy anything, just opening the sale window worked for me). After that go talk to Ritezze and repeat the trick to rob him of another 2000+ gold.

[AmberVael]

Did anyone else went "screw the duality, I'm going swords!" and well, just focused on melee?

Besides getting some minor useful things from both sides like the unlocking cantrip from magic and some traps from technology, I did so, and found the game... excessively easy. I don't remember the details besides pumping dexterity, strength and melee, but with the help of a special sword, I was attacking at the endgame boss at a rate of 21 hits/turn, or something like that.

Plus, you end up saving a good amount of skill points, which you can invest in persuasion etc. to boot.

Half-ogre with a dagger of speed was how I did things the first time around. It was awesome. :smallbiggrin:

[Ozymandias]

Half-ogre with a dagger of speed was how I did things the first time around. It was awesome. :smallbiggrin:

I just breezed through the game second-time through with a high-dex half elf fighter/wizard. Easy from start to finish. I expect magic to be really strong early and technology really strong late - but the college mastery/arcane weapons (actually just melee combat in general) are totally broken, and the late guns mostly suck, plus, bullets don't regenerate by resting. :(

But yeah, Dagger of Speed is super-hax. Try turn-based combat; it's ridiculous. 20 Dex, 20 Str = 20+ hits with +20 damage on each. Unless it's a humanoid opponent. Stupid dodging.

[13_CBS]

Combine with Prowling and Backstab.

"Oi, where's me kidneys?!"

[Cespenar]

Anyone tried bows?

[GolemsVoice]

I think it is even worse with bows than with guns, since you can't actually craft arrows, and bows shoot almost with the speed of light, and even two arrows at a time if you're a master, I think. The anmation looks really stupid, even worse than with pistols, where such a feet might be plausible. Legolas' got nothing on you.

[Thant]

I tried bows, and never ran out of arrows:smallsmile: They are interesting for play and not all that bad - the expert quest reveals you one new location that you can't get any other way (some elven castle, I can't recall its name at the moment) and gives you some really neat items once you complete it (and some good exp too). But the truth is that bows can be used only as a backup weapon or means for executing attrition on the enemy before they close-in. The best example for this is Raven - even she switches to swords when she's engaded in melee.

[Shikton]

Bows aren't too bad, at least not when you get the Pyrotechnic Bow (crafted).

[GolemsVoice]

Speaking of technology, did anyone actually craft and use all these things that you can craft? All these grenades, bombs, robots, armors, guns swords, and whatnot? Because many of these things sound awesome in the manual (because they are presented this way, I just LOVE the adverisement-character of the descriptions) but turn out to be rather dull devices, or only usefull a couple of times.

So far, I have enjoyed:


The Flow Spectrometre: It detects traps, yay! For some reason, it also gives me an armor bonus
The Trap Springer: Here to finish what Flow Spectrometre began. With these two devices, it is easy either to spring traps, or to avoid them.
The Charged Ring: +2 Dex for some cheap materials? Yes please! And even if you already have your entire party equipped with rings, it still sells for some good money.
The Bullet-turning Top Hat: Style and safety have never been so craftily combined. It gives reasonably protection without sacrificing perception.
The Electrical Shield: It looks great, and gives you the edge against thos magic-users
The Balanced Sword: In a world where golems and various technological nightmares wear your weapons down really fast, you don't want to be caught without a readily available and excellent backup weapon.
The various Potions and herbal products: Allways come in handy, giving you that extra ooomph you require.

[Thant]

Here's a list of my most memorable items that I made and used throughout my adventures in arcanum (as a tech character):

Mechanized Gun - improved repeater rifle, gift from Maxim in Caladon, a decent weapon yet it eats ammo faster than you can make it:smallyuk:
Miner's Helmet - lets you see in the dark; I actually found a schematic for this one, bought it and built it before I went to Black Mountain Clan...where you can found them in abundance:smallbiggrin:
Pyrotechnic Axe - tech axe that does extra fire damage, kicks some serious @$$, broken item
Flame Thrower - repeater rifle turned into hell spewing nightmare, personal favorite:smallcool:
Acid Gun - repeater rifle that does extra acid damage, personal favorite #2
Tranquilizer Gun - puts enemies to sleep, convinient
Tesla Gun - real ass-kicker of a weapon, possibly the best gun in the game, fires bolts of electricity; first time I played as a tech I had no use for batteries so I sold every battery I found; once I got my hands on this weapon, I regreted it badly:p at least that fact made me to play through arcanum once more:)
Machined Plate Mail - tech armor increases STR and resistances, steampunk version of power armor (and because I adore fallout, what other choice did I have?)
Automaton - more powerful Mechanized Arachnid, comes in handy

...

I made some other things, but these few were the first to come to my mind.

[GolemsVoice]

The feather-weightes axe, and all it's bastard children, like the pyrotechnic axe, the envenomed axe, the power axe.... are pretty good weapons.

[Emperor Tippy]

The top of the explosives chain. Plastique+Detonator.

I played through a good half the game using nothing else :smallbiggrin:

[Dhavaer]

The pyrotechnic axe and Droch's Warbringer. Getting the Warbringer early makes getting though Harden's Pass very easy indeed. :smallamused:

[Nerd-o-rama]

I thought the Warbringer schematic was in the Void? Or am I misremembering and it was in Vendigroth? If so, how do you get to Vendigroth early?

[Dhavaer]

It's in Vendigroth. To get it early you just go to the Wastes and wander around in the approximate area of the ruins until you find them. It's quite possible to complete the main quest without actually doing any of it.

I just got a weird bug: I started a new game and murdered Magnus. Then, when I left Tarant, my journey was stopped in a random place so Magnus could complain about me touching his stuff. I'd never even said a word to him before. :smallconfused:

[13_CBS]

I've made some of the stranger stuff before, like the Grenade Launcher and the Acid Gun. I didn't find them to be very useful, though.

Also, Pyrotechnical Axe + Backstab = LOL HAX

Seriously, I do something like 90 damage per hit, with about 4-5 hits per round.

[Thant]

I just got a weird bug: I started a new game and murdered Magnus. Then, when I left Tarant, my journey was stopped in a random place so Magnus could complain about me touching his stuff. I'd never even said a word to him before. :smallconfused:

I had a similar bug with Magnus when suddenly refused to travel with me while we were in Ancient Temple; and even though I pumped him with tons of dwarven snuff, each time I tried to get him back in the party he would attack, with his reaction on aimable all the time...strange indeed:smallconfused: the game is full of bugs and glitches anyway...as any good crpg:smalltongue:

[GolemsVoice]

I had this bug when I first played through Arcanum, too. Some of my followers just kept getting more and more hostile towards me, to the point of refusing to travel with me, ore even attacking me straight away. The latest patch has fixed this, however.
And I would always keep MAgnus, since he is one of the characters with the most backstory and interaction within the world, beside Virgil.

At the Place of Lost Voices, you can find out that he actually belongs to the lost, ancient Iron Clan, somewhat of an unexpected story twist, since all earlier evidence points to him just making up a heritage to compensate for his undwarfishenss

[Shikton]

I hate - HATE - Ore Golems and Seething Masses :( No fun fighting without weapons, and my main char has too little fatigue to just spam the mobs with Harm. Gah! Good thing Sogg+Haste=massacre, or I would be knee deep in doodoo down here.

Crafted items are awesome, and I just found the Pyrotechnic Bow schematic. How do you get the followers to craft from schematics anyway? I never let any others than my main do that.

[GolemsVoice]

Followers can never learn schemactics, however, some followers (so far I know of Magnus, Jayna and Vollinger) will advance through disciplines as they level up. Pretty useful if you want to make items that rely on other crafted items, but you don't want to invest points into that discipline. However, they will only learn the normal stuff.

Magnus: Mechanics and smithy
Vollinger: Gunsmithy and chemistry
Jayna: Herbalism and Therapeutics

[Fri]

And of course, top hats. You can never go wrong with top hats. Top hats that deflect bullets.



This. Quoted. For. Truth.

The game is worth it just for The Top Hat That Deflect Bullet

Everytime I felt frustated because of the technological imbalance, I look at my equipment screen and see The Top Hat That Deflect Bullet. Suddenly everything became bearable.

The only thing that dissapoint me is that the top hat isn't actually seen on the character sprite. If only there's a mod that give us the top hat sprite.

Though, I kinda stop playing for the moment.

For fear of robot uprising.

I'd like to get some answer first before continuing.

[GolemsVoice]

Jeah, it annoys the heck out of me that THE token of it's times, THE thing you need to make the setting look old timey, THE very essence of all that is printed on sepia-colored daguerrotypes, the top hat, is NEVER seen in-game on the models. My dwarven engineer and Gentleman Adventurer, proud owner of said device of personal protection, never leaves it, except when he has to do dwarfen stuff, in this case it's a miner's helmet. Tradition demands it.
I dearly hope, although I fear it shall not be, that it will somehow be implemented by a fan hearing our pleas. It would really match my fine suit (the Ladies like it!). Hmm, maybe a monocle that would help me shoot things....?
*wanders off, tinkering*

EDIT: Way back in the thread, someone mentioned intelligence potions and manuals. I have heard that manuals give as much expertise as a character has intelligence, just in case you are wondering.