Junior Adventurer's Guild: March - Wizardry 8

[Envuen]

Vi is the only rpc relevant to the plot. You can get a hint of that if you talk to Lord Braffit after dismissing her from the party - he'll tell you a story and ask to recruit her again.
Also if you ask her about the Dark Savant she'll say some details, like that they were just hanging out, not romantically.

[rusty_shackleford]

like that they were just hanging out, not romantically.

"he's my work husband"

[Tadeusz]

Vi is the only rpc relevant to the plot. You can get a hint of that if you talk to Lord Braffit after dismissing her from the party - he'll tell you a story and ask to recruit her again.

That's the reason why I took her to the end level. Can't recommend it. In the final battle she was on my side but left the party and gave me back all her equipment so she was useless in that battle. Weird. Maybe the fan patch fixes it?

[Envuen]

she left the party and gave me back all her equipment so she was useless in that battle. Weird. Maybe the fan patch fixes it?

Nah, the rpc in party and their npc version outside of party are two separate entities with their own predetermined sets of stats, and the fanpatch doesn't modify the game balance.

[Tangerine]

Vi is the only rpc relevant to the plot. You can get a hint of that if you talk to Lord Braffit after dismissing her from the party - he'll tell you a story and ask to recruit her again.

That's the reason why I took her to the end level. Can't recommend it. In the final battle she was on my side but left the party and gave me back all her equipment so she was useless in that battle. Weird. Maybe the fan patch fixes it?

It sounds like I should drop her when I can get a melee replacement.

[J1M]

Given how XP required scales, I wasn't really expecting to hit level 20 by the end. But now I'm confused. I'm level 12 but it appears I need to clear some level 17 monsters with lots of friends to continue to the next area. I have two of the three mcguffins.

The horrendous level scaling that occurs on the roads could potentially allow someone to grind up their level, but it would take forever. (Trying to go to Bayjin via Swamp.) Some of the missions have given 50K XP, but even that is a drop in the bucket now. Is there an easy way to go from level 12 -> 16 that I'm missing?

PS: I'm not using any mods.

[Tadeusz]

It sounds like I should drop her when I can get a melee replacement.

RFS-81 is great if you haven't got him.

Is there an easy way to go from level 12 -> 16 that I'm missing?

Do you have any unexplored areas or unfinished quests in earlier stages? If not, you can grind levels at Arnika or at the swamp. You can also just sneak past or run away from these enemies.

[J1M]

It sounds like I should drop her when I can get a melee replacement.

RFS-81 is great if you haven't got him.

Is there an easy way to go from level 12 -> 16 that I'm missing?

Do you have any unexplored areas or unfinished quests in earlier stages? If not, you can grind levels at Arnika or at the swamp. You can also just sneak past or run away from these enemies.

They seem to be guarding a cave I need. The issue is that there's about 4 of them that cast fireball or similar on their first turn. I have magic screen up but it's still a OTKO.

If walking across a zone didn't involve being attacked by waves of same-level insects I'd be more interested in it. The game seems pretty hostile to exploring.

[Tadeusz]

The game seems pretty hostile to exploring.

Stealth buff helps but I can agree, constant battle encounters are annoying if you're exploring, backtracking or just don't know where to go next. Guides may help to alleviate this problem. It's an opportunity to level up though.

[J1M]

The game seems pretty hostile to exploring.

Stealth buff helps but I can agree, constant battle encounters are annoying if you're exploring, backtracking or just don't know where to go next. Guides may help to alleviate this problem. It's an opportunity to level up though.

Which spell gives the party stealth?

[Tadeusz]

Which spell gives the party stealth?

Chameleon, available to characters with Alchemy or Psionics.

[Envuen]

They seem to be guarding a cave I need. The issue is that there's about 4 of them that cast fireball or similar on their first turn. I have magic screen up but it's still a OTKO.

If walking across a zone didn't involve being attacked by waves of same-level insects I'd be more interested in it. The game seems pretty hostile to exploring.

It's true that there are hostiles everywhere, the game is filled with encounters and designed to fight them pretty much all the time. So there is no easy way to speedexp from 12-16, you just gotta mow through the mobs. I'd say you are underleveled, my party was lvl 8 before entering Arnika for the first time and you say you already have 2 of the 3 orbs at lvl 12. You just gotta level up, otherwise the Rapax will crush you, and you gotta travel through their areas to finish the game.

The Chameleon spell indeed can help with avoiding fights, but it does NOT make you completely invisible, you still gotta stay away from the monsters for them to ignore you. Also it might not work if you have the Light spell active at the same time. Chameleon is avaliable also as a potion, He'li and Fuzzfas always have some.

And if you fight spellcasters there are two spells that will boost your chances against them: Element Shield and Soul Shield, castable only in combat but it's really good to have those on top of the Magic Screen.

Just so you know, there is another way to Bayjin, although much longer - it's through the Umpani caves. If you do their quests they will eventually tell you to find soldiers that were sent there. But to find the Sea caves you'll need to go underwater anyway.

[Xenich]

https://mods.rpghq.org/Wizardry 8/350301

It seems to incorporate both combat speed changes previously done by two separate mods — movement speed and animation speed

There used to be a widescreen patch I had years ago, but I can't find it anymore.

[Envuen]

There used to be a widescreen patch I had years ago, but I can't find it anymore.

https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/file ... n-support/

[Tangerine]

Dealing with the patrols in the tree city is an exercise in restraint.

[Tadeusz]

Dealing with the patrols in the tree city is an exercise in restraint.

Yeah, narrow passages are something. Waiting helps to move them away, it's necessary in some places as they can get stuck.

[rusty_shackleford]

https://mods.rpghq.org/Wizardry 8/350301

It seems to incorporate both combat speed changes previously done by two separate mods — movement speed and animation speed

There used to be a widescreen patch I had years ago, but I can't find it anymore.

fan patch should add widescreen support

[Dorateen]

There's a reason the Rapax kept pickled trynnie in storage.

[J1M]

Dealing with the patrols in the tree city is an exercise in restraint.

Just press the camp button and cancel it. The random encounters on the roads are far far worse.

[J1M]

Very curious how many people with fond memories of Wizardry 8 actually finished it. I have a theory.

Related tangent: enemies with a percentage chance for instant kill is peak Wizardry game design.

[J1M]

Given how XP required scales, I wasn't really expecting to hit level 20 by the end. But now I'm confused. I'm level 12 but it appears I need to clear some level 17 monsters with lots of friends to continue to the next area. I have two of the three mcguffins.

The horrendous level scaling that occurs on the roads could potentially allow someone to grind up their level, but it would take forever. (Trying to go to Bayjin via Swamp.) Some of the missions have given 50K XP, but even that is a drop in the bucket now. Is there an easy way to go from level 12 -> 16 that I'm missing?

PS: I'm not using any mods.

I solved this by using the most powerful ability one can use against the AI: running away. This allowed me to split up the dozen or so enemies so I could kill them in pairs.

Also, found a GIANT SWORD with GREAT STATS, first exciting weapon after two dozen hours of play. Mook only.

[Tangerine]

Was under-leveled for the Trynnie area, so backtracked to find loot and gain some levels. Just picked up a demon killing sword and bow in the upper monastery vault.

[Envuen]

Make sure to loot the bank vaults, some can only be opened with cards that Arnika's npcs keep in their bedrooms. A certain sword from there can carry you until the lategame.

[rusty_shackleford]

What's everyone's opinion on how a no respawn mod could be done? I've long toyed with the idea, I suspect quest XP would need to be put in a spreadsheet and figure out what has to be adjusted.

[Tadeusz]

What's everyone's opinion on how a no respawn mod could be done?

No respawn is a bit extreme to me, I'd just make a pause between spawns so that mobs are not spawning constantly. Or perhaps it's better to just remove spawns from roads and settlements, leaving it in wild areas as it is.

[Kalarion]

Respawn once per level, perhaps. That would have two benefits: you could build xp around it (since it's on a known cadence), and as you gain levels the gameplay time between respawns would naturally grow longer.

[Envuen]

What's everyone's opinion on how a no respawn mod could be done?

Bad idea.

Respawn once per level, perhaps.

This can't be done.

[Oyster Sauce]

What's everyone's opinion on how a no respawn mod could be done?

Bad idea.

Respawn once per level, perhaps.

This can't be done.

Bad attitude

[Tadeusz]

Respawn once per level, perhaps.

Reminds me of Gothic where new enemies appear each chapter. It can work though it can be hard to plan around (you beat a boss, level up and then you need to slay enemies again when you come back).

[J1M]

Make sure to loot the bank vaults, some can only be opened with cards that Arnika's npcs keep in their bedrooms. A certain sword from there can carry you until the lategame.

Question: why would I steal?