Orc Slayer made the difference. I can now take orcs if they’re alone without receiving a scratch. Still can’t find anyone to train my strength above 65 though, which kinda sucks.
OK, I’m now talking to myself in this thread but hopefully someone answers this one: as a militiaman about to join the paladins, how do you raise the level of your magic circle? Will joining the paladins raise me from 0 to 1?
I don’t think the magic circle level ever goes up as a Paladin. Paladin runes are Paladin only, and a Paladin can’t use Mage runes. You can find a few Paladin runes, or buy better ones each chapter.
I found the healing Paladin runes to be great stuff, but the offensive runes didn’t seem very useful compared to my sword. Holy Light just made it harder to see because of the glare over your character’s head.
For strength trainers, you may have to wait til Ch 3. Some of the paladins will train it further, but I think its only once you’ve become a full paladin. I think the torturer in the castle might train strength in Ch 2, but I’m not sure how high he can go.
FYI, I was able to kill most everything in the valley of mines in Ch 2 as a militiaman. Took a while, with lots of reload as I tried to get individual orcs to charge me, but I think I only left a couple packs around the castle, and explored/killed up to the dragons elsewhere.
My Paladin’s dexterity ended up pretty high, but I’m not sure it was worthwhile. I could use the best crossbow at the end of the game, but rarely bothered. The high dext probably saved me some lockpicks (or reloads as I figured the sequence out), but my sword was fine for killing.
I think my orc fighting style is very different from JD’s. I do use the ‘new’ control scheme, which may be the key factor. I find that I usually try to hit them as they’re doing the vertical attack. If its timed right, it hits them before they swing, which also interrupts their attack. The occasional orc side-swipe is what hurts me. I do parry a lot, and am always stepping backwards.
I found the healing Paladin runes to be great stuff, but the offensive runes didn’t seem very useful compared to my sword. Holy Light just made it harder to see because of the glare over your character’s head.
Holy Light (or whatever the strongest version of that kind is) is very useful against skeletons and demons. Way more impact than bow/crossbow, and taking some of them out from a distance that way is definitely quite helpful.
Heh, what a difference a few hours with this game can make. I’ve gone from highly frustrated, getting my butt kicked right ‘n left, to chuckling to myself whenever I see another orc, knowing full well he isn’t going to scratch me. I’m now in chapter 4 as a 23rd level paladin, and while I’m not entirely thrilled that the Valley of Mines, an area I methodically spent hours clearing out, is now ‘restocked’ with baddies, I’m still loving the game. Definitely gotta’ play a 2nd time as a mage. What are the odds Atari will also publish the expansion pack?
Perhaps a spring release, try Gorath at Rpgdot.
You are fast, John. I restarted after having a character I didn’t really like, and now have a level 15 mage in chapter 2. I jsut finished wiping out most of the things (except for Inubis in his tomb, he’s too tough) on the first map, and am moving to the valley of mines.
I really likea lot of things about this game, but seem to still be having some logic troubles with it. I’m not sure if it’s just German sensibilities being different from my own, or if I’m just out of practce with this stuff, I dunno. I do find my mage still seems to be acting more like a fighter than a spellcaster, since 2nd circle spells are still not exactly the cat’s meow.
Is this tomb that keeps getting mentioned out behind the mercenaries’ farm? I think I flipped the two levers that open its entrance but didn’t dare jump down in.
What are the odds Atari will also publish the expansion pack?
When I asked JoWooD back in September they said that there “definitely” will be an English release of the expansion. No statement from Atari so far. Word was that the translation were already done in early September, but I haven’t seen that anywhere else. Plus if Atari decides to keep the same time frame JoWooD did in Germany, the UK version of the expansion won’t be out before March, the US version not before early summer. (Gothic 2 was released in early December '02 in Germany, the add-on came out in late August '03.) Again, that’s just speculation since Atari hasn’t said anything related to that topic so far.
Just hit 26th level. Wiping out the orc invasion around the castle for the 2nd time and now clearing them out around Khorinis. My strength is at 130 now but my weapon skill is ‘stuck’ at 60% because I can’t find anyone to train it higher. You’d think one of the paladins would.
Yeah, that’s the one. It’s safe to jump down. The real fun starts when you start opening the chests. Lots of good experience, but I finally bailed on the last few skellies when the shadowlord showed up. He always carves my mage up like a roast. I was finally able to do a dash past him and get out of the tomb. Maybe in a few more levels I’ll go back and give him another go, we’ll see.
Since mages seem to start paying double for everything except mana once they are ordained, it looks like I’m going to start with mana boosting now. My strength is 70, which seems okay. I have a dragonrrot, but can’t find anyone with lab bottles in the new world right now, so I can’t use it.
Yeah, that’s the one. It’s safe to jump down. The real fun starts when you start opening the chests. Lots of good experience, but I finally bailed on the last few skellies when the shadowlord showed up. He always carves my mage up like a roast. I was finally able to do a dash past him and get out of the tomb. Maybe in a few more levels I’ll go back and give him another go, we’ll see.
Since mages seem to start paying double for everything except mana once they are ordained, it looks like I’m going to start with mana boosting now. My strength is 70, which seems okay. I have a dragonrrot, but can’t find anyone with lab bottles in the new world right now, so I can’t use it.[/quote]
Just did that crypt as a 32nd level paladin. Piece 'o cake at that level.
Constantino and the alchemist seller in the marketsquare will sell you lots of lab bottles. My pally’s strength is now 154, 100% with his one-handed weapon skill, 70 mana, and 64 dexterity. I’ve bought more king’s sorrel than I’ve found and probably made 10 potions of strength. Another nice trick for strength is during the 4th chapter you can find a magic ring on one of the orc warlords that actually lowers your strength by 20, allowing you to train with someone who’d said they could no longer train you. Train, then take the ring back off. I remember reading somewhere that the offensive spells for a paladin aren’t worth the LPs but I just slew a demon lord beneath the monastery with one shot of Banish Evil from around a corner. You gotta’ like that.
This game is awesome. I now cannot believe I almost tossed it aside in frustration after 5-7 hours playtime. Hmm, come to think of it I almost did the same thing with Betrayal at Krondor and that game has always been in my top 3 of all-time favorites.
Desslok would be proud. Another convert. He’s a real champion of that game.
It’s been months since I finished Gothic 2. After all this time I still haven’t shaken my regret for P.B.‘s decision to eschew the uniqueness of the penal colony setting in G1 in favor of the ho-hum knights n’ dragons setting of G2.
The game was really lacking as far as setting and atmosphere go, due to that decision.
G1 > G2
Really? How so? I ask not because I disagree with you but because I’ve actually now got a copy of the original Gothic, and plan to play through it once I’ve finished with Gothic II. Is it the atmosphere? Character development? Story? Please elaborate.
[quote=“John Reynolds”]
Constantino and the alchemist seller in the marketsquare will sell you lots of lab bottles. My pally’s strength is now 154, 100% with his one-handed weapon skill, 70 mana, and 64 dexterity. [quote]
I didn’t buy any in chapter one, so didn’t get the “restock” when I went to chapter 2. That’s the kind of stuff where I keep tripping in the game. I enjoy it and think it’s a great game, but I seem to keep having these “D’oh!” moments where I miss little things, like not getting my thieve’s guild quest done in time, or not snapping up all the goodies before a chapter restock, or becoming a mage maybe a little too fast and missing out on (relatively) cheap weapons and strength training. I’m not really used to this chapter approach, I think. That’s all. It’s not turning me off to the game at all.
Damn, I never found that tomb, and now I can’t back there. This game does have all these “You can’t go back and fix it” stuff. Great for replayebility I guess.
Character development is pretty much the same as in G2. I liked the story, but it was the characterisations that made it a touch better than the sequel. It had a tense atmosphere, and when it came out, the NPC scheduling was very impressive. A lot of this stuff made it into G2, but I’ll never forget being mugged and extorted within 10 minutes of reaching the Old Camp for the first time, and thinking “I’m gonna get you. Later.”
Also, Gothic felt a bit grittier and more adult in theme. Oh, and the best/worst NPC in CRPG history. His name is Mud.
I’ve finally gotten “into” this a bit and am liking it, but it’s HARD. I’m nearly level 3, only, in the city. I can’t seem to fulfill any of the quests necessary to become an apprentice and hence a citizen, I can’t get the money to join the monastery and I can’t survive to get to the mercenaries. The orcs are impossible and I’m running out of small things to kill for exp and things to sell for loot. Any ideas?
Stick close to the city and look around. Talk to EVERYONE. There are lots of ways to earn XP in the city. Also, retalk to some of them. You should be able to do ALL of the apprentice quests without leaving the city very far at all. There are hints on all of them. If that doesn’t help, go to gamefaqs, but I recommend figuring it out on your own, just because it’s part of the game. Personally, I get approval from all of them, but I always apprentice with Bosper. The trophy money will keep giving you returns well into the game.
Actually, that leads me to a question. Is there any reason to get any of the other trophy skills? Is it just money? If so, none, except skinning, seem worth it.