Advice on technologist/diplomat build

[killerschlumpf]

As far as i know most of the "ultracooloverpowered" items you can create can also be found ingame and some better ones (especially one armor for small tech chars *g*). And why going to have a gun when you can have a bow or why using an Arcane Sword when a crappy dagger will do the same (or better)?

[Morgan Terror]

jayna has herbology, not therapeutics. unless i've been completely missing those schematics in her posession all along, which would be odd, but not very surprising.

i always found bows to be pretty lacking. they compare well to the guns you can buy in stores, but are even worse than the craftable guns. daggers are good for backstabbing, if you're untrained in the skill. meaning less than expert training. otherwise you could just use a claymore to backstab someone, which sounds pretty nasty in itself.

[galraen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morgan Terror jayna has herbology, not therapeutics.

She should have second tier in both, at least she does in my game.

[Morgan Terror]

that's... interesting. i don't hear of many people using sebastian though. he's fun to use as a grenadier. he doesn't make use of them very well, but that might be because i equipped him with a gun. i'm pretty sure he uses his throwing weapons very effectively when he has a melee weapon, since i have seen him do it.

[killerschlumpf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morgan Terror i always found bows to be pretty lacking. they compare well to the guns you can buy in stores, but are even worse than the craftable guns. daggers are good for backstabbing, if you're untrained in the skill. meaning less than expert training. otherwise you could just use a claymore to backstab someone, which sounds pretty nasty in itself.

I get enemies faster down by using a (Pyrotechnic) bow than with a gun.

And I would ever prefer a dagger and not a Sword even if I'm backstabbing expert/master. Both weapons deal one/two hit kills (backstab) but a dagger is faster -> more dead enemies per round especially if you're a magic char (dagger of speed + hasten).

[Morgan Terror]

i wasn't looking at the tech bows though. those are good, but i've never used them myself. for the rest, bows are generally pretty bad. they do have the advantage of stealth, but sneak attacks are something i've never used anyway. way too complicated.

i haven't used backstab myself, so i'll take your word for it. i'm basically building upon theories here.

[galraen]

The problem with Sebastien is he comes rather late in the game, I suspect most people have filled out their party by the time they meet him, and also (if tech) have everything he has to offer already.

I would agree that if you're going magic bows are as disappointing as guns, maybe more so, but they should be. Throwing is much more effective IMO, especially if you know how to obtain the Aerial Decapitator. Currently going through the game with Merwin Tumblebrook, playing as a mad bomber, so using explosives plus the Decapitator, nasty, especially psyched up on drugs.

[Morgan Terror]

it's possible to take all techs with you, and at least one extra if you have persuasion and charisma maxed, that i know. but i deliberately saved some spots for those characters. sebastian has some pretty neat items too, although the healing jacket is too underpowered to be useful in my opinion.

[Peterkin]

1. I have another question regarding the workings of magical items and tech characters:
So far I thought the following: When I obtain a magical armor that has stats like 10(+5) and available magical power of 20% (which I thought is derived from my tech aptitude), then only the numbers in brackets are affected (resulting in a a value of 10+1), not the base values itself.

But apparently this is incorrect, because I found an amulette which gave +2 (without brackets) to beauty but that didn't raise my stats, only Vergils. Same goes for a shield which has AC stats of 10(+4) with 0 magical power, but which only raises my AC by 6 according to my character sheet.
The only possible explanation that I have for this is the following: Apparently magical power and tech aptitude have nothing to do with each other, the first affecting my number in brackets and the second the base value without brackets. Is this assumption correct...?

2. When I have an item with TH +5, does this raise my to hit percentage by 5% or does the to hit value have another meaning, because my base to hit value does not change, when I equip an item with such a stat and look at my character sheet.

3. Why is it that all magical armors that are for sale seem statwise so far (I am preparing for the dreaded black mountain mines) so much better than technological ones, but cost nearly the same?

4. Just to make sure, but armor class (AC) influences somehow the likelihood to be hit, right? Is there somewhere a guide that explains these calculations in formulas (to hit percentage etc.) ?

I'm sorry for these simple questions but the handbook isn't really helpful here and I haven't found a comprehensive guide that covers all the details of the game mechanics more thoroughly. Some answers would be really appreciated.

[galraen]

1. When it comes to things like AC and DR I believe it's only the numbers in brackets that are affected. However when it comes to stat boosts and other extras, then the greater your tech level the less effect you'll get, until as you've noticed the amulet will eventually stop working at all. There are artifacts that will not be as affected by your tech level, the Jewle of Hebe for example. Even at 100% tech that should still give full value.

2. It's you hit % that is increased, or so I've always found.

3. Poor game design, as we've discussed in this thread regarding guns, the game is poorly balanced in some ways, but the overall strength of the game compensates IMO.

@ Morgan Terror

My views on the matter are jaundiced by the fact that I'd only take Sebastien with me if I was playing a techy character. Also I cheat. I tinkered with Gamelevel.mes to allow NPCs to get to the top of the tech trees instead of being capped at 5. So between myself, Jayna and Angus, we have all angles covered by the time Sebastien comes int play. We all have healing jackets, or better by then, usually Elite Platemail or better.

I did take Seb all the way to the end game once, and indeed he was a fun character, I would recommend anyone playing through more than once to give him a chance.

[Peterkin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by galraen 1. When it comes to things like AC and DR I believe it's only the numbers in brackets that are affected. However when it comes to stat boosts and other extras, then the greater your tech level the less effect you'll get, until as you've noticed the amulet will eventually stop working at all. There are artifacts that will not be as affected by your tech level, the Jewle of Hebe for example. Even at 100% tech that should still give full value. 2. It's you hit % that is increased, or so I've always found. 3. Poor game design, as we've discussed in this thread regarding guns, the game is poorly balanced in some ways, but the overall strength of the game compensates IMO. @ Morgan Terror My views on the matter are jaundiced by the fact that I'd only take Sebastien with me if I was playing a techy character. Also I cheat. I tinkered with Gamelevel.mes to allow NPCs to get to the top of the tech trees instead of being capped at 5. So between myself, Jayna and Angus, we have all angles covered by the time Sebastien comes int play. We all have healing jackets, or better by then, usually Elite Platemail or better. I did take Seb all the way to the end game once, and indeed he was a fun character, I would recommend anyone playing through more than once to give him a chance.

Thanks a lot, this clears up things pretty well. My remark regarding the shield not giving a proper AC bonus was an error of myself, I just rechecked it.

So the only question left open is in which way AC really works...

[GawainBS]

IIRC, AC & DR don't stack linear. I don't know the exact formula's.