Possibly stupid questions. . .

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I've been getting my behind kicked in this game. So I tried downloading some of the neat stuff from here. I didn't evne try playing the game without the Circle of Eight mod (well, technically I did, but it didn't even load). . . but none of the trainers seem to work. I've managed to run the game without the CoE mod, and they still don't function. Am I missing something? I installed the official patch 2.

 

not sure what your question is, are you having trouble installing the mods, or after the mods, you are still getting slapped around?

 

Sorry, probably should have been more clear. The trainer's won't function in-game. . . they don't add gold or stats as they are supposed to.

I think that with some spare coin I could rest up at the inn until I get some levels under my belt for that darn moathouse.

 

OK, yeah the trainer doesn't work, but there is plenty to do before the moathouse. You should be level 3 before you enter the MH. Try all the tote quest in town first. Get some XP and cash. Several off town map quests as well. Stay away from the battle grounds until later though. The woods are easy and if you want some quick big bucks , little magic, and a lot of XP, try taking on the evil merchants in town. The ones with the fighter guard. They are high level, but if you position your guys around the room with your tanks near each of them, you should be able to take them down easily without too much harm to your guys. Don't worry, they sell only crap, and no one will miss them since they were evil.
Also, you can tackle the outside of the moathouse before entering it.

Save your cash, get everyone a missle weapon. Stay away from slings as bullets are very limited in the game. The concentrate cash for melee weapons for the frontliners, save you $ on armor early. Go with what you find. I feel killing with a better weapon sooner, rather than absorbing hits with good armor and pricking here and there is the way to go.

Get the Co8 patch for the masterwork weapons. If the designers had time to finish this game, they would have put this in. Why give you the feats to make magic armor and weapons, but then give you hardly anything to use it on.

Finally, play around with the radial menus. The early game is the place to test every option on them. Did you summon a familar or animal companion? Have you mastered to 5 ft step? Tried all attack options? Learn what works and what doesn't work for each character. If this is your first time through, get some NPC help (Elmo and Spurnoir). Realize this game has bugs and issues, but enjoy the true P&P feel of turn based fights!!!

 

The game is very hard in the beginning. If I recall I did enough of the town quests to level up - including the carpenter's spider quest and finding that lone Goblin nearby. The Moathouse is probably the hardest part of the game. I remember getting kicked around very badly in the demo so I created a pretty buff party when I bought the retail game. When I say "kicked around" I mean everyone dead several times.

Maybe if you describe what scenario you are getting pasted in we can help? I've finished the game so its doable. For example, charge spell casters and archers, use 5 step, ready vs. approach etc like has been mentioned.

 

Yeah, it was the moathouse mostly. But I've discovered some things that are helping out. The first being the walkthroughs on this site, telling me where I can go BEFORE the moathouse. Also, the despite the fact the innkeeper says it's 2 gold per day of rest in the inn, you can hand over 2 gold and stay there indefinately. That's a HUGE help.

 

OK Some general combat tips:

1. Use the 5 step. Its a free move and can get your spellcasters out of opponent melee range to cast a spell. If you stay within melee range and cast a spell - your opponent gets a free attack of opportunity which not only can cause damage but can disrupt your spell. In short, NEVER waste the 5 step since its free.
2. Flank and get behind your opponents in combat if you can to get flanking bonuses on your attack rolls.
3. Charge spellcasters and magic users. If they attempt to use bows/magic while you are in melee range YOU get an attack of opportunity. Use this tactic in the Moathouse against the archers for example.
4. Block doorways with melee fighters to limit your exposure to melee attacks and let your magic users get free shots from the rear. Early on that means Magic Missle.
5. Don't forget to Turn Undead with your clerics - especially in the Moathouse. Turn Undead is critical.
6. If you can, let opponents come to YOU. Set your party to "ready vs. approach" so the opponent can't cross the field of battle and take a shot. Its an automatic initiative.
7. Buff your fighters. Bull strength, cats grace, displacement etc. That will improve AC and your chances to hit and do excess damage.
8. For your fighters, make sure you select CLEAVE and eventually GREATER CLEAVE as you level up. Read up on that.
9. Keep clerics near but behind your fighters to heal them as they take damage in combat.
10. Remember that opponents (and you) will take attacks of opportunity if they attempt to travel through melee range in combat. In ToEE opponents LOVE to charge your spell casters. Try to create a very painful gauntlet for them to travel in. If you sucker them into charging through they probably won't survive the gauntlet. This is great for bugbears
11. Fireball is your friend. Cone of cold is your friend. Hold person and charm are your friends. Remember those

I'll add more as I recall tactics

EDIT:
Just thought of another thing - disabling type spells are available early on and are important. "web" is a very big one. Creatures like Bugbears that have alot of HP for low level characters are best killed from a distance because your melee characters can't survive the extended rounds. I believe I also used and "fear" and "Sleep" alot, "hold person" I believe works on humanoid type monsters including bugbears and dog type variants. I sometime confuse ToEE with POR2 tactics but there is alot of overlap.

[ January 07, 2006, 14:02: Message edited by: ToddMcF2002 ]

 

Very good Tactics Todd-and I believe that you have ToEE clearly there- though i agree there is enough overlap between PoR RoMD!

One more tactic I like-Aid, Bless and Prayer- Prayer especially when the enemy is in range because it hurts there To hits as much as it helps yours- and if you happen to have a bard -inspire courage also, I think it stacks with Bless and/or Prayer.

 

You know I've never tried "bless" or "prayer" and sometimes my clerics are idle - but not often. POR2 has both and I'm currently playing that. I'll check em out thanks!

 

Oh, I'm down with the 5-foot step. My paladin and my rogue will frequently try to flank for the all-important sneak attack (probably the best ability in the D&D games. . . I had a Rogue/Fighter/Monster Hunter in Ravenloft who had some amazing sneak attacks with a +1 longsword against some redcaps.)

My current party is a human Paladin, human Cleric (both of Heironious), an Elf Wizard, Elf Rogue, and Half-Orc monk.

 

Like your party make up. I also would agree with ToddMcF2002 suggestions, except greater cleave. The likelyhood you do enough damage in the late game in one hit to drop any monsters in the deeper levels or the nodes is slim to none. Remember, you can only get to level ten, so choose your feats wisely. After weapon specialization, maybe go for save boosters instead of GC.
For future reference, I believe druids can craft the best magic items, since they have a wider range of spell types.

 

You're probably right about the Greater Cleave but when you can take down a circle of opponents in a single round its a riot! Of course if your doing that there is no question you'd win the fight under any circumstances so a different feat might be in order. So I guess I agree - no Greater Cleave.

 

I usually go to the Moathouse as sson as possible and never had any problems. Weird, that.

 

You're just special. The Moathouse is very hard because your party is weak at the get go. Unless your special