Several questions about usefulness of skills etc

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Hey peops. This will be my first serious attempt to play ToEE. When I bought this game, it was too buggy to enjoy, but now I got patch 1 & 2 installed, as well as Co8 mod v5.9.3. I also installed Bootcamp (I've got an iMac), Windows XP to play the game and Service Pack 2 and .Net Frameworks to install Co8's mod. So I guess I can say this will be a serious attempt indeed to enjoy the game.

I got some questions of course to keep myself from creating more and more characters and starting over and over again.

1. How useful is Impr Turning? Are there many undead in the game? I'll probably have a Pelorite with Sundomain. Will Impr.Turning be too much? And what about clerics without the Sun domain... Will they be needing Impr.Turning?
2. How high do I need to crank up my Open Lock and Disable Device skills? Can I do it with just some rogue levels (and multiclass to fighter with some backstabbing)? Do cross class skills beat the DC's of traps and locks? Are there much locks and traps at all? I don't like using too much scrolls of Knock or assign Knock to spell slots. And bashing is no option.
   I only want some rogue levels for the backstabbing (flanking and sleep spell etc come to mind). And I prefer to get a bard for the speaches, songs and some spells.
3. Are there any useless skills or feats?
4. Do you get a 1.5x Str Modifier when using 2-Handers?
5. For tactical reasons, I do not intend to get any small or stocky races in my party. A high speed seems to be a very nice advantage in this turn based game. Am I right about this?
6. Is there a way to check how far an opponent is away from me? I might want to find out how much closer I need to move to get into Point Blank Range or to cast a certain spell.

Any other tips? Like "Set the End Turn specifics from 5-foot step to Never"

That's it for now. I got lots of questions more, most likely.

 

1)
Imho, there are enough undead that a feat to spend on it would be justified.
I used turning with my priest and wished it would be stronger sometimes.
And let me tell you, if you turn them but can't destroy them, it is VERY annoying to chase them down ^^.

5)
If you want to be the first to strike, the feat Improved Initiative and a high Dex score (iirc) are the things to look for.Especially useful for your nukers, if they can land their fireballs first.
6)
Concerening spells, they all have a targeting area indication if needed.
That would have been a great option in the Infinity games

Also a tip:
Crafting is expensive but useful.
The most powerful weapons can be gained by crafting.

 

1. How useful is Impr Turning? Are there many undead in the game? I'll probably have a Pelorite with Sundomain. Will Impr.Turning be too much? And what about clerics without the Sun domain... Will they be needing Impr.Turning?
   
   
   There are undead throughout the game, especially in the New Content mod, if you went that direction. Make sure your other domain is good to make Holy weapons.
   
   
2. How high do I need to crank up my Open Lock and Disable Device skills? Can I do it with just some rogue levels (and multiclass to fighter with some backstabbing)? Do cross class skills beat the DC's of traps and locks? Are there much locks and traps at all? I don't like using too much scrolls of Knock or assign Knock to spell slots. And bashing is no option.
   I only want some rogue levels for the backstabbing (flanking and sleep spell etc come to mind). And I prefer to get a bard for the speaches, songs and some spells.
   
   There are several hard traps and locks in the mod, so keeping it high does help. Also high level rogues can do more damage than fighters with the sneak attacks. A small dip in fighter for weapon focus and/or specialization doesn't hurt, but may not be needed. With a high INT, you get plenty of skill points to go around.
   
   
3. Are there any useless skills or feats?
   
   There are several feats that you only need one character to use: Appraise & Survival.
   
   Everyone should have some ranks, even cross classed, in tumble. Anytime you can move away and avoid getting hit, it helps. For spell casters you need concentration or you can lose spells to an AoO or an arrow fired in anticipation of casting. If you have any extra skill points for any character, put them in #1 tumble, then into spot and listen. If you rest in an unsafe area, or enter into an unknown room with monsters, everyone goes through a surprise check vs your spot and listen skills. Those that fail are surprised, which means you are flatfooted, losing any DEX bonus to AC, and go after everyone else has gone. Why lose a turn if you don't have too.
   
   Heal is pretty much useless after level one, you will find more than enough healing potions and scrolls that you won't ever cast a healing spell.
   
   I also find the hide and move silently skills useless. Most of the "boss" monsters automatically see you to initiate dialog, so sneaking doesn't do much. Plus there are plenty of Elven magic items to boost these skills, so just put a minimum into them.
   
   Use magic device for rogues and bards can be a big help later, you can make wands of fireball and such and give them to the UMD people for extra firepower.
   
   Many shots is useless, the penalties far outweigh the extra attack
   
4. Do you get a 1.5x Str Modifier when using 2-Handers?
   
   Yes, but not if you use a buckler.
   
5. For tactical reasons, I do not intend to get any small or stocky races in my party. A high speed seems to be a very nice advantage in this turn based game. Am I right about this?
   
   
   Yes and no. Most of the small guys have a 20 speed, but so does anyone wearing heavy armor. If you want a fast party, have everyone wear light or medium armor and keep their encumbrance low.
   
6. Is there a way to check how far an opponent is away from me? I might want to find out how much closer I need to move to get into Point Blank Range or to cast a certain spell.
   
   No really, but you get a feel for it if you attack this way often enough. For PBS and sneak attacks with missile weapons, a good rule of thumb is if they are in your "green" move area, since most characters can move 30' per turn.
   

Any other tips? Like "Set the End Turn specifics from 5-foot step to Never"

Once your characters get 2 attacks per round, use the 5' step if you can to move into attack range. If you just click to move closer, the computer thinks you moved (a full action) then you get one attack. If you can 5' step and get into range, then you can use your full attack, which could be 2 attacks, or if you are duel wielding, your multiple attacks.

That's it for now. I got lots of questions more, most likely.

Best advice, spread your weapon types out, have at least one reach weapon (like a ranseur) and have a bludgeoning weapon in everyone's backpack (you never know when an ooze pops up) and give everyone a missile weapon.

A straight rogue with a composite longbow is death incarnate! Sneak attack + strength bonus + magic bonus + holy weapon + some type of burst= 50+ damage per hit, and you get 2 attacks at 6th level, so use the full attack mode from the wheel (set up a hot key for it) and spread your ICBMs around!

 

1) Nice. That will be an Improved turning for my cleric. His last name is Sunthunder, so I better make him live up to his name. I didn't go for the New Content version. Perhaps I'll install that later, when I finished my first time through.

2)Okay. I went for a Rogue. I guess I'll miss the few extra bard spells and the songs, but I like this sneak attack too much and don't want to miss out on the "nimble fingers skills". She's the party spokesman, the sniper and trapmaster. Apparently you get a +2 cooperative bonus on search checks from any partymember who beats a DC 10. Nice. I'm not much of a sneaker, so I didn't spend any skills in MS and Hide. She's more the swashbuckling attention junky kinda type anyway. Perhaps I'll pop in a fighter level or 2 for some fighter feats. I don't care too much for a +1 on attack and a +2 on damage, so I'd rather choose things like mobility or shot on the run to get her in position safely etc. With the quickness that opponents get themselves into melee, Precise Shot is a must-have for frequently ranged weapons.

3) I maxed appraise for my spokesman, but can't remember I spend any skill points in Survival. (Perhaps my barbarian has some, but I want to multi him to fighter. Is this Survival skill any good? What's it used for?

As soon as I got any Skill points left, I put them in tumble. And also in listen and spot if possible/suitable. I thought of that before, but it sure helped to see it confirmed. So thanks for that!

Thanks for the warning about sneaking and healing. I always fear that I would really need these skills at some point. But that seems not the case.

4) About the Str-modifier: I didn't see the 1.5x multiplier in the damage calculations at first. So that had me confused a little.

5)

I gave my cleric the Impr. Init. feat so he can boost the party quite soon enough. I will add this feat to my wizard when I think he's about to nuke uglies. Thanks. This was more a question about moving speed, but your answer sure helped me out with something else.

Done! All have decent/high dex, light/medium armor and decent/maxed strength. They all have a moving speed of 30' or 40'. These party members are all shock troopers and guerilla fighters, I suppose. I want them to be able to position themselves nicely. A high moving speed helps with that, I guess. Position is key. I want to get in the way before my opponents turn. I'm gonna take serious advantage of flanking, AoO's, etc.

6) I guess I'll learn this eventually. My casters move 30', so I guess I'll use that green zone for that.

Crafting: Yeah. I heard some awfully pimped weapons could be made. I'll find that out later, I guess. Thanks.
5' step: Great! I assigned a hotkey for that. For charge, full attack and lots of others as well, btw. I'm sure I'm gonna use the 5' step very often.
Weapon types: Nearly forgot that. It's also became a reason why I didn't choose for feats like Weapon Focus and Wpn Spec.
Ranged Rogue: Can pure rogues use Comp. Longbows? Don't they need Martial Wpn. Prof. for that? (What do I care? I pop in fighter levels anyway. ) Also, what are ICBM's?

Thanks for the advice!

 

The survival skill is used to determine if you see random encounters while traveling between world map spots. I find it one of the most important skills, have your barbarian max it out always. Better to see and decide if you want to fight those 4 trolls traveling back to town to heal up, than to be surprised by them so they all get their 3 attacks on flatfooted party members.


Rogues can use the shortbow, which has composite options in the Co8 mods. Another option is to use an elven rogue, bonuses to DEX, free longbow and longword feats, bonuses to search and finding secret doors. As a pure rogue, there is no disadvantages besides one less feat vs a human, but then you can use the composite longbows which can go to 18 STR (which you may not have early, but with gloves, belts, and Ioun stones of STR can be reached later).

ICBM= Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.

 

Eep! You sure know how to convince me! Btw, props to the developers on this one, I guess. Probably the first RPG to put the Survival skill to good use.

Does that feat add a bonus to your bluff/diplomacy skills and require a high intelligence? j/k
Thanks for clearing these things up. Much appreciated.