The Book of Shadows

[littlebro]

That's where I was. I got the levels from fighting every single enemy there.

btw, it's nice having a developer who responds so quickly. There have been a few who've posted games here and we've waited ages for answers.

[bgillisp]

Thanks! I've played those games you've mentioned and know what it is like to be on the other side. Though just note occasionally I'll take a day off, gotta rest sometime

On another note, anyone completed Chapter 7 yet? Or even beaten the game?

[kimo]

Okay, I give. I have read the manuals and this forum, but I cannot find out how the thief, Sarah, activates her thief capabilities. Is this weapon/armor specific? She has a Battle Rapier, Dwarven Clothing, and Elven Cloak as her main armor components. Her thief skills are dimmed as being unusable.

[bgillisp]

Okay, I give. I have read the manuals and this forum, but I cannot find out how the thief, Sarah, activates her thief capabilities. Is this weapon/armor specific? She has a Battle Rapier, Dwarven Clothing, and Elven Cloak as her main armor components. Her thief skills are dimmed as being unusable.

You have to equip a Dagger to use them. I've added a note to the manual as well so it will be present in the next update.

[kimo]

Okay, I give. I have read the manuals and this forum, but I cannot find out how the thief, Sarah, activates her thief capabilities. Is this weapon/armor specific? She has a Battle Rapier, Dwarven Clothing, and Elven Cloak as her main armor components. Her thief skills are dimmed as being unusable.

You have to equip a Dagger to use them. I've added a note to the manual as well so it will be present in the next update.

Thank you very much. Now to buy a good dagger.

[darkange]

possible bug report : I don't think Jesie's charge skill is working as expected ... sometimes characters steal mana with physical attacks ... sometimes they don't - it's very random so far

[bgillisp]

possible bug report : I don't think Jesie's charge skill is working as expected ... sometimes characters steal mana with physical attacks ... sometimes they don't - it's very random so far

You have to do at least 100 damage, as it is 1% rounded down. Also it will not work on monsters immune to draining (Death Monsters are one case).

Check to make sure no one is equipped with a bracelet which makes the attacks Elemental too. If none of that is the case, can you tell me some more information as I couldn't duplicate it when I tested it this evening? In particular I'd like to know (if possible to provide it):

Who attacked which monster, with what weapon, that had no MP drain when the skill was in effect?

[Lady JJ]

Thanks! I've played those games you've mentioned and know what it is like to be on the other side. Though just note occasionally I'll take a day off, gotta rest sometime

On another note, anyone completed Chapter 7 yet? Or even beaten the game?

I'd also like to express my appreciation for the game and your continued involvement here on the forum. I just now finished Chapter 7. All of my characters are level 50-ish, 55 hours. Still loving the game, especially all the strategy required to fight the different enemies. Seems like each time I come across a new enemy, I gotta change my active team. I really like that I can let some spellcasters put some boosts/buffs in place and then they can be swapped out for stronger fighters.

BTW, if you're making an update to the guide, the location of Secret Room 17 (pg 85) is wrong, though the listings of the secret rooms at the end of the guide shows the correct location.

[darkange]

possible bug report : I don't think Jesie's charge skill is working as expected ... sometimes characters steal mana with physical attacks ... sometimes they don't - it's very random so far

You have to do at least 100 damage, as it is 1% rounded down. Also it will not work on monsters immune to draining (Death Monsters are one case).

Check to make sure no one is equipped with a bracelet which makes the attacks Elemental too. If none of that is the case, can you tell me some more information as I couldn't duplicate it when I tested it this evening? In particular I'd like to know (if possible to provide it):

Who attacked which monster, with what weapon, that had no MP drain when the skill was in effect?

I see ... you were right .... the skill is working ... I was doing more than 100 dmg but I was using it on death monsters in the mine - that's why it wasn't working ... this death monsters are a pain in the ass with their life sucking skills .
Funny thing : at first Liana was saying " we should leave the mines, monsters here are drastically overpowered " ... after I killed a couple of them and made some levels she changed the dialogue " Careful Alex, monsters here are more powerful than us "

SIde note : does any character get revearsal skill or something to permanently block the chimera water mist ? I was trying to dispel the skill everytime but it's wasn't enough to stop her healing ...

One question : I saw in the demo manual that some skills on high levels require betwee 15k - 25k SP ... if I try to learn a lot of skills now from lvl 1-3 would I still have enough SP to learn the ultimate skills in the end or I need to conserve the SP points ?

[bgillisp]

I'd also like to express my appreciation for the game and your continued involvement here on the forum. I just now finished Chapter 7. All of my characters are level 50-ish, 55 hours. Still loving the game, especially all the strategy required to fight the different enemies. Seems like each time I come across a new enemy, I gotta change my active team. I really like that I can let some spellcasters put some boosts/buffs in place and then they can be swapped out for stronger fighters.

BTW, if you're making an update to the guide, the location of Secret Room 17 (pg 85) is wrong, though the listings of the secret rooms at the end of the guide shows the correct location.

Thanks! 50ish level??? I'm usually high 30's when I finish that Chapter, though I imagine fighting all the monsters on the way would get you there. Were you a high enough level that the Slime in the Swamp ran from you?

SIde note : does any character get revearsal skill or something to permanently block the chimera water mist ? I was trying to dispel the skill everytime but it's wasn't enough to stop her healing ...

One question : I saw in the demo manual that some skills on high levels require betwee 15k - 25k SP ... if I try to learn a lot of skills now from lvl 1-3 would I still have enough SP to learn the ultimate skills in the end or I need to conserve the SP points ?

Do you mean the chimera in the battle arena? That one you will have to dispel it, though it will get one turn of healing in that way. Thankfully it will not use Water Mist again for another 6 turns after it uses it.

For SP, usually by level 20 you can afford all level 1 - 2 spells, by level 30 all level 1 - 3 spells, and so on. The late spells do take a lot to learn and when you get to that point you'll want to conserve SP but you'll also be earning about 4500 - 5000 SP per level because the amount you earn goes up every level by 100. Usually by level 65 I have all level 1 - 4 spells and a good percentage of level 5 and 6 spells to give you an idea how it works out.

And the ultimate spells you don't need SP to learn actually, you have to find and earn those instead. No ultimate spells are listed in the manual, so they are even more powerful than what you see as they are a level 7 or 8 spell.

Thanks for the note on Secret Room 17 too, I'll check it out.

[darkange]

@bgillisp Thank you for all the answers so far ...

Spoiler: show

One thing I realized about the surge mana staff - at first I didn't saw the purpose of it because of -95% HP cost then it hit me : 0 mana cost of spells - equip it on Liana and use her inteligence drink skill before every battle on everybody in the party - then everybody gets +33 % more exp and I never have to use a single mana potion on her plus free heals all the way after every battle

[littlebro]

@bgillisp
Query about the thinking on the game design. I'm at the beginning of Chaper 5.
I can see the logic of Alex not having a weapon and obvious armour like a helmet - but no clothes either?
And Jarvis being brought into the party at a ludicrous level below everyone else and missing some gear too? Insofar as you said that level 25 was the recommended level for the Frost Giant and that was some time ago, no one else is anywhere near being level 20.
As Renee came in at level 17, I now have 2 low level members out of a total of 6.
I just don't get it.

[kimo]

Are game updates available yet? If so, then why am I getting a "password blocked" error message from BMT's site?

I can wait for any updates, but I have some free time before stirring Chardonnay this morning, so I thought I'd check.

[darkange]

@bgillisp
Query about the thinking on the game design. I'm at the beginning of Chaper 5.
I can see the logic of Alex not having a weapon and obvious armour like a helmet - but no clothes either?
And Jarvis being brought into the party at a ludicrous level below everyone else and missing some gear too? Insofar as you said that level 25 was the recommended level for the Frost Giant and that was some time ago, no one else is anywhere near being level 20.
I just don't get it.

This sounds bad .... also you guys move fast with the game but I don't get one thing : I am still in chapter 2 and I have level 18 with the majority of my characters - I would say that is close to level 20 - are you telling me I will stay stuck with level 18 for 3 chapters ? That doesn't sound right ... or I assume something happens in the main plot and it fucks up my levels ?

PS : I didn't do any grinding - only tried to defeat every monsters in the riverdale mines for that mine quest and I made 5 levels off of them in total - the quest is not finished yet - probably because I assume there are more monsters in that gap where the dwarf is trying to construct a bridge and he is saying it will be done in a week - if not there must another reason .

[bgillisp]

@bgillisp Thank you for all the answers so far ...

Spoiler: show

One thing I realized about the surge mana staff - at first I didn't saw the purpose of it because of -95% HP cost then it hit me : 0 mana cost of spells - equip it on Liana and use her inteligence drink skill before every battle on everybody in the party - then everybody gets +33 % more exp and I never have to use a single mana potion on her plus free heals all the way after every battle

That's one use of it!

@bgillisp
Query about the thinking on the game design. I'm at the beginning of Chaper 5.
I can see the logic of Alex not having a weapon and obvious armour like a helmet - but no clothes either?
And Jarvis being brought into the party at a ludicrous level below everyone else and missing some gear too? Insofar as you said that level 25 was the recommended level for the Frost Giant and that was some time ago, no one else is anywhere near being level 20.
I just don't get it.

You're not supposed to beat the Frost Giant until after Chapter 5. Since many areas can be traveled to in Chapters 3 - 7 some are meant to be come back and take care of it when you are more powerful. As it is Jarvis is around the level most were when they ended Chapter 3 in testing, as he is meant to be about their level.

The no clothes was disputed some, but my reasoning was that is his battle clothes. He still has his regular clothes.

Are game updates available yet? If so, then why am I getting a "password blocked" error message from BMT's site?

I can wait for any updates, but I have some free time before stirring Chardonnay this morning, so I thought I'd check.

They should be available now. Maybe BMT is offline for some reason? @indinera?

This sounds bad .... also you guys move fast with the game but I don't get one thing : I am still in chapter 2 and I have level 18 with the majority of my characters - I would say that is close to level 20 - are you telling me I will stay stuck with level 18 for 3 chapters ? That doesn't sound right ... or I assume something happens in the main plot and it fucks up my levels ?

PS : I didn't do any grinding - only tried to defeat every monsters in the riverdale mines for that mine quest and I made 5 levels off of them in total - the quest is not finished yet - probably because I assume there are more monsters in that gap where the dwarf is trying to construct a bridge and he is saying it will be done in a week - if not there must another reason .

Chapter 2 was written assuming most would be 12th at the end, and 3 assumes you will be 18th or so. But if you pulled off the Riverdale mines early you will be pretty OP for a while.

On the plus side, you are high enough level you should get a different scene in Chapter 3, as that requires level 17 average party level or more to get.