Thoughts for: Thursday 27th October 2005
Drizzt Do'Urden can kiss my... :: [17:20:47]Finished Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance with Andrea the other night. The game is good fun (2 player) but it's very simplistic game play most of the time and for those that don't know the workings of the D&D system it's worked off, things can get confusing. The gameplay is simplistic but the plot is decent and the action is entertaining and at times challenging. Unfortunately the boss of the game is a complete pushover. Hopefully the second game will be even more fun.
:: [17:14:24]It seems people in my family are blessed with craft skills. My sister Sue has for many years created some fine things with her hands, dolls, teddybears, sewn pictures and so on. My sister Julie has the same talent I have, the ability to take any given image and reproduce it in another form. Sharon has talent as well, more on the lines of Sues talent than my own or Julies. She has started creating cards as a hobby, one which may very easily expand into a business. I have seen her works and they are impressive. I'm sure she could transform her little hobby into a money making scheme and so I am going to produce a website for her so that she can better advertise her products and perhaps even sell them in much wider range than she currently is.
:: [17:13:23]Some of the more noteable abilities of each character
Dwarf Ranger -
Forge Lore : Cheaper to break down and make
Dwarven Warsong : Temporarily raises damage done
Hail of Bolts : Lets you fire multiple crossbow bolts (6 at highest level)
Precise Shot : Lets you inflict more damaging and accurate shows
Ransack : Attack to knock more loot out of enemy damage depends on level
Shield Bash : Short dash which inflicts damage and stuns enemy
Smokepowder Bolt : Fire a burning bolt which does damage dependant on level
Smokepowder Bomb : Throw a bomb, damage depends on level
Smokepowder Satchel : Time delay bomb lots of damage
Stealth : Lets you avoid enemies and do sneak attacks
Sunder : Reduce enemy armour
Moon Elf Necromancer -
Enchant Item : Cheaper to create and break down magic items
Empower : Makes certain spells more powerful
Clarity : Reduces cost of spells
Animate Dead : Summon a skeleton, stronger with rank
Claws of Darkness : Attack with shadow claws that freeze and weaken enemies.
Contagion : Curse enemies with the plague.
Alchemical Lore : Change potions from one kind to another
Enervation : Channel Death energy in a front arc good damage.
Dark Possession : Control lesser undead and humanoids
Fear : Make enemies run away. Rank = number and duration
Flame Arrow : Reasonable damage, multiple arrows.
Ghoul Touch : Paralyze foe. Poison damage per level.
Haste : Increase speed for you and allies. Good incease good duration.
Hold : Stuns creatures in front of you. Rank = targets and time
Life Drain : Rips life out of enemy to heal you. Decent damage.
Ray of Enfeeblement : Reduces an enemy's damage output.
Shadow Spray : Multiple shadow tendrils. Good damage.
Shadow Shield : Auto blocks some attacks. Decent defence.
Shadow Conjure : Creates a shadow pet. Rank improves it.
Shield : Magic shield which improves armour.
Vampiric Touch : A touch attack that steals life from enemies. V. Good damage.
Slow : Slows down enemies, ranks equal time and targets.
Shocking Grasp : Touch electricutes enemies. V. good damage.
Dark Elf Monk -
Deflect Missiles : Gives a chance to auto block missile attacks. 25% max
Diamond Body : Resist poison and acid slightly.
Unarmed Combat : Fight with your hands. Decent damage and can stun.
Arterial Strike : Wound enemies so they lose hp. (needs weapon + stealth)
Crippling Blow : Slows the enemy (needs weapon + stealth)
Crushing Blow : Powers up unarmed attacks a lot.
Hail of Knives : Throw a load of knives. 6 max.
Piercing Strike : lowers enemies armour.
Spinning Strike : Staff attack which hurts all around. More damage per level.
Stunning Blow : Powerful attack, damages and stuns
Sweep Attack : Unarmed attack that strikes all enemies in range and knocks back
Stealth : Avoid enemies and sneak attack.
Human Cleric -
Clarity : Reduces casting cost of your spells.
Empower : Increases the effectiveness of certain spells.
Bless : Increases combat power per level.
Cleave : Attack that strikes all enemies in front of you.
Divine Strength : Boost your strength for a while. Good bonuses.
Divine Resilience : Speeds up your health regeneration for a while.
Purity : Poison and acid resistence incease for a while.
Protective Ward : protective aura. Increased armour class for a time.
Power Attack : Inflict extra damage. Good bonus.
Flame Strike : Holy fire called down onto enemies. VERY good damage.
Cure Wounds : Heal yourself and allies. 10 hp per level. 3-15 mana to cast.
Shield Bash : Dash which stuns enemy. Inflicts good damage.
Smite Evil : Inflicts more damage can disrupt undead.
Turn Undead : Repels and damages nearby undead. very good damage.
Spiritual Weapon : Summon an ally weapon. Sword spell.
Sanctuary : Enemies will not attack you unless you attack them!! (time limit)
Sunder : Decrease Opponents defenses
Human Barbarian -
Hero's Mantle : Resistence to physical damage. 25% max.
Hero's Arm : Use great weapons in one hand.
Heart of the Wolf : Increases running speed. 50% max.
Heart of the Bear : Increases HP. 50% max.
Cleave : Strike all enemies in front of you.
Barkskin : Toughens skin. Additional armour class. Very good.
Bale Arm : Lets you throw two weapons at same time.
Animal Friendship : Lets you charm animals. time limit.
Barbarian Rage : Rage. Can't block. Good damage bonus but minus armour.
Resist Elements : Resist elemental damage. 50% max.
Power Attack : Additional Damage.
Summary-
Dwarf does excellent damage at a distance and has some impressive abilities to do some sneaky things like lay traps and explosives.
Necromancer is very very versatile, capable of doing many things and with some impressive magic spells but very weak in close combat, best used as a support character to aid a fighter. Is capable of healing himself and harming the enemy at the same time, not to mention summoning things to fight for him. On the downside, fragile expensive to level up.
Dark Elf is very freaking sneaky with many powers to deal out large amounts of damage without being hit back. Good at avoiding damage. Hit and run tactics. Good at fighting multiple opponents.
Human Cleric, good all rounder, full of close combat and magic, with good armour abilities and good weapons. Magic which can increase close combat potential. Lots of protective spells and some deadly damage inflicting ones. Some very neat little tricks which benefit team and self.
Human Barbarian is a close combat monster and little else. Focus on high offence BUT low defence. Expensive to level up but lots of good passive abilities. Boring to use however as its all hack and slash.