Hello All...

Well I've been having a blast playing this game, but have been recently concerned about my Bishop. No she's not considering converting to Branch Davidianism or anything like that, although that should increase her fire realms .......yes?

The problem is that she's racking up experience in her divine and wizardry books(mid 60's each), but her psionic and alchemy skill is lagging woefully behind(mid 40's each). I'm doing a good job of focusing on spells from alchemy and psionic books, and casting them at high levels, but I never seem to get any skill increases afterwards(or very rarely anyway). Yet every time I cast spells from the other two books I always get an experience upgrade.

Is there another determinant that I am missing?

Curious hack & slashers want to know....

-Karst (Loyal Order of Diaper)

("Oh for Chrissakes!!! Do I have to kill it FOR you?")

• RE: Bishop - Questions on alchemy/psionics levelling up,Jem, 03:38 PM, Apr-03-02
  • RE: Bishop - Questions on alchemy/psionics levelling up,Moulin Rogue, 04:02 PM, Apr-03-02
    • RE: Bishop - Questions on alchemy/psionics levelling up,Jem, 05:10 AM, Apr-04-02
• RE: Bishop - Questions on alchemy/psionics levelling up,Mogo (Guest), 02:21 AM, Apr-04-02
• RE: Bishop - Questions on alchemy/psionics levelling up,Duke of Earl, 02:30 AM, Apr-04-02

If she casts a spell that has more than one school (book) that it is in, the increase will go to her higher school. In order to get her Psionic up, I'd advise casting MindRead, which is Psionic only. To get her alchemy up, cast spells that are not also found in the Wizardry or Theology schools as well. I don't have my notes with me at work but it seems to me that Noxious Fumes and Whipping Rocks are both Alchemy only.

Also, on level-up put three points each into her two lower books to help raise them faster and save as many spell picks as you can for when you hit 18th level and can start choosing the 7th level spells. Just about all the others can be bought/found as books from various places/individuals around Dominus.

Whipping Rocks is in the Mage Book, actually, but your suggestions are otherwise great.

Also, note that while INT and PIE are good for the other realms, Psionics require high SEN. I've heard Alchemists need good DEX, but I'm not sure if that's true, or what it affects (maybe making potions while camping, which is a joke all together?)

My bad about the Whipping Rocks...but I also forgot to mention to the original poster that merging potions will also raise Alchemy and it goes up quite quickly that way. In order to maximize the Alchemy points received, make sure you merge potions one by one instead of in groups (i.e. merge 1 lt heal with 1 med heal to make 1 heavy heal instead of doing 5 + 5 to make 5 heavy heal).

This is also a great way to earn extra money as with just a couple of exceptions, the cost of purchasing the ingredients allows you a decent if not exceptional profit once they've been merged.

Identifying the resulting potions will raise your mental school but since that spell is also a Divine spell, it won't help you with your Psionic skill.

Two good Psionic spells to practice out of combat are Hypnotic Lure and MindRead while Psionic Fire is a good one for in combat. For Alchemy some good lower-level spells are Itching Skin, Blinding Flash or Razor Cloak. All these can be bought as books from Kumar except MindRead, which you have to get from Anna. Of course, that one is only usable while talking to NPCs.

If you build your in the usual way (increasing int and piety), you will most certainly have far lower stats in dex and senses. IIRC dex is a requirement for alchemy and psionics requires senses. Maybe this fact explains at least a part of the gap.

It seems (at least for me) that the skills raise much faster if the basic stats are very high (i.e. >90). I also have a bishop (arund lvl. 13) and his alchemy and psionics is quite a bit behind wizardry and divinity.

I always let my bishop concentrate on 2 spellbooks maximum, plus I have one "pure" spellcaster (mage, psionic, priest or alchemist) in my party. It is quite hard to develop a bishop well in all realms. Plus, he will have a hard time to reach those Lv7 spells, since these cannot be learned with a book (there just aren't any).

Better to be a specialist than a jack of all trades and master of none...

-- The Duke