I've had two bishops in my last two go arounds but can't seem to figure out what to have each learn. I tried Preist/Psi and Mage/Alch but I'm thinking I'm missing something cuz they don't seem to get the spells I think they should even though I think I'm practicing the right ones in order to get what I want.
OK, after reading that I realize that I'm not very clear. What I'm saying is that the spells that overlap spellbooks are confusing the bajeebers out of me. Can someone shed some light on the best combos (two spellbooks each) for two bishops?

And while I'm at it, why can't I learn the portal spells even with 65 points in Wizardry? Or Divinity for that matter? I have three spell casters in my party that have over 60 but only one was able to choose the portal spell at the level up. I thought 60 was the magic (no pun inteded) number.

Geez, you'd think after playing the game three times through (not to mention the numerous restarts around level 12) I've have a better handle on this.

Sherrie
Haven't slept yet, why start now?!

• Dual spell books ...,Llevram, 08:29 PM, Apr-30-03
  • RE: Dual spell books ...,rbrown, 11:35 AM, May-02-03
• RE: Tag Team Bishop Strategy,graywolf, 09:35 AM, May-01-03
• RE: Tag Team Bishop Strategy,Avatar (Guest), 09:37 AM, May-01-03
• RE: Tag Team Bishop Strategy,gator, 06:22 AM, May-02-03
  • RE: Tag Team Bishop Strategy,WarriorWench, 02:25 PM, May-02-03

Well, one thin g I can answer ...

Whenever you know a spell that is in two books, whichever (asssociated) skill you are best at, you use for that spell. So, say you learn Set Portal and your Wizardry skill is higher than your Alchemy skill. Every time you cast this spell, it is done using your Wizardry skill (so that is the one that gets the practice).

As for the combos, there are only 6 combinations:

Mage + Priest, Mage + Psionic, Mage + Alchemist, Priest + Psionic, Priest + Alchemist, Psionic + Alchemist

And if you are having them concentrate on only two different ones each, then the combos are fewer:

1) Mage + Priest, Psionic + Alchemist
2) Mage + Alchemist, Psionic + Priest
3) Mage + Psionic, Priest + Alchemist

I think 1) or 2) are your best bets, as they cover more ground. 3) seems redundant, in that I see the Psionic and Mage as mainly offensive magic and the Priest and Alchemist more as defensive ( though the Alchemist does pack a good punch as well).

Tools for Wizardry(r) 7

"And if you are having them concentrate on only two different ones each, then the combos are fewer:

1) Mage + Priest, Psionic + Alchemist
2) Mage + Alchemist, Psionic + Priest
3) Mage + Psionic, Priest + Alchemist"

I think 1) is best followed by 3). There is no overlap in the mage/priest spellbooks. The best psionic spells are mental and alchemist has no mental spells. So you can choose which spellbook to build without any thought.

There is too much overlap with the psionic/priest spellbooks. Once Psionic gets ahead of Divine, you will wind up casting guardian angel in every battle even if you don't need it, just to build the lagging priest skill.

Every combo should contain alchemist, even if it means a triple specialty. Alchemy can be built through potion mixing, so you can focus on fighting with the other two spellbooks and build the alchemy skill at Lord Braffits, Fuzzfaces or any other potion shop.

Lately I have been playing with dual bishops in every party. Psionic Mage and Divine Alchemist. I like the combo because with the psionic/mage fire is a great asset and grows well, also w/o a ranger I have to keep detect secrets running all the time so that builds the mental realm which his psionic side is only too happy to use. Air and Divine build with missile shield and enchanted blade. When the psionic side gets chameleon, earth begins to grow faster. Its a very healthly combo for damage and disabling with Fire, Divine and Mental leading.

The other combo grows more slowly at first, but then light helps a bit. Armourplate, magic screen, and chameleon do too. With the fact that they are blessing and healing in combat divine gets a lot of help, so I am always looking forward to summoning big elementals. Then all the persistant-damage spells, ring of fire, acid bomb, toxic cloud and the character is off and running with the divine side waiting for lightning to take advantage of those fire points a priest usually never has. And since in the beginning acid splash is the main offensive spell all those water points help with rest all, cure lesser cond., cure par., and a lot of other fix-me-ups. This character has great Water, Earth, and Divine.

Anyway that's my take and it matches well to the characters I want to build. There are web sites out there that do a good job of tracking spells by realm, level, and class to help, but basically I like the idea of a psychomage and a divine alchemist.

It is not only the magic level that applies it is the EXP level as well if they don't have the EXP they can't learn the spell.

In my opinion the combo of Mage/Priest Psionic/Alchemist is the best set of matched combos for two reasons.

Fewest overlaps of spellbooks
When the mage and or alchemist get the Knock-Knock spell you can use the main vault in Arnika to train thier earth magic and Wizardry/Alchemy levels to awesome levels in a relarively short amount of game time freeing you to only put points in Divinity/Psionics.

What I have been doing lately with Bishops is to build all spellbooks in this order: Wizardry, Alchemy, Divinity, Psionics. If you do not like to train Bishops then ignore this post.

Make sure that the spellbooks stay in that order on level up while in the Montasery. My Bishops are usually dead weight until I get to Arnika where I start to train them. I use the bank vault to train Wizardry by using Knock-Knock. I use the fire at the crash site to train Alchemy by using Heal Wounds. I use one of the chests at He'Li's to train Divinity using Divine Trap. I use any NPC in Arnika to train Psionics with Mindread. Although, I mostly let Psionics rise on its own as I use Mind Stab and Insanity (this spell rules!) quite a bit. This will max out Earth, Divine, and Mental. I will cast spells from Fire, Water, and Air when I can to work on those realms. I always keep the buffs cast. It seems that Light, Missile Shield, and Enchanted Blade give increases most often. Detect Secrets, Magic Screen, Armorplate, and X-Ray still give increases but less often.

I usually do the training like this: train for a while on the bank vault, train for a while on the crash site fire, go buy potions/spellbooks from Braffitt (cast Mindread), go buy potions from He'Li (cast Mindread), mix potions and sell back to He'Li, train on chest at the inn, go buy spellbooks from Anna (cast Mindread), and then start all over and go back to the bank vault. This way you are buying up spellbooks between resting (new spellbooks are generated after three camps).

Now as to why you cannot learn the portal spells. My only guess based on what you provided is that you are not level 11 (level 15 for hybrids) yet. Since the portal spells are a 5th level spell you need to have 60 in a spellbook (which you do) and be at least level 11.

>Now as to why you cannot learn the portal spells.
>My only guess based on what you provided is that
>you are not level 11 (level 15 for hybrids) yet.
> Since the portal spells are a 5th level spell
>you need to have 60 in a spellbook (which you
>do) and be at least level 11.

Wow, I never knew you needed to be a certain level to learn spells. I thought it was just the points in whatever spellbook it was related to.

Dang, I love the fact that I've been playing this game so long and I still learn stuff all the time

Sherrie
Haven't slept yet, why start now?!