This is what I am doing. What do you guys think?

ASSUMPTION #1: All the defensive benefits of brute force, high HP, high STR, and high VIT can be achieved if a character is just really good at ninjitsu. The problem normally associated with this is that when a character hides, his buddies have to take more punches. But this problem is negated if ALL the characters are good at ninjitsu.

ASSUMPTION #2: The benefits of being good at ninjitsu are negated if a hidden character is constantly attacking and failing to kill monsters, as he is forced out of hiding in doing so. This problem is less likely to arise if the character is really good at kirijutsu. It is even less likely to arise if the character just casts spells.

ASSUMPTION #3: If all your characters are hidden and casting spells from the shadows for nearly every encounter, they need to have A LOT of MP. They don't really need HP, VIT, or STR, but they need MP. The best way to gain MP is to gain levels and to learn spells. The best way to gain a lot of levels is to change classes a lot.

ASSUMPTION #4: The best way to change classes a lot is to be an Elf (10 INT and 10 PIE) and alternate between the mage and the priest TIME AND TIME AGAIN (each requiring a mere 12 INT or 12 PIE, respectively). When fortune strikes, or when you feel like being picky about what levels you gain, mix in a tour as an alchemist as well (13 INT and 13 DEX are not too hard for an Elf Mage to reach). Before too long, the character will know every spell from each of the three spell books.

ASSUMPTION #5: When do your characters learn Ninjutsu and Kirijutsu? Just be very picky when rolling your characters and start them all out as ninjas. If you want, you can mix in a couple of monks so some of your characters will have the generally useless Theosophy spellbook.

ASSUMPTION #6: You can do lots of easy leveling in the 2 x 2 room with the fountain in the *dark* part of the mines.

ASSUMPTION #7: You will end up with 6 Elves with 100's in Theology, Thaumaturgy, Alchemy, Kirijutsu, Ninjutsu, Oratory, 500+ MP in each category of spells, at least one character maxed out in Music, Legerdemain, Skullduggery, Scouting, and Identify (or whatever that one is called).

ASSUMPTION #8: It simply won't do to traverse the remainder of the game with a couple mages, a couple priests, and maybe an alchemist if you're lucky. So you need to form a final draft of each of your characters, which is dictated by the endgame equipment. You need...
- One person to use the badass monk staff. (MONK)
- One person to use the elven bow. (MONK)
- One person to use the Murasama. (SAM)
- One person to use the Maenaud's Lance. (VALK)
- One person to use Excalibur. (VALK)
- One person to just wear the ninja garb. (NIN)

ASSUMPTION #9: How do you turn a bunch of level one elves with no bonus roll points into ninjas and monks? Just use the ranger as a transition class. It shouldn't be too hard for an elf to go from anything to a ranger (he'll need +3 STR, +4 VIT, and +1 DEX). Do it one guy at a time so you don't have to deal with filtering out multiple level-ups. If you REALLY want, once you get one of your guys to be a ninja or whatever their goal is, you can still isolate his leveling and make sure he gets good attribute increases on each level up, this being his final draft. But keep in mind, he will just be casting spells from the shadows most of the time.

CONCLUSION: My party can smoke yours.

One question: Do INT or PIE have an effect on the damage inflicted by spells?

• RE: Class-changing dozens of times,XenXheng, 09:34 PM, May-01-09
• RE: Class-changing dozens of times,Sir Blue, 11:05 PM, May-01-09
  • RE: Class-changing dozens of times,scottfennell, 09:22 AM, May-02-09

Your party would roll mine up in a doobie and puff them to oblivion, that's for sure.

As for the stat question, I've always thought that Intelligence increases damage while Piety increases spell points, which is what the manual states. I've never really checked for sure because I just raised both to 18 at character creation for my troops.

LAST EDITED ON May-01-09 AT 11:18 PM (Pacific)

Change for assumption 5:

Start all your characters as mages or priests to give them fast magic regeneration, but roll attributes for a ninja if possible, so you can unlock ninjutsu and kirijutsu early.

And finally: collect all stat-raising items until you have levelled the stat to 18, then push it beyond.

It is the perfect overkill.

That's correct.

ASSUMPTION #5 v.2: Roll all of your characters so they can have a quick transition to the ninja class. Start them out as follows:
- Someone to play the lute at the beginning of the game (BARD)
- Someone to acquire the ninja garb (NINJA)
- Someone to be strong in Fire and Water spellbooks (MAGE)
- Someone to be strong in the useless Mental spellbook (MONK)
- Someone to be strong in the Magic spellbook (PRIEST)
- Someone to be strong in the earth and air spellbooks (ALCH)