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Arcanum Arcanum, a blast from the past

Chippy

Arcane
Patron
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
6,037
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
You can't go wrong with a melee stealth/backstab build, just stock up on about 4 daggers at a time and you end up almost 1-shotting enemies. His INT and charisma help to recruit some of the more interesting companions. The game is worth playing for the exchange with the exiled leader of the dwarves alone, unless I'm mistaken - you need a decent INT score for that.
 

Neanderthal

Arcane
Joined
Jul 7, 2015
Messages
3,626
Location
Granbretan
Recently did a Doc Holiday type gunslinger build, pretty good and effective, also seems to synergise well with old God bonuses you get. Lot of content seen.

Oh Harm will not work again some enemies, you'll run out of fatigue and collapse before they go down, unless you've stocked up on Mana potions. Force, Earth and Fire might be better in certain circumstances, or a good sword or axe.
 

deuxhero

Arcane
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
11,328
Location
Flowery Land
Since it was asked earlier: The default level cap is 50 and you start at one. You get one point each level and an extra for each level that's a multiple of five (5, 10, 15 ect.). That's 59 points total, plus whatever you got at character creation. Stats cap at 20 (+/- racial and female changes) and there are bonuses for maxing each attribute. There's a few ways to boost attributes without spending points. Most of these are dependent upon rare or hidden items, but there's one quest reward you can miss entirely (don't do one quest before it) but can be obtained very early on that gives an extra point to beauty (14+ unlocks a few dialog options, but they're all novelties).
 

Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
You can't go wrong with a melee stealth/backstab build, just stock up on about 4 daggers at a time and you end up almost 1-shotting enemies. His INT and charisma help to recruit some of the more interesting companions. The game is worth playing for the exchange with the exiled leader of the dwarves alone, unless I'm mistaken - you need a decent INT score for that.
Int is for technology, while Will is for magic, right? Dang. A high Int would be wasted on a mage character...
 

bataille

Arcane
Joined
Feb 11, 2017
Messages
1,073
You can't go wrong with a melee stealth/backstab build, just stock up on about 4 daggers at a time and you end up almost 1-shotting enemies. His INT and charisma help to recruit some of the more interesting companions. The game is worth playing for the exchange with the exiled leader of the dwarves alone, unless I'm mistaken - you need a decent INT score for that.
Int is for technology, while Will is for magic, right? Dang. A high Int would be wasted on a mage character...

Int also increases the number of buffs you can have active at any given time!
 

Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
You can't go wrong with a melee stealth/backstab build, just stock up on about 4 daggers at a time and you end up almost 1-shotting enemies. His INT and charisma help to recruit some of the more interesting companions. The game is worth playing for the exchange with the exiled leader of the dwarves alone, unless I'm mistaken - you need a decent INT score for that.
Int is for technology, while Will is for magic, right? Dang. A high Int would be wasted on a mage character...

Int also increases the number of buffs you can have active at any given time!
I know. I am just worried about the MAD. Dex, Cha, Int, Will doesn't leave much left for skills.
 

Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
UGH! Goddamn it. I think I went too schizno on my first techno-thief. I gave him backstab and melee and dodge and firearms (and picklock, prowl and pickpocket, you know, thief things!). That was probably a frakking big mistake. Time to restart with a pure firearms one, I think.
 

Egosphere

Arcane
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
1,909
Location
Hibernia
UGH! Goddamn it. I think I went too schizno on my first techno-thief. I gave him backstab and melee and dodge and firearms (and picklock, prowl and pickpocket, you know, thief things!). That was probably a frakking big mistake. Time to restart with a pure firearms one, I think.
They're worse than useless in the early game
 

Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
UGH! Goddamn it. I think I went too schizno on my first techno-thief. I gave him backstab and melee and dodge and firearms (and picklock, prowl and pickpocket, you know, thief things!). That was probably a frakking big mistake. Time to restart with a pure firearms one, I think.
They're worse than useless in the early game
I know, but backstab and firearms was probably a big mistake :D
 

Johannes

Arcane
Joined
Nov 20, 2010
Messages
10,487
Location
casting coach
No matter what character type you play, the Charm and Stun spells are good investments. Their effect isn't dependent on your magic/tech aptitude so even a full techie can make good use of them.
 

Black Angel

Arcane
Joined
Jun 23, 2016
Messages
2,910
Location
Wonderland
I know, but backstab and firearms was probably a big mistake :D
Melee + Backstab is rather OP, though, especially once you get those training up to Expert (and with Expert Backstab, you can perform it with swords and axes). It's the most viable way to deal with those
fucking golems
if you don't have magic/ranged attacks.
 

Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
I know, but backstab and firearms was probably a big mistake :D
Melee + Backstab is rather OP, though, especially once you get those training up to Expert (and with Expert Backstab, you can perform it with swords and axes). It's the most viable way to deal with those
fucking golems
if you don't have magic/ranged attacks.
I am running into points issues. Level 12 and still starved of points. My tech side is barely off the ground, which is horrible. It's a steampunk game. I want muh steamworks, damnit!
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
21
Location
Ontario
I haven't played this game since CDs were a thing, and man it ran terribly at 1920x1080. Is this normal? Is there a decent 16:9 resolution that won't lag in cities / caves? Seems where I have the most issues.
 

Tigranes

Arcane
Joined
Jan 8, 2009
Messages
10,350
I know, but backstab and firearms was probably a big mistake :D
Melee + Backstab is rather OP, though, especially once you get those training up to Expert (and with Expert Backstab, you can perform it with swords and axes). It's the most viable way to deal with those
fucking golems
if you don't have magic/ranged attacks.
I am running into points issues. Level 12 and still starved of points. My tech side is barely off the ground, which is horrible. It's a steampunk game. I want muh steamworks, damnit!

Level 12 is pretty early days, when you're still putting all the basic pieces together. It's all good.
 

Shadenuat

Arcane
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
11,955
Location
Russia
Can already master 2 tech disciplines and be Expert at Guns & Persuasion

Dwarf + Sickly + Theurapetics:
1) Int to 17
2) Potion to int 19, max Theurapetics, max Gunsmithing
3) 2 into Guns, you're dwarf so 2.1 = Expert
4) 2 into Persuasion (Charisma pot/blessing), potion of Persuasion to 2.1 = Expert

Doable at level ~15.

For backstabbing:
electric rings x2 +4 Dex
magnus gloves (dwarf) +2 dex
potion +2 dex
high level potion + mega potion +2&+2 dex (I usually just use basic one tho)
&Balanced Sword

pretty fast dwarf techno stabber. Ignore Dodge, you won't need it, just Melee & Backstab.

Potion of Haste works even for 100 tech aptitude. Welcome in the world (resisted making Jojo reference here) of 100 damage per fraction of AP which Harm mastors can never even approach. (not to mention Harm is not even the most effective spell, Lightning Bolt actually is).

Arguably this is not so dirty as mage backstabber, but Theurapetics is about +6 or more to all stats which makes it inherently more flexible (because Mages can't increase their mental stats, unlike Techies - essence of INT works for or minute or something like that but that's it).

tl;dr play techie > take Theurapetics, without it Techies are gimped because that discipline returns points invested into schematic making while buffing techie in combat to the point of reaching reasonable amount of shots and having enough strength to use guns.
 
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Cael

Arcane
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
20,294
OK, I got to ask, since I can find the answer after a search: How big a thing is the +/- 1 or 2 to skills that you get from race or background? I understand that 4 is what you get per CP spent. What is the rammifications of, say, a -1 to tech skills for a Half-Elf? Does it mean I can't master a skill?
 

Shadenuat

Arcane
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
11,955
Location
Russia
It means you'll be slightly behind and need more points for milestones but you can still master skills if you're not at full 5.
 

ZagorTeNej

Arcane
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
1,980
Can already master 2 tech disciplines and be Expert at Guns & Persuasion

Dwarf + Sickly + Theurapetics:
1) Int to 17
2) Potion to int 19, max Theurapetics, max Gunsmithing
3) 2 into Guns, you're dwarf so 2.1 = Expert
4) 2 into Persuasion (Charisma pot/blessing), potion of Persuasion to 2.1 = Expert

Doable at level ~15.

For backstabbing:
electric rings x2 +4 Dex
magnus gloves (dwarf) +2 dex
potion +2 dex
high level potion + mega potion +2&+2 dex (I usually just use basic one tho)
&Balanced Sword

pretty fast dwarf techno stabber. Ignore Dodge, you won't need it, just Melee & Backstab.

Potion of Haste works even for 100 tech aptitude. Welcome in the world (resisted making Jojo reference here) of 100 damage per fraction of AP which Harm mastors can never even approach. (not to mention Harm is not even the most effective spell, Lightning Bolt actually is).

Arguably this is not so dirty as mage backstabber, but Theurapetics is about +6 or more to all stats which makes it inherently more flexible (because Mages can't increase their mental stats, unlike Techies - essence of INT works for or minute or something like that but that's it).

tl;dr play techie > take Theurapetics, without it Techies are gimped because that discipline returns points invested into schematic making while buffing techie in combat to the point of reaching reasonable amount of shots and having enough strength to use guns.

Definitely not, a mage backstabber with a dagger of speed (which costs 1 AP when your magic aptitude is high enough) and spells like haste and time stop is beyond ridiculous.
 

Shadenuat

Arcane
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Messages
11,955
Location
Russia
There are some high quality weapons which do not break, both tech and magic. Maybe there's some system to it.

a mage backstabber with a dagger of speed (which costs 1 AP when your magic aptitude is high enough) and spells like haste and time stop is beyond ridiculous
Yes but you don't need that much damage. You only need about 5-6 hits to solve any encounter. At that point (like mastering Temporal), having more damage is excessive and becomes detrimental to your ability to tackle other content, like mastering more skills or having fun with quests or schematics, or whatever.

When it comes to Arcanum combat, I think we need 3 things from it:
- Investing in it as little as possible;
- Getting from it as much experience as possible;
- Ending it as quickly as possible.

For Backstab/Thief build, it is doable by simply having 3-4 points in Melee, Backstab, Prowling and drinking a potion of Haste. The rest can go into actual fun stuff.
 
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ZagorTeNej

Arcane
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
1,980
Of course, you don't have to have a beastly character to handle combat in Arcanum, it's not a hard game by any means.

I think it's basically that weapons on the high end of either magical or tech aptitude spectrum are indestructible. Hence stuff like arcane weapons and pyro axe.
 

Chippy

Arcane
Patron
Joined
May 5, 2018
Messages
6,037
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
OK, I got to ask, since I can find the answer after a search: How big a thing is the +/- 1 or 2 to skills that you get from race or background? I understand that 4 is what you get per CP spent. What is the rammifications of, say, a -1 to tech skills for a Half-Elf? Does it mean I can't master a skill?

Memory is a bit rusty on this game, but you have to determine which skills are effected by you tech/magic inclination. And which items. Some of them are neutral if I remember correctly, or you need to plan your build by investing in magic and then tech so as not to go too high in each, which results in tech item or spell failure.
You also need to consider the tech/magic of your companions - as I remember going especally high in magic, and then an awesome companion of mine with a weapon specific to him (that was tech) always failing to hit. If you're more of a powergamer you wont care, but it was imprtant RPG wise for me that he kept that weapon. Ask someone what the radius of the aura is, as you might get awayt with it if he's melee, and you're ranged.
 

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