Ultima The Ultima Underworld I & II Thread

[Gord]

Here's another one: The "Grand Staircase" of the Abyss. Is this just a decoration or is there some further significance?

AFAIK, the only significance is that there used to be a grand staircase during the time of Sir Cabirus' colony, that has since fallen into disrepair and can't be used anymore.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

What Gord said about the grand staircase. It's a nice little piece of immersion to put in, showing that there was an "easy way" to navigate the Abyss. Too bad this has become a trope that's used in almost every game since to the point of nausea.

Regarding Lakshi's note: I read this as being a message from Tyball to Lakshi. Tyball does have a lot of trolls in his "employment" and it is indeed a troll that does kidnap Ariel.

The Level 4 secret passage I always read as the stairs on Level 3 that are found a little north of Murgo's cell. These stairs are located in the Lizardmen area, and that would make them "secret" to many others, but a more important fact is that they lead to a section on Level 4 that's hard to reach due to the sloping water.

 

[octavius]

What Gord said about the grand staircase. It's a nice little piece of immersion to put in, showing that there was an "easy way" to navigate the Abyss. Too bad this has become a trope that's used in almost every game since to the point of nausea.

Wizardry 1 had the Elevator already in 1981 and Dungeon Master had a central staircase in 1987, so it was old already by the time of UU.

 

[epeli]

In Mitch Aigner's SUPERB walkthrough for UU1, he states that "it is written that there is a secret way to level 4" but he "never found it". I have not either. Has anyone investigated this? I have hacked into the central area and cannot find any secret doors or teleports on any level (except 8 with the slasher of veils...)

I have no clue where that rumor got started, but I'm fairly confident there isn't any super-secret mystery route no one knows about. If I had to wager a guess, most likely one of the well-known level 3-4 stairways was said to be "secret".

 

[wildh0rse]

Some very interesting feedback... thanks all!!!!

I never thought to ask Lakshi abou tyball! I alkways thought it was a note from Sir C.

LOL at the whole staircase thing

As I come across more I will post. Any input is welcome.

 

[Zep Zepo]

A long time ago I made one of the UU maps into a Quake BSP with a converter I wrote. The only thing I did not solve before I moved on to something else was with the slopes..so all the slopes of the converted map were more like steps.

Zep--

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Every time I read a thread about UU I want to replay it. Shank Lick approves.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Why am I laughing myself silly trying to imagine the Dr. SBAITSO program speaking the intro lines to UUW1?

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

SBAITSO ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS USING A SYNTHETIC VOICE.

 

[wildh0rse]

Lakshi knows nothing about the note, it appears. If you ask about the Knights, he says they talk a lot but dont fight - lmao - and he warns you about Roderick ("nasty knight"). He knows about Sethar and Lakshi too.

I have hacked into the central chamber on each level and found nothing, either.

 

[Malignant Manor]

Here is a list of the best in slot items for UW2.

• helmets - Leather Cap of Missile Protection, Chain Cowl of Valor, helmet
• chest - Leather Vest of Flameproof, leather vest, Mail Shirt, Breastplate
• gloves - Plate Gauntlets of Missile Protection, Chain Gauntlets
• shield - Buckler, Small Shield, jeweled shield
• leggings - Chain Leggings, Plate Leggings
• boots - Leather boots of Bouncing
• rings - Regeneration, protection, poison resistance
  
• swords - Jewelled Dagger, Shortsword, Broadsword, Jeweled Sword, Longsword of Stone Strike
• axes - Hand Axe, Axe, Jeweled Axe, Jeweled Axe of Fire Doom
• maces - Cudgel, mace, Jeweled Mace, Jeweled Mace of Undead Bane

All items have special properties, protection, or damage. Different types were left for weight or roleplaying. The boots of bouncing are annoying to wear fulltime so just use whatever. You can get a Jeweled Sword of Major Damage early on that allows you to take out most enemies without any skill investments in attack or swords. The Longsword of Stone Strike is ridiculous, because an enemy cannot fight back once hit unless they are undead.

There are no boots with a protection enchantment in UW2. Enchant will only add toughness (worthless) and accuracy (likely worse than damage) to items without an existing enchantment. Fraznium items and the Crudgel of Entry were left out, because they are basically keys.

I went online and found a list to check and see if I got all the loot and wasted a lot of time. I think the Plate Boots of Unsurpassed Protection listed in Level 3 of the Tomb of Praecor Loth are supposed to be Unsurpassed Toughness since it is missing from the list and the lettering would place it nearby.

 

[Luzur]

SBAITSO ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS USING A SYNTHETIC VOICE.

Oh god i remember that program.

 

[wildh0rse]

All items have special properties, protection, or damage. Different types were left for weight or roleplaying. The boots of bouncing are annoying to wear fulltime so just use whatever. You can get a Jeweled Sword of Major Damage early on that allows you to take out most enemies without any skill investments in attack or swords. The Longsword of Stone Strike is ridiculous, because an enemy cannot fight back once hit unless they are undead.

There are no boots with a protection enchantment in UW2. Enchant will only add toughness (worthless) and accuracy (likely worse than damage) to items without an existing enchantment. Fraznium items and the Crudgel of Entry were left out, because they are basically keys.
.

That's not true. You can enchant with protection or toughness for armor (or rings or anything worn) and accuracy or damage for weapons.

The boots of bouncing are only useful if you want to get through the academy vault (to where the Vas/Tym runes are and the Axe of Fire Doom) but Levitate works better and you don't have to aim your jumps. It's pointless to carry a whole other pair of boots.

I dont bother with the Sword of Stone Strike anymore, its a novelty. I like the Axe of Life Stealing but I am always too lazy to look for it in that silly stick maze.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

The Jewelled Axe of Fire Doom is a VERY powerful melee weapon, but the extra fireball effect can kill those that shouldn't die and destroy nearby items. I found this out the hard way when I first entered the Pits of Carnage and Krilner challenged me to a fight. I swung the axe, he yielded and we had the conversation as normal, It was only after the conversation ended that the fireball kicked in. Krilner was reduced to a puddle of blood and his meager belongings to piles of ash.

I think that the Chain cowl of Valor is the most powerful headgear around. Besides, there are other ways to gain Missile Protection.

I've also realized that my further "experiments" in UW2 never amounted to anything, it took me longer to get accustomed to Win7 than I thought, and this got lost somewhere along the way.

 

[Malignant Manor]

The bouncing boots are good for when you need to drop from a height you don't have enough acrobatics to handle. It's more of a pain than it's worth though.

I didn't know about the Axe of Life Stealing. Hp stealing is okay but for opponents that are not resistant to fire, the Jewelled Axe of Fire Doom works so much better. It kills in half the time or maybe less compared to other weapons.

Missile Protection is pretty crappy in both games. You could use it vs the guy with the blackrock gem in the Pits of Carnage if you stay at range. I can't think of any other situation where it is useful, and you can bypass fighting him. Enemy ai is really stupid. Ranged based enemies will not used their ranged attacks if you are close.

I always wear the Chain Cowl of Valor. You get it in the beginning if you have 15 mana and can cast 3rd level spells (or find a water walk scroll, but I can't remember if there are any that early).

That's not true. You can enchant with protection or toughness for armor (or rings or anything worn) and accuracy or damage for weapons.

Please tell me how to add protection or damage to items that do not already have it. Every enchant to mundane items ends up with toughness or accuracy.

 

[Sceptic]

Here is a list of the best in slot items for UW2.

Great list though I don't fully agree with it. If the jeweled sword you mentioned is the one hidden by the reaper in the Britannia sewers, it has an enchantment (Major Damage I think), and I do believe it's the best weapon in the game because you can get it so early if you know it's there. This alone makes it worth dumping all your weapon skill points into swords. Undead Bane is nice for the Tomb, but otherwise there aren't this many undead in the game. Fiery Doom has problems as UC mentions.

Fake edit: Just noticed I missed the bit about Major Damage in your post.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Please tell me how to add protection or damage to items that do not already have it. Every enchant to mundane items ends up with toughness or accuracy.

IIRC, it's all luck. Save the game, enchant the weapon, reload if you don't get the enchantment you wish.

 

[Malignant Manor]

You are right. It is just a much lower chance. I tested it ton of times before and it never worked. I wish I could delete the list. I guess they knew toughness and accuracy are crap and did it on purpose. They had a hard on for swords since Lobar is said to train you better than other trainers.

 

[wildh0rse]

You are right. It is just a much lower chance. I tested it ton of times before and it never worked. I wish I could delete the list. I guess they knew toughness and accuracy are crap and did it on purpose. They had a hard on for swords since Lobar is said to train you better than other trainers.

I wonder if the Casting skill influences this.

 

[wildh0rse]

Lobar gives a one point BONUS per session He is the best trainer in the game.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

What a game(s) Unkillable Cat, that bit about the NPC burning up after conversation is awesome.

 

[wildh0rse]

Haha every time I get to the Piys for the first time I think, "Oh no, not THIS guy..."

Of course I did not have the Axe of Fire Doom.

I just did the thing on L4 of the sewers where you kill all the green worms and are dubbed "Wyrmguard", LMAO.

I forget, what is it you have to specifically say to the goblin to get the Tracking training and then the Order Serpent?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

IIRC, you have to talk to him about the goblins tresspassing in the area or explaining their presence in the sewers. Most players shun those options because they impliy hostilities, but they don't.

As for getting the blackrock serpent, I think you just ask them about news or somesuch at a late point in the game.

 

[wildh0rse]

Well, I am stumped on this one. I have two saves, both late game. I had already slain the bloodworms, done everything except the end game in the castle, and the goblin won't give me one.

In the other, there were a few left to kill so I did. The first conversation made me a "Wormslayer" and got me an "almost fresh fish" lol. The next got me the statue. Anyone? What did I not do in that first save? Do I have to barter for food with the other gob? Wierd.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I'm not 100% certain about this, but I got the "wormslayer" title in the same game that I got the blackrock statue AND I recall bartering with at least one of the goblins for some gear.