Wizardry The Wizardry Series Thread

[DraQ]

Love a gadgeteer but I found that alot of the time, they don't start being awesomesauce until much later levels. They really are a special type that requires a good amount of patience and diligence (to find parts). Though lets face it I love tripleshot crossbows.

I don't love facing tripleshot crossbows.

 

[Squiggle]

Guys, this game is the best. Why haven't I ever played it before yesterday? Fuck.

I keep having this nasty crashing issue, though. Seems to happen completely at random, but usually during combat or just after. Oh well, still having an awesome time with it so far.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Never had any crashing issue except with the unpatched game, and then that was only with a few areas (ascension peak anyone?).
Is your game patched?

 

[Admiral jimbob]

GETTING DOWN TO THIS AT LAST

Wizardry 7 or Wizardry Gold? Discuss!!!

 

[Jaesun]

GETTING DOWN TO THIS AT LAST

Wizardry 7 or Wizardry Gold? Discuss!!!

Gold is shit, and the text scrolls at blinding speed so you will never be able to read anything anyone says, just play the DOS version.

 

[DraQ]

This. Wizardry 8 is surprisingly stable. There are some collision bugs in some areas that can be fatal to ironman parties, there is a rare menmu bug where if you enter and exit the new game menu repeatedly for some time things get messy, and then there is an actually serious, but still rare bug that makes load (or save, I don't remember) work as delete, which can fuck you up if you don't read what you're confirming.

Other than that it works flawlessly.
Of course, Polish version had this nasty oversight where you had to enter some keywords/passwords from keyboard, and they contained polish letters that couldn't be entered in game, but it was luckily patched quickly. Translation quality is shoddy in case of this game, but with original VOs it's not much of a problem.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Expected something like that when I realised it wasn't DOS and couldn't be emulated in DOSBox, heh. Done.

Was tempted to post my starting party here for appraisal, but then I realised that was a bit like following a walkthrough to make sure you don't miss any of the hidden plot elements in PS:T or looking up online tips mid-sex. So I won't. Couple of questions so I don't make any pitfalls, though: if I multiclass back to a previous class, does the character return to the level they left it at? Also, I've noticed a couple of people saying dual-classing is a possibility and a good idea, but none of the manuals I've found myself with mention it. Is it possible in all the games, and does it offer any advantages over simply multiclassing for bonuses?

 

[sirfink]

Don't think you can switch back to your starting class after changing and not sure why you'd want to. Dual-classing? Nothing like that in the games, not that I recall anyway.

There's a hack/mod for Wiz 6 which simply increases the chance of rolling bigger stat numbers, making it possible to start out as a Bishop or Ninja or any of the classes with higher stat requirements. A minor cheat, really, and not a big one. Just saves you the time of making 300 rolls to finally get your Bishop.

Option B is to roll a priest or mage and then turn him into a Bishop around level 5. You could do that with lots of characters: mage-->Samurai, alchemist-->Ninja, etc.

The only problem with that is Samurais and Ninjas have some odd equipment and if you roll one from level 1 they give you that armor and the weapons, but if you multi-class into one later you don't get it for free. You can find or buy some later, but much much later. Use a save game editor to give yourself the armor and weapons -- again, not a major cheat. It's not like a wakizashi and a Tabu or whatever is overpowered.

 

[kmonster]

If you switch classes you'll always start at level 1. The game doesn't mind which the previous classes were.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Don't think you can switch back to your starting class after changing and not sure why you'd want to.

I might be overestimating the importance of classes - I only played Wizardry 8 up to now, and that was a few years ago. Looking at, for example, Jasede's saying on page 2 that he gives everyone a few levels of ninja for the sake of hide/critical strike - if I rolled a Bishop from the start and did something like that, wouldn't it be desirable to return him to being a bishop? Or would he still be able to pick up the same spells just as well in another class due to his skills? It also seems like it might be handy for dealing with the transition/depowering between games.

I'll probably work most of this out as I play, but to be honest I'm finding the manual a little unsatisfying on the mechanics.

Fuck it, I might just go through Wiz6 with a decent normal party to get used to the games and start messing with multiclassing in 7 instead.

 

[Squiggle]

I did patch it to the last patch. I am playing an ironman party. But like I said, it happens during combat mostly (when there's not much movement) so, it's probably just my computer.

Anyway, it's not much of an issue. I don't mind restarting/reloading. Plus, whenever I crash in the middle of a fight and load the autosave, I always do much better in the encounter than before the crash. Woo.

 

[Calem Ravenna]

Don't think you can switch back to your starting class after changing and not sure why you'd want to.

I might be overestimating the importance of classes - I only played Wizardry 8 up to now, and that was a few years ago. Looking at, for example, Jasede's saying on page 2 that he gives everyone a few levels of ninja for the sake of hide/critical strike - if I rolled a Bishop from the start and did something like that, wouldn't it be desirable to return him to being a bishop? Or would he still be able to pick up the same spells just as well in another class due to his skills? It also seems like it might be handy for dealing with the transition/depowering between games.

I'll probably work most of this out as I play, but to be honest I'm finding the manual a little unsatisfying on the mechanics.

Fuck it, I might just go through Wiz6 with a decent normal party to get used to the games and start messing with multiclassing in 7 instead.

Don't worry about changing classes too much, unless you want to play through on expert difficulty. I will repeat myself and recommend changing your class once - this can be achieved without too much effort (usually) and will give you some extra skill points and spell points. But the games can be completed without changing classes, it's just more difficult that way.

Class itself is important because it limits the equipment and learning new spells on level up. In your bishop->ninja example, after turning to ninja, the character will be unable to use many types of weapons and armour (similar to wiz8), will be unable to cast previously learned spells for some time (don't know the specifics, but spellcasting ability is relearned a little with every new level - by level 6 most spells should be available again iirc) and won't gain new spells in bishop magic schools. The character will gain spells from the ninja class, provided there's enough alchemy skill, and will also get more spell points (even if he doesn't learn any new spells).

Before you decide on changing classes, it's good to know how it affects your stats, unless you like to grind a lot. When you switch class, character's stats are reset to their class minimum (the amount required to switch to that class) or their race base score, whichever the higher. Level ups usually give you a single point increase to one or two stats. less frequently to three, more is very uncommon.

 

[Fowyr]

Switching classes in the Wiz7 is not rocket science. Just do it. Take 5-6 levels in the some spellcasting class, switch it to another spellcasting class. For example, Mage to the Alchemist or Priest to the Psionic.
Repeat 3-4 times. Switching classes in the Wiz6/Wiz7 is so natural. Just remember what you can't use instruments in the Wiz6 if you are not bard and kirijitsu working only with Ninja/Samurai/Ranger.

 

[Shannow]

Hmm, I only had problems with the copy protection. Gamecopyworld solved that. But since I assume that you didn't just buy an original version 3 days ago, that shouldn't be your problem.
You might try fiddling with your hardware acceleration. That helps with many older games.

 

[kmonster]

Wizardry 6 and 7 don't even keep track of the previous classes you had, the game only saves your current class and the max level your character had during the game.
Therefore the spells you can pick at level up depend only on the current class, so a ninja who once was a bishop can only pick alchemy spells for example.
Unlike Calem Ravenna stated you never loose the ability to cast the spells you learned, a level 1 fighter who was once a level 20 bishop can still cast all the spells he picked as bishop.

 

[Fowyr]

Level 1 figter (or any other class) can cast high-level spells only with magnitude 1. Afair, you can cast Nuclear Blast with magnitude 7 around 14th lvl.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Switching classes in the Wiz7 is not rocket science. Just do it. Take 5-6 levels in the some spellcasting class, switch it to another spellcasting class. For example, Mage to the Alchemist or Priest to the Psionic.
Repeat 3-4 times. Switching classes in the Wiz6/Wiz7 is so natural. Just remember what you can't use instruments in the Wiz6 if you are not bard and kirijitsu working only with Ninja/Samurai/Ranger.

Ah, cheers - because of the levels I saw people reaching, I took it as given that spells continued to be acquired way beyond level 6-7, but I see that's not really the case. Makes sense, then.
But damn, I wanted to make my Bard a Ninja at some point I'm just going to be gay and post my party here, don't care if it's not entirely optimal as long as it's viable and fun to use:

Mook male Ranger->Monk->Ninja OR Monk->Ranger->Ninja
Fellpurr male Thief (level 1)->Fighter->Samurai
Dwarf male Lord
Faerie female Mage->Psionic->Bishop
Elf male Priest->Alchemist->Bishop
Human female Bard

 

[DraQ]

Hmm, I only had problems with the copy protection.

Wait, Wizardry 8 has copy protection? :/

 

[Zdzisiu]

I don't remember how it is in PL version as I have the original CDs so no need for a crack or anything but I recently acquired the english version and it has CD Check, and I had some troubles to get around it.

 

[DraQ]

I don't remember how it is in PL version as I have the original CDs so no need for a crack or anything but I recently acquired the english version and it has CD Check, and I had some troubles to get around it.

I have original (bought it right away based on demo and furfaggotry), but the CDs are at my GF's place, along with manual, so I'm using CD images currently (not that I wouldn't if I had the CDs here) and were using simply copied CDs before installing Daemon Tools with no problems.

 

[Calem Ravenna]

Unlike Calem Ravenna stated you never loose the ability to cast the spells you learned, a level 1 fighter who was once a level 20 bishop can still cast all the spells he picked as bishop.

I could have sworn I was unable to cast spells for a while after class switching, but I'm obviously wrong. Looks like I confused this with the limitation on spell power. I think a playthrough is in order.

Ah, cheers - because of the levels I saw people reaching, I took it as given that spells continued to be acquired way beyond level 6-7, but I see that's not really the case. Makes sense, then.

What spells you can learn on level up depends on two things: the class and skill level in the relevant magic school (theosophy/theology/alchemy etc.). Provided you have enough skills, you could for example pick Nuclear Blast with a level 1 bishop. Note that you gain only one spell per level and in case of a bishop it switches between mage and priest spells every level (a mage spell on level 1, a priest spell on level 2, mage again on 3 etc.).

The reason why you should change classes around level 6 is mostly because at level 7 or 8 (don't remember) the amount of experience required to level up increases dramatically.

Mook male Ranger->Monk->Ninja OR Monk->Ranger->Ninja
Fellpurr male Thief (level 1)->Fighter->Samurai
Dwarf male Lord
Faerie female Mage->Psionic->Bishop
Elf male Priest->Alchemist->Bishop
Human female Bard

Ranger-monk-ninja is viable, monk-ranger-ninja is a grinding nightmare. If you proceed with that one remember to save before every level up and reload every time you get the wrong stats. This is like that thing kmonster was talking about.

Thief-fighter-samurai will be pretty difficult to switch from fighter to samurai (though Felpurrs possibly have good enough stats to make it viable, dunno)

A single class lord will be hilariously weak when compared to the multiclassing characters, consider giving him some levels in something else as well. (I recommend priest-lord or valkyrie-lord)

Mage-psionic-bishop, not bad but keep in mind you might not learn too many psionic spells, bishops are a mage-priest hybrid. Also, psionics is probably the weakest of the schools and gets resisted a lot.

Same for priest-alchemist-bishop. Alchemy is good though and you can still cast spells after being silenced (I have no idea how this works if you have other magic schools)

Bards are good in the early game, but really you're better off multiclassing into something else, preferably a bishop or mage.

 

[Shannow]

I don't remember how it is in PL version as I have the original CDs so no need for a crack or anything but I recently acquired the english version and it has CD Check, and I had some troubles to get around it.

I have original (bought it right away based on demo and furfaggotry), but the CDs are at my GF's place, along with manual, so I'm using CD images currently (not that I wouldn't if I had the CDs here) and were using simply copied CDs before installing Daemon Tools with no problems.

It's oldschool protection. It simply checks if the CD is in the drive. So old, it's probably easily fooled by Daemon Tools. But also so old that it had difficulties recognizing my real drive. Starting the game could take up to 5 minutes, worse than Gothic 2. After the second time I installed a no-CD patch and it only took the usual 10-30 seconds to load.
But that doesn't help Squiggle

 

[Grunker]

I don't remember how it is in PL version as I have the original CDs so no need for a crack or anything but I recently acquired the english version and it has CD Check, and I had some troubles to get around it.

I have original (bought it right away based on demo and furfaggotry), but the CDs are at my GF's place, along with manual, so I'm using CD images currently (not that I wouldn't if I had the CDs here) and were using simply copied CDs before installing Daemon Tools with no problems.

It's oldschool protection. It simply checks if the CD is in the drive. So old, it's probably easily fooled by Daemon Tools. But also so old that it had difficulties recognizing my real drive. Starting the game could take up to 5 minutes, worse than Gothic 2.

I had the same problem. Sometimes my game would even crash on start-up

 

[DraQ]

The only time I had any problem with oldschool CD-Checks was when drive in my old P133 refused to read original Sierra CDs.

 

[Squiggle]

Well, I think I fixed it by setting it to XP compatibility mode, setting it to run as administrator, and restarting the computer.

Then I got my party killed by 4 slithering slimes. Ironman is challenging. I like it.