More on ranged. Something like a ranger with high ranged combat/eagle eye, triple x-bow and decent bolts is very ok (like most things in Wiz8 are) when out of context, but ranged combat is really meh compared to the sheer power and reliability of melee throughout the game. This is most evident in the early parts of the game of course, but I still remember that time I had mook ranger with your typical larpy ranged/eagle eye+best bow+best arrows setup. When I got the first copy of giant sword I decided to give it to him just to test for lulz and was really appalled how he instantly became more of a presence with literally zero points invested in cc and swords. Outside of some rare and niche scenarios (high dmg, low hp ranged mobs), ranged doesn't really give any extra edge in this game. Almost always you're better off with baiting with using/cancelling walk command to let enemy come to you or just rushing in. Finally, a very important point that makes me not want to bother with ranged much anymore and that can become a huge noob trap depending on how much you invest in it are the logistics problems it causes. Ammo weighs a lot and higher level chars burn through it real fast. Then there's throwing weapons and the tiny little detail that there's just not nearly enough of them (especially the better ones).
That said, I need to do a axe+shield frontline ranger for my next run. That's been sitting on my "extra shitty things I've never done" list for a long time.
More newb friendly than Ranger and can fill in for Rogue when it comes to opening stuff.
Not really and definitely not in the setup I gave. Scouting + potion mixing is a good utility that will help very early. What is the point at which gadgie starts contributing? Probably completing lava lamp at Trynton and the noxious fumes pot in Marten's Bluff. That's quite a long period of total suck even when taking an optimal route.
Eh, lord is only marginally harder to develop than Valk, the main problem is that they are pretty much unambiguously worse as well.
Nope. Every hybrid in the game has multiple skills to put points into and then there are more details to consider, dw is a bit of handicap early on, most common weapon category is a bit of a trap when going for dw etc. Valkyrie is unique here, because she only needs cc + polearms and then can happily pump divinity asap. For every other hybrid pumping magic means leaving something out.
And I wouldn't call lord unambiguously worse, because proper dw setup>polearms. He also has his little niche of being a go to class for draining cursed weapon builds, although that's obviously a very minor thing.
Nope. Mage has a bit more hp, better resistances (getting 1-2 shot with aoe magic is the most common cause of death for casters provided you mind positioning and avoid getting buttraeped by melee) and can wear a number of useful items that psionic can't, for example fearie plate. Also much better initial skill contribution, but that doesn't have impact on sturdiness of course.
Er, what. That's common consensus. Psionics have one "I really need this shit asap" spell, which is also available for bard. Mage has by far the best balance between buffs, debuffs and damage, starts with two very good, completely unique buffs and freezing spell (unlocked way earlier than the instrument) is probably the best early game spell that can completely turn the tables for noobs. If you have to drop one spell book, dropping psionics is a safe bet. You could make an argument for alchemy, but alchemy has kewl potion mixing.
Bishop. The best caster. And I disagree that it's a bad choice for beginners. For RPGs beginners maybe, but what the fuck they're doing in Wiz8 anyway?
I don't like bishop even now, because I hate abusing learn by using mechanics in crpgs. If you can stomach things like clicking on tumblers for two hours straight and have a good metaknowledge of what spell books there are how to get to them then sure, you can cram as many schools as you want into one guy, making bishop the best caster class in the game.
Gadgeteer. I agree that he's obviously the least noob-friendly class in the game. He's a complete vagon first not just a few but up to 10 at least levels and gadgets are require a lot of in-game knowledge. But if that's granted since mid-game (early game not hard at all anyway) he's getting only more and more power (unlike Bard)
Unlike? Bard is awesome from start to finish, gadgeteer needs time to get there. Both are ultimately great support classes with lots of utility, but something like (a)rousing drums alone makes bard more appealing for me, especially since so few parties will have a psionic able to cast haste on a high dice reliably.
Ranger. Scouting is useless even for the newcomer (usually hidden stuff is not so hidden at all, you have to just cast a spell near boxes, shelves etc as the game shows at the very beginning
If you know where things are then why why would you need a spell? Just use search, it will be enough pretty much always. There's just that small issue of knowing where hidden items are, which us, non-psychic normies, didn't know the first time.
Once you get a spiked spear / mystic spear, with her extended range, nothing beats her but a well built ranger or mooks (warrior/samourai).
I can see why people don't like samouraï and rangers, they just have no idea how to build them.
Lol, what are you even talking about. Berserking fighter and backstabbing rogue beat valk easily and that's the most basic stuff there is. Then you can move to a bit more niche stuff (but not super niche, like giant sword mook samurai or fearie staves ninja), like, for example, monk with (gettable early) sod that will have more attacks with high dmg, very high instakill chance and extremely high chance to deal multiple crippling status effects. Valk is a very good class that brings things other classes can't, but pure killing power is not her forte.
Probably me. I'm focusing my warrior on physical skills rather than magic since I've got the mage and psionic for that.
