Tips for n00bs

[Tijn]

#6392

Ok, so I have no idea how to play one of these games. I just started and I can’t figure out how to attack a monster. The manual says I can use the weapon that’s in a character’s hand, but when I select the weapon and click it on the enemy, the item is dropped on the ground. So… ??? How do I work this?

[Tijn]

#6393

Ah, while randomly pressing buttons I just figured that if you right-click the weapon icon from the inventory, it attacks. Haha, ok.

But I’m sure I could use more tips going forward, so any help is appreciated!

[Tijn]

#6394

Ok, I’m dead. So apparently the guys in the bottom row can only do range attacks, huh. Can you move people in your party around, or is it static?

[Shattered]

#6395

You can swap your characters around @Tijn. Right click their names to swap them. It’s a valid tactic if a front liner gets low.

Honestly I should be the last person giving EOTB tips, but here’s what I remembered doing in childhood. Equip the backline characters with daggers, slings & rocks, spells, and anything else ranged. For example I have my wizard holding multiple daggers in his belt and hand (the 3 items on his right) and when I right click it he throws one and equips the next. Then I have to pick them all up again after the battle.

I’d also consider modifying your characters stats to be as high as they can go. I did that and still finding the game challenging. Otherwise I think you’ll just find yourself camping more often. I find it very amusing that I’ll play for a minute, do a battle, then my party needs to rest for 50+ hours to fully heal, then I play again for another minute and repeat haha. These guys will be geriatric by the time they get to the final level.

[TigerQuoll]

#6396

I find most of the interface is surprisingly intuitive, but there’s a few details you mightn’t figure out for yourself.

To swap characters, click on their NAMES. (I think it needs to be a right click?)

The view screen is very contextual. What you are holding and where you click will determine whether you place the item on the ground, throw it, or use it (like a key)

Throwing items manually (left clicking then taking them to the view screen) can damage monsters, but not as well as using them as a weapon (right click). You can still exploit this when you’ve run out of missile weapons! (Just chuck everything you have at them – keys, books, bones, whatever)

Whenever you find a mage scroll that’s new, go to the CAMP menu and select Scribe Scrolls. It’s the only way AFAIK to get new spells in your spellbook.

Exploit the fact that you can run much faster than the enemies (you can move basically as fast as you can press buttons). Hit and Run. I think the manual even tells you this.

If you are not using a tool like All Seeing Eye, keep an eye on your compass, especially if you keep getting unexplainably lost, or parts of the map don’t make sense. The game loves to spin you around or teleport you without indication.

Hold onto bones.

I’m sure I’ll think of more. I might post again later 😉

[Tijn]

#6397

What is this “All Seeing Eye” people keep mentioning? Is it an in-game item, or something else?

Oh and also: is there a way to turn using the keyboard? It’s so slow to use the mouse to click the buttons, but when I press left it strafes left instead of turning left.

[Tijn]

#6398

Also thanks for all the tips, really appreciate (and need) them 😀

[TigerQuoll]

#6399

I’ve never used it, but All Seeing Eye is an extra program you can use to do auto-mapping and maybe a few other things in DosBox.
https://ase.zorbus.net/

To me it feels like too much of a cheat. From my point of view a big part of the fun of the game is mapping, but to each their own.

Another tip that occurred to me:
There are a LOT of items in this game, but no way to sell or trade them. How do you know what to keep and what not to?
Armour is easy: put it on, and if your AC goes down keep it (low AC is better)

Weapons are harder. Later in the game there is a way you can identify items exactly (with an orb of power at the oracle of knowledge), but you can also determine what items are magical with the Detect Magic spell. It will also tell you which rings and amulets are useless. It’s not an exact science, but better than nothing.

Potions and scrolls: most of the time, don’t feel bad about discarding these. If you have a well-balanced party with a healer or two and a magic user, you’ll never find yourself needing them. Just make sure you keep a few neutralize poisons around in earlier levels, and cure-paralysis in later levels. If you save often, you won’t even need raise-dead scrolls.

Also, don’t be afraid of pits. There are some areas you can only reach by jumping down these.

[Shattered]

#6400

@Tijn I believe the game was designed to be played on the numpad so you can’t turn with the arrows, only strafe. If you use the numpad the 7,9 keys turn left and right respectively. 8 moves forward, etc.

[Pix]

#6403

I would strongly recommend using All Seeing Eye myself although I would prefer it if it didn’t reveal switches until you used them. That part does feel like cheating. It shows up the teleporting tricks as well but that’s kind of unavoidable. Mapping by hand is something I can live without so it’s a small price to pay.

You always want to use the numpad to move in these games. Never stand still in combat if you can avoid it. The ideal place to fight is a 2 x 2 square. You can sidestep around and only ever come into contact with the enemy long enough to attack and move away again. Alternatively, just keep backing up if that’s not possible.