679 lines
37 KiB
Plaintext
679 lines
37 KiB
Plaintext
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The Hemisphere
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Pool of Radiance
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Stuff From the clue book
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Introduction:
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Pool of Radiance is Strategic Simulations Inc.'s first
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Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Computer Role-Playing Epic set in the Forgotten
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Realms game world. Pool of Radiance is a huge game, with over two dozen
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different individual missions and adventures. It is designed to mirror the
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kind of connected adventures that form the basis of the AD&D role-playing
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game.
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Pool of Radiance does not rely on obtuse puzzles or unfathomable word
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games to create challenges. Instead, Pool of Radiance relies on challenges
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that arise from within the scope of the adventure. Each adventure centers
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around solving a mystery, defeating an enemy force, or discovering the true
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allegiance of the mysterious groups you meet.
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You are sure to have questions as you adventure through Pool of
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Radiance. First, read the rule book and Adventurers Journal that come with
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the game<I hope somebody gets this thing and types it up!>. These books will
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answer most of the questions that come up. Second, you can refer to this clue
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book<this file and others to follow> for answers.
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Third, you can look into the many AD&D books for background on the game. The
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AD&D Players Handbook and the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide provide the basis
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for the rules in Pool of Radiance. The Forgotten Realms Campaign Set and
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Ruins of Adventure module provided the background material for the storyline.
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These sources should tell you all you need to know about Pool of Radiance.
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Keep your current objective in mind while you play through each mission
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in Pool of Radiance. Each mission has a specific goal that is given in the
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city council proclamation and in the council clerk's description of each
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mission. In some missions you simply have to hack<yea!> your way through
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everything in front of you. In other missions you must simply survive. Stay
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true to your objective as each mission unfolds.
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Finally, remember the overall goal of your quest, the liberation of
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Phlan from its evil oppressor. It is not necessary to clear every block,
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defeat every evil, or even complete every mission to free phlan. As soon as
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the Boss That controls Phlan is defeated, the undirected monsters that were
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under his control will fall like wheat to the scythe. Always remember that
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the defeat of the Boss is you're final goal. Good Luck!
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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SELECTING HEROES
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With differing ability scores, classes, class combinations, and races
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you can create many different kinds of characters in Pool of Radiance. You
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can win the game with almost any combination of characters, but some will
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make it easier than others.
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You will need a party with a balance of fighting ability, clerical spell
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use, and magic-user spell use. You will also want a character with thieving
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abilities in your party and at least one character with an extraordinary
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strength.
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You will need to balance each characters race against the class of
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characters you need. Human characters can excel at any single character
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class, but non-human characters can be mixed class and have several sets of
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capabilities at once. But, mixed class characters advance more slowly than
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single class characters. They will generally be one or two levels behind a
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single class character after the same amount of adventuring.
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Non-human characters have a maximum possible level in each class <except
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thieves>. Because of these limits human characters will always achieve higher
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level than non-human characters after sufficient adventuring. So, non-human
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characters should play to their strong points and be mixed class and let
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humans be the single class characters.
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Human fighters can be the best fighter in the game because of their high
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maximum strength and unlimited maximum level. Non-human characters can help
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with the fighting as mixed class fighter/thief, fighter/magic-user,
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fighter/cleric, or fighter/magic-user/cleric<as the racial limits allow>.
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Non-humans have lower maxi mum strengths and have limited max level. Human
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clerics can also help with the fighting but they cannot have exceptional
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strength, or use the best weapons, nor is their HP, THAC0, or number of blows
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as good as a true fighter.
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Clerics are especially useful in your party, they have the second
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fastest advancement and get the most spells of any spell using class. The
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cleric's bless, cure light wounds, detect magic, hold person, and prayer
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spells are very useful. Only two races can add clerical abilities to your
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party, humans and half-elves. Human clerics can reach the maximum 6th level
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allowed in Pool of Radiance. At 6th level a cleric is much more powerful
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against undead than at lower levels, he can even destroy skeletons and
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zombies, rather than just turn them. Half-elf clerics can only reach 5th
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level, so they are most useful as mixed class cleric/magic-users and
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fighter/cleric/magic-users.
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Magic-user spells provide much of the offensive punch of your party.
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Charm person, magic missile, sleep, stinking cloud, fireball, Invisibility
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10' radius, and lightning bolt are all powerful spells in the magic-user
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arsenal. But, magic-users are very vulnerable in combat; they have few HP and
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can wear no armor. But, both elves and half-elves can be magic-users, both
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can progress to the maximum 6th level allowed in Pool of Radiance, and both
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can become mixed class to gain the benefits of more HP and Heavier armor. In
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general, then, Your magic-using characters should be elven or half-elven
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fighter/magic-users, or half-elven cleric/magic-users or
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fighter/cleric/magic-users.
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Thieves have the fastest advancement of any class. They also have
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special abilities that allow them to open locks, find and remove traps, climb
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walls, and backstab. Unfortunately, thieves are almost as vulnerable as
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magic-users in combat, they have only a few more HP and the heaviest armor
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they can wear is leather. Luckily, all races have unlimited advancement as
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thieves, and all the non-human races can be mixed class fighter/thieves.
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Dwarves and half-elves make the best fighter/thieves because of their high
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maximum strength and their high maximum strength and their high maximum
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fighter level.
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Some kinds of characters are at a disadvantage because of their ability
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score or max level limits. Female characters are at a disadvantage as a
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fighter or fighter mixed class character because of their reduced maximum
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strength. But, for most other types of characters, especially pure clerics
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and mixed class cleric/magic-users, they function just as well as male
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characters. Their lot is actually better than that of halflings and gnomes,
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neither of which excels at any particular class.
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Each character's capabilities are built around his ability scores. Since
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it only takes a second for the computer to roll a set of scores it is no
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crime to roll a few times until you get a character whose ability scores
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match what you want. You can also modify a characters ability scores after he
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has been built, but not after he has gone up a level.
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If you want your characters to have the maximum fighting efficiency they
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will need impressive ability scores. Fighters need the highest possible
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strength to get maximum bonuses to THAC0 and Damage. Magic-users need an
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intelligence of at least 16 to get their experience bonus. Clerics need a
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wisdom of 17 or better to get the maximum number of spells. All characters
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need the highest possible dexterity because dexterity gives you: the best
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chance to move before your opponent, a +1 AC for each point of dexterity over
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14, and a +1 THAC0 with missiles for each point of dexterity over 15. All
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characters need a constitution of 16 or better, and fighter types need a
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constitution of 18, to get the maximum bonus to their HP. The party's
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spokesman needs a charisma of 18 to get the maximum reaction bonus.
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The characters in a party do not need such amazing scores to win the
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game. In fact, any well played party should be able to win. The computer is
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smart enough to gauge the power of the party and it often modifies the number
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of monsters in an encounter to give the party a good fight regardless of
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their power. Beginning characters with very high ability scores look to the
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computer like high level Adventurers. This may put them at a disadvantage
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because the party does not have the HP, spells or the magic treasure of high
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level adventurers.
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A balanced party needs at least four characters with good fighting
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capabilities, at least two characters that can throw clerical spells, at
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least two characters that can throw magic-user spells, at least two
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characters who are equipped with bows, and at least on character who has
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thieving abilities. As this is more than six characters, some of the
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characters will have to have multiple capabilities. Once you have these bases
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covered, mix and match the party's capabilities to match your style of play.
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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DEFINITIONS AND CONCEPTS
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Here are some important concepts that you will need to understand to play
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Pool of Radiance to the fullest capacity.
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Block: A 16 square by 16 square area that is displayed from a 3D point of
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view. Unless the party is lost, or it is impossible to find one's way, the X
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and Y coordinates are available beneath the list of characters in the party.
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0,0 is in the northwest corner; 15,15 is in the southeast corner.
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Commissions: The city council awards commissions as a way to direct heroes
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towards awaiting adventures. The party does not have to accept a commission.
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As soon as the clerk informs the party of a mission, they may freely
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undertake it. In fact, if the party completes a mission while exploring on
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their own they may also get the reward, even though they have never formally
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received word of the commission.
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Drain and Restoration: Powerful undead such as wights, wraiths, and vampires
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can drain levels from a character when they hit in combat. The character
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loses his level or levels along with the additional HP, improved THAC0, and
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the other advantages of level. His XP will be reduced to the minimum for his
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new level. A cleric can cast a restoration spell of a scroll to restore one
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drained level. The character will regain his HP, THAC0, and other advantages
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of his level. But, his XP will be raised only to the minimum for his restored
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level.
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Maps: Page 25 and 26 of the Adventurers Journal contain three accurate maps
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of the city of Phlan, the area near Phlan, and the Moonsea. The city map
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shows the locations of the different blocks within the city. The area near
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Phlan map shows the extent of the wilderness in Pool of Radiance. The Moonsea
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map shows where Pool of Radiance occurs in relation to other areas in the
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Forgotten Realms game world. Other AD&D computer products may be set in the
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area near the Moonsea.
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Memorizing Spells: In Pool of Radiance, spell casters must memorize their
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spells before they can cast them. Each character can only have a small number
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of spells memorized at any time. The number of spells a character can
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memorize at one time is based on the characters level and is shown in the
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Appendices of the Adventurers Journal.
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To memorize spells, send the party to camp. Highlight the first character you
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want to memorize spells. Access the magic menu and then the memorize command.
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The characters list of available spells is shown. Use the next and Prevs
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commands to find the page with the spell you want to memorize. Choose the
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Memorize command. Highlight the spell you want to memorize and press the
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Return or the joystick button to pick it. The computer displays the number of
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remaining spells your character can memorize by level.
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Choose spells until you have indicated the spells you want your
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character to memorize, or your character can memorize no more spells. Choose
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exit from the spell list and from the memorize menu. The computer displays
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the list of spells you have chosen. Confirm that this is the list of spells
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you want your character to memorize. Repeat this process for all of your
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spell casters.
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Once you have picked all the spells your characters want, it is time to
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rest and actually memorize the spells. Choose the rest command. Note the time
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already listed on the clock. This is the minimum time necessary to memorize
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all the spells you have picked. Choose the rest command from the rest menu.
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The computer will display each spell as it is memorized.
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If your characters rest is interrupted, they may not memorize all of
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their chosen spells. If the characters rest is not interrupted then they will
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have all their chosen spells memorized and be ready to adventure.
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Quick Combat: If you don't want to deal with combat, you may turn on Quick
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Combat and let the computer run things for you. You may put any character
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into Quick Combat. You may put all characters into Quick Combat by typing "Q"
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during any characters turn. You may take manual control of all characters by
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typing the spacebar while one of your characters is moving on the screen. You
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may set characters to cast spells by typing "M" during any characters turn.
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When you type "M" the computer displays 'MAGIC ON' You may turn off spell
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casting by typing "M" again. Then the computer displays 'MAGIC OFF'. With
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'MAGIC ON', the computer will pick spells for player characters in Quick
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combat. With 'MAGIC OFF', player characters will not throw spells in Quick
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combat.
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You have some tactical control over characters in Quick Combat. Characters
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with readied arrows and a bow will stand fast and fire arrows until the enemy
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comes adjacent. Characters without readied arrows will charge toward the
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enemy. Characters will attempt to use readied magic items.
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Your character's choice of spells is also important if you use Magic On in
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Quick Combat. Avoid spells with large areas; the computer normally aborts an
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offensive spell if the computer sees an ally in the target area. Offensive
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spells such as magic missile, hold person, and stinking cloud are useful
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because they are single target or have a small area of effect. Large area
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spells, such as sleep or fireball, are very useful under manual conrol, but
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may often be aborted in Quick Combat. Healing and detect spells have little
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use in Quick Combat, though bless and Prayer are sometimes useful.
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If you do not want to bother with a fight and want combat over as soon as
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possible, access a characters second menu and choose the Speed command. Set
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the Speed to ). Decide how each character will fight by readying or
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unreadying their arrows and magic items. Then type 'Q' to set all characters
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in Quick Combat. If a fight is particularly difficult you may want to type
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'M' to turn 'Magic On'. Then, sit back and watch the computer do all the work
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for you.
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The computer is not as good a tactician as you are. You may be able to direct
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your heroes to win a fight that they would lose in Quick Combat. But as your
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characters get tougher you can use Quick Combat with less risk. But, if your
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characters begin to lose too badly, be ready to hit the spacebar and take
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control back. In the end, you may have to save the day.
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RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: Often monsters roam around the blocks where the missions
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take place. These monsters do not have a fixed location or time, but may
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occur in many different places. Often a player must defeat a number of these
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random encounters, as well as all the fixed encounters, to clear a block.
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Resting: A party must rest seversl hours for characters to memorize spells.
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The party may also rest for a full day so that each character can heal one
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HP. Manyareas are so dangerous that the party can not rest; they will be
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interrupted by the enemy. Safe areas are places where the party can rest
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without interruption.
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SET ENCOUNTERS: A set encounter is an encounter in a fixed location and/or
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time. Most set encounters are keyed to the maps in each adventure
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description.
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TEMPLES: Temples provide a number of services that the party cannot get
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anywhere else. If a character has died due to wounds, the temple can raise
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dead. If a character has been turned to stone, the temple can turn him back
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to flesh. If a character has been killed by poison, the temple can neutralize
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poison<to remove the poison from the system> and then raise hime from the
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dead. If the party has a third level cleric, they can use the slow poison
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spell to make the poisoned character 'alive' when he goes into the temple.
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Then the temple need only to throe a neutralize poison to bring the character
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back. If the party's characters have lost HP it is cheaper to go to an inn
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and rest for many days than to have the temple throw cure spells.
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THIEVING ABILITIES: Characters who are thieves or mixed class thieves have a
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number of special abilities including the chance to : pick locks, climb
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walls, find traps and disarm traps, and the ability to backstab for multiple
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damage. But, for a mixed class character to exercise his thiefly abilities he
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must not be wearing any armor heavier than leather. Remember, before the
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fighter/thief can backstab, or pick a lock, he must unready his heavy armor.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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COMBAT
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Your characters will be fighting alot in Pool of Radiance. Monsters and
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Human enemies abound. Learning to fight well, and to fight smart will make
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the game go faster and make it much more enjoyable. There can be alot of
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details to successful combat, but most of them are common sense and will
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become second nature after a few fights.
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To fight effectively you must understand your own group's capabilities.
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Does your group have ranged weapons? Does you group have mass attack magic
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spells such as sleep or fireball? How heavily armored is the front line of
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your group? How fast is the fastest and slowest member of your group? All of
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these details change which tactics your party can apply effectively.
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You should also understand your enemy's capabilities. The basic
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information about ranged weapons, mass attack spells, heavy armor, and speed
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still apply. Monsters also often have unuasual capabilities that you'll want
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to be aware of.
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Finally, you need to understand the terrain where you are fighting. Are
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you inside a building where space is limited or are you in an open field with
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unlimited room to maneuver? Are there choke points, such as doorways, that
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you can use to channel an enemy's attack? Are there large pieces of terrain,
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such as a tree or a wall, that you can acchor your flanks on?
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Taking full advantage of terrain will multiply your fighting strength.
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Whether you outnumber the enemy or he outnumbers you will decide your
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opening tactics. If you outnumber the enemy, move up your toughest fighters
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and pin them in place. Then move other troops around the enemy's flanks to
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get attacks from behind. A shot from behind can hurt even to most unstoppable
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monster. Thieves are at best when they can be part of a gang and backstab.
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Concentrate your attacks by having a single character attack some of the
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enemy and have many characters gang up on the remainder to eliminate them as
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quickly as possible.
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If the enemy has as many or more troops than you have, then make the
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shortest possible line without giving the enemy a way around your flanks;
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doorways and corridors are good defensive locations. Don't just attack the
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enemy in front of you, mass as many attacks against each target as possible
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to get quick kills. If your tactics are successful, you will soon outnumber
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the enemy and you can surround and move in for the kill.
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An important tactical consideration is whether one side and/or the other
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has ranged weapons such as bows, crossbows, slings, and ranged attack magic.
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If neither side has significant ranged weapons, your side sould quickly move
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to the most advantageous terrain and prepare to meet the enemy. If only you
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have ranged weapons then try to begin the battle at the longest possible
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range. Keep a front line of clerics and fighters without bows to protect your
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archers as long as possible. Magic-users with darts and clerics with flasks
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of oil have a short range, and are only useful once both sides are in
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contact.
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If both sides have ranged weapons then the enemy archers and spell
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casters should be your primary targets. An enemy who is turning your flank or
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who can get back shots on your front line is also a good target. Don't shoot
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at enemy front line fighters unless you are trying to disengage your front
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line to maneuver or retreat.
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If only the enemy has ranged weapons the close as soon as possible. Once
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you get adjacent to an enemy, it's much harder for him to use his bow or
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magic against you. Try to use terrain to block the enemy archer's line of
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sight and limit his targets to your troops with the heaviest armor.
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Magic has the capability to change defeat into victory into defeat.
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Tactically, some simpler spells and magic items act very much like bows or
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thrown weapons. The more devastating spells are the ones that can
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incapacitate an entire group of troops in an instant. These mass attack
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spells include: sleep, hold person, stinking cloud, lightning bolt, and
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fireball. These spells can turn the tide of battle in an instant.
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More often than not, you will have magic and your enemies will not. If
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you have magic-users or magic items guard them with your life. Magic-users
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are very fragile in combat; they wear little armor and don't stand up well to
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being hit. Keep them behind the lines and safe, even if they have thrown all
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of their spells for this battle. The magic-user you save this battle may save
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you next battle.
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Magic need not kill the enemy to be useful in combat. Sleep, hold
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person, and stinking cloud can make the enemy helpless and a sitting duck to
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your fighters attacks. Remember that you can affect up to three different
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targets with a clerical hold person spell. An effective way to use these
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spells is to eliminate the threat of enemy archers and magic-users. Another
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tactic is to make the front ranks of the enemy helpless, thus blocking his
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melee attacks and making your own shots sure kills. You can even retreat
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behind the enemies helpless front line troops and safely engage the others
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with ranged attacks.
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If the enemy has mass attack magic, you may have to modify your tactics.
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Defensively, try to keep your troops spread out; most mass attack magic
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operates over a limited radius. Keep some fighters unengaged in reserve, so
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that they can run up and fill any holes in the front lines caused by an enemy
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magic attack. Be careful not to concentrate important targets like magic
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users or archers together behind your own lines; such concentration invites
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attack.
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Offensively, you should concentrate magic spells and bow fire on enemy
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magic-users. Even if a bow shot doesn't kill a magic-user, it can disrupt his
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ability to cast a spell. Magic Missile is very good for this because it
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always delivers a few points of damage and keeps an enemy magic-user from
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casting for the rest of the turn. Proper use of magic, both offensively and
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defensively, is often the key to your victory and the enemy's defeat.
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Some monsters have abilities that might as well be magic. Dragons often
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have breath weapons that can do great damage over a wide area. Your
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characters should spread out to avoid several being attacked by a single
|
||
attack. Phase spiders cannot be affected by any attack until just as they
|
||
move. Your characters should choose Guard or Delay and then attack as the
|
||
Phase Spiders advance or after they move. Driders know spells as powerful as
|
||
any spell caster in Pool of Radiance. Your characters should spread out, just
|
||
as if they were fighting an enemy magic-user.
|
||
|
||
One of the most important things to get for your heroes is the best
|
||
possible Armor Class. A good AC is always useful, but it is especially
|
||
important against mass attack by weaker monsters. High dexterity, heavy
|
||
armor, rings of protection, bracers of defense, magic shields and armor all
|
||
can contribute to giving your heroes the lowest possible AC. Your front line
|
||
fighters go in harms way more often then the archers and magic-users, make
|
||
sure they have the best AC in the party.
|
||
|
||
When fighting a heavily armored foe, flanking, swarming attacks, magic,
|
||
and the backstab take on increased importance. Tactics that multiply the
|
||
number and effectiveness of your attacks, and reduce the value of the enemy
|
||
armor are worthwhile.
|
||
|
||
Soldiers often forget that mobility is as much a weapon as a sword or
|
||
spell. If you are more mobile than your opponent, you can remain disengaged
|
||
and fire arrows. You can choose to retreat or stay for battle. You can occupy
|
||
the best defensive terrain and force the enemy to come to you. Be careful not
|
||
to get your troops spread out if they have differing movement rates.
|
||
|
||
If the enemy is equal or superior in mobility, it multiplies their
|
||
effective numbers. You must worry more about flank security and keeping your
|
||
front line secure. Fast enemy's will also try to attempt to run away when
|
||
their morale breaks. Once the enemies morale has broken, use archers to bring
|
||
them down. Even a fleeing foe can be dangerous if cornered and forced to
|
||
fight.
|
||
|
||
One of the most potent weapons in the hero's arsenal is the ability of
|
||
thieves to backstab their opponents for extra damage. Thieves of level 1-4 do
|
||
douuble damage when they hit with a backstab. Level 5-8 thieves do triple
|
||
damage when they hit with a backstab. Level 9+ thieves do quadruple damage
|
||
when they hit with a backstab. Mixed class fighter/thieves with exceptional
|
||
strength and a magic long sword can take out very large monsters with one
|
||
shot.
|
||
|
||
A backstab happens when a thief attacks a monster directly from behind.
|
||
Unfortunatly, whenever a monster attacks or is attacked, his facing can
|
||
change. The following method can guarantee the thief his chance to backstab..
|
||
|
||
To attack you need a fighter or cleric as a stalking horse, and a thief.
|
||
Choose the Delay command when each characters chance to move comes up. This
|
||
guarantees that the monster will get his chance to move, and that its facing
|
||
won't be upset. After the monster has moved, have the stalking horse move up
|
||
adjacent to the monster and attack. This sets the monster's facing towards
|
||
the stalking horse. Then have the thief move up and attack from directly
|
||
opposite the stalking horse. This second attack will be a backstab that has
|
||
large bonuses to hit and does multible damage. The backstab is an especially
|
||
effective attack against large monsters that are otherwise difficult to hurt
|
||
because of a resistance to magic , many HP, and/or a very low AC.
|
||
|
||
Histories are written about great victories. But they are written by the
|
||
suvivers of well executed retreats. Every party occasionally gets into combat
|
||
where it is overmatched by enemy numbers or power. The earlier you realize
|
||
that you should retreat, the easier and more successful the retreat will be.
|
||
|
||
Once you have engaged the enemy retreat is more difficult. Anytime you
|
||
turn away from an enemy to disengage, he has a clear shot at your back. This
|
||
can be devistating if you get surrounded on many sides. You can be attacked
|
||
half a dozen times by trying to retreat while surrounded.
|
||
|
||
The first part of any successful retreat is disengagement. Flankers,
|
||
archers, spell casters, and reserves can normally disengage from the enemy
|
||
simply by moving away. But the front line has a more difficult problem.
|
||
|
||
To disengage the front line, concentrate your attacks on a few units to
|
||
create holes in the enemy front line. When your front line troops each have a
|
||
few enemies still engaged, turn and begin the retreat. Retreat as far as you
|
||
can to protected positions that minimize the enemies ability to flank you.
|
||
Stay on guard so you can strike at the enemy if they pursue. Do not retreat
|
||
the flankers, archers, and spell casters so fast that they cannot support the
|
||
retreating fighters. If the enemy is swift and aggressive, you may have to
|
||
repeat this maneuver several times to completely disengage.
|
||
|
||
If the enemy is faster then the character, then that character will not
|
||
be allowed to exit the combat area. A character can often increase his
|
||
movement by unreadying his heavy armor. When your movement is equal to the
|
||
enemy's, you have an even chance to exit the combat area. When your movement
|
||
exceeds the enemy's, you can automatically exit the combat area.
|
||
|
||
The worst time to decide to retreat is after some of your characters have
|
||
fallen. Even if your retreat is successful, the troops that have fallen are
|
||
lost forever. Even worse is cleanly retreating almost all of your heroes,
|
||
only to see the final character pinned by the enemy and overwhelmed. Do
|
||
everything in your power to avoid such a situation.
|
||
|
||
-When all else is said and done here are some rules to live by...
|
||
|
||
Keep a staight line: Your forses are the least vulnerable and provide each
|
||
other the most support when they are in a straight line..
|
||
|
||
Anchor your Flanks on terrain features: Keep the enemy from flanking or
|
||
overwhelming your troops by anchoring your flanks on impassable terrain.
|
||
|
||
Put your most Heavily Armored troops in the front line: Front line troops
|
||
take the greatest number of attacks from the enemy. Heavy armor will increase
|
||
their chance of survival.
|
||
|
||
Thieves sould only backstab when you outnumber the enemy: Thieves trying to
|
||
backstab must be behind enemy lines. Their light armor makes them vulnerable.
|
||
Onlt send the thieves around the flanks to backstab when the enemy is
|
||
outnumbered so that he can't concentrate attacks on the thieves.
|
||
|
||
Spell Casters are High Priority Targets: Enemy spell casters have the
|
||
greatest capability to quickly turn the tide of battle against you. Target
|
||
them with archers, friendly spell casters, and flankers.
|
||
|
||
Don't Panic: Even when the situation seems imposible, trust in your troops.
|
||
The enemy is probably not as powerful as it seems. Many things can happen to
|
||
turn the tide of battle yor way. The enemy morale may break, you may make a
|
||
lucky shot, or the enemy may be weaker than you realize. Keep fighting and
|
||
stay alive.
|
||
|
||
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
SPELLS
|
||
|
||
In Pool of Radiance, the efficaint use of spells, both in combat and in camp,
|
||
makes the game much easiier. Some spells are useful in ways that are not
|
||
obvious from their description. Here are some 'tricks' to the efficient use
|
||
of some of the spells.
|
||
|
||
Unless otherwise specified, all spells have saving throws. In general,
|
||
damage spells do half damage if the target makes its save; non-damage spells
|
||
have no effect if the target makes its save.
|
||
|
||
Clerics get more spells per level than magic-users. Detect Magic,
|
||
Protection from evil<good>, hold person, and Dispel Magic are available to
|
||
both clerics and magic-users. So, if you want these spells in your party your
|
||
clerics should take them instead of your magic-users.
|
||
|
||
Offensive spells are of two types, damage causing spells that cause hit
|
||
points, and restraining spells that make a target helpless. A single melee or
|
||
missile attack can kill, once a target is helpless. The best offensive spells
|
||
are:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Hold Person: The most powerful clerical offensive spell. You can aim at
|
||
three<clerical> or four<magic-user> targets and make them helpless...
|
||
|
||
Charm Person: This spell makes one target fight on your side in the battle.
|
||
When the charmed enemy changes side his formor comrades turn on him so he
|
||
absorbs some enemy fire. If you attack a charmed enemy then NPC's in your
|
||
party will turn on you <you are attacking an ally, after all>. If the charmed
|
||
enemy is not killed in the fight then you won't get his treasure.
|
||
|
||
Magic Missile: Useful because it is low level, because the target gets no
|
||
saving throw, and because it is fast and cannot be interrupted. This is a
|
||
good spell to throw at spell casters before they have cast a spell and at
|
||
undead , who ignore many other attack>. It is also useful if you fight under
|
||
computer control because it has no chance to catch heroes in an area damage
|
||
spell.
|
||
|
||
Sleep: The magic-users most powerful low level spell. Speep can make a whole
|
||
horde of low level monsters helpless, and it has no saving throw. But it is
|
||
useless against larger monsters such as Trolls. Remember that sleep has a
|
||
comparatively short range, and that its variable effect can sleep your heroes
|
||
if you target the spell too close to your own front lines. Once your heroes
|
||
reach 5th level, they are immune to sleep and you can theow speep spells with
|
||
great abandon.
|
||
|
||
Stinking Cloud: A powerful spell that amkes targets in a 2 square by 2
|
||
square area helpless. Its very short range, but exact area of effect, make it
|
||
useful only after the enemy has closed to melee your front lines.
|
||
|
||
Fireball: The classic attack spell. In a closed area < when the combat map
|
||
includes walls>, fireballs have a 3 square radius and affects almost every
|
||
character on the screen. In an open area, fireballs have a 2 square radius.
|
||
Try to get as many enemy in the fireball as possible, and be sure to keep
|
||
your characters out of the radius of effect.
|
||
|
||
Lightning Bolt: This is often considered the poor cousin to the fireball,
|
||
because it does the same damage but in a more limited area <a line>. But
|
||
lightning bolt is best when you have to fight in a closed area. Properly
|
||
used, you can throw a lightning bolt into a melee, miss your your heroes, and
|
||
still hurt your enemies. Also, if the enemy is near a wall you can throw the
|
||
bolt to attack the target, bounce off the wall, and then attack the target a
|
||
second time. Remember that a lightning bolt always rebounds toward the
|
||
caster; it does not follow the angle of the wall.
|
||
|
||
Some spells are useful in preparing for combat. If you know your party is in
|
||
for a tough fight, you can prepare before combat. Encamp immediately before
|
||
triggering the combat. Throw as many preparatory spells as you have ready on
|
||
your characters, then immediately return to the Adventure menu and advance
|
||
directly into the combat. If you can't prepare before combat, many of these
|
||
spells are just as effective when you throw them in the first round of
|
||
combat. Many of these spells can be reversed and thrown on the enemy to make
|
||
him more vulnerable to your attacks. The best preparatory spells are:
|
||
|
||
Bless: this spell affects all heroes in a 5*5 area that are not adjacent to
|
||
the enemy. Bless is especially useful later in the game against monsters with
|
||
very low AC's.
|
||
|
||
Protection from Evil: this spell only protects one person, but it improves
|
||
your AC and Saving Throws by 2 against attacks from evil monsters.
|
||
|
||
Prayer: This spell is great because it can be thrown in combat and it
|
||
improves your THAC0, Damage, and Saving Throws by 1, while hurting your
|
||
enemies values by a like amount. It can also be thrown after combat has
|
||
commenced.
|
||
|
||
Enlarge: This spell makes a weak character stromg, though it doesn't help a
|
||
character who is already strong. A first level magic-user makes his target's
|
||
effective strength 18. Each additional level adds one column to the
|
||
characters effective strength, until at 6th level the target has an effective
|
||
strength of 18(00).
|
||
|
||
Strength: This spell adds 1-8 points to a characters effective strength,
|
||
depending on his class. For every point of strength over 18, 10% is added to
|
||
his exceptional strength percentage.
|
||
|
||
Some spells are handy to have memorized for use out of combat, these
|
||
include..
|
||
|
||
Cure Light Wounds: This spell is everyone's best friend. Use it after each
|
||
battle to make sure that eeryone gets back to their full HP. You can also use
|
||
cures during combat to keep a character from going down. Also, if a character
|
||
is wounded at the begining of a wave of combats, you can 'Continue Combat'
|
||
and cure characters to get them ready for the next encounter.
|
||
|
||
Detect Magic: Use this spell in the Treasure Menu to pick out the magic
|
||
items from the trash.
|
||
|
||
Dispel Magic: Use this spell to remove locking spells on doors. Remember
|
||
that your clerics can memorize this spell too.
|
||
|
||
Knock: Use this spell to open locked doors and chests.
|
||
|
||
Invisibility 10' Radius: Use this spell while moving through dangerous
|
||
territory. This keeps the enemy from finding your party until one of
|
||
characters attacks in combat. Use your enemies confusion to get all your
|
||
characters in position for 'backstabs', bouncing lightning bolts shots, and
|
||
sweap attacks. Then have all your characters choose delay, let the enemy take
|
||
his turn and guard, and then have all your characters attack at once.
|
||
|
||
Some spells should only be memorized when your party needs them; these spells
|
||
include: slow poison, cure disease, remove curse, and read magic.....
|
||
|
||
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Typed by Twin Towers
|
||
Any Questions, Contact me at...
|
||
The Planet of Magrathea.................................(215) 398-7764
|
||
The Exchange BBS . . ...................................(215) 926-6203
|
||
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
[SuperTac/02]:
|