"A Wizard learns of fire and ice, a Sorcerer learns of pain and fear..."
- Lord Manny
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A Sorcerer's Guide to GemStone III
By Lord Manny
Contents:
Part I Character Generation and Training
Part II Spells
Part III Role-playing the Sorcerer
Part IV Twilight Hall
Visit http://rivendell.fortunecity.com/tekken/856/ for the latest updates!
Manny's Site is now at http://rivendell.fortunecity.com/tekken/856/ !
This version of The Guide was revised on 08 November 1998.
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Part I Character Generation and Training
Disclaimer: I stress being versatile, with multiple attack options. This is
not the only approach! Now, having said that ...
Sorcerers are a hybrid that have access to both the Spirit and Elemental
circles. You will not be as good with spirit spells as a cleric, or as good
with elemental spells as a wizard. Your advantage comes from having access to
both Circles. To succeed you must plan your character out carefully for at
least the first 20 levels. Take advantage of your versatility, it is your
main strength.
Realize that your skills cost more development points than for other spell
users. To compensate, you need to get as many developmental points as you
can, especially mental points. Of the ten numbers rolled, the first three are
weighted to be above 60, and the last is completely random. Keep rolling
until you get at least one number over 90, and the other three over 75.
Preferably, you'd like one in the high 90's, one at or slightly below 90, and
the rest over 80. If possible (time permitting), also try not to get anything
in the 20's or 30's on the remaining rolls. This may take about an hour of
rolling, I'm not certain on the time with the different service providers, I
have not seen an automated character generation script that works except for
the one available for folks using the GEnie network.
Different stats are used to calculate mental and physical development points
available to train your character. However, Discipline and Aura are used to
calculate both types of training points. Therefore you want to place that
high 90's roll into Discipline, and that 90 (or the next highest roll) into
aura. Aura is used for mana. How much mana you have determines how often you
may cast spells, as each spell cost a set amount of mana to cast. You want
this very high. Sorcerers get +10 added to both Aura and Wisdom, so it is a
waste to put in a number over 90 into either. This approach helps insure you
the highest possible number of development points and mana.
Most older sorcerers have placed their third highest roll into Wisdom. This
is because at one point in the games history (pre-Fall 1995) your CS bonus
(your bonus to your "to hit" rolls with Sorcerer spells) and how much mana
you had to use was based upon the average of your Aura and Wisdom attributes.
Currently, while Wisdom no longer affects your mana generation, it still gets
averaged together with your Aura for calculating your CS bonus. So while
there is less need to place your third highest number into Wisdom, I still
favor this approach. As to were to place the other rolls, here is were it
gets harder. You have to take into consideration your characters race (and
the racial modifiers) and how you intend to role-play.
I could tell you what race to choose and what order to place your stats in,
and if you followed all of my advice you would have a very successful
character. That wouldn't mean you would enjoy role-playing that character
though! This is your character and you are the person who has to be happy
with the end result! Thats the reason why instead of stating lists I prefer
to tell you about the design choices you have and let you choose something
you feel comfortable with.
Basically, you have a bit of a dilemma. Sorcerer spells tend to use more
mana, and miss more often, than their Wizard counterparts. You will be
relying on your sword arm for as many as your first 30 levels, far longer
than Wizards. It is therefore tempting to place high numbers into your
physical stats, like Strength. However, as you age, the physical abilities
become much less important - and you find out that you really would have
rather placed those higher rolls into your mental areas were you need them
when your older. This is something everyone must decide for themselves.
I suggest trying to make do with as low a physical statistic (Strength,
Constitution, etc.) as you feel comfortable with. Plan for the long term and
realize that your first 20 years will be tough going. Remember that racial
modifiers seem to affect stat increase rates. (i.e. if a race gets a bonus in
the stat it seem to go up quicker, if it gets a penalty it seems to go up
slower.) There is a popular belief that Dark Elves make the best sorcerers. I
believe that depending on how you intend to role-play your character, there
are better racial choices. I will go as far as to state that sorcerers of
some of the other races, properly generated and trained, actually perform
better in the long run, and are more enjoyable to role-play, than Dark Elves.
My thoughts on some of the character Attributes:
Dexterity affects your ability to hit with elemental spells. I favor placing
a number over 50 here, preferable as high as you can spare! Sorcerer's
eventually learn the equivalent of a "fireball" on the minor spirit list
which will benefit from this stat. We also have access to some of the Wizard
spells through the use of wands. This adds an extra dimension to the class.
Remember, I stress being versatile and this approach gives you options.
Logic and Intelligence affect how much experience your mind can absorb and
how fast it gets absorbed. Sorcerers, historically, are lousy experience
earners - so these are good places to dump those low numbers. We have to put
them somewhere afterall!
Reflex influences your physical defenses, so try to keep this a positive
bonus number. How high a number to place here will be affected by your choice
of character race and hunting style.
Charisma is a tough call. Most sorcerers in the game today have placed a low
number into this statistic. Yet it is rumored it will play a part in the as
yet unimplemented Demonic Summoning spell. It might be best to play it safe
and try to achieve a positive bonus number here as well, yet in order to do
so you must place an even lower number somewhere else. This will be a point
of much debate among sorcerers in the game.
Numbers assigned, your ready for training. This is really rather simple.
Twice per level:
Always learn two spells per level. At level two, you should have the first
two spells in each of the three circles (spirit, elemental, and sorcerer).
After this - and until you reach level 30, you should learn one spell from
the sorcerer circle and one spell from the elemental circle. You may save
unused training points to get a third spell every now and then from the
spirit circle if you wish.
The sorcerer circle provides you with most of your offensive spells, the
elemental with most of your defensive spells and the Elemental Targeting
spell - which helps you hit critters. While the spirit circle is tempting,
you need to look to your defenses first. At level 30, you can switch to one
sorcerer circle spell and one spirit circle spell per level.
Once you have both the spirit and elemental circles learned to the 30th level
(a 'lil over level 50 usually), you may want to consider doubling in the
sorcerer circle, too really enhance your offensive abilities. This is because
the new magic system uses how many spells you know from within a circle when
calculating your ability to hit.
Spell Aiming: I stress versatility for sorcerers, which means having as many
attack forms available as possible. This lets you hit as hard with an
elemental spell as a wizard, you can get the spells in wands, and you will
eventually learn one (Fire Spirit)! Additionally, the new versions of the
Maelstrom and the Implosion spells in the works will have a targeted option
that supposedly relies on spell aiming to hit with your perception skill as
one of many modifiers. How much training you need to be good with these new
spells is unknown, at least one training per level would be a safe
assumption. Expect this skill to become more and more useful to sorcerers.
Once per level:
Shield use: Increases your physical defenses. Helps to parry missile attacks.
Physical Training: You need to increase your health points! When you are
maxed out (different races having different maximums) if you can spare the
training points keep studying as the excess helps increase the rate at which
health points are recovered. This feature is implemented, and that increased
recovery rate makes a difference. Can be safely skipped every now and then if
you need the training points elsewhere.
Edged or Crushing weapons - pick one category and stick with it. There will
come a time when you may stop studying weapon use, but for the first 30
levels or so you must have it.
Mana Sharing: This skill is actually used by at least two sorcerer spells,
and the command. Always train in this at least once. Never stop
training in it. The higher the better.
Scroll Reading: Very useful. Can be skipped every now and then but generally
try to train in this once per level until you can use any scroll you find.
Item use: Activates things like wands and rods! Goes hand in hand with spell
aiming. This can also be occasionally skipped. Once you find you can easily
activate any wand or item in the game, you may want to consider stopping.
Older players will still dump a few points into this every now and then in
case they find one of those unique magic items that requires a higher level
of training to activate. Personal choice of when, if ever, to stop.
Other:
Armor: Train 4 times by level 25-30. You will be wearing AsG5, leather tunic,
for all of your early life. Just 4 trainings will allow you to wear AsG6,
which adds arm protection and is about 1%-2% more effective on average
against attacks. Using anything better armor-wise incurs a spell failure
roll. This % to have a spell fail due to wearing these better armors is
unacceptable, given the mana intensive nature of sorcerer spells.
Statistically the improvement by switching from AsG5 to AsG6 is minor so
there are players who stay with AsG5 for their entire lives, but the way I
see it every 'lil bit helps.
Perception: Try to train at least once every other level. If possible train
every level. This skill has a variety of uses, and you'll need the skill to
get into some areas of the game. It is also said to be used in the targeting
formula in new versions of the Maelstrom and the Implosion spells.
Climbing: As much as you can spare. Some areas of the game require some
training to enter. There is no agreement on what the minimum recommended
training is amongst players. I believe 4 times by level 25 a good minimum,
though more is certainly better. Try for at least 10 ranks if you can squeeze
it in.
Swimming: Same comment as climbing
First Aid: Usually skipped by allot of players, but if you can spare the
points this really comes in handy when you have trained 10 or more times in
it (allows use of the FULL> command). Also, the
command for bleeding wounds, the skinning skill modifier for getting pelts
from dead critters (which you then sell at the furriers for cash), etc.
Combat Maneuvers: Usually ignored by sorcerers. Most high level critters in
the game have special attack forms and this is your main defense against
them. Instead of using spare training points to get a third spell every now
and then, you are better off spending those same excess points on this skill.
You will not regret doing so.
There you have it. My ideas on sorcerer design. The end result is not a
specialist, but someone who is well balanced and capable of doing a great
many things. This character always has an option or two to use. It's how I do
it, at any rate. Others have their own ideas.
Part II Spells
Pain and Fear are a sorcerers tools. Sorcerer spells generally do not kill
quickly. That is, "death crits" are few and far between, if they even exist
at all for a given spell. A sorcerer kills primarily through Health Point
loss. Health Point loss can be caused by bleeding, pain, disease, etc. In
game terms, this means you will be in combat with a critter for a
considerable amount of time. The critter will get several attempts to do mean
and nasty things to you. You therefore have to worry about your defenses.
Currently, one of the primary characteristics of the sorcerer class is the
ability to hunt with his spells at stance guarded. This may or may not be the
case for future sorcerers! You may find yourself hunting at varying defencive
stances depending on your circumstances.
How you decide to fight will be the biggest influence in your choice of what
spell circle(s) to study. Basically:
Minor Elemental Circle: Best for weapon using sorcerers. Excellent defensive
spells, the Elemental Targeting spell, and very useful utility spells, such
as disarm and unlock (so you can cash in on all those coffers you keep
finding).
Minor Spirit Circle: The first three spells are required defensive spells for
any sorcerer. Airwall (spell #102) offers good defense and is the second best
spell in the game against bows and thrown weapons (when they get
implemented). The remaining spells are good, though not as useful as the
minor elemental circle.
Sorcerer Circle: The first two spells, Blood Burst and Mana Disruption, are
the cornerstone of the sorcerer list. Afterwards, there isn't a decent spell
until you learn Curse (at 15th). By decent I mean one that you will use
constantly on your hunting trips. The 3rd through 14th level spells, while
little used, are very good for the most part. The 15th through 20th level
spells on the list are rather well designed and will form the basis of an
older sorcerer's attack routine.
Lets look at the sorcerer spell circle in detail:
Blood Burst: An excellent spell that can see you to lord level and then some.
Blood Burst only works on living critters, not the unlife. It causes a
critter to suffer a level 1 bleeding wound (loosing 1-6? Health Point's per
round) for each successful cast. You may as well know that healers aren't the
only ones who get to learn what level the different types of wounds are ;)
Unfortunately, bleeding spells are best when soloing and poorest for group
hunts. With the crowded hunting areas that exist in the game today, this
spell is little used. More on this important point later.
Mana Disruption: Currently uses the impact crit table and as such is lousy
against armored critters. It takes more casts to kill armored critters in the
newer UNIX GemStone than it did under the older Mark III system. A disruption
crit table is in the works at which should hopefully fix this spell. This is
the young sorcerers basic attack spell. Expect it to get tweaked downward in
the damage it causes as it is generally deemed to do to much damage for the
mana expenditure involved.
Forget: The short duration is to small to be of any general use. This spell
is useful only in a few highly specialized situations. I found it good for
soloing wraiths in the few rare instances were the area was empty.
Phase: An interesting concept, but one that is poorly implemented. You can
only phase through a door or portal if it can be opened by any player (using
the OPEN and CLOSE verbs). Having a lock on the door (regardless of whether
the door is unlocked or not) will prevent phase from working. This spell can
also be cast at a chest or coffer, and if you don't leave your hand inside
there is a small chance you may pull out something. Unfortunately this spell
can take literally hours to empty out a chest or coffer and there is no way
of knowing if the chest or coffer is actually empty. To my knowledge, every
sorcerer who ever made it this far up the base list has complained about
phase. On a positive note, phase can be used to detect glyph traps on
containers with a 100% accuracy rate. Obviously, this spell is on the "to be
tweaked someday" list.
Breaklimb: Causes a level 2 bleeding wound on the critter. Otherwise similar
to Blood Burst.
Mind Jolt: Causes a short duration stun the length of which is determined by
the amount the targets CS roll was failed by. Not as good as the spirit
circle stun spell in which the duration is level based (X seconds per level),
but costs much less mana to use, so the spells are balanced.
Eye Spy: A good spell for it's mana expenditure. It is the closest thing a
sorcerer gets to the Wizard's Call Familiar spell. It is very limited in it's
abilities, but can be used to cast the level 17 Evil Eye Spell at range.
Remember to always have the eye return to you before the spell duration wears
off or you'll have a missing eye and be in a 10 round stun!
Pain Infliction: Causes a temporary, non-cumulative, 25% Health Point loss in
the target. The Health Point loss lasts about two minutes.
Quake: An Illusion of an earthquake. Gets random knock downs as critters
loose their balance. Good for role playing and little else as it is too
unreliable in it's outcome to use reliably against critters. You also don't
see a message saying falls, thus further degrading its usefulness.
I've never found this spell to be an asset.
Energy Maelstrom: Effects everything in the room except the caster and his or
her group. Causes lots of short stuns and some Health Point loss. It will get
a death crit every now and then. This spell is useful if you want to clear
out a room as most critters (but not all) will run away from this spell.
There are two possible things that might happen to this spell. Either it will
gain a targeted option, or it will be converted into a defensive spell
(loosing its ability to affect the entire room). In the proposed targeted
form, the energy storm engulfs a target and the spell then works as it does
now, except it only affects one critter. You will need the Spell Aiming skill
to hit with the targeted option if it ever gets implemented, which you will
have if you have been following my advice! In its proposed defensive form,
the energy storm rages around the caster and only affects critters trying to
engage him or her. So while no actual defensive bonus will be received by the
player, it will provide protection in other, more unpleasant (to the
critters) ways. Hopefully we will soon see what this spell evolves into.
Limb Disruption: Causes a level 3 bleeding wound. Otherwise similar to Blood
Burst.
Throes of Pain: Causes a permanent 25% loss of a critters currently existing
health points. The effect of repetitive casting is cumulative. However - the
25% loss is based on existing health points, so expect to see a diminishing
return on this spell's effectiveness.
Nightmare: A very good spell but expensive to use. It has very good role
playing potential. It is fun to see critters wail and weep at your feet. I
believe everyone should know what their worst nightmare is, but make sure
they have enough health points to survive the attack. Usually around 60 is
enough.
Life Burst: Unimplemented, uses Mana Sharing skill to convert a portion of
the casters spirit levels into an attack upon a target. May become something
else.
Curse: Actually several spells in one. The effect (type of curse) depends on
the caster's stance. Mana intensive but effective.
Disease: A visual treat. Can be quite effective if the target fails it's roll
by a substantial amount. Not for the weak of stomach. It can kill but it may
take some time to do so.
Evil Eye: Basically similar to the Fear spell used by many undead critters.
When cast at a fellow player character it can even send you running back to
the town gates :) It can be cast through an Eye Spy spell. On the down side,
you normally don't get to search the critters for loot with this spell - they
are too busy running away. Very good role playing potential here.
Torment: Will kill the target if it doesn't kill the caster first. A demonic
force attacks the target until the target makes a resistance roll, then the
force attacks the caster until he or she makes a resistance roll, and so on
back and forth until someone dies or the force get tired and leaves. It is
very hazardous to the casters health. The casters stance affects the critters
resistance to the demonic force, so be prepared to go into an offensive
stance to use effectively. This spell does not get the usage it once did
since it was changed into its current, more lethal form. Bottom line: it is
now very dangerous to the caster. Have a cleric in your group if you intend
to use it on a regular basis.
Dark Catalyst: This spell converts a portion of a targets mana into an attack
and sends some mana back to the caster as a bonus! The casters Mana Sharing
skill is a very important factor with this spell. Sorcerers can benefit from
having their Mana Sharing skill over 100. I consider this a sorcerer's
primary attack spell, once they've the mana to use it.
Implosion: A rift which sucks the air out of a several rooms doing terrible
things to anything and anyone not in the casters group. This spell may get
changed so that is will not harm other players. Try countering it with an
Airwall spell (spell #102) should you encounter one. Actually, some of the
best coding for this spell occurs should a player character get sucked in to
his or her doom. You should try to experience it once. This spell will most
likely gain a "targeting" option. In the proposed targeted form, the spell
engulfs a target and then works as it does now, except it only affects one
critter. You will need the Spell Aiming skill to hit with the targeted option
if it ever gets implemented, which you will have if you have been following
my advice!
Necromancy: No one is saying much about what might appear in the 25th level
spell slot. All we can do is wait and watch. It may be a Necromancy spell.
Details are unknown. The only thing people are agreeing on is that Demonic
Summoning will be pushed back to the 50th level spell slot.
Demonic Banishing : Unimplemented, currently thought to be the 30th level
spell, this is the one you use to get rid of the demons that you have lost
control of before they hunt you down and ...
Demonic Summoning: Unimplemented, currently thought to be the 50th level
spell, will someday summon a demon. This creature is rumored to be hard to
control, so caster beware! Demons will hunt the caster down if you loose
control of them.
Part III Role Playing the Sorcerer
Remember that GemStone III does not use the concept of having a set alignment
with regards to good/evil, order/chaos. Some games, such as Dungeons and
Dragons, require you to choose an alignment and then force you to rigidly
adhere to it. GemStone III, like RoleMaster and various other game systems,
recognizes that character personalities (and human nature) are far to
complicated to be restricted in such a fashion. Rather, it is how you role-
play your character that will determine how you will be perceived in the game
by your fellow players.
The key to role-playing a characters personality is to be consistent. Stay in
character! If you have to discuss game mechanics or last weeks football game,
use whispers or find someplace private so you don't disrupt others!
Outstanding role-playing may even occasionally earn you an experience award
or such. If you are always in character the chances of getting noticed for
one of these awards goes up. Even if you never get an award, role-playing is
fun! People play this game to have fun, and it is difficult for those around
you to stay in character if you are trying to discuss out of character (OOC)
matters! Try to stay in character as best you can. Even when soloing.
As you decide on how to role-play your character, remember that GemStone III
is a family game with just about every age group represented. Please watch
the language, and recall that Player Vs Player (PvP) violence is frowned
upon. I have known of accounts who have been locked out of the game as a
result of abusive behavior. Always remember everyone is in this game to have
fun - and fun is not had at the expense of others!
In fact, most older players can only survive and advance by cooperating. The
game is designed that way on purpose, and you will save yourself much grief
if you accept this. Those players who want nothing but a PvP hack and slash
experience eventually give up on GemStone III and move on to other games. So
after the first few levels the trash leaves and things get better for the
players that remain. Just hang in there.
There are many approaches towards role-playing your character. Think of it as
acting. Some people need to generate a detailed character background before
they can act the part. Some just jump into the role with no preparation. Both
methods are correct. The important thing is to enjoy yourself!
One of the biggest hurdles to playing a sorcerer character is the large
amount of time that is spent soloing to advance levels. Young sorcerers make
lousy group hunters. This is due to the experience formula which gives the
most experience to the person who scores the most Health Point damage.
Sorcerers slowly whittle away at their prey, and simply can't keep up when
causing Health Point loss. Just read the descriptions of the bleeding spells
above if you need this point reinforced.
In my opinion, the inability to effectively participate in a group when young
is one of two reasons why most first time sorcerers reroll. I think of it as
a frustration factor. Sorcerers are very weak when young, and don't really
come of age until well past their 30th training or so. They are the last
class to mature into effective killing machines. Sorcerery, above all else,
requires patience.
The second reason, in my opinion, is that some folks desiring a PvP
environment think of sorcerers as ultimate killing machines. They see some
level 50 sorcerer do mean and terrible things to a level 1 critter during a
spell demonstration and go "Woah!". They eventually come to realize that
sorcerers are better against critters than other equivalently leveled
players, it is the way the spells are coded. Folks fitting into this category
tend to reroll as wizards once they understand the game mechanics behind the
spell systems, as wizards are more affective against other players than
sorcerers, given equivalent character levels. Eventually though, they get
disgusted over the non-PvP, cooperative nature of GemStone III and leave the
game (or get locked out for being abusive players). The game benefits from
their leaving. They are not missed.
Remember that not all sorcerers are evil. Several in the game are what would
be called "good". When I was faced with this choice, one late night in the
midst of a Jolt shortage, I found that this is were not having an alignment
system comes in handy. It occurred to me that one of the possible outcomes to
role-playing a "insane" evil sorcerer character is that he turns out to be
"good", and that this might be more fun to role-play than your traditional
good character routines.
I role-play a sorcerer character who is generally considered to have a few
screws loose by his friends . He is also
generally considered good by most of the folks he meets . Granted, he has
trouble finding hunting partners unless they've very strong stomachs, but
then I am a sorcerer . Some folks
after a hunt even refer to me as evil. Now not everyone should generate their
own version of Manny the Mad, besides - you'd have to get your own tickling
feather if you did, but it's one example of how a character can be played out
in non-traditional ways.
Occasionally I get approached on the issue of a formal apprenticeship, and
offer the following commentary:
First of all, you have to love to role-play. That means OOC concerns, game
mechanics, etc., are discussed only in whispers. I.e. asking what is CS out
loud will get you no answer. You must stay in character at all times
(obviously, except when talking with a GM on an assist about a technical
problem with the game, such things are not usually done in character).
Due to the manner the character is Role-played, I can't take on a formal
apprentice. I can offer to tutor (same effect, only the title in a role-
playing sense is different). In character, if you approached him looking for
a tutor, you'd might get a response similar too:
"You have a few things to learn. I expect you can learn them from me as well
as anyone else. I can't promise to teach you with any regularity - my life
isn't structured so - but I will finish what I start."
The rest is up to you!
Part IV Twilight Hall
>Look House
The tall shadowy-grey walls of the rune-carved fieldstone house rise towards
a shimmering dome that almost seems to glow with an internal light.
>
Welcome to Twilight Hall! The doors opened to the public on 8 November 1996
after almost 15 months of construction. I founded this house as a non-
political retreat for GemStone III role-players who happen to be dedicated to
the study of magic. To get in you must be of at least the fifth level of
training, pay a one time 20,000 silver coins lifetime membership fee, and
demonstrate your dedication to the study of magic by being able to cast at
least one spell without the aid of toys or societal powers.
Visit Twilight Hall (http://rivendell.fortunecity.com/tekken/856/Home.htm)
for details!
(
geocities.com/gshistory)