Hello there. I have few questions for you, i would be very grateful for your answers.

I'm playing Arcanum just for first time now, i read all topics in this forum, and it was really helpful, so thank you for you willingness to help beginners.

To my questions:

First of all: I'm now playing elf woman mage, now lvl 21 with 3 points in expert persuasion, all other points are in Wisdom, Charisma, Intelligence and spells. I have Virgil, the Ogre and the Dog in my party.

1. In Force college there is Force Wall (or something like that, third spell in college, and there are alternatives to this in other schools), I don't know if its bugged or what should i expect from this spell. When I use it, enemies go right through it, without any damage or penalty or anything. So my Question is: What does this spell anyways?

2. In Conveyance college, the second (or third?) spell is Unseen Force, which should throw away the enemy target, and inflict damage if enemy hits some solid object. Again, when i cast it, the enemy is not thrown anywhere and doesn't receive any damage either. What am I doing wrong please?

3 If I will play it again, I want to be dwarf technocrat with gun. With very low charisma. My question is, is this game playable with just my own character or do I need another characters in my party? Will I gain more XP if I will be just by myself (will I level faster)? Especially if I'm going to play gunman.

4. Please can you tell me where can I find Beauty medallion for madam Lil? I can't find it anywhere.

5. Can you tell me where can I find some good merchant who will buy virtually everything? I found one in Tarant's docks, but he does not have money anymore.

6. Is there any better armor for mage then dreud armor (or what's his name)? I don't like that I have to switch between my lame dress and this armor in order to be not call barbarian. I want to kill people for calling me that:/

Thank you for your answers.

I don't know what to think about Arcanum just yet. I like the fallout like possibilities of character development. I like that it's situated in steampunk world. But there is just not enough talking with NPCs (and I need a load of talking in good RPG). There is not enough quests. The map is really shitty (and there is no mini map), the traveling is shitty, inventory management is nightmare even with latest both official and unofficial patches. So basicly, the story will determine if I will like this game:/

Both of these sound like bugs in the spells. For the Force wall are you using turn-based combat? Maybe in turn-based the force wall only inflicts damage when an enemy ends their turn in the force wall rather than when they cross it? You could try in real time to see what happens then. The game is definitely playable with just the PC - it will be more difficult sometimes and you won't have as much carry space, but I've done it a bunch of times. I think you do gain XP slightly faster if you don't have a party, but I can't remember exactly. The easiest place (if you are a thief type character - or don't care about killing some people) is the wife of the General Storekeeper in Blackroot. She wears a Medallion of Beauty. She is often out walking around Blackroot (but sometimes she gets stuck when she gets out of bed and so you can't find her). The easiest way is to pickpocket her when she is asleep. He is the best at actually buying everything - though his prices are low sometimes. If you he needs more money though (and you can do this with any merchant) you have to go far enough away from him so that you can't see him on the screen and then wait a day. Probably the best mage armor is an Arcane Robe (or Arcane Chain/Platemail if you are strong enough). You can find it randomly in dungeons, or go to the Wish Women and check them enough.

thank you very much my lord

and another question: to find out all locations on the world I just have to walk around the world map a lot? Or they will be shown by other characters in the game?

thank you

It is supposed to block narrow passages. Most tough monsters are meleers. Block them off and use ranged/area attacks. "Alternatives" just suck. Third. It is supposed to work like that, yes. You're casting Unseen Force. Teleport is awesome, Unlocking Cantrip is omgwtfbbq overpowered, Disarm is highly situational, Unseen Force and Spatial Distortion suck.
Here's a good guide to spells:
http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=4136 Even CH 1 provides one follower, and Dog is free. XP is granted for quests, kills and your personal successful hits. It is not divided among followers D&D-style.
You'll need a healer, which is why I recommend Jayna Stiles - healing takes combat time which is better spent landing XP-granting hits. (Of course, a solo run is possible.)
General gunman advice: don't make guns unless you really want to. In random drops and on women. Gamebanshee suggests trying the Tarant sewers, the lair of Bellerogrim, and the women dressed in blue in Tarant and Black Root. But it's her last quest, you're not missing on much if you never find it. Ristezze in Shrounded Hills. Junk dealers in cities. Note that "merchants who buy everything" pay very little. Richard Leeks in Stillwater buys less than a junk dealer but gives good prices.

Note: If you hate the process of selling loot but do it for the money, just rob shops, it's easy with a mage. Caladon Crusading Chain. There are better dresses, too (Sunday's Best - near Caladon in a chest, Enchanted Gown - worn by a woman in Black Root). Before CCC, I wear Elven Chainmail if I fight in close combat and purple robes if I don't for RP reasons. My main complaint is that they made a player-intention-to-character-action translation puzzle out of talking which makes me feel at times like my mouth is sewn. *shudder* Realistically, there's enough quests. From a fan's point of view, "arrrggh why that awesome game had to end, I'd have gladly played it forever", and "this location is really neat, I wish there was more to do". It's just an overland map, there's nothing particularly shitty about it compared to other overland maps. Save early, save often, name your saves. Nothing kills enthusiasm as effectively as having to replay a botched game.

Well I don't have pick pocketing skill, so I can only kill those women:( Yeah I checked that out on gamebanshee and I was in the sewers but I didn't find the medallion. I killed few bandits there, I don't know if that was the Bellerogrim, but if I'm not completely blind I didn't miss out anything in those sewers. Well, I don't know if it's a bug, or Lil gives quests in random order, but the medallion one is just second quest for me. How can i rob shops please?:P I don't think that my game is botched:) I just miss some elements which I need in good RPG. Bud if the Arcanum has great story, then I will like the game:)


Thank you for everything

Some are shown by other characters, others are mentioned but not marked, some you're supposed to uncover by walking from one place to another, some are plain hidden.
There's a map an Gamebanshee.

The list (SNAPE KILLS TRINITY WITH ROSEBUD):
Cities
Ashbury (505W, 978S) - train, I forget who marks it
Black Root (1097W, 1442S) - train, quest in Dernholm
Caladon (1605W, 1828S) - main quest
Dernholm (1236W, 1653S) - train, quest in Shrouded Hills
Qintarra (1545W, 658S) - two plot npcs in SH and Stillwater
Roseborough (1750W, 1516S) - main quest
Shrouded Hills (1409W, 1317S) - main quest
Stillwater (1189W, 755S) - main quest
Tarant (972W, 1029S) - main quest

Quest locations
A Lair of Gyr Dolours (1182W, 1583S) - Melee Mastery, empty if you're not doing the quest
A Mysterious Location (1586W, 1816S) - Prowl Mastery
Arbalah's House (1451W, 1304S) - npc in Crash Site
Boat Landing on Thanatos (628W, 1594S) - sailing to Thanatos
Dungeon of the Dragon Pool (993W, 790S) - npc in Ancient Temple
Elven Ruins (711W, 1023S) - Cassandra Pettibone in Tarant
Falcon's Ache (1627W, 565S) - Raven in Qintarra
Half-ogre Island (923W, 1698S) - Arthur Tyron in Caladon
Isle of Despair (323W, 877S) - main quest
K'na Tha (1435W, 616S) - Throwing Mastery
Kree (636W, 1204S) - Tarant Thieves Underground; traveling from Stringy Pete's Treasure to Williamson Homestead
Lethe Wyvern Sighting (1580W, 1010S) - Roseborough
Liam's Workshop (1179W, 1466S) - Black Root
Mysterious Ruins of the Wastes (474W, 694S) - npc at Gateway to the Wastes
Nasrudin's Resting Place (722W, 1892S) - Thanatos
Razors Pointe (1505W, 1772S) - quest in Caladon and Black Root, but I think no one marks the actual location
Ruins of Szabo (1028W, 1325S) - Bow Mastery
Secret Entrance to the Iron Clan (1514W, 1185S) - book in Caladon
Shades Beach (346W, 827S) - IoD settlement
Simon Fahrkus' Shack (1450W, 1325S) - npc in Crash Site
Stonecutter Clan (1344W, 886S) - npc in Wheel Clan
Stringy Pete's Cove (682W, 1341S) - Black Root
Stringy Pete's Treasure (807W, 1341S) - Stringy Pete's Cove
The Bangellian Deeps (1180W, 289S) - Stringy Pete's Cove
The Bedokaan Village (1180W, 315S) - Qintarra
The Black Mountain Mines (1308W, 955S) - Gilbert Bates
The Castle S'nel N'fa (1385W, 643S) - Spot Trap Mastery
The House of Maximillian (320W, 838S) - IoD settlement
The Pit of Fires (1365W, 937S) - Caladon
The Place of Lost Voices (1321W, 830S) - Tarant, via Wheel Clan quest
The Poachers' Camp (1205W, 277S) - Bedokaan Village
The Ruby Glade (794W, 211S) - Stillwater
The Williamson Homestead (509W, 1114S) - Stringy Pete's Cove
The Women's Camp (268W, 824S) - IoD settlement
Thieves' Cave (1550W, 1536S) - Roseborough
T'sen-Ang (1506W, 297S) - Roseborough
Torin Quarry (1419W, 1101S) - Vooriden
Vendigroth Ruins (308W, 587S) - Tulla, Dark Elf Camp
Vooriden (871W, 1193S) - Ashbury

Other Notable Locations
Ancient Maze (1367W, 1585S) - ?
Ancient Ruins (1755W, 1480S) - ?
Ancient Shipwreck (499W, 892S) - rumor in Ashbury, I think it's not marked, only hinted at
Ancient Temple (776W, 920S) - rumor in Ashbury, marked
The Bog (1075W, 515S) - ?
Bolo's Altar (1626W, 1636S) - on the way from somewhere to somewhere, I usually force it
Broken Cathedral (1627W, 1207S) - ?
Crash Site (1452W, 1292S) - starting location, duh
Dark Elf Camp (345W, 650S) - K'an Hua in Caladon
Forbidden Pit (831W, 1033S) - on the way from Tarant to Elven Ruins
Gateway to the Wastes (466W, 742S) - Nasrudin's Resting Place
Gorgoth Pass (1500W, 1443S) - rumor in Caladon, not marked
Hardin's Pass (1288W, 714S) - see Qintarra
Kerlin's Altar (882W, 423S) - on the way from (I think) Bedokaan Village to Strange Pond
Land Bridge (720W, 1886S) - Boat Landing on Thanatos
Old Blind Master's House (750W, 556S) - actually secret
Old Lagoon (1695W, 1319S) - ?
Secret Village (1320W, 181S) - actually secret
Small Camp (1261W, 479S) - ?
Small Pond (1595W, 882S) - ?
Strange Ceremony (1373W, 706S) - on the way from Hardin's Pass to Qintarra
Strange Pond (618W, 528S) - Ashbury rumor, they tell the exact coordinates but not mark it.
The Cold Place (1611W, 1415S) - ?
The Fan Graveyard (1060W, 809S) - actually secret
The Lair of Bellerogrim (769W, 839S) - Tarant
The Lair of Bogaroth (640W, 1765S) - Nasrudin's Resting Place
Torg's Altar (1215W, 1139S) - on the way from Shrounded Hills to Tarant
Uncharted Cave (1048W, 695S) - ?
Village of the Ashlag Tribe (744W, 1702S) - Boat Landing on Thanatos
Vollinger's Meeting Place (1230W, 982S) - Vollinger at a point during the main quest (conditional)
Wheel Clan (953W, 668S) - Isle of Despair
Wolf Cave (1230W, 1530S) - ?

Everyone has the pickpocketing ability, though. Stealing large wielded items from awake people is hard. Stealing small inventory items from sleepers is easy. Anyway, Lil's quests are not plot-critical.

For other items, there are always fate points. Two things I'd steal are the ring of influence (Grant's Tavern, Tarant) and the dress in Black Root. Enter a shop. Wait until the shopkeeper goes to sleep. Unlock the back room door. Wait until the shopkeeper wakes up and enters the shop proper. Enter the back room. Unlock the chest. Steal stuff. Rinse and repeat (the door will stay open from now on).

Note: The magick shop in Tarant is guarded. I heard it's possible to kill the guard monster with Disintegrate and no one will mind, but by the time you have Disintegrate you will have enough money. I mean, even the awesomest story in the world can be ruined by a save/load screw-up. Say, you receive a curse or fail to pick a pocket, decide to quickload the game and press F7 accidentally. "Hi Mr. Radcliffe, nice to meet you once again". That sucks, especially if you were happy with all your decisions and now have to repeat them click for click. Planescape: Torment is often considered the best RPG ever, but replaying the first third of it over and over due to a script glitch nearly drove me mad.

Crap, I didn't know that everybody can pick pockets! I thought that I have to invest some CP to the skill. What a noob:/ I completely forgot about those fate points, even though i read about it in manual. Thank you for reminding me. It looks like exploiting to me:P I don't know if I want to do that, I have 14k gold, and dread armor, don't know if that's a lot or nothing but I think i can manage. But thanks anyway. Ah, well I save often so don't worry about that:) I finished Planescape: Torment just last week and I played the first (the mortuary) location like 5times, over and over again because I had technical difficulties:D I wasn't exactly happy about game mechanics in the game (I started "hate" DnD rules and point and click gameplay some time ago, and now I'm worried that I will not enjoy BG or NWN when I'll play it again:/) but the original ideas, the world and the story... they were incredibly great!

I don't rob shops with this exploit, but it does come in handy during certain plot-critical quests (joining the Thieves' Underground, for instance, which is necessary to put Kree on the map).

14k at level 21 is very good. I had 11800.

It's mostly necessary if, say, you're a mage who is travelling with tech geeks who need certain material components to complete devices. For example, if you've got a party member who can make the awe-strikingly awesome Charged Ring, and no inventor or tech shop will let you buy there anymore because they're afraid your magical attunement will destroy their shops.
But yeah, totally an exploit.

As to Kree, I frequently stumble over Kree by accident. This is the first time I've ever played through and received Thieves' Underground quests, actually, and I rarely or never miss Kree.

*headdesk* Right. It's on the way from Stringy Pete's treasure to the Williamson homestead. Makes sense.