Hey Arcanum-Fans!

I purchased Arcanum a while ago but never really got into it due to the UI and Combat system.

I would like to avoid being forced into playing a specific class or race because of its difficulty, since I want to play it as a role-playing game.

Can anybody tell me how I can get the best out of the game without being frustrated by these two factors?

I had a bit of trouble getting into it at first as well, due primarily to the nature of the combat. In fact, I just bought the GOG.com version since they were running it cheap, and am still having a bit of trouble getting past the early parts. Still, I'm doggedly persistent because I just know the story is one that I could fall in love with. So here are a few things I've started doing that are making it a bit easier, and hopefully they'll help you out too:

-When making a character, stick to tech or magic, don't try to mix them. The manual tells us that if a character has a high technical aptitude, then any spells or magical items used by that character will be considerably less powerful and much more prone to critical failures. The same is true of the converse (magical character using tech items).

-DEFINITELY switch to turn-based combat. It's much easier to control, especially if you're like me and like to be tactical in games like these.

-Magic is apparently easier than tech if you're just starting out (but less interesting if you ask me; you can't conjure up a giant clockwork spider :P)

-There's an unofficial patch that is apparently highly recommended, as it fixes a lot of bugs, attends to some balancing issues, and unlocks some content or other. I can't speak for it, as I just downloaded it and haven't installed it yet, but it has apparently helped a lot of people with their experience with the game.

-Lastly, SAVE COMPULSIVELY. I'm really terrible at saving games, and Arcanum is absolutely punishing me for it. Every time you finish a combat, go into a new area, or get ready to open the world map, save your game. In fact, do it more often than that. Make it a habit. EDIT: The F7 key is the auto-save key. It is now your best friend.

Hope this helps you out. If you come up with your own solutions, I'd love to hear them from you too!

Thank you so much for your help!

I am downloading the patch right now and will definitely try playing Arcanum again.
I already made my character, but since I haven't skilled him on either Technology or Magic yet... (except for making him a herbalist, he is pretty much a normal guy with a Sabre, lol).

Don't worry about what people say about builds. You can take advice (Like pick a magic or tech class) but pay no heed to people that say the game has to be played a certain way.

Just explore the world and have fun. It is a great game and deserves to be experienced and not blown through.

What deejrandom said. Part of what's so awesome about Arcanum is how you can play so many different types of characters. Also, mixing tech and magic is definitely possible (I did this with a primarily melee fighter and it worked great) but it is probably a little harder than picking one or the other.

One warning, however: fairly early on in the main plot you will be sent to a certain dungeon. This dungeon is annoying. REALLY annoying. You will probably have to strategically retreat to town a lot before you can finish it. But stick with it! The game gets much better after that and there are no more parts that are nearly as annoying as that. Also, once that bit is done the plot starts to get much more interesting too. The plot ends up being one of the strongest aspects of the game; it's really good.

I am having a blast replaying it, Arcanum is one of my all time favorite games, but it can be very frustrating. Like other posters have said, save a lot. It's easy to suddenly find yourself in way over your head, and it's equally easy to get so engrossed that an hour or two can go by and you forget to save. Especially when travelling via the world map, some of those random encounters are real tough.

Make sure you have an effective AOE damage dealer early on. I play tech characters, and the Molotov cocktails are excellent for softening up a group of bad guys. Stuns and knockbacks can make all the difference when fighting stuff a few levels higher than you are.

Don't spread yourself too thin on your skill points in the early part of the game, concentrate on areas that either help you do more damage to mobs or take less damage to your character. Put a point or two into dodge, and a point into melee for when you have to get up close and personal with the bad guys.