I have a problem with the "levitate" spell: as soon as I use it, I cannot float in the air, only move forward and backward. It is really frustrating, as I wanted to check the ice caves.
Is there a bug or am I doing something wrong?

If you're wanting to be able to move up and down while levitating, the spell doesn't do that. It only works for crossing gaps, so you have to find a high place to start from. Try standing on one of the stalagmites to get a little higher. You can also slide up slopes while levitating, if they aren't very steep.
There are also a (very) few places where levitation just won't work (the spell fizzles and nothing happens). Some of the wooden platforms on level 4 are like this. If this is what's happening, try casting in a slightly different place. I haven't experienced this in that area though.
And if neither of those is the case, you may have discovered a new species of bug. Lucky you :P
(argh! Ninja'd by Judas!)

Sorry dude.....I didn't know there was anyone else browsing the Arx forum hehehe.

"If you're wanting to be able to move up and down while levitating, the spell doesn't do that. It only works for crossing gaps, so you have to find a high place to start from."
OK, I had a suspicion that it might work just like that. Strange spell in a strange game, but I'm enjoying it anyway.
Thanks for help!

No problem.

The likely most useful place to cast levitate in the game is in the goblin fortress (the one with the chief locked in the throne room). That fortress has quite a bit of treasure hidden if I well remember.

There's the treasury, but you don't need levitate to get there. You can just open the door (if you pickpocketed the key, or killed the guards). Or use the secret passage.
There's the bridge the Fridd rune is on, but I didn't think it lead anywhere. Solid walls at both ends. Telekinesis works just as well for that, if you've got the runes for it, or have a scroll to spare.

Or you can just jump from the catwalk you're on and grab the ruin in mid air. Just hold down the left mouse button and move your cursor up and down when you get close. If you're moving your mouse while you have the button held down it'll automatically pick it up when you target it. Just make sure you're moving your mouse or it won't work.

Just a rune? Thought there was more there. I played it long ago, don't remember so well... and... yes, there telekinesis, I'd forgotten that too... ;P
About jumping and taking it, that's probably cheating! ;D
Good to see so many people still playing it. I thought no one played Arx Fatalis. No one certainly played it down here in Brasil (except me that is).

Holy wah! I'm glad I found these posts because I've been wondering for weeks what I've been doing wrong with levitate. Many thanks.

The truth is that levitate will allow you to move upward (VERY SLOWLY) but it will not allow you to move down to my knowledge, I haven't tried the GOG version yet, but if you hold the jump button down you will slowly begin to rise upward. (Possible glitch?) just keep in mind that you will not be able to get back down without canceling the spell which can ruin your day with the fall damage. Again this was the steam version (Getting the GOG to see if it resolves an uber slow interface.) so it may be a bug, all I know is that I used it near the troll artist to get to the ice looking cave (Prematurely) where there were a few interesting items. I'm not sure on the exact details, It was more that I was stuck with my hands on a levitate scroll (Object thing) and found myself touching the ceiling after holding down jump for a full minute. (At least that's what it felt like.) It could also be that the 'bob' effect doesn't go all the way down so you end up slowly rising up because of it, but I don't know. I'm no expert.

And what about the ridge in front of the human outpost? There's what looks like a scroll and some blue thingy which I'm trying to get but apparently I can't get past the walls despite casting Levitate (even when I get a little higher by jumping from the stairs railing onto the wall of the room behind). How'd you get these?



EDIT: and I finally got my answer: use Telekinesis when you get it!