Hey everyone! I have a quick question for anyone reading this. I am still a newbie with the first Eschalon game, and as for a character, I made a rogue. I figured it would be fun to play. And as such, I allocated my skill points into abilities that would reflect a rogue build. It's been fun picking locks and sneaking around - so much fun! - but when it comes to combat encounters, I find I am always using a hit-and-run tactic because my character is always in a situation where when I am faced with more than one enemy, I have a very hard time succeeding. Also, I am a few quests into the game, currently I am in a cavern where hidden items are stashed in the surrounding rocks. And again, I need to defeat one enemy, run away, rest, go back and fight another enemy, run away, rest, etc. Can anyone give any advice into making my character more successful? It's been a little while since I have played - life has gotten in the way - and I would have little problem starting over. I just don't like to hit, run, rest, and repeat tactic that I have been forced into. If anyone has any advice or suggestion, I would love to hear about it! Thanks so much!

I've only played the game through once so I'm far from an expert, I did enjoy the entire series a lot though!

When I played, I chose a magic-user build (Elemental Magic) and I found the game quite easy. Although even then there was still a certain amount of running away to regenerate magic, but not after every single enemy.

From what I've read, to make the game easier you really need to focus your character build strongly on one form of combat, whatever that may be (in addition, archers are significantly less powerful than other characters).

So fighter and mage builds should be successful. Got it. If I want to make a rogue, for example, I should at least invest in a few melee skill points? It's a little disturbing that a successful character has to be melee or magical. :(

In regard to making a rogue/fighter character, how many points should go towards melee skills and how many should go to rogue skills? I am really eager to play Eschalon, but want to make sure I don't make the same mistake twice.

Unfortunately I cannot personally answer that question for you, when I played I maxed out Perception, Elemental Magic, and (to a lesser degree) Meditation. I didn't use melee or rogue skills at all.

Hopefully someone else will come by who can help you. In the meantime, this thread might be helpful:
https://www.gog.com/forum/eschalon_series/key_to_this_game_with_statsskills

Thanks so much for your help!

This a great game series enough so that I will regularly play all three still. Because of the way the game works I am a little unclear on where your unhappyness is coming from. When you say putting all your points into rogue skills are you increasing weapon skills at all? From your description you are about to meet enemies that seem impossible to hit if you haven't been upping a weapon skill it is a difficulty spike that always annoys me as well. As for rogue skills you shouldn't need to add to them every level as most are very effebtive even at moderate level although Skullduggery really sucks if you fail at it. As for having to fight one thing and then run away to come back it isn't all that uncommon in any of the games but try taking 1 step away from you enemy after your first attavk and then skip your turn. Underground or at night pretty often the enemy will lose sight of you an not be able to attack. Consider adding a level of elemental and divination magic when you get to the trainers for the spell cats eyes and or predators sight which makes you much more effective fighting in the dark than your opponents.

The other thing is knowning what the stas do as it isn't super obvious. Strength adds to your health, damage with some weapons and to hit with some weapons. Dex ups your lock pick, to hit and defense. Endurance ups your health, all your resistances and is the only thing to keep you safe from curses. Speed ups your defense and either damage or to hit I don't remember. Intelligence ups your Skullduggery and resist elments. Perception ups your spot hidden and resist magic. Concentration ups your to hit and how much you can carry. For stat you get noticable benifits at multiples of 5 and 10.

If you want to play sneaky you can try skipping the rest of the cave you are in right now, I am assuming it is the giant bee one. Provided you have around 500 gold sneak and run past the bees to the next map to the left, sneak and run past some thugs one more map to the left and you will be at Blackwater, It costs money to get in and then you can train a level of Divination and get a heal scroll the heal spell makes attrition combat less boring. As you get money add spells, 1 level of Elemental magic and finally 5 levels of a weapon skill, probably swords as I believe axe and bludgeon get more from strength. Keep an eye out for books in merchant shops if they cost around 100 gold they will add a skill or up one you have by 2. So without spending any skill popints you can get a weapon skill to 7 which will probably still be low enough to be frustrating but does let you up all the skills you are more interested in.

Specifc advice can be found at the Basilisk Games web site as I didn't think you where looking for spoilers or power builds