Running T/C/S/M. Presently using a Locksmith NPC for +6 Disarm. I just went to 4-skill expert Disarm, for a total of 10. What I am wanting to know is if the Locksmith bonus applies before or after the expert-level bonus ("double effect of skill") is applied. I could not find the answer on Greyface.

As far as I know, NPC bonus get applied last, on top of what you already have. So the +6 doesn't get a bonus from your Expert Disarm.

Thanks, that's kind of what I had thought.

Of course, I'm up to Master 7 now, so after the Haunted Mansion (just to be on the safe side), I can probably ditch the Locksmith.

If you're at master, then yeah, go ahead and dump the locksmith.

Oops ... forgot to do that after the Haunted Mansion, so now I'm in the Barrows with a Locksmith I no longer need. :( Oh, well ... maybe I'll remember to trade her in when I get back.

You can dump an NPC hireling whenever you feel like it (so they'll no longer be taking your money), though you have to be in a town area to find a new one to hire. If you aren't close to done with the Barrows, then you can make a quick trip to Dwarf City to pick up a replacement. If you're close to done with the Barrows, then dump the hireling and just finish the Barrows before heading over to Dwarf City.

I was at the beginning and didn't think to dump before going in. I traded in for an Expert Healer. (I don't want a Master Healer ... some bug has tended to cause use of of a MH to eliminate all my armor skills. Plus, they're more expensive.)

That works.

Personally, I'd take an Instructor for the extra XP (unless you already have one, in which case I'd take a Teacher), since you've already got a cleric for healing. Your game though, so do what makes you feel comfortable.

I have a scholar already for the extra XP and the ID. My cleric is not that strong, yet. I really had trouble trying to decide what to take. If I can find a water master, though, I'll take one after I go for Wromthrax, because I don't have Water Walk yet.

I use potions to fill that healing gap, or back off and rest if necessary. Also, I use a lot of arrows, especially early (like in the Barrows), backing up while shooting until I run out of room to back up.

A scholar is an excellent hireling. The XP bonus stacks with a Teacher or an Instructor. :)

I suggest only getting the hirelings that provide Water Walk, Fly, or Town Portal when you have a specific task for them (like "Time to collect the golem part on the islands in Avlee"). They take a LOT of gold and you rarely need what they provide.

That is pretty much how I use those Water Walk/Fly/Town Portal guys, if at all. I took the XP Healer to help kill Wromthrax (though I ended up not having to use it). I'm considering getting a Water Walk guy just to get the pirate map, since I don't have the spell yet, and don't want to have to come back for it. I did also make sure to get bows skill early on for long-distance stuff against weak enemies like in the Barrows. Once I get the pirate map in Tatalia, I would move on to replace the Water Walk guy (or whatever) with something else, I'll decide later.

Sounds good!

It's enough for most traps, however you'll need Master +10 for places like Clanker's Lab. I wouldn't go up to 10, though, since in the later stages of the game you can tank every trap in the game, so the skillpoints aren't worth to be put into GM Disarm for anything else than convience.



Also, you're very likely to find +Disarm equipment on your journey, that will also allow you to save the skillpoints for GM Disarm.

Master level 7 is not enough to disarm traps in the Haunted Mansion. You need master level 9 in there. Traps in this game have really high minimum disarm levels. I always carry a thief and get him or her to master disarm level 10 before advancing anything else. Otherwise, the constantly blowing up traps just get really annoying.

I like to bring a Burglar along to raid the haunted mansion; a nice boost to Disarm Trap, and it's free. Of course, they steal a ton of money, so you have to remember not to actually _collect_ your hard-earned loot until you've already disarmed all the traps and dismissed the Burglar!