As stated, what would happen with a level 50 Human Fighter with maxed Vitality? I'm assuming that Hit Points would be around 500 or so. This is obscene, as nobody will ever get to level 50 normally. Said character would (if built correctly), have maxed all but Intelligence (74, as Powercast is the one expert skill that doesn't help a Fighter).

Better: Make the character a Dwarf. This gives you some extra damage resistance, which *stacks* with Iron Skin, allowing you to take even more of a beating.

Now just add Body of Stone, at a high enough power level, and you can now reach 100% Damage Resistance. Now you're outright immune to physical attacks, and to status aliments caused by physical attacks. Now the only things that can hurt you are spells and special attacks, and HP damage from those sources isn't significant (aside from enemy use of Crush or similar spells, but you do have enough HP to survive those with this build).

Some other classes to do this on:
* Bard: There's a piece of Bard exclusive equipment that boosts Iron Skin. So, as a Bard you can get even *more* damage resistance.
* Monk: Monks get innate damage resistance, which *stacks* with other sources. This means you'll take even less damage from attacks targeted at you. The catch with this build is the Stealth skill, which can't be turned off, and for this build you would ideally want to turn it off if you could. Also, this is an apprentice build.
* Bishop (or Alchemist): You get the Vitality (and hence damage resistance), *and* you can cast Body of Stone on yourself. Lower HP than the above options, but once you have 100% DR, you don't really need it. For dealing with spells, Realm skills boost resistances, and Intelligence (because Power Cast makes sense for this build) boosts Mental resistance.

By the way, one catch with this build, particularly the Fighter version: PL7 Restoration won't be enough for a full heal, as I'm pretty sure you'd have more than 350 HP by this point. (A level 50 Fighter with 50 Vitality already has 459 HP according to my calculations; more Vitality increases this number further.)

Although, one thing I'm wondering: Can such a character survive a fall from Trynton?

For the optimal Fighter build, I already detailed it. Hobbit 1st, Lizardman 2nd, 3rd place goes to Dracon, Human, Mook. A distant 4th place goes to Dwarf (poor Speed and Senses).

As far as I know, an Alchemy caster, with 100 Powercast, can give a character, enchanted by power level 7 Body of Stone, 100% damage resistance (This is assuming that the target also maxed Iron Skin; 30% + 70%).

When I built my Bard last party, I went for bad@$$ery. I got both my Bard and Gadgeteer *Light Swords* and *Light Shields*. They also farmed upper and lower Divinemail, increasing their Vitality (and hit points, stamina, and carry capacity).

A fall from the Lower Monastery near the Wheel Key room, or a fall from Trynton, will most certainly result in a party wipe. I wouldn't use this as a metric.

I'm still wondering whether it's possible to survive the fall from Trynton without a Valkyrie.

By the way, this topic is what gave me the idea for the one I just made.

Let's be honest: You need a diversified party, able to handle the conflicts. You need melee, ranged, and magic combat abilities to be at least average. Melee for bosses, ranged for Ascension Peak, and magic to get you there.

I've often used that fall near the moving bridge, and survived. I do wonder how fall damage is determined in Wiz8. I know some games have a kill floor in their formulae, such that over a certain height: instant death. I know Hexen works this way.

I'm certain that the game can be completed without ranged or magical damage. Just more tedious is all.

Donkey Kong does this, and it's rather infuriating, to be honest. I heard that Spelunker also does this.

(Note: I'm referring to the old arcade games, not to anything semi-modern.)

Ah, now that brings back memories. I adored Spelunker HD. I wouldn't mind a new "tactical dying action" game to sink my teeth into.

Well, if you're assuming that one wants to 100% the game, completing all quests, there is that one quest in Arnika where you have to fall from the tunnel, from the Jail to the Main Bank Vault (I do this with Myles so that he feels validated, and will stop complaining about it when I dismiss him). This doesn't do much damage (a quick Heal All will fix this).

The fall from the missing railing in the Lower Monastery, near the Wheel Key room, may kill a few low-level party members, but a decent level party may survive.

The fall from Trynton, I wouldn't bet on even the Fighter surviving that one. Even if the Valkyrie was the only survivor, who is to say that Battering Hogars won't be waiting for her?

A melee-only party is do-able, but extremely tedious, as you have to run up to enemies, wasting your turns, while enemies get free shots on you. Certain ranged-only enemies will also retreat if you attempt to melee them, so it's hopeless at times.

A good party will want the AOE of magic, the versatility of range, and the brute force of melee.

FWIW, a human character at level 54 will have maxed scores in all stats. Assuming you used the fountain to get +5 INT. A bit longer for other races.

FYI A level 50 fighter with 100 VIT will have 643 HP. If you get it to 125 somehow it will be 734.

As far as I know, a level 50 Human Fighter would have (carefully placed) stats of everything maxed except Intelligence, which would be at 74. How would you get above level 50?

Let's be honest: The Fighter class has the highest hit points in the game. They won't be threatened by melee or ranged attacks, and should be protected by buff spells and Guardian Angel. They don't need the hit points of a Hogar.

Unless you're worried about status ailments, or your Fighter has managed to reach low HP and the character free happens to be a Gadgeteer (or otherwise knows Guardian Angel without Heal Wounds), you really don't need protection spells on your Fighter; target someone else instead.
Keep in mind that, even given maxed skills and Power Cast on the healer, you can't restore more than an average of 270 of those points with a reliably castable spell (Restoration PL6, as PL7 can't be used reliably)

Incidentally, reducing the cost of Restoration by 1 point, to 15, would allow Priests (but not other divine casters) to use Restoration PL7 reliably, and give Priests something for high levels that other classes don't get. (You'd need max Divinity and Divine Magic, but keep in mind that Priests should be using those two skills constantly anyway.)

Hmm... let me check my math again...

All your stats maxed requires a total stats of 695 because that includes the +5 INT. 700 if you didn't bother with the fountain for some reason.

A human character starts with (45*7)+60 stat points, so 375.

695-375=320. That means you need a total of 320 stat points of increases to get everything maxed.

You get 6 points each level up, so 320/6=53.333 so 54 levels.

Actually, this is not quite correct... you need 54 level increases so you would be level 55.

Other races would be 2 or 3 levels behind.

Mind you, you would need to increase your stats in a pattern that made sure that you never got stuck with only one stat to increase because then you get to only 3 increase points per level instead of 6. I think. Never got a character to that point so I'm not sure if that rule holds if you have 6 stats at 100. But probably. If you weren't aiming for this and had to spend a while increasing only one stat then it would take longer. So I guess I ought to say that this is the earliest you could get all stats to 100.

Another reason I don't play fighters any more. They are too good at one thing and next to useless at anything else.

Yeah, I agree with that. If you are actually level 50 you will have leveled out of most monster spawn tables anyway, so status effects that actually stick to your characters should be really rare at this point since nothing will be matching your level.

But a guy with 600 HP can be paralyzed and have a bunch of monsters whaling on him and still not need to worry too much. Taking double damage from attacks? So what? In my mind the point of making a guy with that much HP is so once in a while he can be the guy that buys time for the rest of your guys by just standing in front.

But what if that character (who, remember, might not be a guy) is instead drained, diseased, or instantly killed? Those statuses are more of a problem to deal with. (Remember that disease can cause permanent stat loss.)

Hey, I'm not saying it's a perfect plan.

I wouldn't be too worried about disease or drain because it's not much of a problem as long as you take care of it quickly after the fight. I am normally drowning in renewal potions and cure disease potions so by the time I face these enemies I typically have a potion reserve even if I can't cast the required spell yet.

Instant Kill is a problem, but that's a problem for anyone.

My point is that there is a reason for trying this strategy.