FrostElfGuard
09-13-2005, 08:09 PM
This guide is made up of things I've read, things I've been told, and things I figured out for myself.
Often, these are opinions. There are many ways to skin an onion, and Sacred UW is no exception.
Any contrsuctive comment or criticism is welcome. Save the other kind. :)
In the age of music videos, personal mp3 players, dvd rentals, file sharing, we want things quick...
and we want them now! So, the summary comes first:
Survive
Damage comes in four types: physical, fire, magic and poison.
Life leech runes (about 1/2 of vampiress runes are lifeleech) give you back 3% of damage dealt. Use 'em.
(Note: for most characters you will find vampire life leech runes dropping around char level 9)
Limit on toons
Your means to thrive is using your combat arts and spells or special abilities.
Hereafter these will be referred to as "things". :)
At the beginning, these things are VERY slow to regenerate.
You need one fast thing--to kill one opponent. (level 1)
Avoid groups of enemies till you have one slow thing.
You need one slow thing--to kill groups. (level 7)
Each toon has buffs--things that aid in defense. (Duration > regen...even at start)
Pick one buff to use...and have it on all the time. Learn how to play with it active.
When it runs out...disengage and run away. Come back when buff is on again.
Do what you can to speed up regen of the things you are using.
Skills and attributes both help.
Make sure you don't choose the wrong skills for your flavour of your character class.
Limits on toons
Regardless of character class, minimizing regeneration of combat arts
(aka fighting by sword/axe/bow) and spells (vampiress abilities, dark
elf traps, Wood Elf moon magic, all battlemage spells, dwarven
technology...) is key.
Combat: attribute Physical Regeneration, skill Concentration, +x%
Regenerate Special Move, + X Lore
Spell: (BM Water) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation,
skill Water Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Spell: (BM Fire) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill
Fire Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Spell: (BM Earth) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation,
skill Earth Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Spell: (BM Air) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill
Air Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Trap: (DE) attribute Physical Regeneration, skill Ballistics, skill
Trap Lore, +x% Regenerate Special Move,
Vampiress abilities: (V) skill Vampirism,
Spell (Sera) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill
Magic Lore, +x% Spell Regeneration, skill Heavenly Magic
Spell (WE) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill Magic
Lore, +x% Spell Regeneration, skill Moon Magic
Basically, the short form is: Your level will limit how many viable
points you can put in a skill. Equipment can boost the skill above
this limit.
Best to increase each portion as much as you can. Smaller regen=more
frequent use.
Most characters have a LORE skill, which boost damage and reduces regen
time. In the case of combat there are many lores:
Axe Lore, Sword Lore, Ranged Combat, Unarmed Combat, Blade Combat (DE
only), Long Handled Weapons Lore.
Some of these skill conflict with Duel Wield. Whichever gives the best
bonus is used by the game.
Note: many lores are very specific in what aspect they speed up. If
using another aspect, the wrong lore speed/damage bonus will not be
applied.
Also, many classes can use Dual Wield Skill.
Three timers. Use 'em all. At least at the start!
At the start, most characters are given two rune-based abilities on
different timers.
Eg: WE: hard hit, and Recuperation. First is a combat art, second is
Moon Magic.
The WE has three timers: Combination, Combat arts and Moon Magic
(spells).
At the start, each of these will regenerate very slowly. Therefore,
you should try to use each timer in turn--for maximized playability.
Strength vs weakness
Four kinds of damage in the game: physical, fire, magic and poison.
Using your strength against an enemies weakness will kill the enemy
quickly and efficiently.
Eg: goblins and orcs are resistant to fire and physical. Use poison
and magic to kill them.
So when fighting goblins and orcs, use armor with physical and fire
resistance. Your toon will complain if damaged excessively
by one of these kinds of damage. Listen to it.
undead weakness: fire, magic
goblins weakness: magic, poison
frost giants weakness: poison (and possibly physical or fire?)
Monster strengths:
physical,fire,magic,posion resistance + damage
flight
ranged attacks (bows & crossbows, and magic spells)
immbolization (nasty when combined with Giant Spider or Dragon)
dragon fire (and Meteor Storm in UW)
melee attack
speed
dodge pattern of movement (sakarra priests and enemy battlemages)
Single vs Many opponents
If you are facing a single opponent, use a quick thing. If you are facing
many opponents, use a slow thing. Slow things usually have large areas of effect.
Position yourself so the monsters must cross your killing field. Keep moving.
This avoid archers and you can make them cross the killing field again.
If you find yourself running away a lot, invest in a horse (and bridle) or equipment
with the speed modifier...and avoid using equipment with higher level than your character.
You lose speed when using equipment with too high a level.
Lethal surprises
Crossing Zones
in MP: monster level has a cap in each area, in each level of difficulty. If a high level player
runs thorough, monsters will spawn at their level (capped by level cap). Also, in South
Desert (south of Porto Vallum)...just south of Urkenburough the area changes from level
12 cap to level 24 cap in bronze. The minimum level for monsters jumps to level 18. And
they appear in groups. So the difficulty level increases exponentially, with little warning.
Holding down the alt key will reveal a circle under monsters. Red means above your level,
orange at or near your level, yellow below that, green well below your level, and grey, sadly
weak compared to you. Groups of reds appearing where you were dealing with singles of orange
or green can be a lethal surprise.
Fireball
Fireball from a skeleton mage, mummy, battlemages, or sakkara priest. Fireball is the
BM's version of hard hit. Avoid fireballs.
Immobilization combined with boss
Petrification, Plant Cage by goblin shamans, dark elf priestesses, ice elves, mummies, and
battlemages when combined with a Giant Spider or a Dragon.
Dark elf combat kick and hard hit in Valley of Zhurag Nar. By the time you get to Zhurag Nar, you
probably have access to the split attribute. If an enemy is split when using hard hit aimed at you,
you get an exact copy...so two hard hits. If your defensive buff runs out at that point...it's over.
Mobbed and buff runs out
Most common form of death. You can't see clearly what is going on... your buff runs out and you die.
Can also occur if a large creature (like a Dragon or Giant Spider) is in front of your
character--you can't see if you buff has run out.
Out of health potions
If you rely on potions to constantly get you out of trouble...your toon will die when you run out.
If you need potions to survive, perhaps your playing at too hard a level in the game!!
Combos---a way to jump ahead
Concentration Potions (yellow) can be used to regenerate the combo timer instantly.
If you have a set of armor in your chest bought to maximize one of your things...you can
pay the combo master to put this super attack into a combo. Once the combo level is set
(paid for), you can take that armor off (putting it in your chest). The combo level will
remain very high.
For a BM the Ghost Meadow is a must. My BM has level 43 in GM (runes read), and level 104
GM combo (1X). That gives a much better spell regen rate and duration than level 43!
Often, these are opinions. There are many ways to skin an onion, and Sacred UW is no exception.
Any contrsuctive comment or criticism is welcome. Save the other kind. :)
In the age of music videos, personal mp3 players, dvd rentals, file sharing, we want things quick...
and we want them now! So, the summary comes first:
Survive
Damage comes in four types: physical, fire, magic and poison.
Life leech runes (about 1/2 of vampiress runes are lifeleech) give you back 3% of damage dealt. Use 'em.
(Note: for most characters you will find vampire life leech runes dropping around char level 9)
Limit on toons
Your means to thrive is using your combat arts and spells or special abilities.
Hereafter these will be referred to as "things". :)
At the beginning, these things are VERY slow to regenerate.
You need one fast thing--to kill one opponent. (level 1)
Avoid groups of enemies till you have one slow thing.
You need one slow thing--to kill groups. (level 7)
Each toon has buffs--things that aid in defense. (Duration > regen...even at start)
Pick one buff to use...and have it on all the time. Learn how to play with it active.
When it runs out...disengage and run away. Come back when buff is on again.
Do what you can to speed up regen of the things you are using.
Skills and attributes both help.
Make sure you don't choose the wrong skills for your flavour of your character class.
Limits on toons
Regardless of character class, minimizing regeneration of combat arts
(aka fighting by sword/axe/bow) and spells (vampiress abilities, dark
elf traps, Wood Elf moon magic, all battlemage spells, dwarven
technology...) is key.
Combat: attribute Physical Regeneration, skill Concentration, +x%
Regenerate Special Move, + X Lore
Spell: (BM Water) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation,
skill Water Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Spell: (BM Fire) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill
Fire Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Spell: (BM Earth) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation,
skill Earth Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Spell: (BM Air) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill
Air Magic, +x% Spell Regeneration
Trap: (DE) attribute Physical Regeneration, skill Ballistics, skill
Trap Lore, +x% Regenerate Special Move,
Vampiress abilities: (V) skill Vampirism,
Spell (Sera) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill
Magic Lore, +x% Spell Regeneration, skill Heavenly Magic
Spell (WE) attribute Mental Regeneration, skill Meditation, skill Magic
Lore, +x% Spell Regeneration, skill Moon Magic
Basically, the short form is: Your level will limit how many viable
points you can put in a skill. Equipment can boost the skill above
this limit.
Best to increase each portion as much as you can. Smaller regen=more
frequent use.
Most characters have a LORE skill, which boost damage and reduces regen
time. In the case of combat there are many lores:
Axe Lore, Sword Lore, Ranged Combat, Unarmed Combat, Blade Combat (DE
only), Long Handled Weapons Lore.
Some of these skill conflict with Duel Wield. Whichever gives the best
bonus is used by the game.
Note: many lores are very specific in what aspect they speed up. If
using another aspect, the wrong lore speed/damage bonus will not be
applied.
Also, many classes can use Dual Wield Skill.
Three timers. Use 'em all. At least at the start!
At the start, most characters are given two rune-based abilities on
different timers.
Eg: WE: hard hit, and Recuperation. First is a combat art, second is
Moon Magic.
The WE has three timers: Combination, Combat arts and Moon Magic
(spells).
At the start, each of these will regenerate very slowly. Therefore,
you should try to use each timer in turn--for maximized playability.
Strength vs weakness
Four kinds of damage in the game: physical, fire, magic and poison.
Using your strength against an enemies weakness will kill the enemy
quickly and efficiently.
Eg: goblins and orcs are resistant to fire and physical. Use poison
and magic to kill them.
So when fighting goblins and orcs, use armor with physical and fire
resistance. Your toon will complain if damaged excessively
by one of these kinds of damage. Listen to it.
undead weakness: fire, magic
goblins weakness: magic, poison
frost giants weakness: poison (and possibly physical or fire?)
Monster strengths:
physical,fire,magic,posion resistance + damage
flight
ranged attacks (bows & crossbows, and magic spells)
immbolization (nasty when combined with Giant Spider or Dragon)
dragon fire (and Meteor Storm in UW)
melee attack
speed
dodge pattern of movement (sakarra priests and enemy battlemages)
Single vs Many opponents
If you are facing a single opponent, use a quick thing. If you are facing
many opponents, use a slow thing. Slow things usually have large areas of effect.
Position yourself so the monsters must cross your killing field. Keep moving.
This avoid archers and you can make them cross the killing field again.
If you find yourself running away a lot, invest in a horse (and bridle) or equipment
with the speed modifier...and avoid using equipment with higher level than your character.
You lose speed when using equipment with too high a level.
Lethal surprises
Crossing Zones
in MP: monster level has a cap in each area, in each level of difficulty. If a high level player
runs thorough, monsters will spawn at their level (capped by level cap). Also, in South
Desert (south of Porto Vallum)...just south of Urkenburough the area changes from level
12 cap to level 24 cap in bronze. The minimum level for monsters jumps to level 18. And
they appear in groups. So the difficulty level increases exponentially, with little warning.
Holding down the alt key will reveal a circle under monsters. Red means above your level,
orange at or near your level, yellow below that, green well below your level, and grey, sadly
weak compared to you. Groups of reds appearing where you were dealing with singles of orange
or green can be a lethal surprise.
Fireball
Fireball from a skeleton mage, mummy, battlemages, or sakkara priest. Fireball is the
BM's version of hard hit. Avoid fireballs.
Immobilization combined with boss
Petrification, Plant Cage by goblin shamans, dark elf priestesses, ice elves, mummies, and
battlemages when combined with a Giant Spider or a Dragon.
Dark elf combat kick and hard hit in Valley of Zhurag Nar. By the time you get to Zhurag Nar, you
probably have access to the split attribute. If an enemy is split when using hard hit aimed at you,
you get an exact copy...so two hard hits. If your defensive buff runs out at that point...it's over.
Mobbed and buff runs out
Most common form of death. You can't see clearly what is going on... your buff runs out and you die.
Can also occur if a large creature (like a Dragon or Giant Spider) is in front of your
character--you can't see if you buff has run out.
Out of health potions
If you rely on potions to constantly get you out of trouble...your toon will die when you run out.
If you need potions to survive, perhaps your playing at too hard a level in the game!!
Combos---a way to jump ahead
Concentration Potions (yellow) can be used to regenerate the combo timer instantly.
If you have a set of armor in your chest bought to maximize one of your things...you can
pay the combo master to put this super attack into a combo. Once the combo level is set
(paid for), you can take that armor off (putting it in your chest). The combo level will
remain very high.
For a BM the Ghost Meadow is a must. My BM has level 43 in GM (runes read), and level 104
GM combo (1X). That gives a much better spell regen rate and duration than level 43!