There are only 2 good useful npc in Hommlet, Elmo for the early stages(Moathouse), and Burne for the Temple. Otis in Nulb is good for sword power, but he needs help,also. How about changing the wandering Bard into a 5th/6th level female half-elf Wizard with real good scores and fireball! Good help seems hard to fine.
I actually like Zaxis just the way he is, singing included, I would however like to see an additional npc in hommlet, who could give you the option to buy Specific arms and armor, many of which are in the game but currently uncraftable like the dagger of venom, sword of life stealing, adamantium plate mail, and the darkwood buckler among others. he/she could be put in the only unused building in hommlet, the one that looks like a shrine to some god just north of the inn.
Wandering bard. I really don"t know how to play or use a Bard. I had him in a game one time and i couldn't find a use for him. I do know how to use a Wizard to fireball the bugbears, gnolls, ogres, and trolls. I'm kind of fond of cute half-elf wizards who like to fireball bugbears. Fireball was invented just for trolls and bugbears,
while not as strong as a fighter, or powerful as a wizard, or as skilled as a rouge, bards are useful in thier own way. inspire courage, adds +1 to attack rolls that stacks with bless facinate can keep that ogre standing there while everyone else dispatches those goblins, then you can tacle him en masse , countersong can stop that banshee's wail from killing your whole party outright, you can make a suggestion to an already fascinated creature, inspire competance can add +2 competance bonus to a roll your already 'taking 20' on, and Inspire greatness adds +2Hit dice, +2 to attacks, +1 to fortitude saves! and effects an other person for every 3 levels above 9th! I think they're just as usefull as any old fighter any day, just used differently.
Bards are my favorite class. TOEE is one of the few games where bards are actually pretty useful. The songs are all pretty solid.. now if only fascination could hit multiple targets as advertised. With the proper spell choices a bard can be really good. You just have to decide if you want to specialize, or generalize... My main character is always a bard. I think Zaxis is pretty good. I am going to write some extra text and sub-plot stuff for him as I think he is unique and interesting. - Livonya
Zaxis Next chance I get i"ll have to check him out a lot closer. I think I still prefer a cute female half-elf Wizard. I'm a old sailor,(USNavy-23yrs),so I'm kind of partial to the ladies. That Lodriss at the Boatmens Tavern looks pretty good. She could be a great Wizard/Sorceress. Maybe Mona or Serena could be good. I'd like to rescue Jenelda from the brothel and have her be a decent wizard. I got Riana but she is a rouge/theif and not much help. I just like to fireball the bugbears. The great bugbear fight at level 2 is one of my favorite encounters in the game. Let them burn!!
Is Zaxis' sister actually in the game? while I like having him around, he's never actually lived long enough to find her!
She's not in the game, you can't actually find her. One of the endslides reads "Zaxis leaves your party to continue looking for his sister". Maybe we could add her in? Where would the party encounter her? In one of the Temple's prison cells?
. . . or maybe trapped in the "Arena of Heroes," awaiting rescue. wizgeorge, why not just make a half-elf female Wizard to satisfy your fetish? Of course, all female PCs in this game are hot.
i like the bards in this game too... i used one in IWD2 too. with so little need for a straight thief in this game a bard is the way to go cause you can still pick up the pick locks and all they just cost more. i have a bard/ranger, a odd combo maybe but she has quite a bit of useful spells at the higher levels and is good in fight with a pair of swords. i just wish the bards abilitly to identify things was of more use in this game at high levels they could figure out most new things for you with out a spell. as for the NPC's i dont really use them except elmo and otis just cause i remember them from the original and liked them there.
Wizards. I always have a female half-elf wizard in the party. I celebrate when she makes level5 and gets fireball. Until then she has to "borrow" scrolls from Burne. If I ever figure out how to get custom portraits maybe I can get a nice picture. My motto is: Burn Bugbear Burn!
