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Nethergate FAQ/Walkthrough

Version 1.2, 1/31/02,
By Matt P

What's new: Added a bunch of changes from Zeviz, who has also made a
webpage of this faq! (www.geocities.com/zeviz1/nethergate)

Nethergate is copyright spiderweb software. It's a great game, with
at least one replay guaranteed. Buy it and support this great software
company. Supporting them will have them continue production of great
games such as Nethergate. Spiderweb has also made such games as
Geneforge, Avernum (1&2), Exile (1-3), and Blades of Exile! Check them
out (www.spidweb.com)!

FAQ purpose:

Why this walkthrough? There are few Nethergate sites out there.
Since the Spiderweb message boards opened up (again, check them out at
www.spidweb.com), there has been a subdued but renewed interest in
Nethergate. This FAQ is intended to be a source for information about
Nethergate in part, and also I hope to acquire more information about
the game, as my own playing experience has been somewhat limited.

This is my second attempt at a walkthrough. Unfortunately, this game
is a lot more non-linear than Avernum 2, and the levels are bigger, but
the items are less noticeable, so there is a quality difference between
the 2 FAQs. This is a rather rough version of the FAQ, but more
versions shall follow. Some people have offered their assistance, and
full credit will be given where it's due to all whom aid this FAQ.

If you'd like to post this FAQ on your site, please request
permission by emailing me at elementalizard@aol.com. If you post this
on your site without permission, I will ask you to remove it, and
definitely won't let you post it again. It's not too hard just to
contact me.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Map
II. Skills, assessment
III. Character Trait assessment
IV. Spell assessment
V. Walkthrough
VI. Index
A. Blessing Pool item list
B. Spell locator
C. NPC stats
D. Riddle answers
E. Either/Or quests
F. Sylak Items
G. Bugs and cheats
VII. FAQ Version
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I. The world of Nethergate consists of a 5X5 map, with almost every
square possessing one major dungeon. The following map is referenced
throughout this FAQ:

1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 0
A B C D E
F G H I J
K L M N P

1 Goagh-Nar
2 Aerie
3 Vale of the Sould
4 Goblin Pits
5 Nethergate
6 Lair of Reptrakos
7 Faerie Bazaar
8 Celt Shrine
9 Blackfang woods
0 Galag-Trav
A Vanarium
B Stone Circle
C Spire
D Ruined Hall
E Annwn
F Maze of Thorns
G Selkie Home
H Three Crones
I Burial Glen
J Spider Area
K Castle Aethdoc
L Hollow Hills
M Hagfen
N Abandoned Mines
P Shadow Valley Fort

On each section, there are several things to do. The dungeons consist
of several floors usually, and the outdoors section always has
something unique, and probably a hidden item somewhere. If you're
lucky enough, you may find it!

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II. Base skills

Strength: Affects your carrying capacity, your damage, and your
weaponry skills. It is always worth increasing this skill.

Dexterity: Affects the timing of your attack, your weapon skills, and
your ability to dodge. It is always worth increasing this skill.

Intelligence: Affects the number of spell points you have, the strength
of your spells, you rune reading, item lore, and willpower. Increase
this for your spellcasters often. It doesn't help your warriors.

Endurance: Affects your hit points and resistance. Skip it. It's too
expensive, and has minimal benefits. Go for hardiness instead.

Weaponry

Melee: Affects your chance to hit with swords, axes, cudgels and other
weapons. Does not affect damage (from Zeviz). It's worth increasing
up to a point, although you'll eventually reach 100% hit rate and will
want to stop.

Spears: Affects your chance to hit with spears. Does not affect
damage. It's worth increasing up to a point, although you'll
eventually reach 100% hit rate and will want to stop.

Javelins: Affects your chance to hit with javelins. Celts- Go for
slings instead- they're cheaper, and you don't have to worry about
ammunition. Romans- Go for these. You'll find plenty of javelins, and
you're most skilled with these. They do more damage than slings.

Slings: Affects your chance to hit with slings. Celts- Go for it,
especially for your spellcasters. You'll want something to use when
not casting spells. Romans- skip it for the most part. You won't find
many slings until later in the game, when missile weapons become less
important.

Armor Use: Get as needed. It reduces the penalty associated with
wearing heavy armor, and will restore AP lost if you have on too much.

Berserker: Increases damage at the expense of defense. Your choice.
It's a good way to hit things harder, but try to couple it with a point
in defense. Romans can't obtain this skill.

Hardiness: Blocks points of damage. Get this instead of endurance.
It's better.

Defense: Reduces enemy's chance of hitting you. Cheap and worthwhile.

Roman Training: Very potent, and a good way to nullify the effects of
heavy armor (however, it does not restore lost APs- from Zeviz). Can
make even the wussiest character more powerful than the Celts. Get it
when it's cheap. Celts can't obtain this skill.

??? (Crystal Wand): Affects your chance to hit with crystal wands. The
most powerful skill out there, which you don't get till late. Good
thing too, or it'd spoil the game. Romans don't seem to get as much
skill in this as the Celts.

Druidism

Druidism: Affects your spell points and resistance. Also limits your
spell growth. Get a few points, but try to increase mainly
intelligence.

Health Circle: Affects your health spell strength and level.
Initially, have one druid focus on health and the other on war.
Eventually you'll want to balance the two out.

War Circle: Affects your war spell strength and level. Initially, have
one druid focus on health and the other on war. Eventually you'll want
to balance the two out.

Beast Circle: Affects your beast spell strength and level. Limited by
your war circle strength.

Craft Circle: Affects your craft spell strength and level. Limited by
your health circle strength.

Spirit Circle: Affects your spirit spell strength and level. The
hardest to raise. Limited by your beast and craft circle skills.
Romans are forbidden from getting points in this circle.

Useful Skills

First Aid: Affects your skill with healing kits, and potion making.
Not too useful, but moreso than it is for the Avernum series. Spells
usually work better. Romans will find more use for it.

Herbcraft: Helps you find herbs, and increases your potion making. Go
for a few points.

??? (Faerie Lore): Affects your luck with some special encounters.
This skill is required. 2-3 points for everyone are all that you need.
Romans can't train in this skill, but can gain it from a few special
quests.

Woodscraft: Helps you find herbs, food, and avoid monsters. Go for a
few points, it sure doesn't hurt. (Zeviz:)Some woodscraft is also
necessary in finding a spell and doing some minor quests outdoors.
Eventually you'll want about 10 points (counted for your entire party).

Barter: Money isn't usually a problem, but with this, it's even less of
a problem. A point or two every now and then doesn't hurt.

Luck: Affects random encounters, resistance, and gives you a chance to
avoid death. Go for it.

??? (Tool Use): Gained through a few special encounters for the celts,
trainable for the Romans. This skill gives huge bonuses to Romans. A
few points results in a nearly 100% success rate. Very useful, try
maxing your skill out for at least one character. Celts can't train in
this skill.

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III. Character Traits:

A note on experience penalties, from Zeviz:
I just ran some test and here are the results:
1. Experience is split completely randomly between your party members.
So if a goblin is worth 8exp, and you have 2 guys, they could split it
5/3, 4/4, 8/0, or any other way. This means that is doesn't matter who
strikes the final blow.
2. Experience bonuses and penalties are random and appear to be less
severe than stated. For example a single character with 67% exp bonus
got 8.7exp per goblin. A character with 50%exp penalty got over 7 exp
per goblin. There was also a slight difference in the rate at which
they were gaining skill points, but not nearly as much as I expected.
More tests are necessary, but experience penalties don't look nearly as
severe as they are supposed to be.

Positive

Faerie Blood: I haven't tried it, but it doesn't sound half-bad.

Toughness: Reduces damage. A good skill.

Nimble Fingers: One person should have this. Preferably a spellcaster,
since they'll have high intelligence and decent dexterity, so will have
a naturally high tool use skill.

Recuperation: Faster healing can be replicated with jewelry. Not worth
it according to Fallen on the message boards.

Beastmaster: You may want it. I never remembered to use it. According
to General Baziron, it's useful at the beginning (but steadily drops
off, in my opinion).

Fast on Feet: Increases your AP occasionally, as well as you attack
timing. Worthwhile. Especially for a warrior, according to Zeviz.

Faerie Familiar: You may want it. I never remembered to use it.
According to General Baziron, it's useful at the beginning (but
steadily drops off, in my opinion).