Tips and Tricks of the Dungeoneering Trade

Tip number 1: save early and save often. Your saved game is your friend. It is your personal time machine that lets you alter reality whenever you want (you didn't really want to slap the Ancient Lich in Scourg Barrow, did you?). While in the dungeon, you should save the game at the entrance, after picking up a nifty piece of treasure and after finding your quest object. As a general rule, you should save the game before and after resting and before any situation that you think might result in a tough combat. If you are going to try something that might kill you, save the game before doing it. If it kills you, you can restore and try again.

Tip 2: unequip attribute- and skill-enhancing items before you rest. The higher your skill is, the more difficult it is to raise it. If you lower your skills, then you have a better chance of seeing a skill increase when you finish resting. Also, keeping attribute-enhancing items equipped can actually reduce the attribute. If you unequip it before resting, it will not deteriorate until you equip it again. This can save headaches, especially if you have "repair" objects equipped while you're resting.

Tip 3: save frequently.

Tip 4: contrary to the manual and hint book, clearing out a section of the dungeon does not mean that you won't be awakened by a critter that doesn't want to share its quarters. The game can (and does) generate random critters while you are in the dungeon. If you have saved the game before resting and it generates a random critter, you do not have to fight it. You can simply restore the saved game and rest again. Most of the time, you will not get the random critter showing up to disturb your beauty rest.

Tip 5: did I mention saving the game?

Tip 6: if you are going to rest, try to rest for at least 6 hours. This is the minimum amount of time necessary to see a skill increase. This increases your chances of gaining a level (you did remember to save the game before resting, didn't you?). Since the critters (and their level) are determined when you enter, gaining a level while you are IN the dungeon can give you a real edge over the competition, especially the human ones. This will also activate diseases you may have picked up. Both Lycanthropy and Vampirism are marked by a dream sequence and you must rest in order for this dream to activate. A little advance warning can save a lot of headaches later.

Tip 7: (in case I forgot to say anything about it earlier) save the game.