User manual GAMES PC STRAHD S POSSESSION

[. . . ] TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME TO STRAHD'S POSSESSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 What Comes with This Game?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Using the Mouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Getting Started Quickly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 CORDIAL GREETINGS FROM STRAHD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 HOW TO PLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The First Reading: Combat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The Second Reading: Spellcasting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Third Reading: Adventuring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Save, Load, Pause, and Quit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 PLAYING IN DEPTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Inventory Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Automapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Adventuring Strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Game Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 The Holy Symbol of Ravenkind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 CREATING YOUR PARTY OF CHARACTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Generating Characters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Character Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Creating Strong Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 SPELLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Priest Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Mage Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Strategies for Using Spells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 BESTIARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 DESIGNER'S NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 TABLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Experience Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Ability Scores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 INDEX OF SPELLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 1 2 CORDIAL GREETINGS FROM STRAHD Count Von Zarovich, Lord of Barovia, Welcomes You For many travelers I have contempt and slight regard, entering Barovia as they do in timid apprehension of her wonders. They are neither prepared for life high in the Balinoks, nor ready to accept its dangers. Here the peaks of Baratak and Ghakis stand in cloaks of granite, their cowls of snow pulled securely about them as if they alone might endure the ancient night. [. . . ] Once they reach the ninth level, paladins can use certain cleric spells, praying for them and casting them exactly as the clerics themselves do. These are: bless, cure light wounds, detect magic, and slow poison. High-level paladins, like other high-level fighters, can attack more often with melee weapons. Prime Requisites: Strength, Charisma Races Allowed: Human Weapons Allowed: All 40 Thieves Thieves accept no single rule or philosophy by which to run their lives. While some, with sleight of hand, may steal change from a beggar's cup, others may share their ill-gotten prizes with the less fortunate. Still others see themselves as basically good business men, with perhaps a slight character flaw. In castle, town, or dungeon, an experienced thief of many levels is proficient at picking locks and avoiding whatever traps have been laid to catch the unwary. To move freely and quietly, thieves prefer to wear leather armor, though they are not averse to traveling well-armed. Prime Requisites: Dexterity Races Allowed: All Weapons Allowed: Club, Dagger, Dart, Short Bow, Sling, Long Sword, Broad Sword, Short Sword, Staff ALIGNMENTS There are six possible alignments, or philosophies of life. However, a character's chosen class may limit your selections. Paladins, for instance, can be only lawful good. The choices are: Lawful Good Lawful Neutral Neutral Good True Neutral Chaotic Good Chaotic Neutral Two parts make up a character's alignment, and both are equally important: world view and personal ethics. World View Lawful means that the character works within the framework and rules of a society. Neutral means that the character moves between valuing society and valuing the individual. Chaotic means that the character values the individual above society and others. Personal Ethics Good indicates that the character acts in a moral and upstanding manner. Neutral indicates that the character leans towards "situational ethics, " evaluating each set of circumstances. Rangers Rangers follow the broken trails of their quarry across hard lands, or beneath the dim light of a forest canopy, yet never lose the spoor. They are trained trackers, hunters, and woodsmen, succeeding by their wits as much as by their skills with bow and sword. At one with any type of weapon or armor, rangers usually avoid heavy armor as too restricting. It prevents them from using their special ability to wield a weapon in both hands without penalty. For this reason they are seen more often in studded leather or other, lighter armors. High-level rangers, like other high-level fighters, can attack more often with melee weapons. Prime Requisites: Strength, Dexterity, Wisdom Races Allowed: Human, Elf, Half-Elf Weapons Allowed: All 41 42 Strength provides a measure of effectiveness in battle. As the word implies, physical power, muscle, and stamina are being gauged. Stronger characters are able to swing a sword or mace more often and thereby receive bonuses for the extra damage they do. [. . . ] WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A DEFECTIVE DISK Each of our games undergoes extensive playtesting prior to its release. Through this process we hope to uncover and correct any errors in programming. However, due to the complex nature of our simulations, some program errors may go undetected until after publication. In addition to errors in the program, there are occasionally problems with the disk itself. [. . . ]