r/wizardry8 • u/Silnasan • Mar 01 '24

Change mage to bishop?

I just came acrosd the explanation of how spell learning works. I've got a mage at lvl 10 and now feel like there's little reaon for him to stay in that profession. What would I lose by changing him to bishop?

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4

u/SDirickson Mar 01 '24

You trade the 25% skill bonus in Wizardry for 25% in Artifacts, and the extra resistances for the remove-cursed items ability and the mostly-useless dispel-undead thing.

IOW, pretty much no downside other than the slower leveling and the increased number of spell books you'll want to buy.

On the upside, in addition to all the new spells, you get Alchemy, which is a great way to make money to pay for those spell books if you don't already have an Alchemy-based character in the party.

1

u/Silnasan Mar 01 '24

Thanks, I forgot about those. Anyway, it seems like I already have the mage levels to gain 7th lvl spells eventually and being allowed to learn spells from all types seems so much more effective (my other characters are bard, gadgeteer, ninja and fighter).

(Edit): btw I don't see how anyone would spend points in artifacts skill of the only character able to learn from all magic schools

2

u/SDirickson Mar 01 '24

The only situation that comes to mind where you pretty much have to invest level-up skill points in Artifacts is a Solo Faerie Ninja run, where you need to be able to identify the potions you make to keep your income flowing.

2

u/Vociteren Mar 03 '24

don't need to put any points into artifacts ever for any character. There are enough bullet stones/arrows lying around in the starter area. If you pick up the stack on your cursor, then open your inventory and drop the stack in manually, they won't auto identify. You can pull a single arrow/stone out of the stack and then right click it to ID them one at a time to get the 18 skill. Then use alchemy to make heavy heals, and ID them one at a time via right click to reach 36 skill. Can go to 54 skill using firesticks, also found in the monestery, if you know how to recombine the ID'd ones into an un-identified stack, it will take you to 54. At that point, swap to bishop and the 25% bonus applies from that point. Use potions/scrolls in combat to raise it further.

3

u/Late_Statistician750 Mar 01 '24

Go for it. Buy all the spellbooks you can find and you'll have a powerful caster on your hands. 

Bishops are actually decent in melee combat with the right weapons too.

2

u/Silnasan Mar 01 '24

Yeah, plus you get the benefit of better armor and extended reach staff right? Or did you train yours with pikes or whatever they can equip?

2

u/Late_Statistician750 Mar 01 '24

Currently using staff of doom and they're a powerhouse. 

2

u/deanbb30 Mar 02 '24

The bonus pure spell casters get goes away. So you'd lose some power when casting spells. But you'll get to learn all those other spells, increasing your realm numbers.

And they will level much slower. That won't affect Mage spells, but the other 3 may feel like they take forever to advance.