Tharkane's Book of the Ancestors (Dwarven Guide) Hall of Heroes Part 1

[The Fellowship of DarkMatters 2]

Many Thanks to Tharkane for his permission to publish his wonderful Guides here on the FDM.

 

 

Book of the Ancestors (Dwarven Guide)

 

This guide is similar in concept to the other threads I posted about the Dark Elf, and the Daemon. I'm a gamer from way back, and I have to say that Ascaron did a good job with the Dwarf. He's definitely not your stereotypical stick in the mud, so to speak. He has some class, and the tatoos are defintely a great touch.

 

I wanted to kick this off before I head out for the day. So, I'll post what I can for now and finish it up tonight when I have the time.

The Dwarven Warrior

 

First and foremost, the Dwarf is a warrior who excels in combat. His combat moves are comparable to those of the Gladiator, his brother in combat. Although he can employ a wide variety of melee weapons, he is at his best wielding axe weapons such as maces, hammers, and battle axes. His hands are deadly as well, and like the Gladiator he has the ability to crush multiple foes with a single blow. In the Dwarf's case, he must wield a two-handed weapon such as a battle axe in order to cut wide swaths through the ranks of his opponents in battle.

 

His other skills augment the stature of himself and his allies in combat, granting additional attack and defense power, enhancing the effectiveness of weapons against the armor of enemies, and granting protection against the ravages of poison and fire.

 

The race of Dwarves have long known the secret of gunpowder. The Dwarf uses gunpowder weapons - such as muskets and pistols - to his advantage by employing them effectively in battle. The secret of their use was guarded fiercely in days long gone by...and now, during the days of last Dwarf, it apparently will perish with him. His technological devices are not limited to his firearms, however...most fearsome is the Dwarven cannon, capable of firing a variety of ordinance to devastating effect. And then, there is the matter of his landmines...

 

In addition to his role as a warrior, the Dwarf is a master craftsman and shrewd trader. His eyes are keen and rarely miss the glitter of gold. His lore and knowledge is invaluable to his friends and allies, and disastrous to his enemies. He can fashion armor and weapons using secrets unavailable to the finest smiths of Ancaria, and is every bit the equal of the Battle Mage when it comes to trade and bartering. The wise Dwarf will employ these advantages during his quest.

Limitations

 

No discussion of the Dwarf would be complete without understanding his limitations. Because of his stature, he cannot employ long-handled weapons such as staves and spears. In a similar vein, bows and crossbows are foreign to his race, being made to suit someone of greater height and reach. He cannot use them in combat.

 

It is best not to bring up the subject of horses around a Dwarf. Doing so might earn the offender a lump on the head. It goes without saying that his legs, while stout and thick as young trees, are simply unable to reach stirrups on saddles, making horseback riding an impossiblity for his kind. No matter - a Dwarf on foot is a mountain in motion. He feels more secure in close contact with the earth he so dearly loves, and as you will discover, there is no better place for him to be than firmly planted on the ground. An Entrenched Dwarf can withstand punishment of the worst sort!

 

Dwarven Lore

 

The knowledge of the Dwarves is a birthright, a sacred lore known only to the Dwarven race. Though he is the last of his kind in the world, he holds in his hands the sum total of all the craft and knowledge of his ancestors reaching back into antiquity. Here then are the secrets of the Dwarven race revealed, so you will not forget the honor and glory of your ancestors.

 

Combat Arts

(Concentration Skill and Physical Regeneration statistic affect regeneration times)

 

Heavy Blow - Comparable to the Hard Hit combat move of other Sacred characters, Heavy Blow can be executed with any weapon, ranged or melee, the Dwarf holds in his hands. It can also be executed with his fists. When using a musket or pistol, he takes careful aim and delivers an often fatal shot, especially at close range.

Wrath - This move is similar to the Multi-hit of other Sacred characters. It is most effective when executed while wielding a two-handed axe weapon, such as a battle axe. The results will be pleasingly grim. With a musket or pistol, the Dwarf fires a number of shots at adjacent enemies.

 

Assault - This discipline is similar to the Attack combat art of other characters. It can be executed using any weapon, though it is most devastating when the Dwarf is unarmed, or using combat gauntlets. You never knew he could be so fast!

 

Vehemence - This combat move damages a number of opponents in an area directly in front of the Dwarf. It can only be employed using a two-handed weapon, such as a battle axe. While similar in concept to the Gladiator's devastating Fist of the Gods, the damage is calculated differently. The primary target receives full damage. Other adjacent targets in a wide cone directly in front of the Dwarf receive a lesser amount of damage in a splash-effect. It is important to note that the while lesser in some respects to Fist of the Gods, there is virtually no "wind up time" involved, making this move a very effective crowd-killer since it can be used more swiftly. During the time it takes the Gladiator to charge up his fist to deliver his earth-shaking blow, the Dwarf can smack a crowd multiple times!

 

Recoil - This two-handed weapon only combat move is entirely unique to the Dwarf. In one respect, it resembles the Combat Kick move of other Sacred characters. However, it goes beyond in what happens next! The effective use of this move in combat requires some savvy maneuvering on the part of the Dwarf. If used properly, the Dwarf can send a man-sized (or smaller) opponent flying into a crowd of enemies, damaging all who are hit by this missile and stunning them in the process! Note that Recoil will not work on Ogre-sized (or larger) opponents. When used in conjunction with Vehemence, Recoil can render a Dwarf's opponents senselessly dead very quickly.

 

Battle Rage - This combat discipline makes a Berserker out of the Dwarf. His attack speed with all weaponry increases, and the Wounds Increase Damage Dealt (WIDD) modifier is expotentially increased while Battle Rage is active. The more wounds he receives, the more likely he is to dish out additional damage. This combat art is particularly useful as a means to increase attack speed.

War Cry - With War Cry, the Dwarf boosts his attack and defense ratings for the duration of this discipline. In addition, all allies and friendly hirelings in the party enjoy a similar, albiet lesser, boost to these ratings. It is similar in concept to the Gladitor's Heroic Courage.

 

Dwarven Technologies

(The Dwarven Lore skill and the Physical Regeneration statistic affect regeneration times, and Weapon Techology skill the speed of execution and to a lesser extent, regeneration time)

 

Greed - Greed increases the chance for the Dwarf to find special items from dead foes. It also has the effect of lowering his defense rating in combat. Use with caution: the higher the Greed level, the greater the chance to find special items, and the lower your defense will be!

 

Dwarven Armor - A blessing to himself and his allies, Dwarven Armor boosts resistances to fire and poison damage. This can be cast on any friendly target of the Dwarf's choosing, in addition to himself.

 

Dwarven Steel - The physical damage resistance of foes is diminished through the use of this Lore. Attack rating is also increased, making the Dwarf more effective at striking his enemies and cutting through their resistance to physical damage, the most common resistance in the game.

 

Entrench - This very powerful - but short-term - action boosts resistances to all kinds of damage, and adds to the Dwarf's defense rating. However, he is unable to move while Entrench is active. Entrench is a very powerful buff that is useful when being breathed on by a dragon, or when in dire peril surrounded by superior foes. Because the Dwarf can't move while this is active, it is wise to use cannon weapons such as Cannon Blast, Mortar Grenade or Flame Thrower against enemies; or, use a musket or pistol against them. Use your Entrenched time wisely...don't just sit there, keep on smacking 'em!

 

Cannon Weapons

 

Cannon Blast - The Dwarf fires a single salvo at an enemy in his line of sight. This blast has a limited range. Within this limited range (approx. 3/5th, or 60% of the screen), the salvo will pass through the initial target, striking others directly behind them. Others struck this way suffer lesser damage. There is a chance that each enemy struck by the blast will become confused, clueless that they have just been smacked. The Cannon Blast may also be fired at an empty patch of ground. Any targets close to the spot so struck will suffer reduced damage, with the same chance of becoming confused. In addition, there is a chance that targets will be struck twice by the blast fragments. In other words: a direct hit that would ordinary inflict 1062 damage to the target may actually strike twice, each hit inflicting 1062 damage! This can also occur to targets indirectly affected by the blast. Damage Type: Physical.

 

Mortar Grenade - The Dwarf fires an artillery shell from his cannon that ignores obstacles on the screen. This shot may be placed virtually anywhere on a screen. The shell targets a location, rather than an enemy: therefore, the successful Dwarf learns how to "lead" moving targets. Nothing is more frustrating than to fire mortar after mortar, continually missing that group of clueless juicy targets! Learn how to "lead" them - or, if you prefer, anticipate their movements - and your Mortar Grenade will dutifully blow them to smithereens. The Mortar Grenade lands and explodes on the ground, damaging all targets in the radius of effect equally (unlike Cannon Blast). The ability of the Mortar round to ignore obstacles makes this cannon weapon form extremely handy in combat. Damage Types: Physical and Fire.

 

Flame Thrower - The Dwarf utilizes his cannon as a Flame Thrower, setting all targets within a cone in front of him on fire. Opponents suffer fire damage every second they are immolated. As the Flame Thrower's levels are increased, the duration of this burn increases, as does the damage it inflicts. Although it possesses a limited range, the Flame Thrower is extremely powerful. Damage Type: Fire.

 

Landmine - When Landmine is actived from the CA bar on the lower right hand corner of your screen, the Dwarf begins to drop a number of mines on the ground behind him as he moves. The number of mines he drops and the damage they inflict are determined by the level of this combat art. When an opponent moves close enough to one of the mines during their "active" period, it explodes, damaging the deserving sucker. At the end of this active period, any unused mines will go off. Damage Types: Physical and Fire.