[:::Trickster:::]

Since so many people find it hard to use their learning points in the best way I decided to write a little guide for those that have chosen Strength to be their main attribute. This guide is for those who don't like cheating but can't find their own way through the game and need a little help training their str.
I am convinced that this is the fastest way to ramp up your character and be able to wield the strongest weapon early on in the game, but I don't want to make you believe that if you don't follow it to the letter you aren't going to finish the game.

If you have already finished G2NotR, I recommend using these guidelines for your next playthrough, maybe joining a different faction and experimenting to see the differences.

In NotR it's so easy to get your str to 160 (requirement for Dragonslicer, best weapon of the game) and even easier if you decide to use 1handers.
As soon as you enter the add-on world, if you play your cards right, even without cheats, you should have 135+ str (enough for the Heavy 2Hander 135 dmg!). Once in the add-on world, if you explore and do quests you finally get str to 160 and can equip the Dragonslicer (190 dmg!!) before the final battle of the Jharkhendar world.

As I said you have to know the game to achieve the strength target so I'll write a guide for you, and hopefully it will be usefull for others too.

So here it is (minor spoilers, nothing important):

Know how to train your str: very important, before training str remove any ring, belt or amulet+str!!! Once you've done that first train str to 29 then to 34, train until 59 then to 64. Afterwards train it to 66 (really important if you want to use the Dragonslicer early in Jharkendar). After you get your str to 66 you can start using all the power-ups you come across, don't even think of taking them before you have 66 str or you'll soon regret it.

Most of your str will come from permanent power-ups and from items:
Chapter 1
-there is a total of 9 dragonroots in Khorinis which you can turn into elixirs of str once you have 9 king's sorrels and the necesary alchemy skills - brew health potion, learnt from Ignaz 1 lp, brew elixir of strength learnt from Constantino 20 lp. That's 27 str only from potions you can brew yourself!
-another str potion is on the paladins' ship. Of course you have to sneak onboard to get it. Just climb the crane a bit and jump on the ship when the patrolling paladins are away from you, this will help you http://people.freenet.de/mendelpage/...Strength01.jpg. Avoid the other paladins by walking along the middle of the ship like this http://people.freenet.de/mendelpage/...Strength02.jpg, and then along the edges of the ship and near the walls to here http://people.freenet.de/mendelpage/...Strength03.jpg. The potion is in the lower lvl of the ship where the cargo is stored. That's another 3 str for you.
-pray to Innos' shrine 10 times donating 100 gold each time. To make sure you get only str quicksave before you pray and if you get dexterity just quickload. 10 str more from praying.
-Thekla's stews give permanent str bonuses so just do her quests. 2 more str from stews.
-if you eat 25 apples you get +1 str bonus so if you search real hard you could get at least 50 apples in ch1. 2 str from apples.
-once you meet Erol and talk to him he gives a free +1 str tip so there you go, 1 str from Erol.
-Khorinis has 3 str stone tablets, 2 that increase your str by 2 and 1 by 4 so that's another 8 str from tablets of course you have to learn the language lvl 1 and 2 for that (15 lp total)
-now for str from items: you've got a belt you find in Xardas' tower for +5 str, a ring +3 str you find near Akil's farm, and a str amulet +10 str you can buy from Erol after you do his quest. That's 18 str only from items in mid ch1.

Chapter 2:
-as soon as chapter 2 starts Zuris has a str potion in his stock so buy it, you get 3 str.
-go to the Valley of Mines but only to get the belt +10 str that a paladin from the castle sells (don't do any quests yet, it's too hard just get the belt and maybe better armor and leave). That's another 5 str.
Now You can wield the Heavy 2Hander you can easily beat the Add-on with that but why limit youself to it when the Dragonslicer is just a few steps away.
-once you get to the add-on world find the str tablet I and the str tablet III that are 'easy' to get at the begining of the chapter, you have to learn language 3 ,15 lp and pick locks 10 lp, so you have another 8 str (there is one more str tablet III, in the north-east of the map, but you can get that once you've completed many quests, you don't need that for now so don't try to get it).
-you'll come across many merchants in Jharkhendar so buy the ring +5 str when u find it. 5 str more.
-get all the apples you come across (buy or loot) when you get 25 thats 1 more str.
-if you do a certain quest (I'm sure you will) you get a meal similar to Thekla's stew for 1 more str.
There you go, you now have exactly 160 str, enough to equip the best weapon in G2NotR.

If you don't have 160 str until now you should't worry, maybe you didn't get enough apples, maybe you didn't do that certain quest, maybe you didn't search enough for the tablets, that's no big problem, across the game you'll find even more power-ups and eventually, you'll get to equip the awesome Dragonslicer. I insist though on training your str to at least 60 before using any permanent power-ups you may find (in the case you haven't followed my directions completely).

Although Militia/Paladins and Mercenary/Dragonhunters will find this tutorial most useful, you can adapt it if you want to try out a sort of a battlemage (Mage with a lot of strength, wielding a good sword). Here's a few tips on how to do it:
Basically do everything I've mentioned before except:
- train your str only to 34 (first to 29 then to 34);
- don't brew elixirs of strength (save the sorrels for elixirs of mana) just eat the dragonroots as they are;
Doing this, you'll end up with 118+ str after completing the add-on (if you follow every step and get the last str III tablet), and you'll be able to wield the Rune Power 2hander 115 dmg 120 range, a very good sword if you're a mage.
I also recomend training 2hander skill to 34% and with Lutero's Double blocks book you'll have 39% more than enough for a magician (I think you can also get a 2% tip at the monastary, I'm not sure).

Consider taking a look at these maps http://www.worldofgothic.com/gothic2/?go=g2addonkarten, especially the herb and tablet maps.

A few other things you need to know (mini guide for good xp in Khorinis)
-don't join a faction until you've done all the quests for all the other factions (so if u want to be a paladin also do all the quests for becoming a mercenary) this way you get more xp necesary to get to lvl 15-16 in chapter 1. Needless to say if you aren't lvl 15-16 won't have enough lp to follow my guide. Of course you could lvl up in chapter 2 but the monsters there are a bit tougher. You can do as you wish.
-beating up all the mercenaries (except Lee and Sentenza) is a good way to get huge xp. Just go behind them and whack them, when they turn around just swing left and right with your 2hander, eventually they'll run around you and that's when you hit them, do this a lot and they'll soon fall (u have to be really patient).
-beat up all the harbour people (except the traders and the ones that give you quests; you can beat them also but I don't think it's a good thing) for tons of xp and apples. Pay the fine to Andre.
-beat up all the farmers (again don't beat up the ones that give you quests maybe it has a ceratin influence, I don't know) for loads of xp and apples. Pay fines.
-kill the trolls (it's so easy if you can get behind them and whack them while they're turning) for loads of xp.
-if you have no other alternative even beat up citizens for xp and apples (the fine at Andre's will be higher i think).
-in the valley behind the town of Khorinis there is a lot of xp but the beasts are tough, many wargs and shadowbeasts. Just get the best crossbow you can equip, get the monsters to follow you then climb the large stump of tree you find there (you can't miss it) then xbow all the mosters for loads of xp.
-orcs are also easy to kill with 2haders if it's 1 on 1: when the orc raises his hand just whack him and he'll step back. Repeat until he falls. This is important when you come across an orc elite near Akil's farm. Kill him for his Orchish War Sword (100 dmg 140 range!!)
-just kill each and every single monster and enemy you come across, don't avoid fights (only maybe wargs in packs, kill them if you can find a safe zone). Try to lure a single oponent then you will surely be victorious.

I hope this guide will be useful and make your G2NotR experience easier and more fun.
Feel free to ask me or help me improve the guide.

[SirPaladin]

That`s so nice. But try, please, to spell "I`m" instead of "im".
I would see this a sticky.
Anyway, I`ve got 100 strengh without any tutorial and I`m slightly satisfied with Wrath of Innos.

Oh, and I have a question: Is Erol the best strengh teacher in the game?

[ruler_of_darknes]

That`s so nice. But try, please, to spell "I`m" instead of "im".
I would see this a sticky.
Anyway, I`ve got 100 strengh without any tutorial and I`m slightly satisfied with Wrath of Innos.

Oh, and I have a question: Is Erol the best strengh teacher in the game?

EROL and CARL- the smith in HARBOR..................at least i think so

[:::Trickster:::]

@SirPaladin
Thanks for the hint, and about your question, the best strength trainers in the game, that can train your str up to 200 are Erol that can train anyone at any time, Torlof for guildless and mercenaries at any chapter and for everyone in chapter 6, and Ingmar for paladins.

[cipris]

Nice tutorial, but I have some comments:
If you do this (get160 str) the 2H combat skill will be low, and the chances to strike with 190+160 damage will be minimum. And the number of strikes per minute when you are low at combat skill are rare. Not to say that if you wear the amulets rings and belt for force the armor protection will be low and some creatures will kill you in just 2 strikes. And some of them (like wargs for example) are staying in packs and is quite hard to separe them.
So, in conclusion, I don't think is a good target to wear the dragon slicer in this time of the game. After you finish the addon world (and is quite simple without big effort) you have enough LP to increase str, 1 or 2 Handed weapons.
I just killed Raven and take his sword and at level 27 I have 108 str, 70% at 2H weapons (20 LP still waiting to use them and when I reach 75% I can use stone tablets and 2H book skill and reach 100%) and I can easyly kill orcs even dragon snappers. So, is not so important to wield the strongest weapon, you have to find the balance between sword skill, str, weapons and armor.
For the other exp you said from beating up NPC's you need a lot of money to pay the penalties and I don't think is worth it. You can make the necesary exp points without making a "exp hunt" and beating up all you can find.
@SirPaladin, I think Erol could train you to 200, and the blacksmith behind Matteo store will train you much more than G2 simple. But you don't have to train more than 70% anyway if you know from the begining what weapons and skill you need.

[WernerTWC]

Great guide!

I putted it into the "IMPORTANT and before sticky threads".

-another str potion is on the paladins' ship. Of course you have to sneak onboard to get it. Just climb the crane a bit and jump on the ship when the patrolling paladins are away from you. Avoid the other paladins by walking along the edges of the ship and near the walls. The potion is in the lower lvl of the ship where the cargo is stored. That's another 3 str for you.

For this "sneaking" i have also some pics, i think they fit very well in this thread, and i would suggest to edit them into your first post:
http://people.freenet.de/mendelpage/...Strength01.jpg
http://people.freenet.de/mendelpage/...Strength02.jpg
http://people.freenet.de/mendelpage/...Strength03.jpg

[:::Trickster:::]

@ WernerTWC
Thanks for putting my thread at the Important and before sticky threads, I really hope it will be of help to those that find NotR a bit too hard. And about the pics, I already added them, they will be really useful and make sneaking on the ship a lot easier for the readers.
@ cipris
Thanks for your comments, they'll help me improve my guide a bit and a add a few things.

If you do this (get160 str) the 2H combat skill will be low, and the chances to strike with 190+160 damage will be minimum.

My guide is designed to help players reach the necessary str for the Dragonslicer, it's not about 2hander skill training. Even so, when I said that lvls 15-16 are apropriate lvls for entering Jharkendhar, I took into consideration the fact that the player had already trained 2hander skill at 34% (first to 29 then 34) which is a good skill lvl for chapter 1. If you buy the Double Blocks book from Lutero at the begining of chapter 2, you can raise skill lvl to 39%, no lp cost, and I'd say it's enough for entering Jharkendhar.To prove that you can get 34% 2 hander skill and still be able to follow my guide I'll write the lp scheme:

Chapter 1
learn skin animals = 5 lp (necesary to get aprenticeship at Bosfor)
2hander skill 10%->34% = 24 lp (sufficient skill for chapter 1)
str 10->34 = 24 lp (if u have belt, ring+str now you can equip Rod's sword, 130 range, good for beating mercenaries)
str 34->64 = 60 lp
str 64->66 = 6 lp
brew health potion = 1 lp
brew elixir of str = 20 lp
learn languages 1, 2 =15 lp
That's a total of 155 lp = 16 lvls before starting chapter 2 thus before entering Jharkendar world.

Chapter 2
(make some levels)
learn pick locks = 10 lp
learn language 3 = 15 lp

As soon as you complete the scheme I mentioned above you can focus all your lp on training 2h skill. In the add-on you can lvl like mad and thus train 2h skill very fast. When I finally met Raven I had 89% 2hander skill (64% trained, 5%from Double blocks book, 20% from reading all the tablets), 164 str, and the Dragonslicer which i used to kill Raven in just 2 hits!

Not to say that if you wear the amulets rings and belt for force the armor protection will be low and some creatures will kill you in just 2 strikes. And some of them (like wargs for example) are staying in packs and is quite hard to separe them.

Indeed wargs are still to tough but I mentioned in the guide that wargs should be messed with only form a spot where they can't get you. As for the other beasts, if you time your 2hander swings they can't even bite you (shadowebasts ,snappers/dragonsnappers, maybe even firelizards are easy to kill this way if you manage to avoid the initial charge). And even if they do hit you at this lvl, considering you have been also blessed by Daron and read a few hp tablets, you will have more than enough hp to survive 3 hits form tough monsters (not firelizards though they burn ur a**). So in conclusion if you aren't that good at handling the swings of ur sword, you can still fight easy monsters that will do minimal dmg on you. I'm just telling you what I did in the game. I never felt that I needed more armor. I was lvl 16 before I joined the Militia so I only used leather armor and ring+3 armor for protection. The problem in NoTR is that the monsters are so strong that even having all rings+amulets+belts with armor protection isn't enough to survive, you just have to know how to avoid their strikes to survive.

For the other exp you said from beating up NPC's you need a lot of money to pay the penalties and I don't think is worth it. You can make the necesary exp points without making a "exp hunt" and beating up all you can find.

You don't beat them up just for xp, you also beat them up for their apples = str. If you beat one of them and go Andre imediately you get a 50 gold fine. That would seem much multiplied by the people in the harbor district. The thing to do is beat them all up and after you've done that go to Andre, the fine will be, you got it, 50 gold!

You can make the necesary exp points without making a "exp hunt"

Wrong. NotR is about everything getting harder so if you don't take advantage of every oportunity you have to get xp, if you don't literally go hunting and search for any moster you can beat (or people), you'll soon find yourself in a high chapter at a low lvl wondering how you are going to get through all the mosters and foes. Even if you do manage to find your way it will still be frustrating if you haven't ramped up your character from early on.

[cipris]

Thanks for your comments, they'll help me improve my guide a bit and a add a few things.

That was my purpose with my comments, to help

My guide is designed to help players reach the necessary str for the Dragonslicer, it's not about 2hander skill training. Even so, when I said that lvls 15-16 are apropriate lvls for entering Jharkendhar, I took into consideration the fact that the player had already trained 2hander skill at 34% (first to 29 then 34) which is a good skill lvl for chapter 1. If you buy the Double Blocks book from Lutero at the begining of chapter 2, you can raise skill lvl to 39%, no lp cost, and I'd say it's enough for entering Jharkendhar.

Well, I think is good to add the 2H training guide also because to use Dragon Slicer these 2 things are linked one to each other.
For buying Double Blocks book from Lutero I'm not agree, because if you want to reach 100% later you will have to pay I think 20 LP or maybe more. So I think is better to use Double Blocks later in the game after you finish the training.
For this I could add the folowing things you can put in the guide:
1H - 71% from training(with 2% Wulfgar tips), 24% from stone tablets and 5% from book from Luthero
2H - 75% from training, 20% from stone tablets and 5% from book from Luthero
You also could specify why to train untill 29% and not 30% (is good for people to know )

You don't beat them up just for xp, you also beat them up for their apples = str. If you beat one of them and go Andre imediately you get a 50 gold fine. That would seem much multiplied by the people in the harbor district. The thing to do is beat them all up and after you've done that go to Andre, the fine will be, you got it, 50 gold!

I must admit that I didn't know this one, I beat up some people and when I reach Lord Andre I payed more than 50 gp. Maybe I messed up something else, but I will try again

Wrong. NotR is about everything getting harder so if you don't take advantage of every oportunity you have to get xp, if you don't literally go hunting and search for any moster you can beat (or people), you'll soon find yourself in a high chapter at a low lvl wondering how you are going to get through all the mosters and foes. Even if you do manage to find your way it will still be frustrating if you haven't ramped up your character from early on.

I agree in general with this, but there are some things that makes me feel better, and one thing is to not beat inocent people (yeah, call me pacifist ) I don't know exactly how much exp and aplles you can get from beating people in harbor area but I think you can make your caracter strong without this, resuming just for the monsters. I always beat up everything I can but no people, but that's just me...

[Meteorus]

Chapter 1
learn skin animals = 5 lp (necesary to get aprenticeship at Bosfor)

Ok just why the hell, it is nececary to go to Bosper. If you're his apprentice, your money'll suck! My way, to make money in NoTR - become apprentice of Harad, and learn first sword forging, for 2lp. Buy all available steel billets, and then go to Onar's farm. There Bennet has endless amount of billets, so then just buy and forge, buy and forge. And then go to Harad and sell everything to him. 150gp for a single blade! I've got 12000gp in first chapter, without cheating, and bugging. Impressive?

[cipris]

Ok just why the hell, it is nececary to go to Bosper. If you're his apprentice, your money'll suck! My way, to make money in NoTR - become apprentice of Harad, and learn first sword forging, for 2lp. Buy all available steel billets, and then go to Onar's farm. There Bennet has endless amount of billets, so then just buy and forge, buy and forge. And then go to Harad and sell everything to him. 150gp for a single blade! I've got 12000gp in first chapter, without cheating, and bugging. Impressive?

And how many hours you spend at the forge?
If you want to get Bosper approval you must learn Take Skins and use the 5 LP for that, so is kinda useless to me to spend another 2 LP just for money, but offcourse you can become Harald aprentice without Bosper approval. But the thing that annoy me with Harald is the repetitive moves, I loose my temper to stay a few hours just to make the money. I have more than 20000 in chapter 2 (and I have nothing to spend them on) with Bosper. The money you can achieve in other ways, is no use to spend LP for that in NOTR where every single LP is precious.

[Jono]

There is a much simpler, quicker, and safer way to sneak aboard the ship. When you get to the ship, walk past the ramp that leads to the ship. There should be a metal peg where a rope is tied to, leading up to the ship. Stop beside this peg, and turn toward it. You should now be facing the peg so that the rope leading up is directly infront of you. Press the caps lock, and jump towards it. The goal is to land right after the peg where the rope starts. The caps lock is on so that you don't fall off the rope once you've landed on it. Once you're on, turn 90 degrees to either side, and side step up the rope. When you get to the top, jump down infront of the door and side step in. To exit the ship, come out the door and then side step to the side of the ship, and climb over the ship wall to fall into the ocean.

[:::Trickster:::]

There Bennet has endless amount of billets, so then just buy and forge, buy and forge. And then go to Harad and sell everything to him. 150gp for a single blade! I've got 12000gp in first chapter, without cheating, and bugging. Impressive?

It really is impressive, thanks for the hint. I never tried being a smith in NotR, I always ended up being a hunter at Bosper's. I've only experienced smithing in G1 and G2 classic, and in G2 classic I can't remember if Bennet had an endless supply of steel billets. If I had known that in NotR he does have infinite billets, I'd have surely learnt sword forging, along with take skins of course.

[Gor_Na_Drak]

It really is impressive, thanks for the hint. I never tried being a smith in NotR, I always ended up being a hunter at Bosper's. I've only experienced smithing in G1 and G2 classic, and in G2 classic I can't remember if Bennet had an endless supply of steel billets. If I had known that in NotR he does have infinite billets, I'd have surely learnt sword forging, along with take skins of course.

Why would you learn to forge and take skins? That seems like a waste of lp to me. I prefer Bosper myself, but that's just because I like the hunting aspect more than the forging one. But if I learn one I see no reason to learn the other.

And BTW Bennet does have endless billets in G2 classic.

[Meteorus]

Bennet have endless amount of billets, because he's forging all the time. We're buying billets from his inventory. If we buy all of them, he'll need smthing to begin forging, and so game spawns in his inventory new billets(which we are buying). And BTW, all that money-making process with Bennet takes about 10-15 minutes, to make about 100 blades.
And BTW, you don't need Bospers approval to become apprentice at Harad's. You need only Matteos, Thorbens and Harads, either orc weapon business or bandit slaying, Constantino gives his approval for free. Bospers approval ISN'T needed.

[Gor_Na_Drak]

Bennet have endless amount of billets, because he's forging all the time. We're buying billets from his inventory. If we buy all of them, he'll need smthing to begin forging, and so game spawns in his inventory new billets(which we are buying). And BTW, all that money-making process with Bennet takes about 10-15 minutes, to make about 100 blades.
And BTW, you don't need Bospers approval to become apprentice at Harad's. You need only Matteos, Thorbens and Harads, either orc weapon business or bandit slaying, Constantino gives his approval for free. Bospers approval ISN'T needed.

True. But you only have to give him 6 wolf skins to get his approval, not learn how to skin. You can get 6 wolf skins and get his approval without learning how to skin. You just need to know which huts on the island have these skins lying around.

[cipris]

I find more interesting the game by making money from furs then to forge weapons. You can make more money from forging, but what's the point? I always had enough money to spend (mostly more than I needed). The game give you the posibility to make money in other ways.
But IMO this discution is a little too far from strength guide.....

[Onisuzume]

Don't forget that Harad can teach you to smith better swords as well.
All the way up to ruby blades.
Which is a nice weapon at start and you can sell it to Harad for tons. (over 800 gold/sword)
And you can turn in any blades you find (and could smith) to Harad for even more money.
Downside is it'll cost more LP.

Oh, and imo; the dragonslicer isn't the best sword.
Large Ore Dragon Slayer is better imo.
10 damage less for 20 higher range (140 instead of 120) as well as a 10% bonus to two-handed skill. Which saves LP from training.

[ruler_of_darknes]

i have read some replyes here about forging so here is what i have

1.it costs "30 lp" to get rich thats what i call it "Herads apprentice"
2.every man that FORGES and can sell you things HAS unlimited "raw steel"

(i alway beat CARL in the harbor and get hes forging equipment) so this is all i could improve "NOTR"

[Meteorus]

Oh, and imo; the dragonslicer isn't the best sword.

It was meant in way, that it deals most dmg in game. But it is also wrong - the most damage dealing weapon in NotR is Berserker Axe. 170str req and 200dmg

[Onisuzume]

It was meant in way, that it deals most dmg in game. But it is also wrong - the most damage dealing weapon in NotR is Berserker Axe. 170str req and 200dmg

I know, and some one handed weapons have better range then the berserker axe.

But if you look at it logically; the large ore dragon slayer is slightly better then the dragon slicer, even though it takes ages to get it.
Same strength requirement; so no change here.
A 10% bonus to your two-handed skill, that saves you from training those 10%, and gives you LP for other stuff. (better swords @ harad :P)
10 damage less: it's only 10...

And now I got a slight question: lets say I'm an mercenary in chapter one, used a couple of destroy undead scrolls to kill the undead at dragon slicer; would it be acceptable to leave the dragon slicer there and insert&take a large ore dragon slayer?