[johns1234]

Are there any important quests where I must have Shadowbeast horns, Lurker claws, or anything like that. I have skinning, but so far I find I get much more gold from finding items and thieving than I even need .. so far. If not, I'd rather save my LP for str, 1h-skill, and dex so that I can deal with the Orcs in the Valley of Mines my first time in there. Right now I'm in ch2 with str 76, dex 63, Crossbow, Master Sword. My crossbow can take out a Shadowbeast with 3 shots. Master Sword seems pretty good, but hit detection is poor for it. I need to build 1h-sword skill to bring that up, so I don't want to spend LP on horns and claws.

[Windmacht]

Are there any important quests where I must have Shadowbeast horns, Lurker claws, or anything like that. I have skinning, but so far I find I get much more gold from finding items and thieving than I even need .. so far. If not, I'd rather save my LP for str, 1h-skill, and dex so that I can deal with the Orcs in the Valley of Mines my first time in there. Right now I'm in ch2 with str 76, dex 63, Crossbow, Master Sword. My crossbow can take out a Shadowbeast with 3 shots. Master Sword seems pretty good, but hit detection is poor for it. I need to build 1h-sword skill to bring that up, so I don't want to spend LP on horns and claws.

It depends on which guild you are:

If you are militia/paladins you don't need any hunting skills, except removing furs, if you are an apprentice of Bosper and/or want to make the quest from Raoul, who give it in the 2nd chapter, where do you need a fur from a

Spoiler:(zum lesen bitte Text markieren)

black troll.

If you are a mercenary/dragon Hunter, there could be removing plates useful, if you want to get the "Crawler Plate Armor" (for the 2nd. chapter the strongest armor for a mercenary), because you will need 10 minecrawler plates for it, and you can't find so many without learning this perk.
What you should learn is removing shadowbeast horns, because you can sell them at Buster and you get exp and gold for it.
If you want to get the "Medium Dragon Hunter's Armor" you have to learn removing dragon scales, because you will need 20 of them for this armor.
But you must kill 2 dragons for this armor (every one gives 12 dragon scales) and in the 5. chapter you will get a better armor if you have maked something under the basement of the monastery:

Spoiler:(zum lesen bitte Text markieren)

You have to read the almanach in the secret libary under the basement and then you can buy the "Heavy Dragon Hunter's Armor" from Bennet.

If you are a mage and you want to learn summoning a demon (needs a heart of a demon)/summoning a stone golem (needs a heart of a stone golem ) and also summoning the army of darkness (needs a heart of a demon and a heart of a stone golem) you have to learn removing hearts.
If you only want to learn summoning a demon and summoning a stone golem or nothing of this but summoning the army of darkness, you don't have to learn this perk, because you can buy one demon and one stone golem heart.
And if you want to learn "shrink" you have to learn removing teeth, because you will need troll tusks for this rune and you can't find this tusks.

[Onisuzume]

As for the shadowwalker horns: there's only 16 or 17 shadowwalkers in the game, depending on the faction that you joined. (17 for mercenaries, 16 for the other two)

And there is one quest where you need a snapper's claws.
That quest can only be done in chapter 2 btw.

[UR1Z13L]

For the quest for the pack leader claws you dont need skill.

[csarmi]

Anyone knows if I can buy/find bloodfly wings, or do I have to spend LP's to be able to create runes using those?

Same for hearts: someone said they can be bought. If yes, where?

[Onisuzume]

you can buy the bloodfly wings from constantino (ch1, 2&4).
The stone golem heart from lutero in ch 4 and a demon heart in ch 5.

As well as some tongues of fire in chapter 1 from Gorax and Cronos.

Still, Constantino is the best merchant when it comes to hunting trophies.
Other ingredients can be gotten in the monestary, lutero, sagitta, cronos and engor.

[Windmacht]

As well as some tongues of fire in chapter 1 from Gorax and Cronos.

You can also find 2 of them in the valley of mines:
One is in the tent near the ramp to the castle: Clic
And another one is near xardas sunken tower (where the number "2" on the screen is): Clic.

[johns1234]

So the answer is essentially "no", I don't need to spend LP on getting more than skins ... at least for now. I'm discovering the proper way to play NOTR and not get caught up in all the fighting until I'm ready for it. There are hidden weapons with low str - dex requirements, and high hit points if you join the Thieves Guild early and learn Pick Pocketing. There are 2 nice Xbows hidden on the trails if you are fast and run past adversaries. They let you get the Master Sword in ch1 using a run and gun in the sewer. And, sure enough, there are "helpers" who will fight for you when needed at the start.
In addition, I found a way to join the Mercenaries without a single fight. My sword trainer "Took care of it". Maybe sometime, someone will write a walkthrough detailing the no-fight tactic. I notice that it begins with the first guy you meet on the trail after leaving Xardas tower .. not Lester. He sets up the Ring of Water with Xardas and Lee if done properly. Then the Thieves Guild, and just plain sneaking at night, gets you rich and well armed enough to get on the trails and pick up lots of freebies. Now, the game feels "normal", and I'm not using exploits to outsmart PB.

[Air Mage]

Knowing what a fan you are of walkthroughs, I strongly recommend Ellusion's guide for G2. Although it is written for Classic, not Notr, it is by far the most detailed and well-written guide I have seen. I did have an excellent guide for Notr also, but it seems I've lost it and can't find a copy on the net.

While most of the number values in the guide will be wrong, since Notr changes a lot of things from Classic, I'm pretty sure the only real difference is pickpocketing. Classic rewards you the later in the game you pick someone, while Notr rewards you based on how many people you've picked. Aside from ignoring that part of the guide, I think you will find his/her guide very helpful to you.

Of course, I still suggest that a person's first playthrough should be on their own, since the game is only virgin once.

[johns1234]

Of course, I still suggest that a person's first playthrough should be on their own, since the game is only virgin once.

I somewhat agree, but my first time through NOTR was a disaster because I did not realize that the first guy on the trail sets up the Ring of Water with Vatras, and that is the secret entry to the no-fight sequence of quests. Breaking that first encounter wrecks the entire game, and makes it one of trying to exploit weaknesses in the code, rather than playing the game. I got lucky and did the first encounter right .. until the thief ran away .. and I got the letter with the first guy's help. Now, even though I tend to use exploits, I'm seeing the huge advantage of the Ring of Water, and if I knew even more, I would be playing the game rather than exploiting the code. I even discovered that more of the Ring sequence is set up by the first guy if I had known to go back up the trail and speak to him after I took his note to Vatras. No where is that mentioned in all the walkthroughs or notes on NOTR. There is a very hidden path to a very good game in NOTR. Random exploration would never uncover it. I also saw brief parts of it at the Merc camp with the sword trainer ... and even more at the first farm in the game when I returned there very late in my first time through NOTR. Must give PB a good chuckle.

[Air Mage]

I somewhat agree, but my first time through NOTR was a disaster because I did not realize that the first guy on the trail sets up the Ring of Water with Vatras, and that is the secret entry to the no-fight sequence of quests. Breaking that first encounter wrecks the entire game, and makes it one of trying to exploit weaknesses in the code, rather than playing the game.

Hmm, did you not recognize Cavalorn from G1? Even if you didn't recognize him, I don't see how you could miss his quests. I mean, he has a name, and it's common knowledge in video games that if somebody has a name, they are important somehow. Unless you're a bloodthirsty killer whose first thought is to rob/kill/beat up everyone you meet, I would think you would start talking to him, in which case you couldn't help but learn about the Ring.

If you generally ignore most NPCs, especially named ones, then you are going to be frustrated a lot in this game. You will miss out on quests, hints, information, as well options with NPCs that won't appear until you have talked to someone else first. There are several instances where monsters, items, rewards and other things won't even exist until you finish a certain dialogue. If you don't have that conversation, you'll miss out.

I got lucky and did the first encounter right .. until the thief ran away .. and I got the letter with the first guy's help.

Thief? There are three bandits at the first cave. You can either fight the first bandit or warn him (in which case he'll run away), but the letter is carried by the third bandit in the cave.

Now, even though I tend to use exploits, I'm seeing the huge advantage of the Ring of Water, and if I knew even more, I would be playing the game rather than exploiting the code.

The Ring, like many other organizations, can help you. That should be obvious, no? You are a low-level nobody who is trying to gather support to stop the growing army in the Valley of Mines. Doesn't it make sense that you want as many allies as you can get? In addition to manpower to fight the hordes of nasties there, you will also want as much help as possible building up your own skills and abilities.

'Nobody is so rich that they can't use another friend.'

I even discovered that more of the Ring sequence is set up by the first guy if I had known to go back up the trail and speak to him after I took his note to Vatras. No where is that mentioned in all the walkthroughs or notes on NOTR.

N3Burgener's guide mentions it. But honestly, do you really need a guide for that? If A sends you to B, is it THAT hard to think that you might want to go back to A and mention the deed is done?

There is a very hidden path to a very good game in NOTR. Random exploration would never uncover it. I also saw brief parts of it at the Merc camp with the sword trainer ... and even more at the first farm in the game when I returned there very late in my first time through NOTR. Must give PB a good chuckle.

The Gothic series is a CRPG. CRPGs require you to talk with NPCs, think, talk some more, explore, consider, fight, and talk. You will have conversations where you must choose one path or another. There will be consequences in saying something, and consequences in NOT saying something. Say the right thing and an NPC will open up to you... say the wrong thing and they will attack, never helping you again. NPCs will also treat you differently depending on other choices you have made. Some doors will open, and others may close.

It sounds to me like you are approaching this with a hack 'n slash mentality. There are some random dudes, that you kind of talk to, but really just get in the way of you fighting mobs that are totally unfair because they're way too tough and you can't pwn them all instantly. Gothic requires you to THINK. You need to understand the motives of NPCs, what their goals are, and how best to interact with them. If you just run around attacking everything, you're going to miss out on a lot.

Like I said before, pace yourself. Talk to everybody, then talk to everybody again, in case new dialogue options have appeared. Try to understand what's going on in the story, and keep your eyes open for anything that seems odd or out of place. There are many subtle comments and hints that you will miss if you aren't paying attention. Subtlety and finesse should be your watchwords.

[WernerTWC]

The discussion about NotR is too hard (or not) is running here:
http://forum.worldofplayers.de/forum...d.php?t=454551

Please continue the discussion there, thx, ... and back to topic, ok?!