BT2 Building Strength is provided to help you find the best grind spots and the best gear for your heroes. This is how you get started. Need help building your party? Check out the Party Development page here.
Things to NOT learn the hard way
- A Bard is required to complete the game.
- Only an Archmage can be promoted to the Destiny Knight.
- Some missions require a party of a certain size.
- Antimagic areas limit spell casting but spells cast from items are allowed.
- Bard songs are not prohibited in Antimagic areas.
- Songs and Spells may only be available in certain Volumes, check the Spell List.
Encounters
A random encounter occurs when taking steps or when standing idle. Random encounters will include random enemies fit for the map that you are in.
Fixed encounters can retrigger on the same tile predictably each time the floor is reset by changing floors or exiting the dungeon. The location is fixed but in most cases the foe you will face is random still.
Calculating a good grind
A good grind spot has:
-- Plentiful fixed encounters with large groups of creatures.
-- Proximity to a Level Reset (stairs/portals).
-- Proximity to Spell Points recharge tiles or Roscoe/Apport back.
Dargoth's Tower - Level 3 is the very best XP Grind spot in Volume 2.
This is pretty straight forward but you still want to choose your battles so that your efforts are efficient. You don't want to waste a bunch of time in encounters that have poor rewards. The ideal encounter has 20+ Drachs and/or 20+ Axeman and/or 20+ Bonzai. The more the better. The strategy is simple. All 3 of your Spell casters have 20 DEX and Rimefang. Spam that spell! Helps if you have Conjurer Staff for half spell cost. Helps if you have Speedboots so that Run works when you want it to. Just to get an idea, a good encounter will net over 85,000 XP each, for a 7 hero party.. and about 8k gold + gear drops.
The Stairs to Reset the Level encounters is at N20 E13. The Spell Point Recharge tiles are all over the place south of the Stairs. The 17 Encounter nodes are just south of the Spell Point Recharge and are in little rooms with a long hallway. Trigger all 17 encounters and Run from anything does not have a bunch of Drachs, Axemen, or Bonzai.. Rimefang! Reset, Recharge Spell Points... You can Apport Arcane back to this floor if you need to go Sell Loot or Roscoe Recharge.
It is really fast grind spot with this tactic.. and be sure to hold Space Bar to expedite the combat messages. You can also come back here later after you pick up the Dreamspell.. then it is even easier and faster!
I run from every fight when exploring and mapping, though, it is important to find a place to grind levels because eventually, you will need to. You can also just grind while you explore and deal with the randoms. Either way works, it’s a matter of style.
Attribution
How to obtain a copy of this game
GOG link – Digital PC Bundle (Remastered Trilogy) (includes games 1-3)
GOG link – Digital PC Bundle (Action RPG Version 2004) (includes Original Trilogy 1-3)