BT1 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 Party Development page here.
“Always keep your best buffs active.”
Magician
Getting Started in Skara Brae
Random encounters occur when walking around or standing idle in the city. You can also find encounters in the local buildings, don’t be afraid to kick in some doors. Get in the habit of running from any encounter that looks too tough. Pay attention to the Range indicators like 50′ or 30′. This represents the distance from melee and each side can “Advance” on their turn which will get you 10′ closer.
Garth’s Equipment Shoppe
Be sure to head directly to Garth’s shop and Gear up before nightfall when Garth will kick you out and close his doors. Garth is a few paces North from where you start. You need to buy and equip weapons for the front 4 characters asap. Grab Helms, Gloves, and Shields as soon as you can. Range weapons can be helpful but honestly I completed the game without using any ranged weapons as I don’t like managing ammo. Garth is closed at night.
Temple – many scattered around Skara Brae
This is where you heal wounds and cure conditions. You will come here very often and luckily, the services are free. At the start of the game, find a temple and grind random encounters near to the temple so that you can pop in for a heal every fight or two. Temples are always open.
Inn – many scattered around Skara Brae
Inns are where your Bard can restore Song count by ordering a drink. Inns also share tips and other useful information if you tip the bartender. Inns are always open.
Adventurers Guild
The adventurer guild is where you start your adventure. The Bard’s Tale has a day and night cycle observable when you are in the city. Enemies are more plentiful at night. Some shops like Garth’s and The Review Board are closed at night. Entering and exiting the Guild will reset the time to Day.
Time passes while idle in shops, on character screens, and while standing idle on the street so be careful, you may get a random encounter. Raise the ESC Pause menu anytime you want to stop the passage of time and prevent random encounters.
The Review Board
This is where you go to Advance a character’s Level or learn now Spells. The Review Board handles all Class Changes as well. Only open during the day.
Exploring
- Early on in Skara Brae, fight Random encounters near to a Temple for safety.
- When exploring dungeons, Run from all Random encounters. Running is not guaranteed to work so you will still fight plenty.
- Build up your XP and Levels on Static encounters because they are predictable and efficient; to reset a static encounter use stairs or portals.
- If you are Teleported, immediately cast Scry Site to figure out where you are.
Advancement
- Save before advancement on each character and restore if you get poor upgrades.
- The statistic that goes up is random and 18 is the Max, a maxed stat will not be selected.
- Front line folks need a good HP bonus
- Spell casters need a solid SP and HP bonus
- Eventually, you will max all the stats, especially on spell casters changing class but it is still helpful to prioritize your class important stats first.
Changing Class
Your spell casters will earn Spell Levels in 1 of 4, or all 4 spell schools. The maximum Spell Level is 7 and you should achieve Level 7 before you change to another spell caster class. You cannot change back to a class you have already been.
Spells you need Asap
- Trap Zap – L1 Conjurer. This is the best way to deal with chest traps.
- Seekers Ballad – L1 Bard. Allows for ‘light’ in Anti-Magic zones.
- Scry Site – L1 Magician. Necessary to deal with Teleportation traps.
- Kiel’s Magic Compass – L2 Conjurer. Helps navigate in the Darkness.
- Levitation – L3 Conjurer. Helps avoid traps, and traverse portals.
- Sorcerer’s Sight – L3 Sorcerer. Helps navigate traps in the Darkness.
- Flesh Restore – L4 Conjurer. Cures Poison and Nuts.
- Phase Door – L6 Magician. Makes mapping dungeons quicker, and grinding levels.
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)