Bard's Tale Questions (IIgs version)

["Tempest" <tempest@atariprotos.com>]

Sorry if this is considered to be off topic, but I am talking about the
Apple IIgs version of the game. :)

I've been playing through the Bard's Tale series lately and it's really
brought back alot of memories, but it's also brought back alot of
unanswered questions too...

1. How do you determine weapon strength?  Other than attacking with
each weapon and taking the average of the damage it does, is there a
way to tell if one weapon is more powerful than another?  I've been
going off the price it sells for, but I'm not sure if that's reliable
or not.

2. What's the best party setup?  I know it varies game by game, but for
the first one I could never figure out a good party mix.  At the moment
I'm using two mages, a bard, a hunter, a monk, and a paladin.  This
seems to work ok, but in the next game I think I may want to have a
rogue as well (I'm pretty sure you absolutely need one in the third
game anyway).

3. What's a good experience level to have when you take on Mangar?  I
was always in the high 40's and usually I could kill him, but it was
always with a cheesy critical hit and he always wasted about 4 of my
guys in the process.

4. What's the best place to get experience?  I always slaughtered the
Berserkers in the castle over and over (thank you MIBL!),  but I wonder
if the tougher creatures in the final dungeon might be better
experience.

5. What the heck do the Drum of Truth, Spirit Drum, Dork Ring, and
Sorcerer Staff do?  I could never find a use for them.


Tempest