I know, I know, shouldn't make tech characters as a newbie, blah blah.

Though, to be honest, the entire reason I bought this game was because making a tech-focused character is entirely possible, and I like that. And then I have the option to play as a wizard/swordmage/whatever if I want to, so that's good too.

The learning process is part of the draw, too.

The question is, what are the various "types" of tech character that are generally agreed on? I know that the first thing that comes to mind is a gunslinger, but I like to consider the second and third things that come to mind, too.

A melee tech sounds fun, too.

I'm not interested in playing a pacifist yet.

Either way, all I've got is that I want to start as a dwarf, probably either as a mad doctor or apprenticed to a blacksmith. I'm not sure which, really.

Melee? Ranged? Shock stick? Or hypercharged taser? Hmmmmmmmm

Also, is it possible to actually do all of the tech disciplines? I have the level cap set to 100. Or is that generally too high?

And I'm using the UAP.

One option would be Waltorious's grenadier:

http://www.gog.com/forum/arcanum_of_steamworks_and_magick_obscura/whats_the_best_possible_starting_build/post16
http://www.gog.com/forum/arcanum_of_steamworks_and_magick_obscura/good_build_for_a_beginner_to_arcanum/post9
http://www.gog.com/forum/arcanum_of_steamworks_and_magick_obscura/best_dwarf_build/post5

My two cents: Invest two points in Throwing and grab the boomerang from the starting shopkeeper. After you get to the first town, invest in the Explosives discipline (earlier won't help, since the supplies won't be there) and then you can throw Molotov cocktails at everyone! Muahaha!*

Or invest in Melee, then the Smithy skill. Featherweight axes are awesome, and when you finally find the Pyrotechnic Axe schematic, watch out!

As far as every tech discipline goes, there are eight colleges with seven levels each. That's 56 points right there, not counting the IN (intelligence) you'd need to master them all.** It'd take quite a while, but with the level cap removed it's certainly doable.

A better plan would be to focus your attention on the disciplines you're most likely to use. You probably won't need Therapeutics or Mechanical, and if you're not going to be a gunslinger then Gun Smithy can wait as well. Many of the schematics you'll find (rather than learn) require greater or lesser expertise in various colleges; but there's a cheat: you can invest in (heavy and expensive — you know, just like college!) tech manuals in order to build them.

*This really works. Unlike with boomerangs and bows, there's no risk of friendly fire from explosives. Or firearms, for that matter.

**Potions of IN provide a real-time minute of +10 IN, up to your PC's max (usually 20). During that time, you can spend skill points on the discipline of your choice, and use them to build whatever you choose. You'll "forget" those levels when the potion wears off, but they're still there, and you can access them again at any time with another quaff.

EDIT: It would be very difficult to be able to craft everything possible without abusing manuals and int potions.

Crafting Guide here:
http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/guide-to-arcanum-schematics-complete.54412/

FAQ for new players here:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/914155-arcanum-of-steamworks-and-magick-obscura/faqs/63974

The most common tech fighter styles are guns, melee, throwing.

For melee you need ST and DX. For ranged you need DX and PE.

For crafting you need IN, but can abuse intelligence potions from the gypsies if you want to.

You can also buy manuals for tech expertise for crafting purposes from the Tarant University.

You basically never need to raise willpower or constitution.

Beauty and charisma always optional. Charisma of 9 tho is highly recommended, so you can get a decent amount of persuasion. 12 Charisma is even better, it allows expert training in persuasion which allows an additional +1 follower.

If you want to be a tech crafter mainly, without any focus on fighting, then you will rely on allies for a while in battle until you can create some arachnids. High intelligence, some strength to carry things, dex maybe for dodging.

From the above FAQ:

GOOD EARLY TECH:
----------------

good early available melee tech - pyrotechnic axe schematic in willoughsby
trapdoor, tarant (fight mechanical arachnids). Requires a featherweight axe,
which can be found on an angry dwarf at the inn attached to the hotel of
Blackroot.

good early available tech armor - machined plate in ashbury house, fight
mechanical arachnid and automaton

good early available guns - master firearms quest in ashbury. lots of metal
armor also.

good early available guns - Hand cannon on the insulting halfling by
Kensington Park subway station in Tarant. Hand cannon from ogre gang leader
in the Boil of Tarant, accessable early through the old sewers entrance
southwest of the gypsy. Go east through the old sewers past zombies until
you see rats again by a ladder, up to the ogre leader.

great later available guns - tarant orc factory uprising (not gates factory
sabotage). Only seems to happen sometime after qintarra. Elephant gun on
poachers near Bedokaan Village.

good early available tech rings - 2 into electricity and craft charged rings
(copper ring from stillwater smith, capacitors from any inventor).

GOOD EARLY CRAFTING:
--------------------
all crafting listed here is very easy to find components for and provides
something very beneficial
any decent craftsman buys the schematics for bullets and fuel as soon as he
sees them at a merchant!

gunsmith final level allows elephant gun. The hunting rifle can be purchased
in almost any gun shop, and the large pipe is commonly found in trash bins.

smithy level 2 allows balanced sword. Components commonly sold at merchants.

smithy level 3 allows featherweight axe, made easily into the amazing
pyrotechnic axe

electrician level 2 allows charged rings, +2 DEX each. Components commonly
sold at merchants.

electrician level 5 allows +20 DR helmet. Components commonly sold at
merchants.

explosives level 1 allows molotov cocktail, an excellent grenade. Also gives
enough expertise to make bullets. Components commonly found in trash and
sold at merchants.

explosives level 4 allows stun grenades, which are extremely good in combat
and profitable to sell. Components commonly sold at merchants.

explosives level 5 allows explosive grenades, which are good in combat and
extremely profitable to sell. Components commonly found in trash and sold at
merchants.

mechanics level 4 allows eye gear, which is useful to gunslingers and quite
profitable to sell. Components commonly sold at merchants.

I'm not going to give you any instructions but I'll just say that I'm a first timer too playing tech-gunslinger at lvl15 currently and doing just fine :)

Gosh, thanks for all of the advice XD

I think I like the idea of a grenadier. Gunslingers sound fancy, but grenades sound like the way to go.

Now I just need to work out the kinks that will let me play in windowed mode. I already did away with the high res patch because it was causing too many problems that made the game literally unplayable (there's probably a fix for it, I just need to search harder)

Basically, the picture shunted to the side, everything was squished, and the graphics glitched out.

EDIT: One google search later and Arcanum's running in windowed mode.

ADDENDUM: Sorry, ended up having more to say XD

So, you know, thinking about what sort of tech character I want to make... and honestly, I do want to include Mechanical so that I can create help to aid me. I just don't know what I should give up. I mean, mechanics are kinda what I like about Engineers in general to begin with (not to be confused with real life engineers)

I don't quite understand what everything does yet, but hey, I can find out.

Hmm...

It's totally possible to specialize in more than one tech discipline. In fact, with a grenadier, you don't necessarily have to max out the entire Explosives discipline. Higher-level grenades can be useful in certain situations, but the lowly molotov will serve you well, and you could spend points elsewhere to branch out a little.

The character system in Arcanum seems really complicated at first, but once you start leveling up and spending points you'll realize that everything has prerequisites so it's actually not that difficult. You need to keep building up INT in order to get higher tech discipline skills, higher DX for combat skills, etc. It will start to make sense pretty quickly.

I think my favorite tech character was an eccentric physician who mastered Herbology and Therapeutics.

For the record, I once played a racist Dwarf who would have none but his own kind as followers — including the only Dwarf in the game who knows any sort of magic.

I actually did that too and it was one of my favorite playthroughs. I refused to put up with the insults at Qintarra too, which ended in the entire town fighting me.

Wiping out the elven homeland felt pretty good as a party of dwarves.

What I am going to try is a Half-Orc Bandit with throwing...

I will take two ranks in electric to get the charge rings...

Four Ranks in Explosive for stun grenade...

I will start with a gun that is almost equal to two ranks in gun smith and will steal a better one...

I will max out my Dex and PE while maxing my throwing and fire arm, and also lock pick and pick pocket so I can max out my potential...

I will also throw in a few more tech points in for the skeleton key...

Then get the dog and it will be her and me searching the country side to rob, blow up, and kill many across the land...

Mad Jack and his dog name Boo is my role playing idea...

Go for it.

I'll bet it did. Just try not to make a hobbit of it.

^yeh

Honestly, my current character has essentially completed the line of training necessary to be a great gunslinger - near 20 PE, maxed firearms skill and a few ranks in the gunsmithy discipline (fine for a low-ST character because you can steal the looking-glass rifle, sharpshooter pistol, and hand cannon, and build Droch's Warbringer later) and I'm only level 28. From here, I'm pretty confident that I could max throwing and learn the entire explosives discipline (mmm dynamite) with room to spare.

So in other words: why not be a gunslinging grenadier? (It'll sure save you on inventory space.)