I've foolishly chosen the dark elf background, not realizing that it doesn't just mean "-2 to your STARTING Charisma" but also a -2 Charisma cap. Which means I can't drag quite as many people behind me as I'd like. Is there a potion / piece of equipment / something that would increase my charisma a bit?

(Since I've hit the stat limit, you may assume the fortune teller quest is far behind me. Would that have helped with the limit, anyways?)

On an entirely different note, is there a list of resurrectable people somewhere? So far I've only encountered the professor in Clarissa Pettibone's "steal elven artifacts for me" quest and the cursed spirit in the crash site cave. Everyone else just shrug resurrection spells off.

Pretty sure that's a hard limit, unless you're willing to edit your PC's info directly ...which someone else will have to come along and explain how to do, since I've never bothered.

There is an ancient schematic you can pick up late game, which permanently increases all eight stats by +1. It's a one-use item, though, since one of its components is unique within the game. (So's the other one, actually, unless you've picked up Jayna Styles or chosen to invest in the Therapeutics skill.) And even then, the stat bonus probably still won't lift the cap. What about the cursed spirit's partner in crime — you know, right after you've killed him? Yours is a fascinating question; I've literally never thought about going around and seeing who could be vivified. If no one else jumps in with an answer, I strongly urge you to compile a list of your own and share it here.

I don't know whether there's a definitely comprehensive list of spirits that say distinctive things, but see these threads:

http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=17215
http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=12263
http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=14404

Edit: I was assuming you had conjured spirits in mind; physical resurrection I don't know about.

Sadly, all type of basic stats penalties (racial, background, etc.) limit your maximum stats, but only racial bonuses are added to them. This behaviour is hardcoded, which means that the only way to lift stats limits, so you can always reach at least 20, regardless of your starting penalties, is hex-editing of arcanum.exe file (I have done so, so I can fully raise all stats of any character I play).

No, when I said "resurrectable" I meant physical resurrection. I don't think I've conjured a spirit once - you don't get the scrolls in stores and the magic schools seems pretty bad.

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Guess I should ask how to hex edit characters. Or if there's a mod / hack that just allows you unlimited followers.

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Unrelated question - does joining the Dark Elves open a lot of alternate content, or does it actually cut off a a bunch of content for a few short evil options quests?

1) As a matter of fact, there is.

2) It opens no special content AFAIK, and is just flavor + stat adjustments. You get "evil" quests by keeping your alignment near or below zero, which involves doing evil things (like picking pockets, performing thieves guild quests, and murdering innocents, for example). Of course, that same evil alignment may shut you out of some "good" quests, and vice versa. That's one of the reasons this game has such a reputation for replayability.

Hmm. I thought I read you don't get to meet a certain N-din and figure out what's going on if you join the Dark Elves.

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Is there anywhere that sells reflection shield scrolls? Or dominate spells for that matter? Do your forced followers level up?

1) Not true. MODERATE SPOILER:

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Being evil enough opens up the evil route option at a certain critical juncture in the main storyline, regardless of your background. Following that path means that you don't NEED to meet the N-man, but the option is still there — even if it's only to taunt and/or attack him.


2) I don't believe so. You want this hack, you gotta spend the CPs to earn it. If that doesn't work for you right now, than plan ahead for it on the next run. On the plus side, those followers do level up IIRC; I seem to recall someone posting about the killer stats of their Level 50 "ailing" wolf.

You can achieve it by hex-editing main game executable, too.

'k? Tell me how or give me a link?

Here you are. :)
http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16046

Hmm. I've used HxD to open Arcanum.exe, and I can't find "0x1B5240" to change.

Why is that? Do you know how to find a byte in a file by its offset? :)

Nope. How do you do that?

You can't cast reflect shield on a controlled NPC. Shame.

Is that the unofficial patch change or what?

Anyways, guess hex editing is the way to go, should someone explain it. Unfortunately, that probably means I won't have two voiced elven NPCs in the party.