These days I came back to Wizardry 8 after a few years abstinence. Last I did back then was playing a Solo with a lowest tier solo character class - a Mage that is. After that I stopped, since the challenge to play Ironman didn't seem viable, but there's been nowhere else to go to up the challenge. It's a bit unfair, because status effects & death spells can't be entirely negated: There'll always be a minimum risk, regardless of resistances and level. In a true Solo w/o RPCs that's the end right there...

Anyway: I felt like playing again, figured out ways to dodge some of the fixed encounters w/ death spell opponents and started to play that Solo. Considering the difficulty I decided I'd play a multiclass character for the 1st time - the most powerful character I could come up with. By now I am already about to leave Arnika after powertraining a lot, heading for the Umpani Camp. That specific part should be doable, but since I never did it before I am very likely to die sooner or later - no use pretending.

The Stream (yes, this is the link) will commence tomorrow (sunday the 26th) at about 19:00 (UTC+2) on Twitch. It may vary a bit, so I'll update the post about half an hour before starting. I'd be happy to welcome any viewers that may be interested!

It's not just a bit unfair, due to the whole issue with Marten's Idol, as having your only character go missing is a game over. I also suspect it may be outright impossible if your character is a Mook.

In any case, I will likely never play Ironman, as I don't like that style of play. (There's a reason I use save states in classic Wizardry.)

By the way, I did just see a video where Wizardry 1 (SFC version) was beaten with a solo mage in under an hour. (OK, the player *did* recruit some other characters at the start, but left them behind at level 6 or so and the game was finished solo.)

One can make do without the Helm of Serenity, but that's pretty annoying I think - both to be insane as well as turning Psionic for a level. A portal could allow using the DD immediately, but that's a lot of effort as well.
I'll probably just kill Crock. *If I ever get to the point where he'd become a problem, anyway :p Didn't expect that! In fact I've tried to start a Solo in W6 and it wouldn't let me, so I just assumed it wasn't possible in the earlier titles.

There was actually a major change in the game system between Wizardry 5 and 6.

Anyway, here is a brief summary of how the series evolved:
* Wizardry 1: The first game in the series.
* Wizardry 2: If this were a modern game, this would have been DLC for Wizardry 1. Game systems are the same (aside from some tweaking to make certain spells more usable), but the dungeon is (of course) new. It's interesting from a solo perspective in that you *have* to solo the very end of the game, though that's after all of the game's combat challenges. (In the Famicom/NES arrangement of the scenario, there's actually a secret superboss that, unless you get lucky with in-combat MALOR, can only be fought solo, though at least you get to use some of the most powerful equipment in the series.)
* Wizardry 3: Like Wizardry 1 and 2, though you can't just use a single party for the whole game; some floors can only be reached with a good party, others only with an evil party, and an all-neutral party can't reach the final level.
* Wizardry 4: Not like the rest of the series. In particular, instead of creating your own party, you play as the villain from Wizardry 1, and it's just you and your monster summons against various do-gooders. This game is *very* different from the rest of the series, and while it's sometimes unfair (enemies casting MAKANITO anyone?), I would say it's worth playing (though play at least Wizardry 1 first).
* Wizardry 5: The series finally starts to evolve here, with dungeon floors no longer being fixed size and the addition of new spells to the mix. Also the first game in the series to feature NPC interaction. The game systems still resemble Wizardry 1, however.
* Wizardry 6: Complete re-do of the game system. Many new races and classes are added, magic now works differently, the skill system first appeared in this game, and the ability to go back to town to change your party was removed. (That last point is my biggest complaint about this game.) Also, no more forced auto-saving (yay!).
* Wizardry 7: An evolutionary step from Wizardry 6. Game systems are mostly the same, but there have been some tweaks (more extensive than the ones between Wizardry 1 and 2), with some balance fixes (Valkyries no longer level up faster than Priests, and Rangers aren't so terrible), and some new spells added to the list.
* Wizardry 8: Another significant change in the game system. Only game in the series (not counting any Japanese spin-offs I'm not familiar with) to have RPCs.

Anyway, here's a link to that particular Wizardry 1 video I mentioned:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU-04c6GJLw
(Note that, due to bad luck with learning certain critical spells, this run is sub-optimal. Also, note that this video is in Japanese.)

I'll start in about 45 minutes - 15m later than planned. Sorry for that!

Check the "Wizardry 8 - Windows 10 - Can't enter building in Umpani base"
thread on this board for some in game solutions to bounce up the steps, especially vsync
and the contained link for solution with help of "external forces"

Wiz8fast has no impact on party movement, or even whether you can take the steps better


A pure solo IM build which has proven to be pretty solid,
also in Dodds Dodd The Slayer, Qusaris Wizardry 8 Reforged and the russioan Ultimate Dod by Orachin.
Start as mage w sleep & terror, raise wiz, air and mental to 80 with the 3 roaches in the cell,
or whatever is known to be locked in a room, like the 2 rogues in Arnika Jail.
At that point no spawn you can meet at lvl 1-5(in vanilla;) has a real chance to resist your magic.
Change to ninja for 1 lvl and boost stealth to 90+, e.g. with the 3 placed seekers at Upper Monastery,
do a total of 8 bishop lvls and raise all schools and realms to 80+, learn all possible spells,
finally go ninja, train ranged&throwing @infinitum at the umpani shooting range if not yet done
(rest so the dummies can heal)
and close combat behind the collapsed roof of the hut near RFS-81.

My, You watched my stream? That's quite an honour!
What Your build tells me most of all is that You did also grind a lot in IM, which was my greatest doubt: Whether it makes sense to grind a bunch in IM. After all I can't really hope to get it done in just a few attempts I reckon...
Although I've already had something in mind for combat training I never used the hut or the Umpani range so far. I'll check that out!
The build You describe sure makes sense and since I love the Mage anyway it is a pretty attractive approach to IM! Perhaps I try that at some point. That said I think You of all people know how much fun it is to figure things out by Yourself, so You'll understand why I'll stick to my build for the time being.

In any case it's fun! An exciting challenge :)

Nice one, thank You!
W1 looks better than W6 in terms of graphics. It's because it is on NES I reckon? That's probably also why the series became popular in Japan in the first place?
The video is somewhat hard to follow, it being in japanese. Perhaps I should give it a try, so as to check out the earlier mechanics. Since I just died however it doesn't look like I'd finish my IM game any time soon - not unless I get tired of trying, anyway ^^

I'll give it another go in about 25 minutes (19:15 UTC+2)

That particular version of Wizardry 1 (on the Super Famicom, which is actually the Japanese Super NES) is a remake; the original game (on the Apple 2) and other PC versions didn't have such nice graphics.

Here is a quick glitch speedrun of the original game, on the Apple 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73CBaq6TERE

(Note that many of the pauses are loading times. Also, note that this speedrun involves a major glitch and some good luck.)

(Also, yes you did have to type in the name of a spell in order to cast it.)

Going live in ~ 5 mins. Today some training & Alchemy, perhaps a trip to Bela. Then again I may not have enough time for that trip - I'll probably just prepare.

Where are these reposted on YouTube? I'm curious how you got past certain obstacles.

Not sure I do that. Although I did record it all it would require some work to create an appropriate cut.

Anyway: Stream continues in 20 mins - 13:00 utc+2

Would be nice to make them available on YT as i could (and can) not really watch the stream on twitch,
no matter whether live or later, either due to low connection bandwidth or more likely ancient hardware (T60 Frankenpad)
the stream here usually turns into a below_1_fps slideshow after a few frames,
only audio appears to be in time.

So I dont even know which of the exploits from the related thread on P C
you may have used (since you replied there;) in your IM run.
btw just added another one that may be helpful to "beat" the Don at early stage.

Okay, if You put it that way... I'll check out how it goes - perhaps I can just do a rough cut w/o too much hassle.

Say townltu: How do I pronounce Your nick correctly?

Also I start my stream now.