Stat =!= Skill
Skills max, I've never maxed a single stat.
You can work or study as much as you like to gain stat increases - even after you hit 100 for jobs or 1000 for skills.
ULAMS5
You have to adventure at the Forest and such as many times as it takes for you to stumble across the location. I find this very tedious and often put it off until much later.
You don't max any stats. You can still increase them by working or studying. I maxed my Smithing skill and still studied for the crafting options and still got stat increases.
Ditto for any work profession.
Warrior is easier to start with - no mana points to run out of.
The best way to reduce stress in dungeons is to study Healing and possibly to finish fights quickly. If you have a special ability like Smunch, use it in the beginning to debuff your opponent.
Best way to destress is to build a Level 5 Gardens (2.5X) and to pump up your constitution.
HOW TO HIT OPPONENTS
Train at the schools.
Get some good equipment.
It's worth it to wait until your first birthday for the gift. Don't forget to use the inventory screen to buy, sell and equip your goodies. Play to your strengths, cover your weaknesses.
Sigh.
Okay - this is a resource management game. You have manage your gold, building materials, time and stress very deliberately.
This is not a mindless hack fest. If you play it that way, you'll be frustrated.
re: skalpy
Do NOT rush out adventuring! Your "hero" is a 12 year old wannabe who might, just possibly, know which end of the sword to hold. Without any training, he's going to rush in flailing wildly at his opponent and hitting through pure luck.
Here's my advice:
For the first two years work and use the money to train in magic and/or combat skills. It's best to pick one and specialize.
Pick jobs that boost the proper stats:
Magic: Wisdom and Intelligence
Combat: Strength and Dexterity
Constitution is always good.
When you get your second birthday gift, go to inventory and equip the best that you have. (You won't have a weapon equipped yet.) Buy whatever you can afford. Go to the Testing dungeon - it's three measly skeletons and you should be able to defeat them.
My basic formula for combat is:
By the time I have reduced a monster to half of its original hit points, I should have more than half of my original hit points. Then I can put it on auto combat and know that I'll win.
If I have less than half of my hit points, I need to either fight smarter or retreat and come back when I have better stats or better equipment.
Fighting the tough monsters is easier if you use "Smunch" to debuff them first. Smunch removes 10% of their damage resistance each and every time.
Essentially it removes their armor. So if you find yourself hitting a monster for truly pathetic damage, Smunch it a few times and hit it again. Your damage should increase.
New game:
Spent two years working and training while waiting for my second birthday gift. Superior weapons and armor make all the difference to a novice hero. It's working so far.
I'm not sure why I'm still raiding dungeons. My reputations are maxed, I don't need the money and good items are easier to make than to find!
I suppose I could rush suicidally into the claws of the eevuhl bunny.
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