Table of Contents

Crossfire Handbook - Character Creation

This handbook outlines useful information (and some spoilers) for beginning players on creating new characters. If you are interested purely in the mechanics of Crossfire please visit the Sworn Book of Scorn instead.

Handbook Table of Contents

Guides - Back to guides index

  1. Connecting to Crossfire - How to connect to a Crossfire Server
  2. Creating a character - What to consider when creating a new character ← You are here :!:
  3. Playing Crossfire - General information about moving and interacting in Crossfire
    1. Player Commands - Commands any player can use including syntax and description
    2. DM Commands - Commands only a DM can use
  4. Skills - What skills your character should learn
    1. Combat - Skills relating to hand to hand combat
    2. Magic - Skills related to spellcraft
    3. Crafting and other skills - Other skills
  5. Equipment - What equipment should you try and find
    1. Store Guide (the best stores for buying and selling)
  6. Maps - Where you should go exploring
    1. Beginners Atlas - A [uncompleted] guide to the default mapset.

Creating a character

Once you connect to a server, you will be asked for a character name followed by a password. If you are playing for the first time, type any name you like; this will be your character name for the rest of the life of that character. Next, type in any password. Remember!: you will need to type the same password again to play that character again! One more note: its not a good idea to use “real” passwords to your computer accounts! Doing so may make your system vulnerable to unscrupulous Crossfire server administrators.

Primary Stat Points

Your next step will be to generate Primary Stats for your character. You aren't limited to the number of times you can roll your stats - so have fun. Notice that the stats are always arranged that the STR stat has the highest value, the CHA stat has the lowest. You may rearrange the order of these values when you decide that you have rolled some decent stats. A character can never roll better stats than an average of straight 15's, and any single stat higher than 18.

When you roll your character, the stats displayed are the stats you will get as a human (which are unmodified). When satisfied, you can step through a number of races, each with special bonuses in stats.

Choosing a race

Races provide permanent changes to the total primary stats maximums and also provide other bonuses and weaknesses. Your basic stats will be changed by choosing a different race. The difference between the natural stat limit and 20 indicates the bonus/penalty assigned to rolled primary stats. For example, a troll has a maximum strength which is 5 higher than 20-that means he will begin with an additional 5 points added to his strength roll. On the other hand, a troll can never get above 15 in intelligence. This means that your rolled character will have 5 less in intelligence if you choose that race. You should also note that any bonus to an ability can't raise the final number above your racial maximum, and no penalty can give you an ability score less than one; the lowest it can ever get is one.

Choosing a class

Classes provide starting equipment and skills and modify the initial primary stats but not their maximums. This means that class plays a less significant role in the long term direction of your character.

Choosing a God

If your character is pious the choice of God you worship also impacts upon your strengths and weaknesses.

The safe option

Hence, combinations of race and class and god, particularly in early and mid-levels (0 - 50), push characters into using specific skills such as spell_casting for intelligent characters, combat for strong characters or religion for wise characters . Some combinations are powerful early in the game (at low levels) but fall off later (at high levels) whilst other combinations may be very challenging to get started but come into their own at higher levels. The most common question at this point is:

"I'm new. Which race and class (and god) should I try?"

For beginning players, the “simple fighter” characters are the easiest to play successfully. The Dwarf, Human, and Warrior are among good earlier choices. As you gain experience with using Crossfire you may wish to branch out into other “fighter” characters such as the Thief or Elf, or try your hand at playing “spellcaster” characters like the Wizard, Mage, Cleric or Priest. The “exotic” races (e.g. Fireborn, Quetzalcoatl, and Wraith) and the Monk class are the hardest classes to master. Any character class that has a low natural INT (for example, the Barbarian class) will have a fairly difficult time at higher levels in learning new spells and abilities, so best aim to start with what you need. Selecting a compatible race and class combination can make the difference between repeat & numerous deaths or level progression/accomplishments and a positive “newbie” experience.

NOTE: This guide is meant to provide someone who is new to Crossfire the best starting chance to the path of success.

Warriors

In general most players find the warrior classes the easiest to learn from due to their high durability and ability to fight their way out of dangerous situations and should therefore select a “safe” race to start out with and learn how to play. Some of the most straightforward combinations are:

Race Class Strength Weakness
Human paladins or warriors All rounder & class includes praying (note if you get a scroll of praying, consider re-rolling) no penalties
Half-orc warriors Stat bonuses favour fighter classes penalty to spell casting for turning spells
Northman warriors All rounder penalty to spell casting for fire spells

On Warriors

To become a mighty warrior, you need basically three things: A good weapon, good armour and physical toughness. Then you can kill your foes simply by “running into them”. Physical toughness means you will need high Str (for good attacking power) and Con (for many hit points) -stats. Look for “potions of Strength/Constitution”. Try to get items that speed up your health-regeneration too. Weapons will be very important for you. Note that every weapon has certain “attacktypes”. Most monsters are vulnerable able to one or two attacktypes. Search for artifact weapons and experiment with different weapons on different monsters. You should know that there are ways to enchant ordinary weapons. However, it tends to be very costly. It can be helpful to advance at least a very little bit in divine magic. Spells for healing, curing and protections can save your life more than once. Use resist. potions to level up quickly. Feeling strong already? Hah - You're a greenhorn unless you can at least kill a titan with one hit!

Clergy

For players looking to try out a pious route some safer options are:

Race Class Strength Weakness
Humans paladins or priests All rounder & class includes praying no penalties
Gnomes warriors Strong stat points for prayer and gnomes start with praying no significant penalties

On Prayer

If you plan to utilize divine powers you must first choose a cult. Enter a temple of the cult you want to join. Step onto the altar and pray (type “use_skill praying”). The divine spirit will touch your soul, attuning your mortal being to your god. Next you must learn prayers. Prayer books can be bought in magic shops. Some prayers will have different effects for every cult. Try to find “holy word” and “bless”. Casting divine spells (= prayers) will drain grace. When it runs low, pray to renew your faith. If your maximum grace is too low you should try to increase your Wisdom stat. You can change cults anytime, but beware: Your former deity will become very angry and punish you! You might lose wisdom levels. Return to the temple of your cult regularly. Step onto the altar and pray. This will please your deity.. And rest assured, the gods do know how to reward a worthy disciple! Never lose your faith! Rumors tell about divine spells of incredible power, and of old, wise priests that have almost reached immortality..

Wizardry

Or for players who still want to give the other spellcasting skills a try first:

Race Class Strength Weakness
Humans Any mage class except summoner All rounder, can try and get a pyromancy skill scroll to start with as a human no penalties
Halfling Any mage class except summoner Strong stat points for wizardry no significant penalties

On Alchemy

To practice the art of alchemy, you will first need to learn some recipes. These can be found in some of the old books that are sold in magic shops. To earn your a little money, you should kill some orcs/goblins and cast the spell “alchemy” over the loot, turning it into small gold nuggets. When you know some recipes, you must try to collect the listed ingredients. Some can be bought in alchemy-shops, others must be collected in dungeons. To identify unknown minerals or potions type “use_skill alchemy”. Once you got all ingredients to complete a recipe, you must put them into your cauldron. The amount of ingredients must also be correct. Put the cauldron on the floor, close it and “use_skill alchemy” upon it. If you are lucky you will get what you longed for. Use alchemy to earn money as well as for creating potions/balms for combat. You open the guide to the Art of Summoning and start reading.

On Summoning

Basically there are two classes of summoning spells: 1. The golem-like spells summon a creature that will move straight forward attempting to kill any monster blocking the way. 2. The petmonster-like spells are capable of summoning masses of little helpers, fighting for your cause. Use golem-like spells to take down strong enemies. For example: “summon golem”, “summon xxx elemental”, “staff to snake”, “summon avatar”. Use pet monsters to clear out large maps with creatures of decent level (compared to yours). For example: “summon pet monster”, “summon cult monster”, “call holy servant”. As you raise your skill-level, most summoning spells will increase in power. It is probably stupid to use *nothing* except summoning spells. But there are situations where a summoner survives while another wizard would have died. And once you have seen the first Balrog fall to your avatar, there will be no doubt about your power.

Races

A complete list of race traits is available here

Dragon/fire hatchling:

Dragons must plan to manage their elemental focus which may take some practice to get used to. The armor restrictions (can't wear any) and weapon restrictions (can't wield any) can make some of the early levels tough - unless you have a stockpile or access to some magical stuff (other character, guild, friends, etc.) Dragon characters are also vulnerable to weapons that are slay_dragon. Visit the Dragons page for more information.

Dwarf:

Dwarves would be a recommended starting race, except for one problem: they are vulnerable to the holy word of Gnarg (slay_dwarf) Otherwise they make excellent warriors.

Elf:

Elves have a penalty to their starting Str and Con stats, which are very important for the fighter classes. Plus they are vulnerable to Gnarg's holy word. They are also vulnerable to weapons that are slay_faerie.

Fireborn:

A fireborn has strict armour and other gear restrictions (no weapons). They are also vulnerable to cold and other attack types such as drain and ghost hit which makes up for their protection from fire and poison. The stat penalties for a fireborn also makes them weak fighters, but very strong spell casters.

Gnome:

Gnomes have a penalty to their starting Str, Dex and Con stats which are critical for the fighter classes.

Halfling:

Halfling start out with a substantial penalty to their Str score, but do receive a bonus to their Dex and Con scores. They have no weapon restrictions; are not vulnerable to any particular spell or attack type. Halflings would probably fall under the category of “recommended” vs “highly recommended.”

Quetzalcoatl:

At a quick glance, Quetzalcoatls have the appearance of being potent fighters in Crossfire. However, they can't wear or use any armour. They can wield weapons though. The stat penalties they take on the “spell casting” stats is very substantial though. Their vulnerabilities to paralyze and cold assures a near immediate death (several equipment options are available to reduce this chance) because of the frequency that these attack types show up in the game (probably second to fire.)

Serpentman:

Serpent men are another race that has great potential as a second character. Stat bonuses are decent for the melee skills; stat penalties for the spell casting skills are noticeable but nothing that substantial. However, a serpentman has restrictions on what armour they can use which can be compensated for with no restrictions on weapons. They are vulnerable to cold though, which is a very common spell effect or attack type within the game.

Trolls:

Trolls have a high digestion rate - they eat a lot of food. Unless you know of what maps to visit for a good supply of food and which ones to avoid due to their weakness to fire - expect many deaths as a result. Trolls are also vulnerable to Lythander's holy word. They are also vulnerable to weapons that are slay_troll.

Wraiths:

Wraiths are vulnerable to fire and all holy word based spells (plus the spell turn undead) which is very dangerous because of the area of effect of these spells. Also, a Wraith character casting holy word based prayers could accidentally kill themselves. They are also vulnerable to weapons that are slay_undead.

Classes

A complete list of classes is available here.

Alchemist:

Alchemists start out with a minimum of combat and spell casting skills. However, their access to the alchemy skill can allow them to build up a considerable fortune, which then allows them to buy necessary items, skill scrolls, etc. to become a potent character later on.

Barbarian:

Barbarians are a pure combat class in the early game. Their stat penalties can make diversifying your character extra challenging because learning new skills requires the literacy skill (which they do not start out with) and a high Intelligence (which they start out with a -6 modifier).

Devotee, Sorcerer, Summoner, Warlock, Wizard:

Devotees, Sorcerers, Summoners, Warlocks, Wizards, are the “mage” type of classes, the arcane spell casters. These are especially challenging to start out the game with.

All the offensive spells that they have access to require spell points to cast. Nearly all armour in the game hinders spell point regeneration so wearing plate mail while adventuring in the dungeon not only slows down your movement (all these classes, but warlock, start with a penalty to the Strength score) and spell point regeneration. These leaves the “mages” very vulnerable on the defense, but powerful on the offense as well. They also start out with a penalty to their Constitution score (except the Warlock,) so their total hit points (health) are not that high either. As they level, they do not gain as many hit points for each level either. Learning the timing and coordination necessary for effective spell casting has a learning curve. Vanquishing as many monsters as you can with a single spell will help you level up faster, but understanding when to use a ball, cone, or bolt based spell takes some practice and learning. This of course assumes your character starts out with one of these spells. Spells can be found for “free” as random treasure, but often times you'll need to purchase new spells from shops or other players. Having a stockpile of money helps with this - which is easier to acquire with one of the melee classes.

Monk:

Monks are unable to wield any weapons or wear any armour (other then normal clothing). They are the only class that has access to the meditate skill (allows for fast healing and spell point regeneration) to make up for this. Monks also have a minimum of stat penalties when starting out which gives them the potential to be a decent mix of melee skills and spell casting. But, it's the early game where defense (in the form of armour) and hit points (to withstand damage that the armour can't prevent) are so critical - that leaves the monk “recommended” as a second character that you may want to create.

Ninja:

Ninjas start out with positive modifiers to the core melee stats (Str, Dex, and Con) but also have penalties to the spell casting stats (Wis, Pow.) They do not have any weapon or armour restrictions. Overall, this makes the ninja class rather favourable. Ninjas would probably fall under the category of “recommended” vs “highly recommended.

Priest:

Priests are very similar to the “mage” classes (Devotee, Sorcerer, Summoner, Warlock and Wizard) with the key difference being the priest uses prayers and grace instead of arcane spells and spell points. The next major difference is that the priest's spell casting is not hindered by armour and that grace can be restored by using the praying skill. What makes a priest a challenge to play is their strengths are in their spells - both offensive & defensive and healing. A player has to purchase and successfully learn all these spells and use them effectively. This is expensive and an even bigger learning curve. The stat bonuses and penalties for the priest reflect this - they start out with penalties to the core melee stats (Str, Dex, and Con) and positive modifiers to their spell casting stats (Int, Wis, Pow.)

Swashbuckler:

Swashbucklers start out with positive modifiers to the core melee stats (Str, Dex, and Con) but also have penalties to the spell casting stats (Int, Wis, Pow.) They do not have any weapon or armour restrictions. They receive a bonus to their Charisma score which can be helpful in the buying and purchasing items from shops. Overall, this makes the swashbuckler class rather favourable. Swashbucklers would probably fall under the category of “recommended” vs “highly recommended.”

Thief:

Thieves start off with a penalty to their Constitution score which is critical for hit points. They also receive a considerable bonus to their Dexterity scores too. This helps with their quickness and AC. However, the early game relies so much on hit points because AC will not protect you from many magical attacks, traps, etc. The penalty they receive on their Charisma score will make selling to shops a little less profitable, and buying from shops more expensive.

Gods

Recommendations on Religion

Selecting a cult or religion can seem like a daunting task - no one wants to pick a cult , only discover later on that some key or highly desirable spell, weapon, armour or skill is now denied to them. Or, that gaining prayer experience for leveling has long past it's peak can be very discouraging. And lets not forget the experience (level) loss that is the trade-off for switching to a different cult. This guide is to help you pick a cult with a summary as to why. Or for those seeking a challenge - a combination that may prove enjoyable in a different way.

NOTE: This guide is meant to provide someone who is new to Crossfire the best starting chance to the path of success. Also keep in mind that a weapon blessing will *not* work if the weapon already has a slay property or has been blessed by another god/cult.

Early Game

General summary of what a cult member can expect while gaining the first 10 or 15 levels in praying.

Mid Game

General summary of what a cult member can expect while gaining levels 16 to 40 in praying.

Late Game

General summary of what a cult member can expect at level 50+ in praying.

Perks & Drawbacks

Understanding what the trade-offs are for those special abilities

Table of Contents:


Mostrai

Summary: Highly Recommended; Mostrai followers have the easiest drawbacks to work around, and very positive perks. They are able to compete well in all stages of the game.

Early Game

Mostrai followers have enemies that are vulnerable to the Holy Word line of spells. Starting with Goblins, they are easy pickings and rather plentiful to level up on, rather quickly

Mid Game

After Goblins - the other race that is vulnerable to Mostrai's Holy Word spells are Giants. Moving on to Ogres and eventually Hill Giants, they present a little more of a challenge - but are very plentiful in the game. Around this time one receives Mostrai's only granted spell, Wall of Thorns. This spell has it's uses, but can easily bypassed by monsters with alot of hitpoints or monsters that are flying. Don't forget to pray over an altar of Mostrai to add enchantments (slay_goblin, slay_giant and attack_type: weaponmagic) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

Mostrai's Holy Word spells are still effective on high level monsters - now (big) Wizards, Titans, and Dread Knights

Perks
Drawbacks

Lythander

Summary: Recommended; Lythander followers have easy drawback to work around, positive perks - but the late game for them will be challenging.

Early Game

Lythander followers have enemies that are vulnerable to the Holy Word line of spells. Starting with Goblins, they are easy pickings and rather plentiful to level up on, rather quickly

Mid Game

After Goblins - the other race that is vulnerable to Lythander's Holy Word spells are Trolls. Start with Baby Trolls and then eventually move up towards Trolls and Gaelotrolls. The later present a little more of a challenge - but are very plentiful in the game. Don't forget to pray over an altar of Lythander to add enchantments (slay_goblin, slay_troll and attack_types: confusion and slow) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

This is the drawback of Lythander - there aren't high level trolls (or goblins) in the game, so there's no way of gaining praying XP quickly and easily

Perks
Drawbacks

Gnarg

Summary: Somewhat recommended; Gnarg followers face challenges in very specific areas which veteran players can work around while new players may find these especially challenging.

Early Game

Gnarg followers have enemies that are vulnerable to the Holy Word line of spells. However, dwarves and faeries (elves and pixies) are not that plentiful in the game; this makes the early levels slow going

Mid Game

Like in the early game, at this level not many maps have dwarves or faeries on that to make leveling up easy. However, around this time you will gain the spell Poison Fog which is a wide area of affect spell that uses the poison attack type so it won't destroy items carried by monsters. Another spell is Cause Typhoid which is also a highly infectious and devastating disease Don't forget to pray over an altar of Gnarg to add enchantments (slay_dwarf, slay_faerie and attack_types: poison) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

As before, Gnarg followers do not have any maps to choose from for using Holy Word, but they also gain access to the spell Cause Rabies which is a deadly and devastating disease that can infect (and kill) nearly all monsters; although slowly

Perks
Drawbacks

Gaea

Summary: Not recommended; Gaea is best suited for the monk class and the dragon & fireborn race - all others will find the “no weapon” feature very restrictive and very challenging (lack of attack types)

Early Game

Gaea followers have enemies that are vulnerable to the Holy Word line of spells. Starting with undead (ex: zombies, skeletons) - this is probably the second most common monster that can be found in the game. Keep in mind that undead are vulnerable to Holy Word so these spells are especially deadly to them

Mid Game

A wide selection of maps are available with large populations of undead - this makes leveling up at this stage relatively easy. Also, one is probably strong enough to start taking on the other enemies of Gaea - unnaturals (ex: beholders)

Late Game

As in the previous two stages of the game - a wide selection of maps are available with large populations of undead - this makes leveling up at this stage relatively easy. Now is the time to move towards high level undead (ex: lich, demilich) and unnatural (ex: dreads)

Perks
Drawbacks

Devourers

Summary: Not recommended; this cult probably has the most extreme case of great perks and devastating drawbacks. Devourers followers face challenges in very specific areas which veteran players can work around while new players may find these especially challenging.

Early Game

Devourers followers are denied the Holy Word spell school and to make up for that they can use spells that are damaging to all monsters, however these spells are single target type instead of area of effect spells. Find maps with large monster populations is relatively easy, but using the prayers available will take time and effort.

Mid Game

Around this time is when Devourers will start granting bonus spells. The spells are area of effect disease spells (Cause Red Death) or wounding spells (Cause Many Wounds) or instant death spells (Finger of Death) - this is when things really start to ramp up for players. Maps with large monster populations will result in lots of praying experience. Don't forget to pray over an altar of Devourers to add enchantments (attack_types: depletion, death and life stealing) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

At this time, things continue to get better for the Devourers cult by adding an area of effect, instant death spell Face of Death. They also gain Cause Black Death which is a deadly disease that can infect (and kill) nearly all humanoids; although slowly. The spell, Cause Red Death, is a deadly and devastating disease that can infect (and kill) nearly all monsters; although slowly.Maps with high monster populations can be quickly cleared out so the experience gain increases considerably at this stage in the game

Perks
Drawbacks

Ruggilli

Summary: Not recommended; this cult has great perks and medium drawbacks. Cult abilities probably peak in the Mid Game - but the granted abilities are more beneficial to the primary or core class/race of the player (ex: armour bonus for Wizardry/Mage classes, etc.) Ruggilli followers face challenges in very specific areas which veteran players can work around while new players may find these especially challenging.

Early Game

Ruggilli does have enemies, but they are denied the spell path of Tuning which means they are unable to use Holy Word spells. They are attuned the spell path of Wounding (ex: cause wounds) which can damage all monsters - so that makes things a little nicer. However these spells are single target type instead of area of effect spells. Find maps with large monster populations is relatively easy, but using the prayers available will take time and effort.

Mid Game

Around this time is when Ruggilli will start granting bonus spells. The spells include Rage which will provide a stat and regeneration boost for melee and related combat skills. The other spell is Flaming Aura which surrounds the caster with a continuous source of fire and burning all monsters within range. Keep in mind that Ruggilli is attuned to fire so this spell is specifically devastating for Ruggilli followers. Maps with large monster populations will result in lots of praying experience. Don't forget to pray over an altar of Ruggilli to add enchantments (slay_chaotic_water_creatures and attack_types: fire and physical) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

Ruggilli grants one more spell for this stage, the spell is called Retributive Strike. This is an area of effect spell which can very easily kill the caster so use it with caution. Otherwise, the gained levels will only help with the base AC (Armour Class) and Armour bonus granted to Ruggilli followers.

Perks
Drawbacks

Gorokh

Summary: Recommended; This cult is very effective for fighting Angels, but a little weak against all other monsters. All granted abilities are offensive; the only defense is the offense. For the most part, Gorokh followers can expect quick annihilation of their foes or quick deaths for themselves. Pretty much the opposite of Valriel followers.

Early Game

Gorokh followers have enemies (Angels) that are vulnerable to the Holy Word line of spells. Low level Angels are not found on many maps, but they are readily available in a random map set in the Church of Valriel. Start out with using Holy Word (a very effective area of effect spell) against Whims and work your way up to Cherubs, Holy Ghosts and Angel Knights.

Mid Game

Around this time is when Gorokh will start granting bonus spells. The spells include Rage which will provide a stat and regeneration boost for melee and related combat skills. Another spell is Vitriol, which is a ball based spell (like Fireball) that does acid damage; the splash from the spell also leaves puddles of acid on the ground which can continue to damage (or even kill) nearby monsters. The final spell is Flaming Aura which surrounds the caster with a continuous source of fire and burning all monsters within range. Maps with large monster populations will result in lots of praying experience. Also, there's more enemies to watch for - Angels, Light Angels and maybe Retributioners Don't forget to pray over an altar of Gorokh to add enchantments (attack_type: fear and slay_angel) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

No additional abilities are available for Gorokh followers for this stage. But, their abilities are still very potent at this area of the game. Using the existing & granted abilities in combination (Banishment to weaken foes, Rage & Flaming Aura and wielding an enchanted (slay_angel) weapon) is an extremely potent offense. Retributioners, High Angels and Arch Angels still present a challenge and a good source of experience at this level.

Perks
Drawbacks

Valriel

Summary: Somewhat recommended; This cult is very effective for fighting Demons, but a little weak against all other monsters. All granted abilities are passive or defensive so it will be up to the player to capitalize on that. For the most part, Valriel followers can expect quick annihilation of their foes or a long fight due to the defensive capabilities granted by Valriel. Pretty much the opposite of Gorokh followers.

Early Game

Valriel followers have enemies (Demons) that are vulnerable to the Holy Word line of spells. Low level Demons are not found on many maps, but they are readily available in a random map set in the Church of Gorokh. Start out with using Holy Word (a very effective area of effect spell) against Imps and work your way up to Raas, Demons and Fiends.

Mid Game

Around this time is when Valriel will start granting bonus spells. The spells include Sunspear, a bolt based spell which can damage many different monsters. Another spell is Daylight, which has no real offensive use other then it “lights up” maps making the terrain and monster placement easier to see - especially for range based attacks. The final spell is Wrathful Eye, a cone based blinding which can be used against multiple monsters as well. Also, there's more enemies to watch for - Big Demons, Hellhounds and maybe Balrogs. Don't forget to pray over an altar of Valriel to add enchantments (slay_demon and attack_type: blinding) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

No additional abilities are available for Valriel followers for this stage. But their Holy Word spells remain effective against the high level demons such as Balrogs, Demon Lords and Greater Demons.

Perks
Drawbacks

Sorig

Summary: Recommended; This cult peaks in the early game and doesn't do or gain much more after that. Granted abilities are all offensive in nature and has next to nothing in defense. The strength of this cult is it's “weak” drawbacks.

Early Game

Sorig does not have any enemies and they are denied to the school of Turning (i.e.; Holy Word) To make up for this, Sorig is granted attunement to Wounding and gets a granted spell, Divine Shock, in the early game. Divine shock is similar to Ball Lightning and will make quick work and substantial praying experience in maps with a high monster population.

Mid Game

Around this time is when Sorig will start granting bonus spells. The spells include Cause Critical Wounds which will is a bolt based wounding spell - very effective against numerous monsters. Another spell is Windstorm, which is a cone based spell which can cause some monsters to be repelled and pushed away from the caster. Another spell is Cause Critical Wounds which is a single target spell and the second most powerful wounding spell. Very few monsters have resistances to these attack types. Don't forget to pray over an altar of Sorig to add enchantments (attack_type: electricity) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

Sorig's attack power tapers off at this point because so many of the opposing monsters have so many hit points that the wounding spells will take a while to finish them off. Working against Sorig's cult is they are denied to Protection spells so they will have to reply on other means (potions, scrolls, etc.) for defense.

Perks
Drawbacks

Ixalovh

Summary: Not recommended; this cult has great perks and medium drawbacks. Cult abilities probably peak in the Mid Game - but remain very effective and useful in the late game. Ixalovh followers face challenges in very specific areas which veteran players can work around while new players may find these especially challenging.

Early Game

Ixalovh does have enemies, but they are denied the spell path of Tuning which means they are unable to use Holy Word spells. To make up for this, Ixalovh followers receive the granted spell, Insect Plague, in the early game. Insect Plague quickly fills the immediate area up with ants (they are stronger then you expect) which makes quick work of the nearby monsters. Make sure monsters are nearby for this spell to work.

Mid Game

At this point, Ixalovh grants another spell called Wave. Wave is a cone based spell where Water Elementals quickly spread forward damaging all monsters in it's path - it's also very good at “flowing” around corners and other walls. The area of effect of this spell is very thorough. e spells include Rage which will provide a stat and regeneration boost for melee and related combat skills. The other spell is Siren Call which will charm nearby monsters and allow you to use the petmode ('help petmode) commands to “control” them. All monsters killed this way is added to your praying experience. Don't forget to pray over an altar of Ixalovh to add enchantments (slay: consuming_fire_creatures and attack_types: cold and physical) to your wielded weapon

Late Game

No additional abilities are available for Ixalovh followers for this stage. However, the granted spells remain potent and useful at this stage as well - especially Siren Call.

Perks
Drawbacks

Valkyrie

Summary: Somewhat recommended; This cult has amazing perks for warriors but completely prevents any form of spell casting.

Early Game

Cut and smash anything that gets in your way. Monsters that drop flesh such as ogres and giants are particularly valuable to assist in leveling prayer.

Mid Game

Don't forget to pray over an altar of Valkyrie to add enchantments (slay: unnatural,angel,demon,undead and attack_types: weaponmagic and physical) to your wielded weapon; The combination of weapon enchantments and magic immunity should enable you to handle anything in your way.

Late Game

The lack of spells can be frustrating late game, but the power of the additional slaying and weaponmagic this god grants will make you happy to continue to follow Valkyrie.

Perks
Drawbacks