Before I start, just wanted to say my experience in Thera has been great so far. Love the code, updates seem to come often, and the players (even the ones mercilessly PKing me) have been helpful and friendly.

Anyhow, couple questions:

I read my shapeshifter should have a Scales of the Dragon spell. How do I obtain it?

Is there a comprehensive list of shapeshifter forms somewhere, or is that all left to be discovered IC?

Is cross-character play allowed at all? Can I drop items in a donation pit for another of my characters?

Does training Constitution reset the 3 death per Con loss counter?

How does the extra exp per level work? Elves is 500 if I remember, but when a character requires tens of thousands of exp to rank at higher levels, it seems minor. I'm sure there's more to it I don't understand...

Think that's it for now, though new questions surface every time I login.

Thanks in advance.

-Newbie

>Is there a comprehensive list of shapeshifter forms somewhere,
>or is that all left to be discovered IC?

There are form lists in www.qhcf.net. The list in skill page precedes shifter revamp and doesn't have all the forms that exist now. Thus, your best bet is the diku-wiki in www.qhcf.net.

>Is cross-character play allowed at all? Can I drop items in a
>donation pit for another of my characters?

It is against the rules. Both characters involved tend to get deleted by Imms when this kind of cheating occurs. Reading the rules would be a good idea so that you don't accidentally break them.

>I read my shapeshifter should have a Scales of the Dragon
>spell. How do I obtain it?

It should be on your spell list, circa level 35.

>Is there a comprehensive list of shapeshifter forms somewhere,
>or is that all left to be discovered IC?

There probably is, but since you don't get to pick your forms I don't think it's that big a deal whether you have it or not. Other people probably will disagree with me.

>Is cross-character play allowed at all? Can I drop items in a
>donation pit for another of my characters?

Good question; no. If you have multiple characters, it's expected that they won't know about each other or affect each others' lives in any way.

>Does training Constitution reset the 3 death per Con loss
>counter?

I'm 90% sure it does not.

>How does the extra exp per level work? Elves is 500 if I
>remember, but when a character requires tens of thousands of
>exp to rank at higher levels, it seems minor. I'm sure there's
>more to it I don't understand...

Probably, someone helpful can dig up a link to a post somewhere with the math worked out, but here's the gist of it:

A 0 xp penalty character needs something like 1500 XP to reach level 2. Every level thereafter requires a higher multiple of that base number to level.

Assuming my numbers are right, an elf base-penalty class (e.g. elf warrior) would need 2000 XP for level 2.

When the 0 penalty character needs 9000 XP to get a level, maybe the 500 penalty needs 12000 XP.

The main, but not only, reason XP penalties are important is because your PK range is based on your XP total. A human base (0 penalty) character like a human necromancer will tend to have a PK range full of people several levels below him; A storm paladin (900 penalty) will tend to have a PK range full of people several levels above him.

>Think that's it for now, though new questions surface every
>time I login.

Keep on asking them as you have them.

>>How does the extra exp per level work? Elves is 500 if I
>>remember, but when a character requires tens of thousands of
>>exp to rank at higher levels, it seems minor. I'm sure there's
>>more to it I don't understand...
>
>Probably, someone helpful can dig up a link to a post somewhere with the math worked out, but here's the gist of it:
>
>A 0 xp penalty character needs something like 1500 XP to reach level 2. Every level thereafter requires a higher multiple of that base number to level.
>
>Assuming my numbers are right, an elf base-penalty class (e.g. elf warrior) would need 2000 XP for level 2.
>
>When the 0 penalty character needs 9000 XP to get a level, maybe the 500 penalty needs 12000 XP.

This is the best information I have found on the topic.
http://diku.qhcf.net/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?XPChart

I think the formula of mine listed on that page is wrong, in that it doesn't take into account that different combos come with different amounts of "built-in" xp. But it's close. If I get inspired I'll re-figure it out and post an updated version.

Thanks for all of the replies, very helpful.

Couple more... should note I did look through the helpfiles to try to find most answers, just couldn't come up with anything.

Does your Hit and Dam bonuses listed in the score sheet affect your forms while shifted? Do item bonuses?

I'm noticing my forms confidence levels increasing. Is there a cap for these increases based on level? My teens leveled shifter can't seem to get past "skilled".

Will a character using a shield without the shield block skill benefit from the shield at all?

I have a character that wanted to join the Empire, but is neutral/evil. I believe the helpfile suggests only orderly evil characters can apply for the cabal. Is it possible to change from neutral to orderly, and if so are there penalties/what are they?

I read something about shapeshifters completing quests to obtain additional forms. Are these quests limited in any way, or do I simply need to find the quest giver? I'm assuming they're all probably higher level if they exist, correct me if wrong.

Think that's it for now. Man, CF is addicting. Just trying to figure out which class/character to focus on is rough, when each class offers something that seems like it would be enjoyable for a new player.

Thanks.

>Does your Hit and Dam bonuses listed in the score sheet affect
>your forms while shifted?

No; forms have their own base damroll/hitroll which overrides your gear.

>Do item bonuses?

Most things that aren't hit or damage do.

>I'm noticing my forms confidence levels increasing. Is there a
>cap for these increases based on level? My teens leveled
>shifter can't seem to get past "skilled".

Nope.

>Will a character using a shield without the shield block skill
>benefit from the shield at all?

Well, it's armor.

Other than that, I can't remember if you can shield block at all or not without the shield. If so, very little.

>I have a character that wanted to join the Empire, but is
>neutral/evil. I believe the helpfile suggests only orderly
>evil characters can apply for the cabal. Is it possible to
>change from neutral to orderly, and if so are there
>penalties/what are they?

Taking the Bloodoath will make you orderly evil. This probably won't cause you any problems unless you're a communer, in which case you should talk to your immortal first.

>I read something about shapeshifters completing quests to
>obtain additional forms. Are these quests limited in any way,
>or do I simply need to find the quest giver? I'm assuming
>they're all probably higher level if they exist, correct me if
>wrong.

There are no automated quests that grant additional forms -- they can only be received through immortal intervention.

>>I have a character that wanted to join the Empire, but is
>>neutral/evil. I believe the helpfile suggests only orderly
>>evil characters can apply for the cabal. Is it possible to
>>change from neutral to orderly, and if so are there
>>penalties/what are they?
>
>Taking the Bloodoath will make you orderly evil. This
>probably won't cause you any problems unless you're a
>communer, in which case you should talk to your immortal
>first.

I would really have to argue with that. Mages lose spells, warriors specs, etc. There's only about three classes I think that I would even consider an align change without significant worries.

>I would really have to argue with that. Mages lose spells,
>warriors specs, etc. There's only about three classes I think
>that I would even consider an align change without significant
>worries.

He said he's changing ethos, not alignment.

I didn't know ethos change actually made communers lose sups. Now I know!

(and knowing is half the battle!)

Basically our thought process there was, we want to make sure your empowering imm has a chance to have a say in you taking the Bloodoath if you're not lawful. If you're a chaotic evil Pico shaman who takes the oath, probably you're screwed. If you're a neutral evil Daevryn shaman who's cleared with him that you're taking the oath and why, you're going to be fine. It's not like a normal alignment change in that you're going to suffer crippled for a million hours.

>>I read something about shapeshifters completing quests to
>>obtain additional forms. Are these quests limited in any
>way,
>>or do I simply need to find the quest giver? I'm assuming
>>they're all probably higher level if they exist, correct me
>if
>>wrong.
>
>There are no automated quests that grant additional forms --
>they can only be received through immortal intervention.
>
>
He might have read something about the 'Roll the Bones' edge and thought it was a quest. There is an edge you can purchase as a shifter to lose your final form and get a new one. I think you have to purchase the edge before you shift into the form though, so unfortunately you can't see the stats and then decide you don't want it.