Skill Guide
Whenever one of your party members gains a level, you have the opportunity to spend a skill point on increasing one of many skills available to your party members. Skills are extremely important in NeoQuest II, as they can boost damage output, increase defence, and give you access to powerful abilities. Some skills are better - and more useful - than others.
The four heroes of NQII are quite different from each other, from species to fighting style. This section lists out the skills available for each member of your party, what they do and how useful they actually are. Some are passive and are in effect once you spend at least one point on them, while others need to be activated each time you wish to use them. Certain skills are more useful when used in conjunction with another skill while others offer you a choice of either one or the other, not both. A couple are just a waste of time.
Where Skill Points Come From
Each time one of your party members gains a level, that character will receive one skill point to spend. Since there are 60 levels in the game and you start at level 1, you gain a maximum of 59 skill points throughout your game.
when you pick up new characters, they'll get a jump start on levels and will be the same level as your current party members. And yes, you'll get the accompanying skill points to spend in one fell swoop.
Note that 15 is the maximum for each skill point category & they cannot be boosted higher with weapons or armour that have bonuses. These items are usually dropped by bosses (all modes) or monsters (only on Evil and Insane). You can choose to max out a skill to 15 when recommended, or keep it to 10-12 to accommodate weapon or armour bonuses - and to set aside some leftover skill points for a fifth skill!
Rohane's Recommended Skills
Rohane has the potential to become a nearly unstoppable damage powerhouse - if you know what skills to choose. Though at first this swordsman may seem like a complete amateur, he will rise to the occasion and become a swordmaster if you invest well.
Skill Point Spending Tips: If you would like to use another of Rohane's skills, substitute it for Stunning or Resistance.
Recommended Skill Order:
- Damage Increase
- Innate Melee Haste
- Critical Attacks
- Innate Magic Resistance or Stunning Strikes
Rohane's Skills
Critical Attacks
Each melee hit has a chance to cause a Critical Strike, hitting for more than the normal maximum melee damage.
Tips: Go for 10-15 points on this skill, but only after you've put several into Damage Increase. Your Critical Attacks will not be effective if you can't hit very hard.
Damage Increase
Average melee damage is increased.
Tips: Absolutely necessary as Rohane's main role is providing single target damage. Use 11-15 skill points on this and watch your enemies cower in their boots!
Combat Focus
An activated skill that increases defensive ability, at the cost of decreasing damage output.
Tips: Don't use it. As Rohane gains experience, he will have the highest amount of hit points and will be able to take large amounts of damage without dying and still be able to hit hard. Later in the game you'll have Velm's help in keeping everyone alive, rendering this ability unnecessary.
Stunning Strikes
Each hit has a chance to stun the target, delaying the enemy's next action.
Tips: Can be useful later on when you encounter more than one enemy at a time, but it's completely random and some monsters will have an immunity to it. Spend at least 10 points on it to make it worthwhile.
Battle Taunt
Causes enemies to focus their attacks on the taunter, rather than other characters.
Tips: This skill is a seriously bad idea when you only have Rohane in your party. As you progress through the game, you'll learn how to use healing potions appropriately and eventually you'll have Velm's healing powers, so this skill is usually not recommended. However, it can be a game changer on the final levels of InSaNe when monsters are merciless and resurrection potions are even more expensive. If you do use it, you'll have to spend at least 8 points for it to be effective.
Innate Magic Resistance
Increases resistance to magic attacks.
Tips: Rohane is the strongest member of your party, so having this skill is not necessary, especially when Velm has Group Shielding. However, it might be useful at the very beginning of an InSaNe game before Rohane meets Mipsy. Spend a few skill points in that case if you like.
Innate Melee Haste
Increases attack speed.
Tips: This skill will shorten the amount of time between Rohane's turns, which is very useful since he hits the hardest. A must-have, so invest 10-15 points in it.
Mipsy's Recommended Skills
Mipsy's destructive spells, she can become the main damage dealer early in the game. However, her magic has a limit - once you've maxed out a combat spell, its damage output can't go any higher. She is also the most vulnerable character since she has the least HP.
Skill Point Spending Tips: Choose between Direct Damage or Group Direct Damage first. Then it's useful to increase her defence and casting haste. Although her haste is prioritised to end battles quickly, it is recommended to begin putting points into her defence after investing some in casting haste. Choose among her other skills afterward, but Group Haste is most recommended among them.
Recommended Skill Order:
- Direct Damage (DD) or Group Direct Damage (GDD)
- Innate Casting Haste
- Innate Melee Defence
- Damage Shields or Group Haste or Slowing
Mipsy's Skills
Direct Damage
Destructive magical energy is unleashed at a single enemy.
Tips: Invest in either this or Group Direct Damage - do not choose both because you only need one of them for Mipsy to dish out damage, and you can spend the rest of the skill points elsewhere. You can do up to 100 damage to an individual enemy when you max this out. As much as possible, save 12-15 skill points for this. DD is better for bosses or focus firing on monsters, but it can be frustrating when it is completely resisted.
Group Direct Damage
Destructive magical energy is unleashed at all enemies.
Tips: Invest in either this or Direct Damage. The upper damage limit is 64 per opponent, which equals 256 damage in total across 4 enemies. Put in 13-15 skill points. Though it is much harder in theory for one round of Group Direct Damage to be resisted compared to Direct Damage, the cooldown period for casting GDD is longer.
Group Haste
Haste spells make all of the caster's allies move more quickly.
Tips: When maxed, you get a 38% increase in your haste. Not as good as some Haste Potions later in the game, but it only takes a single turn to haste all members of your party. Invest in it later in the game - preferably when your party is complete. Then you can crank it up to 12-15.
Slowing
Slow spells make one of the caster's enemies move more slowly.
Tips: This skill can reach 62% assuming you have 15 points to spare. Slowing takes a bit of time to cast because enemies can resist it, and it only affects one enemy at a time. Slowing Potions are a better option (and best saved for bosses).
Damage Shields
A shield of energy is placed around an ally, causing damage to any enemy who strikes them.
Tips: Maxing this skill out allows you to only dole out up to 22 damage to enemies when they successfully attack any of your party members; this damage can still be resisted in whole or in part. It can also be completely bypassed by enemies who use magic or ranged attacks. Not recommended.
Innate Melee Defence
Increases defence against attacks.
Tips: Absolutely useful, but you must spend 8-15 points. Mipsy is a glass cannon, so anything that will protect her from dying is necessary.
Innate Casting Haste
Increases spellcasting speed.
Tips: Because it shortens the amount of time between Mipsy's turns, thereby allowing her to attack or heal herself more often, this skill is extremely useful. You should spend 11-15 points.
Talinia's Recommended Skills
Talinia, much like Rohane, specializes in physical attacks, but like Mipsy, her attacks are ranged. That means she is farther away when she attacks, allowing her to avoid Damage Shields.
Skill Point Spending Tips: Invest in Increased Bow Damage first once Talinia joins the party so her damage can be at par with Rohane and Mipsy. Prioritize Multiple Targets and Innate Melee Haste (either in the order provided or alternately) before moving to any other skills.
Recommended Skill Order:
- Increased Bow Damage
- Multiple Targets
- Innate Melee Haste
- Innate Magic Resistance or Shockwave or Ranged Attacks
Talinia's Skills
Increased Bow Damage
Increases damage output when using bows.
Tips: Absolutely necessary. Talinia will be next to useless without this skill, so it is recommended that you invest in this as soon as she joins your party. Spend 13-15 skill points.
Multiple Targets
Fires multiple bow shots at once. (They do not automatically apply to regular attacks; they must be manually activated.)
Tips: This skill will help Talinia bring down two to four enemies in one go, depending on how many points you spend on it. Though you can't use it at each turn, it is still extremely useful. You need at least 11 points in this skill to hit four enemies at a time, but while you are still in Terror Mountain or the early part of the Lost Desert, you can get by with 6-10 points (for three targets). Note that Talinia can still miss one or more targets, and the damage to each one will vary.
Ranged Attacks
Any opponent targeting a character with this skill will take longer to perform the action.
Tips: This is a passive stun; the game will not tell you if and when it takes effect. For this to work, Talinia must be the one targeted, so you can't choose who you want stunned. At least 7-8 points will be needed for noticeable effects; invest in either this or Shockwave but not both.
Shockwave
Hits have a chance to cause a shockwave, which stuns all enemies temporarily.
Tips: With enough points invested in this skill, your odds of creating a shockwave increase. At least 7-8 points will be needed for noticeable effects. Note, however, that even though this affects all enemies, the length of time of the stun is shorter compared to Rohane stunning a single opponent.
Slowing Strike
Whenever the ranger hits an enemy, the enemy will usually slow down for a period of time.
Tips: When she lands a shot, Talinia can slow her target down by 1-5% depending on how many skill points you spend. There will be monsters who will be unaffected by or who can resist this skill, especially bosses. Slowing potions are better, but if you still want to try this, you need to spend at least 7 skill points and invest in Mipsy's slowing spell to complement it.
Innate Magic Resistance
Increases resistance to magic attacks.
Tips: Talinia is more vulnerable than Rohane, so having points in this skill makes more sense for her. However, the game can certainly be won without it especially after Velm joins your party. If you're playing on InSaNe and have points to spare, you can spend 7-8 points here.
Innate Melee Haste
Increases attack speed.
Tips: Later in the game, after you've invested in Talinia's Increased Bow Damage, this skill becomes useful. It's not terribly helpful for her to have more turns until she has the attack power to do more serious damage. Spend 10-15 skill points.
Velm's Recommended Skills
Velm is a defensive mage, which means he heals and shields your entire party. Not only will you save on healing potions, the odds of you coming out of a battle near or at full health skyrocket. Because he has the second lowest number of hit points, watch him closely; once he slips away, the rest of the team may quickly follow, especially against a major boss.
Skill Point Spending Tips: Choose which type of healing you would like Velm to learn - you only need one, then focus on ensuring that he heals your party members as quickly as possible. Increasing his defence (and the entire party's) is also important; you can alternate between Innate Melee Defence and Group Shielding or choose which one to invest in first after you have casting haste and healing. If you have any skill points left over, you can invest in either Celestial Hammer or Mesmerisation.
Recommended Skill Order:
- Healing or Group Healing
- Innate Casting Haste
- Innate Melee Defence
- Group Shielding
Velm's Skills
Healing
Heals a single ally, raising that ally's hit points.
Tips: Every player looks forward to picking up Velm because he is the only one with healing under his belt. This skill heals one character up to 150 HP (at max level). To use it, select the party member you wish to patch up and cast the spell. If you choose this skill for healing, max it out and do not put any points into Velm's Group Healing.
Group Healing
Heals the caster's entire group, raising all their allies' hit points (but not as much as the single-target Heal spell).
Tips: Although the upper limit of healing for this skill is 90 HP, you will be healing all four party members for a grand total of up to 360 HP. Velm will not be as quick with this skill as he would be with Healing, but it's a big advantage to be able to heal everyone at once. Max this out for full benefits but once you choose this skill, forget about single healing.
Group Shielding
Strengthens the caster's allies by increasing their magical and melee defence.
Tips: At its most powerful, everyone's defensive skills will be raised by 30 points. Your party will be able to resist magical attacks more often, and enemies will do less physical damage against you. Invest 12-15 points in this skill, but only after you've developed one of Velm's healing abilities and invested at least a few points in his casting haste.
Mesmerisation
Mesmerises an enemy, causing them to be distracted for long periods. Enemies who are healed or damaged while mesmerised will become un-mesmerised.
Tips: This skill will keep one enemy distracted for as long as 40 seconds depending on the skill level. Very useful in your battle against the Four Faeries, but not really any other time. Using this is not recommended, but if you want to try it you should spend points on it later in the game - at least 9 to see useful effects.
Celestial Hammer
Strikes an enemy with a magical blow, damaging and stunning them.
Tips: After 15 skill points, you can stun for up to 3 seconds and knock a maximum of 45 HP off one opponent. However, some monsters and a lot of bosses can resist the stun, the damage, or both. It could be useful for Velm to have something to do when everyone is healed, but it's probably better to keep Velm as a defensive character (and simply have him throw damage potions at a boss). Spend at least 10 skill points to make this worth it.
Innate Melee Defence
Increases defence against attacks.
Tips: Absolutely useful, but the benefits are more apparent at higher levels. Protecting Velm is critical since he's in charge of healing everyone else. Spend 8-15 points here.
Innate Casting Haste
Increases spellcasting speed.
Tips: Helping Velm have a turn more often so he can heal the party more often could be the difference between life and death. You should spend 11-15 points on this important skill.
And so we come to the end of our skill guide. It's pretty lengthy - but then again, so is NQII itself. Always remember that even though preferences are given for certain abilities, this is only a guide. It is highly recommended that you try out your own combinations and sequences - the more you play, the more you'll understand what each skill does. It's up to you now, young grasshopper - can YOU save Neopia?
