WasteLand - Developing your Skills : (and Using the "tools") ==================================== ==================================== by Wild Bill -- 4/30/95 -- Just visit a library to acquire basic (level 1) new skills. DON'T waste your Skill Points (SKP) acquiring higher skill levels at a library. Each higher level requires more skill points and "experience" itself will earn you higher levels. Higher Skill Levels can ONLY be reached with "promotions" for your Rangers, so "radio Ranger base" frequently in the beginning of the game for "promotions" ! The SKILL POINTS you distribute should be used to raise the Ranger's I.Q. and STRENGTH attributes. Later, improve any other weak attributes they possess - ie: Speed, Agility, & Dexterity. There are 34 different skills that can be acquired by your troops, but all skills are NOT available at all libraries. ALL skills are available with a "24" I.Q. Attribute, but the better skills require 3 SKP each. It may be necessary to raise an I.Q. to "30" to acquire additional SKPs. * NOTE - it is NOT necessary for all Rangers to have all skills ! The skills marked with a "*" are ONLY needed by ONE member of your group. Skills marked with a "!" should be possessed by ALL members of your group. * Also, you'll need 3 MEDICS AND 1 DOCTOR ! MAXIMUM SKILL LEVELS: -------------------- Fighting & Weapons - level "7", however there are rare opportunities where a skill level may increase to an "8", if your skills are already at the maximum levels ! Other Basic Skills - level "6", however there are very limited opportunities to use some of the skills, so maybe you'll only reach a level "2". Bureaucracy, Confidence, Silent Move, Alarm Disarm, Helicopter Pilot, Toaster Repair, Cyborg Tech, and Clone Tech are those skills ! Medic & Doctor skill - "12" & "6" levels respectively - details follow below ! Included are a few tips to raise some skill levels quickly. Fighting and Weapons Skills - are developed by battling the various --------------------------- enemies enncountered in the game. The tougher the enemy, the higher the skill level that can be reached. Las Vegas contains the adversaries that will get you to the "4" levels, then a robot in the center of town for some "6" levels. Get your SKILL at the library and the first of the Laser Weapons here ! Energy Weapon skill is for the Laser (Power Pack ammo) weapons. The Laser Pistols are best for "target practice" to develop your skills. RIFLE skill is MORE USEFUL than it appears. Use M17 Carbines or M19 Rifles to develop your skills. The highest fight/weapon skill level attainable is a "7". With a 5 to 7 skill level you'll have fewer "misses" and inflict more "damage" ! BRAWLING and/or KNIFE FIGHTING is the best way to get through most of the game. Conserve ammo and get your experience (promotions) faster ! AT WEAPON skill is a waste. Manglers, rockets, and RPGs are "one-shot" items. IF NECESSARY, they can be used with no "skills", BUT TRY TO GET CLOSE - maybe within 20 feet, to avoid some "misses" ! When fighting with Pistols or Rifles, you're only going to fire a single shot. You'll inflict less damage and kills take longer ! * When fighting with any Automatic Weapons (Assault Rifles, Sub-machine Guns, or Laser Weapons) a "burst" is "3 shots" and will inflict more damage, but usually only on ONE adversary ! "Full-Automatic" fire is BEST for larger groups of adversaries (5 or more) OR for really tough/brutal adversaries - WHEN you're using a "less powerful weapon" against it ! Medic and Doctor Skills - are developed by "healing" your "wounded troops". ----------------------- Level 1-3 MEDIICs are basically worthless, just heal the "SERIOUS" until you reach a higher skill level. You may be able to heal a "CRITICAL" with several tries, but don't try it while "fighting". Level 4-6 MEDICs are really the minimum levels needed for the first half of the game. You should have Level 8-10 MEDICs before Base Cochise is attempted. DOCTOR skill "1" is decent, but get to a Level "3" as soon as possible. You should have at least ONE DOCTOR with level 4-5 Skill before Base Cochise. With 7 "promotions" you can reach level "8" MEDIC and level "5" DOCTOR skills. With 11 "promotions", you'll be able to reach level "12" MEDIC SKILLS, but the "11 & 12" levels come slowly, so just keep practicing ! You should be able to reach level "6" DOCTOR skill after the 8th. or 9th. "promotion", but this also comes slowly ! Entering back room in the Darwin Village tavern, and finding the "poisoning victims" may raise a low to mid level MEDIC skill (raise a "4" to a "5") level. ** USING MACROS : When you're trying to develop your "low level" MEDIC ============ skills on a "victim" or PICKLOCK skills on some of the more difficult locks, using a "macro" will spare you a lot of keystrokes and aggravation ! May also be used when GAMBLING - when you're winning some money on a regular basis. Press and hold the CTRL key and a FUNCTION key (F1 to F10) to start recording. Enter the key strokes necessary. Press and hold the CTRL key and FUNCTION key to stop recording. Then, just press the appropriate FUNCTION key to use your skill ! Other Special Skills : -------------------- ! PERCEPTION - Important to find "hidden" loot and clues along the way. Use PERCEPTION when you receive unusual messages ! Perception will reveal various booby- traps just by walking near or over them, also to find "hidden doors" and "locks" when walking by them. These may raise Perception skill levels ! Walk along the "skylight" in Quartz to quickly raise skills to a level "3" ! * PICKLOCK - There's locked doors and gates almost everywhere. The first locations are relatively easy and should open with a few tries. The experience gained here should make other locations a bit easier. DON'T get discouraged too easily. Some locks are really tough and require many tries to open. You'll get the "experience" just by trying. You should have level 3-4 PICKLOCK skill when all of Quartz is done. You'll need level 5-6 skills for the final location ! A high DEXTERITY attribute may help, allowing you to reach higher skill levels more quickly. * SAFECRACK - There's fewer opportunities for SAFECRACKing, but some "vault doors" can only be opened with this skill. Here's where you may raise skill levels: Quartz - Court House - 2 vault doors. Hide-Out - by "finding" the "wall safe" and/or "opening" it. Sleeper Base-after the "electrified" corridor on level 3, but don't bother, the loot is not needed. Citadel - Weapons & Ammo vault near the Grand Hallway. * ALARM DISARM - The locked door in the Las Vegas "JAIL", but you can get more guards/loot if you open the door with a TNT instead. PICKLOCK may open this locked door and disable the alarm in the process. * BOMB DISARM - This is better, you can "rescue" a hostage and get more loot when you succeed ! May also raise the skill level ! Quartz - Stage Coach Inn - Front Desk, cabinet. Also, in room # 20. Hide-Out - rescue "Felicia". Needles - in the "Ammo Bunker", back shelf. Citadel - "bomb" on Guardian's body. Savage Village- "booby-trapped" chest for loot. * SILENT MOVE - Necessary to "overpower the sleeping guard" and rescue Dan Citrine. With Dan Citrine, his father will give you $ 1,000 before he "runs off". Walking around the "rocks" (where Spawnmasters and animals appear for loot) on the Lower Level of Project Darwin, is the only place I've found that MAY raise the SILENT MOVE skill level ! ! CLIMB - An important skill for climbing over barriers. Although tools or explosives may provide you with an entry, climbing may also get you through. A level "4" skill is best to climb the slopes of Finster's test area in Project Darwin, and to climb to the roof of Base Cochise. The "sand dunes" in southern Needles will help you reach level "3" quickly and Spade's Casino will get you to level "4" quickly - if you find the right cellar ! * ACROBAT - The "sand dunes" in southern Needles will also raise your ACROBAT skill to level "3". Two "exploding doorways" at the Citadel may raise your skill level to a "4". ! SWIM - Useful to cross various water barriers you may encounter, but DON'T just dive-in in haste ! There may be a better way. Some water barriers can be very hazardous ! Swimming in the desert river will eventually raise skill to level "6", but acquire some decent armor first ! * METALLURGY - Is a wasted skill. Find a "vein of silver" in TWO places in the "Abandoned Mine". Use a PICK AX, found in the first room, to get some cash. * CRYPTOLOGY - IF you're NOT going to help Faran Brygo, but want to rob him of his Cash and Weapons, you need this skill to find a "hidden vault" in his Jaccuzzi room ! One of the machines in the Security Electronics Room at Base Cochise may raise your skill level when you walk by it. * ELECTRONICS - One machine in the Security Electronics Room can be used to raise your skill level JUST by "turning the lights panels off", another will REDUCE the "Security Check Interval". EITHER MACHINE will raise your skill level to a "5", but be careful NOT to INCREASE the Security Check Interval ! * My "secret" solution for opening the "closet door" and a few "cellar doors" in Spade's Casino AND the "High Security Doors" in Temple of the Servants of the Mushroom Cloud. Why "waste" explosives or "waste time" trying to use "strength" when the ELECTRONICS skill will open the doors "cleanly" and maybe raise the skill to a "6" level ! DON'T play with the Cooling Pump Controls in the ===== Servant's Temple ! ! ! ! ! * CLONE TECH - Necessary to use the Control Panel in Sleeper Base to "make Clone Fluid". Take the "Clone Fluid" to the "pods" to make "clones" of your best troops. Clone your rangers or best recruits, you can make FOUR clones, but only add (replace) THREE members of your roster of troops. Making "Clone Fluid" will raise the skill level. * CYBORG TECH - Necessary to enter the "Mind Link" machine at Sleeper Base to enter Finster's Maze. The game can be completed without going through this area. Entering the "Mind Link" machine may raise the skill level. * TOASTER REPAIR - the "broken toasters" you've found can be "fixed" for some good loot, TWO of the "keys" you need and a "missing part" to repair some equipment at Base Cochise. These items are duplicates, and can be found without fixing the broken toasters. * HELICOPTER PILOT - There's only one place (at Sleeper Base) to acquire this skill. REQUIRED to fly the helicopter at the Citadel. A "trip" to Base Cochise kills all the original robots outside the base, but you miss the experience points gained by killing them. Flying the helicopter (unlocking the seat) MAY raise this skill level, but you'll need a really high I.Q. to achieve it ! (a "30" does not seem to be high enough.) * GAMBLE - If you want to TRY any of the "slot machines" or "casino games", be sure to "play" using a Ranger with GAMBLE skill ! One of the original rangers and a couple of the recruits already have this skill. For any "casual" gambling - just to raise your GAMBLE skill level, recommend a minimum LUCK attribute of "15" ! For any "serious" gambling - to raise your GAMBLE skill level even higher (level "12" is possible), and "make money" playing, recommend a minimum LUCK attribute of "20+" ! Just a word of caution, some games are better than others. The "Casino Car" at Desert Nomads is the best (least expensive) place to start ! If you "recruit" VAX, acquire GAMBLE skill for him. His LUCK (LK) Attribute is already "40" ! Then try the "roulette wheels" at Fat Freddy's in Vegas. (his skill level increases very quickly and you'll be "making money" when you "play" ! With only a single promotion to get GAMBLE skill, he'll be able to reach a "6" skill level, but even then he'll "win" money for you and "gain experience" while he "gambles" !) * DEMOLITION - using GRENADES as a weapon is probably the best way to develop this skill if you so desire. Clearing a blocked passage in the Abandoned Mine or using the Howitzer in Downtown Needles may also raise the skill level. * CONFIDENCE & are wasted skills. The guard at the locked door, in * BUREAUCRACY in the Quartz Court House, may open the door for you and leave. This may raise your Confidence OR Bureaucracy skill, but you'll miss some CASH and one of the SONIC KEYs in the game. These skills MAY help you get past the "thugs who are standing in the hall" on the second floor, but you won't raise skill levels there. Get "thugs" to be active, then find more "gunmen" and "loot" ! PUGILISM - another wasted skill. Fighting with your "fists" or bare-hands. Unless you want to acquire and develop this skill, it's just as good to "beat" on your adversaries with your "empty weapons" ! Other Skills with no apparent uses : ================================== FORGERY - ? ? ? SLIGHT OF HAND - ? ? ? COMBAT SHOOTING - This skill is ONLY available when you CREATE additional characters at Ranger Center. There doesn't appear to be any way to raise this skill level through "experience", although I really haven't played the game with any "new" Rangers. There's a limit of FOUR Rangers with the THREE remaining slots "reserved" for the "recruits" you'll encounter. The four original Rangers possess the basic fighting skills and several of the special skills described above. Try not to let any of them "die", but IF you lose them, create any "replacements" at Ranger Center. FIRST TRADE ANY WEAPONS and EQUIPMENT to another Ranger ! ** KEEP PRESSING THE "SPACE BAR" until you get a HIGH I.Q. (17-18) AND HIGH MAX (30-36) for your New Ranger. The high I.Q. gives you the most SKPs to acquire skills ! A "15" I.Q. allows you to get MEDIC skill, but a "17-18" provides you access to a few more skills. Most skills are 1 SKP each and available with an I.Q. of 14. Other skills are 2 or 3 SKP each and require a higher I.Q. I.Q. 2 SKPs: --- ------ 15 Bomb Disarm, Safe Crack, Medic 16 Cryptology 17 Metallurgy I.Q. 3 SKPs: --- ------ 19 Helicopter Pilot (at Sleeper Base) 20 Electronics, Toaster Repair 21 Doctor 23 Energy Weapon 23 Clone Tech 24 Cyborg Tech DON'T SETTLE FOR ANOTHER "WIMP" OF A RANGER ! TWO of the best Rangers I ever "created" had these attribute levels - 14 - Strength - 12 16 - I.Q. - 18 14 - Luck - 10 18 - Speed - 7 14 - Agility - 13 13 - Dexterity - 16 13 - Charisma - 15 16 - SKP - 18 36 - MAXCON - 35 ------------------------------------------------- ARMOR offers a degree of "protection" from the adversaries: ========================================================== Leather Jacket - there's one in Highpool AND four more if you "fix" the water pump. Your basic armor until you get something better ! Robe - about the same as a "leather jacket" (junk !) Bullet-proof shirt - there's just two in Quartz. This really isn't much better ! Kevlar Vest - there's just one in Quartz and another in Needles. The best of the "low-grade" armor. Rad Suit - "medium-grade" armor, AND will also protect you from "radiation hazards" in the game. There's two in Needles, also the "recruit" there has a Rad suit and other supplies. Kevlar Suit - there's just one when you solve the problem in Needles, but this will help you survive in Las Vegas. there's FOUR more in Las Vegas: Spade's Casino, near the Jail, and two more in the "sewers" ! this gives you a "fighting chance" against many of the robots ! * Pseudo-chitin Armor - first of the "high-grade" armor. there's seven in the "Main Vault" in Sleeper Base and another on the lower level of "Project Darwin". You CAN'T get to these UNTIL you've completed the Las Vegas "sewers" ! * Conquer the Citadel and forget this armor ! IT CAN BE DONE with Kevlar and Rad Suits, good Medics, Assault Rifles, a few Rockets and much "resting" between "battles"! Be sure to get the BEST Laser Weapons along the way ! Power Armor - the BEST there is ! there's FIVE in the main vault at the Citadel. IF you haven't finished Las Vegas - it'll be a "breeze" now ! there's TWO more in the vault at Base Cochise, and the "recruit" there has a Power armor and an extra Pseudo-chitin armor ! Get the Power Armor BEFORE trying Base Cochise! ------------------------------------------------- TOOLS and their uses: ===================== You should ONLY be carrying 1 Shovel, 1 Sledge Hammer, 1 Pick Ax, and 1 Geiger Counter among your 4 Rangers. DON'T BOTHER PICKING UP EXTRAS UNLESS YOU INTEND TO SELL THEM. ------------------------------------------------------- SHOVEL - gets you "buried loot" in Desert Nomads and the Las Vegas golf course. Can be used to "dig" out of one of the cellars in Spade's Casino and to "break through walls" in the sewers. SLEDGE HAMMER - can be used much like a crowbar. This will "break a hole" through the railing in the lobby of the Stagecoach Inn and the walls in the sewers. PICK AX - used to get "loot" in the Abandoned Mine. Can also be used to "break through walls" in the sewers and the fence around the helicopter in the Citadel. GEIGER COUNTER - displays and sounds a warning whenever you are getting close to a RADIATION hazard ! DON'T depend on it, you're probably moving around so fast you've been "poisoned" before you can react to it. Hope you're watching for the "messages" on the screen ! CROWBAR - A TOOL that may be used as a weapon. DON'T use to open locked doors at first locations - get the easy PICKLOCK "experience" instead. May be used to open first few doors in Needle's Waste Pit. BEST to open a "hidden" panel at either end of corridor above esculator in Base Cochise for easy/safe entry to next level and to smash the DELICATE MACHINERY to stop the assembly line. MAY ALSO be used to destroy the Robot Assembly stations and Security Monitor panels in Base Cochise, BUT this is just a waste of time ! ROPE - There are a few places where a ROPE is required to get to "new areas". Use a Rope and you'll have "something to climb." and ROPE remains for future use. Also a few places where a ROPE can be used to climb, BUT the ROPE DOESN'T remain - CLIMB skill should have been used there ! NEVER be without 2 ROPES among your Rangers, but better to keep 4 Ropes among troops - replacing "used ropes" at the first opportunity ! PROTON AX - although primarilly a super WEAPON, this will open the "closet door" and "break" the wine-cellar shelves in Spade's Casino. Can be used to break through fence around the helicopter in the Citadel. IF you're in a "destructive mood", any kind of Axes destroy the trees in "downtown" Needles (sorry, Chainsaws don't work). GAS MASK - really unnecessary ! If you "chat" with Fat Freddy and say "NO" to his "deal", you'll wish you had even ONE Gas Mask. The "clues" already told you NOT to say "NO" to Freddy ! ! ! ---------------------------------------- * BEFORE USING ANY EXPLOSIVES, TRY USING YOUR SKILLS AND TOOLS FIRST ! THEN, TRY USING THE LEAST EXPENSIVE EXPLOSIVE YOU HAVE. About 2 TNTs is all you should carry until the final locations ! ---------------------------------------- TNT - clear a path through the concrete blocks and junk that block entry to the alley in downtown Needles. Get the jerks and loot there. Quickest way through last doors at Needles "Waste Pit", can be used on the closet door in Spade's Casino AND the "strong high security doors" in the Temple - Servants of Mushroom Cloud, and MAY be used on final doors in Brygo's IF you get tired of trying PICKLOCK ! BEST way through the Citadel's walls and Main Gate, the final wall inside Sleeper Base's Main Vault, and the "jammed" Pod Cover Hatches at Base Cochise. If you "pry open" the hatch covers in the Project Darwin "lower-level test area", you can "seal them shut" again with TNT. PLASTIC EXPLOSIVE - Best way through final Four doors and wall at Base Cochise. Various ROCKETS may be used as "explosives", but this is a "waste" of resources ! IF you really want to get higher AT WEAPON skills use Manglers and Sabot Rockets in your "fighting" ! SELL the LAW Rockets and RPG-7's, then BUY Manglers at the Black Market in Darwin Village. (* = not available unless you've sold the item !) (sell) (buy) RPG 7 2,500 *5,000 LAW Rocket 1,250 2,500 Sabot Rocket 550 1,100 Mangler 250 500 Plastic Explosive 150 300 Grenade 75 150 TNT 25 50 Chainsaw 250 500 (better than an AX for BRAWLING- there's only 2 PROTON AXES and 2 CHAINSAWS "FREE" in the game.) ======================================================================== ========================================================================