Elder Scrolls: Arena - Hints And Tips

                       by James Judge

First off GET THE PATCH DISK!!!! Until you do, save very regularly
- you'll never know when a bug will arise!

In the beginning dungeon you shouldn't come across too many
problems. The only thing that you will have to worry about is when
and where to sleep. Often the game doesn't allow you to sleep as
there are 'enemies near' even though you can't see any. This may
be a bug, but I feel that the game says that if there are monsters
in, say, a ten meter radius - whether they are through a wall and
in a part of the dungeon you won't come across for ages - it won't
allow the player to sleep. If you do find this just try walking a
little bit away from where you last slept and see if that helps.
Also don't pay any attention of when the game says the niches are
a good place to sleep - I often found myself being attacked by
rats when I was securely tucked away in one.

One thing to look out for is secret rooms - both in this dungeon
and all others. Here they are not important, just a means of
getting to some treasure which you really do need at the present
time. You can't tell false walls from ordinary ones unless you
look on your automap. If you look on your map and you see a red
square signifying a door but when you go there it is a wall, click
on the wall and it should slide open - revealing some goodies!
Make this a habit that after, say, five minutes of exploration,
you check the map and look for secret doors.

Also don't be afraid to annotate your map. I do it very rarely,
now, but at the beginning it is useful until you get the idea that
a blue square means stairs going up and a green one is stairs
going down. It is also useful to mark on it the locations of
artifacts so that if you needed to help a friend you can (ain't
that a nice thought?).

If you ever get bracelets, torcs, belts or amulets you can right
click on them in your inventory to find out what they are. I know
it says that in the manual, but so far I've enlightened two people
of this fact and they are very grateful.  Also remember that you
can click on the compass on your map to scroll around it.

Remember the stats that are important to your profession - if you
are a mage increase your intelligence instead of strength and if
it is a choice of wearing a +25 intelligence amulet or -1 Armour
Class amulet choose the former. Oh, and remember that a minus
number is good for armour classes!

In the towns right click on inn/temple/shop doors to find out
their name - the name will be added to your map instantly. Don't
try and break into a place (either through pilfering or bashing
the door with a weapon) until you are about level 5. The guards
are just too strong for a weak level 1 character!

Remember to keep your weapons and shields repaired and in full
working order.  If not you will find it harder to hit monsters and
you will be hit more often.  Also, after so much damage, the item
will break.

If a mark/bracer/crystal/ring runs out of charges you can still
sell them in shops - funny people these blacksmiths.

As soon as you can get a silver weapon. Don't use them as your
normal weapon (try and get an adamantium or ebony weapon as soon
as possible for standard fighting) but use them when you are
fighting undead - your job will be made much easier.

For the first couple of dungeons the only spells you will need are
open, levitate, fire dart and heal. Also, if you are a mage, get a
couple of restore power potions which restore a little mana.
Another potion that is very useful at the start is a cure disease
one. Poison wears off, but diseases and curses just keep on
hampering you.

A little pointer as to where to go from your starting town - ask
for Fang Lair and you will be told that is in the province of
Hammerfell. Go to a town called Rihad (a castle on the southern
coast) and then go to the palace. Talk to the queen and she will
send you on a quest for a parchment that will tell you the
whereabouts of Fang Lair. Go on this quest and bring the parchment
back to her, then she will inscribe the location of it on your
provincial map. If the queen doesn't talk to you it means that you
lack the reputation. Ask around for jobs and go on about 5. It
should take you a day or two of game time and then go back to the
palace, she should speak to you now.













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