High Elf Skald

[Gianozzolo]

Hello everyone, I am new to this game and I have to say that it is just sooo awesome (it's been my new drug for the whole last week).
After trying a couple of combination I am starting to try out the High Elf Skald, the one thing that confuses me the most is: which stat should I train up every 3 lvls? I mean, they all seem very good options, due to the fact that Skalds seem to know how to do pretty much everything...so, what is your opinion?
Also if you ever any good advice, feel free to share!

[KoboldLord]

The choice is basically always intelligence, usually by a large margin.

The three cardinal stats are not remotely balanced. Perhaps someday it will be more worthwhile to build up str and dex more than the absolute minimum required for basic functionality. Certainly the devteam has plans to make plans to that effect, even if there isn't anybody working on the problem now.

Strength affects your carrying capacity and lets you wear heavy armor with less penalties, but only up to a certain breakpoint depending on the heaviness of the armor. You need 9 str to wear fire dragon, ice dragon, or pearl dragon armour, which are probably going to be your eventual goal for a skald. Additional points of strength do nothing of particular value.

Dexterity will give you a few extra points of EV, which are nice but not critical.

Intelligence improves the chance to cast successfully and spell power of all your spells, plus it reduces the hunger cost of casting. These benefits are ridiculously out of line with the benefits of the other two stats unless you don't plan to cast spells at all for the entire game.

[Gianozzolo]

Thank you very much, that was very clear!
So I have to assume that training up combat skills (armour, fighting and whatever weapon) is the only way that actually makes me improve in, well, combat?

[greepish]

Pretty much yeah. But fighting actually doesn't help combat much, it's mainly just for HP, a negligible amount of hp in the beginning (scales with level). I'd keep armour/fighting off until you get about 6 of your weapon.

[Konebred]

One thing I would suggest with a skald is to work a little ranged weapons. Slings work well since you find them early and you can enchant them with the brands too.