Artifacts, chapter two.

Continuing the conversation about the equipment of the saviors of Etheria. In the first chapter we talked about what we can craft ourselves. Today we will discuss purchased items and those received as rewards for completing quests.

Runic items have many advantages; however, not everything one would like can be forged at lower and intermediate levels. Moreover, combining purchased, quest, and runic artifacts will allow you to create the most suitable and complementary sets considering the character class, spells used, and the individual traits of opponents.

Quest Rewards,

or what you can't buy for any money.

Some artifacts are acquired as the hero progresses through the storyline, and it is practically impossible to skip them. Some, however, are awarded for optional quests, and certain items will only be obtained by making a specific choice while completing the quest.

Sir Hector's Sword

Has a 50% chance to create a skull every time you gain experience, and adds +1 to damage every time you deal 2 or more damage.

– a reward for followers of the dark side of the Force – during the quest "Prisoner" for freeing the Necromancer. Yes, just +1 to damage – not much, but this is arguably the best weapon that is easy and simple to obtain in the early stages of the game. It is recommended to use in conjunction with spells like Holy Truth, Encouragement, etc.




Axe of the Soul Tree

Adds +2 to health every time you deal 4 or more damage.

– can be equipped at the end of the goblin merchant Niihi's quests (Ingredients → You - me, I - you → Assembly). I believe that +5 to Cunning (the "Great Merchant" perk) is preferable, but as always, the choice is yours.


Relic of Imorgia

Adds +5 to Earth Mastery and +5% to Earth Resistance.

– again, help a friend or quietly pocket the artifact. Grateful Kalkus rewards you with the title "Friend of the Dwarves" (+2 to Combat Spirit), which is quite useful, especially for mages. However, Earth Resistance primarily provides a chance to reflect the Web spell.


Aconite Cloak

Adds +1 to Water Resistance every time you collect a combination of 4 or 5 stones.

– this is probably the best armor in the game. The only downside is that it can be obtained almost at the very end of the storyline and only by villains – through the aggressive resolution of the "Wolf Pack" quest (to drive the pack away from Ilaria). Naturally, doing so causes you to miss the opportunity to recruit Snezhok as a companion.


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Albion Shield

Adds +1% to Air Resistance every time you gain 3 or more points of yellow mana.

– who would have thought that the Broken Shield, which has been in the inventory all game, is actually a legendary artifact? Help Kalkus assemble the Great Machine (four parts and a launch button) – the result is worth listening to his grumbling all the way :)


Armor of Minogot

Protects against 1 point of damage when you receive 2 or more damage and adds +15% to Earth Resistance.

– if you are a member of the animal protection society, then your best armor will surely be the Minogot armor. Until you obtain this, I recommend wandering in a self-made cloak/belt.

Dwarven Axe

Adds +10% to Earth Resistance and +1 to damage when you deal 3 or more damage.

Red Axe

Adds +5 to Fire Resistance and Fire Mastery. Adds +2 damage when you deal 3 or more damage.

– throughout your travels, you can acquire two excellent axes. You definitely won't miss the goblins' gift, but for the weapon belonging to the old Minotaur, you'll have to roam the map (Wyvern, Worm, and Scorpion trials) and ultimately defeat him (+ the title "Master of the Axe").

Jotun Helmet

Adds +1% to Fire Resistance every time you gain 3 or more red mana.

– this reward is worth settling family disputes and quarrels between the giant brothers; the other gifts are not interesting, but the helmet is good, yes. I suggest that as soon as you receive the invitation delivery task, capture the Jotun and Jarl's fortresses – you'll be visiting both multiple times anyway, so let taxes collect along the way.

Grulkars Shield

Adds +1 to fighting skill every time you take 2 or more damage.

– the hero is hit, and he gets stronger and stronger :) A good shield that is obtained relatively early, which is doubly nice.

Ogre Blood Helmet

Adds +2% to Fire Resistance every time an enemy casts a spell.

Troll Blood Staff

Adds +2% to Water Resistance every time an enemy casts a spell.

Snake Blood Stone

Adds +2% to Air Resistance every time an enemy casts a spell.

Earth Blood Cloak

Adds +2% to Earth Resistance every time an enemy casts a spell.

– series of quests "Dronga's Storehouse". Helping the gourmand ogre is interesting in itself, for the sake of the dialogue scenes, but the generously gifted magical hat, staff, stone, and handkerchief will definitely not be redundant :)





Store,

or why it's worth going shopping.

So, let me remind you that, firstly, to purchase items in the Shop, you must not only have a fat wallet but also certain knowledge – your level or skills must not be below a certain value for each type of goods. Secondly, the assortment of the store is updated after every battle – if you didn't find anything suitable on the shelf, train on goblins/minotaurs/dragons... By the way, to access the store, it is not necessary to go to the nearest city; it is enough to go to the menu ("Single Play").


It usually goes like this: if you have money – there’s nothing to buy; if there’s something to buy – you lack gold or experience :(

Imperial Helmet

Has a 20% chance to reduce incoming damage from 2 or more to 1 point.

(960 coins; 5 combat spirit)

Elven Helmet

Adds +1% to Earth Resistance for every point of green mana over 5.

(1235 coins; 12 earth)

– both helmets should be in the collection of any hero, but which one to wear is a tough decision. 20% chance of saving your life or protection against magical attacks using green mana? Against Druids and Necromancers (especially mounted on spiders :)) the elven headgear is definitely recommended. In other cases, the choice is once again yours.

Knight Roka's Armor

Protects against 1 point of damage every time you take 2 or more damage, and adds +10% to Earth Resistance.

(1950 coins; 12 earth)

– the only armor worth spending honestly earned gold on, not necessary but recommended. It is simpler than Minogot's Armor, but you will obtain it much earlier if you desire.

Firewalker Staff

Adds +5% to Fire Resistance and +1 to damage for every 8 of your red mana every time you deal 3 or more damage.

(1200 coins; 8 fire)

– why not, if you are going down the path of fire magic. Resistance is always useful + decent additional damage.

Ice Staff

Has a 1% chance for every point of your blue mana for your enemy to skip their turn every time you deal 2 or more damage.

(1330 coins; 8 water)

– level up your ice magic and hit the opponent on the head repeatedly in one turn.

Halberd

Gives a 50% chance to get a bonus turn every time you deal 5 or more damage.

(480 coins; level 10)

– with developed Fighting skill, the enemy might not even get a chance to argue with you, and if you can magically slow him down a bit beforehand…

Slimy Blade

Adds +1 to damage for every 2 blue stones in play every time you deal 3 or more damage.

(1950 coins; 10 water)

Flame Blade

Adds +1 to damage for every 2 red stones in play every time you deal 3 or more damage.

(1975 coins; 10 fire)

– the damage dealt by mages specializing in the corresponding elements can be truly impressive. Use in conjunction with spells like Frost, Burning, and similar.

Gnoll Kris

Adds +1 to your current maximum health for every 4 points of damage you deal.

(1460 coins; 10 cunning)

– it would probably be more interesting for direct health restoration, but if you are playing with a healing spell (Regeneration, Stoneberry) or a troll ring…

Great Mang

Has a 25% chance to reduce the opponent's red mana to zero as soon as you deal 3 or more damage.

(680 coins; 10 fight)

– can be useful if the opponent actively uses fire spells, yes.

Unholy Pike

Adds +1 to damage for every 4 points of green mana every time you deal 3 or more damage.

(1800 coins; 12 combat spirit)

Holy Spear

Adds +1 to damage for every 4 points of your yellow mana every time you deal 3 or more damage.

(1800 coins; 12 combat spirit)

– it’s curious, of course, why if the hero has leveled up Air Magic – they’re a good, kind knight with a Holy Spear, while if Earth – an unholy necromancer, is there no alternative?

Archlich's Ring

Gives one mana point of each color for every three experience points.

(2400 coins; 20 earth)

– use in conjunction with the Holy Truth spell (and/or Encouragement).

Ring of Heat

Adds +10% to Fire Resistance.

(450 coins; 4 fire)

– Simple and straightforward.

Sky Sphere

Adds air resistance equal to half your yellow mana.

(750 coins; 5 combat spirit)

– if you were leveling up Air Magic anyway (for greater effect from the Web spell, for instance), then why not ;)

Troll Ring

Adds +1 to health if blue mana is greater than or equal to 6 at the start of each of your turns.

(480 coins; level 3)

Powerful Troll Ring

Adds +2 to health if blue mana is greater than or equal to 9 at the start of each of your turns.

(980 coins; level 8)

Mighty Troll Ring

Adds +3 to health if blue mana is greater than or equal to 12 at the start of each of your turns.

(1880 coins; level 13)

– I consider the middle (powerful) of the troll rings as the optimal choice, ensuring healing even with barely leveled Air Magic. But it all depends on how fast your blue mana accumulates and how actively you use it.


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Of course, the article does not cover all items that the hero can obtain in one way or another, but only those that I personally find useful and interesting. You can read the complete list of items available in the game with their property descriptions in the file …\Puzzle Quest\Assets.zip\English\StandardItemsText.xml. I also recommend visiting warlorders.com (in English).

So, the hero is dressed, shod, armed, and ready for feats. What combinations of purchased, quest-obtained, and self-forged artifacts (and spells) you will use depends only on you (and your probable opponent).

Good luck on the battlefields. Play and win ^\_

© Text and screenshots – Magrat.

Especially for gamer.ru