Help with Grandmaster disciplines

[malfi]

Intro: Having played through the first 5 books when I was 12 (my older cousin gave them to me) I decided to check if there is any info on them in the net...

I just started the Plague Lord of Ruel book and I am having a pretty hard run. Having found on this forum advice on what disciples to choose, on the kai and magnakai series, helped me tremendously.

Any ideas on what disciplines to pick for the Grand Mastery series?

[bittermind]

Tricky. Have you played through books 6 - 12? If so, you can keep bonuses from Curing / Weaponmastery / Psi-surge. Which alters your Grand Master Discipline choices a little.

If you haven't played through 6 - 12, I'd take... hmm, Grand Weaponmastery, Deliverance, Kai-surge - the Disciplines that give you a points bonus, basically - and maybe... I don't know, possibly Grand Huntmastery. That always helps with jumping and climbing and whatnot. Or, in fact, I'd probably go with Kai-alchemy. That's tremendously useful. Any Disciplines you pick, though, you'll probably still find book 13 a struggle.

If you've played through 6 - 12 already, you have a little more freedom. Curing is enormous help. It isn't worth the extra +1 CS that Grand Weaponmastery gives you, just yet (Weaponmastery and Grand Weaponmastery aren't cumulative, I'm afraid). Maybe it's worth the extra +2 CS that Kai-surge gives you over Psi-surge - a lot more gribblies are immune to Psi-surge than Kai-surge, too.

Sooo... maybe Kai-alchemy, Grand Huntmastery, Assimilance (those last two are very handy in book 13...) and... possibly Kai-surge. I really like what Telegnosis can do... but honestly, it's not very useful.

But that's just me.

[johntfs]

If you have Kai-surge, you really don't need Grand Weaponmastery. I'd recommend Grand Pathsmanship instead because there's a really nasty battle in the book that it can help you survive.

[malfi]

First of all thanks for answering.

Bittermind: Yes I played (and enjoyed) books 1-12. I picked at the beginning of book 13 Grand Pathmanship/Huntmastery/Nexus and Assimilate, couldn't wait until somebody responded . As far as I understand my next choice should be between Kai-Alchemy, Kai surge and Kai screen. Right?

Johntfs: My thoughts exactly for Grand weaponmastery. G. Pathmanship is already taken .

[Ofecks]

Kai Alchemy is incredibly useful throughout the entire series. I would take that as your first bonus discipline.

[bittermind]

To be honest, if it's your first playthough, I'd say pick whatever disciplines seem interesting, and just run with it (and don't forget to add that extra +1 Endurance every paragraph from the Curing!). One thing I like about the Grand Master books is that you get the +1 CS, +2 END with every new Discipline. So - unlike the Magnakai books - you don't have to 'plan' your Discipline picks so much.

So yes, don't forget to read what your improved Disciplines will do at the beginning of every book, pick whatever Disciplines seem most interesting, and have fun!

[malfi]

Ok I 'll go with kai alchemy for the second grandmaster book and then I 'll get whatever strikes my fancy.

[johntfs]

For The Captives of Kaag I usually pick Magi-Magic because it obviates the need for a nasty fight right before another nasty fight.

[kai]

Book 13: Grand weapon mastery: cs is always important.
kai-screen: There are a ton of random psychic attacks.
Grand huntmastery: It helps with a lot of rnt chemks.
assimilance: 2 major uses.

book 14: Magi-magic: helps avoide a major fight.
book 15: grand pathsmanship: Is helpful a lot.
book 16: Kai-alchemy: helps once in the end.
book 17: Kai-surge: seriously helpful.
book 18: Telegnosis: has some interesting effects.
book 19: Grand nexus: helps from losing some eps.
book 20: Deliverance: helps just once, but better than animal mastery.