Difficulty - Normal

Level - 36.8

Stats

There were several pieces of equipment I used from level 9-13 up to level 35, eventually keeping 'better' versions to switch to if I started running into trouble.

On level 36 after I sorted through loot found or purchased the last couple of levels, I ended up with lots of strength bonuses. Earlier in the game I would take dexterity or vitality bonuses just as readily, everything else being equal; it was chance that strength ended up predominant on my final equipment.

Below are my stats with and without equipment, at the end of the game (level 36). I've also added my stats in the Aleroth Ministry (level 35), one of the last things I did before turning in a bunch of quests, unlearning/relearning skills and sorting through equipment before heading to the hall of echoes. Stats without equipment would pretty much be the same as on level 36, so I did not include them (also, I didn't have enough room for another column on the piece of paper I wrote this down on biggrin ).
I put the summary in multiple code boxes so the text table would line up, without scrolling required, since apparently the forum no longer allows html tables (tried here and in a BD forum I had previously posted a table in).

I wasn't deliberately keeping Intelligence and Dexterity the same. I boosted Intelligence some to help with the magic armour rating and mana refill rate, then later used the Potion of Wisdom. Dexterity was always less that Strength, but before the end game I had several extra points due to equipment bonuses. I boosted Vitality to around 20 and was going to stop, but trying to take out the level 27 guards in the quarry building before getting the battle tower, I figured extra hit points would help, and put the spare 10 stat points I had into Vitality.


Code
                       level 36       level 35
equipment            with  without      with

unused stat           39      39          35

hit points          1735     421        1356
mana                 359     239         362

Code
vitality              37      31          39
spirit                 5       5           6
strength              67      47          54
dexterity             25      25          25
intelligence          25      25          25

Code
damage              657-734             597-667
magic damage        181-181             173-173
melee resistance      38.8    20.7        36.0
ranged resistance     19.1    12.2        19.1
magic resistance      37.9    12.2        39.5

conditioned body      75      47          60
heightened reflexes   30      25          33
indomitable will      40      25          39


Skills

I unlearned my skills after getting the battle tower, and again before heading to the hall of echoes (the re-skill at level 36 gave me 76 free skill points). In the Aleroth Ministry (level 35) I had 13 unused skill points; at the end of the game I had 34.

Mana Efficiency - 5 (maxed after getting battle tower)
Mana Leech - 1
Healing - 1
Regenerate - 0 (2 before hall of echoes)
Life Leech - 1 (2 before hall of echoes)
Bleed - 10
Potion Efficiency - 0 (1 before battle tower, 5 after)
Evade - 1
Wisdom - 13 (before the hall of echoes it was 9 or 10, with 4 or 5 of that from equipment bonuses. since I was 3/4 of the way to level 37, the highest I had seen mentioned (without using respawns excessively), I maxed Wisdom to see if I could get to level 38 in the sure to be flying fortress sized area of the hall of echoes)

Dual Wielding - 13
Battle Rage - 0 (1 before getting the battle tower, but I only used it a few times)
Lockpick - 0 (5 before the hall of echoes; I maxed this as soon as possible)
Whirlwind - 1 (2 before battle tower)
Rush Attack - 1 (4 before battle tower)

Life Tap - 0 (1 before the hall of echoes; immediately before getting the battle tower I tried this, and thought it would come in handy, but after the battle tower and learning Mana Efficiency, I never used it)


Armor

For most of the game I only checked merchants when I needed to sell stuff (every 2 to 4 levels, or so), and only rarely purchased equipment to use (other than at the very beginning and end of the game). At level 31 when I went to Aleroth, I checked the 2 merchants just at the stairs leading to the Ministry. The equipment dealer gave me an upgrade sword and gauntlets IIRC at level 31 and 32, respectively, but after that a handful of reloads didn't produce anything better than what I had, so I stopped checking him. I tried to get a ring to replace an ok one I had been using for quite awhile, but the jewelry merchant kept offering me bracelets, necklaces and belts, so I don't think I got a ring until level 34 (wasn't going to keep reloading if I had a decent upgrade, even if it wasn't what I was after).

At the end of the game I had 8 blessed charms and 8 divine, but didn't use any (there wasn't really any need to).

I had 22 malachite gems before the hall of echoes, after giving 2 to the blind philosopher and using 4 for level 10 healing aura enchantments. I reloaded at malachite veins and got 2 gems from the first, 3 from the rest, except for the last one (the semi hidden one in the waterfall cave) where I got 4 (I would have stopped at 3, if I had gotten that first).
At level 12 or 13 I put 3 healing auras on equipment I thought I would be using awhile (2 listed below, plus a belt). Quite awhile later (10 levels, give or take) I found a better belt, and switched to it. I figured it had taken so long to get a better belt I'd probably be using that one for awhile, as well, so added a healing aura enchantment. A couple levels later I found a better belt, but waited awhile before switching, as I didn't want to 'waste' the enchantment without getting some use out of it.
I put 2 healing auras on jewelry before entering the hall of echoes (having replaced the pieces that originally had one), because I didn't want to get stuck somewhere with no way back, having used up all 50 something of my ultimate healing potions and 20 odd ultimate restoration potions. Better safe than sorry...


cuirass: (Legendary) Paladin's Elite Army Cuirass of the Devote
I got this in the mid twenties, or so, for character level, possibly in Stone' fortress, or that of my namesake; it was quite awhile before I began seeing magic armour rating bonuses on jewelry, anyway. I started off putting a Magic Protection 5 or 6 enchantment on it, which I later upgraded.
  • armour rating: melee +6, magic +6
  • +127 Hit Points
  • +5 Heightened Reflexes
  • +4 Indomitable Will
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Magic Protection 9)

belt: (Legendary) Paladin's Brown Leather Belt of the Magic Gods
  • +129 Hit Points
  • +38 mana
  • +9 magic armour rating
  • 2 charm slots
  • enchantment slot (Magic Damage Aura 7)

leggings: (Heroic) Paladin's Elite Battle Leggings of Hope
  • armour rating: melee +2, range +1, magic +1
  • +113 Hit Points
  • +27 mana
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Life Line 9)

helmet: (Heroic) Paladin's Elite Champion Helmet of Hope
This was a random drop in Kali's fortress, from one of the regular opponents, shortly after getting crappy loot from a couple of large chests. It replaced the ugly heavy noble helmet I had been using for some time (+74 HP, +4 Int...).
  • armour rating: magic +8
  • +109 Hit Points
  • +5 Indomitable Will
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Life Line 9)

gauntlets: (Legendary) Paladin's Heavy Gauntlets of Hope
  • armour rating: melee +2, magic +2
  • +120 Hit Points
  • +55 mana
  • +9 melee armour rating
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Life Line 9)

bracelet: (Legendary) Paladin's Engraved bronze Bangle of Eternal Burning
Before heading to the hall of echoes I stopped by the jeweler in Aleroth just to sell a bunch of stuff, and he happened to have a better bracelet than the one I had reloaded for a few levels earlier and didn't end up even using.
  • +167 Hit Points
  • +4 magic armour rating
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Spontaneous Combustion 10)

earring: (Legendary) Paladin's Sapphire Droplet Earrings of Aleroth
  • +96 Hit Points
  • +8 Strength
  • 2 charm slots
  • enchantment slot (Healing Aura 10)

ring: (Legendary) Paladin's Plain Ring of Aleroth
  • +97 Hit Points
  • +3 Vitality
  • +6 Conditioned Body
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Healing Aura 10)

ring: (Legendary) Paladin's Bronze Ridged Ring of Static Charge
  • +65 Hit Points
  • +4 Strength
  • +3 Conditioned Body
  • +6 Indomitable Will
  • 2 charm slots
  • enchantment slot (Static Charge 8)

necklace: (Legendary) Paladin's Pewter Locket of Eternal Burning
  • +146 Hit Points
  • +4 Strength
  • 2 charm slots
  • enchantment slot (Spontaneous Combustion 6)


Before heading to the hall of echoes, I used the following equipment (through most of the game) for the Wisdom bonuses, keeping 'better' items on hand in case I ran into trouble (though they all started off at least half decent for when I got them).


bracelet: Bear's Wishing Well Exquisite Bracelet of Aleroth
Used from level 13, when I got it, to just before the hall of echoes.
  • +31 Hit Points
  • +1 Wisdom
  • 2 charm slots
  • 2 enchantment slots (Healing Aura 10 / Static Charge Aura 3)

earrings: (Heroic) Wisdom's Kundan Ruby Earrings of the Avenger
This was a quest reward from the archeologist in Broken Valley, and I think the only time I took an item rather than extra experience when given a choice.
  • +2 Vitality
  • +2 Heightened Reflexes
  • +1 Wisdom
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Retribution Aura 4)

necklace: Hermit's Talisman of the North
I got this at level 9 or 10, and may have started using it right away; it wasn't enchanted until level 12 or 13.
  • +1 Spirit
  • +1 Heightened Reflexes
  • +1 Indomitable Will
  • +2 Wisdom
  • charm slot
  • 3 enchantment slots (Healing Aura 10)


Weapons

I used dual axes for much of the time before the battle tower, as they had the best damage (swords or mixed for the first few levels). After the battle tower I used Barnabus' mace and a couple different hammers for quite awhile.

(Legendary) Disintegrating Normal Heavy Noble Sword of Doom
  • damage: 44-73
  • +39 melee damage
  • +29 magic damage
  • 1 charm slot
  • 1 enchantment slot (Increased Damage 9)

(Unique) Paladin's Well Crafted Heavy Noble Hammer of the Snake
Dropped by Ba'al in the mine; too bad I didn't go back to Broken Valley until the fjords were almost cleared.
  • damage: 61-75
  • +39 melee damage
  • +31 Hit Points
  • +3 Vitality
  • +4 Strength
  • 2 charm slots
  • 3 enchantment slots (Increased Damage 9 / Increased Magical Damage 9 / Poison 9)

(Heroic) Paladin's Normal Heavy Noble Bow of Doom
I found a bow very helpful early in the game, handy mid game, and just used to break crates (etc) late in the game. I had Rothman's bow equipped for some time, and made sure to switch to it before turning in quests.
  • ranged damage: 29-87
  • +16 ranged damage
  • +11 magical damage
  • +44 Hit Points
  • charm slot
  • enchantment slot (Increased Damage 9)



For the dragon form I removed all equipment except for the Bone Dragon Cuirass (+40% hit points) and Bone Dragon Leggings (+40% offense) once I could max Firebreath, Fire Sphere, Dragon Spirit and Dragon Burst without the need for equipment spell bonuses. I didn't use Dragon Burst that much (came in handy a couple times), and never tried the summon, shield or polymorph spells.