Wizardry: Crusaders of the Dark Savant

Overview

Wizardry 7 is a first-person RPG that follows up on the events concluding Wizardry 6: Bane of the Cosmic Forge. It is also the second chapter of the "Savant Trilogy" that had started with Wizardry 6. After assembling their party of adventurers, the player will confront many challenges and puzzles as they attempt to find the all-powerful Astral Dominae, an artifact of incredible potential with the ability to create life. It should not be confused with the Japanese version of the series which had long since spun off from the main franchise. It was published in October, 1992.
 
The game is notable for being extremely difficult with CGW's Scorpia, on providing hints for the game, making note that the last dungeon was particularly frustrating. It is considered by some as one of the last of the "old school" RPGs on the PC for both its detailed combat mechanics and the exceedingly deep character development system of classes, skills, personalization, and atmosphere. Although it utilizes both elements of sci-fi and fantasy within its story, a trait that would continue on through into the final installment with Wizardry 8, the game manages to balance both of these against the backdrop of an epic quest that easily crosses between both genres due to its vast scope. Although the game presented everything via a 3D view, it would be the last title in the series to use 2D sprites for such things as enemies.

Originally released in 1992, the game would be re-released on CD-ROM  and tweaked for more modern machines with better graphics, improved gameplay speeds, and an extensive use of voice. This version, called Wizardry Gold, came out in 1996 and would also be a part of the Ultimate Wizardry Archives released by Interplay in 1998.
 
Veterans could import their party from Wizardry 6 and continue adventuring with them. By importing their saved party from that game into this one, the player could also experience a number of different starting points depending on how they had resolved the end of Wizardry 6. Also notable were the multiple endings that could be experienced depending on the player's choices at the end of the game. 
 
Among the other features of the game were:

• Over 100 spells were available for casting
• 14 classes to choose from
• 11 races to create classes with
• Over 30 different skills to master
• Skill point based upgrades to skills and statistics
• Wizadry Gold added an in-game hint system to help players out
  

 
Wizardry 7 was also notable for its NPCs. One of the main goals in the game was to retrieve pieces of a legendary map that, once pieced together, would lead the way to the Astral Dominae. But if the party takes too long in discovering a particular piece, they may find an empty chest waiting for them at the end of a dungeon meaning that someone had gotten to it first. The main quest arc didn't change because of this since the player had the option of chasing down who had found the map piece and either negotiate for it or simply kill them outright and take it for themselves. With the number of factions vying for supremacy on Lost Guardia, allying or attacking a particular party that may have the map would also force the player to consider the ramifications for their standing among them.

Story

Wizardry 7 picks up right after the events of Wizardry 6. At the end of that chapter, the party has just uncovered the Cosmic Forge which was used by the Cosmic Lords to literally write existence into being. It had been stolen by the Bane King and his wizard, Xophitus, but before the party could decide what to do with it, a servant of the Cosmic Lords appears and spirits it away. The cyborg, Aletheides, takes the Cosmic Forge into his possession, but its role in protecting another secret had been lost. When the Cosmic Forge was stolen, the world of Guardia was revealed to the universe. And now, following the legends of a powerful treasure hidden somewhere on its surface, many races head there to find it for themselves before the others.
 
The Wizardry series, at this point, takes on a decidedly sci-fi bent to some of its storytelling elements although much of these are seen through the medieval patina of the title's protagonists as reflected in the language of how they are referred to. Ships are crudely described in such terms, as one result.
 
Wizardy 7's story can either begin with the default start if the player opts to create an entirely new party or from one of three pre-determined starts depending on what they had done in Wizardry 6 and have chosen to import their party from that game instead. It was a unique feature that rewarded players that had gone through to the end of that game and had kept their saves for this one.
 
The three beginnings depended on what the player did at the end of Bane of the Cosmic Forge:

• They Believed the Queen and killed her Husband, the Bane King - At the end of Cosmic Forge, the party offs the King, his lover, and her brother, Bela. In exploring Bela's chambers, they enter the mouth of a "slumbering beast" which then takes off for the stars as it is actually a spaceship. The ship is intercepted by the Daedalus, the Dark Savant's vessel, and the party is pressed into his service. He explains that he needs the Astral Dominae to overthrow the Cosmic Lords and sends them to Lost Guardia to aid the T'rang in discovering the relic.
• They Spared the King - The party decided not to believe the Queen and spares the king. However, he commits suicide and the party receives the key to Bela's room from his lover. They encounter Bela who invites them to accompany him on his ship in pursuit of Aletheides to Lost Guardia. Bela has also been in contact with the Umpani and are offered a chance to join them in defeating the T'rang as well as racing to find the Astral Dominae.
• The Cosmic Forge revisited - The party decided to accompany Aletheides who takes the Cosmic Forge and offers them a chance to join him. After a long voyage, he takes them to Lost Guardia and drops them off outside of where the Dane live.

 

The fourth start was reserved for new parties. Their story begins as fortune hunters who stumble upon the Cosmic Forge in an abandoned temple. There, Aletheides appears and explains to them the events of Wizardry 6 and they accompany him to Lost Guardia. He then drops them off just outside of New City.
 
During the party's adventures on Lost Guardia, they must negotiate the political climate between each of the factions, carefully nursing beneficial alliances by playing nice with certain members while picking their fights with others. They are questing for the Astral Dominae, created by the Cosmic Lord, Phoonzang, as one of the greatest artifacts ever made. 
 
Although NPCs play a major role in Wizardry 6, the system of alliances and betrayals won't prevent the player from finishing the game although it may adversely affect how easy certain parts of the game can become for obvious reasons. During their adventures, they will also discover that each faction has its own needs and side quests to explore.

• The Umpani want to destroy the T'rang Queen whose spawn may overrun the neighboring worlds like ravenous insects. They pick the party to do this as it would deflect some of the blame away from themselves.
• The T'rang are looking for a lost map that may lead them to the Astral Dominae and then plan to betray the Dark Savant to keep it.
• The Dane desire the Cornu of Demonspawn, a giant horn on a demon that the party must summon and defeat
• The Munk have lost a holy work of theirs and ask the party to journey beneath their city and retrieve it. Of course, there will be plenty of danger between them and the work.
• The Gorn are engaged in a savage civil war thanks to the interference of those factions that have landed on Guardia. The party must hear the story of the Wizard Murkatos and restore the spirit of the King to give them peace.
• The Rattkin are planning to steal a T'rang starship to use as a transport in spreading their criminal enterprise offworld. But to do so, they need to know when one is going to land. That's where the party comes in.
• The Helazoid protect the secrets of Phoonzang and it is up to the party to discover what they may be by proving themselves

 
After many adventures, the party manage to discover the Astral Dominae. However, how they deal with its discovery will determine how the player may start the next, and final, chapter of the adventure in Wizardry 8. Two possibilities are presented:

• If the party had told Vi Domina, a character that they had met, that they had found a way to get off of Guardia and go to meet her at where the ship is at, they find the Dark Savant waiting there. Vi Domina is nearly dead and the Dark Savant offers to trade her life for the Astral Dominae to which the party agrees. The Savant leaves, but Vi and the party take off in pursuit and are shot down over the city of Arnika instead.
• If the party had chosen to keep the Astral Dominae instead, darkness surrounds them as the Dark Savant casts a powerful spell, and so they float in darkness as a result. When Wizardry 8 starts with this save, the party is still floating in darkness with no escape and the game effectively ends.

Gameplay

Wizardry 7 is a tile or grid based movement, first-person RPG set on the world of Lost Guardia. The player must find the legendary relic, the Astral Dominae, before the Dark Savant does. But, in order to do, the party must also negotiate the many side quests and explore nearly every dungeon to find what they need as well as beat the other factions that also have their sights set on attaining the relic for their own needs.
 
Saves could be made anywhere and at anytime in the game.
 

Character Interaction

Wizardry 7 made NPCs an integral part of the gameplay experience. They would actively compete against the player's party for the pieces of the map leading to the Astral Dominae and it was up to the player to decide how quickly they should pursue each one, negotiate when necessary for the needed pieces, or simply attack those that had gotten there first. The choice was completely up to the player. Faction alliances could be won or lost based on how the party treats each race.
 
Upon encountering neutral NPCs, the player could be introduced to their own story as to what they are up to leading to several pieces of valuable information. As for anything else that the player may want to know, they may have to work on getting them to trust them. When players meet such an NPC, the following options are available:  

• Truce - This opens up possible negotiations as the player's party and the NPCs cautiously approach each other to see where talking gets either side
• Fight - Just as it says. Jump right into the thick of it and talk about it later.
• Leave - Walk away from the other NPC and pretend they weren't there.

 

If the Truce is accepted, the player can opt to Bribe the NPC. The party leader automatically determines the amount needed which can vary by either being very cheap or incredibly expensive. The other option is to Give an item allowing the player to pick and choose what they want to give the other NPC. Both of these options can butter up the other side and make them easier to negotiate with.
 
During negotiations, the player then has the following options to play with:

• Peace - This attempts to further smooth things out between the party and the NPC. Bribes, giving additional items, or even using a spell or two like Charm may sway them to your line of thinking.
• Force - When push comes to shove, it's time to take out the weapons and negotiate the old fashioned way. If your party is stronger than the NPCs, you'll get the information you need but at the same time, leave a nasty impression for them...and their faction...to remember you by.

 
If negotiations are successful, the NPC could become good friends offering many things ranging from knowledge to items. Not everyone can be the player's friend, however, because of the interlocking relationship of opposition between many of the factions involved in the chase for the Astral Dominae.
 
When NPCs are softened up enough, they can share many tidbits such as who they are, what they are doing there, and perhaps what news they may have. A parser allows the player to communicate with them with simple phrases. This parser concept would be further refined in Wizardry 8.
 
An exchange of Lore is also an exchange of information between the party and the NPCs and can potentially drop a clue or two that they might use to get ahead. On the other side of the coin, the player may learn something that may allow them to get a head start on them in turn, paving the way for another adventure.
 

Puzzles

Wizardry 7 had quite a few puzzles to get through, but was notable for its maze-like dungeons with many random encounters thrown in for good measure. Wizardry Gold included an in-game hint system that would help the player figure out all of these if they chose to use it.
 

Inventory

The inventory system was handled primarily on a character-by-character basis. Encumbrance was also another important issue to consider as it could adversely affect the performance of a character. The weight limit was indicated on a character's profile and was color coded to indicate just how close they were to their limit. Even if the character hadn't reached it, simply coming that close to it would weigh them down and affect how well they could fight in combat, replenish their stamina, etc.. A character could carry more than their weight limit, but at an even greater risk to how worse they would perform in battle.

Exploring

Moving around the world of Lost Guardia was as easy as using the keyboard to move the party. The 3D rendered world of Dominus was also filled with a variety of hot spots to interact with whether it was a lever or a locked chest that required a little lockpicking. Anything that wasn't nailed down could be added to the inventory of a character.  
 

Picking Locks and Disarming Traps

Thieves and others with the ability to pick locks will first need to set a series of tumblers in place. As they turn in the lock, the player has to wait for a green line to highlight that the lock is in the right position to be opened and hitting the ENTER key would unlock it. This was dependent on the character's skulduggery skill. Locked doors could also be forced open with an appropriately strong character or a mage with the Knock Knock spell.
 
As for disarming traps, when one is suspected, the thief is presented with a series of tiles upon which are inscribed a rough estimation of part of the trap's mechanism. If it is highlighted in green dashes, it likely means that clicking on it would disarm the trap. However, many traps range in complexity and several of these tiles may have to be clicked on, one after another, as the trap is disarmed. 
 
Depending on how well the character's skill for detecting traps is, the highlighted tiles that they believe to be the 'correct' ones are usually what the player will need to look for. However, one or all of them can just be as bad a guess as any, resulting in the trap going off.
 

The Factions of Lost Guardia

The world of Lost Guardia has become a planet under siege by a variety of factions, all of which are after the Astral Dominae. As a result, all of them have their own reasons for either making the party's life difficult or in giving them an unexpected helping hand during their quest.
 
The Factions

• The Munk - They are a hefty race with experience in both Alchemy and the Martial Arts, capable of holding their own in combat. They are further divided into two sub-factions: the "good" who seek to preserve the holy legends of Lost Guardia and those of the "Dark Forest" who have degenerated into bands of roving marauders. All Munk vehemently hate what they regard as the blasphemous beliefs of the Dane brotherhood. They, themselves, appear to be traditional monks dedicated to their own charities and beliefs.
  
• The Dane - They appear slim, almost frail, and are incredibly gifted druids whose hands can weave the most powerful of spells. They are avoided by many because of this talent and follow their own beliefs that seem self-centered and gravitate more towards the accumulation of personal power and wealth at the expense of others. Should the party join the Dane, an NPC of theirs will constantly demand 10% of the party's gold as a tithe. They regard the Munk as blasphemers and are inherently opposed to them.
  
• The Gorn - They appear as the traditional AD&D version the orc. They are hardy and well accustomed to combat and stand as the greatest native fighting force on Lost Guardia. The Gorn are radically loyal to their own kind and are intensely secretive about their private lives despite welcoming others as friends. They are also headquartered at a secret castle that no one has found and it is due to their military might that the Dane and the Munk haven't yet turned to open war.
  

• The Umpani - Resembling walking rhinoceros in military dress, they rule a galaxy-wide empire based on strict military discipline and are considered exceptional traders if not sticklers for the rules. Because of their militant natures, they probably have one of the best equipped and most powerful armies in the galaxy. They are also bitter enemies of the T'rang.
• The T'rang - The insectoid T'rang also rule a vast empire that dwarfs that of the Umpani and are often secretive about their motives and ultimate goals. They are rivals to the Umpani and are willing to sell their services to do anything, as long as the price is right, for the buyer. They are renowned for having always fulfilled their contracts no matter how much dirt it may take to perform their work.
  
• The Rattkin - They resemble walking rats of near humanoid size and inhabit Lost Guardia's forests and towns. They are a race of thieves and assassins eager to deprive unwary travelers of valuable loot. It is rumored that they are also available for hire as spies and their natural abilities make them ideal for the task at hand.
  
• The Helazoid - They are the most mysterious of the races on Lost Guardia. They clearly possess incredibly sophisticated technology that allows them to fly in the air, although many think that it may simply be a form of magic that they had developed on their own or had gained from a mysterious source. They are rare enough to be seen and no male has ever been witnessed. Where they live is also a source of much speculation as no one has ever seen their home.
  
• The Dark Savant - His quest for the relics of the Cosmic Lords has finally brought him to Lost Guardia where he intends to recover the Astral Dominae.
  

Character Development

The player can opt to start with the batch of pre-made character provided for them by the game or create their own.  As noted earlier, they could also import their party from Wizardry 6: Bane of the Cosmic Forge.
 

Age

Characters can actually age in Wizardry 7 if they rest too much. Resting replenishes a party's health and stamina, readying them for the road ahead, and eight hours pass for every time that this is uninterrupted. However, rest enough times, and a character will start to age. A candle icon shown in the character's portrait screen slowly melts away the older they get, but when they first start out in the game, they are at an extremely young age. Death by old age is hardly expected, but it is a possibility.
 

Classes

Fourteen classes awaited the player. The player was also allowed to change professions during the game at which point they start out at first level for that class, but earn levels based on the total number of experience that the character is at. Each class is also an expert at certain skills and come with bonuses in those skills for when they start out.

• Fighter - High hit points and experts at using any weapon and piece of armor, they also have the ability to go berserk and deal double damage while leaving themselves vulnerable to attack. A grounded class that can dish out the damage as well as take it. They also boast improved stamina regeneration so as to avoid getting too tired in combat.
• Lord - Skilled as a fighter as well as being pious enough to cast a few spells, they are likened to paladins and crusader knights. They start learning priestly spells around the fifth level of experience and can heal wounds over time without the need for magic.
• Valkyrie - Only for women, Valkyries are first rate warriors and experts with a lance allowing them to deal damage over a decent range. Also around fifth level, they start learning Priest spells. Occasionally, upon dying, they may even cheat death and return to life immediately afterwards.
• Ranger - An expert at ranged weapons and in sniffing out the hidden, these are decent fighters who also boast of the ability to kill enemies with one shot once they become expert enough in their field. At fifth level, they may even learn a few Alchemy tricks.
• Samurai - A true swordsman, their speed and accuracy give them multiple attacks in combat. They never succumb to fear, magic or otherwise, and have the ability to seek out the weakness of an enemy for a critical strike that can kill them in an instant.
• Ninja - An assassin and a rogue, they can kill with weapons or their bare hands, sometimes sending a shuriken at an enemy and killing them in an instant. As they become more experienced, they also begin dabbling in Alchemy.
• Monk - A spiritual warrior, they fight best with little to no armor and with only their bare hands. Their martial arts skills allow them to critically hit opponents when the opportunity presents itself and their armor class is determined by their sheer will.
• Rogue - No party is complete without a thief who can pick locks and disarm traps. While they aren't the greatest of fighters, they rely on their sneakiness to backstab their enemies.
• Bard - A decent fighter, their true strength is in the magic of their music as it blesses the party with beneficial effects and their enemies with even worse ones.
  
• Priest - Long known as skilled healers, their talents are important for any party heading out into danger. They can also dispel the undead.
• Alchemist - They use their knowledge to mix up potions and invent mixes on the fly. As a result, they are unaffected by troublesome silencing spells and learn the skills of their craft much faster than others.
• Bishop - Like a Priest, they are able to heal their friends and dispel the undead. They are also able to uncurse items that become permanently stuck to a character, freeing them. They can also learn any spell from any of the other schools. The downside is that their learning rate is also a bit slower, so the selection of spells that they may have will take more time to develop. But with their uncurse ability, they're nigh indispensible.
• Psionic - Focused on the power of mind, they are the experts in illusion, fear, and in burning the brain of anyone that dares to challenge their power. They learn mental spells faster than anyone else.
• Mage - The classic wizard. Their long exposure to magic has given them some resistance to the same and their focused study ensures that as they become more powerful, their spellbooks will continue to add many new pages filled with deadly spells.
  

 

Races

There are eleven races to pick from in Wizardry 8, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

• Humans - Balanced without any serious flaws, a good, even keeled race that can belong and excel at any profession.
• Elf - They excel at the intellectual classes, such as Alchemists, Psionics, Mages, or Bishops. Keenly interested in study.
• Dwarf - Gruff, short in stature, but tough and reliable, dwarves make excellent Fighters while their piety can also find them a career as a Priest
• Gnomes - Found underground and often overlooked by the larger races, their quiet and studious nature make them ideal as Mages or Alchemists
• Hobbit - Friendly, nimble, and otherwise unassuming, they make surprisingly decent Ninja, Samurai, or Rogues.
• Faerie - Tiny and delicate, their magical nature, high intelligence, and fast reflexes make them tremendous Mages, Alchemists, or Psionics. However, it also isn't unusual to see a few as Ninja or Monks, either.
• Lizardman - Tough, reptilian, and not very smart, they often make tough Fighters
• Dracon - They resemble humanoid dragons and have a number of unique abilities such as being able to hurl a breath weapon at their enemies. They make excellent Fighters.
• Felpurr - Catlike humanoids that are both fast and nimble, their inherent abilities make them ideal for being Ninja or Samurai
• Rawulf - They are devout and hearty creatures resembling humanoid dogs. Their strong vitality, keen senses, and unwavering piety make them ideal Priests, Lords, or Valkyries.
• Mook - Magical creatures resembling hairy sasquatches with wise faces, their intelligence makes them formidable Psionics and fine Rangers
  

Statistics

Attribute scores ranged from 0 - 100 and determined a variety of effects and class eligibility requirements. Many of these attributes were particularly important across many classes across a variety of skills. Characters can improve their attributes thanks to the investment of points earned with every level. 
 
When an attribute hits 100, it bestows an additional bonus skill that can also be improved during the course the game, such as a skill that can improve a character's ability to empower their spells with additional strength making them even deadlier in battle.

• Strength - Determines how much damage a character can lay into a monster as well as how much weight they can carry around with them. It also affects certain weapon skills and plays into stamina
• Intelligence - Important for spellcasters and affects skills such as artifacts, mythology, music, and even a character's skill with picking locks and disarming traps. Ranged combat, close combat, and even engineering are also affected by intelligence as they are often derived from complex actions requiring a keen mind as well as a strong arm.
• Piety - This is important for a character's ability to concentrate on the task at hand. It also affects how many spells a character may be able to learn and their effectiveness with them.
• Vitality - Very important for hit points, the chance for resurrection, the ability to resist damage and disease, and general health.
• Dexterity - Being nimble and quick is an important attribute to have in combat as it can also determine how many attacks a character can make per round. The ability to dual wield without cutting off your own leg, picking locks, and disarming traps so as not to poison everyone in the party is also largely determined by this attribute.
• Speed - Initiative, the number of swings that a character can hurl at an enemy, and some combat skills. Being particularly quick can also affect armor class (defense).
• Senses - Awareness of everything around them; important for detecting monsters
  

 
Upon finishing the process, the player had several options to toy with.

• Portrait - Depending on the sex and race of your character, several animated portraits were available for the player to pick from. These would be visible from within the onscreen interface when they had something to say, or when something nasty would happen to them...such as death.
• Name - Characters actually had two names: their full, impressive sounding one, and the nickname which acts as the shorthand display for who they are in the interface.

As with many RPGs, character development was driven by experience points which translated into levels. When a character gains a level:

• attribute points may increase (they can decrease as well
  
• additional bonus points are earned for skill development
• Spellcasters may be able to learn a new spell
• Depending on their statistics, a character may even change their class
• Hit points and stamina may improve
  

 

Skills

Wizardry 7's skill system allowed the player to customize each character's strengths depending on how they wanted them to develop. Skill points earned allowed the player to distribute them as they saw fit. There were also unique skills that belonged to specific classes and would have considerable bonuses to their starting condition because of that, but for the most part, it was up to the player to decide what they should specialize in. If the player wanted to invest points in another skill other than Dual Weapons for their Samurai, they were free to do so.
 
Skills reached a maximum of 100 points and were divided into several groupings:
 
Weapons: 
Weapon handling as defined by each skill also defined how well a character was able to use that skill to destroy their enemies while avoiding killing themselves in the process.

• Sword - determines a character's ability with, well, a sword
• Axe - chopping skill useful in combat
• Pole and Staff - Determines a character's ability to hit and penetrate with a pole or a staff such as a halberd or a staff
  
• Mace & Flail - Determines the character's ability to hit anything with a mace and flail type weapon
• Wand & Dagger - Determines the character's ability to bash baddies with a staff or a dagger
  
• Shield - Improves a character's shield handling ability
• Bow - Determines the character's ability to use a bow in combat
• Throwing - Affects a character's ability to throw objects.
  
• Sling - Affects the character's ability in using a sling to annoy bad monsters
• Hands & Feet - Affects a character's ability to punch and kick their opponents into submission without looking like an idiot.

 
Physical Skills: 
These generally affect a character's ability to do things that require the talents of body or voice. For example, a character skilled in Scout will be able to detect a strange piece of straw in a haystack while another without the skill will walk on by without noticing the secret door that it unlocks.

• Skulduggery - The ability to successfully detect and disarm traps as well as pick through locks without getting a face full of death sprayed into it
• Ninjutsu - A character's ability to conceal themselves in combat making them harder to hit
• Music - The ability to play enchanted instruments and coax them into unleashing their powers upon unsuspecting enemies
• Legerdemain - Determines how easy a character can give themselves a five fingered discount either in the store or from a random victim (i.e. NPC). Beware, a poor thief caught in the act will usually get a dose of street justice along with their friends.
• Scout - Largely used to detect hidden items and secret doors.
• Swimming - Affects a character's ability to not drown while crossing bodies of water. Those with fewer than 10 skill points in this skill may sink like a rock.
• Climbing - The knack of being able to take falls or scale walls
• Oratory - The vocal discipline required to properly recite a spell during combat without interruption, or accident.
  

 
Academic Skills: 
These are the intellectual skills that help characters understand not only the world around them, but their own craft as well. These are particularly important for spellcasters in expanding their repertoire of magical abilities.

• Kirijutsu - The knowledge of seeing a vital weakness in an enemy and then exploiting it, killing them in an instant.
• Artifacts - Determines a character's ability to identify on the fly what something is as opposed to relying on a spell for the answer
• Mythology - The higher this score, the better able a character can be in identifying a particular monster and gauging what their weaknesses and strengths are
• Thaumaturgy - Affects the learning and casting of Mage spells and those from the individual realms, such as Fire or Water, to a lesser extent
• Theology - Affects how easily Priest spells are learned and cast as well as contributing spell points to every other discipline
• Alchemy - Determines the ease of learning new Alchemy spells, the use of the skill, and the success of casting them as well as contribute spell points to every realm
  
• Mapping - The ability to transcribe an accurate record of the party's adventures. The higher this skill, the more detail is available on the automap.
  
• Diplomacy - The art of negotiation and creation of mutual pacts and trust between the party and another group. Important for breaking the ice between the party and a batch of NPCs that may or may not want to be friends.
  

 
Personal Skills
These skills can be discovered on Lost Guardia and attained by the characters.

• Power Strike - Using any close combat weapon, this determines the ability to deliver a powerful blow that negates any chance of blocking or reducing its damage
• Iron Will - A strengthened will allowing the character to absorb and deflect magical damage allowing them to emerge relatively unscathed. Has no affect on physical attacks, though.
• Eagle Eye - The ability to target a creature with a spell or weapon and strike with incredible accuracy
  
• Reflextion - Increases a character's armor class by moving so quickly, enemies see two of them at the same time.
• Snakespeed - Allows a character to move as fast as lightning, improving their initiative in combat
• Mind Control - Adepts are able to master their own minds, fortifying them against sleep and Psionic spells that may intrude on their mental space
  

Combat

Combat in Wizardry 7 was a turn based affair with random encounters providing the cannon fodder that would feed the party's thirst for experience points.  When enemies encountered the party, or when negotiations broke down into armed conflict, this mode would start up. Often, only a list of enemies along with a picture showing what they were onscreen would appear with little information depending on how advanced any character's mythology skill may be.
 
In each round of combat, everyone makes their selection of actions as the game calculates who will have initiative and then executing their orders. When several groups of monsters are encountered, the player is able to pick out who the targets are from the generated list shown onscreen. Enemies may also run away if they are hurt too badly. The "Fight" option, however, is only available to those groups of enemies that are within melee range. For other monsters that may be behind them, ranged attacks are required to hit.