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by David Dunham

Strategies for Ferazel

The Ferazel's Wand demo was just released, and the CD of the full game should be reaching gamers' hot little hands soon. So, in this month's How To, we discuss a littel strategy. Throughout the game, Ferazel wil acquire many weapons to use in his fight against teh Dread Queen Xichra, and her evil Manditraki Hordes. Theis article will give you a good idea when to use which weapon or spell. Ferazel has only the fireball spell and his trusty dagger when you start the game, but even these have their appropriate place.

The fireball spell fires flaming projectiles that are subject to the laws of gravity. One he fires one off, it arcs and falls. Its range is limited only by the original trajectory and the laws of gravity. Fireballs can be aimed upwards, by hitting the up key when firing, or downwards by using the down key. The fireball is an excellent weapon for enemies lurking downhill. Ferazel can lob shots from safely above his target.

It's also a good weapon against sleeping bats. Ferazel can aim a shot upwards and hit one before it even launches its attack.

The dagger is used mostly as a last ditch defense when out of magic, but it is also very effective against goblins in certain situations, and for delivering the coup de grace to a weakened spider.

The boomerang spell is an improvement over the the fireball spell in that if you miss, the magical energy will return to you, giving you a chance to recycle the magical energy expended. It's major drawback is that it has a limited range. Once it gets to its limit, it returns to its source. The same magic that allows it to return to its source makes the boomerang spell unaffected by gravity. The only way to get a boomerang spell to go downwards is to aim it downwards.

The boomerang spell is very effective against swarms of stinging insects. They're hard to hit, so the energy you use when you miss isn't wasted. When you're being swarmed, keep moving; a moving target is your best defense against these persistant foes.

The Boomerang spell is not effective against enemies out of its limited range, or on a level far below Ferazel.

The statue spell will freeze an enemy in its tracks. It's an excellent choice if you just want to get past an enemy. You can dodge and dash to the next enemy.

The V Blade fires a nasty edged projectile above and below Ferazel. Its use is obviously limited to enemies either directly above or below Ferazel. But it is the most effective weapon when facing opponents on two different levels. Ferazel can jump over an enemy in front of him and blast him with a V Blade, while at the same time take care of any enemies lurking above.

The above gives a good outline of which spell or weapon to use where, but you should choose your attack strategy n according to both the enemy and the situation. A knife throwing goblin on even ground is best defeated by standing your ground and blasting away with the Fireball spell, while a shield carrying goblin is best defeated by attacking, then quickly retreating before he can retaliate. But if either type of goblin is on a rise above Ferazel, they can be defeated easily with the dagger.

Another strategy to consider is when to save. The save points in Ferazel's Wand can only be used once, so you'd better use them wisely. Saving after a difficult obstacle is ideal, but if you don't have a save point conveniently located beforehand, you'll have to repeat that obstacle, and whatever came before it, if poor Ferazel succumbs to the danger at hand. Your best bet is to scout the situation. Don't commit yourself to any big hurdles or you may get to a point of no return, where you don't want to risk going back to that save point. At the same time, don't jump onto a save point as soon as you see it. The next obstacle may be one you can quickly overcome, and never repeat if you save after it's completed.

You'll find various powerups as you travel. Each powerup will enhance Ferazel's ability in some way. Chances are there's an obstacle nearby Ferazel must pass and the powerup is just what he needs to do so. If you find a powerup, again, scout the situation. If you find the High Jump powerup, look around for an obstacle you have to jump over before you actually use the power up. Nothing's worse than using up a power up and then encountering an obstacle that the powerup would have been perfect for surpassing. (Although, in some cases, powerups will regenerate).

These are just a few tips to help you and Ferazel defeat the Dread Queen Xichra. What works in some situations may not work at all in others. Techniques and strategy are a matter of taste and style. If you find a method that works, stick with it. If not, I hope these tips will help you free the Seven Lands of Teraknorn. Good luck!

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