First thing I'll say -- this isn't meant to be an anti-magery or anti-recall essay.  Your play style or treacherous connection may require magery -- many things are harder without magery.  But, if you can devote one character slot to a magery-free bard, if you've wondered how she would survive, this essay's for you.  And if you don't like the results, she can always pick up magery later.

Let's start with the really hard question:

Why Even Try?
Can't deny it, magery packs lots into 100 skill points -- recall, healing, many ways to kill stuff, turning into a chicken, to name a few.  Assuming you're not goofy in the head -- why would you forego all that?

Thrills and Adventure
If Middle Earth had recall the Lord of the Rings would have been over in a sentence: Bought a rune to the Cracks of Doom, cast recall and dropped the ring.

Life without magery means you walk -- you encounter strangers/murderers/creatures/not even rabbits on the way, you walk through the cavern's mouth, you fight all the way to the bottom of the dungeon, you screw up and get pasted.  The harder life will force you to learn many creative uses for provoke and peace making -- maybe you'll even find a use for enticement.  Think of it as playing the game in difficult mode.

Character Integrity
A question for the man on the street: "What do you do?" "I'm a cook! and, uhhm, an expert mage."  "Okay, and you?" "I'm a bard! and, uhhm, an expert mage."

If you've got even a tiny role-player hiding inside, doesn't that feel wrong?  Skip magery and you have 100 skill points to plop into something that makes a bit more sense: "I'm an animal tamer! and an expert vet!">

Magery Costs
If you don't practice magery, you don't even need money -- you're a sorry excuse for a bard if you can't keep yourself in armor.  If you don't need money, you can dispense with that money making skill/mule/rich uncle.

Magery also costs you strength.  As a bard you naturally have 100 dexterity -- that leaves 125 points to split between intelligence and strength. You're already tipped towards intelligence -- all the bard skills have secondary intelligence gains.  Add in a few big intelligence skills, like magery, and you'll be one smart cookie, but one wimpy bard.  Not really, you'll probably spend extra time raising that strength.

No time spent making money, no time raising strength, no time buying reagents -- this character has no overhead.  She's walking, but she's always ready to go.

You're Goofy in the Head
No shame in that.  Part of the fun in going magery-free is setting yourself apart from the masses.  Join up with a stranger, 2 hours later as you're walking through Shame he'll notice something and ask: "No magery?
Really?".  If that wouldn't make you smile, stop reading this essay.

Surviving Without Recall
Three reasons we love recall:  Fast travel, easy escapes, I have to log off right now.  How do we survive without this?

First off, the world is a tiny place.  Learn to use the moongates and you can get from town to desired in town in under five minutes.  Town to any dungeon on the mainland in under 15 minutes.  Even if you take a leisurely walk cross country, stopping to fight the orcs, sheer the sheep and annoy the rabbits, Trinsic to Yew takes maybe 2 hours.  If you have to visit the islands, ask a mage or buy a boat.

Second, learn not to rely on easy escapes.  If its suicidal to rush into that dungeon room alone, don't rush in.  If that area of the world is frequented by murderers, don't go there.  Or do -- You'll be amazed at what a strong bard can get out of, how much fun that is, when you've been stupid and have no alternative.  Or you'll die, buy some more armor and try again.

And finally, buy a darn bedroll and carry some firewood already.  You've got a decent camping skill just by being so strong and fast -- use it when you have to log off right away.  Here's how:

• double-click your dagger and whack a tree or bush -- get firewood (keep some in pack)
• double-click the firewood until you get a fire
• wait until your camp is secure
• drop your bedroll on the ground
• double-click the bedroll to unroll it
• double-click the bedroll again and confirm the log off
• "Hey! I'm still standing there!"
• nope, wait a bit or try to move
• the bedroll is in your pack when you log in again

I only use bedrolls when I have to -- In a year I've built-up maybe 10 real skill points in camping.  Sometimes I just duck behind atree/house/stalagmite and log out -- I've never logged on dead.

Surviving Without Healing
Carry a supply of greater healing potions -- you probably already do this. Learn a little healing -- sheer every sheep that crosses your path and you'll have more bandages than you know what to do with.  Freely use bandages between fights, or while retreating from a bad fight -- leave potions for: "I'm gonna DIE!".  If you're one buff bard, you can take a few whacks.

Carry some greater cure potions to deal with poison.

Surviving Without Many Ways To Kill Stuff
You can get by with bard skills alone, but many bards use a non-bard skill to kill whatever survives or flees the provoke.  Pick up a weapon, you probably have one anyway.  It will make you buff.  Learn when its safe to whack provoked creatures without getting whacked back.  Try whacking on whoever is winning -- even if you have to switch sides ever so often. Having the gargoyle die, and then killing the water elemental in that brief
moment of its "I Won!" euphoria is perfection.  Watch out if both sides run -- if the critter can't be fought even in a near-death state, find a healthy creature to finish the job.  If you really don't want to fight big things hand-to-hand take up archery.

Surviving Without Resist Magic
Its very hard to build resist if you can't zap yourself with your own spells.  Do you really want to attack a gargoyle with 37.2 points resist?

You bet!  But you have to do what mages do -- drain it a bit.  Throw a rabbit at it.  Gargoyles are dumb -- they don't understand that flame strike is overkill for bunnies.  Send that goat, send those chickens, "Is that a bull over there? Great!"  After a bit you have a healthy gargoyle with very little mana - now its your turn.  A skilled warrior won't have too much problem with a gargoyle casting the occasional fireball.

But watch out for those orc mages.  I don't know if they're bugged or what -- they'll surprise you with an ebolt when you thought they were reduced to curses.

Surviving Without All Them Other Tricks
Need to get out of a tight-spot without teleport -- it can be tough.  Try provoking the blocking creature against something in the other direction -- even if It only steps one step away that can be enough.  Practice peace making to make this go easier, or for when its just you and It.  Carry full refresh potions.

Need to turn invisible?  Need to open that chest?  Learn to hide or lockpick and remove trap if it's that important.  Or find a rogue to play with.

Want to turn into a chicken?  I can't help you.

- Eric / Eruca Sativa