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When you begin a game you’re asked to create a character. You have 90 points to spend among 6 attributes. It’s recommended that you figure out how to distribute your points before starting the game. Your gender, race and class will also give bonuses to various attributes.

Attributes

Strength – Determines how much damage is done when you hit the enemy. Strength also determines the heaviest armour that you can wear. To finish the game you’ll need at least Reflect Armour which requires at least 29 Strength.

Agility – Determines the chance to hit the enemy. It also determines what weapons you can wield. To complete the game you’ll need to wield the Quicksword which requires at least 49 Agility to use.

Stamina – Determines how much damage you take when you’re hit by an enemy. The armour your wearing determines the chance you’ll be hit.

Charisma – This adds with Intelligence to determine your discount at shops. You can’t sell items in Ultima 2. When the sum of both attributes reaches about 40 you’ll start receiving a discount. Once the sum reaches above 160 prices will begin to skyrocket.

Wisdom – Determines the chance of success for casting spells. Spells can only be cast inside towers or dungeons and only if you are a Wizard or Cleric with a Staff or Wand.

Intelligence – Add with Charisma to determine the discount you get in shops. If you’re a Wizard it determines the damage of the Magic Missile spell.

Bonuses

Gender – Females have a +10 Charisma bonus while males have a +5 Strength bonus.

Race – Humans receive +5 Intelligence, Elves +5 Agility, Dwarves +5 Strength and Hobbits +10 Wisdom. The Hobbits bonus is arguably less useful than the other races because spells can only be cast in dungeons and towers although it is a bigger bonus.

Class – There are four classes to choose from. Only Wizards and Clerics can cast spells. Wizards gain +10 Intelligence, Clerics +10 Wisdom, Fighters +15 Strength and Thieves +10 Agility.

Character Creation

Gold Focus

Gold is extremely important in Ultima 2. For this reason you may want to make sure you have a combined score of Intelligence and Charisma of at least 40 to take advantage of shop discounts. You’ll receive a 38% discount once Charisma and Intelligence is 40 or more. At a combined score of 86 you’ll get a 62% discount.

Females get a +10 bonus to Charisma and Wizards and Humans get +10 and +5 bonuses to Intelligence respectively. To take advantage of this you may want to select a Female Human Wizard. Wizards also have Light, Ladder Up and Ladder Down spells which are very useful in dungeons and towers.

Dungeon Delving

It’s not necessary to explore dungeons or towers in Ultima 2 although they can be a good source of Tri-lithium for powering your spaceship later in the game.

Clerics are the best at dungeon delving. Not only do they have the Light, Ladder Down and Ladder Up spells that Wizards have but Passwall, for removing dungeon walls, and Surface, for immediately returning to the surface from anywhere in a dungeon or tower.

Hobbits make good Clerics because of their +10 Wisdom bonus although Wisdom is considered one of the lesser attributes. Even if you’re going for a Cleric class it’s probably worthwhile buffing some of your other stats.

Combat Ready

The combat stats are Agility, Strength and Stamina. These determine the weapon you can wield, the armour you can wear, how often you hit, the damage you do and the damage you take when you get hit.

The Fighter class gives a big +15 buff to Strength. Being Male (+5) and a Dwarf (+5) also give bonuses to strength. Elves and Thieves increase Agility. There are no bonuses to Stamina. For fighter classes a good choice is a Male, Dwarf or Elf, Fighter.

Weapons (Damage) & Minimum Agility

Hands (+0 Damage) – Minimum Agility 1
Dagger (+2 Damage) – Minimum Agility 9
Mace (+4 Damage) – Minimum Agility 11
Axe (+6 Damage) – Minimum Agility 19
Bow (+8 Damage) – Minimum Agility 21
Sword (+10 Damage) – Minimum Agility 29
Great Sword (+12 Damage) – Minimum Agility 31
Light Sword (+14 Damage) – Minimum Agility 39
Phaser (+16 Damage) – Minimum Agility 41
Quicksword (+18 Damage) – Minimum Agility 49

Armour (Evasion Rate) & Minimum Strength

Skin (50%) – Minimum Strength 1
Cloth Armour (56%) – Minimum Strength 9
Leather Armour (63%) – Minimum Strength 11
Chain Armour (69%) – Minimum Strength 19
Plate Armour (75%) – Minimum Strength 21
Reflect Armour (81%) – Minimum Strength 29
Power Armour (88%) – Minimum Strength 31

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