Grimrock

I haven't found a use for the bracelet with +20% health regen and +20% food used, over the 20% increase attack 20% slower cooldown on warrior (is it even worth the tradeoff?) and the 15% faster cooldown on the rogue. Not sure it's worth it on the mages, either.

There's a 'venom edge' dagger that's only 7/10 but has some venom effect with limited charges, and a 'fire blade' sword that's 14/10 with limited charges, and I'm not sure if they're worth using at all, maybe there are special fights for them? I just lug them around, but the 19/15 cutlass and assassin's blade seem better.

Who to use my two +5 skill books on... leaning away from the mages towards either more points for warrior (16 armor, rest in swords) or rogue (4 in assassinate, considering 8, rest in dagger) to try to get one of them closer to the level 50 attack (rogue sounds tempting with 'kills most enemies in one hit').

The circlet of war hat +1 prot +3 strength doesn't seem useful for any char, with the warrior using +12 prot and the rogue using +2 dex. (There was another armor piece with similar tradeoffs I can't find now). Not easy to pick between some of the stat tradeoffs, like prot versus evade versus str versus dex.

Who to give the +25 hit point book? Been lugging it around. To the warrior? Helps chances one char doesn't get killed. To the rogue? Helps the char killed first.

Given I have a great party for backstabbing - air and ice mage - though I don't like the idea of all that movement - worth the 4 more points for it, or just go for 50 in dagger faster?

On the 9th floor treasury (and it irks me how the game gives you no idea on level 6 of the benefit of saving the key) I got the +5 book, and have to pick the second door - do I want to upgrade warrior armor from +6 to +12 prot, or to get a second bracer with +50 resist poison? (no use for a second +2 dex hat, I think)

Level 8 I've barely touched, 4 small areas, wondering if I missed a lot and should go back, I know I didn't get in the big room with ice things shooting and a spider. (More interested in how much it's worth it to try to go back, not really wanting a spoiler how to do it, though I'm pretty stuck)

Craig234 wrote:I haven't found a use for the bracelet with +20% health regen and +20% food used, over the 20% increase attack 20% slower cooldown on warrior (is it even worth the tradeoff?) and the 15% faster cooldown on the rogue. Not sure it's worth it on the mages, either.

Personally I don't find Brace of Fortitude that useful and so far (three full playthroughs, forth party on depth 10, fifth party on depth 6) none of my characters has been using it. I usually give Bracelet of Tirin (15% faster cooldown) to character with slower weapon and Hardstone Bracelet (20% attack increase, 20% slower cooldown) to character with faster weapon.

Craig234 wrote:There's a 'venom edge' dagger that's only 7/10 but has some venom effect with limited charges, and a 'fire blade' sword that's 14/10 with limited charges, and I'm not sure if they're worth using at all, maybe there are special fights for them? I just lug them around, but the 19/15 cutlass and assassin's blade seem better.

Those two weapons are mostly useful for mage who encounter monster resistant to certain element. For example a mage with Fire Magic skill can use Venom dagger against Uggardian, mage with Ice Magic can use Fire Blade or Venom Dagger against Ice Lizards and so on.

Also one of the puzzle require using Fire Ball spell, and a party without mage skilled in Fire Magic can solve this puzzle only with help of Fire Blade.

Craig234 wrote:Who to use my two +5 skill books on... leaning away from the mages towards either more points for warrior (16 armor, rest in swords) or rogue (4 in assassinate, considering 8, rest in dagger) to try to get one of them closer to the level 50 attack (rogue sounds tempting with 'kills most enemies in one hit').

It's entirely up to you. It depends on many factors and any solution is probably good one. The one advice is - use those book as fast as possible - Vitality and Willpower bonuses that may be obtained thanks to skill development increase your Health and Mana on every level-up, but not retrospectively. So gaining +1 to Willpower on level 5 is a way more profitable then gaining +1 Willpower on level 10.

Craig234 wrote:The circlet of war hat +1 prot +3 strength doesn't seem useful for any char, with the warrior using +12 prot and the rogue using +2 dex. (There was another armor piece with similar tradeoffs I can't find now). Not easy to pick between some of the stat tradeoffs, like prot versus evade versus str versus dex.

This crown is the ultimate headpiece for every character using ranged weapon (either missile weapons or throwing weapons). In your party setup (no ranged character) I would probably give it to one of the mage for some extra carry weight.

Craig234 wrote:Who to give the +25 hit point book? Been lugging it around. To the warrior? Helps chances one char doesn't get killed. To the rogue? Helps the char killed first.

I always give it to front row character with less Health. In your case it is the rogue probably.

Craig234 wrote:Given I have a great party for backstabbing - air and ice mage - though I don't like the idea of all that movement - worth the 4 more points for it, or just go for 50 in dagger faster?

If you don't like backstabbing go for 50 in dagger. Also as your rogue is "frontliner" some points in Dodge wouldn't hurt. If you're not into backstabbing and have a front row rogue, Dodge is far more useful then Assassination.

Craig234 wrote:On the 9th floor treasury (and it irks me how the game gives you no idea on level 6 of the benefit of saving the key) I got the +5 book, and have to pick the second door - do I want to upgrade warrior armor from +6 to +12 prot, or to get a second bracer with +50 resist poison? (no use for a second +2 dex hat, I think)

There will be third treasury before the end, but it doesn't contain any superb items really. I wouldn't chose Serpent Bracer if I were you though.

Craig234 wrote:Level 8 I've barely touched, 4 small areas, wondering if I missed a lot and should go back, I know I didn't get in the big room with ice things shooting and a spider. (More interested in how much it's worth it to try to go back, not really wanting a spoiler how to do it, though I'm pretty stuck)

This level contain best sword there is available. If you don't go back there, you will be forced to finish the game with Cutlass, which is probably doable, but better sword will definitely come handy.

Also these are lightnings, not ice things

Craig234 wrote:My rogue only has the lurker legs, I suspect I missed some pieces...

Yes, you did. You will probably find Lurker headpiece at one point, because it's difficult to be missed, but you already missed boots and a vest. Especially getting the boots will require lots of backtracking.

Craig234 wrote:Party is level 11 (melee) and 12 (mages) now, so think they're pretty solid for level 10, even if the air mage does run out of mana fast.

Most characters finish the game on level 13, some manage to get to 14, so I think 11 and 12 on depth 10 is all right. Don't expect levelling above 13/14. Unless you do some senseless grinding.

Thanks for the tips.

The one about the fire spell and fire sword might be a bit more than I'd hoped for going beyond my questions - I'd been working on the puzzle I'm pretty sure that refers to. I'd tried several things very close to that, such as firing elemental arrows including fire arrows at the trap and casting ice spells at it - suggestion, please warn before offering more spoilers than have been requested.

Now I'm even more irked there's a third treasury, and will save a key for that, and will have to restore a save before level 10 to get the key back. That's one bad design decision.