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May-8-2006 07:48

Currently I have:
Research
Sweet Talking
Rule Bending
Flirting
Footprint Analysis
Hair Analysis
Thread Analysis

I was thinking of buying the following skills (in that order):
1) Pick Pocketing
2) Intermediate Sweet Talking
3) Advanced Rule Bending
4) Advanced Sweet Talking
5) Advanced Thread Analysis
6) Hand Writing Analysis
7) Hypnotism
8) The rest of the skills
Do you think I'm making a mistake somewhere, and if so - where?

May-25-2006 05:19

Joyln I would say to save and get research. Soon the skill points will come farther apart and you will do better eliminating one suspect totally. Greyling has a very good point that after research concentrating on the Charm side and mixing in the additional Smart skills is the way to go after that.

May-25-2006 07:07

Well, you have Rule Bending, Flirting, Hair Analysis and Thread Analysis (the last two are "must have" skills), so I suggest you take Sweet Talking and then Research. The reason for buying the skills in that order is simple: you need a way to make people answer your questions (and you have Charm gear, so Charm skills are more likely to work). Eliminating one suspect is nice, but if all suspects clam up before you get some sort of evidence against the remainig suspects you'll have to either guess (very bad idea) or quit the case.

After you have both skills consider learnign Lock Picking - with a bit of Luck it could save you a question or 2...

One last thing - forget about Smart skills for the moment. You already have the two you need, so wait until you get your PE contact before buying any new Smart skill. They can be helpful, but you'll probably feel really stupid if you get Advanced Hair Analysis and then, after the very next Favor, the Barber becomes your contact... I know I would've felt really stupid if the Shoemaker had become my contact, especially since I *started* the game with Footprint Analysis...

May-25-2006 08:15

Shadow, your point about PE contacts and skills really only applies to unsubcribed detectives.

When you are subscribed and travel to different cities you will aquire different PE contacts in each city. They happen by chance, so not getting Advanced Thread because you have the Tailor contact in New York will actually hurt you when you go to London and get the Barber as your PE contact.

Your advice for Jolyn (currently unsubbed) is a good point to consider for other unsubbed detectives.

May-25-2006 10:15

Ah, yes, I forgot to mention that I'm talking about unsubscribed detectives.

Anyway, my turn to ask for advice:
My current list of skills:
Research
Sweet Talking
Lock Picking
Rule Bending
Thread Analysis
Footprint Analysis
Hair Analysis
Flirting

I have 10 unspent points. Should I learn Intermediate Sweet Talking next, or should I take Advanced Rule Bending as my next skill? I really can't decide which skill will help me more...

May-25-2006 10:43

Whoever is giving you most trouble - if you find the townies least talkative, then go for Advanced Rule Bending, and if the suspects are the most uncooperative, then choose Intermediate Sweet Talking :)

If they're equally (un)cooperative, then I'd probably go for Intermediate Sweet Talking, because extra questioning options with the suspects can get useful for witness evidence if you haven't been able to find the murderer via the physical evidence. On the other hand it's also useful to be able to check physical evidence for as many fake alibis as possible so Advanced Rule Bending would help there - *lol* - so back to whoever is least cooperative and which strategy (physical or witness evidence) you like best :)

May-25-2006 11:03

I Have:
Stress Detection
Intermediate Interrogation
Rule Bending
Flirting
Thread Analysis
What next i have 10

May-25-2006 11:04

Thanks, Greyling. In that case I'll take Intermediate Sweet Talking - I'm tired of suspects refusing to answer even a single question, with Sweet Talking not helping. I have never encountered a townie that didn't answer at least one question, so Advanced Rule Bending will have to wait a bit longer.

May-25-2006 11:10

Hope you'll find them more willing to talk now, shadowblack :)

Sara Lou, I think I'd opt for Hair Analysis as you won't be able to find hairs at the crime scene without that even though they can still easily happen to be there :)

May-25-2006 11:14

Sara Lou, Hair Analysisis is a skill you must have, or else you won't be able to find hairs, and that means you won't be able to find all of the evidence. If you really don't have it yet, buy it now. After that - maybe Research would be best since you already have skills for unclamming suspects and witnesses.

May-25-2006 12:28

Okay.... Thanks Greyling and shadowblack!! You guys are awesome!! Hair analysis it is then!!