STR :affect your unarmed damage, Does not affect your weapon damage, Might affect %-to-hit rate?
INT :Not sure, maybe a mage can learn higher level spells at lower level?, Might affect spell with a chance effect to succeed? Does not affect spell damage.
FTH :Affect resistance to magic damage?, affect maximum spell-count increment?
VIT :Affect your character initial Max HP (and MHP growth?),
- There is a limit per profession and level though, and the MHP might be randomized (you can have a Smith with 11 VIT have a higher MHP as a Smith with 12 VIT at the same level)
SPD :Might affect the character speed of action (with some variance calculation)?, Affect chance of lockpicking?
LUK :Affect chance to avoid traps from lockpicking, May affect chance to avoid special attacks (probably getting captured or spell effect?)
Since STR does not affect the output damage when equipping weapon (yet?), the DPS solely depends on the weapon damage itself.
In that regards, so far I see Saint Rod have the highest main-hand damage.
So, what is the best team members out there?
- It depends on the game current resources, as well as future balance & adjustment.
i. For example, on the demo, you started out Not with two Mercenaries, but with two persistent Bodyguards. Furthermore, after you captured Alex of Wild Bull's girl member (the priest), you can duel him again and capture an effing Warlock. Why effing? Because once you leveled the Warlock up, she is the only one so far with three Mage spells above level 5!
Since you have a limit of 3 AI NPC members, and you can't remove Milady the Whip Girl nor Rufus the Vanguard, you can only replace the Warlock/Priest with the summon monsters, which is not the best move. With that, Summoner and Hunter become close to useless (for now).
ii. The MC is best as a Frontguard class (since he have passive Counter like Alex, regardless of his profession).
iii. A Magic-class are suitable for mass mobs clearing, but sub-par against single powerful boss (except for Ice spells since you have %Freeze just about anyone).
iv. Since each spell class-per-tier have a maximum of 9 cast-times, a dual class might be more preferable for mobs battle (since you can have Alchemist tier-3 + Mage tier-3 spells, both at 9, so you have 18 cast times).
v. Alchemist right-most tier 4 spell (Missle Shield) provide 100% chance to nullify enemies capturing advancement, so at least have one character of any profession with alchemist skill tree in the group.
vi. Since you have limited slots, too many alchemist would be bad.
vii. Spellblade is a wonderful class, they can melee and cast Mage spells (when level above 6?), and have an insta-kill passive on normal attacks (level above 12?) combo'ed with AOE normal attacks (level above 17?)
viii. Some enemies (like Elder Succubus, Troglodyte, Orc King, Tentacle Devil) are more resilient against magic, so rather than spamming spells which exhaust your spell count, finish them off with Spellblades melee instead.
ix. Freezing spells works to stops enemies with a chance to freeze. Cast AOE freezing spells if needed against mass mobs.
Back to the question, what will be the best members lineup?
For mobs clearing: 1 Lord/Valkyrie, 2 Spellblades, 2 Sorceresses, +1 Max the thief
For boss fight: Not sure, haven't tried Monk and Assassin, +1 Max the thief.
Extra note:
Some equipment will be erased from existence once destroyed, some will appear on the backpack as broken equipment.
Removing/Destroying curse from an equipment or character will remove the equipment as a whole (poof out of existence), only by using Dispel Curse (scroll) will remove the equipment instead of destroying it.
Although it says a Spellblade can use a Mage spells, but for as long as he/she have not acquired the Mage skill tree, you can't teach her/him a Mage spells from a Mage book.
Above are based on my biased judgement, no need to agree whole heartedly, nor do I expect anyone to be.
