as an aside:
Being able to "use" a skill has actually improved greatly since then IMO however it is still pretty much impossible to do offensive spells without QWAN on anything but very high level skills however healing and non-offensive spells work well.I can say 100% that the 18 month wait and the crap I had to go through (bugging Silas every week on msn for hours because he never wanted to teach, going through with his tasks (e.g. collect 250 mana potions, had to sit every day at greenbriar buying 5 at a time because then the npc was sold out and spent 125 silver on them) was not as bad as the powergaming of ONE skill for 30-50 points.
Bullshit, I got 40% in one day when it was raining outside. I even had a friend who got 40% with me that day, who Arien caught and slapped his bollocks untill he couldn't cast anymore.
A conundrum.... don't PG yet the leveling almost requires it. :/As I recall you were impressed that Dale managed to get his commo to 50 within a day and still had 2 hours left over when he was caught.