Sacred 2:Map Revealed

Those who set aside time for exploring the world of Ancaria do so for many reasons. Everyone does a little while looking for quests or following the main storyline but there are also those who are seeking to increase their chance of finding valuables, gain the two achievements for exploration, hunt down 20 Temples, search for 100 Dungeons, try to find the way to the next boss and so the list grows. For me, after years of playing the game, I decided I wanted at least one character with that elusive "Map revealed 100%" or more. I believe we all need a new challenge from time to time. I have a lot of experience exploring maps, my wife says too much, in other games such as Guildwars.

This guide aims to give you a head start by explaining how gear and techniques can help the intrepid explorer.

Included within the figure shown as "Map revealed" is Land, Water, Dungeons and Caves. It is impossible to explore all of the Sea, however it is possible to explore more of the map than was perhaps expected by the game developers and therefore possible to raise the "Map revealed" figure above 100%. It is also possible to explore parts of the map which the developers believed were inaccesible raising the figure still higher. The maximum which can be achieved without bonuses offered by gear and without visiting those supposedly inaccessible areas is not far above 80%, with gear and careful exploration it is possible to reach 120% or more. I will not be telling you how to find the hidden areas, if you want that information it is available elsewhere on the internet. As far as I know exploring the two new areas of the Ice and Blood Expansion and the starting area of the Single Player Dragon Mage, which cannot be reached in Multiplayer, will add to your "Map Revealed" total.

One of the benefits of Exploration is that for every 0.4% of the map revealed the possibility of finding better items increases by 0.1% therefore with 100% explored that is +40% chance of finding better quality equipment. Add to that the benefits gained from the Survival Bonus, gear and the Perception skill and it could be raining greens from heaven. How the Perception skill and the Survival Bonus work is explained elsewhere.

When to start

For some the time is from the first day of your new character. I waited until the Gold level of difficulty because I wanted some items to socket or wear with +visibility range which I could only get by completing at least part of Silver.

Which Character?

There are at least three Characters which have Sets that extend visibilty range, either as a Set bonus or by having one Set item giving the +Visibility range attribute. The information below is mostly from Niobium so expect the bonus to be less for lower difficulties.

Seraphim: Illuminated Skies (Niobium). Shoulders +49.7%

Seraphim: Twilight of the Gods (Niobium). Arms +31.1%.

Temple Gardian: Cybernetic Tormentor (Niobium). Helm +48%.

Temple Guardian: XTM-2174 (Niobium). Helm +46.2%, Set bonus +43.7%. Total +89.9%

Shadow Warrior: Infernal Torment (Niobium). Helm +46.2%, Set bonus +43.7%. Total +89.9%.

Shadow Warrior: Infernal Torment (Silver, Level 50) Helm + 21%, Silver Set bonus unknown.

So, going by the Set piece bonuses the best appears to be either of the Temple Guardian wearing XTM-2174 or the Shadow Warrior wearing Infernal Torment, statistics for Dragon Mage Sets from the Ice and Blood Expansion are not available. All characters have access to non Set gear which offer +Visibilty range.

Build

There is no skill which offers +Visibility range therefore your build makes no difference. Expect to be spending time alone so you might want to avoid builds with a very low defense (it can be boring for the Explorer but will be impossibly boring for observers). If you are exploring to increase your chance to find valuables you might want to include Perception too.

Gear

To pass around 80% you will need at least something offering +Visibilty range, there are three ways of achieving this other than by wearing a Set or Set Item. Firstly, as I said, there is non Set gear for every character which gives +Visibilty range. There are also Rings and Amulets which can be worn or socketed. The maximum +Visibilty range jewellery in Silver is around 10%, in Niobium that figure increases to over 20%. Bonuses stack so a Niobium Shadow Warrior wearing the Infernal Torment Set and with only six items of jewellery will have at least around +210% Visibility Range. I am told that it is possible to reach more than 400% with the right gear and socketing. You will probably not want to fill every available socket with +Visibilty rings and amulets, for example I carry only one set of weapon and shield with +visibility and a couple of two-handed Hammers for those times when I need something better to fight my way through the game apart from other gear which offers me +visibility. By carrying a single weapon and shield or using the Dual Wield skill you will have more sockets available to you for rings and amulets.

Techniques

Climb rocks, get your feet wet, walk through wooded areas, hug trees and go underground.

Water. When following the waters edge it is not enough to simply run along the beach getting your feet wet, run in the water at an angle of about 45 degrees facing the water and you will find that sometimes you can run further into the sea than is normal or across a river. If you see a rock try to jump onto it, I have found that the Seraphim's Assailing Somersault is better than the Shadow Warriors Belligerent Vault for that purpose, both also seem to work better unmounted for some reason. Unless you use your "Jumping" combat art for any other reason I suggest reading the maximum number of runes for that CA and modifiy it if possible to increase the distance you can "jump".

Rocky areas and cliffs. Again use the 45% rule, it is sometimes possible to walk up rocks and cliffs a little. There is at least one place where it is possible to "jump" but not walk across stone to a hidden area but I cannot tell you where that is. Sometimes you can "jump" to a patch of grass which is seemingly impossible to reach.

Wooded areas. Some you can run through and some you cannot, use the same techniques to look for a way to run through or deeper into a wooded area but unfortunately jumping will not help. Just two days ago I found a cave which I had never seen before by doing just that.

Caves and Dungeons. Although the area surrounding them is black it still counts towards Map Revealed so follow the edges and explore every room.

Follow quests. Some will open otherwise unaccesible areas, for example "The Pirates Cave" in Chapter 1.

Spend time looking closely at the main map while holding down your middle mouse button looking for places you might have missed.

Extending the range of your "Radar" to just beyond your maximum visibilty (not always possible) might help you a little by sometimes showing the edge of your explored area.

If you are in a Single Player game and after creating your character start a multiplayer game, choose LAN and explore the island normally accessible only to Multiplayer Characters. Although your Quest Progress will not be saved with your character that island will then be included as part of your Map revealed.

Summary

Sacred 2 is a game. Climbing rocks, getting your feet wet, trying to find a way through wooded areas and "jumping" can take a long time and get boring after a while. Sometimes some of the techniques above will make a noticable difference and sometimes not so find the method that best suits you. Everything depends upon how high you want your "Map revealed" to be and how easily you get bored, perhaps you just want the 80% (PC) needed for the Master Cartographer Achievement. Exploring the whole map will take many hours and it does get boring so take breaks from time to time and go kill someone. I see nothing wrong with starting to explore in Bronze and finishing in Niobium! Remember though that every 0.4% of the map you explore will give you a 0.1% better chance of finding better gear so there is no such thing as time wasted exploring.