*~*Fable II Pure Will Character Guide*~*

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CONTENTS
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I. INTRODUCTION
II. VERSION NOTES
III. ARCANA
 A. Shock
 B. Inferno
 C. Time Control
 D. Blades
 E. Vortex
 F. Chaos
 G. Force Push
 H. Raise Dead
IV. THE PATH TO KNOWLEDGE
V. BATTLE STRATEGIES
VI. BOSS WALKTHROUGH
 A. Thag
 B. Headless Hollow Man
 C. Forest Troll
 D. Balverines
 E. The Crucible
 F. Cornelius Grimm
 G. Spire Commandant
 H. Banshee
 I. Swamp Troll
 J. Great Shard
VII. FAQ
VIII. APPENDIX
IX. CONCLUSION


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I. INTRODUCTION
----------------------------
This is my first guide for GameFAQs, designed for the sole purpose of helping 
fellow players taking the pure Will path through Fable II. While it is a
challenge of sorts, you will soon discover that focusing your energies on a
single method of attack causes experience to accumulate rather rapidly,
allowing you to develop your abilities and become extremely powerful from 
very early in the game. Not to mention that Fable II Will Users possess a
great advantage over their predecessors, since they do not require arcane mana
to cast their spells, making it possible to carve your way through swathes of
foes with impunity.
Therefore, for the purposes of this guide I will be assuming that you are only
levelling the following abilities:

- Any and all Will abilities
- Toughness
- Dextrous Styles to 1 star and no further

The Will abilities are self-explanatory, I hope. Without spells to cast you
will cut a poor figure indeed as a Will User.
Toughness is sadly necessary to make for an enjoyable gaming experience. Now,
more than ever thanks to the extinction of the Heal Life discipline, your
lifespan as a Will User needs all the help it can get. However, there is a
catch: since you are not permitted to swing cumbersome and rusty weapons
yourself, you must rely on General (green) experience to level Toughness.
Strength potions are also acceptable for only this purpose. 
Level 1 Dextrous Style is your second and final exception to the Will abilities
you will be learning. Roll is simply too handy to pass up and will save your
life on multiple occasions. This ability is easy and economic to learn: at the 
start of the game in Bower Lake, before you acquire the power to use Will, only 
use your crossbow and never your sword to combat the Beetles in the Guild Cave. 
When you emerge you should have just about enough combined Skill and General
experience to learn Roll. Now, never look at Skill abilities again.
If you feel that this weakens the purity of the Will User, then by all means, 
you are welcome to complete a playthrough without levelling Strength or Skill
at all - and I am sure it is completely possible to do so. These are merely the 
abilities that I found made me a competent Will User without sacrificing my
enjoyment of the game by making it needlessly difficult.


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II. VERSION NOTES
----------------------------
29/1/09 - v1.0
Completed and submitted the main guide.

5/2/09 - v1.1
Spelling and punctuations corrections throughout. Added the themed Will User
ideas to the new Appendix section. Added a couple of user contributions.
The guide can now also be found at GamesRadar.com, CheatPlanet.com,
NeoSeeker.com and SuperCheats.com effective from this update.


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III. ARCANA
----------------------------
The following is an in-depth analysis of the eight Will abilities you will have
the chance to use in your playthrough. I have given my personal opinion based 
on use throughout my game; and the spell stats are based on in-game
information.

A. SHOCK
The first on the list for a reason: Shock should be a staple spell in your
arsenal for the majority of the game, not to mention the first spell that you 
acquire. Though it is marginally more expensive to level than the other 
elemental attack spell, Inferno, the benefits far outwiegh the small additional 
costs.
Firstly, Shock does more damage, which is never a bad thing. Secondly and 
most importantly, the Shock spell stuns enemies for 1-4 seconds (depending on
level). This is the fact that will save your robes from getting dirty time 
and time again. Effective use of Shock will aid you with crowd control and
give you some breathing room to deploy a large spell or retreat to a safer
distance if need be; while repeated surround castings make you practically
invincible.
It is one of the most viable spells to have at Level 5, simply because once
you cast a Shock of that magnitude, your control over the battle situation 
will be assured.

Targeted Spell: Hurls a bolt of lightning at a single enemy for electrical 
elemental damage, stunning them.
Level 1 - 25 damage, 1.0 sec stun
Level 2 - 150 damage, 1.5 sec stun
Level 3 - 600 damage, 2.0 sec stun
Level 4 - 1800 damage, 3.0 sec stun
Level 5 - 3600 damage, 4.0 sec stun

Surround Spell: Calls pillars of lightning to strike enemies in range for
electrical elemental damage, stunning all who are hit.
Level 1 - 17 damage, 1.0 sec stun, 3 targets max
Level 2 - 102 damage, 1.5 sec stun, 4 targets max
Level 3 - 400 damage, 2.0 sec stun, 5 targets max
Level 4 - 1200 damage, 3.0 sec stun, 6 targets max
Level 5 - 2400 damage, 4.0 sec stun, 8 targets max

B. INFERNO
The second and inferior of the elemental spells, Inferno is still a worthwhile
choice to accompany your other methods of attack. It does slightly less damage
than Shock with no handy stun effect, but it does seem to proc a knockback or
even a knockdown fairly regularly. This can help tremendously, as you can then
divert attention from the downed enemy and let your dog attack while you focus
on the rest of the crowd. This effect is far from reliable, though, so you
would do well not to rely on it in a tense situation.
Unlike Shock, on the other hand, Inferno is not restricted to a certain number
of targets when casting a surround spell. This can sometimes make all the
difference, but admittedly it is rare when the Shock spell does not suffice
just as well.

elderezlo points out an important feature of Inferno that I have overlooked:
"one thing you didn't mention in your description of inferno is, as far as i 
can tell, it will damage laterally and vertically, unlike shock. this is 
particularly handy in round 5 of the crucible, allowing you to attack nearly 
every enemy at once."
This is indeed very handy for dealing with a group of enemies that are around
you as well as above. The Crucible's Round 5 featuring those pesky Bandits
could be made a lot easier with this new knowledge.

Inferno seems to be a hot topic (terrible pun intended) - I received a second
email from kndreaper:
"it wasnt mentioned in your guide, but the Inferno spell seems to have an AOE 
effect at higher levels, even when targeted. Not sure when it starts to become 
noticable, but i have managed to take down about 3 guards while targeting the 
middle one with lvl 4 on this spell, and i could see the same being true with 
bandits and hollow men. Im not sure how effecting the AOE is but it does help 
when you want a bigger blast and not that targeted laser feel that comes with 
the lighting."
Upon investigating this, I discovered that it's absolutely true. Upon impact,
the fireball deals significant splash damage to enemies surrounding the target.
Not only this, but the spell does damage to any viable enemy that it passes on
its way to the target as well. These facts add a lot to Inferno's potential
damage output. It's well worth the slight dip in base damage and loss of stun
that comes with Shock for the ability to deal AOE damage of this magnitude.

The spell also benefits from being fire elemental which is highly effective 
against the most common foe in the game: Hollow Men. Even a Level 4 Inferno can
decimate an entire army of these shambling annoyances, so in key areas of the 
game Inferno certainly starts to look a lot more attractive compared to Shock. 
Be prepared for some extreme slowdown if you unleash a Level 5 spell in the 
middle of a crowd of zombies. That's a lot of flames, experience orbs and 
burning undead body parts flying around.

Targeted Spell: Manifests and blasts a fireball at a single enemy for fire
elemental damage.
Level 1 - 20 damage
Level 2 - 120 damage
Level 3 - 480 damage
Level 4 - 1440 damage
Level 5 - 2880 damage

Surround Spell: Forces pulsing bursts of volcanic energy across a wide radius,
dealing fire elemental damage.
Level 1 - 17 damage
Level 2 - 80 damage
Level 3 - 320 damage
Level 4 - 960 damage
Level 5 - 1920 damage

C. TIME CONTROL
A departure from the damaging spells, Time Control has some very interesting
effects to appeal to the discerning Will User.
When targeted by tilting the left stick, Time Control allows for instant 
teleportation around the battlefield. This can be useful as a sort of instant
Roll ability, but in that role, it is not usually worth your time. This is
due to the fact that, were Time Control used as a dodging ability, it would
have to be at Level 1. Any higher would require time to cast, thus making it
all but pointless. Not only this, but the primary use of the teleport - that
is, dashing behind an enemy for a sneak attack and a bevy of bonuses - is
essentially useless for the Will User who will not be using a melee weapon.
The surround Time Control spell has a lot more utility in a Will User's
lineup. The ability to slow time can give you a lot of room to get some
more spells out while the enemy is helpless, or beat a hasty getaway.
I would not recommend using an overly high level for this spell, though: 
usually 2 or 3 will suffice. Needless to say, the limitless range of Time 
Control makes avoiding hostile spells and bullets easier as well. Later on in 
the game, especially in key battles in the Crucible and with bosses, Time 
Control becomes almost essential for strategic spellcasting.

Targeted Spell: Instantly teleports the User up to 10 metres in a designated 
direction. If the Will User passes through an enemy as they teleport, they 
perform a rapid, stunning attack.
Level 1 - 1.2x melee damage multiplier for 2.0 sec
Level 2 - 1.25x melee damage multiplier for 4.0 sec
Level 3 - 1.3x melee damage multiplier for 6.0 sec, knockdown
Level 4 - 1.4x melee damage multiplier for 8.0 sec, knockdown
Level 5 - 1.5x melee damage multiplier for 10.0 sec, knockdown

Surround Spell: Reduces the flow of the time-space continuum to a crawl, 
allowing the User free movement around enemies that are slowed or frozen in 
time.
Level 1 - 4.0 sec duration
Level 2 - 6.0 sec duration
Level 3 - 9.0 sec duration
Level 4 - 12.0 sec duration
Level 5 - 15.0 sec duration

D. BLADES
The third and final of the designated damage-dealing spells, Blades does non-
elemental damage to either one target, or several (but not necessarily all)
in range. There is truthfully not a lot to separate Blades from its two
elemental counterparts, but it does the highest damage of them all.
It has a notable weakness in that there is a delay between the casting of the 
spell and the actual impact and damage. If your plan is to finish a close-up 
enemy before they can hit you, they will probably give you a solid whack 
before the spell delivers the killing blow.
The other crippling weakness is the lack of any knockback ability. If a Bandit
is running at you, sword drawn, this spell will do nothing to deter him. He'll
need something with a bit more impact to keep him away from you.
That said, Blades can have uses for the Will User who wants an offensive spell
lineup. I would advise against using the surround casting, as the damage per 
enemy hit (not to mention lack of knockback, stun etc.) is not worth it. When 
cast at a target, the damage this spell runs out is the highest in the game - 
something well worth remembering.

Targeted Spell: Summons ethereal swords that hover momentarily before impaling
the foe with lethal force, dealing non-elemental damage.
Level 1 - 30 damage
Level 2 - 180 damage
Level 3 - 720 damage
Level 4 - 2160 damage
Level 5 - 4320 damage

Surround Spell: Summmons a circle of swords above the User that each dive
unerringly at a target in range, dealing non-elemental damage.
Level 1 - 3 attacks, 10 damage each
Level 2 - 4 attacks, 45 damage each
Level 3 - 5 attacks, 144 damage each
Level 4 - 6 attacks, 360 damage each
Level 5 - 8 attacks, 540 damage each

E. VORTEX
Another spell that does damage while immobilising enemies? So what makes this 
one so different to Shock? There's a simple answer: this spell is terrible.
Even though the in-game blurb advertises "massive damage", a targeted Vortex
at Level 5 does exactly half the damage a similar Blades spell would. And that,
quite frankly, is not a lot at all.
It has one advantage over it's twin, Shock: a longer stun, giving you that 
little extra time to yourself. However, it pays for this by taking a severe 
damage hit compared to Shock as well. To make things worse, Vortex is also 
limited in its number of maximum surround targets that it can affect, and this
is less than what Shock can acheive.
Vortex also offers a chance of knockdown after the stun effect subsides, but in
the time it takes to cast Vortex enough times to make the knockdown stick, you
could have cast the same number of Inferno spells for immeasurably greater 
damage. The enemy is stunned throughout the duration of the spell, which is 
always useful, but it's irrefutable that other spells do so much more than this
one. Avoid until you have levelled up your stronger abilities and you have some
extra experience laying around - it's simply too hard to find situations in 
which Vortex proves that it's worth the cost to learn.

Targeted Spell: Creates a powerful whirlwind around an enemy, immobilising them
and dealing damage with high winds, before dropping them on the ground.
Level 1 - 15 damage, 2.0 sec stun
Level 2 - 90 damage, 3.0 sec stun
Level 3 - 360 damage, 4.0 sec stun
Level 4 - 1080 damage, 5.0 sec stun
Level 5 - 2160 damage, 6.0 sec stun

Surround Spell: Transforms the air around the User into a brutal tornado, 
collecting entire groups of enemies and pulverising them with wind and debris.
Level 1 - 10 damage, 1.0 sec stun, 2 targets max
Level 2 - 60 damage, 2.0 sec stun, 2 targets max
Level 3 - 240 damage, 3.0 sec stun, 3 targets max
Level 4 - 720 damage, 4.0 sec stun, 4 targets max
Level 5 - 1440 damage, 5.0 sec stun, 5 targets max

F. CHAOS
Possibly the worst spell in the game when considering a pure Will User. Chaos 
has a chance (note, that's "chance") to alter enemy behaviour around you, 
meaning they can do any of the scripted actions in the game, from dancing to 
running away scared to scrubbing the floor. Admittedly, it is very good fun 
(which is what Fable II is all about) but it doesn't really have a place in a 
spell lineup as you charge into battle. Any time taken to deploy a Chaos spell 
is time wasted that you could have spent casting a Shock or Raise Dead of the 
same level. It might have some use as an effective crowd control spell, that 
is, if the Chaos effect was guaranteed. As it is, you're far better off 
sticking to dedicated damage and support spells. Also, it should be fairly 
obvious, but Chaos has no effect on bosses - they will simply charge straight
through it and introduce you to their sword. It's a shame, really...I would 
have loved to see the Commandant clucking like a chicken.

Targeted Spell: Places a mask of deceit and illusion on a single unfortunate 
enemy, causing unpredictable and irregular behaviour.
Level 1 - 5.0 sec duration
Level 2 - 10.0 sec duration
Level 3 - 15.0 sec duration
Level 4 - 20.0 sec duration
Level 5 - 25.0 sec duration

Surround Spell: Warps reality and deeply affects the minds of any hostile 
creature in the area for a limited time.
Level 1 - 3.0 sec duration
Level 2 - 6.0 sec duration
Level 3 - 9.0 sec duration
Level 4 - 12.0 sec duration
Level 5 - 15.0 sec duration

G. FORCE PUSH
An average spell that is not bad in certain situations, but generally is vastly
overshadowed by other abilities. Force Push is another combination damage-and-
disrupt spell, with a lot less emphasis on damage and more on the stun that it
procs. However, when examined more closely, the flaws start to emerge. 
Principally, the Level 1 Force Push does not proc a stun. This fatally reduces
its application as a desperation move, as to even acheive a one second stun on
a group of enemies requires charging to Level 2: hardly practical when you have
two drooling Balverines in your face.
I can imagine Force Push having a little use in crowded conditions such as 
tombs and tunnels infested with Hollow Men, around the middle and late stages 
of the game. This is because of the extra impact damage that will apply, should
the target hit something as a result of the spell. Thus, high levels could give
you acceptable damage as well as a stun. However, this is a very situational 
use and other similar spells will do the job much more effectively at other 
times.

Targeted Spell: Shoots a concussive blast of energy, tossing a single foe back
effortlessly. The spell does minor impact damage, and stuns.
Level 1 - 48 damage, plus 18 on collision
Level 2 - 150 damage, plus 45 on collision, 3.0 sec stun
Level 3 - 300 damage, plus 90 on collision, 6.0 sec stun
Level 4 - 900 damage, plus 180 on collision, 9.0 sec stun
Level 5 - 1800 damage, plus 360 on collision, 12.0 sec stun

Surround Spell: Creates a burst of force radiating from the User, slamming
crowded enemies to the ground.
Level 1 - 32 damage, plus 12 on collision
Level 2 - 100 damage, plus 30 on collision, 1.0 sec stun
Level 3 - 200 damage, plus 60 on collision, 3.0 sec stun
Level 4 - 600 damage, plus 120 on collision, 5.0 sec stun
Level 5 - 1200 damage, plus 240 on collision, 7.0 sec stun

H. RAISE DEAD
This is a spell that has very limited uses in the early stages of the game, but
after recruiting Hammer it becomes a valuable ability for crowd control: 
something every Will User should master.
Raise Dead is unique among Will abilities for having a targeted and surround 
casting that are exactly the same. However, if you do target an enemy while 
casting, the spirits will emerge surrounding the unfortunate victim as opposed 
to around the User. The spirits that are summoned have extremely mediocre 
damage, but that doesn't stop enemies frequently turning their attentions to 
them rather than you. Letting the spirits to tank can permit you to move around
and cast your spells with relative safety. At lower levels, the spirits can be 
attacked, but possess a handy immunity to enemy flourish attacks. As the spell 
gets stronger, the spirits become completely invincible until the spell expires
and they dissipate. Despite this, it is usually not efficient to cast this 
spell above Level 3 at the most: better to reserve higher levels for powerhouse
spells instead.
Certainly by the time you reach the Crucible, Raise Dead should be a 
semi-permanent addition to your lineup. Whether as an absolute necessity to 
lessen the danger to yourself, or as a convenient extra source of blocking and 
damage, Raise Dead is welcome in most battles.

Targeted Spell: Causes the fabric of dimensions to tear, restoring vengeful 
spirits to the world, circling around a terrified enemy as they attack on your
behalf.
Level 1 - 2 spirits, Flourish immunity, 8.0 sec duration
Level 2 - 3 spirits, Flourish immunity, 12.0 sec duration
Level 3 - 4 spirits, Flourish immunity, 18.0 sec duration
Level 4 - 4 spirits, invinciblity, 25.0 sec duration
Level 5 - 5 spirits, invincibility, 35.0 sec duration

Surround Spell: Calls vicious incorporeal spirits in a protective formation 
around the User, ready to swarm and distract the enemy.
Level 1 - 2 spirits, Flourish immunity, 8.0 sec duration
Level 2 - 3 spirits, Flourish immunity, 12.0 sec duration
Level 3 - 4 spirits, Flourish immunity, 18.0 sec duration
Level 4 - 4 spirits, invinciblity, 25.0 sec duration
Level 5 - 5 spirits, invincibility, 35.0 sec duration


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IV. THE PATH TO KNOWLEDGE
----------------------------
With the assorted strengths and weaknesses of the spells assorted above, we can
begin planning the best method to utilise in levelling up and learning new Will
abilities.
It's pretty clear that there are five core spells that will be of greatest use 
in this playthrough, with three that fail to make the cut for the most part. 
The five that we will be focusing on are Shock, Inferno, Time Control, Blades 
and Raise Dead. You should give priority to levelling these five; ideally so 
you have one or more at each level. This way you can have maximum choice over 
how many spells you take into your lineup. In my opinion, the first spell you 
choose to learn in the Chamber of Fate should be Shock. The stunning effect is 
too appealing to pass up in the early phase of the game and it will make the 
big fight with Thag's bandits a lot easier. 
From this starting point, you can now either take another offensive spell such 
as Inferno, or begin developing the support abilities of Raise Dead or Time 
Control. Either branch will be helpful, but Inferno will be of much greater use
when battling the Hollow Men in the Wellspring. 
Around about the point at which you recruit Hammer, you should have at least 
one spell at Level 2 and therefore have two spells in your lineup. This 
increases your flexibility in battle, and you will be formidable indeed if you 
begin combining low-level crowd control spells with higher-level damaging 
abilities. These are all core tactics that you will still be using in the final
battles of the game.
Once you have the five core spells in your arsenal, you can experiment with 
different combinations and elemental attacks against certain enemies. At this 
point, at the middle of the game (approximately on taking the Crucible 
challenge) you will be powerful enough to level your spells as you see fit, 
according to your personal preferences. By late game, you will slay enemies 
with such ease that you might add Chaos and Force Push into your lineup simply
for entertainment.

As you level up your Will abilities, you should notice a recurring message that
your low level spells are becoming more powerful and your high levels will 
charge faster. Regrettably, I am not certain which factors go into this 
levelling-up process, but it is very possibly related to how much Will 
experience you have spent. Needless to say, your spells becoming more powerful
is always a good thing, so on some occasions it may be better to spend any 
spare experience you have in your pool to level up some weaker spells. It may 
just be enough to give your battle abilities a boost. If you have any 
information on the mechanics behind the spell power increases, send me an email
to the address in the FAQ section. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

I received a very helpful mail from 38andahalf that goes some way to explain
this process:
"I think it's actually related to how many spells you have at the same level. 
If you hold down the right trigger and look at the spell mapper, each spell 
icon has a ring with 8 sections around it. However many of these sections are 
lit up are how many spells you've got at a particular level.
Like for example, if i have all spells upgraded to level two, there will be 8 
bars lit up around the level two icon. However, if I've only got 3 spells at 
level five, there will be three bars lit up around the level five icon. And the
more bars, the faster casting times and more damage.
I'm pretty sure that's how the damage and casting times are guaged."
Unfortunately, since I now have all my spells at the maximum level it's not
possible for me to test this theory. It does sound very plausible and would
explain what the rings around the spell symbols are for.

Just remember that spell selection is important at the start of the game: you 
want to be able to stun, deal damage and crowd control as soon as possible. 
After these fundamentals are taken care of, Albion is yours to explore.


----------------------------
V. BATTLE STRATEGIES
----------------------------
There are many important tactics and skills to master during a Will User 
playthrough. Most of the fun is in discovering these for yourself, but I have 
compiled some key tips that will help in any battle situation. Any 
reader-submitted strategies will be added at a later time.

 - Be sure to have a choice of offensive spells at any given time, at both low 
and high levels. This way, you can either deal rapid, stunning strikes to 
escape from danger, or charge up a massive blast depending on the situation.

- A purely offensive spell lineup is usually not to be encouraged. You will be
much more effective if you combine the three core tactics of dealing damage,
stunning and crowd control; ideally into one lineup so as to be prepared for
every situation.

- As a battle goes on and you rack up casualties, successive recasts of Raise 
Dead will summon the recently deceased, thus providing you with stronger 
spirits than are usually avaliable. With this in mind, it is definitely worth 
casting Raise Dead at the start and the middle of a prolonged battle to get the
most out of the spell: defending Garth at Brightwood Tower is an excellent 
example of this.

- A targeted Raise Dead is a deadly and surprising way to ambush a group of 
enemies. From sufficiently far away, charge a Level 5 spell and target the 
unfortunates in front of you. Now, quickly switch your Level 5 back again, if 
necessary and charge into battle. In the chaos and confusion caused by the 
initial spell, you should be able to quickly finish the fight.

- Multiple versions of the same spell in your lineup is not necessarily a bad 
thing. For example, dealing with Hollow Men in Wraithmarsh will only really 
require Inferno and maybe Time Control. Mapping Inferno to multiple levels 
allows you to be constantly effective against the undead, no matter what level 
spell you choose to cast.

- Don't forget that your spell lineup can be changed mid-battle. If a boss such
as the Commandant is too tough, consider switching out some spells for more 
stunning capabilities, for example. Go to the pause menu to carry this out away
from the danger of battle.

- You need only tap B to cast your Level One spell. Although it does "charge" 
like other levels when B is held down, you need not waste precious seconds. Tap
the button, drop a quick Shock spell and retreat from danger.

- Get to know your foes' strengths and weaknesses, and plan your lineup 
accordingly. Hollow Men are fatally weak against fire, so introduce them to a 
Level 5 Inferno. On the other hand, they are highly resistant to stunning, thus
negating one of Shock's greatest strengths. Similarly, play to the strengths of
your spells. If you have the freedom to carry out a long-distance snipe on an 
enemy, use Blades for the maximum targeted damage avaliable.


----------------------------
VI. BOSS WALKTHROUGH
----------------------------
A. THAG
Fittingly for the first boss of the game, Thag is not difficult to defeat. Take
a second or two to move around and get a feel for his attacks. He is a strictly
melee fighter, so as long as you keep your distance you should be fine. Spam
targeted Shock spells on him until he gets too close, then retreat and begin
casting again. Annoyingly, he is very resistant to stunning, but if you keep up
the pressure with direct damage, he won't last long anyway.

B. HEADLESS HOLLOW MAN
Another fairly simple fight, providing you have mastered Inferno up to Level 2.
If you have, then this battle can be over very quickly. Like Thag, keep your
distance and always err on the side of caution. The only factor that makes this
boss at all difficult is the electric attack he unleashes at close range. Since
we Will Users aim to stay as far away as possible, this shouldn't even get used
in the battle. Let loose barrage of Inferno and he'll go the way of his
minions before him.

C. FOREST TROLL
Though they may look fearsome, trolls are deceptively easy to take down, and 
this one is no exception. At the very start of the battle, begin casting quick
targeted damage spells towards the Forest Troll - I chose Level 1 Blades. As 
long as you're pointing in the right general direction and the nerve tendrils 
are exposed, you will hit at least one. Repeat this method of attack to assure 
victory; you must simply be patient if the tendrils are not showing and strafe 
around the Troll until it becomes vulnerable again.
Also note that both the boulder that the Troll hurls and the earthquake attack
will knock you down, interrupting your spellcasting. This shouldn't be a 
problem if you stick to rapid bursts of Level 1 magic, but it is worth bearing
in mind for battles with Trolls in the future.

D. BALVERINES
Possibly the first really challenging battle for the Will User, Balverines move
fast and attack even faster. They also have an annoying habit of leaping into 
the air, disrupting your targeting or even making a spell miss completely. 
Finally, they can leap horizontally over great distances, knocking you down if
they hit. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Well, in the Howling Halls you get to battle
three pairs of the tykes, followed by a mother White Balverine boss.
Balverines may be fast and strong, but they are somewhat fragile. If you have 
access to Level 4 Inferno, a targeted casting will slay any Balverine in one 
direct hit. Although a spell of this power is unlikely at this point in the 
game, you should be able to unleash sufficient damage-dealing spells to keep 
the pressure up. 
To counter the Balverines' tremendous agility, it may also be useful to 
cast a surround Control Time at Level 1 or 2. This can give you the window you 
need to charge up a Level 3 Shock or Inferno. Note that if you are casting 
Shock, the standard Balverines remain vulnerable to stunning, but the White 
Balverine is not. Do not be surprised if she carries on clawing you to shreds 
despite a storm of Shock spells.
Finally, you might choose to cast Raise Dead to give the Balverines something 
else to attack, although Hammer should perform adequately as a tank - in the 
first stage of the battle, at least.

E. THE CRUCIBLE
Round One - Quite simple to begin with; your best bet is on quick castings of 
Shock or Blades to keep the Beetles at bay. If they do start to surround you, 
quickly dodge aside and cast a Level 1 Shock to deter them. Any mix of 
offensive abilities should easily suffice.

Round Two - Again, this shouldn't give an adept Will User too much trouble. 
Hobbes have the curious tendency to close in on you, then hang back at some 
distance while one of them begins attacking. If you can quickly charge up a 
Level 3 or 4 Shock, you can typically suppress the whole crowd around you. 
Like the Beetles, use a concerted attack of Shock, Inferno and Blades to 
efficiently win. To make it easier to pull off the big spells, consider using 
Level 1 Time Control as well.

Round Three - Probably easier than the last round. The Hobbe spellcasters are
pitifully weak and quickly go down under focused fire. Just be sure to get to 
them first, or else they will cast Raise Dead and give you more to worry about.
The dynamite-equipped exploding Hobbes are odd kamikaze troops, as more often
than not they wander to the edge of the arena, causing you no trouble except a
waste of time as you search for them. Do make sure, however, that you have
either Shock or Inferno mapped to Level 1 (Blades will not do). This is in case
an exploding Hobbe rushes at you and you need to quickly neutralise it. With 
any luck it'll take some of the others with it when it blows.

Round Four - Inferno is the only offensive spell you will need to combat the
shambling masses, so I recommend mapping it to Levels 2 to 4. This way, you
can judge which strength spell to cast based on the situation. Having Control 
Time at Level 1 can give you some breathing room if the undead get too close. 
An extra couple of seconds to back off and deploy a surround Inferno can make 
all the difference.

Round Five - The first of two difficult rounds, this is hard to survive, let 
alone complete with a perfect time. As soon as you trigger the first enemy 
wave, quickly run down the stairs and up the other side. The longer you take 
hanging about on the balcony, the more they can shoot you while remaining 
relatively safe from your retaliation.
In my opinion, the best course of action is repeatedly casting surround Shocks,
while backing away from Bandits that close in. Mapping Shock to Levels 3 and
4 can allow a casting of the weaker spell, followed immediately by the stronger
one. For Level 2, Raise Dead can be used as enemies teleport in. Stand near the
glowing rings and charge up a Level 4 Shock. As soon as you are able, cast that
spell, then Raise Dead and move onto the next group. This way you can maintain
some crowd control as you focus your energy. As before, a Level 1 Control Time
can get you out of troublesome spots. Anticipate their spawns and keep up a 
steady damage output to get through alive.

Round Six - This round lets up a little, giving you three booby traps to help,
but it can still be tough if you're not in control. Head to the middle of the
arena and stand your ground. You'll have Bandits coming at you from all sides,
so repeated surround Shocks are still good bets. Just be sure not to get
surrounded, as even three enemies can quickly cut you down with rapid sword
attacks. If you are pushed to the side and can see no way out, cast a Level
1 Control Time and teleport out of the circle to safety. Keeping up the barrage
of Shocks can keep most of the Bandits away.
If you keep moving, the snipers around the edge of the arena won't hit you 
quite so often. Take every chance you get to activate the pressure pads and 
burn the shooters. The faster you do this, the better chance of scoring that 
perfect time.

Round Seven - Almost identical to the Balverine fight in Howling Halls, but by 
now you are very likely to have the Level 4 Inferno spell. By taking your time 
and strategically casting this powerful spell, you can score one-hit kills 
every time. This even works on the White Balverine that appears in the third 
wave, so don't hold back. Control Time and Raise Dead return to give you some 
crowd control. If your summoned undead successfully pull the attention of the 
Balverines, waste no time in charging up an Inferno. For stuns, Shock at Level
2 offers a good balance between power and casting time.
Overall, this shouldn't be too hard if you're going for a perfect time.
elderezlo emailed me with an additional strategy for later Crucible runs, when
Level 5 spells have become available:
"for round 7, if you stand roughly in the center of the room and cast 
successive level 5 infernos, you can finish in under 30 seconds easy without 
any other spell. the commentators don't even have time to announce round 3." 

Round Eight - Pretty easy for the final fight, but completing this round with a
perfect time could be tough, owing to the Troll's annoying penchant for turning
invincible a lot of the time. The strategy hasn't changed much from the Forest 
Troll you fought before. Use a Level 1 spell such as Blades for quick, surgical
strikes and circle the Troll when you can't attack. You can usually outrun the 
Hobbes, but feel free to take a few down if you get the chance. Note that the 
round ends when you kill the Troll, regardless of any Hobbes that may be left.
For this reason, it may serve you better to focus on the Troll at the expense 
of everything else. Also, don't forget the knockdown capabilities of the 
Troll's attacks. The earthquake lines can be hard to dodge, and will be 
impossible if you're standing still trying to eradicate Hobbes. 

F. CORNELIUS GRIMM
If you take the path of good and defend the Wellspring from the Temple of 
Shadows, you'll find yourself up against this nefarious individual. He's really
quite cowardly, choosing to hide behind his minions for the first stage of the 
battle. You must handle a pair of assassins, then two waves of Hollow Men; 
which can be easily dealt with thanks to Shock and Inferno, respectively.
The real battle begins when Grimm transforms into a Shadow and starts spamming 
Blades. Keep cool and unleash targeted Shocks that will stun him and prevent 
casting his damaging spells. Alternating between Shocks and your own Blades 
spell will finish Grimm - and the rest of the Temple - with minimal effort.

G. SPIRE COMMANDANT
This can be difficult. The Commandant is a powerful fighter with a brutal melee
combo and a wave of dark energy that he shoots along the ground. This energy
wave is fast, has decent range, and will probably be your major concern for the
battle. Not to mention, you will constantly be outnumbered three to one as the 
Commandant teleports in Spire Guards to back him up. He also likes to teleport 
himself momentarily if he feels threatened.
Raise Dead can help peel the Guards off the head honcho, distracting them for 
long enough. Time Control is very effective in this battle: the Commandant will
either be dashing towards you to get in melee range, or casting his dark energy
wave. Slowed time will help you avoid both. Crucially, the Commandant is 
vulnerable to stunning, so you should exploit this fact. Use Shock as a main 
attack spell - preferably surround cast - and do damage whenever you can. This
battle will probably take a while, owing to the necessity for constant hit-and-
run tactics. You will also most likely get hit a lot, so try and save the 
health potions you got before. If you can eliminate the threat from the Spire 
Guards, you will have drastically evened the playing field; so maintain the 
crowd control, and always take the opportunity to deal damage. Good luck.

H. BANSHEE
The Banshees are not too dangerous, once you learn their limited attack 
pattern. Simply prepare a Level 4 or 5 Inferno to destroy the dark offspring 
she summons. This will stun the Banshee and leave her vulnerable to attack. 
Immediately charge your strongest attack spell - again, a high level Inferno is
perfect - and hit her with a targeted casting. A Level 4 hit should bring her
down to minimal life. If so, quickly hit her with a Level 1 Shock before she 
recovers and attacks again. Level 5 will kill her outright.
Though a Banshee fight is typically over very quickly, do be wary of the 
offsprings' attacks. The damage can quickly mount up, so cast that first 
Inferno swiftly before they get the chance to pounce.

I. SWAMP TROLL
Using the same tactics from the previous two Troll encounters will still serve
you here. Casting Level 1 Shock or Blades will deal consistent damage, while 
allowing you to stay mobile and thus less vulnerable to knockdown attacks. 
There is a broken section of wall on the opposite side of the Troll to where 
you entered. Get to it, and it provides suitable cover from boulders, but 
sometimes the pesky earthquake lines can run under the wall and damage you.
Beware the wave of Hollow Men that interferes early in the battle. Usually they
can be caught and destroyed by the Troll's attacks, but if they're causing you 
trouble, cast Inferno to get them out of the way. This is the hardest Troll due
to a cramped arena and small time windows for attacking, but you should do 
fine.

J. GREAT SHARD
The final battle of Fable II is extremely fun and gives the Will User a great 
opportunity to flex their magical muscles. Take some time to get your bearings
and wait for the waves of Spire Guards and Soldiers to come to you. 
Fortunately, you have three allies in this battle who are indespensible for 
keeping attention away from you. Simply stand on the outskirts of the battle 
and unload your biggest and best damage spells until all that's left are the
red and green orbs.
When Garth moves along the ridge and begins attacking the Great Shard itself, 
that's your cue to join him and cast Shock at it. This will expose the core to
your attacks. For sheer single-target damage, Level 5 Blades is the best you 
can hope for; so cast one and immediately return to the beach for the next 
assault.
Be sure to avoid the red laser the Shard periodically fires starting after the 
first quarter of the battle. It's capable of causing very high damage, and can
be hard to avoid if you're in the middle of charging a spell when it singles 
you out for attack. If you see the targeting beam, quickly cast whatever you 
might have been charging and sprint to the side. The laser blast should miss.
The waves of enemies get steadily harder, but a blend of Time Control and your
most powerful attacking spells will cut them down. Repeat the process of 
damaging the core and before long you will stand victorious. Lucien's greatest
weapon and all the forces he can muster will fall just like every other enemy 
before them. Congratulations! You beat Fable II with a pure Will User!


----------------------------
VII. FAQ
----------------------------
In this section I will add any user-submitted queries relating to a pure Will 
User playthrough, or simply Will abilities in general. If you have any 
questions, feedback or suggestions for this guide I can be contacted at:

ph07ljv [at] leeds [dot] ac [dot] uk

Any and all input is very welcome, and you will be fully credited for a 
contribution to the guide.


----------------------------
VIII. APPENDIX
----------------------------
This section contains interesting sidenotes and ideas regarding Will Users in
Fable II that don't fit in with the rest of the guide.

These ideas add a little roleplaying into the pure Will User playthrough. Each
character is expected to abide by the spells and equipment that best suits
their archetype.
Themed Will Users have a greater restriction on the spells they can use, but
they are permitted to wield melee weapons as dictated below to compensate. 
The same rules on abilities apply to these Users, though; so they may only 
level their designated three spells, Toughness and Roll. 
Remember these are just fun ideas: if you can think of one yourself, I'd love 
see it. Just shoot me an email.

- GOOD WILL USER
Morality: good at all times
Personality: pure or corrupt, but the former is much more common
Avaliable spells: Shock, Force Push, Time Control
Avaliable weapons: Longsword
Notes: The Will User aligned to good tends to shy away from direct conflict,
but wil not hesitate to defend the ways of justice and decency. They excel at
smiting enemies and keeping great hoardes supressed while they advance with
shimmering longswords held high. The blades of these iconic weapons have
become synonymous with the righteous force these Users bring to a battle.
The very image of mystical paladins or lore, these Will Users count priests, 
inquisitors and ancient archmages among their ranks.

- EVIL WILL USER
Morality: irreversibly evil
Personality: either pure or corrupt, though corruption comes fairly naturally
Avaliable spells: Inferno, Blades, Raise Dead
Avaliable weapons: Cleaver, axe, mace
Notes: Evil Will Users are a destructive force, calling on dark energies to
impale and burn all who stand before them while simultaneously chaining the
souls of the dead to earth in ghastly servitude. Their strengths lie in causing
excessive amounts of damage while neutralising enemy attacks under a wave of
undead. The weapon of an evil Will User reflects their nature: if it is large,
conspicuous, and causes a lot of pain then it is a worthy instrument to spread
the message of shadow.

- DRUID OF THE ELEMENTS
Morality: neutral wherever possible
Personality: pure
Avaliable spells: Shock, Inferno, Vortex
Avaliable weapons: Hammer
Notes: Druids are elemental Will Users, drawing the power to cast their ancient
spells from the natural forces of lightning, fire and wind. They are extremely
efficient damage dealers and specialise in laying down a storm of damage while
simultaneously keeping their foes pinned with Shock or Vortex. They are
stoically neutral, forgoing an involvement in other humans' affairs to preserve
the balance of Mother Nature. Anything they do is according to their whims
and whatever they feel will best preserve the sacred order. Their hammers are
highly symbolic weapons: being a tool for either creation or destruction, they
wholly represent the balanced Druid way.

- ILLUSIONIST
Morality: good or evil
Personality: either, but such trickery and deceit tends to breed corruption
Avaliable spells: Blades, Time Control, Chaos
Avaliable weapons: Katana, cutlass
Notes: Tricksters, mesmers and theives, the Illusionist school is a subtle and
difficult-to-master discipline. Magic becomes a complement to swift, dancing
combat rather than a dominating force. Those facing an Illusionist will have to
contend with the flow of time shifting around them, and even becoming prisoners
in their own minds. Illusionist combat is fast and lethal, hence favouring
delicately balanced swords to carry out their methods of dealing death. If a
Will User can act with the required degree of finesse and care, the Illusionist
becomes a foe that is extremely difficult to best.

----------------------------
IX. CONCLUSION
----------------------------
Thank you for reaching the end of my guide, I hope it was useful to you and
maybe even encouraged you to play a Will User of your own. It's without a doubt
a very fun way to play through Fable II and really allows for some striking
characters to emerge.

Many thanks to Linkzoid, your ability guide was indispensible for referencing 
spell stats.
Thanks to elderezlo and kndreaper for their incredibly useful input on the
Inferno spell.
Thank you to 38andahalf for the great input on the spell levels system.
Also, cheers to my housemate Matt for letting me use his Xbox well into the 
night during my "Can't talk now, playing Fable" phase.

This guide is Copyright 2009 gbkjames. The following sites are authorised to
publish this guide:
- GameFAQs.com
- GamesRadar.com
- CheatPlanet.com
- Neoseeker.com
- SuperCheats.com

If you see this anywhere other than the sites named above, it's been stolen.

Thanks again, and have fun!

*~*gbkjames*~*