Skills question

[Guest]

So I've had the DM and CSB Windows/Linux port, 9.6 version I think. I noticed some interesting things when I was (and continue to) level my characters. It seemed like the ninja's rope-climbing skill AND the fighter's shield-blocking skill cut damage by huge amounts when I developed these to high values, about 100,000 skill in hex representation each for each champion. Is it correct that the rope-climbing skill should reduce damage, or is this a bug? I've also noticed that my champions don't take any more damage when they're completely unarmored than when they use plate of light/darc (still straining them in DM). So, are skills really that important in reducing damage?

Also, skill 12 is listed as a priest skill but I haven't found any way of accessing or even boosing it. One place said that coin-flipping would do it and I tested it but that doesn't seem to work. Is it just unassigned or what?

It's also taking a very long time to develop everyone to Archmaster, then again I've averaged about 10 minutes of play a day for the last month or so... Has anyone developed their characters to be all Archmasters in everything, or even anything?

I used to build skill with the screamer room when my guys were very low level. Then I graduated them to the water elementals on level 11, and right now I'm building ninja skills by having them hit the dragon with their shields. I've been trying to diversify the skills that they gain too, but it looks like throwing weapons and firing weapons skills of the ninja will be the hardest to develop.

Also, one last question. The 'hit' option on the shield doesn't seem to do anything except to build ninja skill. Does it actually have any functional use?

[Lunever]

See the DM Adventurer's Manual for effects of various combat options including block and hit.
http://dmweb.free.fr/DMAdventurersHandbook.htm , choose "Page 5"