This is embarrasing - using potions in combat

[KraGorn]

I don't want ANY comments   ...

I've forgotten how to use potions in combat!  This is what I do:

1) select "equip" at the start of the round, get confirmation
2) when round ends up pops the inventory screen, with the desired potion in the character's personal inventory
3) WTF now?

Right click brings up info, left click drags it around ... what the heck do I do with it?

While on subject of general incompetence with the UI how do I identify?  I right click on items with a "?" but only once did some blue potion come up identified, I've got red potions, a long sword and other stuff which won't ID.  Do I have to get a specific character to try ID-ing or does the one with the highest Artifacts skill automatically do it?

I can't believe I'm having to ask these but the manual, great though it is, lacks one important thing ... AN INDEX  

[Merkin]

*Valiantly resisting comments*
OK,
1. If the potion is already in your char's personal inventory, you didn't need to equip at all. just click "use" in their combat icons, and that will open up everything in the personal inventory.  Then select the potion, and they'll drink it asap.  For powders, bombs, etc, as soon as you select it, you'll get the targeting staff.

2. if the potion is in the general inventory, rather than personal, just click on it, then drop it into a P.I. slot.  Then exit out of inventory, and it will take you straight to the personal inventory list, where you select and use it.

3. To identify, have the char with the highest artifact skill try it.  A lot of stuff can't be id'ed until you build this up pretty high.  Or have a priest type cast identify on it, there too, some stuff will stay unidentified untill you've gained a lev. or two. And I think you can re-try after every rest period, seems to be a percentage chance.

[judee]

Another little note on Artifacts skill...

Right clicking on objects found in the environment before picking them up will help to raise the Artifacts skill.

And a reminder about using potions in battle, the one hassle, if you do have to equip it first (get it into your ch's inventory) then you can't "use" it until the next turn, because the equipping takes up a whole turn by itself.

That's why it's good to have at least one cure poison in each character's inventory. At least as far as I've found, that's the one potion they seem to need the most often, most quickly.

judee

[KraGorn]

Thanks to all, especially judee who refrained completely  .

I'll tell you what the problem was, I only played briefy some days before Christmas as I hd it in my head that I had to use Equip in combat.  Of course, what I was mis-remembering is that if the potion is in the PARTY's inventory you get told to use Equip.  So I'd carefully ensured it was in the PERSONAL inventory and then proceeded as if it weren't  

[greycat]

I had the same problem at first, KraGorn.  Once I figured out the difference between Use and Equip, I was fine.

I disagree about needing Cure Poison quickly.  You can usually survive many rounds of poisoning, because it only does a few HP damage each round.  I try to have a Heavy Heal (or less, in the early game), a Smelling Salt (to wake up other characters), possibly a Cure Paralysis (ditto).  In the late game, Resurrection Powder for those who don't have the spell.  A Pickmeup potion comes in handy, or Stamina for bards/gadgeteers.