Grachus Options

[Lemernis]

I hate to admit it, but I wonder if Grachus's Wind Horrors are too much for the particular party I'm using. My guess is I could probably take Grachus and only the three summoned undead humans. But not along with those four Horrors as well.

I'm using an unconventional party composition, and I guess it's now catching up with me:

PC Wild Mage 7
Imoen Thief 8
Minsc Berserker 8 (via Drew's mini-mod)
Xzar Necomancer 7
Tiax Cleric 6/Thief 7
Finch Cleric 7

I just cannot seem to find a way to fend off Grachus' seven powerful undead summons. I'm at the point where I'm considering going back to a pre-Grey Clan save and leaving this adventure for a future, more conventional party.

Before I give up, any thoughts on how I can get defeat Grachus with this bunch?

(Note: I'm playing with Sword Coast Stratagems installed. I have no idea if those amazing AI tweaks overlap with TGC's content or not, but they don't appear to.)

This post has been edited by Lemernis: Sep 6 2006, 06:44 PM

[Lemernis]

Dispell Magic is unaltered by any of the Tutu mods/tweaks I have installed.

I have a save where Grachus' initial batch of summons have all been killed after Minsc lured them to Tergius and his summoned earth elementals. And there is then only Grachus to be lured. If I try to take him on in in front of FAI I seem to have my best opportunity to damage him as he casts about 8 spells before summoning Moon Horrors.

When I lure Grachus to Tergius he summons Moon Horrors instantly, but there at least the earth elements are fighting the Horrors.

Unfortunately for my purposes here, Minsc has no proficiency in the bow. I'm using Drew's Minsc Berserker mini-mod, which gives Minsc the Berserker kit rage ability but otherwise keeps him a ranger. Minsc's profs are Two Handed Sword **, Two Handed Weapon **, Mace **, Two Weapon Style **. His best weapons are Spider Bane and Mace +1. Sometimes I equip him with a Two Handed Sword +1 so that he can use the boots of speed.

Imoen is the party's archer. But throughout the game I've been using her mostly as a backstabber with the Fiery Dagger +3. I don't have many enchanted arrows for her--some +1s, and a handful of arrows of biting and fire.

Other than that, for ranged weapons: PC - darts (has some +1s), Tiax - sling (mundane bullets), Finch - sling (mundane bullets), Xzar - throwing daggers (mundane).

Tiax I use as the party's second 'tank, in ankheg armor, equipped with the guantlets of ogre power, spellbuffed, and wielding Aule's Staff. Finch can also be used--briefly--as a tank via Divine Remix's Beast Claw, and then Holy Power and Draw Upon Holy Might. But once those buffs wear off she's a sitting duck.

In front of FAI Monster Summoning II can distract the Moon Horrors for around a turn (maybe less). After that, they will quickly make mincemeat of any meleers other than Minsc (and even him eventually).

Anyway, I will try resting and memorizing some of the spells you mention, then see if I can disprupt Grachus' casting. Of course the problem with dispelling magic is that I will lose the magics I have placed on my meleers. And then they will get whittled away by the Horrors.