V7 run (after years not playing IA) Options

[pekkae]

That's a big part of the fun with IA, we all have different ways to build very strong and optimal parties.

To me main thing to consider having strong and optimal builds is to think globally on party and how you will handle each type of fights (meaning the tough ones)

Here for example I have 3 fighters (Sibel/RB/Kensaï) with 25 STR through items, my mages are here to support and distract enemies, so having many layers and being able to refresh them under alacrity is important (against liches, dragons, mages, ..) even a silenced mage with 3 layers can keep busy a dragon RRoRing for some precious spans (instead of lowering resistance and breathing)

I would say there is not a supreme way to use a sorcerer, but there definitely is a way to optimize a sorcerer in a given party according the strategies you consider to use.

It is always very interesting to exchange with other players on this, it gives ideas and hints. How do you use JAN? I confess I tried once to use him, have to admit I was poor a it, but I see that many players consider him as a very valuable partner.

Yup, everyone has a little bit of unique way of building the crew. I've read through numerous journals and almost always come up with something new from them, a new approach, a new trick or maybe a combination I didn't think of previously.

You have similar approach than I do in the sense that I usually build the crew while keeping in mind the most difficult fights in the game (so Supreme Golem, Demo + EDE) - if I can manage those everything else is doable. But while reading your journal and looking at the crew + choices we do have "a clear ideological difference". In my games i tend to to max out exp, so my team is always geared towards endurance rather than immediate anhilation of all enemies - that's why I don't have a Kensai/RB with me (or very rarely do). To me, it feels like the most fun way to go through the game. And I end up with a maxed out crew that is superbly powerful, as the benefits (more exp and earlier exp + more money, more forging) start to compound.

And yup, there definitely is a clear path to developing your sorceress depending on the strategies you would like to utilize throughout the game. So no one supreme way, or the supreme way depends on one's overall strategy. But in a sense I think the arcane-superpowers are a little bit limited and the changes made in 7.0 seem to limit arcane powers even further. What I mean is that mage is a great for buffing your crew & de-buffing, but the choice of ruling out PO from multiple golem fightstakes away a big power gamer move that was completely done by arcane caster. Of course, arcane casters still have their role but I would not like to see the offensive side diminished further still.

I have no idea how to use Jan - It's Jan's classes that are hampered too much by IA to be very useful in the game. The supreme choices for thieves used to be Hexxat, Kensai/Thief and Swashbuckler/Mage (Swahbuckler/Fighter), but they don't work that well anymore and now there's Sibel, who's probably by far the most powerful NPC and whom also handles thieving so taking Jan is a big negative tradeoff. Maybe Jan should be a F/T/Illusionist, that could possibly work very well.

[nicoper]

journal updated tag update 4
End is near
Very nice new fights, put one big spoiler, be warned, if you take Sibel for the first time, I advise you not to read to keep the fun and pleasure of discovery

[bulian]

Congrats on the progress! I might have missed it but what did you choose for your

SPOILER!

Greater Wishes from the djinni flask towards end of SoA

[Sikret]

SPOILER!

Without Virtus Arcanis alive, dragon is permanently under pfmw, so invulnerable to weapons

His Remove Magic spells are superb, but did he die in any of your attempts?

[nicoper]

@bulian
SPOILER!

Still wondering which to chose, just sure one will be kept for EDE, protection against electrical discharge

@Sikret
SPOILER!

In one attempt where I had a early chunk, I left Virtus and golem alone to see what happens, Virtus died and golem was powerless against dragon even if golem did not die

This post has been edited by nicoper: Jul 1 2024, 11:58 AM

[Sikret]

SPOILER!

Kudos to Greater Dracolich! LOL Killing Virtus is an impossible mission. The fact that Virtus didn't manage to win alone shows that everything in this quest makes a lot of sense. Lawrence Amberville sacrificed Andrias first to learn how Virtus fights and made himself immune to his special Crushing Hand spell, then he sacrificed the rest of his family to become highly resistant to crushing damage (this takes the leather golem out of the equation). His strategy could work if it wasn't for Sibel and her companions.

[nicoper]

A question (a bit spoilerish so between brackets) for dev team

SPOILER!

In EDE I just had 2 rak spawns (3 noble and 6 horrid total), is it intended?

Regarding journal, I wait for some fights left to publish, those fights being SPOILER!

Demogorgon and Melyssan improved

[Sikret]

A question (a bit spoilerish so between brackets) for dev team

SPOILER!

In EDE I just had 2 rak spawns (3 noble and 6 horrid total), is it intended?

SPOILER!

I think so. It is toned down a bit. Also, raks won't begin to spawn as long as the three big golems are around.

[nicoper]

SPOILER!

I think so. It is toned down a bit. Also, raks won't begin to spawn as long as the three big golems are around.

Thanks Sikret

[nicoper]

Journal is over last update tag

Quite nice new features in V7/Sibel, thank you dev team

Now may be will think a bit about another party (with a necroprotag, I love mages and miss Limak and secondtravel to plane)

[Sikret]

Great Journal, nicoper!

Now may be will think a bit about another party (with a necroprotag, I love mages and miss Limak and secondtravel to plane)

Don't miss the new Wizard Slayer.

[SparrowJacek]

Congratulations! How did you like all the new stuff? Did you notice any significant balance changes?


This post has been edited by SparrowJacek: Jul 5 2024, 10:29 PM

[nicoper]

Congratulations! How did you like all the new stuff? Did you notice any significant balance changes?

Thanks Sparrowjacek

New stuff I really like, Druid quest and Sibel quest rejuvenate IA

Significant balance changes I noticed (excluding new V7/Sibel stuff), but remember I did not play for RL years..
- drow ambush (eastern one) very easy now
- Crystal in spellhold much easier (just one amber)
- Melissan a real late game fight now

Other things:
Shaman is quite powerful, as protag as well as party member I think so good balance
Sibel Cleric is really powerful, but balanced
Nice to have many new items to forge, lady elowen is a great add-on

Since every IA player has his wish list, here is mine:
- Greater wish +3 dex seemed very poor compared to other options, immunity to stun (if possible) would be an option I would consider
- Kensaï class should have forged items to match RB ones, my 2 cents: allow a ring+4 upgrade specific for kensaï that could be worn with another +4 ring, and have a boot recipe granting IH (like ranger boot of the woodlands)

[bulian]

I like the kensai item idea. You'd also mentioned a rework of the Hell encounter which is certainly something that has been on my list for a while.

Regarding Sibel, what items did you end up forging for her and what were the stats SPOILER!

on the Howard's gift gloves

?

[nicoper]

I like the kensai item idea. You'd also mentioned a rework of the Hell encounter which is certainly something that has been on my list for a while.

Regarding Sibel, what items did you end up forging for her and what were the stats SPOILER!

on the Howard's gift gloves

?

Hi Bulian

Items forged for Sibel (I spent a lot for the lady):
Amber ioun stone
glimmering amber amulet
arcanis family legacy
king of clubs
symbol of wisdom
fruitful attempt
shades of helm
howard's boot
howard's gloves

other: crom faer and supreme shelter
she also wears belt of +4 AC vs blunt

SPOILER!

+4 thac0 10% physical resist

[SparrowJacek]

Ahh, so your Sibel could still be more powerful than she was in your playthrough

Interesting, I tested Sibel as a Swash=>Fighter and she was performing MUCH better than Kensai. Out of the three, Kensai, RB and Sibel, Kensai had by far the worst kill rate, I wonder why was that...

[nicoper]

Ahh, so your Sibel could still be more powerful than she was in your playthrough

So I have to make another run to find out

Interesting, I tested Sibel as a Swash=>Fighter and she was performing MUCH better than Kensai. Out of the three, Kensai, RB and Sibel, Kensai had by far the worst kill rate, I wonder why was that...

In fact, Since RB and Kensaï need healing most of the time, I used Sibel as a back row healer very often (too often, I was too cautious), if I had to replay same run, she would be used fighting a lot more so her kills would be much higher. As a dual swash/fighter, now that I have a bit of experience, I think she would be level with RB or Kensaï.
2H wielder Kensaï remains a beast, I wonder why yours is far below RB and Sibel, who were the other team members you used?

[SparrowJacek]

2H wielder Kensaï remains a beast, I wonder why yours is far below RB and Sibel, who were the other team members you used?

That's how I used my Kensai, but RB's axe is just too busted, giving him damage boost similar to Kensai while keeping much higher APR due to dual wielding.

My party was very highly melee oriented:
- Shaman protagonist
- RB
- Kensai
- Jaheira (Avenger)
- Sibel (Swash(9)=>Fighter)
- Neera (Sorceress)

[nicoper]

2H wielder Kensaï remains a beast, I wonder why yours is far below RB and Sibel, who were the other team members you used?

That's how I used my Kensai, but RB's axe is just too busted, giving him damage boost similar to Kensai while keeping much higher APR due to dual wielding.

My party was very highly melee oriented:
- Shaman protagonist
- RB
- Kensai
- Jaheira (Avenger)
- Sibel (Swash(9)=>Fighter)
- Neera (Sorceress)

Apart Sibel cleric and not fighter, I wanted at first the same party than yours, estimated one sorceress was not enough but looks like you did manage with just one sorceress.

Punching power of this (yours) party is awesome!

[pekkae]

Why are you using Kensai as a 2-handed weapons specialist?

I've played through a few times with a Kensai but I always dual-wield with water's edge off-hand (so 10 apr under ih). This is one brutally effective character.