Vuki's experience with IA V5.0, Using a special party composition Options

[Vuki]

Yes, but it is more true for IA. In vanilla game I have never problem with my party. I usually played it in solo and therefore I have never problem with my party at all.

By the way, F/T seems to be really weak. Will he shine later on when he gets UAI and whirlwind attacks? He has a tendency to die, even much more often than my Kensai.

[critto]

By the way, F/T seems to be really weak. Will he shine later on when he gets UAI and whirlwind attacks? He has a tendency to die, even much more often than my Kensai.

He will. He just requires a bit more micromanagement. You might wanna consider trying some backstabing here and there, implementing different diversion tactics and such. He's not suited for the frontline, not yet
I had F/T in my last run. He was a bit of a pain at first too, but then he turned out okay. Ended up dual-wielding Hammer of Thor and Grandfather of Assassins for the most of the time. He was of a great help in EDE. You can also equip him with full-plate armor for some battles, when you don't need to rely on his thieving skills (use potions for invisibility, there are tons of them in IA). You can even have him wear the full plate always, taking it off only for lock-picking or trap disarming. Though, personally, I found that re-equipping technique to be very annoying when I had a swashi->cleric dual.

This post has been edited by critto: Jul 13 2009, 11:34 AM

[Vuki]

Yes, I feel the same, this re-equipping is very boring. It would be even more boring in real life.

[Vuki]

Does anybody know how I can get Ruby Ray in chapter 2/3? I needed it against Conster but I was not able to find any.

In the battle against Conster if I kill him before the 4th wave of Skeleton Lord appear will it stop appearing them? I would like to kill those 8 Lords but I would like to kick out Conster as soon as possible.

[critto]

Well, I think you can always find one scroll in the cell where Mazzy is being held. Sorcerous Amon from Mencar's party has several scrolls, and he won't use them if you won't use SI. Warden of Planar Prison should have several scrolls too.

This post has been edited by critto: Jul 15 2009, 05:05 AM

[lroumen]

The trick is to juggle your frontliners well enough.

I have 2 frontline fighters that I send into combat first. My F/T is generally hidden or if using a heavy armor, he's used an invisibility potion or spell (by a mage of course). Once the most important foes are battling the frontliners I sneak in for a backstab and then just continue to fight frontline with the F/T taking it out of the fight a few times to rehide or to tactically retreat and have the enemies refocus on the 2 frontliners.

My F/T is a halforc so it has a strength of 19 and a constitution of 19 which means it can take a few punches.


RRR: I always get mine from the warden, but you have to kill him fast enough or he uses them all.

[Vuki]

Thanks for you help! I have found one in Mazzy room and used it against Conster. Unfortunately one is not enough against him (he has a spell turning protection as well) but Power Word Stun worked wonderfully against him (after removing his spell turning protection). Unfortunatelly the last Lord killed my sorcerer permanently. So, I have to replay the fight again.

I have to learn how to use my F/T. My current tactic (I use him as a frontline warrior) is definitely not the best way.

This post has been edited by Vuki: Jul 20 2009, 10:00 AM

[Vuki]

Conster was easily done using the described tactics. I have found 5 Absoluty Immunity and 5 Ruby scrolls which is really amazing. The question is now: should I sell the 5 Abs. Imm. scroll or keep them for later usage? 15k gold would be really very nice but I will not sell them if I really need them. Or PfMW scrolls are enough and no need for AI?

This post has been edited by Vuki: Jul 20 2009, 09:02 PM

[lroumen]

I always felt that protection from magical weapons was a mistake at level 6. Mantle, improved mantle and absolute immunity do less for a wizard compared to the 6th level ability. It would have been more logical if PFMW only protected against +1 or +2 enchanted weapons.

Maybe they are good for in panic situations but I would just sell the scrolls and memorize the other appropriate spells instead (PFMW + Stoneskin gets you everywhere).

This post has been edited by lroumen: Jul 21 2009, 06:38 AM

[Vuki]

I think it would be reasonable that natural weapons (claws, fists, ...) that normally handled as magical would be handled as non-magical as well. So, they would hit if target is protected against only magical or only non-magical weapons but not both. However I am not sure if it is possible to do such a modification.

[Sikret]

There are already a few powerful creatures in IA against which PFMW isn't enough and you need the Absolute Immunity spell to be completely protected against their attacks.

[Vuki]

Is it possible to kill the Spider Queen in Watcher's Keep in Chapter 3? I tried it accidentally and I had absolutely no chance. However it could be that my tactics was wrong. Should I postpone it to chapter 6?

This post has been edited by Vuki: Jul 26 2009, 04:52 PM

[matti]

Impossible, imo. Tactics doesn't matter, your party is simply too weak in ch.3. You need +4 weapons to hit her, you need fighters with really good THACO, all your party members must be protected all the time against those vexing and lariat goodies which we all love so much. ;] She's very resistant to melee and just laughing in the faces of your mages.

[Vuki]

That was also my idea as well. I was a bit shocked when I saw that my kensai cannot hurt hert with Lilarcor. And was shocked again when my protagonist missed her even with high to-hit rolls.

Is there a protection against the spiders effects? I think Free Action helps against the web a little bit but not always. Or am I misleaded? It seems to me that I was not as often affected by the improved web when I was protected by Free Action as without it. Is there a way to be protected against the spiders ability draining effect?

This post has been edited by Vuki: Jul 27 2009, 07:20 AM

[Raven]

Is there a protection against the spiders effects? I think Free Action helps against the web a little bit but not always. Or am I misleaded? It seems to me that I was not as often affected by the improved web when I was protected by Free Action as without it. Is there a way to be protected against the spiders ability draining effect?

Free Action makes you immune to Improved Web but
SPOILER!

some of the spiders can remove Free Action when they hit you.

Nothing protects you against the spider ability draining but with a good enough AC (you don't even need that good an AC) the lesser spiders won't hit you that often. Having a good AC also helps with what I wrote in the spoiler tags above.

[Vuki]

Ok, thanks. I was aware of what you have written in the spoiler but I remembered that Free Action was still active even on characters that was affected by web. I am sure I do not remember properly.

[Vuki]

Is there any weapon that can be made from the Long Sword +4? As I see there is no upgrade for this weapon. Does it worth to forge? I doubt.

[critto]

No, there is no such weapon. Probably, was added so that the player would have an option of making a +4 slashing weapon for characters who are mostly proficient in Long Swords. The sword is hard to forge, but certainly easier than JD or The Truth or Hesperus.

This post has been edited by critto: Aug 11 2009, 02:58 PM