The Boots of Preserving are an extremely powerful item. It provides immunity to backstabs an dispelling effects (such as Khelben’s Warding Whip, Breach, True Sight, and Dispel Magic). I don’t think they should ever be used on an arcane caster at all. This includes thieves with HLAs using arcane scrolls to buff themselves with buffs meant to be self-only (like Tenser’s Transformation). The arcane caster already has access to immunity to abjuration and spell shield, and really shouldn’t have the further protection allowed by these boots. The fighter-mage types are so much more powerful than other characters in IA that I see the Boots of Preserving to be a valid item *to establish character class balance*. Thetruth already suspects that a fighter-mage could possibly solo IA! I wonder what a party of them could do... The boots of preserving would really boost the power of ranger-clerics (or other divine casters). Even so, I believe that these classes would still lag behind the power of fighter-mages. Even less abusive would be to add the boots to a pure fighter or a thief (a thief not using self-only buffs from scrolls). I chose that route as the kensai is my protagonist. Once again, I still would bet money on arcane casters over any other class, even when that class was wearing these boots. Layene was scary with double length duration time stop with improved alacrity and a quickly emptied spell book! My own sorcerer will take care of her.

You don’t have to pick up the boots as soon as possible. (You can’t until Watcher’s Keep opens anyway.) I got them at level 26. The Pontifex fight required a reload. Previous strategies don’t work. The old tactics components have become much more difficult because they now use Sikret’s scripts! If you want another nice challenge, I recommend installing this component. You don’t have to pick up any item at all from the fights - thetruth doesn’t. And the XP that you earn really is only a very small percentage of the XP that you will earn completing IA.

If Sikret judges these boots to be a bit powerful, I request that he make a pair that are more balanced. I think even a pair of boots for only fighters that allow the casting of immunity abjuration and spell shield once a day would be nice, or something more simple like 20 rounds of immunity to Breach, Remove Magic, and Dispel Magic.

Personally, I think the Boots of Preserving are fine as they are for a fighter. It’s not like you will be getting them very early any way. I may change my mind after using them for a while, however. Personally, I use them like a buff prior to character-known tough battles. Meanwhile I wear the Sikret’s boots of improved haste! Of course, I realize that the boots of preserving are not necessary to win. After all, I survived until Level 26 without them.

Combining the Boots of Preserving and the Judgment Day sword results in an extremely powerful character, and should probably be avoided. This combination is probably more powerful than going the evil route and allows you to legitimately face the tough optional encounter. However, the Flail of Defending and Wounding (FDW) does allow more raw damage and in combination with evil responses can allow you up to 30% more resistance to physical damage – at the very end of the game. Using Judgment Day sword and Defender of Easthaven gives you a bonus 15% physical resistance for most of the game compared to FDW and evil responses. The problem I have with this is that I believe the Judgment Day sword is too much of a good thing. I’m afraid that it would become a serious crutch to my play. FDW may be another item that is too much, but at least its defensive ability is not quite as extreme. The Judgment Day sword can even protect you from magic (Mirror Image, Globe of Invulnerability, Spell Turning, etc.) which is the bane of every pure fighter. For this reason, I’m presently inclined to skip using the Judgment Day sword. I will probably give myself the money to purchase the scrolls and pay for the forging of this sword, but I will NOT use the sword. I will forge the sword simply to face the optional encounter (although I won’t be surprised if I require tactical help then). I hope you don’t have to wield the sword in order to trigger the encounter…

While advancing my tactical skill, my goal is to finish with as few reloads as possible. Once that happens, I will likely start dropping the use of powerful items. Thetruth completed IA without the use of any but stock game items (many which have been nerfed); so, I should be able to also do that eventually. I don’t think that I will go as far as thetruth did because I love neat gadgets, but those items that make my game too easy for me will not be used. I may also consider limiting the amount of XP that I accumulate, but am not sure on the best way to do that. I found the improved encounters of IA 4.2 to be very difficult with low level, poorly equipped characters, but pleasantly challenging as I gained experience and equipment.

An adjustment that I hope to see in future versions is less use of immunity-abjuration by foes in battles available in Chapter 2! Also, and I know I may be in a minority here, but I would like to see more of the side quest type battles made a little less difficult, and the boss battles (demon lords/princes, bohdi the second time, Irenicus in Chapter 6, dragons, demi liches, and stuff on that level of power) to be made *slightly* more difficult in some cases (some battles are plenty tough already!). In essence, demonstrate a clearer difference between mook battles and boss battles. Sidequests with plenty of storyline are always appreciated. Some day I will play RC and FM heroes to enjoy those new add-ons.

I agree, but still immunity to backstab and dispelling effects are too nice bonuses.
Plus IIRC those boots gave immunity to True Sight as well (Weimer has exaggerated with these boots ). And this immunity can be exploited waiting for the protections of enemy mages to expire.

But yes they are not so overpowered like they are on Mages.

On a R/C though they would be too powerful if you consider that he could always be protected by Ironskins (+ casting more from Wondrous Recall during battle).

I will take your word under advisement. As far as I'm concerned, their use on fighters are "probationary." If they make my game too easy, I'll sell them. I'll also consider not allowing Improved Invisibility or Mass Invisibility to be cast upon the wearer of the boots. I never use the exploit/tactic of waiting out protections. Hmmm, well I guess that's not true. The fighters did it all the time until I got Ruby Ray. They functioned as target practice for enemy spell casters.

...I'm really flip-flopping here. The kensai has awesome offense, but he is very fragile compared to the fighter-mage. I bet I'll be doing a lot of reloading without these boots to stick his protections. I've heard that sometimes you get more than one remove magic/encounter. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to be make things too easy on myself. I hope Sikret will offer a more balanced solution in version 5 over what the Pontifex mod has done.

Uh... so you basically wish that Sikret edits an item added by another mod? Or do you wish for an IA version of these boots?

If you had the former idea in mind I would forget about it. At least I wouldn't want to touch another modder's work. Well at least not before asking about his permission. Add the fact that you would have to install The Ritual to make this work at all.

Of course, I had in mind that IA would offer an item (not necessarily boots) that helped balance the fighter with the FM. Specifically, I had in mind that this item would do something to help spell protections not be removed from a fighter.

I wouldn't expect Sikret to change someone else's work. I just hope he offers a substitute. I may still play Pontifex. That was kind of cool. I may leave the ghetto booty and sell the nice stuff for Sikret upgrades instead.

Kensai are already the best class though, at least when supported by clerics and mages.

I assume you mean among fighters? If that's so, I think you may be right, but berserkers and barbarians are tough too. Of course, the high level morituri doesn't need baby sitting. If you are talking about overall classes, then the fighter-mage types are clearly the best in IA to me.

You may want to have a look at Riskbreaker kit too.

After further play with the Boots of Preserving, I have decided that they are not unbalancing when used by a fighter as I use them. Basically, I use the boots for a buff for tough battles and ordinarily wear Sikret's Boots of Improved Haste. My kensai never waits around for protections to wear off enemies either. The Boots of Preserving do add a valuable benefit, because the kensai is fragile without any spell protections. I still have to reload occasionally now, even well equipped and high level (but much less than early in the game). Hence, I wouldn't consider that the boots have made the game too easy for me.

I do believe that I could complete the game without the boots, because I made it to level 26 without them. I just think that success would require more reloads. I hate that. As my game improves, I may consider selling them in future games, for a little more challenge. I'll even consider doing so in this game once I can push my DR high enough that I don't get chopped apart by the opposition.

I've noticed that the Ancient Dragon is triple multiclass level 35. Many of Sikret's monsters in SoA are dual class of L25 or less. I'm actually wondering how often during the game that remove magic would strip the buffs from my kensai when they are from casters of level 26? Many variables would arise: Does the monster cast remove magic? Can it be baited to cast on someone away from the kensai? Is the monster high enough level for the spell to work if he does cast it? These boots would make more of a difference if you could get them at low level. I'll have to experiment further to judge the depths of benefit that these boots confer. I've decided to not use them at Level 31 unless I have to reload because my buffs were stripped and the kensai hero killed.

Sorry rbeverjr, but those cheesy boots don't deserve a topic in the forum. Using them is a "cheat" as they even violate the rules of the game (i.e. multiple SIs don't stack). Put them aside and face the challenges in their true and intended form. (I don't think that anyone is interested in reports about an item which doesn't even belong to this mod, but if anyone is interested in those boots, continue with them via PMs, please.)

OK, I defer to your judgment as the mod maker. I've used them on a few occasions for 5 levels and will not use them further. This is my last post on the subject then. Topic closed.

Thank you very much.

And where's this written? IIRC undead Solaufein kicked my ass because of his multiple SIs. Hmm, or maybe because I was sort of a tactical newbie back then

It was possible to have multiple SI's in the vanilla game. The only way then to dispell both was to chain contingency 3 ruby rays with condition enemy sighted.

In other words, if Sikret didnt remove SI stacking, to kill a mage, you have to

1. be able to cast lvl 9 spells
2. Kill all other enemies first to make sure chain contingency is triggered
on enemy mage.

You sure you want that?

Ah, just found it. I forgot that it's documented in the Fixes&Tweaks document and was added by IA