Astarta & party, current adventures:
Chateau Irenicus - completed without trouble. There are two Lesser Spirit Spiders inside, however they can be Emotion-alized and eliminated fast. Also, they are in separate groups.
Items inside are vanilla + the Golden Pantaloons. In this run, will try to assemble the pantaloon armor, just to try something new (maybe).
Level ups - Saros (8), Bane (8)
After emerging from the dungeon, the party fighters were armed like that:
Bane: +1 long sword, normal long sword off, RoP +1, Girdle of Bluntness
Saros: Two normal flails main and off-hand
Torham Zed: Two normal scimitars main and off, splint mail, Helm of balduran
Jack Sparrow: Quarterstaff +1
Completed the Circus tent. Killed the two Genies (the riddle one and the one before Kalah) for 10 000 additional xp (this must be done fast, they DD away quickly). Killed Kalah. Got the Girdle of Piercing.
From the Promenade: waited for the first Shadow Thief-Vampire night encounter, looted the battlefield (didn't interfere - wanna side with Bodhi after all), got a Contingency scroll (to be used later), and after selling almost all looted in Chateau Irenicus, bought the following items:
RoP +1
Amulet of protection +1
several containers
two Enchanted Weapon scrolls. Ups. Looks like PC doesn't know that 4th lvl spell, and it's essential. Erased Confusion and Wizard Eye just to learn this one.
a Sunfire scroll
Traveled to the slums. Talked to Gaelan, looted the containers in his home (using Knock for some of them). Didn't have enough money for a second Amulet from Aledrian's store, well, will return later. Bought the Gem bag still.
Copper Coronet: at present party levels, after proper buffing, the guards near the cells were wiped out fast (an additional +3 long sword created for Bane). Went forward, cleared the first animal cells, mages cleared the second sells from inside the first ones (MM, M's Acid Arrow). The Minotaur and the panther spotted the party (from the third row of beast cells). Retreated. Rested. Buffed and went outside. The Minotaur !!! followed. This is a known IA bug, have noticed it even in v5. The party, seizing the opportunity to deal with the powerful enemies separately (Beastmaster and Tabitha without Minotaur) quickly slew the beast.
Moreover, IA v6's improved Minotaurs each carry a +2 axe, which is an excellent off-hand weapon for the Ranger (he has * in axes after all).
Killed Corvale outside and Amalas inside for some extra xp.
Rested. With that party composition, healing is the major problem, since the party has to rely only on two Cure Light Wounds from the Bhaal powers of PC, and 2 CLW from the ranger's spells.
The beastmaster: Frankly, he and Tabitha should be an easy prey right now, but my mistake was that I forgot v6 Tabitha can't be harmed while the Beastmaster is alive, so PC and Alia wasted their Minor Sequencers with 2*MM each. The battle prolonged, but in the end, managed to slay Tabitha without wasting any Healing potions, although the two Riskbreakers were heavily injured. Magic Missiles saved the day.
Loot: A +1 Buckler (for the Assassin), a +3 Club (for the Ranger), a cloak and ring +1 (for Bane), Magical Flower Seeds, some gems, the key.
Freed Hendak. Having worked about 5 500 gp, decided to check Bernard's improved store (bought only a scroll case from the old display). And there it was - the best possible weapon for Saros at present. A cheap (3 400 gp I think), +2 morningstar, with an additional bonus on hit - the Sleeper. +2 flails (there are two such items sold in the Promenade) have their damage mixed up (1d6 +2 - should be 1d6 +3), but this is vanilla bug, and those flails also cost 5 000 gp each. However, the Sleeper's special ability is useful, especially if the target is attacked after Malison.
Okay. So it's 'not enough minerals' once again. No amulet. Looted the remainer of the Copper Coronet, killed Llynis for the teddy bear. Traveled to the bridge, still not disturbed by any ruffians.
The merchant's estate is the main thing of interest right now. Looted the 2nd floor, but paid dearly in blood. No one killed, but several heavily injured. But at least obtained some potions, a good amount of gold (from the safe), a +1 enchanted Flail for Saros' off-hand weapon, a regular suit of plate for the ranger. Decided to leave the lower floor untouched for now (there is only one emerald and more guards to kill after all). Visited Five Flaggons, took Raelis' quest to free Haer'dalis, looted the place. Also exposed Reijek (didn't report to the authorities yet), and looted his house. Looted also another house for the Horn of Valhalla. Sold the extra loot, bought a Potion of Clarity at the local temple.
Rested until healed, met with the second Vampire-thief group, killed them for some items & scrolls. Made two enchanted +3 long swords, using the Enchanted Weapon scroll with the sorceress. Traveled to the slums (still undisturbed) and bought a +1 amulet from Aledrian. Also cast Contingency from scroll (prepared Remove Magic on see enemy). Traveled to the City Gates.
Intercepted by Suna Seni. Armaments for this battle:
Saros: The Sleeper +2, Flail +1, RoP +1, amulet +1, Girdle of Bluntness
Bane: Long Sword +3 main and off-hand, two RoP +1, amulet +1, Cloak +1 Girdle of Piercing
Torham Zed: Plate mail, Club +3 main, Axe +2 off, Helm of Balduran
Buffs are dispelled at start of combat. At the same time, enemy buffs trigger, those include Haste for the entire enemy party. PC's remove Magic from Contingency kicked in almost immediately, dispelling the buffs on Suna seni, the assassin and a fighter (but not Eldarin). Jack Sparrow summoned berserk warrior from the horn, however a bit too late, since the enemy fighters chased after Torham. Torham and the two riskbreakers each drank an Oil of Speed (chateau irenicus has 3, all consumed for this fight), while the two mages concentrated their Minor Sequencers on the priest in order to disrupt his Greater Command. Successful, and the priest was slain fast by the fighters, which afterwards dispersed. Enemy mage's Chaos spell was targeted on Torham, which is why he used the Potion of Clarity, being far-far away from all party members. Berserk warrior, being untargeted, attacked the enemy mage, whose illusions were dispelled by Jack Sparrow the assassin. Alia Breached him, while Astarta cast Malison. Torham was circling around, because enemy fighters were chasing after him. Still, he and the riskbreakers spared a few seconds to slay the enemy Assassin. Suna seni then went for the sorceress, and even scored a hit. The sorceress cast Stone Skin, and both mages retreated. Fighters killed the mage, when Astarta cast Emotion (rendering Eldarin and the other fighter asleep), followed by Hold Monster (Suna Seni held, the sword protects her only from Hold Person), completing the fight.
Another RoP +1 won here, Arbane's sword +2, a plate +1 for Torham, and lots of +1 enchanted weapons and armor (and some non-enchanted ones). Also, a bunch of Invisibility potions from enemy assassin.
At present levels and with present equipment, overally, the battle is much easier compared to a starting party, which is no surprise. Nobody was even badly injured.
Back to the Slums - rested - traveled to graveyard day-time (don't have enough gold to draw Bodhi's attention, but won't risk it to travel to the graveyard at night, not before joining sides with her), created only one +3 Longsword (won't waste any more gold on Enchant Weapon scrolls), traveled to the Docks, thus triggering Rylock's assassins fight.
This group is much easier than Suna Seni one, but still not a pleasant fight. Buffs are once more dispelled at start of combat, and this time the priest is too far away for quick melee hits. Moreover, the party has no more oils of speed. Separated Torham from the rest of the party, and he ate both the Greater Command (save) and Chaos (failed save) spells. Enemy fighters (just 2 of them, and pathetic ones) surrounded him, the cleric also joined, but Alia cast Haste, and the riskbreakers quickly eliminated the cleric, next the fighters. In the meantime, the enemy mage managed to cast a few spells (even harming Bane seriously), but he was alone, and fell fast.
Kept a stoneskined mage near Torham, just in case he tried to attack anyone from the party until Chaos wears off.
From here on, will be short:
Docks - completed Xzar's quest, after killing the Spectral Harpists inside and looting all containers (used 2*Master Thievery potions to do so). Riskbreakers hit lvl 9, one chose fifth star in Longswords, the other in flails.
Killed Lucette (the Harper that did in Xzar) for 4 000 additional xp.
Renal and Mae'var - completed the quest with ease, no big trouble from either Rayic(rep drops by 1) or Mae'var. Bought another ring +1 from Gorch, and 2 Freedom potions too. Accepted the guild after first looting all containers in Mae'var's and Shadow thieves guildhalls.
Killed the Fallen Paladins in the Bridge district. Anarg drops a Laeral's tear necklace.
Traveled around the city, took many quests. Traveled to Watcher's keep, scouted on the enemy groups via Farsight, killed several less frightening groups (a stone golem, a group of shadows to the left). There are 4 Noble Trolls in the central area, and a big group of scary golems + lesser improved Undead in the fireplace room. Withdrawed.
Killed Renal Bloodscalp. He and a goon of his both drop a +1 protective cloak. By doing so, also obtained the Short Sword of Backstabbing +3 (which Renal doesn't give away provided that the guild offer is accepted).
Somewhere in this mix the ranger got a level up, he's now 10th.
Traveled to the Graveyard district, returned teddy bear, sided with Bodhi. Mae'var's guild (strange as it may seem) is still non-hostile, and still working. Frankly, took it only for the shop, not because of the profit (it has been anyway nerfed in v6 to be very little).
Hopefully after completing Bodhi's tasks, the party mages will hit lvl 12, which is crucial to start xp and gold exploiting.
Edit: Completed Bodhi's second task (freed a spy), and the mages hit level 12. Picked Improved Haste for the sorceress, bought some sixth-level spell scrolls for PC. Starting the xp exploit...up to 2 million xp for PC, which will take some time.
Modifié par saros_shadow_follower, 02 juin 2012 - 07:45 .
. Item immunities are great, but you need to know what's coming, which is not always possible in combat. Buffs can provide protection at the start of the combat, but leave you horribly exposed when dispelled. Admittedly the extent of this danger depends on your game set-up - dispel magic type spells are far less common in vanilla than with SCS for example.
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