Aha, found him. It's the lich from Cernd's quest. No wonder I never saw him.
Got it, thanks! Me never saw him either 
I use the selected casters only option in SoA. I'm happy with that, although I would like to see the set of selected NPCs extended slightly.
Yeah, me too. And had no big problems so far. But again those their HLAs aren't innate at the moment. Anyway, I think, I could be able to handle them being switched to innate as well. Will see...
For me, the main problem with that component are Liches who gain a lot of level 9 spells "for free". Leads to both longish and sometimes boring battles. First get rid of Planetar, then whatever he gates in, survive through his DB/Comet yada yada..
For me, the main problem with that component are Liches who gain a lot of level 9 spells "for free". Leads to both longish and sometimes boring battles. First get rid of Planetar, then whatever he gates in, survive through his DB/Comet yada yada..
Yeah, that might be an issue. Since when I began to run SCS I mess with Liches (and with Randomizer's option //Kangaxx further sealed away// I can't open their sarcophagus early on even if I want to), Guarded Compound (Celestial Fury is also Randomized anyway) and Twisted Rune (same for Staff of the Magi) only after the Underdark. This way I have HLA myself at the moment I face those encounters so we are even with them.
Final update on Bertha
I did something very stupid. I gave Dragon eggs to the demon. With aTweaks, you get XP that way as well. But I've asked for "great power". Bertha instead gets hit by a Flamestrike.
Unfortunately, it seems that this Flamestrike is the same as the one that demon uses on Phaere - it kills you.
RIP Bertha.
@Aasim: Jonicus is seeking for power. We all know how this will end.... 
Oh no Aasim. I thought I was the only one that fell for those scripted deaths 
.
Sorry Corey, about Millen. It's been ages that a character of mine fell to a Maze (probably thanks to SCS), but I also remember Grond0's problems with it in vanilla.
Great run either way, and I agree with others that you've become a good arcane player! Best of luck with your Berserker->Thieves.
Great battle Alesia, at the Temple! Nice use of PW Blind on Brimstone.
Aasim, excellent progress. Is the Ultroloth (gated by Tolgerias I think) a new type of aTweaks demon, as per the latest version? Have never seen those before
Aasim, excellent progress. Is the Ultroloth (gated by Tolgerias I think) a new type of aTweaks demon, as per the latest version? Have never seen those before
It's not "new", it's gated by Neutral aligned casters. Here's some info on him. He's much weaker than a Balor or Pit Fiend in combat, but causes mayham if unchecked (its a level 9 Gate spell summon, so it's still powerful).
Progress is awesome! I found a way to die I never experieced before! Does it get any better than that? 
It's been years since I've killed the rakshasas. I don't fight the djinni's because they're easier, but because I like Adratha's potion shop. Adratha has a great inventory.
Best,
A.
Is it possible to visit Adratha before getting the quest to kill her, and then come back?
Wow, I didn't know about this either. After poking around in the files, it seems that the 1000 gold bribe will only succeed if you have 17 or more charisma. If you have 17 or more intelligence, you can get out of paying entirely ("So the honor of your house has a value in gold? Perhaps I should tell the Matron Mothers about the price of your respect.")
Another obscure corner of the game that I learned some time ago is that if you tell Firkraag that you are back to kill him while Edwin is in your party, you get a charisma check that results in Edwin telling you that you are crazy and leaving permanently if you fail it. I'm not sure what the requirements are, but having 18 from the ring never failed in testing, but having low charisma led to a departure.
Is it possible to visit Adratha before getting the quest to kill her, and then come back?
Yes. But her inventory is large. I never have enough gold to buy her out at that time. You can't steal from her.
Visiting Adratha is one of the last things I do before leaving SoA.
Best,
A.
Condolences, Aasim.
That's awful.
Best,
A.
Great battle Alesia, at the Temple! Nice use of PW Blind on Brimstone.
Thanks!
The PW:B didn't help much against the Brimstone, actually, since Imoen finished him soon after.
PW:Bs were helpful against Yaga-Shura though.
Best,
A.
Guest_GrimJim_*
RIP Millen and Bertha.
The only time I remember seeing a ranged maze cast was from Abazigal. He doesn't have a special version of it, so that explanation's out. I wouldn't be surprised to learn it's an issue related to his large footprint.
Another obscure corner of the game that I learned some time ago is that if you tell Firkraag that you are back to kill him while Edwin is in your party, you get a charisma check that results in Edwin telling you that you are crazy and leaving permanently if you fail it. I'm not sure what the requirements are, but having 18 from the ring never failed in testing, but having low charisma led to a departure.
I looked into this and you only need 9 charisma to keep Edwin in that situation.
Part 14: Jim vs. Some Old Friends
Jim gives his apprentices their next task before heading after Bodhi. Tanova becomes yet another mage to regret not taking abjuration immunity.
Bodhi said that she found their last fight educational, but apparently she's a poor student.
Jim then goes on a whirlwind scroll and potion buying tour before heading out to slay some dragons. Thaxll first.
My clever plan was to use a 3x wilting contingency triggered on hit and targeted on the nearest enemy. Jim sets it off with a sunfire but since Thaxll hadn't actually turned hostile yet, the contingency fizzled. At least he still had enough firepower in his book to finish the job.
I vow to not make the same mistake against Firkraag and end up making a different one instead. Jim buffs with a fire resistance potion and protection from energy before challenging Firkraag via conversation. This time around the contingency gets triggered by wing buffet and since Firkraag immediately chases after Jim, the wiltings miss him completely. Firkraag has more health than Thaxll so this one ended up being a little closer, but Jim gets a another trophy for his mantle.
The Twisted Rune will be next followed by some Watcher's Keep. I want Jim to be level 31 before taking on Kangaxx.
(Smarter dragons and spellcasting demiliches were two of the few creature improvements I installed, so Kangaxx will be a real fight.)
Aphril, Elven Sorcerer: Yaga-Shura (or Worst Day Ever)
I've had bad days. You've had bad days. We've all had bad day. But I don't think any of us has ever had a day as bad as the one Yaga-Shura just had. Yaga-Shura's bad day was epically bad: As bad as bad gets.
The buffs for this fight were the party standards with modest adjustment. Defensive Hit: Contingencies were taken all around. We had some special purpose Sequencers and Triggers, too.
Ok. Stage one. The party arrived at the Siege Camp running their long duration buffs. They immediately cast SI:D.
Imoen sent Yaga packing with a Chromatic Orb.
She then vanished and rejoined the team. The crew regrouped to layer in their short duration buffs.
Perfect timing: Aphril has Improved Alacrity up and running as Yaga and the Lieutenants arrive. Everyone takes ProMW. Aphril pulls a Teleport Field x 3 Sequencer
I paused and thought long and hard about whether I wanted to tag the Lieutenant Mage with a quick PW:S. My conclusion was: No, definitely not. But my mouse click finger had other ideas. This hardly matters at this stage of the game: it's one PW:S now, or three Ruby Rays a little later- same result. Still, I wish I had let her get her buffs up.
The Lieutenant Mage did, at least, get her specific protections up, allowing her to survive the Skull Trap assault.
Acid damage from COrbs and MAAs finished her.
With the Lieutenants down, save the Lieutenant Fighter, it was time to hand off to Imoen. Get it Imoen!
Imoen finished the last of the Lieutenants with Black Blade of Disaster backstabs and then went to work on Yaga. With Ascension Yaga's formidable resistances, Imoen's BBoD strikes could do little damage, but Imoen had something ready just for him: 6 Ice Storms
Time resumed. Aerie brings her Ice Storms in to play. Imoen's PW:B lands. Adara pulls her Teleport Field Sequencer. Yaga is now blinded in a quadruple triple Ice Storm while swirling around in a sextuple Teleport Field. Worst. Day. Ever.
By the time the Ice Storms died down, Yaga was at Badly Injured.
Seeking to avoid disruption by Yaga Fire Storm, the party abandoned the Teleport Field and fell back to the bridge. Adara was ready to cast: it was her turn to take over. Bring the pain Adara!
Against Yaga, cold damage is preferred. In the absence of cold spells, spells with multiple hits, such as MM and MAA, are reasonable choices. During her Wish- I wish for control over time, Adara unloaded her L1s, L2s and Energy Blades and then popped off four more Wishes before blinding Yaga again.
Yaga is at Near Death. And here come the Djinnis.
Look what we got.
And look what else we got: Wish buffed Tank of Doom. It was now Aerie's turn. Finish him Aerie!
Blinded, Yaga Shura wandered south.
But there was no refuge to be found: he was pinned behind the Wish-Buffed ProMW Tank of Doom with Aphril -running IA and fully loaded- firing away. Worst. Day. Ever.
But you know what? There's one good thing about bad days: they end.
We'll probably go for Sendai next.
Best,
A.
Aerie the Avariel Tank of Doom, L19/16 C/M: Kills- 489; XP Value- 27%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Hive Mother; Favorite Spell- Holy Smite; Favorite Weapon- Flail of Ages; Revivals: 0
Imoen the Quick, L7/20 T->M: Kills- 106; XP Value- 11%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Kangaxx the Demi-Lich; Favorite Spell- Stoneskins; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors; Revivals: 0
Adara the Bold, L22 Sorcerer: Kills- 455; XP Value- 28%; Most Powerful Vanquished- Bodhi; Favorite Spell- Invisibility; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors; Revivals: 1
Aphril the Almost Famous, L22 Sorcerer: Kills- 480; XP Value- 32%; Most Powerful Vanquished: Firkraag; Favorite Spell- Invisibility; Favorite Weapon- Melf's Minute Meteors
NW: Aerie is still the party kill leader, but Aphril has nearly caught up.
(Smarter dragons and spellcasting demiliches were two of the few creature improvements I installed, so Kangaxx will be a real fight.)
Best of luck with Kangaxx, GrimJim!
A.
Condolences Aasim I liked your Dwarven Fighter/Cleric. What happened?
Alesia_BH: solid as a rock again, granite! I'm totally confident that Aphril will enter the Hall of Heroes. Will leave the buts and ifs for to you deal with 
Keep up the good work GrimJim. Your current run is the first of yours that I'm following. So far Jim's looking very steady.
Alesia_BH: solid as a rock again, granite! I'm totally confident that Aphril will enter the Hall of Heroes. Will leave the buts and ifs for to you deal with
Thanks.
At outset, I said this run was all about the final Ascension battle. I didn't really expect anyone south of the Throne to challenge this party, barring foolish mistakes.
As for the Throne, Alicia's experience should be immensely helpful but that battle can be hard -very hard- on insane: double damage, Fallen Solars, an endless stream of demons. Without testing battle plans, it's a lot for any party to handle in no reload play- including Aphril's.
Optimistically, I put the odds at 50/50. We'll see how it goes.
Best,
A.
Condolences Aasim
Greed.
Guest_GrimJim_*
Thanks for the well wishes, Alesia and Blackraven. This update deserves a lot of coverage, so Kangaxx will have to wait till tomorrow.
Part 15: Jim vs. The Elemental Lich and The Twisted Rune
Jim's first target is the Elemental Lich in the Bridge District. For the first time I decide to take no chances with buffing. Jim uses improved alacrity to cast every buff he has and then wish for a fresh spellbook.
(Not pictured: the actual wish rest.)
Jim then challenges the lich and, for once, is impressed with his buff list: immunities to magical energy, acid, fire, AND abjuration along with a full suite of illusions. Well played, but I don't see divination immunity...
Unfortunately, I also don't see that Jim's improved alacrity has expired and he can't follow up. Knowing that the lich is about to cast time stop, Jim retreats.
The lich burns two time stops and an improved alacrity failing to kill the planetar. I'm not happy that Jim had to retreat, but now's not the time for risk taking. Jim casts improved alacrity and moves in for the breach. 5 ruby rays (just to be safe) clear the way.
The lich casts another protection from magical weapons, but another breach from Jim allows the planetar to finish him.
Jim sets a 3x death fog chain contingency triggered on sight and targeted at the nearest enemy. He then does the same wish rest trick and layers in a protection from acid green scroll.
The Twisted Rune fight was the first to make me genuinely nervous. I had practiced the fight a number of times in previous runs so I had a plan. On the other hand, there's always the potential for something unexpected to happen and in this fight the only way out is through. In any case, Jim arrives and immediately puts a planetar on the field.
As soon as Shangalar finishes his speech, Jim casts improved alacrity. The death fog contingency fires at his position near the entrance.
Priority one is to take down Vaxall. Jim's skull trap trigger and sequencer do the job.
Shangalar and the Elemental Lich must have been sharing notes as their strategy has the same issue: good buffs but no divination immunity. The planetar instantly casts true seeing and Jim goes to work.
Jim then power word: blinds Shangalar and sends more death fogs his way. At the end of it, all Shangalar can do is wander aimlessly through a six layer deep death fog. Hit the bricks, pal, you're done.
(Also: remove magic? Good freakin' luck.)
On to Layene. She only has 47 health, so Jim attempts to power word: kill her. It takes his remaining 4 ruby rays and a spell thrust to remove her spell immunities and dispel her.
But she counters with a trigger than includes spell deflection and Jim is out of ruby rays.
Shyressa dies one hit after this.
Plan B was to simply burn through the spell deflection, but after three power word:blinds and a power word: kill, she is neither blind nor dead.
(Later, Shangalar.)
Ultimately, though, this was worry over nothing. Her defenses are tapped, she's vulnerable to remove magic, and she's got a planetar trained on her.
(I just can't stop missing wiltings, it seems.)
Even without it's invisibility power, the Staff of the Magi is still an excellent prize.
Greed.
Sorry, I just saw your previous post. There's a lot of activity (and I'm not online as often as I'd want to), so I missed it.
Funny reply though 
Nice work with the Runies Grim Jim!
I'm glad you were able to take out Vaxal with your Skull Trap Sequencer. In our run he had erected Pro Magic Energy immediately.
Maybe proximity was the difference? We were closer to Shangalar's position when Vaxall arrived.
Or maybe he took difference buffs?
Best,
A.
(I just can't stop missing wiltings, it seems.)
Wilting is pretty annoying.
It's awesome in Chains -especially against static, unwary enemies- but it can fail in other applications. The casting time and projectile animation are too slow. It's very easy to miss.
Best,
A.
Guest_GrimJim_*
Nice work with the Runies Grim Jim!
I'm glad you were able to take out Vaxal with your Skull Trap Sequencer. In our run he had erected Pro Magic Energy immediately.
Thanks. I didn't install the the smarter beholders component so in my game he's just another beholder. If I had to debuff him before killing him it could have been a much trickier fight.
Modifié par GrimJim, 31 juillet 2015 - 11:34 .
Thanks. I don't have the smarter beholders component installed which would have turned him into an elder orb. If I had to debuff him before killing him it could have been a much trickier fight.
Got it. That makes sense.
Best,
A.
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