@moopy: Ankhegs are 925 or 975xp. Can't remember, but I was just fighting them. It's over 900.
Still, that's a good call on the Winter Wolves to warm up with Antipode.
Also, Khorax gives xp even if you do nothing. He counts as a party member. It's pretty awesome. I did that exact thing last night (BGEE). Solo shapeshifter run. Took him to the basilisks. Didn't think to buy a mirror eyes potion, so I just kept the ghoul at the edge of my vision circle and let the basilisks pull him. I didn't so much as see a basilisk on screen until it was dead. No attacking for this pup!
Didn't really know what I was doing. Only got 4 kills. But still, in a solo run, it was a HUGE help. Gave me more than enough oomph to take out the mage at the FAI. And now that I've experienced the Awesome that is Ankheg killing...there's a chance this doggie's gonna get a lot bigger real soon.
Thanks all. Ankhegs are toast when using command. Sleep is ok but I am using neera and I'm not sure if they are saving or she is weirding out the spells. Command seems to give you a better chance to knock em down. Using a halforc barb so can carry five shells per trip. Ankheg armor and buckler of regen (19con+1) ftw!! Never released commands potential low level, really cool spell.
Apart from weight, Full Plate is still *much* better than Ankheg armour (though low strength characters can't use it, e.g. Viconia, who I always put in the Ankheg Armour, or the +2 chain), not just for the slightly better base AC, but the much better modifiers it gets versus piercing and other weapon types.
@oxford_guy I'm not 100% sure but I believe ankheg is the best armour for barbarians and Druids. Though i could be corrected. For fighters full plate is superior to anything else as you have said. I hope I can make two sets of ankheg, one for me and one for Viccy until I can bump up her strength. I think Viccy benefits the most from str enhancements as she can be a pretty strong rearguard when equipped with full plate and large shield.
@certus: I am glad you found out the awesomeness of the Command spell. Cast time of 1 + no save, but only for creatures <6HD. Ankhegs probably just make the cut.
@oxford_guy I'm not 100% sure but I believe ankheg is the best armour for barbarians and Druids.
I think I read somewhere recently that Druids still can't wear Ankheg armour in BGEE (except Fighter/Druids), I've no idea about Barbarians (or Beastmasters), but I might do some tests, as am intrigued!
Though i could be corrected. For fighters full plate is superior to anything else as you have said. I hope I can make two sets of ankheg, one for me and one for Viccy until I can bump up her strength. I think Viccy benefits the most from str enhancements as she can be a pretty strong rearguard when equipped with full plate and large shield.
Indeed, and slings get the strength bonus for damage (as do throwing axes and knives, but slings are the only launcher + ammo combo that get the Str damage bonus), which would help her (especially when hasted, LOL!)
@certus: I am glad you found out the awesomeness of the Command spell. Cast time of 1 + no save, but only for creatures <6HD. Ankhegs probably just make the cut.</p>
Command is my favourite Level 1 cleric spell (and Druids miss out on it), even more than Doom and Bless
@Oxford-Guy: my favourite lvl.1 cleric spell is by far, Sanctuary. But that might be because I solo a lot. Command fills the rest of my slots early on, later replaced by Doom (which in game has a casting time of 1, instead of 1 round as per the description). In BG2 for the longest battles, I also use Armor of Faith a lot. Bless, sometimes in pre-buff if I have a melee-heavy party - but it takes ages to cast.
@Oxford-Guy: my favourite lvl.1 cleric spell is by far, Sanctuary. But that might be because I solo a lot. Command fills the rest of my slots early on, later replaced by Doom (which in game has a casting time of 1, instead of 1 round as per the description). In BG2 for the longest battles, I also use Armor of Faith a lot. Bless, sometimes in pre-buff if I have a melee-heavy party - but it takes ages to cast.
As long as you can scout out what looks like a tough encounter beforehand (which a thief or ranger or invisible or sanctuaried character can usually easily do), then it doesn't really matter how much time it takes to cast buffing spells like Bless and Chant, which are relatively long-lasting
@Oxford_Guy: those are not long-lasting, that is the issue! Bless lasts 6r and Chant slightly longer with 1t (or 10r). Both take 1 full round to cast. It is a pain, because they are not going to be the only pre-buffs (they are more in fact, the icing on the cake). So either you start pre-buff with those, but then they will last for the couple opening rounds of the fight; or you end-up your pre-buffs with them, but that means the other earlier pre-buffs you have cast better have a much longer lasting time than these two... which quite often is not the case. Of course, if you run muliple clerics in the same party, then this is not so much an issue anymore.
@oxford_guy I stand corrected. Ankheg armour is not usable by barbs or Druids:( oh well. Found some chain+1 on travels though so not all bad. Been pretty good fun being ankheg farmer though lol. Even had that ranger girl around the nests tell you how to do it 'environmentally' lol. Developers must have had that as a possible early path as its not impossibly hard with the right spells and party. Viccy comes with command memorised off the bat when you get her so it is nice travel to her then the farms. I would say I had forgotten how good this game is if I hadn't been looking for something similar since its release ten+ years ago. Sadly not many have come to close in that period though.
Comments
Still, that's a good call on the Winter Wolves to warm up with Antipode.
Also, Khorax gives xp even if you do nothing. He counts as a party member. It's pretty awesome.
I did that exact thing last night (BGEE). Solo shapeshifter run. Took him to the basilisks. Didn't think to buy a mirror eyes potion, so I just kept the ghoul at the edge of my vision circle and let the basilisks pull him. I didn't so much as see a basilisk on screen until it was dead. No attacking for this pup!
Didn't really know what I was doing. Only got 4 kills. But still, in a solo run, it was a HUGE help. Gave me more than enough oomph to take out the mage at the FAI.
And now that I've experienced the Awesome that is Ankheg killing...there's a chance this doggie's gonna get a lot bigger real soon.
I don't believe so. You can make one, and you can find one in Nashkal in a field on the left side of the map. So only 2 total for a game.