Tips on surviving an early Coast Road ambush??

Eadwyn_G8keeper

I am interested in what are some of your expert go-to tactics when waylaid by bandits on Coast Road with a low-level party, the sorts of things you make sure to prepare when trying for a minimal reload run and at least 3+ Party members. Potions? 1st level spells? No armor for a F/M or F/M/T Charname? Turn off the AI?


Last night I survived one of those quite nicely [10 Bandits and @6 Wild Dogs] with a Level 2-3 party of 4:

. Charname: 92pt Elf-FMT lvl 1/1/2 -11HP~ in Plate Mail w/2 Sleep memorized, Wand of Lightning. . Comp. Bow (spec) Girdle of Bluntness. [Charname's Thief points have all been put into Stealth.]
. Jaheira 2/2 -23HP ~in Ankheg Mail and Shield with +1Sling and Darts. 2 Entangles and 2 CLW
. Khalid Level 3 -37HP ~ in Plate Mail with Longsword (Mastr) Comp. Bow (Pro) Unshey's Ogre belt
. Imoen Level 3 -22HP ~ in Studded Leather with Shortbow.

Everyone had 2 or more HlthPotions and 1 Antidote quick-slotted. I do not know what other Potions were slotted but that might be something to work on in future.

I would like to say I ignored the Wild Dogs instead of essentially wasting my first salvo but 'taint so. Probably because I am used having a full party with Kivan on board. After that initial mistake, instead of resigning myself to a Reload, I decided to try for a break-out.

Immediately after that first salvo was launched and the Bandits had deigned to appear I paused to consider a strategy. Note: My game does not allow going into Inventory while game is Paused.

First, I rearranged the Party order so that Charname [AC -2]and Khalid [AC 0] would be the rearguard. The Party moved briefly Northward in square formation with Imoen, the only real squishy, in front right.
Jaheira just couldn't get it into gear and lagged way behind, some 3-4 meters for no reason at all!! -Oy!!

Paused game again and targeted everyone on the last Bandit on the NE, ignoring the dogs altogether.
Jaheira took @12pts damage but the Bandit went down. Paused game. Jaheira gulped a potion while Charname, Khalid and Imoen tried for a twofer on the Northwestern-most bandit.

Paused game again as soon as "Jaheira gulps"shows on screen to get her moving forward and Paused again as soon as the trio fired off their round [Bandit survived].

At that point I simply aimed for the wheel icon on Northern map edge and let the chips fall where they might.
Jaheira took another hit but thankfully the game was very forgiving in granting me a speedy exit to Beregost even before the full party was actually in the "gathered" condition.

What might have been better was: A) getting the Party moving in re-arranged order immediately [if I plan to attempt a breakout] with targeted directions to avoid poor path-findings. Using Wand of Lightning on one of the 2 breakout-point bandits while Jaheira, Khalid and Imoen target the other. I know there is one waylay, when you are at the edge of a cliff in a valley, where using the Wand of Lightning even in the great outdoors can be fatal. C) Giving each ranged attacker 5-10 expensive Bullets, Darts or Arrows +1 which are routinely equipped before exiting map edges.

What are your favorite tricks-of-the-trade? Does making a run for it usually work out or was I just lucky this time?? [Note: Solo run tactics are a whole different ballgame from what I want to learn about. Maybe next year.]

CrevsDaak

I use Sleep as most times I play an Arcane spellcaster, or buy the wand.
OR
You can run away as soon as you see them.

Eadwyn_G8keeper

@CrevsDaak When I was waylayed, getting Wand of Sleep was my next agenda after having completed certain complicated transactions in Nashkel.

Blackraven

Very interesting question. These ambushes can be outright deadly. It has become a habit for me to travel with Invisibility 15' Radius on my party, even in BG2. It lasts 24 hours. It can be difficult to come by that spell unless you've got a Fairy Dragon Familiar (meaning that you have to play CG) and/or pick it as a Sorcerer spell.
In my current game, my Beast Master has the Fairy Dragon Familiar, Dynaheir is edited as a Sorceress. Invisibility 15' Radius and Haste are her only lvl 3 spells so far.

With no inivisbility, I normally run, unless I play a bulky heavily armored (Plate Mail) warrior, but that's uncommon.

Eadwyn_G8keeper

I wonder if there is a mod designed for a 1st level spell called something like 'Fog' or 'Smoke' which gives a penalty to all ranged attacks and a bonus to Stealth within a limited radius. That certainly would fit IMHO with all kinds of Magical traditions. Come to think of it that would be a fine addition to low-level Druid-only spells.

It would also work as an Oil that Thalantyr sells. An oil that might also be found in the Ulcaster Dungeon.

@Blackraven Dynaheir seems much more like a Sorceress in her on-screen presence. Her body language is very strong. Compare it, for example to the way that Jaheira is habitually huntched forward, very bad posture for a warrior in any culture. Dynaheir on the other hand walks like a gymnast!

Blackraven

the Dark Side of the Sword Coast (which I think is in the process of being made EE-compatible) has a spell called Globe of Darkness. It works like the Drow innat ability, creating a sphere of impenetrable darkness around the target. I think it's single target though, so not too useful against mobs.

Re: Dynaheir, I'm aware that she's learned, scholarly (which goes more with Mages), and still her accent, her appearance, her grace, her presence as you say make me see her as a Sorceress. I didn't know about Jaheira's posture, almost never have her around. Next time, I'll check this

Gallowglass

I reckon a level 3 party can usually defeat the 10-bandit ambush (although I've never seen it happen with the Wild Dogs as well). If a mage can get off a Sleep spell to knock out half the circle of the bandits (which is often possible because it casts fast), then the other bandits waste time re-arranging themselves to encircle the party again, which gives you a chance to pick off the ones still conscious before they kill you, although probably you'll still take some damage.

If you get this ambush whilst you're still level 1 or 2, and therefore have very few HP to survive an enemy hit or two, then it's probably time to cast Power Word: Reload.

elminster

Blackraven said:

Very interesting question. These ambushes can be outright deadly. It has become a habit for me to travel with Invisibility 15' Radius on my party, even in BG2. It lasts 24 hours. It can be difficult to come by that spell unless you've got a Fairy Dragon Familiar (meaning that you have to play CG) and/or pick it as a Sorcerer spell.
In my current game, my Beast Master has the Fairy Dragon Familiar, Dynaheir is edited as a Sorceress. Invisibility 15' Radius and Haste are her only lvl 3 spells so far.

With no inivisbility, I normally run, unless I play a bulky heavily armored (Plate Mail) warrior, but that's uncommon.

Unfortunately that familiar doesn't grant invisibility 10' radius in BGEE (just bg2). It has mirror images in BGEE.

Blackraven

@elminster, I just read this post of yours. I see that all the famililars were 'toned down' for BGEE. That's unfortunate indeed, if understandable (the BG2 Familiars were never designed for BG1).

So in conclusion, in BGEE the strategies to be used are casting Sleep, running, or (with good AC) fighting the ambushers. When solo'ing the level 2 spell Invisibility is still very useful. It's the first spell I normally buy with a Mage character.

Eadwyn_G8keeper

Blackraven said:

@elminster, I just read this post of yours. I see that all the famililars were 'toned down' for BGEE. That's unfortunate indeed, if understandable (the BG2 Familiars were never designed for BG1).

So in conclusion, in BGEE the strategies to be used are casting Sleep, running, or (with good AC) fighting the ambushers. When solo'ing the level 2 spell Invisibility is still very useful. It's the first spell I normally buy with a Mage character.

There is also Algernon's Cloak which I definitely could have used while running. With Charm and Sleep memorized plus the Cloak that ambush might even have been winnable with Khalid drinking Oil of Speed.

the_spyder

Sleep is absolutely a must for any low level wizard. Cast that on some portion of the attacking force and you have the ability to focus on the much smaller group that are still awake. Also, scrolls of WEB work, and so does Charm Person (charm one of the bandits into turning on his buddies). Doesn't Jaheira have animal friendship? I am not sure on that one.

Lemernis

I am now totally sold on Color Spray instead of Sleep (at least with SCS installed, but I would presume SCS does nothing to modify that spell). Especially with a F/M/T! Just stealth, get the targets in view, and let the fan of colors fly.

jackjack

My answer, in summation:
http://youtu.be/7FPELc1wEvk

the_spyder

I get that color spray ages better than sleep. Where I have issues with the spell is in that it is a cone effect. Puts your 1st level wizard darned close to the action with his piddly 4 hitpoints. Sleep actually has a range and can let my wizard shriek like a little girl and hide his head after casting. That's all I'm saying.

Lemernis

Yeah, Color Spray is a bit tricky. It's not advisable to put a pure class or specialist Mage on point in the formation. I'd recommend it mainly for F/M. You can have a stealthy character reveal the enemy and get out of the way of the spray, though. The Mage should cast it just outside of the enemy's range of perception. Agreed that Sleep is easier than that.