TOB watchers keep
mewp12
Member Posts: 61
I have done this before but I think I got too old. I am trying to unlock the seals to go to the imprisoned one and the 2nd where all the fire things come out keeps killing me. I have everyone soaked in fire resistant but that is not working. they keep killing my character. Is there a tip for this?
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However, I can't say I've found them too hard. You say "soaked in fire resistance", but how much do you mean when you say "soaked"? I've found that Fire Resistance works fine against them, but the way to do it is to get 100% Fire Resistance on one character who is capable of tackling a lich (e.g. one character armed with Daystar, or wearing the Helm of Brilliance, or able to cast Sunray as a divine spell, or whatever else you've got that'll fix a lich). Hide everyone else (they won't need any Fire Resistance) in one of the side-rooms (and shut the door, because they can't open doors to get at you), while leaving the Fire Resistant character out in the open. Then turn the key with the Fire Resistant character, so the lich and his fire-skull-things appear, kill the lich (e.g. with Sunray) while ignoring the skulls because they can't harm a 100% Fire Resistant character, then go mop up the skulls at your leisure.
I guess one big thing is to use lots of movement. Keep away from the toughest opponents until you've brought down some of their defenses. And use hit and run tactics on the others.
I feel like every time I run that battle I have to learn some new tactics based on my party.
It would help to know who is in your party and level they are.
I like fights like this. It's a pitched battle. You know it is coming and have no RP guilt about prebuffing
Here are some thoughts for you:
Mage(s) cast Project Image + Spell Immunity: Divination.
Cast Improved Haste, Improved Invisibility/Mass Invisibility, on all fighters.
Acquire every rod of resurrection you can. They come in handy for fights like this. Equip multiple party members with them.
Make sure everyone is healed before the fight begins. When I am lazy and do not do this, I realize how much every hit point counts.
Early buffs like Resist Fear, Protection from Evil, etc still work.
Concentrate all fighters on the same target.
Fighters Use Critical Strike HLAs (or Hardiness for hard hitting mobs).
Mages spam debuffs or cast Timestop to strip enemy defenses. Have multiple True Sights memorized, breach, pierce shield, etc. Those wands of Spellstrike are super handy.
When it gets hectic, sometimes I turn on autopause: end of round and target destroyed. Make each round count.
Examine the combat notifications closely. Coordinate debuffs with Fighters attack. In the round it takes for the mages to strip PfMW, Improved Mantle, Mislead, etc have a fighter down a potion of ___strength or the like. I use this time with Keldorn to cast a True Sight. If you can't hit affect the enemy, might as well buff yourself until you can.
I never realized how much time I was wasting every fight until I turned on the end of round autopause. For most fights it doesn't matter, but the difficult fights are made easier by being more efficient. Mages can MMM if there is nothing else more important to do. I found I wasted more time with the mages than any other class.
I usually fight in this order of importance: Beholders, Liches, Mages, Clerics > everyone else, but each fight has its own priorities.
Parties vary in terms of effectiveness. If I am playing a squishy party, I have no qualms about lowering the difficulty and I recommend you do the same. They will still be there for your insane + SCS run
Anyway, hopefully a syllable or two of that will help! More enlightened people may have some advice. I do recommend you post your party. It will help to give specific tactics.
Edit: after seeing my post, you should get a badge if you read it all lol. Sorry for the wall!
Time Stop would be a handy spell, but you'd need a level 18 Mage to access level 9 spells, and you've only got to level 17 with your Mages. But never mind, last time I did this I didn't use Time Stop at all, so it's not essential.
Simulacrum is useful: have Edwin or Imoen cast a Simulacrum during pre-buffing, for extra spell-casting power. The Simulacrum is lower-level than the original, but will still be able to pelt the enemy with lower-level spells, and it can step forward because it's more expendable. In particular, I remember finding it useful to keep hitting them with MM and MMM to interrupt enemy casting.
Use Summonings. A Fire Elemental works great against the succubus (Nalmissra) who casts a Fire Shield, because of course the elemental is immune to fire damage. I'm guessing Dorn can summon a Fallen Deva by now, which will be very useful, especially against the marilith (Y'Tossi). Some lower-level summonings can keep the smaller enemies busy for a couple of rounds.
Keep your casters well back, because one of the enemy will cast a vicious Insect Swarm and you'd much rather only your warriors are in range of it. Your warriors should use their HLAs to the full in this battle, whatever they've got - Hardiness before combat, then Greater Whirlwind (or Critical Strike if you've got them under Improved Haste) as they charge to the attack, etc.
Your most dangerous enemy is the beholder, you need to focus on it first and bring it down fast. You need the Cloak of Mirroring on Dorn or Sarevok (since they'll presumably be fighting with a two-handed weapon), and equip your protagonist with Balduran's Shield if he knows how to use a one-handed weapon. Have the Cloak of Mirroring/Balduran's Shield user(s) charge the beholder in melee, while Edwin casts Pierce Shield/Breach to strip the beholder's defences, but it'll re-buff in combat, so be prepared to Breach again. And maybe even again. Whichever of Dorn or Sarevok isn't attacking the beholder can join the Fallen Deva in attacking the marilith. The marilith is likely to need Breaching too, so there's a job for Imoen. This all happens while your summonses occupy the other enemies. Aerie and the simulacrum can cast nuisance spells, de-buff the other enemies, and summons replacement lower-level beasties as the first ones go down.
Once the beholder is down, you'll probably already be under attack from the kensai who was next to the beholder. He hits surprisingly hard, so if one of your warriors and the Fallen Deva are still coping against the marilith, then set both warriors who attacked the beholder to cutting down the kensai next. Then finish off the marilith, and the rest should be just mopping up.