FMC vs Shambler tactics

dalglir

I'm having a blast blasting through IWDEE as a single mega-campaign with my solo FMT. I noted in TotL that shamblers are highly resistant to just about everything except slashing damage and that strikes me as a major pain point for anyone wanting to solo an FMC through the whole thing...

What would your tactics be for taking a shambler down with solo FMC?

SionIV

Summons? Most undead you can summon have slashing damage. Buff yourself and your summoned creatures, put yourself in the front to tank it and let the summons kill it? You can also use the second level divine spell flaming blade which is slashing damage.

dalglir

Thank you. Great answer. I've not really got into playing Clerics or had to use summons much so that's really useful.

SionIV

dalglir said:

Thank you. Great answer. I've not really got into playing Clerics or had to use summons much so that's really useful.

Clerics are often underestimated, they have many answers to most hard situations in their spellbook. Just requires a little bit of thinking outside the box.

DreadKhan

They are the true powerhouse at low levels too, Command trumps pretty much anything, then you get silence and hold person. Clerics are a very easy solo in BG1, as long as you don't try Wolf Island. In IWD, yeah, if you're solo you probably can summon Skeleton Warriors, which are terrifying for a 3rd level slot.

Nimran

I'm a little ignorant when it comes to alignment restrictions for priest spells, so this may not help you, but I ran an evil F/C and found a very useful trick against the Shambling Mounds you face in the cave section of the expansion. I sincerely hope this will help you.

First, make sure that you have as many AC boosting items and armor as possible equipped. You will also need access to two spells. They are Entropy Shield (I think that's what it's called) and Mass Cause Wounds. Make sure that you have all spell slots for the particular spell level (not sure which one, it was a while ago) filled with Cause Mass Wounds.

Once you reach the bridge in the northeast corner of the area, cast Entropy Shield. As a F/M/C, you can also cast Stoneskin first for extra protection, then equip your armor. Then, cross the bridge and walk to the center of the room so that you attract all of the Shambling Mounds (this is why you need Entropy Shield). Finally, just keep casting Cause Mass Wounds and you should kill them all. You might not be able to cast this spell, however, if you aren't an evil character. Once again, I don't have a clue about alignment restrictions. As an alternative, you could try using the lesser Cause Wounds spells, but they only affect single targets, so you won't want to rush in and take them all on at once.

Shambling Mounds are immune to crushing and elemental damage, or at least fire damage. I tried using Flamestrike, but they were immune. They are vulnerable to magic damage, however, which is the type of damage Cause Wounds spells cause. With Mass Cause Wounds, I was hitting each of them for 32 to 35 points of damage per casting.

Once again, hope this helps. If you find something that is resistant, or even immune to your usual tactics, don't give up, try something different.

Nimran

To be clear, Entropy Shield may not be the actual name of the spell. It's basically the high level priest buff that has 'Entropy' in its name.

dalglir

Nimran said:

Shambling Mounds are immune to crushing and elemental damage, or at least fire damage. I tried using Flamestrike, but they were immune. They are vulnerable to magic damage, however, which is the type of damage Cause Wounds spells cause. With Mass Cause Wounds, I was hitting each of them for 32 to 35 points of damage per casting.

Once again, hope this helps. If you find something that is resistant, or even immune to your usual tactics, don't give up, try something different.

I struggle with the increasing amount of micromanagement in HoF solo and, being unfamiliar with Cleric, half the struggle is in understanding the value and where best to use Cleric spells. So, this is all very helpful - thanks!

dalglir

At easier difficulty levels Black Blade of Disaster - and even Mordenkainen's Sword - work very well on the Shamblers. Ironic that FMC Clerics _can_ wield swords: as long as they're conjured magical ones

Wowo

dalglir said:

At easier difficulty levels Black Blade of Disaster - and even Mordenkainen's Sword - work very well on the Shamblers. Ironic that FMC Clerics _can_ wield swords: as long as they're conjured magical ones

Phantom Blade would fit this as well.

If magic damage works maybe a sequencer with triple Skull Trap? Just be wary that if you target the sequencer outside of the skull traps short range then the sequencer will fail (and too close and you'll smash yourself).

Mathsorcerer

Shambling Mounds are vulnerable to acid so Melf's Acid Arrow and Death Fog for certain, even though the latter spell would require being level 11/12/11 as FMC. You can try Harm at 10/11/11 FMC--Shambling Mounds don't count as "elemental" as far as the game is concerned--as far as I know given that I haven't tested it--so that spell would make short work of at least one of them. Slay Living might take one down if it fails its save so use Greater Malison first.

They look stronger than they are but their strength is only 17 so their base Thac0 is 8; as long as your AC is less than or equal to -4 they are more likely to miss than hit.

Wowo

If save or suck spells work then make sure you add a minor sequencer with curse+chant and a sequencer with prayer+recitation+greater malison for a total of, what, -9 to saves?

Alternatively polymorph self into a spider and hit a minor sequencer with Draw Upon Holy Might.

Aerich

Blade Barrier should also help, if you can avoid being disrupted (e.g. use Stoneskin) for long enough to cast it. As acid works, don't forget Vitriolic Sphere and Acid Storm.

elminster

Shambling Mounds and Shamblers have the same resistance to missile weapons that they do to slashing or piercing. So just use bullets