Long-lasting and economic protection against Aec'Letec's Death Gaze (Perhaps a spoiler)

Rik_Kirtaniya

I just tried this strategy out and found it greatly effective against the death gaze of that Tanar'ri demon. I have searched the forums before for death gaze protection and found people suggesting using potions of freedom and mirrored eyes, dispel magic and so on. But I think what I'm about to say is more effective, lasts longer and is economical. (Please do pardon me if this particular strategy is discussed already in any other thread. I really think this one is different).

So, I'm playing the cannon good party. Before descending downstairs in the cult building, I used potions of freedom on everyone and vocalise on Dynahier and my cleric/illusionist PC. That's the common thing. Then I used DEATH WARD (4th level cleric spell) on everyone. I had my PC and Jaheira cast it. And it's absolutely effective against the death gaze of Aec. The great thing about this spell is that it lasts 1 turn/level of the caster, whereas potions of mirrored eyes last only 10 rounds (that's 1 turn). My clerics were now on level 7, so it offered long lasting protection against the death gaze. Then I simply went about doing the regular thing, marching downstairs, killing the cult guards and Tracea Carol, while Aec helplessly gazed at my party members, with no effect. Once I'd done with them, I killed the demon. One final IMPORTANT step was to cast dispel magic, as by the end of the fight, the death ward spell seemed to wear off. (On my first play it turned Imoen into a ghast after the demon was killed, so on my second play I took no risks and cast dispel magic on everyone). Great things about death ward is that it's long lasting, saves you the cost of buying potions of mirrored eyes, is not affected by dispel magic and provides you particular protection against that nasty demon's gaze. Do remember that one still needs potions of freedom to avoid being paralyzed. That's all, folks!!

EDIT: I was wrong about the dispelling part. Death Ward 'can' indeed be dispelled (although it's really a matter of chance). Thanks to @Aerakar for pointing this out.

Best you kill the mage by backstabbing her or somehow else, before she can cast dispel magic. I am not totally sure, but I don't think Aec casts Dispel Magic (at least I did not see him doing that).

Ammar

I usually just scatter the party at the beginning and then lob an arrow of dispelling at whomever is affected by Death Gaze.

Rik_Kirtaniya

Ammar said:

I usually just scatter the party at the beginning and then lob an arrow of dispelling at whomever is affected by Death Gaze.

However the disadvantage is that arrows of dispelling would also dispel the useful buffs from the party members. Using death ward allows you to retain any buffs that may help you in the combat.

Bigfish

Good to know.

Volatile

Thank you for this. I'll try it tonight.

Eadwyn_G8keeper

Liking this so it will be in my Participated file. Thanks.

Rik_Kirtaniya said:

I just tried this strategy out and found it greatly effective against the death gaze of that Tanar'ri demon. I have searched the forums before for death gaze protection and found people suggesting using potions of freedom and mirrored eyes, dispel magic and so on. But I think what I'm about to say is more effective, lasts longer and is economical. (Please do pardon me if this particular strategy is discussed already in any other thread. I really think this one is different).

So, I'm playing the cannon good party. Before descending downstairs in the cult building, I used potions of freedom on everyone and vocalise on Dynahier and my cleric/illusionist PC. That's the common thing. Then I used DEATH WARD (4th level cleric spell) on everyone. I had my PC and Jaheira cast it. And it's absolutely effective against the death gaze of Aec. The great thing about this spell is that it lasts 1 turn/level of the caster, whereas potions of mirrored eyes last only 10 rounds (that's 1 turn). My clerics were now on level 7, so it offered long lasting protection against the death gaze. Then I simply went about doing the regular thing, marching downstairs, killing the cult guards and Tracea Carol, while Aec helplessly gazed at my party members, with no effect. Once I'd done with them, I killed the demon. One final IMPORTANT step was to cast dispel magic, as by the end of the fight, the death ward spell seemed to wear off. (On my first play it turned Imoen into a ghast after the demon was killed, so on my second play I took no risks and cast dispel magic on everyone). Great things about death ward is that it's long lasting, saves you the cost of buying potions of mirrored eyes, is not affected by dispel magic and provides you particular protection against that nasty demon's gaze. Do remember that one still needs potions of freedom to avoid being paralyzed. That's all, folks!!

Eadwyn_G8keeper

In hindsight, I think this thread is pretty clearly something that should not be in the New Players category as it effectively nerfs one of the 4 most difficult challenges of BG1. The sort of stuff many new players find unwelcome alterations of the overall difficulty and satisfaction of successful solutions.

I think @Minievese @Dee would prefer it be moved to General Discussion [spoilers]. ??

JuliusBorisov

@Eadwyn_G8keeper We have moved this discussion to Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, thanks for the note. BTW, Dee has left Beamdog a year ago. https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/61148/one-last-speech

profanitywarning

I tried this about 10 minutes ago, and it doesn't seem to work for me. I had my cleric-rangers cast Death Ward on all four party members, walked down the stairs, started killing cultists, and had one of the C-R's change into a ghoul before the second cultist was dead.

Rik_Kirtaniya

profanitywarning said:

I tried this about 10 minutes ago, and it doesn't seem to work for me. I had my cleric-rangers cast Death Ward on all four party members, walked down the stairs, started killing cultists, and had one of the C-R's change into a ghoul before the second cultist was dead.

Strange... It should've worked. Did you use the potions of freedom along with the spell? And yes, how long before descending the stairs did you cast the spell? Particularly, if your C/Rs were not of a high level, the spell wouldn't last long. I think multi-classed clerics reach to only the 5th or 6th levels with the XP cap in BG without the SoD expansion, and if you had cast Death Ward before the other buffs before you prepared to descend, there's the risk of it running out (as it happened the first time I played), even though it lasts really long.

profanitywarning

I used no potions of freedom, just bless, remove fear, chant, and four DW's. Cast DW last, and ran down the stairs immediately. CR's were level 7/7, and I'm sure DW was still active when one of them changed.

Aerakar

Perhaps the cultist mage got a dispel magic off?

profanitywarning

I thought that wasn't supposed to affect DW?
And, no, I don't recall that happening, though it's not impossible.

Aerakar

She dispels as I recall as her first combat cast, so if she was alive and casting then she probably could have got off a dispel on your party.

I have had her dispel all of my protections before on the entire party at the start of the battle (but not using Death Ward as I have never tried using it in this battle). Most annoying! She has to speak for the demon to materialize so taking her out before the battle is not an option, although heavy trapping can damage her so her casting is not a problem.

I have never heard that DW cannot be dispelled. Someone else may know better though.

Note I play with SCS.

Rik_Kirtaniya

Aerakar said:

I have never heard that DW cannot be dispelled. Someone else may know better though.

You are right. I was under the wrong impression that Death Ward cannot be dispelled, because while I was playing, as far as I remember, I think I somehow interrupted the cultist mage's spell-casting and killed her really quick. I remember the death ward buff was still visible on the portraits, and Aec probably doesn't cast anything other than Larloch's Minor drain and his typical Death Gaze. At last when I myself tried to dispel it after the battle, it was still there. Today, I tried dispelling Death Ward in BG2, and yes, it got dispelled "on the second try". As because dispelling is a matter of chance, (50/50 when both the spellcaster and dispeller are on the same level), I was misled then. Thanks for pointing this out. I'll edit the main post immediately.

Aerakar said:

She dispels as I recall as her first combat cast, so if she was alive and casting then she probably could have got off a dispel on your party.

Yes, it's annoying to have all your buffs dispelled after all the hard work done in casting them in the first place.

Tresset

Actually, I just ran a test on this and I as able to find out that Death Ward offers absolutely no protection from Aec's death gaze. I think it will have to be back to the drawing board with this...