soloing fighter/mage/thief, armor strategies?

bradu

I decided to solo a fighter/mage/thief on my iphone (follow up to an earlier post) and it's going much better than my previous character did. However, I'm finding myself switching my armor on and off an annoying amount. How would you play this type of character?

I find that I mostly just wear full armor and complete most battles with melee. But that makes finding traps, opening chests, casting spells really tricky. If I come to a battle where I'm going to need to use spells I basically have to forego armor for that battle. I just feel like there's something I'm missing here. That's also sucky because the only way I really find out is by running in and dying, and realizing I need to reload and try a different strategy.

I'm just starting vale of shadows and can melee one or two yetis or lesser shadows pretty easily. I'm open to strategy tips but mainly trying to figure out what to do for the armor issue, if there's a workaround to not have to switch so much.

oakheart

I'd go with Cat's Grace + Amor spells at low levels, then use Web (or Grease) with a longbow to pick mobs off, or summons to keep them occupied. Mirror Image will also help. Once you get access to Ghost/Spirit Amor you should be golden.

Elendar

Armor spells for sure.. Shield is decent at level 1.. Then eventually move on to Ghost Armor or Spirit Armor.. And when you get stoneskin you'll be nearly untouchable. Mirror Image and Blur are good from level 2, also.

The biggest problem is finding these scrolls.. Only some are available in Kuldahar

bradu

Are you guys suggesting that I forego armor completely? Or would you wear armor most of the time, and then just use the armor spells for certain battles when I want to be able to use my offensive spells too? Unless I'm resting after every battle I don't really see that working out too well...I've not been through the game enough times to always know what's around each corner, so I'm going to have to proceed with caution as I move forward and unless I use a pattern of 'charge right in, die, and then reload better prepared' I'm not quite sure how I see this going.

ThacoBell

My F/M/Ts forgo armor entirely. I rely on buffs and the occasional disabler spell. Armor at lv. 1 is good until you get ghost armor. The good thing about the lv1 armor spell is that it lasts 8 hours. So its pretty simple to keep it up for a map clear. Stoneskin I think lasts 12 hours. So yeah, no regular armor.

oakheart

bradu said:

Are you guys suggesting that I forego armor completely? Or would you wear armor most of the time, and then just use the armor spells for certain battles when I want to be able to use my offensive spells too? Unless I'm resting after every battle I don't really see that working out too well...I've not been through the game enough times to always know what's around each corner, so I'm going to have to proceed with caution as I move forward and unless I use a pattern of 'charge right in, die, and then reload better prepared' I'm not quite sure how I see this going.

You're going to need to rest plenty as it is - your healing options as a solo FMT are pretty limited.

Regarding (physical) armor; you're not going to be able to cast wearing it. So your options are to buff yourself (i.e. cat's grace, bull's strength, invis, etc.), summon, suit up, and then play straight melee or non-casting ranged, or use some form of mage armor and cast away in battle. Even level 1 mage armor is better than the studded leather your thief prefers to wear.

And with IWD, slow and steady is always a sensible battle plan. There are very large groups of mobs around, and if you charge in it's not going to end happily for you. Particularly with the number of undead around. Your undead CC options are limited in the absence of clerical abilities.

oakheart

I forgot to add that if you are meleeing as a casting mage, you're going to have problems getting those spells off without interruption. Stoneskin is only good for a few hits.

Elendar

bradu said:

Are you guys suggesting that I forego armor completely? Or would you wear armor most of the time, and then just use the armor spells for certain battles when I want to be able to use my offensive spells too? Unless I'm resting after every battle I don't really see that working out too well...I've not been through the game enough times to always know what's around each corner, so I'm going to have to proceed with caution as I move forward and unless I use a pattern of 'charge right in, die, and then reload better prepared' I'm not quite sure how I see this going.

Yes. Fighter/Mages have no need for armor. Arcane buffing spells are better, anyways ,particularly stoneskin. It might be worth bothering to put the elven chain on when you get it though, since that doesn't disable your casting.

Grum

Eventually get elven chainmail with the +1 dex? It’d look cool

wsnavigator

Short version: armor is only needed in the beginning, later you can safely play without armor.

Long version: some time ago played a F/M/T on Insane difficulty. In the beginning, a good armor and some rings and similar stuff were enough for melee fights. Later, after getting good bows, half of the time there was no need for armor - most of the time the enemies were killed before reaching melee distance. Later, there were also good spells for keeping enemies at distance. Later, there were some robes, weapons, and other staff that help keeping AC between -5 and -10, thus making armor obsolete.

Here are some stats that I managed to get from my saved games:

Chapepter One, hall before Kresselak's Tomb
F:6/M:7/T:7
AC: 4 (Dexterity: -4, Black Wolf Talisman: -1, Large Shield: -1)
Note: I had (Plate Mail+1) then, it was not used because magic was used for defence

End of Chapter One, after completing Kresselak's task
F:7/M:7/T:8
AC: -4 (Plate Mail+1, Dexterity: -4, Black Wolf Talisman: -1, Large Shield: -1)

Temple of Forgotten God, end of 1st hall
F:7/M:8/T:8
AC: -5 (Plate Mail+1, Dexterity: -4, Black Wolf Talisman: -1, Longbow+2: Defender: -2)

Entrance of Dragon's Eye
F:7/M:8/T:8
AC: -5 (Plate Mail+1, Dexterity: -4, Black Wolf Talisman: -1, Large Shield + 1 of Missile Deflection: -2)

After finishing Dragon's Eye
F:10/M:11/T:12
AC: -4 (Bracers of Defence: AC 6, Dexterity: -4, Black Wolf Talisman: -1, Robe of Enfusing: -2, Dead Man's Face: -1, Ring of protection +2: -2)

Entrance of Dorn's Deep
F:11/M:12/T:14
AC: -4 (as above)

Beginning of Severed Hand
F:15/M:14/T:18
AC: -7 (Shadowed Robe: AC 4, Dexterity: -4, Black Wolf Talisman: -1, Mithran's Cloak: -3, Blessed Helm of Lathander: -2, HoldFast +3: -1)

At Nym
F:23/M:20/T:27
AC: -10 (Robe of the Watcher: AC 3, Dexterity: -4, Black Wolf Talisman: -1, Mithran's Cloak: -3, Blessed Helm of Lathander: -2, Mage Dagger +4: -2, HoldFast +3: -1)