What are safe strategies with a wizard slayer against Saverok?

kiario

Hi,

I am running a no-reload run solo and trying to figure out reliable ways of dealing with the final boss of the game.
Does anyone have a relaible way to defeat him with a wizard slayer?

jaypee

kiario wrote: »

Hi,

I am running a no-reload run solo and trying to figure out reliable ways of dealing with the final boss of the game.
Does anyone have a relaible way to defeat him with a wizard slayer?

I did a run last year with a Dwarven Wizard Slayer, Dwolin:

https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1162395/#Comment_1162395

With his protection from magic still up, he ran through the entire maze. Using healing potions when he did take any damage. He bypassed the adventure party by going north. Just before entering the Temple Of Bhaal he used a protection from undead scroll to avoid skeletons following him inside. Once inside he buffed with DuHM and moved into eyesight of Sarevok. After Sarevok's speech Dwolin hit him with an arrow of dispelling to counter his haste. Dwolin used his boots of speed to kite everyone. He ran around with his large shield +5vs missiles, carefully timing the moment he shot his arrows of detonation. He shot one arrow each round, right after Diarmid shot an arrow at him. This way he could switch back to his shield and not give Diarmid an easier chance of hitting him. When both Semay and Angelo were dead, Dwolin switched to piercing arrows. After Diarmid and Tazok were shot down, Sarevok was targetted. With Dwolin's superior speed, Sarevok could not touch him and it was only a matter of time before he too fell.

Hope this can help you

kiario

Thanks for the tips. So far I have decided to try the run with two-handed sword.
Your tips wit ranged weapon are appreciated.
However, any tips with melee?

IS there anyway to separate Saverok and can you actually toe-toe with him in melee with a WS?

jmerry

No comment on isolating Sarevok, but here's some math for the melee duel:

First, Sarevok's stats with all stat/equipment/proficiency bonuses included:

134* HP, AC -5, immune to critical hits, 90% resistant to elements, 3 APR, THAC0 -9, 1d10+16 damage (slashing), hasted movement.

As a solo wizard slayer, you can't get the strength tome; it's behind a difficulty 80 lock, and 21 strength from DUHM isn't enough to bash that. No other temporary strength boosts are available. Ideal physical stats 19/19/20, or 21/21/22 with DUHM. Also, getting the constitution tome is very risky due to the sirines guarding it.

So, how strong can you be in melee? A few options:

Two-handed: Spider's Bane, Plate of the Dark, Helm of Balduran, Boots of Speed. 4 dots 2H sword, 1+ dots 2H style, DUHM active, level 8.
133 HP, AC -10 vs slashing, 2 APR, THAC0 3, 1d10+16 damage (slashing), hasted movement.
You hit Sarevok for 27.95 average damage per round, and he hits you for 61.275 average damage per round. Even if you drink a healing potion at every opportunity, you still go down in under three rounds, only taking down a little over half of his hit points.

Delving deep into Durlag's Tower would allow you to upgrade to the World's Edge sword. Hit on a 7 instead of an 8, for 1 more damage; that increases your damage rate to 31.5 per round. Not nearly enough.

Dual-wield: replace weapons with Varscona and a +1 sword. Proficiencies 4 dots long sword, 2 dots 2W style.
Your defenses are the same. You now have 2 main-hand APR at 1d8+16 damage (slashing and cold) and THAC0 3, plus 1 off-hand APR at 1d8+14 damage (slashing) and THAC0 8. New damage rate 34.05 per round. Still not enough.

Killing Drizzt (and being "Good") would allow you to use his swords with scimitar proficiency for another 2 points to AC, 1 point main-hand THAC0, 2 points off-hand THAC0, and 2 points off-hand damage. Your damage dealt goes up to 40.85 per round, and your damage taken goes down to 58.05 per round; he actually misses on a 2 now. It's a lot closer, but you're still at a serious disadvantage.

Sword and shield: we go with Varscona and a +1 shield. 4 dots long sword, no other relevant proficiencies.
You now have -12 slashing AC, THAC0 3, 2 APR, and 1d8+16 damage per hit. Damage dealt 26.65 per round, damage taken 58.05 per round. Not great.

Kill Drizzt, and you can upgrade to Twinkle as your sword. THAC0 to 2, slashing AC to -14. Now you're at 28.7 damage dealt per round and 51.6 damage taken per round. The +2 shield in Durlag's Tower is not an option, as it's behind a difficulty 70 lock that you just barely can't bash even with DUHM. Still no.

But what does help, in all of these scenarios? Dispelling him to remove that haste, halving his movement speed and cutting his damage by a third. In the scenario dual-wielding Drizzt's swords, you even come out ahead. A hit with a dispelling arrow will do it if you drop the pure melee focus, or you could delve into Durlag's Tower for the 1/day dispel on Bala's Axe. The latter ... well, that's luck-based. The haste effect on Sarevok is relatively easy to dispel because it's at minimum level, but you're also dispelling at minimum level because you don't have a priest caster level. Not great odds.

Without that dispel, you simply can't beat him in a fair melee duel. You just don't have access to the kind of equipment and buffs you need for it; you can't even equip the Golden Girdle for better slashing AC. All you can do is deliver some hits and run away to drink healing potions.

* Technically, Sarevok has 135 HP. But his script kills him when he drops to 1, so that last point protected by a min-HP item doesn't matter.

kiario

Thanks for that great write up.
Running away and drinking potions shoudl be viable. Longer fight but safe.
And if I use a dispel arrow and I am using haste boots it should be easy.
As long as I can get Saverok separated otherwise I dont know.
Save up on the pfm scrolls maybe help in the fight if the mage attacks?