How dangerous should Davaeorn be?

Mathsorcerer

Davaeorn has a genius-level IQ and knows the party is coming. If I were Davaeorn, as soon as I hear my single guard engaged in combat I would Stoneskin then Minor Globe of Invulnerability, wait for an adventurer to show up, talk to them, then use Minor Sequencer to drop a double Web on them. After that, walk up to the adventurer (or among two or three of them) then use Sunfire and retreat back to by room. After that, anyone who peeks through the door gets a Fireball or Magic Missile to the face and a Monster Summong to slow them down a little.

If things go badly, I would Shadow Door and head for the elevator, making an easy escape.

Should a party of adventurers who are probably 6th or 7th level be able to beat this mage?

Pecca

I think the recurring theme of these games (maybe even genre in general) is that the heroes are constantly underestimated. Villain's pride acts as the their weakness, allowing heroes to beat them. Even when, on paper, villains are much more powerful.
Furthermore, I would argue that Intelligence stat is too inflated in BG universe, there are simply too many characters with high intelligence and only few (or none?) acts like real geniuses. Even PC is not allowed, limited by "dumb" dialogue options and story arc. I'd say that Intelligence 10-18 just means common IQ in BG.

jmerry

Dave already has a custom script; he teleports around his area, taking advantage of the space to hit you with powerful spells like lightning bolts. SCS upgrades him by having him use an area-denial sequencer (Web and Stinking Cloud at the intersection) you can't avoid and by calling in Iron Throne guards as support.
As for Stoneskin? That spell wasn't in the game at all when this encounter was designed (original BG1). He gets Mirror Image and Protection from Normal Missiles, which should make for plenty of challenge to a typical party trying to rush in. Adding a Minor Globe would just be unfair; the PCs aren't expected to have any access to level 4 spells at this point, so that's flat out spell immunity. (Venkt at the bandit camp drops a scroll of Spell Thrust, but I suspect that's an EE addition?)

Expecting more than that ... I don't know what game you think you're playing.

Lammas

jmerry wrote: »

(Venkt at the bandit camp drops a scroll of Spell Thrust, but I suspect that's an EE addition?)

I'm 99 % sure that Spell Thrust was originally in BG2 and not in BG1 at all and was therefore indeed added there in EE.