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Best way to use Xan?

Grimo88Grimo88 Member Posts: 191
in Archive (General Discussion)
Best ways to utilize both his spells and that wonderful moonblade?
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,675
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  • WanderonWanderon Member Posts: 1,418
    Fafnir said:

    Melee is a trap. Enjoy the extra AC and fire resistance while you cast Sleep/Glitterdust/Confusion/etc.

    Those spells can however be followed up by dispatching the effected creatures with his moonblade provided you keep a close eye on him and take evasive actions should he run into a fully alert and dangerous foe.

  • MoomintrollMoomintroll Member Posts: 1,498
    Wanderon said:

    Fafnir said:

    Melee is a trap. Enjoy the extra AC and fire resistance while you cast Sleep/Glitterdust/Confusion/etc.

    Those spells can however be followed up by dispatching the effected creatures with his moonblade provided you keep a close eye on him and take evasive actions should he run into a fully alert and dangerous foe.

    Defo! Sleep is your route to a moonblade wafting Xan.
  • Grimo88Grimo88 Member Posts: 191
    Hm... thanks all. But these all seem underwhelming. I wonder if I can gatekeeper him into a fighter-mage. Don't hit me!
  • WebShamanWebShaman Member Posts: 490
    Use him as a target for melee and ranged opponents! You can always raise him again! Go get'em Xan! *splat*

    It is no wonder he is so pessimistic!!
  • secretmantrasecretmantra Member Posts: 259
    Grimo88 said:

    Hm... thanks all. But these all seem underwhelming. I wonder if I can gatekeeper him into a fighter-mage. Don't hit me!

    Probably your best bet. You'll want to bump his CON up to at least 16 or so.

    Maybe while you're at it, you could give him an attitude adjustment. ;)
  • WebShamanWebShaman Member Posts: 490
    edited March 2013
    Just give him all 18s - he will need it! :D

    Hehe...just imagine it :

    Charname : "Ok Xan, up ahead are a large number of Xvarts! We just scouted their village, and this is my plan...you charge in and start whacking away with that Moonblade of yours!"

    Xan : "...I-I don't thin-"

    Charname : "You are not here to think, Xan! Just do what I say!"

    *Xan rushes in, gets splatted, Neera fireballs the group of Xvarts now gathered around Xan's dead body*

    Charname : "I love it when a plan comes together! Somebody raise Xan.."
  • PeccaPecca Member Posts: 2,222
    I usually make his blade shoot. After all moonblade should suit it's wielder...
  • PeccaPecca Member Posts: 2,222
    edited March 2013
    like this...
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,964
    I don't think there is a best way to use Xan unfortunately.
  • spacejawsspacejaws Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 389
    Bull strength mirror image haste whack
  • secretmantrasecretmantra Member Posts: 259
    smeagolheart said:

    I don't think there is a best way to use Xan unfortunately.

    And we have a winner! ;)
  • GoodSteveGoodSteve Member Posts: 607
    edited March 2013
    The best way to use him, in my opinion, is pretty much forget about the moonblade. Being an Enchanter he loses out on some handy dandy evocation spells like magic missile, which isn't the ideal specialization for this game (but still better than Dynaheir missing out on Enchantment spells), so for the early levels take lots of sleep spells (best spell available at the low levels). Once you are consistantly running up against foes who are no longer affected by the sleep spells level cap take a bunch of spook spells/blindness spells. Focus on spells that control and or manipulate the battlefield and just hold out your moonblade for some extra AC and fire resistance.

    If you're out of spells with Xan make sure to carry around a few throwing daggers. Since his initial pip is in daggers (this is also the case for Xzar) carry around a stack or two of Throwing Daggers for those times you are out of spells or for a situation that doesn't really warrant using up a spell. Eventually take a pip in either slings or darts (I find that darts are sometimes hard to come by in a lot of towns whereas sling bullets are common and unlimited every where) as throwing daggers weigh quite a bit when you start to carry around more than 2 stacks or so.
  • LemernisLemernis Member, Moderator Posts: 4,318
    edited March 2013
    I played a game with him ages ago where I tried having him use the Moonblade with every piece of gear and spell buff I could think of to boost his melee ability. And even with all that his THAC0 was ultimately just too poor to be worth all the bother.

    Forget the Moonblade. He's a great Enchanter, though.

    Have him cast spells from the back row and otherwise hurl throwing daggers (Dagger now being his weapon of choice in EE).
  • DelvarianDelvarian Member Posts: 1,232
    I love that Xan was given the coolest looking weapon in the game only to not be able to use it properly.
  • IkMarcIkMarc Member Posts: 552
    I honestly can't think of any way. As a kid only after quite a lot of playing time I figured he shouldn't be frontlining and I gave him a sling like the rest of my mages.
  • The_Shairs_HandbookThe_Shairs_Handbook Member Posts: 219
    edited March 2013
    wow...I use Xan all the time in melee... just give him the best items so that his ac reach -2 or -3 ac... sleep, hold person, hold undead, skull trap, haste, ghost armor, protection vs evil, immunity against normal arrow and shield and xan is super ;)
    sadly Tenser's Transformation is a lvl 6 wizard spells.... if he could have that spell than he would turn into a monster..... but that bg2 spell if i remember it correctly.... if they ever realese Xan in Bg2 than he will rock....

    Items I give him:
    The Guards ring +2
    Golden Girdle of Urnst
    Robe of neutral Archmage
    Sense of the cat
    Cloak of balduran
    evermemory
    Gloves of dex (you get 18 in dex)

    and he will get -2 in ac (-7 Vs arrows)
  • juxtapose519juxtapose519 Member Posts: 6
    The_Shairs_Handbook said:

    wow...I use Xan all the time in melee... just give him the best items so that his ac reach -2 or -3 ac...

    Items I give him:
    The Guards ring +2
    Golden Girdle of Urnst
    Robe of neutral Archmage
    Sense of the cat
    Cloak of balduran
    evermemory
    Gloves of dex (you get 18 in dex)

    In my opinion, if you have to load an NPC with gear to make them effective, then they're not that effective to begin with.

    I like Xan as a spellcaster, but that's really all he should be. Why try to turn him into a fighter when there are better NPCs around that can do more with less?
  • KatermeisterKatermeister Member Posts: 28
    Have him cast spells
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    he is underwhelming at best. There are better casters and his "thing" is the moonblade. Only he is the only one who can use it and he is not a combat type. I generally leave him where he is and count myself lucky.
  • secretmantrasecretmantra Member Posts: 259
    What @the_spyder said. I always do the same.

    Although, on my next playthrough I was toying with the idea of making him a Blade through EEKeeper.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    Thing is, if he had any combat aptitude at all (and the stats to back it up) he might have been an interesting NPC to add to the party. Well, if you can forgive his incessant moaning and whining. But at the end of the day, giving him the moonblade was about as useful as giving Minsc a ring of wizardry that only he can use (Ok, maybe a ring of priestliness or whatever it is called).

    By the time he gets to the point where he can cast stoneskin so that he can survive combat, his 'To hit' is going to be so low that you might as well keep him in the background.
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    Strength + Mirror Image = Killing Machine

    I do it with Xzar and Chilling Touch all the time.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    Or dying machine. Depending on how low the AC of the opponent is and who gets the hit in first.
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    What part of Mirror Image didn't you understand? Like Xzar with Chilling Touch, he's great for running around and axing lesser enemies while your real melee players handle the serious stuff, or as a bit of supplementary DPS on the serious stuff while the tanks have it distracted.
  • smeagolheartsmeagolheart Member Posts: 7,964
    Schneidend said:

    Strength + Mirror Image = Killing Machine

    I do it with Xzar and Chilling Touch all the time.

    too bad you don't fight any machines in bg
  • SchneidendSchneidend Member Posts: 3,190
    smeagolheart said:



    too bad you don't fight any machines in bg

    Every living organism is technically a machine.
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