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Solo Monk: how to protect against energy drain?

I was pondering a solo monk run but am a bit worried about energy drain: all the protection items until upgraded spectral brand are unusable for monks. Are there enough prot from undead scrolls to last through all the SoA undead battles? Since monks also can´t use the undead killing throwing axe there´s also not really a reliable way to kill them in ranged battle. Any suggestions? What I found with googling was to make the amulet of power usable for monks but that's last resort I guess...

Comments

  • CrevsDaakCrevsDaak Member Posts: 7,155
    Use Prot. From Undead or try to not get hit.
    Then, well, you can have Agurvandal+5 in ToB and they can use it.
    Maybe using LOTS of potions and that stuff, right now I am playing with a Fighter/Thief in the original BG2, and he only got hit one time, but it is only luck and using Potions of Defense like and idiot. Also, try fighting them near a temple, it helps if you get severely Level Drained and you want to restore yourself.
  • SkaffenSkaffen Member Posts: 709
    Potions of defense rock as a monk, that's true. Hmmm. Sun Soul would probably be the better choice for the blinding vs. undead thing though I was planning on evil / dark moon to test that after running the party with Rasaad.
  • CrevsDaakCrevsDaak Member Posts: 7,155
    Really, I tried a solo Monk in BG1 and I got uninterested after, it is very difficult, you always get hit and you suffer because of low THAC0, but I know Monks in BG2 are different, maybe getting Daystar and using it the whole time, or just get a sling and run sling em' run sling em' run sling em', it is a good tactic against vampires if you don't want to get Level Drained, the bad thing: vampires regenerate.
    You can use Prot From Undead scroll and travel around Athkatla without sleeping, so you can kill them all with one scroll.
  • FafnirFafnir Member Posts: 232
    Solo Monk in BG1 is awesome but damn hard. You essentially need to ninja your way through the game, acting like a pseudo-thief with the dagger of venom and squeezing everything out of any item you find.

    On the plus side, monk speed means you're awesome at kiting.
  • SkaffenSkaffen Member Posts: 709
    Short update on Dar-Ki, my Dark Moon Nun: I started her a few days ago, now at level 13 / AC -10 after doing some of the city quests (circus, stockade, bridge killings, thiefs stronghold, ...). Item-wise I went for Strength Girdle first, then Scarlet Ninja-to (needed a +2 weapon for thief's quest for the stone golems) and bracers AC3. No touble with undead yet though I still don´t go out at night if I can avoid it. Been stocking up on scrolls of undead protection whenever I see them at vendor.

    No major problems yet except for the sewers adventure party that just kicked my b*tt. Will be back after D'Arnise Hold and Trademeet, by then I should have decent MR. Didn't get Daystar yet, couldn't bash in the door yet, will be back later after Draw upon Holy might gives me another strength point.

    Resting is slow, got the DUHM and one cure. 1 Horror which was a lifesaver several times. Most of the time I heal as a troll from cloak of sewers. Will update after Chapter 3 how graveyard went.
  • booinyoureyesbooinyoureyes Member Posts: 6,164
    Question about Level Drain: If you get level drained, then get experience, will that experience show up when you get restored or is it lost forever? This always worried me.
  • BusticationBustication Member Posts: 49
    Any experience missed while level drained is restored along with the rest.
  • SkaffenSkaffen Member Posts: 709
    Another update now that the ipad version is out and I've played a bit more. Looks like there is no way to avoid getting drained before you get to ToB. Did Hexxat's quest yesterday for the bag of holding and some devil shades got me with criticals in spite of AC -18 and mirror images. It wasn't bad, I have stocked up on restoration scrolls and keep saving the prot from undead for the more difficult vampire encounters.

    Did temple ruins as well, beat the dragon just with 2 buffing potions quite easily but had gotten killed before by a lich in the lava room when a symbol of stun got through MR and saving throw. His greater mummy friends chewed me up afterwards.

    In summary so far it looks like solo monk is viable even without energy drain protection though Instill haven't raided the vampire lair yet. Today I will tackle Firkraag and maybe use up one of my protection scrolls fir the undead room there.
  • MERLANCEMERLANCE Member Posts: 421
    Don't waste a scroll for that one room, just get Daystar and blast em all at once. Use a potion of giant strength along with your DUHM to get the door open if you haven't in the last month.
  • SkaffenSkaffen Member Posts: 709
    edited January 2014
    Got daystar by now and just did the room in Firkraags dungeon without scroll. Unfortunately again a vampire hit me with a critical through mirror images and disrupted the sunray casting. Cost me 3 levels but no problem, I have about 10 scrolls stacked up by now.

    The improved daystar is a total demi-lich killer though, that fight was over almost before it started. :)
  • SkaffenSkaffen Member Posts: 709
    edited January 2014
    Did I mention that I hate Vampires? :) Lassal again did a critical on his first attack through mirror images and AC-20. Looks like there is no way to avoid getting drained unless you try some ranged-hit and run, but with limits to sling and dart that sounds like more work than it's worth compared to restoration after the fight. Of course that was the third time this hit through MI happened in as many battles...

    Firkraag was the first enemy I couldn't defeat btw, just hit 3 mio XP so had one hardiness but even so he hit me consistently at AC-20 for heavy damage inspite of hardiness, while I couldn't get through his stoneskins fast enough. I'll come back after the underdark, now off to the vampire lair, this time with pritection scroll running :)
  • bbearbbear Member Posts: 1,180
    Get a summon to tank for you (warrior horn/spider figurine, efeeti bottle,etc), then swoop in and kill them.
  • SkaffenSkaffen Member Posts: 709
    I only have the spider figurine (couldn't open the box with the horn and no pickpocket for the bottle) and that lasts all of 5 seconds against a swarm of vampires...
  • SkaffenSkaffen Member Posts: 709
    Time for an update. Now in ToB struggling against Draconis who kicks my nun's butt in a straightup 1:1 fight. Will have to work on my strategy and probably go back to get some acid protection. Suggestions for monks welcome :)

    Otherwise the run was a cakewalk till here, the occasional reload but always more from carelessness since I play this on the ipad while travelling etc. in a layzy casual mode. In spite of mirror images and AC -24 I regularly got energy drained (which started the thread). I just stopped worrying about it and use restoration after the fights.
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