More HLA questions

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I was going to make this a topic on best/worst HLA’s but then I did a search, and there are several threads on this, so I’m just going to ask a couple of specific questions.

Warriors – as long as you have improved haste available (either through a spell or equipment), it seems to me that WW and GWW are fairly useless if you’re dual-wielding. Depending on your off-hand weapon, you’re getting either 3.5 or 4.5 attacks/round. Impr. haste doubles this to 7 or 9. While this is less than WW/GWW, it also lasts a lot longer (provided it’s not dispelled). Am I missing something? If I’m right, what would be the best HLA choice for a dual-wielder?

Bards – if I were to get UAI and Enhanced Bard Song, would I be able to get Vhailor’s Helm, create a simmy, and have the copy sing while the bard did something else? Or would I have to wait until the bard was level 40 in order for the copy to be level 24 (at 60%) to have access to EBS. Or would this not work at all? And if it does work, does the additional 10 point bonus to the bard’s AC and MR apply to the bard or the copy? (I would assume the copy, but you never know)

 

I use GWW and Hardiness most frequently, though Imp. Haste is preferred for dual-wielder with many attacks or non-warriors. The nice thing about Imp. Haste is that it frees you to use another HLA in battle, like Critical Strike or Deathblow/GDB.

The most popular bard song exploit is casting Mislead and letting your image sing. You can repeat this as much as you like, and the bard song bonuses stack. A simulacrum would probably be better used for combat or spellcasting, and the way the game nerfs him to 60% level is by level drain (restoration, anybody?).

 

Hmm, I've never actually used simulacrum (I usually go with a tank-heavy party, but I have a feeling I'm going to need to be more creative with magic in TOB than I was in SOA). Are you saying that if I cast restoration on a simmy, it is then at the same level as the bard? If so, is this considered cheesy?

Also, a mislead image can sing?

 

I prefer impr.haste over GWW on a dual wielder, it last longer and allows me to use it in synergy with other 1 round lastings HLA's like Critical strike.
I like to have a greater deathblow or two for killing i.e mindflayers on 1 hit. I also use hardiness alot.

As for the bard song, yes your bard can do whatever he want while the simmy bard sings, I think that the -10 ac and 10% mr only affects the simmy bard. Another evil thing you can do (just for fun ofcourse, using it all the time would ruin your game) is get as many clones you can (mislead clones work to) hide them away in a corner and make them all sing (yes, multiple songs stacks!). Aerie could take Sarevok with her hands!

Edit: oops didn't see the 2 previous posts

 

I don't know, I always liked GWW. It frees up spell slots for you mage so that you don't have to cast improved haste. I use it all the time. In fact, since most of the fighter HLAs you would only want to select once (i.e. death blow once, so you can gain access to greater death blow), usually by the time my fighter is level 30 or so, I have 4 or 5 GWW at my disposal.

 

Yup, restore your simmy for full-level copy of your caster. The only downside is that someone gets fatigued, usually the simmy (put a scroll in his quickslot). It would probably be considered cheesy since there's no way a player could know that other than looking at the game program itself. Falls into the same category as using Spell Immunity to get around 'undesirable consequences' in Hell.

Mislead images can sing; in fact that's probably the most useful thing to do. After the bardsong icon appears on your party, hide the image far from the battle to avoid True Sight.

 

GWW is ofcourse nice to have I usually keep 1-2 copies on my dual wielders since you get dozens of Fighter HLA's in the end anyway. It's very handy to have if you have a powerfull opponent surrounded (i.e Demogorgon) and then you can just GWW!!! his ass

Instant cast and attack on all fighters and then focus fire. But for long fights pre buffed imp.haste is just more convinient.