Having it rough with the mind flayers.

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Do any of you have good advice on defeating the mind flayers? Five or six of them, and I get **cked before I get a single strike in. I've got three badass tanks (a cavalier, Keldorn and Minsc) in my party backed up by Yoshimo, Sir Anomen and Aerie. Will that do?

 

Take them one at a time or you will get slaughtered. My 14th level warrior can take them solo but he dies sometimes. That's what quicksave is for though.

 

I had a rather lengthy post on the subject on another message board, here's a cut'n paste:

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I finished the mind flayer city in the Underdark as the very last thing there and I NEVER encountered tougher fights in any AD&D game before. Everyone who manages this quest without a single reload will be considered an AD&D demigod by yours truly

After the painful experience there I discovered a 2nd Flayer hideout below Akathla, and I managed THAT one in the 1st attempt (it's MUCH smaller though), so I guess I picked up a thing or two I might share with some frustrated brain donors around (literally.. I dunno how often I had mine eaten)

The real problem are those fights, where you face an entire group of mind flayers (Ilithid), greater mind flayers (Ultharid) AND Umber hulks and once, whatever bloody SADIST made this monster mix will get throttled when I ever meet him

General problems:

- PSI blast. Ilithids and Ultharids opening attack. Will STUN characters with an area effect around the target.
While stunned chars are not only out of the fight, a mind flayer in melee will AUTOMATICALLY (no attack roll!) KILL the stunned char in 3 rounds by sucking his/her brain out. As soon as you see the little red "intelligence drained by mind flayer" icon pop up, you have only a FEW seconds left to kill the flayer in contact!
Ultharid are even worse: they will automatically KILL a helpless victim with only ONE attack. Attack those with EXTREME prejudice.

- Domination.
Flayers and Ultharid can basically dominate anything at will with a huge saving throw penalty. They can dominate almost ANYTHING you can summon (including greater Elementals), except undead. The only reliable stoppers to block their path for a while are skeletons. Note that even a dominated earth elemental, while attacking you, might still at least block the path and prevent the flayers from snacking on your brains. Try your luck... I'd rather take the elemental at ANY time...
Important thing to note: there are several items that confer immunity to charm in the game. Those will NOT work for domination!!!
Also the mage spell "spell immunity" even if you select enchantment will NOT help against this PSI attack.

- magic resistance.
Mind Flayers are relatively impervious to magic, Ultharids are pretty close to immune. Sometime a fireball will work, mostly it won't.
Entangle, web and grease have not proven effective for me.

- Umber Hulk Gaze.
The real #+*&%$§ sadism is to mix umber hulks among the flayers. Their gaze is NOT psionic, and while you can mix 8 brine potions (immunitiy to psionics) in the flayer city (CHERISH those!), they won't protect from the hulks confusion gaze. If you can, roast umber hulks in the first round with all the heavy artillery you have.

Now for the good news...

Countermeasures:

- "Chaotic commands", 5th level cleric spell.
When doing this area, forgo all other 5th level spells (yep, even summon insects) for the moment. This spell protects from charm, domination AND umber hulk gaze. Use sparingly, though, I never had more than 4 available.

- brine potions: immunity to psionics
You will have 8 of these, use sparingly and *only* for the fighters up front. Take care of umber hulks, those can still confuse you.

- circlets of domination: automatically control even a flayer (no saving throw)
You can make 4 of these and you will need 2 of them to open important doors in the ilithid city (unless you don't mind losing 4 points of rep by repeatedly turning into the slayer, of course ). The other 2 can make the difference in the fights with the mixed groups. One dominated Ultharid is effectively dead, and he might even damage a second or block his way...

- distance, while an immune tank takes all the psi attacks...

So this is how even the "big" fights (those with flayers/Ultharid/Hulks) can be won relative easily:

- pump up at least 2 tanks. The usual Haste (improved haste from Minsc's new gauntlets is great for me), strength, bless, prayer, aid - whatever you can give them. Forget AC and better have them double wield. This is all about killing as fast as possible. You won't die due to hitpoint loss usually. Now they NEED to be immune to Psionics, and at least one needs to be immune to hulk gaze as well
(chaotic commands).

- have a few summoned creatures ready (skeletons will suffice and can't be dominated, confused or stunned)

- open door (there always is one ) with the double immune tank. Wait for the first barrage of PSI and gaze attacks and absorb them. Retreat once the critters start moving

- block them with the summoned critters, and lob one round of fireball, ice storm, chain lightning, whatever at the crowd. This won't harm the flayers much probably, but will severely weaken the hulks.

- have your tanks waiting in the corridor (the skellies will fall soon enough), and KEEP ALL OTHER CHARS AS FAR BEHIND AS POSSIBLE. That way you only have to use brine potions/chaotic commands on the tanks.

- when the Ultharids (TOP PRORITY!) and flayers come, hack away, have 2 archers (preferably hasted as well as the tanks) pluck at them with the highest damage arrows you have (arrows of piercing), and have the mages finish the hulks. Always watch for the little red warning lamp and kill any brain sucking flayers immediately.

Now I know what that load screen tip "When a battle seems impossible..." was meant for



Armin