Just wondering about soloing

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Familiars can pick pockets.

Edit: AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!! I'm a Xvart now!!! I don't wanna be a Xvart!! I don't even know how to *pronounce* 'xvart' without it sounding like 'fart.'

[This message has been edited by Gonzago (edited September 01, 2001).]

 

But not all familiars...

At least my rabbit of true neutral can't

 

Yeah, that's what's screwy...in the spell description it says 'all familiars have the ability to pick pockets with varying degrees of proficiency,' or something like that. but my CG fairy dragon couldn't either..

To clarify: I've never played solo, so no, my familiar does not go around pp'ing everybody. I leave that up to my thief.

 

Gonzago:
I have absolutely nothing against Pick Pocketing in general. It's only when this turns into exploiting a game flaw, as with Ring of the Ram and Ring of Gaxx, that I object.
It's not strictly the pick pocket that is to blame, but rather the fact that a duplicate is made available when you kill that NPC.

That is a game flaw.
Of course anyone is free to make up excuses to convince himself that it's supposed to be that way.

 

Heh, the NPC notices his Ring is gone; "O fuck! Better make a new one"

 

If my three level 1 apprentices can make a Wilting scroll in a week, Tolgerias-the-at- least-level-15 mage can make a frickin' ring of the ram in the twenty-odd days it took between my meeting him and my killing him.

You can pickpocket the ring of gaxx??!?!?

 

You can - when he spawns as lich and he is still blue...

It is a bug, it IS A BUG.

And please, that was enough about rings, let's see if there are some news about soloing.

 

Actually, I encountered a bug where Kangaxx the Lich wouldn't die and/or become his demilich form. Thus, I had 5 Skeleton Warriors, Minsc, Jaheira, Valygar, Aerie, and Nalia all pounding on this Lich at 'Near Death' while my Sorcerer lowers his resistance and fires off all his offensive spells. When the game glitches up to a certain point, the lich keels over, dead. On the ground I see a shiny Ring of Gaxx, also dropped by the Demilich I conjure up with the console and defeat with the Slayer. I merely dropped one of the rings and consider myself to have slew him 'fairly'.

 

Actually what you said is impossible.

Lich version CANNOT die - it can only be beaten up to 1 HP. In that moment it transforms into demi-version.

Either you messed with MINHP1 item, or you attacked his stats instead of his HP (i.e. you lowered his STR and when it reached 0 - he's dead).

 

Eh, maybe I drained its stats, but I doubt it. I checked after it "died" in the bottom console, but it didn't say anything like

Kangaxx the Lich - Death

Weird, because it did everything something should do when it dies, and on its corpse I found the Ring of Gaxx.

EDIT: GAH! I just realized something. I didn't have Nalia, I had Haer'Dalis with me, who was draining Kangaxx's DEX score!

About soloing, back on topic, I've found that Sorcerers do surprisingly well in the game, even in the beginning. Skull Trap is your best friend in that dungeon, an instant goblin-killer. Don't need to worry about them anymore! Flame arrows are good against tougher opponents, like the Cambion

[This message has been edited by AvaLance204 (edited September 01, 2001).]

 

Goblins worthy of a Skull Trap, eh?

They have no worthwhile xp or treasure. But anyway... some other options for a solo sorcerer:
- Fireball them.
- Invisible and sneak by.
- Spider Spawn - my favorite since you might get to use the spider in two encounters if you're quick.

 

what actually happens when u use spider spawn???

 

...spiders are being spawned

And personally I prefer these (Phase, later Sword) spiders over any Monster Summoning: SPEED, ATTACK SPEED, POISON ABILITY

But Animate Dead isn't far away in levels, ya know???

 

Solo Sorcerer vs Kangaxx

This is where I humbly accept that I was wrong in my post above!

Well I finally got around to battling Kangaxx with a solo Sorcerer.

An attack based solely on MMM's, Improved Haste and Spell Immunity I'd say it is doable, but you can't expect to do it without reloads.
I tried three times and got Kangaxx the Demi-Lich down to Badly Injured at best before failing to get up the next Spell Immunity in time... ok so that's my fault.

The problem is only half of the attacks (with dex 19) hit.
There are ways to improve this:
- Two Potion of Mind Focusing to get dex to 25 will give an extra -2 THAC0 modifier.
- Draw Upon Holy Might - Bhaalspawn ability will help some.
- Ring of the Ram! The extra damage will almost insure success on first try unless you screw up bad.

Actually Sling of Everard is a good alternative to MMM's as long as you use Improved Haste since the sling does about twice the damage of the MMM's.

Staff of Rhynn +4 could be just as good if you could get your strength up to 25 or so...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My conclusion - for now :
Get Ring of the Ram and your solo Sorcerer can handle Kangaxx just fine. Otherwise you will still take him down but you will probably need a reload or two...

[This message has been edited by Earl Grey (edited September 03, 2001).]

 

I actually just killed Kangaxx as a solo sorcerer. I used a prot. from undead scroll, (cheesy, true, but entirely within the rules), staff of rhynn, 2 oils of speed, draw upon holy might, and then one charge from the wand of monsters to block his way when he panics. It took forever, but eventually I did enough damage to overcome the regeneration.

 

Earl, you deserve credits for this experiment, so:
/me passes a bunch of credits to Earl Grey

Now, I hope you saved the game at the spot!
So I'd like to ask you to try what I said - Limited Wish spell.

Cast it BEFORE you start fighting - and get one time wish to be anything (WIS=6 needed).

Wake Kangaxx and turn on spell immunity.
Destroy his lich form in any way you like - it shouldn't be so much problem.

But when he transforms to Demi-Lich, you transform to Earth Elemental! This "shapeshift" should kick his ass in no time (watch out - I dunno if THAC0 can affect this).

Please, try it. I only tried it with my F/M/T.

 

Didn't somebody do something with LW and a bunch of rabbits? Sounded uproariously funny.

 

So... I tried with shapeshifting to Earth Elemental (and Iron Golem as well) but it was no improvement. The THAC0 became worse than otherwise so the average damage didn't improve.

Limited Wish can be used for a Time Stop which is perhaps more useful since you can use the time to do some damage without Kangaxx' regeneration working against you.

About using scroll of Protection from Undead:
Does he just stand there when you have it activated? Maybe I should try it. I read somewhere that using that scroll can cause a bug, but I guess that is only if you read the scroll before starting the whole thing as opposed to reading it after Kangaxx has been fully transformed into a demi-lich. Right?
Something to do with initiating the dialogue I think.

My Sorceress was at level 13. At level 14 she could have Mordenkainen's Sword which I expect would help.

Here is the preliminary plan:
Round(s) --- Action
1 --- Get Spell Immunity.
2-5 --- Summon four Mordenkainen's Swords out of Kangaxx' line of sight.
6 --- Cast Haste.
7 --- Engage Kangaxx in melee.
8 --- The MS's also engage.
13 --- Cast new Spell Immunity.
14+ --- Keep hacking away

Hopefully Kangaxx keeps trying to Imprison the one that first engages him.
Would it work? Should I try it...

 

You are the most amazing guy on the Board! Earl. You just add that special flavour! Cheers. Not only are You taking on Kangaxx alone, but at 13th level. Such rashness must REALLY bug Kangaxx. Very

 

Some comments to what was said above.

The fight with Kangaxx really differs if you have ToB installed.

1) I do not know if it is the same in SoA, but in SoA+ToB when you use Protection from Undead before Kangaxx transforms in the demi-loch form, he will not die. I tried that with enraged Korgan, protected from Undead. He has been hitting Kangaxx the Lich with the upgraded Mace of Disruption for like ten minutes, dishing out immense damage. Then he switched to the Staff of Rynn, to no avail. Tha bastard just won't change to the demi-lich form. So I guess you have to read the scroll after he changes to the demi-lich form.

2) In SoA demi-liches were trying to imprison the closest enemy or the one that score a successful hit first. However, in ToB, demi-liches scan all your party members and summoned monsters and attack the weakest.