Wizard Slayers

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I like the idea of magic resistance but they only get 1% per leve?! That would give you um, 17 percent by the end of SoA, when you can get more than that amount by simply putting on a few magical items which of course, the wizard slayer *cannot* use.

I hear some people actually find them useful though, why? State whether you think they are utter crap or why they are useful.

I'm thinking of making a Wizard Slayer specialized in Two Handers, or maybe sword and shield, since I'll need to use all the magical weapons I can. BUT if there are no good reasons for taking one, I'm going with a regular fighter.

 

Well, wizard slayers are extremely usefull vs wizards. (DUH)

Every hit a wizard slayer does applies 10% cumulitive spellcasting failure, so my advice is dual weild. More hits = more spellcasting failure, and it also makes you run through stoneskins faster.

I would advise at least 2 profs in flails. One of the bonus merchs flails allows a 50% chance per hit of the target losing a spell from memory. Else/Also I would put 2 profs in longsword. Sword of balduran is very usefull for the extra 10%MR.

If your wizard slayer is evil he can wear the human flesh. This might not have a very good AC, but it does also give extra MR although I can't remember how much.
The last MR enhancing item he can wear is some shield giving an extra 5% (if you decide not to dual weild). IIRC Madulf has it

If you have ToB installed things get better, that's all I can say about that.

I just finished a solo with a wizard slayer. I finished the game in 9 days and 18 hours, I might have more posted on the topic fastest time, but this illustrates it is definately a class worth going for. Don't underestimate the wizard slayer.

Why do I like the wizard slayer?
answer: Some of the most annoying enemies in the game are mages (example liches). Wizard slayers have shown me to be extremely effective vs them. The spell failure makes sure they can't get their spells out or their defences up (apart from contigencies).
Using a special anti-mage weapon with them makes them IMO the most effective class vs spellcasters. Although it is nice to have a backup mage casting breaches or a thief dispelling illusions

DOH! Fogot to add Johr the Bleeder (might have mis-spelled that).

[This message has been edited by StressedE (edited January 19, 2002).]

 

I thought about my dwarven wiz-slaying darter and I think that I'll choose either Jhor the Bleeder (delayed damage that can prohibits spellcastng) or maybe axes as my melee weapon, darts (high number of attacks + delayed damage w. darts of wounding & ability to use with shield) and probably flails (I found the elemental damage of the flail of the ages to be very effective on spellcasters).

And since I dislike dualwielding I cannot agree with StressedE: since most mages are *not* within your immediate reach a high number of melee attacks is pretty useless against mages, when you have to walk to them first ... the high number of ranged attacks, of perhaps the tuigan bow or even darts, ensures to wreak havoc on mages quickly and from a distance if needed. IMO it is more efficient to use a ranged weapon to interrupt spellcasting and then to close in to finish the job in melee, single-handed or two-handed style.

When you're seeking for MR-hardware: The two-handed sword flame of the north (spellhold) adds 10% MR when equipped, apowerful weapon, +2 normal, +4 vs. chaotic evil.

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited January 19, 2002).]

 

Stats for Human Flesh +5 follows:
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.
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AC: 3
Saving Throws: +4 bonus!
Magic Resistance: 20% bonus
Not usable by:
Mage
Non-evil characters

 

If you are soloing with a fighter, how do you open locked chests. I tried soloing with an assasin/fighter but I got annoyed with getting killed by liches and dragons, so I took Edwin with me, and Viccy, I'm not going anywhere without her. I think the real interesting thing in the game is that they have their own minds. Still, how DO you open locks??

 

You said you were an Assassin/Fighter, right? Why didn't you just pick the damn things? Maybe he drinks strength potions and forces them open? Or maybe he doesn't open them at all?

 

Corr Raven:
There is this weird spell no selfrespecting honourable (or less honourable), professional thief would ever admit to use: It's named "knock". Even a silly mage can open locked doors and chests that way, fortunately they don't earn the open-lock XP a thief would get ... that'd be Edwin's way to solve your chest/door problem.

However that silly spell also has advantages: You can open locked chests and locked doors from a distance, I for example used it with good effect in the entrance room of Firekraag's lair (where the orcish archer wait for you)

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited January 19, 2002).]

 

Lord Sarevok:

Solo with the Wizard Slayer. I don't care if you don't make it out of Irenicus' dungeon, at least try. It'll be fun.

EDIT:

I think the Wizard Slayer gets 2% MR per level.

[This message has been edited by Black Rose (edited January 19, 2002).]

 

@Regusa:
1. Why axes?
2. I definately have to agree with you darts is a good idea, but you cant dual weild them
3. For reaching them fast I used boots of speed. Which is a very usefull item in a solo
4. Why do you dislike dual weilding? Because you think it is overpowered?

@Earl Grey:
Thnx for stats

@Corr Raven:
I used bashing 19str .
I used potions to open kangaxx's lair and to get daystar.

@Black rose:
[quote:]I don't care if you don't make it out of Irenicus' dungeon, at least try.[/qoute]
Of course he will! It is a very powerfull class and extremely usefull for soloing. I even finished the entire game with one in 9 days and 18 hrs

 

@ StressedE

1: Why Axes? Well, never really used them, and there is a remarkable one in watcher's keep ... it seemed to fit the role since I want to have a dwarf - anyway, basically I had bastard swords in mind.

2 & 4: I generally prefer single weapon style for (a) the improved chance of a critical hit and (b) for the AC bonus. I think a good longsword is just fine for me - who needs a shield at all ? And: 3 attacks per round on a fighter are great for me - rarely needed more. Dualwielding is nice for kensais though - for example katana + wakizashi or longsword + shortsword or shortsword + dagger but that is a question of personal style. And as for overpowered yes, sometimes I feel people tend to overpower dualwielding
Since I like single weapon style I never felt any conflict when using darts I could use the tuigan bow as well - for me darts are just another ranged weapon.

3: I agree, boots of speed are a must on a melee fighter, however, consider that you may have alrady hit the mage a few times (for the cumulative spellcasting failure) using darts before arriving in melee distance, even with boots of speed.

[This message has been edited by Ragusa (edited January 19, 2002).]

 

Lord Sarevok, the Wizard Slayer intrigued me so I am taking one through BG2 now. Granted the MR doesn't add much, the strong point of the Wiz Slayer is the cummulative spellcasting failure as StressedE mentioned. Quite simply put, it is nice.

My Wizard Slayer uses Two Handed Swords and Long Bow. I suggest you make your Wiz Slayer have some slots towards your favorite ranged weapon as it is great to be able to hit an enemy spellcaster from a distance (sunfire, horrid wilting, need I say more?). I chose two handed swords because everyone else in my party uses other types of weapons. I also like Ragusa's mention of The Flame of the North, as I use that sometimes with my Wiz Slayer.

 

Big B:
I agree that two handed swords (flame of the north) and longbow (manabow) are excellent choices for a wizardslayer - take care you have a good str, the you can use the girdle of inertial barrier too (if a wiz-slayer can wear it).

 

As far as I know wizard slayers can't wear magical belts. in SoA only boots, armor, weapons, shields, helms are allowed.

I don't mean to offend you. I am just interested that you prefer the small increase in damage over a powerfull ability like reflecting missile attacks to their owner or the immunities of the shield of harmony.

edit: I misunderstood the hit dice system. A smaller hit dice would be a very bad thing it would decrease damage, but the sytem increases the ammount of rolls which score a critical hit. I calculated the damage increase. If you can't hit the enemy except with criticals then the damage 2x as much (2 times as many critical hits, but the damage goes down if the character gets more hits. if you need 19 to hit the enemy the damage increase is already down to 1/3. All the way down to where every hit damages the enemy then the damage increase is 5%.
What does this all mean? it means a stronger character has less improvement with the skill. if you'd have a high level archer the single weapon skill would increase damage with darts 5%. If you had a low level thief for instance vs a highly armored enemy the damage increase would be enormous. So the more you level up and the more combat capable the character is the more the damage increase decreases, and I can tell you a wizard slayer is a very combat-capable character.
Things to take in consideration: 1) when you are fighting someone with stoneskin the increase in getting through the armour is 0% unless you need a hitroll over 19 to hit the target then it is 100% (a hitroll of 20 to hit a mage yeah right!). 2) There is a certain ammount over damage loss. this is when the final hit damages the enemy. if you only need 5 damage the last hit and you score a critical hit, then it's nice to do 30 damage but not very usefull. If the ammount of criticals increases the ammount of unneeded damage also increases.

Now the shields: Let's take the Fortress Shield. This will give you a +2 AC advantage on single weapon. If an enemy can hit no matter if you have the shield or not the extra damage prevented is 0% If he needs a roll of 4 to hit you with shield the extra damage prevented is 11% If he needs to roll 10 the damage prevented is 17% If he needs to roll 19 the damage prevented is 40%. If he needs to roll 20 the damage prevented is 50%. I have to admit it's a tough choice! The stronger the enemy the less damage it prevents


BigB: I would take shortbow instead personally. tuigan bow can apply more failure or gesenbow can hit wizards with stonskin. Just trying to help, do whatever you see fit.


[This message has been edited by StressedE (edited January 20, 2002).]

 

Well I would have done short bow but I have a mage/thief which uses one so I chose my Wiz Slayer as the person in my party with a long bow.

Also, the Inertial Barrier belt is on my mage/cleric, who needs it badly. But like StressedE said, Wiz Slayers can't use belts.

[This message has been edited by Big B (edited January 19, 2002).]

 

Hehe, well Big B in that case I can't argue with you. Good choice

 

A pity they cannot use the girdle .... but maybe the WZ's MR + extra 10% MR from FotN or the 20% Resistance to magical damage from the Manabow *with* the girdle of inertial barrier's 50% resistance to magical damage would have made gaming too easy

 

I don't think that would make the game too easy. a mc or dc fighter/cleric can wear dragonshield, red dragon armor, boots of the north, helm of defence and cloack of reflection. Possibly a ring of fire protection. having 100% cold resistance, 100% fire resistance and reflecting lightning attacks to their scource. He would still be able to wear ring of gaxx, and he would also have the ability to cast chaotic commands for mind control spells. Now that's IMO more protection than the WZ's MR + items

 

What's so great about resistance to magical damage? Most spells the enemy uses are area affect knock out spells like symbol stun. I've never actually taken that much damage from a mage, just had my whole party taken out of action by spells like symbol stun. Also not very many of the direct damage spells are strait magical damage, they are elemental.

 

You forget the ultimate Abi Dalzims' Horrid Wilting my friend, which fortunately is doing magical damage.

 

Hehe, whenever I encountered an Abi-Dalzim Spel I made my chars *run* ... when they weren't fast enough usually the elves suffered most (weird - usually, whenever Jaheira, my elven archer or elven fighter-mages died, it was because of (a) beeing beaten up held/ stunned or (b) because of an Abi Dalzim. A formidable spell indeed.