Firkraag, too hard, just too hard...

willsanders84 · Post by **willsanders84** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:33 pm

He's too hard for me. I've never walked away from him before, but this time, after five attempts, I concede. You ARE something Firkraag, you really are. He IS good isn't he.

I'm a lvl 10 fighter, along with Aerie, Jaheira and Yoshimo. I think Yoshimo's fired about sixty arrows of peircing at him, and hasn't hit him once. He saves against insect plague EVERY time, even after two lower resistances and about six dooms. Managed to enfeeble him once - didn't make the slightest difference.

So, what level are you, out of interest, when you take him on? I just had to come straight on here and show my appreciation for that dragon.

arsiwash · Post by **arsiwash** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 2:49 pm

willsanders84 wrote:He's too hard for me. I've never walked away from him before, but this time, after five attempts, I concede. You ARE something Firkraag, you really are. He IS good isn't he.

I'm a lvl 10 fighter, along with Aerie, Jaheira and Yoshimo. I think Yoshimo's fired about sixty arrows of peircing at him, and hasn't hit him once. He saves against insect plague EVERY time, even after two lower resistances and about six dooms. Managed to enfeeble him once - didn't make the slightest difference.

So, what level are you, out of interest, when you take him on? I just had to come straight on here and show my appreciation for that dragon.

You will need to dispel him first... he is both hasted and stoneskinned... that might be part of the problem with Yoshimo.

Well, the first problem is that you are only using 4 characters. Yoshimo is a thief... he isnt as good when he cant backstab. You are the only REAL tank...Jahiera is trying insect plagues... when he gets low he will TRY a heal... and with the plagues going, he will still most likely get it off.

You should get a full party to go after him. Yoshimo won't be much use... so I would boot him for this battle. Make sure you have a remove fear memorized. There are SUPER cheesy ways to beat him... by doing cloudkills out of his line of sight. If he has not seen you initially, he will just sit there and take the damage.

I waited until I was level 12 or 13 to take him on... it was not a tough battle, I was well armed, and was ready for him.

I have never stacked dooms, I don't think they actually stack... just like you cannot stack the bless spells for the party. A doom with a major Malison will hurt his saves.

RPGguy · Post by **RPGguy** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:03 pm

It's definitely an issue of tactics. If your party can clear the dungeon leading up to Firkraag, you should have no problem defeating the dragon himself. IMO, the dungeon leading up to him is significantly harder.

To kill *any* dragon in the game (except Draconis who is a special breed), the critical tactic is to land 2 or 3 lower resistance spells before you even attempt to attack it. Until you drop his MR (magic resistance), avoid, avoid, avoid.

So the real challenge is to keep his attacks off your spell casters until you can land those spells. Most people probably use summons to accomplish that.

Give that a shot and report back. Good luck.

kmonster · Post by **kmonster** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:58 pm

Just revisit him in chapter 6. It's not worth using cheesy tactics or spending valuable resources.

Hamster ranger · Post by **Hamster ranger** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:29 am

Sometimes it's just getting lucky, the second time I beat him my mage was running out of spells and I threw polymorph other in desperation, one or two of my tanks were already down and poof Firkraag the Magnificent was a squirrel. I didn't have lower resistance so it was pure luck that it worked.

RPGguy · Post by **RPGguy** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:51 am

Hamster ranger wrote:Sometimes it's just getting lucky, the second time I beat him my mage was running out of spells and I threw polymorph other in desperation, one or two of my tanks were already down and poof Firkraag the Magnificent was a squirrel. I didn't have lower resistance so it was pure luck that it worked.

THAT is hilarious!!!

Incidentally, did you slaughter the squirrel? If so, when did you get your XP, at the point of the polymorph or at the point you killed the squirrel? Obviously, I've never used that spell. I'm sure going to start now though :laugh:

Majorman · Post by **Majorman** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:07 pm

I usually oust him when being lvl 13. Cast Iron skin on Jaheira to buy yourself some time, have Aerie summon some cannon fodder prior to the battle, and then during the battle, cast dispell, lower restistances and then use lightnings and MMissiles to finish him off. Firkraag is vulnerable to ligtning.

Also, try finding another mage to improve your artillery barrage.

If anything else fails, go kill the black dragon first, he seems easier and killing him will help you develop an anti-dragon technique.

Hamster ranger · Post by **Hamster ranger** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:14 pm

I have no idea what I got for experience, I got the Big Holy Sword, Minsc was left standing so I had him kill the squirrel, probably with Lillicor. I was just happy to be alive, it was my 3rd or 4th play through and probably really what got me hooked on this game.

PS> Since I had never used that spell before I wasn't sure if he would revert back to a dragon again, I was amazed that the dragon was just gone , then I noticed this little blue spot and when I ran my cursor over it it was Firkaag, so I killed the squirrel in utter panic thinking that the spell would wear off and I'd have a really pissed off Dragon to deal with any second.

galraen · Post by **galraen** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:40 pm

It's never occurred to me to take him on straight out of Chateau Irenicus, and you must have been to be only 10th level when you took him on, or done very little after the first dungeon.

Personally I don't bother with him until after the Underdark normally, unless I have a Paladin along. Even if I go after him before the Underdark my party is usually 15th level or higher. Firkraag really isn't that hard unless you are low level, only usually kills half the party LOL. If you go after him after the Underdark he's a pushover.

RPGguy · Post by **RPGguy** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:03 pm

galraen wrote:Personally I don't bother with him until after the Underdark normally, unless I have a Paladin along. Even if I go after him before the Underdark my party is usually 15th level or higher. Firkraag really isn't that hard unless you are low level, only usually kills half the party LOL. If you go after him after the Underdark he's a pushover.

Typically, I try to do everything I possibly can in Chapter 2. But for sure, the last 3 things I do before sailing to Brynnlaw is (a) Cult of the Eyeless (b) Planar Sphere (c) Firkraag's Dungeon in that order, due to how I perceive them as escalating in difficulty. I definitely wouldn't have the balls to try any of those straight out of Irenicus' Dungeon.

arsiwash · Post by **arsiwash** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 1:49 pm

You can finish the area and come back for him later on. You can talk with the dragon, or just kill the mage there and get the key to free the young boy.

I went after him at 12th level, and dispelled him and just overpowered him.

You could always buy some scrolls and use spells that are above your level to cast to try to beat him down that way as well. Some similicrum mages who can lower resistance as well as your own could really make him easier to kill... not to mention the hoards of other spells you can throw.

jouke1988 · Post by **jouke1988** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 2:04 pm

I agree with all the other responses. Firkraag is one of the most powerful opponents before Brynlaw. You will need every single XP you can get. But I do tend to do everything I can before Brynlaw. At the moment I am traveling again and this time with four people. I did not succeed to kill Firkraag before Brynlaw and did him after it. But it doesn't make it alot easier. As with all the dragons in the game, Timing is the keyword!

galraen · Post by **galraen** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 2:35 pm

What really decides my approach in terms of what to do before going to Brynlaw is what my plans for Imoen are. If I intend to add her to the party I go there ASAP, so do virtually nothing that doesn't involve getting to Brynlaw, If, on the other hand I have no intention of adding Imoen, then I clear out most if not all of the available quests before hand; but with Windspear last on the agenda.

jouke1988 · Post by **jouke1988** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 2:19 am

I agree with Galraen. Imoen is a key player in this discussion
Do you want her to have the XP as wel, go toe Brynlaw ASAP, do you not want her, take all the subs first.

mrdeluxe · Post by **mrdeluxe** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:59 am

I must say that I usually get lucky with dragons, especially Firkraag. I've once killed him with a single Monk's Stunning Blow, and on this game Jaheira killed him with the spell Harm and a hit.

For your game I would suggest the following:

Equip your fighter with the dragon-slaying items you find along the dungeon and drink a few potions of fire resistance, giant strength and anything that improves your AC.

If Jaheira is capable: summon a couple of Fire Elementals as cannon fodder, maybe a dryad and cast Defensive Harmony right before the battle.

Try and lay some traps with Yoshimo, they won't do much damage but it will help, then send him to the back for missile support, or have Yoshimo distract Firkraag, as bait.

Have Aerie cast Remove Fear and Haste, then a few Doom spells, Resist Magic Resistances and Dispel. After that use Magic Missiles on him. Use wands if you have to.

Try and have the dragon chase Yoshimo while your fighter bashes him. If he turns, have your fighter retreat while Yoshimo keeps firing arrows until Firkraag goes back chasing him.

Also, spread your party around Firkraag, surrounding him by all sides, keeping Aerie as far away as possible.

Good luck!

willsanders84 · Post by **willsanders84** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:44 am

Just done him.

Set traps with Yoshi (Cheesey, I think, but I only got about 3)
2 fire elementals, 2 nymphs, an efreeti.
Protected everyone from fire, stoneskin, defensive harmony etc
2x lower resistance, doom, greater malison, 2x insect plague.
Magic missile, magic missile etc etc.

Just hacked him to pieces, except a fire elemental got the killing blow, so no experience, but I was happy. I hate being overpowered, so it suits me. This was my fourth attempt, and I'd told myself that if I couldn't do it in five, he was too hard for me.

Thanks for all your help guys, much appreciated. Got to love red dragon scale! (And I need casomyr for kangaxx, don't have the cash for the staff of rynn, so I'll have to borrow Keldorn.)

RPGguy · Post by **RPGguy** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:01 am

willsanders84 wrote:Thanks for all your help guys, much appreciated. Got to love red dragon scale! (And I need casomyr for kangaxx, don't have the cash for the staff of rynn, so I'll have to borrow Keldorn.)

Don't forget about Melf's Minute Meteors. Extremely powerful, flexible, inexpensive spell...useful throughout the saga. Definitely in my top 10.

jouke1988 · Post by **jouke1988** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 6:56 am

willsanders84 wrote: Got to love red dragon scale! (And I need casomyr for kangaxx, don't have the cash for the staff of rynn, so I'll have to borrow Keldorn.)

If you love red dragon scale, you certainly want to hack every dragon you find in BG2 down, Dragon scales are the most powerful armors, except for one other. I'm very close to finishing BG2: ToB now and I wear three Dragon scale armors so they are very effective.

RPGguy · Post by **RPGguy** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 7:08 am

jouke1988 wrote:If you love red dragon scale, you certainly want to hack every dragon you find in BG2 down, Dragon scales are the most powerful armors, except for one other. I'm very close to finishing BG2: ToB now and I wear three Dragon scale armors so they are very effective.

I never wear dragon scale. Full Plate gives you an AC of 1. Add a Ring of Protection + 2 (or +3 in ToB) Gives you AC -1 and -2 for all saves.

Would you rather have AC -1 armor and 50% Fire Resistance or AC -1 and -2 for all saves? Especially when a simple Prot. from Fire Spell gives you total immunity against fire, the lower saves are much more useful IMO.

Personally, I wish the Dragon Scale armors were more powerful so I would actually be tempted to wear them. Actually, they should have let you collect the black, red, green and blue scale and have Cespenar work them into one single set piece with...

AC -2
50% fire resistance
50% cold resistance
50% acid resistance
75% electrical resistance

yarly!!!

Edar Macilrille · Post by **Edar Macilrille** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:12 pm

Mod- mod- mod. Dragon Scale and Plate has each their own advantages and disadvantages. Viconia or another non-tank in Firkraag's skin is pretty cool and turns them into a tank.
However, if you mod, some items become even cooler, and if you mod with Tactics or SCS II Firkraag as well as all other NPC gets really hard; in Tactics by cheese, in SCS II by acting intelligently. I recommend SCS II a lot. Makes the game a realistic (inasmuch as a Fantasy Role Playing Game can be) challenge.