Soloing multiclass but not a thief - what about traps?

antich · Post by **antich** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 7:42 am

I was thinking about soloing the game as a F/M/C, but i was wondering what to do with the traps in that case? I mean i can detect them with detect traps but how do i disarm them? I don't think there's a spell like that...

Rob-hin · Post by **Rob-hin** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 7:45 am

I think you'll have to take the damage.

tlibro · Post by **tlibro** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 8:05 am

You can also cast spells to avoid damage such as Spell Turning, Spell Trap, etc... Some traps are game stoppers because they cast Maze or Imprisonment or Flesh to Stone. Just make sure you save before opening any traps. You'll may also miss out on some things as you can't open alot of the locked chests. Everything that's "essential" to finishing the game will be available, but some magic items may be missed. Use Giant Strength potions to help with forcing open chests and doors. Good luck.

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 8:12 am

i'm soloing a bezerker/mage and to get around traps in the beginning minor spell turning is great !!

or just a stoneskin does wonders too.

Sarkyn · Post by **Sarkyn** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 8:19 am

Its achievable, I'm almost into chapter 3 as a FMC and I'm already 12/13/13... Makes you feel very pumped, and 5 attacks a round with a Quarterstaff+4 is *quite* effective in addition to having almost every spell in the game...

Several things help you out:

1) The 2nd Level Priest spell "Find Traps". This reveals them instantly with 0% of failure, so its better than the Thief ability anyway. It lasts ages, so if you memorise 2 and you'll have enough to do any dungeon.

2) The 2nd Level Mage spell "Knock". Memorise 2 of these, and except for a few places, its enough to get by.

3) High Strength - If you're juggling points, don't forget to get Percentile strength if you can. It allows you to "force" the locks of most minor doors and chests. Always try repeatedly as its a random roll, you eventually succeed with most. If not see (2) above.

4) Stoneskin - What Mage is ever without a Stoneskin spell? With this on, all physical traps (such as spear, dart, etc) just knock of one skin and don't do any actual damage.

5) Spell Turning - The magic traps that aren't area effects are deflected by any type of spell turning, including the minor ones at lower levels.

6) Get a Familiar - the wizards little friends often come with a thief skill or two, such as Find Traps, PickPocket which come in handy when you're FMC.

So, with all that - the only traps you have to just "wear" the damage on are the area-effect ones like the lightning traps. And theres not enough of them to make me regret my class decision, thats for sure.

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antich · Post by **antich** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 10:53 am

Thanks all for valuable advice, especially Sarkyn!
I found that scripting list archive of yours a great resource to look at

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Mon Sep 17, 2001 11:37 am

The Find Traps spell has the added advantage of working at all times (such as when trying to kill people in the guarded compound), while the Thief ability stops working as soon as you do anything else but look for traps.

Girdle of Giant Strength (one of the first items you should buy, IMO) and Draw Upon Holy Might (either the priest spell or the Bhaalspawn ability) stack together to get you Strength 21-25. That opens most locks.

For the Berserker/Mage soloers: Berserker Rage protects against those nasty Maze traps.

As far as I could tell, there are two types of traps in SoA that get through Minor Spell Deflection/Turning (which have a reasonable duration and are good to have up and running anyway): the aforementioned Maze trap (game-ender when you solo, harmless otherwise), and Energy Drain (easily cured with a Scroll of Restoration, available for 1K gold at your nearest temple).

I must say that, after getting the Staff of the Magi (whose Spell Trap lasts for 8 hours), I have had hardly any trouble from traps at all.

Sarkyn · Post by **Sarkyn** » Tue Sep 18, 2001 7:44 am

For reference: (I know I wanted to know how this works) - the TOB Powers you get.

1 as you hit Fighter 12 (Taking you to 12/12/12) but you can only pick from the Fighter ones and the Cleric ones, and the "Extra 6th level spell" one. The mage spells aren't available. *AND* if you pick a cleric spell, you can't use it because it appears on the 7th level page, which hasn't been "turned on" yet because you can't cast 7th level priest spells yet.

You then get one for every level of every class, and you can even pick the "extra 7th level spell" and "extra 8th level spell" feats, but note - these WON'T APPEAR if you can't already cast spells of that level...

So, I guess for at least a few levels you might as well pick the fighter ones (except perhaps extra 6th level spell) because if you pick any priest spell or mage spell you won't actually be able to use it until you get up to 14th level Priest, or 18th level Mage respectively.

It sucks, but as soon as you hit 18th level mage, you can choose a Mage spell every time you go up a level (for example, to 18th level fighter, and 18th level Priest)... until you've evened them out.

Just in case anyone wanted to know!

Promise · Post by **Promise** » Tue Sep 18, 2001 7:01 pm

You don't even need any protection against floor traps, just get a summoning wand.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Tue Sep 18, 2001 7:15 pm

Not all traps are set offable by summons. My skellys regularly run over most traps... especially the atral prison traps.

Did not trigger, and even then, not all traps are NOT one shot deals. the aslylum party muncher in spell hold is evil.

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Wed Sep 19, 2001 12:18 pm

The Flesh to Stone trap on the bridge in the Copper Coronet sewers annoys me to no end. I frequently Ctrl+J across it to save myself either having to rest for a Spell Trap, having to take the long way around through the slaver ship, or risking a reload...

Kellen · Post by **Kellen** » Wed Sep 19, 2001 12:49 pm

With regards to tkhat particular trap, I have found that I could walk right past it if i stayed as far right as possible (characters right).

Dezarond the Red · Post by **Dezarond the Red** » Wed Sep 19, 2001 4:27 pm

what the hell is a FMC?

Yuusuke · Post by **Yuusuke** » Wed Sep 19, 2001 4:40 pm

Fighter/Mage/Cleric Multi-class.

Kovi · Post by **Kovi** » Thu Sep 20, 2001 3:34 am

Abilites:
Don't wait for the high level mage abilites. Unfortunately triple classes can't get to the 18th mage level (within xp cap).

Traps:
The best spell to use against traps is Mirror Image, it catches both physical and elemental damage. In some cases (eg. Maze) you also need the (major!) Spell Deflection/Turning.
Summon have no help, as most traps can be set off only by party members (the familiar is also a kind of party member)
Actually familars can be used as thief helpers. The rabbit has acceptable detection skills in SoA and in ToB it can even disarm traps.
Xyx: there is another bridge in the sewer, which has no trap (though you have to kill a Carrion to cross it).

[ 09-20-2001: Message edited by: Kovi ]