Level Drain

TheHalflingBarb · Post by **TheHalflingBarb** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 12:41 pm

hmmm.
just another case of acting before thinking =\

i started a new solo character (a halfling barbarian) and have been having a great time. finally - after doing everything else - i decided to head over to the shadow theives and accept their offer to help me. paid gaelin and went over to aran to get my tasty amulet of power so that i could slay undead.
umm - no.
argh! barbarians are fighters and cnt use the damned amulet. does this mean that fighters should side with bhodi & co? iam NOT in the mood to be screwed around by shadow's/vamps etc level draining me and constantly lowering my stats.

what should i do? im not a big fan of those cheesy "protection from undead" scrolls. but are they my only choice? and besides, carrying a bucketload of them around and using as i must doesnt sound like much fun.
if anyone has any good idea's on what i should do then please speak up. i dont understand why paladins are able to use it and not regular fighters. i know that paladins are low level clerics but i mean really, how many bones do u want to throw this class? its not like they need it to make up for crappy weapons. bastards! *grumble, grumble* ;P

finally. iam currently using lilarcor with my little halfling (a riot) but am not sure what i should move onto next? i cant really think of anything that strikes me as much/any better?
if i was a paladin on the other hand...

*sigh*
at least i get to be chaotic neutral i suppose (my fav alignment)

Silvanerian · Post by **Silvanerian** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 12:55 pm

Paladins and Rangers are spellcasters, therefore they can use the amulet of power, barbarians are not.

If you dislike using protection from undead scrolls, then your only option left is to use scrolls of retoration. Note, that only the leveldrain endures - the ability losses do not.

Or, you could just kill the vampires before the get to hit you - this can be done with most vampires, yet probably not with Bodhi.

Dispare not - you only battle vampires 4 times in SoA and ToB - I think you'll manage just fine with the scrolls of restoration.

-Sylvanerian

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 1:00 pm

Uh, you're playing a halfling barbarian, right? Just have him drink a potion of Heroism (to boost hit points) and maybe a Giant-Strength potion, activate his barbarian rage, and wade right in! (Barbarian rage is supposed to render you immune to level drain.)

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 1:37 pm

Another way is to have the mace of disruption +2 equiped, as off-hand weapon in case you lack the mace proficiency. It protects from level drain as well as the amulet does. To get it, you'll have to fight some vampires, but that should be not too severe using Daystar and it's special ability.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 2:44 pm

He can't get that mace at this point, however.

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 3:07 pm

... there's two quests from Aran between him and the place where he can find the mace is if I remember right (but the problem could be the second ingridient ...).

Anyway, there's one simple way to avoid the "random" encounter vampires: Don't go out at night. And if you do, there's Daystar. At enough level it solves vampire problems instantly.

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 5:32 pm

One of the first things i do when i get out of Irenicus' dungeon is to head over to the Copper Coronet, free Hendak then buy the Azuredge (Pink throwing axe; only good characters can use it)... one of my fav weapons, IMO even better then the Mace of Disruption against undead as you can kill them before they can even get a chance to drain you.

Stilgar · Post by **Stilgar** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 4:14 am

Originally posted by Pebz
One of the first things i do when i get out of Irenicus' dungeon is to head over to the Copper Coronet, free Hendak then buy the Azuredge (Pink throwing axe; only good characters can use it)... one of my fav weapons, IMO even better then the Mace of Disruption against undead as you can kill them before they can even get a chance to drain you.

Never used that axe before,
is it realy that good???
I find SoA lacking of realy good axes so my PC never has *in axes, untill ToB. And Korgan can't use that axe

And to answer you're question, Barbarian rage, makes you immune to level drain!!!!

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 5:36 am

Azuredge is a really good anti-Undead weapon, once you've applied the patch for it from Baldurdash. It does decent damage against non-Undead, too.

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 6:51 am

And its very cheap (less then 3000). No good party should be without it.

Nagroth · Post by **Nagroth** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 10:09 am

to Sojourner

What does this patch you mentioned do ? I never used Azuredge before but I plan on having my Ranger use it as a long range weapons when I import him to BG2.

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 10:18 am

Re: to Sojourner

Originally posted by Nagroth
What does this patch you mentioned do ? I never used Azuredge before but I plan on having my Ranger use it as a long range weapons when I import him to BG2.

Azuredge Axe Fix resolves five problems with this +3 throwing/melee axe: its special undead-instant-death ability doesn't work on most undead contrary to its description, for the few types it works on their Save Vs. Death doesn't have a -4 penalty as it's supposed to, there is no 4 points of extra damage vs. undead as there should be, it does far too much damage vs. non-undead when thrown, and its thrown/melee ability icons are the same.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 10:43 am

pebz,

interesting about the azuredge fix. I tried using it the first time through, found it to be ineffective (wonder why?

), and haven't even given it a thought since.

Now though, I'm going through the game with a good party although I've no one with a prof. in axes. still though, it would be interesting to try. do you know if this fix will impair or meld poorly with the darkest day installed.

Does the current SoA official patch fix azuredge?

thanks

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 11:08 am

I havent tried TDD yet (waiting for a version that works with ToB), but it does say on the site that you shouldnt use Baldurdash fixes with TDD.

And no, the official patch does not fix the Azuredge.

WolfHound · Post by **WolfHound** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 12:50 pm

The best way to kill vampires or anything undead is ge the Day Star. i doubt that thats the real name but once per day u can do a cool attack that kills undead instently. u get it at the city gates. ull have to find a door when u go in there will be a guy. in a room. find the illosion door and run in open chest and run out. there is some thing in there thatll kick ur ass.

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 1:24 pm

Spoiler
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But guarding the daystar is one of the most powerful undead, a lich. Best way to kill that lich is with the azuredge.

Morlock · Post by **Morlock** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 2:35 pm

Originally posted by Pebz
Best way to kill that lich is with the azuredge.

]

I forgot, where is and what are the stats of the azuredge?

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 6:01 pm

Originally posted by Morlock
]

I forgot, where is and what are the stats of the azuredge?

It can be purchased from Bernard in the Copper Coronet after you have released Hendak.

Stats are:

Azuredge Axe +3

Combat Ability: 1-6 +4 extra damage to
undead, plus they must make a saving
throw vs. death (-4 penalty or be utterly
destroyed
Damage: 1D6
Damage type (melee): slashing
Damage type (thrown): missile (piercing)
Special: Returns to user's hand once
thrown
Weight: 2
Speed Factor: 1
Proficiency Type: Axe
Type: 1-handed
Requires: 4 Strenght
Not Usable by:
Any Neural or Evil Characters
Druid
Cleric
Mage
Thief

samcu · Post by **samcu** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 7:00 pm

What kind of ability do you lose when you get hit by vampires? Spells, Theives' skill points, Critical Strikes?

Morlock · Post by **Morlock** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 12:01 am

Originally posted by samcu
What kind of ability do you lose when you get hit by vampires? Spells, Theives' skill points, Critical Strikes?

Youl loose everything you got after the level you were drained to. this includes spells, all theiving skills, traps, and I remember hearing also special abilities.