High Level Abilities - Your Recommendations Wanted!

ElvenKing · Post by **ElvenKing** » Sat Feb 02, 2002 7:57 am

Hello all.
I'm currently cruising through SoA with ToB, Baldurdash, Gaider Mods and Ascension installed. My party consists of the following characters.

1) Minsc
2) Anomen
3) Jaheira
4) PC Archer
5) Imoen
6) Jan (to be replaced by Sarevok)

My question is which of the high level abilities would you recommend focusing on for this party, and more specifically, per class? Going through the manual it is my impression that some of the abilities are pretty useless (Tracking, Deathblow, Alchemy and War Cry come to mind). Your thoughts?

Thanks,
ElvenKing

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Sat Feb 02, 2002 8:10 am

Here are my recommendations:

Minsc - Greater Whirlwinds and 2-3x Hardiness
Anomen - Mass Raise Dead and Energy Blades
Jaheira - Greater Whirlwinds, 2x Hardiness, and Greater Elemental Summoning
Your PC - same as Minsc
Imoen - All except Comet, get Dragon's Breath & Summon Planetar first
Jan - Use Any Item, Spike Traps, and the bonus spells
Sarevok - same as Minsc

StigTC · Post by **StigTC** » Sat Feb 02, 2002 1:07 pm

What have you got against Comet?

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 12:51 am

i dont much like hardiness, and comet is not all that good for lich hunting, they seem to resit that more than dragon breath.

why is hardiness so good???

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 7:11 am

@StigTC - It's not that I have anything against Comet, it's that your mage/sorceror has a limited number of 9th level spell slots (unless he's hacked

), and I would rather use them on a mass area effect that bypasses magic resistance. Dragon's Breath does this, whereas Comet doesn't.

@UserUnfriendly - Hardiness is the warrior's version of Armor of Faith, but lasts much longer, and helps out a lot in those tough battles. It's nice to have your warriors fighting, instead of drinking a healing potion every 2 seconds.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 3:23 pm

Originally posted by UserUnfriendly
i dont much like hardiness, and comet is not all that good for lich hunting, they seem to resit that more than dragon breath.

why is hardiness so good???

User you who like cheese should love hardiness seeing as it stacks with itself!!! Three hardiness means damage actually heal you character. Or get a fighter thief and get jans armour and abuse hardiness to be invulnerable.

ElvenKing · Post by **ElvenKing** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 4:13 pm

Last night while cleaning up my saved games folder I accidentally erased my Archer game that I had originally started this post for! Talk about stupidity...
Anyway, looks like I'm going to have to start over and this time I'll be using a Half-Elf Blade instead. What would your recommendations be for the Bard high level abilities? I'm thinking along these lines - Improved Bard Song, Use Any Item, Set Spike Trap and Greater Evasion. Your thoughts on this?
Also, any tips you may have in terms of useful spells, equipment or strategies for a Blade would be greatly appreciated! I usually play through with the warrior types so I am a magic user neophyte in terms of player characters - I usually don't have the patience...

Thanks for listening,
ElvenKing

Crosswind · Post by **Crosswind** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 5:58 pm

Greater Evasion is pretty useless if you're a blade; you already have defensive spin (-10 AC), a good natural AC(-11 or so), and Improved Bard Song (-10 AC).

I suppose it's ok, if you want to waste 2 rounds getting both that and your offensive spin up, but I went for mostly spike traps.

-Cross

ElvenKing · Post by **ElvenKing** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 8:21 pm

I see your point about Greater Evasion being overkill. In that case, how useful is Avoid Death? The extra 20 hit points and immunity to finger of death, etc. sounds like it could come in handy.
On a bard related question, why wasn't the Jester's Chain +4 given the ability to cast spells from? Its description says that it was designed specifically for a bard, but the fact that it blocks spellcasting ability makes it basically pointless. Too bad, because it is a cool item. Wonder if someone made a mistake?

ElvenKing

DaJir · Post by **DaJir** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 2:24 pm

Why bother with avoid death? You can spell/potion up your saving throws or just have a cleric/plantear cast death ward. Or just have that cloak of mirroring and be invul. And can't bards cast spell immunity?
I'd use the high level abilities for use any item, enhanced bard song and the rest on spike traps. Too bad bards can't backstab and don't get assasination

. my fav high level ability outa all the classes, with greater whirlwinds and the high level summons in a close second.

Andarian · Post by **Andarian** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 6:29 pm

Why should your main be a bard, especially a blade? Just take Haer'dalis with you, and you should be set with all your bard's needs.... and trap needs too if ya get him lots of spike traps, which lets the boss die pretty easily if you use the save-wish trick.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 12:42 am

Blades are a lot of fun to play, I've played one myself. High-level abilities I recommend getting:

Use Any Item (of course)
Improved Bard Song
Spike Traps
Several Time Traps (if playing solo)

Avoid Death is nice, but bards can cast Spell Immunity:Necromancy, which lasts much longer, so don't bother with it.

For strategies on playing a bard, read Two's thread about his solo skald, No deaths, no reloads.

ElvenKing · Post by **ElvenKing** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 4:39 pm

Sojourner - As always, you are a font of information. Thanks for the link to the 'No Death, No Reloads' thread. Very interesting stuff, and some good tips to boot!
You mentioned that you have used the Blade before. Any particular spells and/or spell strategies that I should not miss? Ideally, I would like to use this guy as more of an offensive force, and leave all the magery to Imoen and Jan (at least until ToB when Sarevok takes Jan's spot).
Since I won't be able to use helmets for a long, long time will Ioun Stones protect against critical hits? Since he doesn't have as many hit points to fight with compared to my accidentally destroyed Archer, any armour or equipment you would recommend as a must have?
Also, I discovered that Bards can have a familiar. Is this a flaw (I thought they were a mage-only benefit) or can I carry around a little friend with no worries or guilt about exploiting a loophole? If so, those 12 extra hit points (24 for ToB) will be greatly welcomed!
Lastly, is Set Time Trap very useful for a non-solo game? I intend to play through with a full party and have never, ever used time stop in any previous games as a viable strategy. Once again, I think this falls under the explanation that I've never had the patience to properly understand and use the magic-user part of the game. Usually I just go melee and range weapon crazy. Any tips on how to get more out of the magic experience would be welcomed...

Cheers,
ElvenKing

Ode to a Grasshopper · Wed Feb 06, 2002 11:51 pm

Ioun Stones protect against critical hits just as well as helms. If you can cast mage spells you can have a familiar without fear of exploiting the system (not that that's ever bothered me anyway). IMHO bards perform best as backup mages, to identify items and when singing the Improved Bard Song.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 1:27 am

Like Ode to a Grasshopper said, Ioun Stones protect against critical hits, and there are some good ones to be found. Bards having a familiar is not a flaw - since they cast mage spells, too.

I recommend having your blade dual-wield (and download the Blade Offensive Spin Ability Fix).

Equipment:

Melodic Chain - best armor for a bard throughout SoA, and best of all, you get it doing your stronghold quest. In ToB, you can replace it with Aslyferund Elven Chain +5.

Pale Green Ioun Stone - boost hit points. Replace it with upgraded Thieves' Hood, Lavender Ioun Stone, or Wong Fei's Ioun Stone in ToB.

Gauntlets of Weapon Skill or Expertise, until you get the Wondrous Gloves.

You'll also eventually want to get the Amulet of the Master Harper, Montolio's Cloak, and the Boots of Speed.

Weapons:

There are sooo many to choose from. Leave the two-handers to the warriors in your party.

There a lot of good Short Swords in SoA, including Arbane's Sword, which does a lot more than shield you from Hold Person, and there's Kundane, which gives you an extra attack.

Long swords and axes would also be good, and in ToB, you may want to put a * in bastard swords to wield Foebane.

Ranged weapons: bows or daggers (There's a really good throwing dagger in the Underdark), or, if you're playing the evil route, go for crossbows, and get the Big Metal Unit made.

High-level abilites: UAI, Improved Bard Song, and loads of Spike Traps. Since you're playing with a party and don't normally use Time Stop anyway, you may not want to bother with Time Traps.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 1:35 am

sorry bruce, hardiness does not a stack after installing balderdash patch. but hardiness will add itself with armor of faith, so i use both. good prebuff...

yeah, hardiness is worth it, good for minsc and jahira, so they stack with armor of faith.