Some consideration about usefulness of forging Crom Faeir (some spoilers)

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 4:09 am

I was considering if is really useful to forge C.F. and when.
First question, do you really need it?
I think no, thats why:
in SoA you can forge it usually very late in the game, you will use it for a short time, you are already high level already and well armored anyway, so is just a plus (you probably have already killed 2-3 dragons, so you can kill the last without CF, for Bodhi you really need MoD2 and the amulet of power, and Irenicus it's not so difficoult);
in ToB you will find so many great weapons that you risk to have CF and don't use it!
On the other hand you will give away two strenght enhancing items!

I think that having all characters with a high strenght is very useful (apart from the capabilities to carry a lot of stuff): consider Jan backstabbing with a <19 str., or Viconia wearing full plate with FoA and big shields, Jaheira definetly needs a belt (a possible front tank with 15 str?), with a belt Imoen could even effectivly backstab and with tenser (is my contingency) can become a great fighter (she can't cast while TT), you can make your main Char. with str not high (better other stats) and so on;

in the game you have 5 str enhancing items (4 belts and a glove, plus a sword at the end of ToB), so if you have a big party (5-6) you can have all the PC with very high str (you have at least one with natural high str, don't you?); but if you forge CF you can have only 4 (if somebody is wielding CF, probably your front tanks with natuar high str.), and you will remain with 1-2 PC with poor str..

To conclude, I think that if you have a big party the trade off for CF is too high, while in a smaller party (less than 4-5) it can be a choice (but remember that its not a must for SoA, and in ToB you will be selling away +4, +5 and even +6 weapon(!!!) a lot of the time).
That's is my view.

Eerhardt · Post by **Eerhardt** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 4:23 am

Ok, I can see your point... I just think it's really cool to have some of the legendary items. Besides that, Hammer of Thunderbolts won't cut it for creatures with protection agains magical weapons with +3 enchantment or less (of course, there aren't that many of them around in SoA, but one comes to mind

). It's a personal choice, made a lot easier by importing BGI high Strength characters. Of course, you should spend at least one proficiency point in Warhammers for Crom Faer. I did it for my fighter and with points spent in dual wielding and his naturally low Thac0, Crom Faer really rocked!

decadurabolin · Post by **decadurabolin** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 4:47 am

I think I will still forge it, Crom Faeyr after all, grants you 25 strenght when equipped , highest strenght that is, dual wield it with FOA really makes you a killing machine.

Fence · Post by **Fence** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 6:55 am

The Crom Faeyr is my personal favorite. There's just something about wading into a big group of vampires dual-wielding the Crom and the MoD+2 that I find very satisfying. Do you NEED it? Not really... but a +5 weapon with a strength modifyer like that is hard to argue with. Plus, your avatar looks really groovy carting around that huge, glowing boulder on a stick!

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 8:06 am

One of the biggest enjoyments of the game(for me) is to gather great weapons and Crom is the greatest so of course you should forge it!!

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 11:54 am

lompo, the argument cuts both ways. tob also has some very nice str enhancing items, and crom and axe of unyeiding is the best weps selection from wittle korgy. best thing to do is wait til just before moving to elven city, forge crom, then use str spell a lot until you get some more great str belts. you get one in elven city, automatically, almost, then you get one in giant siege.

one is even better than belf of frost giant!!!

once you get liquid mecury, you are set with str items!!!

ps, my kensai sorc has 3 draw on holy mights that wont be taken away by asylum so I have crom str all thru game, since my pc has belt of inertial barrior as mandatory equipment for skull trap and abu dahzim portection, so I have no belt slot open. just a quick plug...giggle...

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 1:51 am

Don't misunderstand me, I think CF is a great weapon, but it comes late in SoA (so you will not be using it much, and in ToB you find a lot of super weapon) and the trade off is big so it is not for me an automatical choice to forge it, but depends a lot on the team I have.
But after all this game is great also because there is a lot of way to play it.

Mr Flibble · Post by **Mr Flibble** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 2:06 am

I get it simply for troll killing. i hate trolls!

Bit of a spoiler....

Does the 25 str granted by CF allow you to force open the doors in the mindflayer area in the underdark? If so it would make that area much easier.

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 5:15 am

Technically I you could, but I think you can forge CF only after you exit from underdark (you need an item found there).

Mr Flibble · Post by **Mr Flibble** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 5:18 am

You can still go back. I like going back just to kick more drow butt

lompo · Post by **lompo** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 8:38 am

You can force the mind flayers locked area also by turning into the Slayer (he has 25 str.).

Phantom Lord · Post by **Phantom Lord** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 4:23 pm

Slayer change is the only way to force them open as far as I know, but I didn't leave inbetween and return with Crom yet I think. As UU said, Crom and AoU equipped on Korgan is a killer in ToB, but this is the SoA forum, so it also depends on when you do Underdark.

First time I forged Crom I equipped it on Mazzy /w Boots of Speed and she became a killing machine second to none. Second time I gave it to my C/T, little less effect due to lack of specialization. Third time I gave it to Korgan and put all his WP into warhammers, good effect but not one that would really shake the foundations - my F/T PC still was deadlier - with short swords.

Crom gives godlike strength but at a point where it doesn't matter too much anymore. I personally think that the Short Sword of Mask (buyable as soon as you've got the money with ToB installed) is a little more unbalancing.