Best solo fighter

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 4:42 am

Stalker/Cleric is not allowed in a patch/ToB but shouild be possible otherwise.

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 7:31 am

@BruceLee

My bad, the adventure group I was referring to is Mencar Pebblecrusher's group in Waukeen's Promenade. It was a tough group for my Inquisitor.

@Impaler987

Do you have the improved battles in ToB? Any of those will be a challenge for a solo character!

@User

Out of curiousity, what is your crossbow of choice? I almost never use a crossbow in my games.

Cheers!

Impaler987 · Post by **Impaler987** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 9:33 am

Originally posted by Baldursgate Fan
My bad, the adventure group I was referring to is Mencar Pebblecrusher's group in Waukeen's Promenade. It was a tough group for my Inquisitor.

Hmm, I don't see how it could be difficult for an inquisitor. He has true sight which can be used to keep the thief Brennan Risling from backstabbing him, and his dispel magic should be able to tear through Pooky the familiar's and the sorceror's defenses, making them easy meat. I've never soloed an inquisitor, but I doubt it'd be that difficult, considering my stalker tore them up when she first got out of Irenicus' dungeon.

@Impaler987

Do you have the improved battles in ToB? Any of those will be a challenge for a solo character!Cheers!

That'll probably be my next step.

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 11:19 am

Further to my earlier post re the adventure group, I have stumbled upon The Chosen of Mystra Mod that makes it even harder. It's called The Desecration of Souls with lots of undead thrown in as well, according to the forum link.

Any takers?

bullions27 · Post by **bullions27** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 4:47 pm

Paladins can only reach Spell Level 4. Regardless of opinions, you can state who can do this or that better and no one is wrong. However, a part of the decision of what you want to play is preference and to me the Monk is on top of the list. Unless you count new kits... then I take my new Paladin kit over any class anyday.

Firetooth and Giant Hair are both 2 very good crossbows.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 1:54 am

Okay since the monk seems to be the fighterclass of choice I have decided to give it a try.
Hmm the monk can use wands in SoA... can they use wands of spell striking?? Probably not but it would be good if they could.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 2:35 pm

They can't use wands of spell striking... and they have extreme difficulties in beating demogorgon... I got through the rest of watchers keep without much hassle at all...except for the chromatic demon which was tough for my monk... had to use answerer so that my summoned hobgoblins could hit him

Still when he finally died I had used my last gww so it was close but doable.
Demogorgon however is another story. I need to wear the ring of free action in order to not get held so my ac weakens a bit but is still respectable so the mariliths don't hit me all the time but in order to get rid of demo's stoneskins I need to hit him and just from taking damage from his aura fo flaming death I get badly hurt... and prot from magic scroll didn't stop him from casting implosion (I guess it doesn't stop priest spells) and the cloak of mirroring didn't stop me from taking damage so I am in trouble.
I know I dont need to beat him but if I cannot beat him I feel that the monk is not a good solo fighter. I am level 40 so level is not the problem. And I am using hardiness but to no avail. I used smite to through of the other demons aswell but it didn't help much either.
Any suggestions? Has anyone beaten him with a monk solo?

garazdawi · Post by **garazdawi** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 2:58 pm

The usual advice for these kind of battles is to ry EVERY possible way there is to do the battle, cheese and non cheese, everything. and if that fails you just try over and over again with the same strategy until you get 5 critical hits in a row and finish him off that way. For this kind of battes we have to depend on luck or cheese

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 7:26 pm

I followed your advice and kept trying and dying until I remembered the rod of resurrection in my bag of holding

Turned the battle right around and no Demogorgon is dead and so is Sendai and Draconis. Sendais anclave was a breeze with the Monk. I am beginning to understand why the Monk was the top choice.

bullions27 · Post by **bullions27** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 7:59 pm

I am beginning to understand why the Monk was the top choice.

You can't handle the truth!

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Tue Dec 03, 2002 10:05 pm

@Bruce

At level 40, my monk was well nigh unkillable. At that level, my monk has an AC of -19. With the Big Metal Unit, it was -23. Check out his equipment.

From memory, here's how it works: -

Possible spoilers below:
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1. Wong Fei's Ioun Stone
2. Ring of Gaax
3. Ring of Protection +3
4. Bracers for monks (Tzu Zan's Bracers)
5. Belt of Inertial Barrier
6. Cloak of Mirroring
7. Big Metal Unit
8. Amulet (of something)
The only(!) other weapon (discounting healing potions) is a daystar to kill undead. I stood 1 on 1 with Firkraag and Abazigal (sp?) and finished them with a quivering palm in non-improved fights. I could never finish off dragons (or for that matter, demogorgon, liches and Melissan) so easily with other fighter classes equipped with the best items. His innate Magic Resistance was over 100.

Even with XP removed, a final level 50 monk stayed at -23, though I was mainly at -19 to get through doors

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Wed Dec 04, 2002 3:34 am

I just got wrong feis ioun stone aswell so my AC is also -19. I use the same equipment as you except for the big metal unit and belt of inertial barrier. I use belt of fire giant strength instead and I just killed Draconis but I dont think those bracers will replace the gauntlets of crushing... I use the cloak of the sewers mostly instead of cloak of mirroring.
Against dragons the belt and the cloak are godd choices though.
Yeah they are tough as hell.. really only demogorgon, the chromatic demon and to a lesser degree ogremoch has givem me grief.
Will see how she does against Abazigal pretty soon.

Littiz · Post by **Littiz** » Wed Dec 04, 2002 5:00 am

@Bruce: what the... ??!?
Did you finish SoA with the monk in 2 days???

You started in ToB maybe?

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Wed Dec 04, 2002 9:49 am

Littiz: I had time to kill okay hehe... I only did the quests I wanted to so it was a quick run through SoA. Once you get to level 15 with a Monk it is a smooth ride through SoA really.
I am now ready to take on Balthazar.
With ToB installed any of the abovementioned classes will breeze through SoA actually.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Sun Dec 08, 2002 9:42 pm

Okay Balthazar was easy and the Ravager fell in the end after a tough fight. Melissan however is just not possible to do with a monk. I exhaust all the charges on the rod of resurrection before the final fight... my hps are too low really.
My analysis of the Monk as a solo character is that the Monk has an easier time than the average fighter class against everyday enemies but a harder time against bosses like demogorgon and Melissan and is therefore not a good solo option through ToB.
Possibly the Inquisitor might be the best choice... will try that next.. after I finish with my dwarven kensai solo... I believe kensais can be a good option because the rule at fighting bosses.

Baldursgate Fan · Post by **Baldursgate Fan** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 3:32 am

Yeah, the final battle sure is tough for any solo character. IIRC, Melissan couldn't hurt my monk with her +3 spear.

The final battle was a pain, even with high Magic resistance and immunities, I barely managed to get by with potions of superior healing and lots running around.

Bruce Lee · Post by **Bruce Lee** » Mon Dec 09, 2002 5:28 am

Well she can hurt mine sure enough... I get by fine until she starts time stop and swing away... hmm need to try new things.
My dwarven Kensai has now completed ToB without much trouble at all. All mages in ToB cast timestop followed by symbol stun and fear the occasional horrid wilting and sunfire and with low saves and the cloak of cheese you donnt need magic resistance. Actually SoA was harder for my kensai because there he got mazed alot... no one in ToB seems to use this the bane of all soloists.
Potions of invulnerabilty can be found everywhere so AC is not that big a problem and as for damage well... dual wielding crom and flail of the ages +5 means that most foes go down in two or three hits...scoring 40+ damage with the flail of the ages +5 (Best weapon in the game IMO) plus the 10 elemental damage. Axe of the unyielding is usefull aswell.
So my conclusion is that in ToB the berserker immunities are not that big a deal anymore and the kensai is the better fighter. Greenstone amulet however is a must.