Dealing with imp. MindFlayers

Thrifalas · Post by **Thrifalas** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 5:25 am

So, I've got a pretty strong party right now with average exp of 2.5m, 5 chars, nice balance and the usual items (carsomyr and so on), I've done most of the quests and have no problems dealing with anything other improved mod after returning from Underdark.

But when going for the hammer of thunderbolts, I just can't get it. Going close combat doesn't work as their one-hit-KO skill goes through any defenses I put up, and I can't cheese them as they'll instantly teleport through my party, grabbing some umber hulks.

I just don't know what to do.

The Readme mentions Brine Potions, which I don't remember ever getting. Anywhere I can buy that?

And when I'm on it - I've been wielding Malakar for a while, hoping for Kuro to show up. Is there something I can do to invoke his arrival? Like, a special area I should visit as a certain time... or so. How long time does it usually take? It's not like I don't have anything better to wield than it... ~~

stramoski · Post by **stramoski** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 5:54 am

I can help you with one thing... Brine potions are gotten from the illithid area in the underdark.

That's all I have to offer you, though.

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 6:52 am

Do the usual: buff yourself against everything and nothing (Chaotic Commands and True Sight are invaluable here). Then, summon a couple of Skeleton Warriors, Mordenkainen's Swords, perhaps even a few Greater Elementals if you have the ItemUpgrade Mod installed. Haste da summons and let da summons attack the flayers standing in the next room, while your party waits for the flayers to teleport to your location.

Make sure everyone is hasted, preferably Improved Hasted, and try to let your warrior mages take the brunt of the damage. Make sure you start bashing those flayers as soon as you notice that shimmering portal, because you can start hitting them before they're ready to retaliate.

As said, use Chaotic Command, a few Potions of Genius', and perhaps some Death Ward's and Remove Paralysis'. I’m not sure if spells such as ADHW and Holy Smite still work –it’s been a long time since I’ve last played BGII and, consequently, those Imp. Mindflayers-, but those spells always were a lifesaver for me in troubled times.

Edit: About Kurosian: I think he should've spawned in Athkatla if you've been carrying Malakar for a while. If not, try getting hold of CF. That'll certainly attract the guy's attention.

Thrifalas · Post by **Thrifalas** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 3:27 pm

I don't need haste, I have a nice 4 million exp/char, so grt. whirlwind lets me take those down almost as fast as they take me down. But it's so sick, that they can kill you with two hits, are always invis so imprisonment don't work, stun, heal, teleport... is there *anything* that can prevent them from draining 5 int with every hit?

Oh well, I guess that given a couple of extra seconds will let me dispose those flayers pretty fast. I'll give it a try. Otherwise I'll just have to sacrifice some tanks and ressurect them at the end of battle. It's an option, but I've never liked getting my character killed, even though I have ressurecion.

fable · Post by **fable** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 3:34 pm

[QUOTE=Thrifalas]I don't need haste, I have a nice 4 million exp/char, so grt. whirlwind lets me take those down almost as fast as they take me down. But it's so sick, that they can kill you with two hits, are always invis so imprisonment don't work, stun, heal, teleport... is there *anything* that can prevent them from draining 5 int with every hit?[/QUOTE]

Yes: death. Send skeletons against them. The Undead are immune to psionics.

Thrifalas · Post by **Thrifalas** » Fri Feb 10, 2006 4:28 pm

Hmm... getting lucky with traps were the answer. Kicking out enough of those bastards allowed the others to whirlwind them away to nothingness. So easy once you get a lucky shot.

Celacena · Post by **Celacena** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:38 am

take it easy

I did it really easily - area effect cloudkill/entangle. you can send in some skeletons to bring them to a good choke point, but even mindflayers cannot survive multiple CKs. entangle can be used to slow the enemies down if there is a risk of a rush.
the general tactic is the same as with the shadow dragon - stand far enough away that you are beyond sight and fire off a few (say 6) CK from the wand. you get the wand in irenicus lair - sell it to a dodgy dealer, steal it back full and repeat every so often so that it never gets very depleted. you can also get a CK wand from wasting the lich near the city gates.

for some reason the AI doesn't let monsters open doors, so you can lay down your killing floor and dive behind a door to await their demise. haste is handy for getting through any patches that you leave in inconvenient places. umber hulks are especially vulnerable to CK attacks.

the "CK killing floor" works in many situations, even against those with high MR as they must make a lot of saves during the period they are enveloped.
it is especially good to kill dragons that way.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:51 pm

@Calacena, Improved Mind flayers wont be as easy as you're implying. The cloudkill cheese wont work, be sure.

Cuchulain82 · Post by **Cuchulain82** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:57 pm

You know, one quick answer is just using items of invisibility (my fav is the SoM, but rings will work as well) and just grabbing the hammer. You literally walk in, walk past all the mind flayers, and walk out. You could probably even use a sanctuary spell.

(FYI- just make sure you can cast invisibility twice- once on the way in, and once on the way out)

Celacena · Post by **Celacena** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:55 am

little imps

the 'imp' stood for 'improved' I guess. Is that from a mod or something?

I like the sanctuary idea - that has a sense of style to it.

are you sure that imp mind-flayers won't succumb to my favourite party-tricks? they always worked before.

Luis Antonio · Post by **Luis Antonio** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:20 am

@Calacena;

/------
| Gebhard Blucher's Improved Mind Flayers
\------
The Improved Mind Flayers strive to make the Iliithid the fear-inspiring
opponents that they should be. It improves their tactics and widens the
range of psionics they can use (bringing them more in line with Pnp AD&D).

http://www.weidu.org/tactics/README-Tactics.txt

Now:

Gebhard Blucher's Improved Mind Flayers: Finally, Illithids get back their long-lost ability to see the Invisible. More and weirder Psionic abilities are decent--but what's this about being able to manipulate physical reality? And casting Wizard spells with 0 casting time? Nuh-uh. Grade: C-.

http://www.geocities.com/sixospades/review/tactics2.htm

# Improved Mind Flayers: I of course have no qualms about their mind-affecting abilities such as Psychic Drain, etc., but I have problems with psionic abilities that affect physical reality--namely, Project Force, Ballistic Attack, Disintegrate, and Detonate. Life Drain seems a bit iffy as well. The "physical" psionics also create some problems

roject Force can knock people through closed doors--which is especially awkward when Minsc has been buffeted into the Githyankis' locked cell and you have no legal way of getting him out.
# Ballistic Attack is just too damaging, to my mind. Simple "Hey, that hurt too much!" issue.
# Detonate is quite powerful as well, and hurts people that aren't even in your party--namely, Phaere. I had Solaufein turn hostile to me because Phaere died to a Detonate that wasn't even aimed anywhere near her.

As for their Dimension Door ability: The README states that they will only DD to a party member if they get hurt by a spell, or see a Summon, but they don't see a party member. But in the "Rescue Phaere" fight, they Mazed Caedmon, and then DD'd over to (and subsequently mauled) the rest of my party, even though they had seen nothing to suggest that Caedmon even had a party. Was this caused by their regarding Phaere and Solaufein as my "Summons?" In my opinion, they should only be able to DD within their own cities, as I doubt they'd be familiar with the entire Underdark, willing to teleport all over the map on a whim.
indentI agree wholeheartedly with the Illithids' ability to see the Invisible, but whence comes their being invisible themselves? The fact that they can cast these offensive spells without breaking Invisibility is also quite irksome--but not as annoying as the way they cast them during Time Stop, too.

So, improved mind flayers can actually be pretty hard, and they have spells and extra resistances, not to mention better AI. Six of Spades guide is very good, too, and talks about the improved game - vanilla players should go there and check that out as well, for good tactics and tips.

Thrifalas · Post by **Thrifalas** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 5:49 pm

[QUOTE=Celacena]the 'imp' stood for 'improved' I guess. Is that from a mod or something?

I like the sanctuary idea - that has a sense of style to it.

are you sure that imp mind-flayers won't succumb to my favourite party-tricks? they always worked before.[/QUOTE]

I'm sure. They have 90% MR, heals themselves and if they don't see any party member they can drain to pieces, they'll dimension door to one. Cloudkill and other cheesy spells are out of the question. These bad boys *are* getting to you, one way or another.

Sanctuary don't work - they see invisible, they become invisible, and they can even use their tricks while under Time Stop. It was one of the worst mod's I've ever tried - the battle was nowhere near fun, like imp. Bodhi or Imp. Irenicus. Mind Flayers were ridiculously improved, they're not awe-inspireing, they're just plain annoying.

Seing invis and being it themself is fine, higher MR is okay, even draining more int is nothing to cry about. But being resistant to Time Stop, using abilities without loosing invis and teleporting across mountains and trees to anywhere on the map is not. I don't recommend this mod to anyone unless you're looking for a serious fight.

(not funny. just serious.)