How come Chromatic Orb is so powerful? Why? although I know that the save vs spells is at +6, it seems to always take out any fighter or rogue types that I come up against, aswell as DRAGONS! I killed the Shadow Dragon with Pierce Magic>Pierce Magic> Chromatic Orb, and Firkragg with Chromtic Orb on it's own.
...which brings me onto my second issue....
what is a characters save vs spells roll based on? Is it intelligence? My experience is that Chromatic Orb never works against mage types, but it works against Dragons who I would have expected to be pretty intelligent.
Is it because I am an Invoker class and therefore receive bonuses to my rolls on it?
...which doesn't really bring me onto my third issue (but hey)....
is there a more fun way of killing Dragons? I'm guessing that if I want I'll be able to deal with the silver one and whatever others there are with the Orb, but I want Epic Battles y'know?
I have the Shadow Dragon Scale Mail and the Red Dragon Scale Mail, the Halberd of Dragon Slaying+6, the double damage Dragon Slaying Sword, and some anti-dragon helmets and shields, but the massive brutes always seem to get the better of me anyway. They disrupt my spell casting with the breath attack that slides you across the floor, use spells to dispatch any creatures I should foolishly summon, and, well eviscerate my fighters. What can I do to take them on as a challenge, but without having 3 or 4 characters die?
Chromatic Orb, Saves vs. Spells and Dragonslaying
Chromatic Orb, Saves vs. Spells and Dragonslaying
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fable
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There are many spells that can easily take out an opponent, provided you can reduce their magical resistance and take out whatever protections they have in place. The problem is that these same opponents tend to be beating the hell out of your party, while casting spells to remove your magical resistance and take out whatever protections you have in place. Not to mention their friends, who also want to separate your heads from your bodies in the interests of seeing how long the two can exist without contact.
If you can get off a Chromatic Orb that blasts the stomach out of some of the higher level creatures in WK, more power to ya.
If you can get off a Chromatic Orb that blasts the stomach out of some of the higher level creatures in WK, more power to ya.
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
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Ned Flanders
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frogus,
spell combos will definitely remain the best way to get rid of dragons. try this as well. have jaheira cast a bunch of armor of faith and an iron skins while providing 100% resistance to the breath weapon of the dragon you're fighting. She can go toe to toe with a dragon for about five or six rounds with taking minimal damage. try different approaches then to defeating the dragon.
Epic long battles with dragons are not a good idea because if you give them enough time, your protections will wear off or be dispelled, and then it gets pretty ugly from there.
'Firkragg does 148 points of damage to Jan'
'Jan - death'
**looks at the image of jan baked into the floor of the dragons cave. turnip reflex**
spell combos will definitely remain the best way to get rid of dragons. try this as well. have jaheira cast a bunch of armor of faith and an iron skins while providing 100% resistance to the breath weapon of the dragon you're fighting. She can go toe to toe with a dragon for about five or six rounds with taking minimal damage. try different approaches then to defeating the dragon.
Epic long battles with dragons are not a good idea because if you give them enough time, your protections will wear off or be dispelled, and then it gets pretty ugly from there.
'Firkragg does 148 points of damage to Jan'
'Jan - death'
**looks at the image of jan baked into the floor of the dragons cave. turnip reflex**
Crush enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of the women.
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Silvanerian
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Frogus:
If you took out two dragons with a chromatic orb spell, then you're probably the luckiest person of this age - you should try the lottery.
Seriously, the saves vs spells (and the other saves) are based upon level and class.
A mage gets better saves vs spells than an fighter of the same level, but get worse saves vs death for instance.
At 10-12th level - depending on class and race - ones save vs spells are a 10, which means that that person has a 50/50 shot at making the saving throw.
Chromatic orb grants a +6 to saves, which makes the character have a save vs the chromatic orb at 16, so the chances to save vs the effect is now 4 out of 5.
Dragons have a normal save vs spell at 6, so they have to roll a "1" on a 20 sided die in order to fail their save.
Furthermore, Firgkraag have a magic resistance of 65%, so if you took him down with a single spell, then you realize your luck.
If I were you, I wouldn't hope that Cromatic orb will save your hide any more in this game
About the Epic Battles:
There are lot of ways to have a good battle with a dragon. But if your too high level, it becomes a breeze, and if you're too low, the dragon'll eat you for breakfast.
Use all your characters. They are needed. Have spellsequencers loaded with magic missiles or what your usual strategy is vs high HP monsters.
If you have access to lower magic resistance (5th level spell) - use it. (or do the cheesy thing and cast the priest spell "magic resistance" on the dragon)
Have your fighters pump up before going into melee - use your potions - these kind of battles are what they are for. And when they are getting hurt, draw them away.
Rod of resurrection is very handy battling dragons...
The first time I fought Firkraag was the greatest - I had a six person party, and all were about 10-11th level. Took me two reloads and even then, some died.
Now, he falls to a solo 10th level character - yey.
-Sylvanerian
If you took out two dragons with a chromatic orb spell, then you're probably the luckiest person of this age - you should try the lottery.
Seriously, the saves vs spells (and the other saves) are based upon level and class.
A mage gets better saves vs spells than an fighter of the same level, but get worse saves vs death for instance.
At 10-12th level - depending on class and race - ones save vs spells are a 10, which means that that person has a 50/50 shot at making the saving throw.
Chromatic orb grants a +6 to saves, which makes the character have a save vs the chromatic orb at 16, so the chances to save vs the effect is now 4 out of 5.
Dragons have a normal save vs spell at 6, so they have to roll a "1" on a 20 sided die in order to fail their save.
Furthermore, Firgkraag have a magic resistance of 65%, so if you took him down with a single spell, then you realize your luck.
If I were you, I wouldn't hope that Cromatic orb will save your hide any more in this game
About the Epic Battles:
There are lot of ways to have a good battle with a dragon. But if your too high level, it becomes a breeze, and if you're too low, the dragon'll eat you for breakfast.
Use all your characters. They are needed. Have spellsequencers loaded with magic missiles or what your usual strategy is vs high HP monsters.
If you have access to lower magic resistance (5th level spell) - use it. (or do the cheesy thing and cast the priest spell "magic resistance" on the dragon)
Have your fighters pump up before going into melee - use your potions - these kind of battles are what they are for. And when they are getting hurt, draw them away.
Rod of resurrection is very handy battling dragons...
The first time I fought Firkraag was the greatest - I had a six person party, and all were about 10-11th level. Took me two reloads and even then, some died.
Now, he falls to a solo 10th level character - yey.
-Sylvanerian
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Silvanerian
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fable
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I remember once casting multiple magical resistance lowerings on a demon outside the Planar Sphere; then one of Jan's bolts actually paralyzed it! It was the quickest demonic kill I've ever had. My party was feasting on barbequed demon for a fortnight.
To the Righteous belong the fruits of violent victory. The rest of us will have to settle for warm friends, warm lovers, and a wink from a quietly supportive universe.
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Ned Flanders
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UserUnfriendly
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multiple armor of faith does not stack...with balder dash patch. I get it so I really have to WORK for my cheese, but I found out from bruce hardiness does, even with balderdash patch!!!
with insta kill spells, finger, orb and disintegrate, you can turn them into really effective spells with repatition...heh hehe hehe...try a spell sequnced triple orb, even with lousy saves, what do you think a triple one could do? its easier making snake eyes once, but try making three in a row? load up minor sequncencer, spell sequncer and trigger with about 8!!!! orbs, might take two sleeps, but you can unload all three sets in 3 rounds, I defy firkraag to make 8 saves without biting it...
I am such (deleted) retentive, am making new sorc spell tables...yet again, cause of my realization that insta kills, save or else spells, spells I used to think with annoyance, as I felt trying to take out dragon, even with lowered magic resist, and lowered saves, with finger or disinto has got to be pure luck...but if you trigger them, then its a worthwhile combat move....even really sucky spells, like prismatic spray, really becomes repectable triggerd.
a few spells ignore magic resist, like natures beauty's blindess effect, and dragon breath...
with insta kill spells, finger, orb and disintegrate, you can turn them into really effective spells with repatition...heh hehe hehe...try a spell sequnced triple orb, even with lousy saves, what do you think a triple one could do? its easier making snake eyes once, but try making three in a row? load up minor sequncencer, spell sequncer and trigger with about 8!!!! orbs, might take two sleeps, but you can unload all three sets in 3 rounds, I defy firkraag to make 8 saves without biting it...
I am such (deleted) retentive, am making new sorc spell tables...yet again, cause of my realization that insta kills, save or else spells, spells I used to think with annoyance, as I felt trying to take out dragon, even with lowered magic resist, and lowered saves, with finger or disinto has got to be pure luck...but if you trigger them, then its a worthwhile combat move....even really sucky spells, like prismatic spray, really becomes repectable triggerd.
a few spells ignore magic resist, like natures beauty's blindess effect, and dragon breath...
They call me Darth...
Darth Gizka!
Muwahahahahhahahha!!!
Darth Gizka!
Muwahahahahhahahha!!!
There is an interesting bug with chromatic orb (that is corrected in the Baldurdash patches, though not the official Bioware patch).
The damage of a chromatic orb can be resisted by magic resistance, however the secondary effect (slay living) will BYPASS magic resistance.
This means that you dont' even need to lower a dragon's magic resistance; you can fire a chromatic orb at old Fir'kraag and have just as good a chance of killing him as you would have if you first cast lower resistance a bunch of times.
However, spells like Doom and Greater Malison (that lower saving throws and give your chromatic orb a better chance at working), DO require that you first lower magic resistance, so I guess it's all moot.
The damage of a chromatic orb can be resisted by magic resistance, however the secondary effect (slay living) will BYPASS magic resistance.
This means that you dont' even need to lower a dragon's magic resistance; you can fire a chromatic orb at old Fir'kraag and have just as good a chance of killing him as you would have if you first cast lower resistance a bunch of times.
However, spells like Doom and Greater Malison (that lower saving throws and give your chromatic orb a better chance at working), DO require that you first lower magic resistance, so I guess it's all moot.
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Ned Flanders
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Get ready for nit-picking. 
For Firkraag, that's 8 times rolling anything but 1. Or 66% chance to survive. I'd hold off the bets, if I were you.Originally posted by UserUnfriendly
try a spell sequnced triple orb, even with lousy saves, what do you think a triple one could do? its easier making snake eyes once, but try making three in a row? load up minor sequncencer, spell sequncer and trigger with about 8!!!! orbs, might take two sleeps, but you can unload all three sets in 3 rounds, I defy firkraag to make 8 saves without biting it...
Dragon's Breath... yes. Nature's Beauty... if only! The blindness does not allow a save, but it sure is stopped by magic resistance. Would be the ultimate spell otherwise.Originally posted by UserUnfriendly
a few spells ignore magic resist, like natures beauty's blindess effect, and dragon breath...
[url="http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/BG2/SpellsReference/Main.htm"]Baldur's Gate 2 Spells Reference[/url]: Strategy, tips, tricks, bugs, cheese and corrections to the manual.
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UserUnfriendly
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if your mage has the slot to support it, ah yes, dragon breath is the spell of choice for the first quest spell selection, and definately the only quest spell memorized until you r mages and sorcs get up some in level...
this is why firky is so tough, he is naturally immune to fire, so it would take an aweful lot of lower resist to do damgage from the fire blast effect dragon halitosis has...
for further dragons you can in a pinch do the sorc in a party panic attack, hit area with as many dragon bad breath as possible....lets facce it, weve all done it, why? cause its so effective!!!!
if you could chain it, the ultimate triple, thats why you covet lich power, in fact all of us who like being sorcs have a request...a game where you can play a lich and be able to chain quest level spells....and a lich sorc at that!!!
this is why firky is so tough, he is naturally immune to fire, so it would take an aweful lot of lower resist to do damgage from the fire blast effect dragon halitosis has...
for further dragons you can in a pinch do the sorc in a party panic attack, hit area with as many dragon bad breath as possible....lets facce it, weve all done it, why? cause its so effective!!!!
if you could chain it, the ultimate triple, thats why you covet lich power, in fact all of us who like being sorcs have a request...a game where you can play a lich and be able to chain quest level spells....and a lich sorc at that!!!
They call me Darth...
Darth Gizka!
Muwahahahahhahahha!!!
Darth Gizka!
Muwahahahahhahahha!!!