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Solo Sorceror in Den of Seven Vales

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2003 8:31 pm
by Skuld
So I've started another solo sorceror and I really want the Ring of Invisibility from Brennan Risling in the Den of Seven Vales. I can kill everyone in the group except him. He only takes a measly 5-10 damage from Skull Traps, and right when I'm about to kill him he runs off as usual. Any ideas on how to kill him before he runs away. Spells selections are as follows:
level 1: Chromatic Orb, Friends, Magic Missile, Spook, Relected Image
Level 2: Blur, Web, Melf's Acid Arrow, Vocalize
level 3: Slow, Skull Trap, Dispel Magic
level 4: Stoneskin, Fireshield:Red
level 5: Sunfire
Any ideas on how I could fair better in this battle using these spells, or as a drastic measure taking my character into SK and doign some swapping? So far my strategy is as follows cast two webs into the room followed by al 6 of my Skull Traps. Then after the Webs wear off I can finish everone else(who hasn't run away) with a Sunfore or two.

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 3:00 am
by UserUnfriendly
5 webs and wand of cloudkill...5 uses...that always did it for me...stacked webs did the trick..he just stood there and dies.

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 11:35 am
by Skuld
I was trying to steer clear of using Cloudkill as long as I could, but now that I realized I shoulda grabbed Burning Hands instead of Reflected Image and probably Mirror Image instead of one of my other level two choices so I'll swap Sunfire for Cloudkill while I'm doing the spell swapping. I hate to resort to cheese, but I want that ring and don't have enough cash for a wand. And I'll probablly end up using the same tactics later on in the game anyway.

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 12:42 pm
by Skuld
Over at Sorcerer's Place they have a great Sorcerer's guide with spell selections, tactics, and all kinds of good stuff, but some time ago I remember seeing a different one that had spell tables for when you get to choose new spells as well as how many spells per level(because for those who don't know sorcerers don't share the same spells tables as mages just the same as INT is NOT the prime requisite). And it also had spell selections for sorcerers in a group as well as solo. If anyone has any clue as where to find it please let me know. Thanks.

EDIT: I found the tables. They're in Dan Simpson's walkthrough. And he has bad spell picks for a Sorcerer.

Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2003 9:44 pm
by UserUnfriendly
skuld, one of my own personal mantras for sorc spell selection is never ever get a spell you can buy or get an item to cast...like the staff of air will give you stinking cloud, so I never bother to get that spell...cloudkill should always be cast from wands...if you can't afford it, and you are solo, just take jan, nally or yoshimo for a while, give them potions of master thievery, and kick them out after they got you the wands and items you need...kinda like cheating, but think of it as hiring a bit of thief muscle for a while...and sunfire is an excellent excellent first selection for level 5 spells, one of the best in that level.

I have to agree with you about mirror image, and reflected image is not a good selection...burning hands is an excellent choice, and may I suggest identify instead of reflected image? unless you have the glasses of identify, and I would guess you do, identify is an excellent choice...

vocalize...that's not really a good choice...at higher levels, and a solo sorc moves up levels FAST, you will find that chain contingency and contingency can be cast even if you are silenced...and until you get the amulet of power, carry around a scroll for the very few times you need it...

and you really should have gotten remove magic instead of dispell magic...sorry...dispell can affect your own protections, and while dispell is an excellent choice in a party game, where you can remove chaos or charm effects from a party member, remove is all you need in solo play... :p

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 2:18 pm
by Skuld
OK. well it still took me a few tries to kill him before he ran off. Used all my Webs, a Cloudkill, then pumped him full of Magic Missiles. About spell selections; I do have the Glasses so Identify wouldn't help too much, I think(although not sure) that Dispel Magic can remove area effect spells, but since Remove Magic only effects enemies it can only remove the effect(from enemies). As far as wands go they're great but inventory space is severely limited in a solo game so I try not to carry unnecessary items such as wands as much as they help. And they're downright expensive and I wanna make this a true solo game so no hired help, and I'm pretty sure I can make it through level 5 picks without missing anything important.

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 5:11 pm
by JackOfClubs
Remove Magic is area of effect as well. It is essentially identical to Dispel Magic, except it won't remove effects on party members.

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 6:58 pm
by Skuld
Well it says in the manual that Remove Magic will only remove the individual effects of the area effect spells, not dispel the area of effect. Not dispute any personal experience, but I was goin on what I read.

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 2:09 am
by UserUnfriendly
oh man, the manual is full of errors and omissions...read here...

http://members.chello.nl/~j.vanthull/BG2SR/Home.htm

here is xyx's spell guide, the only authoritative source...

now remove is much better than dispell for solo, because if a solo char gets charmed, or stunned, game over, reload...so the only use for remove or dispell is offensive use...and with remove you will not dispell your own stoneskin, or prot from magic weapons...

you'll also need breach soon, because remove can sometimes fail...but breach always works...and you need to keep remove magic because of lich immunity...liches cannot be breached...but for some reason remove magic does work...

Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2003 10:23 am
by Skuld
So I'll swap Dispell with Remove, and Breach is always level 5 choice two so no worries there.

Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2003 4:48 am
by IHateUsernames
Originally posted by UserUnfriendly
you'll also need breach soon, because remove can sometimes fail...but breach always works...and you need to keep remove magic because of lich immunity...liches cannot be breached...but for some reason remove magic does work...
This is because liches are immune to 5. level and lower spells. Demi liches are immune to 9. level and lower spells. And hows the cheeseguide going. Any new cheesy stuff yet?

ALL HAIL UserUnfriendly THE MASTER OF CHEESE