Imoen as a thief

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 8:15 am

well, i've just began to play tob. it's been a year since i've finished soa, so it's taking me some time to get used again to all those magics and stuff.
anyhow, i've taken imoen as a thief (i wantes yoshimo but he was already taken...) but she doesn't seem to be that useful, 'caues so far she just doesn't detect any traps. she has 80 points on this one. is it to low? i can't increase it cause she's dual to mage. so what's now? she's kinda useless in the traps thing, and i'm just in the begining og the game (prison level 2).
whay should i do?

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 9:36 am

Without meaning to insult you--you did remember to set Imoen to detect traps, right? Thieves don't do this automatically. It also helps if they're leading the party, so that they don't detect something from the back of the group just as your leader walks straight into it.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 1:12 pm

yeah, i know it. detect traps, it's F4 if i remember right.
that damn woman. wonder what's wrong with her.
i really need her to do her job right. don't want her to
fight. don't want her to cast any spells, just detect traps,
is it too much to ask?

Camilla · Post by **Camilla** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 7:13 am

I've always used Imoen and had no problems with her not finding traps. However as I near the end of the game I discovered that I should have had another thief since she's no good at setting snares. She can pick locks and detect traps but setting snares is utterly useless. Fails every time!
This resulted in me not being able to kill one of the bad guys. I don't think you need to set snares to get through the game, but in some cases it could be very helpful.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 8:40 pm

for it's ok, the woman suddenly began doing her work.
as fo her abilities as a thief, you're absolutly right. my first choice was yoshimo since he's a pure thief, who can do anthing imoen does + very good traps. her abilities as a spellcaster are not as much as efficint since i'm a sorcerer and i've got aerie and anomen for addition. how's jan comparing to her? better?
can he set traps?

Camilla · Post by **Camilla** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 12:21 am

I've heard Jan is pretty good, but he doesn't really fit in in my party. And if I have him join me now right before the fight he's just as useless as Imoen. I think you have to have him with you from the start and have him advance a couple of levels before his traps are any good. But once he's worn in my impression is that he's great for setting traps.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 2:03 am

it shouldn't be such a problem for me since i'm in the begining of tha game (prison level 2). i dunno, it's a hard desicion.
too bad yoshimo's busy...

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:37 am

Originally posted by Bentz
too bad yoshimo's busy...

If the game tells you that Yoshimo can't talk to you because he appears busy, that's a well-known bug and you need to get the Throne of Bhaal patch.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:57 am

oh, what i meant was that he i can't get him 'cos there's something with his soul or somrthing like that. since he betrayed me he's doomed. i think. and i really liked him.

VonDondu · Post by **VonDondu** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 6:15 am

Sorry, I got confused. Actually, Yoshimo isn't "busy" at all; I'd call it something else.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 1:27 pm

very well, how would you call it?

the prob is that the game doesn't offer you aby decent thievs.
and that sucks.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 1:36 pm

Personally I used Jan for all my thieving "pleasures".

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 2:35 pm

My 2 coppers on Thief/Mages...

Oh, and some advice I'd thought I'd give that I noticed. Watch out when it comes to equipping elven chain mail on Imoen or any other thief of any sort. Thieves get penalties to their skills for wearing elven chain or anything above leather armor. Studded leather could possibly do this, but then there are magic suits of studded leather that are meant for thieves (The Night's Gift, Shadow Armor, some like those) that are wearable by thieves, and yet they get no skill penalties.

For Imoen, I would suggest you give her a mage robe, preferably a Robe of Good Archmagi, since those haven't seen to limit her thieving capabilities AND allow her to cast magic at the same time. I would suggest the same for Nalia (if you ever take her EVER), but not as much for Jan (unless a robe would seem like a better choice to suit his needs).

Oh yeah, and speaking of Jan, unless there's a mod that permits it, there doesn't seem to be a Robe of Neutral Archmagi available ANYWHERE in SoA.

Ron_Lugge · Post by **Ron_Lugge** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 2:39 pm

Re: My 2 coppers on Thief/Mages...

Originally posted by Galuf the Dwarf
Oh yeah, and speaking of Jan, unless there's a mod that permits it, there doesn't seem to be a Robe of Neutral Archmagi available ANYWHERE in SoA.

IIRC, there's a merchant in trademeet with one.

And I, personally, call Yoshimo "Damned" or "Screwed" depending on my mood. (Please tell me that using "damn" in the metaphorical sense is allowed! I'm not using it as a swearword, after all!)

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 3:06 pm

Re: Re: My 2 coppers on Thief/Mages...

Originally posted by Ron_Lugge
IIRC, there's a merchant in trademeet with one.

And I, personally, call Yoshimo "Damned" or "Screwed" depending on my mood. (Please tell me that using "damn" in the metaphorical sense is allowed! I'm not using it as a swearword, after all!)

I thought that was the Robe of the Good Archmagi?

Ron_Lugge · Post by **Ron_Lugge** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 4:09 pm

Re: Re: Re: My 2 coppers on Thief/Mages...

Originally posted by Galuf the Dwarf
I thought that was the Robe of the Good Archmagi?

I *think* he has all three.

oops - I was wrong.

Looking at here you can buy one from Lazarus librus.

Bloodstalker · Post by **Bloodstalker** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 4:23 pm

I usually went through the game with Jan. For my purposes, he was the best choice out of the available characters. Imoen is decent I guess, but she has the same problem that Nalia has in my mind, I prefer my theif to be able to go up in levels, and outside of Jan, only Yoshimo can do that.

I never used the trap setting option that much, so I never raised his stats in that dept, but you shouldn't have a problem is you pour skill points in as you level him up.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 6:40 pm

Good point, Bloodstalker

Yeah. Still, there is a ring from one of the bonus merchants that slightly enhances the Set Traps skill and a few other things. Still, other than with Yoshimo, it may not come to any good anyway.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 7:07 pm

i think that i'll stick to imoen and buy that robe of the archmagi.
eventually, as much as i would like to kick her out of my team i need her spells. so if you're saying that this robe is the best solution i'll take it into consideration.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 9:27 pm

Some advice to go with that decision.

Originally posted by Bentz
i think that i'll stick to imoen and buy that robe of the archmagi.
eventually, as much as i would like to kick her out of my team i need her spells. so if you're saying that this robe is the best solution i'll take it into consideration.

Oh yeah, there are other items to enhance her thieving skills out there, some that may become important. I can spoil their locations if you think it's necessary. Still, if you feel like finding out for yourself it's up to you. Just thought I'd offer any more help if needed.

Also, how many other arcane spellcasters (i.e.: mage, sorceror, or bard) are you thinking of going with?