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Well...how do I beat this guy? I've not cleric around so I can't cast healing spells and I also can't use the cure serious wound scrolls provided in the temple. Any idea's? Some mage healing spell I'm not aware of?

You need to use cheese, called potion swap. Tell the character to use a potion, any potion, pause the game, exchange it for the scroll, cast the spell on the demon, voilá, he's healed.

eh, that just confused me so I shadowkeepered in cure light wound as one of my innate bhaalspawn abilities (I didn't have it since I was lawful neutral because I like the ferret). Was trying to figure out a way around it without SK with oh well, ignore this thread now.

We had this debate recently. Since your probably not high level enough to summon a Planetar, you should try the Rod of Ressurection.

Edit: Altough I still wonder what happens if the demon gets Int drained to death. Hopefully my character will be high level enough (currently F18/M16/T21) to get a shot at it when I get back to the surface from Underdark.

Yes, this topic was brought up recently. In addition to the Rod of Resurrection, you can use the scrolls of Restoration. Also, if you have ToB you might use Hindo's doom to cast Lesser Restoration. If you are feeling really adventurous, you might try the Wand of Wonder. I bellieve it has an effect that heals everyone in the area, including enemies. Obviously this would be a last resort, but it might be kind of fun, if you are in an experimental mood.

OK, just for the record:

Shapechange Mindflayer plus Imp Haste (or GWW) works perfect.

Empathic Manifestation

Stats
18/100 Str
9 Dex
9 Con
16 Int
9 Wis
9 Cha

HP : 2/5 (Maximum of 5, spawn with only 2/5)
AC : 3
Thac0 : 8
Attacks per round : 2
Aligment : Chaotic Evil
Saves : 1-1-1-1-1 (Wow! )

Resists : Nones

Ok, here's how this one works : Every time you hurt him (Both physically and magically), it heals him. What you need to do to destroy him :

- Heal him! Cure Light Wound may work, Rod of Resurection too. Healing Scrolls (Found in the temple, or on Hobgoblins Shamans)

- Drain one of his stat to 0, so he die. The easiest ones are Dex, Con, Wis and Cha. If I recall correctly, there's a Katana or a Scimitar being selled by Joluv that drain Wis for like 40 seconds. With haste or an off-ended weapon adding an attack/round, you should be able to drop his Wisdom to 0.

[QUOTE=SP101]The easiest ones are Dex, Con, Wis and Cha.[/QUOTE]Not really.

There is a Dex drain weapon in the game (12 seconds I think), as well a Str draining one (with a percentage chance iirc), but the real deal is level drain or Mindflayer Int drain. As for the latter, I haven't seen a "hitable" creature yet that has survived one round against Greater Whirlwinded or Imp Hasted flayer drain.

[QUOTE=Phantom Lord]Not really.

There is a Dex drain weapon in the game (12 seconds I think), as well a Str draining one (with a percentage chance iirc), but the real deal is level drain or Mindflayer Int drain. As for the latter, I haven't seen a "hitable" creature yet that has survived one round against Greater Whirlwinded or Imp Hasted flayer drain.[/QUOTE]

Well, theses stats are at 9, so they may be the easiest to drain with the appropriate weapons/spells.

IF their is a Str-draining weapon... you may use this one against the creature with a Ray of Enfeeblement memorized... this will help!

There is a dagger called TorGals Claw +3, which lowers Str by 3 for 60 seconds if the target fails the save (not sure if it is original BG2 or has been introduced by one of the mods I have installed).

Haer Dalis Chaos Blade lowers Dex by 2 for 12 seconds.

Kachicos Wakizashi (the one you mentioned that's sold by Joluv) drains 2 Wis for two rounds. This could indeed be interesting.

Well, my char (currently F22/M19/T26) hangs around in the slums, so a quick test is no problem. Fortunately I also sold the Chaos Blade to Hendak, stripped the blade from its former owner a long time ago. And I have the dagger in question with me, so let's test this:

1) I visit Joluv, buy Kachicos Wakizashi and have a look at my stats. My base THACO is 0, with this weapon it's -6. Looks great. So I attack a well known evil dwarf (Str 18/77, Dex 15, Int 12, Wis 9), who happens to be standing in the corner of the inn. I use GWW of course. He saves vs. Death 9 times in two rounds, not a single point of Wis loss is indicated and he obviously dies from physical damage.

2) Reload, memorize Shapechange, I turn into a Mindflayer, use GWW and attack the dwarf again. My THACO is my base THACO, so it's 0. After three hits and 21 points of physical damage, the dwarf goes down. Obviously, 4 or 5 Int are drained per hit. Since I have tactics installed, it's likely 5.

As for the picture in the post above, there were two more "Devour Brain" messages below the line that indicates death - the indication of events is not completely sequential and death is sometimes indicated before the damage that finally caused it. The same counts for spell animations, which sometimes happen after the caster is already toast.

3) Reload, buy the Chaos Blade back, go GWW and attack the dwarf. THACO is -5 and I kill the dwarf with 9 hits in two rounds by death from physical damage (at least no Dex loss is indicated and the number of hits is same as in 1, dealing roughly 140 hp of damage).

4) Reload, memorize Black Blade of Disaster and turn on GWW. Well, the dwarf makes all his saves again but goes down from damage already in the first round this time (which I had expected, due to specialization in long swords my THACO is -13 with BBoD).

Speaking of BBoD, a little off topic: BBoD combined with Imp Haste and Fireshield (Red) is the ultimate troll killer if they bug you in large groups that include higher trolls (spectral, spirit, giant). This is not only a very fast method, you'll likely leave the battlefield completely healed. Altough some may consider it a little overpowered ...

5) Reload, use TorGals Claw +3, which I have stored in my bag of holding, with GWW. THACO is -5 and again, 139 hp of physical damage and a bunch of saves vs. death later the dwarf goes down.

Conclusion: Out of 3 stat draining weapons, one potentially level draining weapon (BBoD) and the mindflayer attack, only the mindflayer attack actually killed the target at clearly positive hp, indicating a death by successful (brain) drain.

Spoilers... maybe?

Nice test... so I believe Sharpshooternc's Kensai/Mage will have to wait either for a Rod of Resurection (Tips : There's one near the mage who hold Haer'Dalis) or for a Shapechange scroll.

Ribald sells the rod iirc. Another major cheese btw is that it has no range limitation ...

So... you could use it while you're a mile away, with a Far Sight spell or something like this? (Wizard Eye maybe?)

[QUOTE=Phantom Lord]OK, just for the record:

Shapechange Mindflayer plus Imp Haste (or GWW) works perfect. [/QUOTE]

Just beware of incumbered fighter/mages. I used to play like that, till the day my shapechanged character couldnt move, and I've been slain by a bunch of bhaalspawn helpers.

[QUOTE=Luis Antonio]Just beware of incumbered fighter/mages. I used to play like that, till the day my shapechanged character couldnt move, and I've been slain by a bunch of bhaalspawn helpers.[/QUOTE]True.

In case you have your inventory not perfectly cleaned up and stashed your stuff in containers, you'll be at least encumbered on the spot.

But so far I managed to avoid the use of Shapechange in my game and I think it's simply too powerful. Also, I'm not sure if you get the kill XP for the creature if you use it. It could be that the game engine "misses" the kill somehow if a creature has hp left when it dies. So far I only used one major cheese in my current game, took out the Shade Lich and its Pit Fiend with double Rift Device (the second via Simulacrum) attack and finished the lich off with the Ring of Ram. But sometimes these tactics mod monsters simply get on my nerves ...

@SP101: You can heal/raise any NPC on the map with it.