Please note that new user registrations disabled at this time.

Arterial strike

This forum is to be used for all discussions pertaining to Black Isle Studios' Icewind Dale II.
Post Reply
User avatar
Heidrek
Posts: 252
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 6:47 pm
Contact:

Arterial strike

Post by Heidrek »

How much damage does Arterial Strike do? You have to sacrifice 1d6 sneak attack damage to use it and if it only does 1 hp damage every round, I think I'd rather just have the initial 1-6. If it does 1 hp per second for a few rounds on the other hand that'd be worth spending a feat on!

I'm playing a really decent build of Fighter/Rogue/Wizard/Cleric (currently Fight2/Rog2/wiz3/Demach of Mask11) and only really took the rogue levels for evasion, but I will eventually have 4 rogue levels, giving me 2d6 sneak attacks (good with hold spells, command, greater command and symbol: Hoplessness).

So, is arterial Strike worth taking? How about Envenom Weapon?
[url="http://www.mortgagedetroitmichigan.com"]Detroit Mortgage[/url] [url="http://www.evansvilleinforeclosures.com"]Evansville Indiana Foreclosures[/url] [url="http://www.denvercoforeclosures.net"]Denver Co Foreclosures[/url]
User avatar
dj_venom
Posts: 4416
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:00 am
Location: The biggest island in the world
Contact:

Post by dj_venom »

[QUOTE=plsnr]3.)Sneak attacks. Every now and then my rogue will pull one of these off, but very few and far between. I think I have seen maybe 1 for every 3 battles so far, and I am watching the message log quite carefully. Even when coming out of the shadows, I don't seem to be able to get them unless the enemy is already in combat. My rogue in NWN was great - By level 13 I had all three Dual-wield feats, could step out of the shadows and do a double-sneakattack-flurry resulting in +14d6 damage. I was typically out-damaging fighters 3, 4 levels higher then me. But in IWD2, my rogue seems kinda... useless. Can missile weapons cause sneak attacks? Is there anyway (even with lots of micromanagement) to get a lot of sneak attacks? [/QUOTE]

To make a succesful sneak attack, you need three things:
1) A weapon that can normally be used by theives
2) To be hidden in shadows
3) To be directly behind them. So when you attack, you are attacking there back.

I wasn't sure if you knew this, because it looked like to you didn't. I love doing sneak attacks, especially on wizards. Good luck.
In memorian: Fiona; Ravager; Lestat; Phreddie; and all of those from the 1500 incident. Lest we forget.
User avatar
Heidrek
Posts: 252
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 6:47 pm
Contact:

Post by Heidrek »

Thanks for the reply. I love Sneak attacks too, and really want to maximise them!

In IWD2 the sneak attacks are a little different.

- You can sneak attack with any weapon as far as I'm aware. I'm currently using a Greatsword with my sneak attacks so I get the 1.5 x strength bonus on top of my snak attack damage.

- Any flank attack or rear attack will allow a sneak attack. In other words, as long as you hit them from the side or rear you will sneak attack, but only once. If you become invisible or leave combat some other way then come back you can get another sneak attack on the same target, but otherwise you only get to sneak them once, no matter how many attacks you get at their back or side.

- An incapacitated opponent (sleeping, held etc.) is automatically sneak attacked. This works very well with the Cleric spell Command which knocks them out for 1 round. Cast it, watch them drop, then load up your Power attack feat to the max and grab the biggest weapon you've got for your free hit and sneak attack then repeat next round. Each time they get Commanded you get another Sneak.

Does anyone know exactly how much damage Arterial Strike does? Is there a save allowed?

Also, Hamstring seems like a waste of a feat. Sacrificing 2-12 damage ro slow their movement for 10 rounds? Not so great. Does it atleast actually Slow them (as the spell, -1 attack, -2 ac, to hit and reflex saves) or just make them move slower?

Crippling Strike also seems pretty weak. As you generally only get one Sneak attack per opponent, -1 strength really isn't much. All in all the Sneak Attack "boosting" feats actually seem to weaken your sneak attack. If they didn't reduce your sneak attack damage but just gave you additional benefits they'd be great.
[url="http://www.mortgagedetroitmichigan.com"]Detroit Mortgage[/url] [url="http://www.evansvilleinforeclosures.com"]Evansville Indiana Foreclosures[/url] [url="http://www.denvercoforeclosures.net"]Denver Co Foreclosures[/url]
User avatar
silverdragon72
Posts: 850
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:53 am
Contact:

Post by silverdragon72 »

.

AFAIK you get one sneak attack per round!

...at least as long as you are in the flank / rear of the enemy!


crippling strike could be good against one powerfull melee enemy as you reduce STR (AB / damage / movement via encumberance) significantly after several sneak attacks!

...but it is worse for you then for the enemy in IWD2 (there is one battle where crippling strike can really hurt you!)


.
User avatar
Heidrek
Posts: 252
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 6:47 pm
Contact:

Post by Heidrek »

The problem is that you only really get to sneak attack each opponent once, therefore only get to give a -1 total to strength. If you do get multiple Sneak attacks, it's probably the extra 5-30 damage you do each time (crippling strike needs 10 Rogue levels min!) that kills them rather than the -1 to strength each time.

These feats could have been really good with a bit more thought, like making Arterial strike do 1 damage per second for rounds equal to your rogue levels or sneak attacks bonus (i.e. if you normally get 3D6 sneak attacks, your would bleeds for 3 rounds). I mean seriously, who cares if you do 1 hp per round for even the next 100 rounds, the fights going to be over well before you get any real benefit from this feat.

Likewise, cirippling strike should give -1 strength PER D6 of sneak attacks damage. This would at least give you an incentive to take more rogue levels.
[url="http://www.mortgagedetroitmichigan.com"]Detroit Mortgage[/url] [url="http://www.evansvilleinforeclosures.com"]Evansville Indiana Foreclosures[/url] [url="http://www.denvercoforeclosures.net"]Denver Co Foreclosures[/url]
User avatar
Erenor
Posts: 720
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:28 pm
Location: The Spine of the World
Contact:

Post by Erenor »

I gave Arterial Strike a chance and it worked for me. It prevents a lot of mages/clerics from getting longer spells off. If you do a lot of sneaking and hiding like I do, you can also run away and let them bleed half of their hit points away before finally confronting them and slitting their throat. It doesn't work on everybody, but with spellcasters and larger enemies you can run and hide from it works wonders when used properly!

Envenom weapon was a waste of time for me, because you can't use it very often per day. Arterial Strike can be turned on and left on. Just make sure you use Expertise if you can. That is the best feat I've found yet. Never getting hit is great!
Any man who asks for greater authority does not deserve to have it.
--Tercero Xavier Harkonnen, to the Salusan Militia

The Council of Four Perverts: (1) Magrus (2) Darth Zenemij (3) Erenor (4) Luis Antonio
Washing your hands is important if you cook your breakfast.
Post Reply