If you're only playing SoA he's quite useless. But if you're planning to carry him over to ToB he can be a very useful jack-of-all-trades - his high level will overcome his blade's lore deficiency, his Enhanced Bard Song is really useful and makes your party immune to Stun, Confusion, Charm and Fear in addition to the AC, THACO and damage bonuses, and he can use the Aslyferund Elven Chain which improves his own AC, as well as cast up to level 6 or 7 (6 I think) mage spells. And the rogue skill Use Any Item will greatly improve his weapon wielding ability and versatility.

Haer'Dalis is like a stock which is crap in the short term (SoA) but pays dividends in the long term (ToB).

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Beautifully said Memnoch... just what I needed to hear... and BTW, he is the only one who has all resistances? Except Magic damage I think... great stuff http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...iles/smile.gif

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Chaotic Cavalier of ALSB, protector of the Innocent, slayer of the mad...

I used HD as a tank:

What I would do (and have done w/ SOA & TOB). You really need to get your char.s early on and then take the whole party through all of the game, however if you do this you will have serious prob.s w/ Airhead's romance (but if you don't want the romance thats OK).

Use Shadow Keeper to change his wepons prof.s to Katana. (kill the short sword prof.s). (I think this is fair, considering that you must purchase the Zerth sword & obtain Fury through combat & you will be giving up the magical two shortswords he carries.)

Use Celstial Fury (primary wepon) & Sword of Zerth (shield wepon) - (dual wield). Note that if you do this you will NEVER be equiping a ranged wepon because once you unequip. the Zerth's blade you instantly loose the all the extra spells it provides.

ALL of your second level spells should be mirror image. Only when mirror image runs out should you use a stoneskin (and most of your 4th level spells will be devoted to stoneskin).

Bladsinger chain worn (found in the bard/planar quest).

Belt of fortitude for the constitution increase.

Offensive spin for the tuff monsters

Defensive spin for the tuff monsters when your throwing magic (ie. fireball, magic mis., ect.)

ALL 3rd level spells = fireball.

Interesting plans of attack for Haer'dalis. I've always wanted to use him extensively, and tried in my current game, but i ended up only keeping him around for 1 or 2 side quests. His offensive spin was neat tho.