I haven't fought any mind flayers yet. Any hints or suggestions on what works?

I always seem to have trouble with mindflayers. Because of that I've avoided that particular quest and am probably not the best person to give advice, but they have a bit of a tendancy to suck your brain out. One minute you have near perfect health, the next you're a pile of armour on the floor.
Probably best to get a group of summoned monsters between them and your party and pick them off from a distance.

Mindflayers --Evil creatures of destruction or misunderstood genius?

I don't think this is a spoiler as it is just a strategy.

I found the best way to fight mindflayers is to cast chaotic commands (cleric lv5 I believe) on your fighters. This makes them immune to all mental spells (domination, confusion, etc....) You can also use skeletons, b/c they are also immune to mental spells. I did both and sent my fighters and skeletons in to attack and had my mages/clerics sit back with range weapons. The only thing you need to watch out for is intelligence drain. The mindflayers will drain intelligence points and if you reach 0 you die. Potions of intelligence are good to combat this. Hope this helps!

Skeletons are particularly handy for this as they don't *have* any brains to be sucked up!
Yes, make sure they don't come near you, because they drain your intelligence (They can kill Minsc the not-so-bringht ranger with INT 6 in about 2 seconds!) so potions of Intelligence and the fifth level priest spell Chaotic Commands are helpful as well

Whoa Moridin we must have a telepathic link!

I just finished Windspear Hills last night (killed Firkraag). Anyway, off of Digdag (?) or Tazok I got a "sewer key." Do I need this? I thought I had done everything in the sewers. Is the a quest I don't know about?

If someone could reply soon, I'll know what to do when I get home tonight.

Thanks, you guys are the greatest!

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"Sewer Key" is from our good friend Tazok, it is used to unlock the "secret" door in the sewers under the Temple District, which leads to the mini-mind flayer dungeon. Be prepare for a good fight when/and if you enter.

i think you use it in the sewers in the temple dis.i think it's for the slaver quest in the temple dis. right hand corner of map(upper)i haven't done this quest so i can't be much help other than to answer your question,sorry

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Just agreeing with Accord. The 'sewer key' is used to open the secret door in the sewers under the temple district. The door is located at the top of the map (near the door for the Haer-Dalis quest). Be extremely wary of many, many, many, many mindflayers!

Melusine--
With a pic like that we can have any kind of link you want (hehehe )

Moridin -you naughty boy!
BTW Can you even see my picture? I myself can't, I thought it was invisible cause the pic is on Memnoch's site which is hosted by Geocities. I heard that Geocities is down temporarily or something...

To have an easier time bashing mind flayers, use wand of cloudkill(s).

Melusine--

Yes, I can see the pic fine. I know geocities was down earlier, but they must be up now, or Memnoch moved the links.

--I don't think cloudkill works on Mindflayers as they are immune to magic?

Mind flayers always seemed to have much magic resistance for cloudkill, I killed them by casting loads of defensive spells (spirit armour, stoneskin, mirror image, fireshield, etc) and changing into the Slayer.
Chops 'em up real nice

I believe there is a difference between CASTING Cloudkill or using the WAND...
save vs. spells
or
save vs. wands

YES!!!!

Spell of Cloudkill is no good, you need wand!!

(sorry....a bit hyper due to HoW.....)

Does it make any difference? it's still magic and they're still resistant to it?

Not in my last couple of games. (and I don't think it is a bug)

Thanks, guys. I like to know what I'm facing. I think I've said this before, but I have a low re-load tolerance.

Reeka, I know just what you mean.
My first run through the game was *so* frustrating, I hate getting most of the way through a battle OK and then being used to wipe the floor at the last minute and having to reload and go through it all again! - I actually have more fun when I can prepare for what's up ahead.

I have exactly the same allergia!
You know what my worst experience was?
SPOILER

In the Underdark I went into the Beholder dungeon totally unprepared, but the fight went quite well. I had killed two beholders and was nearly done with the Elder Orb when at the last instant, the SOB manages to petrify Jaheira!!! Meaning that when I cast stone to flesh, she huffily tells me that she will wait for me in godd*mned Athkatla (the game treats these instances as if you've put her out of your party yourself) !!! Reload.....

Don't know if you are all aware but you can configure a keyboard shortcut say 'L' to quickload, in the same way you do a 'Q' for quicksave. Much easier and quicker. Its under configuration when you first start the game. Don't know why it wasn't set up as standard. It doesn't work with multiplayer though. Hope it helps.