I'm playing a party of three, and when the game was loading last night, I had a stroke of genius. I was at the screen prior to loading where you can add new characters. It kind of annoyed me, because I have to click through it every time and I don't intend to add anyone. What's the point of adding a new person now- they'd just get creamed. Then it hit me. I could add three newbies solely for that purpose. Free summons!

Of course it's cheating, but I thought the idea of three adventurers summoned from who knows where right before a big fight with only the clothes on their back and a staff being ordered to attack was pretty funny.

Has anyone ever done this?

Lymond

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">No never thought of it. Another reason to allow this however is if you get stuck at some point by party design or difficulty. You can switch party members permanately if need be, or add a party member to get you past a point and then remove him again. Kind of like a hero who helps you out.</font>

[ 03-11-2005, 11:38 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Once, using a party of four, I used 2 temporary fighters with 18 STR, 18 DEX, and 18 CON with specialization in quarterstaff to draw fire and help out. Since then, I have never had a need to do it, as lvl 1 fighters don't help much later in the game.

EDIT: In solo game, non mage games I have a premade gnome illusionist with a mage dagger ready to import. Identify 3 times, kill, delete, and repeat. Good for using an enchanted item right away (My C/R did this with the hammer flail without running back to Kuldahar), and its not very cheap.

[ 03-11-2005, 12:00 PM: Message edited by: Marty4 ]

you could also use it at certain points in the game that a certain class can access, but others cannot, ie the drunk in the first town, a paladin can talk him into getting "on the wagon"

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">or a Bard.</font>

[ 03-11-2005, 12:46 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">or a Bard.</font> </font>[/QUOTE]Or a druid in Kuldahar's pass...

I ran a solo cleric through the Vale of Shadows, once, and I imported a pack mule for inventory space to lug heavy stuff back to the town. I haven't used imported characters as cannon fodder before.

Don't forget, the fodder will "steal" experience from your main heroes if the fodder is alive when monsters die.

I'd just as soon use Animate Dead for cheap summons. The added bonus to using undead is that they are immune to cold and poison. Cone of Cold, Snilloc's, and Stinking Cloud makes a good combination with undead. You can also add in some nasty necromancy spells, I believe.

Edit: spelling :rolleyes:

[ 03-12-2005, 02:08 AM: Message edited by: Aerich ]

"Or a druid in Kuldahar's pass..."
what does that do?

minor spoiler:


A druid can cure the ogre, saving you the trip to Arundel and back.

I quite like the idea of meeting a wandering Bard or Cleric who can give you a helping hand. That way it saves a long trek back to town.
Don't think I could ever go so far as to use someone as cannon fodder.