Probably should be in the TOB forum - if so please move it there. Dundee ?

Here's one of my tricks how to effectively use F/T (multiclass):
It's a spoilerish cheesy stuff so back off if you are not interested. ;)
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OK, here it goes.

Why Ascension - because you get immunity to time stop (Focus). But you must first win some battles. Then, before the BIG fight starts with THE FIVE:

Set some Time traps and equip F/T with Vhailor's Helm (You knew that, didn't you ! :D ) and with a scroll of Mislead. Use your Helm to make a simulacrum and then you and your simmy should both use the Mislead scroll.
You can then order your simmy to use Focus (immunity to time stop) - which will of course happen beacuse of time traps set by your original. (You can also reverse roles - and your simmy sets traps - or both if you want more carnage :D )

You must time this Focus just before Melissan appears. Practice. [img]smile.gif[/img]

When the fight starts - time stops and you have two characters misleaded and able to backstab with Greater Whirlwind. :D :D :D

Don't forget to Improve haste them - so that they can get in the backstabbing position very quickly.

I could drop Illasera and get Abazigal to near death - I used The Answerer and normal katana because Abazigal gets PFMW from a Contingeny. I just had to get through Stoneskin.

But it was still a difficult fight though - Gromnir lasts forever and Sendai is very annoying - very mildly said. ;)

Any ideas how to improve this even further ?

[ 04-01-2003, 05:56 AM: Message edited by: Leslie ]

The Mencucci tactic ALWAYS WORKS

I have no idea what the Mencucci tactic might be, but I found the (admittedly unMODded) final battle to be a breeze with my Wizard Slayer (Level 24)->Thief. Most bosses make themselves really aggravating by Healing themselves right when you think they're dead. Melissan does the same thing, of course, but you see, she actually CASTS Heal (not as an innate ability like Abazigal does), but after a few whacks from a Wizard Slayer, she was gone. Sure, she can still summon a few Slayer Shadows, but no more Heals for her!

I have to try this famous Wizardslayer->Thief once. Sound like fun. ;)

You dualled at level 24 ? Did you solo ? What did your poor thief level 1 do ?

I personally don't believe in Soloing. It's a roleplaying decision; am I more likely to say, A) "I think I'll form a well-designed party of skilled adventurers to assist me in my quest," or B) "I think I'll take on the entire world by myself--maybe I can even do it without getting killed 50 times over." I have always answered A, and probably always will.

I Dualed soon after hitting the Marching Mountains. My poor Level 1 Thief leveled up to Level 3, and stayed Level 3 (protected by the other 5 members) through the rest of Yaga-Shura, Watcher's Keep, the Oasis, Amkethran, Sendai, and finally came out of the Dual after the 3rd Pocket Plane Challenge. Abazigal was a challenge (I wanted to take him one-on-one, but he kept attacking my other party members), but Balthazar was laughable.

I try to have my cake and it eat. I usually solo up to the last level to make the effective dual class, eg 24 or whatever. I always complete quests up to the point of reporting in and collecting on Quest Experience which all party members get. Then immediately after dualling over to the second class I gather who I want in my party and then wander around talking to the people who give quest xp one after the other. I then get about 400K xp for all characters in less than 5 minutes. Then its off to Brynnlaw and the game progresses as usual. I means that the successful dual should be back to normal before meeting up (meating up?) with Jonny. If done properly it can even be done before killing Bodhi. I don't think I could be bothered waiting until the end of Abazigal or Sendai to enjoy my ubercharacter.