I think it is petty obvious that every one knows which one is the hardest battle on the floor right ontop of the jaill for the improsend one. Im not sure what key it is but it is the one with like 6 people and a beholder and a huntress and a drow preistess. Do you agree that this is the hardest one and if you do then help me out with some stratigies.

What if we don't agree this is the hardest fight? Can we still give you strategies? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

SPOILERS
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I believe that is (arguably) the hardest battle not only WK, but in unmodded ToB. I managed to beat it without anyone dying, on about the 15th reload or so. Some general non-cheesy tips:

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1. Summons are your best friend, especially ones with high immunities (Mordy's swords and devas come to mind, but also Skeleton warriors. Don't be afraid to summon some before the battle; in fact, I already had the deva there from the other battles (once you see that putting a key in gets you some nice critters to play with, and each time you put the same type of key in it gets harder, it is not too much of a stretch to expect a bear of an encounter with the last key). Every attack they launch against them is not one against you. Also, they will be killed off quick, so have your mages and/or clerics offscreen pumping out more.</font>
2. Buff. A lot. Nuff said.</font>
3. Use the terrain. There is a nice room to the NE part of the level that you can hide in. If need be, run back there (preferably summoning stuff to block off the enemies) and cast heal spells on your party. In mine, 3 of the enemies managed to make it to that room. Since I had nowhere else to go, I fought like a wounded animal (threw EVERYTHING at them until they dropped). I still had them badly wounded before they got there, though.</font>
4. Much of the group is highly resistant to magic. However, putting your mages into the line of fire to cast Lower Resistance is just asking for trouble, especially with the beholder and the archer. Spells like MMM or Magic Missile will go a long way (since they have a way to eat through magic resistance, use those to stop the spellcasters from casting). However, don't be afraid to use Dragon's Breath, Comet, etc. in the off chance that it will get through and really mess up the opponent.</font>
5. Concentrate on the ranged fighters first. The marilith is imposing, but other than a few special abilities she needs to get close to mess you up. Let her and the other melee fighters play with your summons. Get rid of the casters/beholder first, then the archer.</font>
6. Don't be afraid to use your limited use items. Even though they won't last much past a heartbeat, the summons from the Wand of Fodder can tie your opponent up while you escape to the back room. Use those potions of magic blocking and shielding (I forget off hand which one has you make your saving throws automatically, but those are a godsend against the archer and the beholder).</font>
7. If you have traps, you could be cheesy and put them at the spawning points. However, to be non-cheesy, if you have to run to the back room, then put them in there for when they get past your summons.</font>
8. If you really want to take advantage of things, there is always the Pocket Plane (i.e. I know you really want to be heroic, but many heroes are also martyrs. Don't be one).</font>

Hope that helps (I really can't give you a die hard method of beating them, as that is truly a battle that you have to use anything and everything at your disposal to beat them). Good Luck!

Spoilers maybe (strategy)
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A good strategy is to use Time Stop, Improved Alacrity, and Dragon's Breath, as none of them are immune to Time Stop (I think). Dragon's Breath ignores MR so it is very effective vs. Drow and such. Planetars, Elemental Princes, and MK's swords are also very useful. Also, try putting 3 ADHWs into a ninth-level contingency or 3 pierce shields (or lower resistances), and setting it to target the nearest enemy on sight. On the fighter side, Smite and the improved Whirlwind are very effective at keeping enemies away/killing them quickly. Another good idea is to take out the spellcasters first, especially the Drow priestess, as her spells (the bug-swarm one) will stop your spellcasters from functioning (even the Planetar). The Beholder isn't much of a problem if you equip a good fighter with the Shield of Balduran (it can't touch you!).


Also, referring to the previous reply, you can't enter the Pocket Plane in a battle, so you would have to get ALL your party members away from the fighting before you cast.

[ 05-29-2003, 04:09 PM: Message edited by: Cheesethief456 ]

They're strong aren't they [img]smile.gif[/img]
No I don't think they're the hardest, but i think they're great school for creating tactics.

Here is my way:
1.Stop the time.
2.Imprison the Hive Mother and the "Kai"
3.Kill the remaining four
4.Rest
5.Cast Freedom
6.Kill the Hive Mother and the "Kai"

spoilers
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1. Bring your party into a position at a nice distance from the seal
2. Summon a planetar (or a deva, fallen deva...)
3. I turn the key with only one person near the seal and quickly run back (having boots of speed)
4. Soon the whole bunch of them should be after you
5. I always put the planetar in front of my party (in all my battles it was able to take out like two or three of them). With my shooter I disrupt the drow priestess spellcasting quite efficiently. The rest is quite simple.

But try to find your own tactics. It's quite challenging.
How about the Beholder?. It seems to me, that every time I try to cast a spell with my mage, the beholder disrupts it. Have you experienced something like that?

Yep the beholder is my biggest problem.

Nerull you sound like you watched an instant replay of my battle with these guys. A lot of the more diificult battles in the game are just frustrating but this one really rocks. I haven't been that excited about beating an enemy since the original System Shock.

Yes, once you beat them for the first time, you have sort of that "graduation/coming of age" feeling. There are some tough enemies in the game, but very few groups force you to strategize to the degree that you have to against them. I hated that battle when I went through the game, but now that I look back at it....

Includes minor spoilers
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come to think of it, that is probably the hardest battle in the original game. demogorgon? piece of cake. melissan? meliwho? Twisted Rune? Whats that? Kangaxx? About as hard as a drunk kobold.