There is a stone tower in the caverns of Dorn's Deep, i got the key but when i go inside the archers kick my party's butt (or butts). Any strategies?

Before entering the tower, assign roles to your party members.

1) Mr -AC. Give him all your best AC items and boost it further with spells and potions. His primary role is to rush forward and attract all the arrows.

2) Mr Cuddles. Usually a Druid, but any spellcaster will do. His primary role is to summon creatures at the last archer. When summons melee the enemy archers, they will switch to swords and thus rapidly die due to decreased combat efficiency.

3) The Cheerleaders. Cast Bless, cast curse, cast anything that will help your party.

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">If you have Protection from Protection from Normal Missiles spell, Try to buff as many in your party with it as possible. Come to think of it this is the only place I use that spell.</font>

[ 08-19-2004, 12:04 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Absolutely load up outside. Use all the buff spells you have. Typically I rest up after clearing the Salamanders and Sentries, picking my spells to take out the tower next.

Here's how I do it:

1) Mages - it should go without saying: Stoneskin, Mirror Image. Possibly Improved Invisibility and Blur.

2) Priests - all the buff spells you have. Prayer, Protection from Evil 10', Recitation, Bless, Righteous Wrath of the Faithful, Defensive Harmony, etc - Try and get your best Thac0 and AC. I cast these spells outside, even though Prayer, etc won't affect the archers from there. Shield of Lathander (if you have it) is golden, but of short duration. Cast it as the last spell before you go in. Entropy Shield will also save you a lot of damage.

3) Druids - all 4th level slots go to Static Charge. Cast them all before you go in; chances are one (maybe two) will go off, obliterating at least one archer.

I also like to cast Protection from Fire on all my characters if I have the slots to do so. That means the Fireball your protected mage casts will not harm your fighters, and if you misjudge you won't kill your weaker casters.

Haste is a necessity. I cast it outside, then send my best fighter to melee the guy at the top and my second best to melee one midway up. A third melee fighter (if I have one) hammers on the archers at the bottom.

Spellcasters - One quick area-effect spell - typically a fire spell, then go to single-target damaging spells. The archers have decent saves, so go with Magic Missile over Chromatic Orb. Pick your targets carefully. Help your fighters finish off their opponents quickly, or take out an injured archer that isn't in melee. Priests can use Magical Stone, or try to get lucky with Command or Hold Person. Druids cast Sunscorch/Alicorn Lance.

Expect to take hits. Buff up outside to your fullest extent. Try to get the archers into melee ASAP. Finish them quickly.

Edit: Does Protection From Normal Missiles help here? I thought all the archers shot magical arrows. If it is effective, it certainly is a spell you should cast.

[ 08-19-2004, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: Aerich ]

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">Works every time!!! While the arrows do +4 damage or someting, thay don't seem to be considered magical (No fire, ice, or electric damage from the arrows, and I have never tested it using those types) as my party never take hits until Protection From Normal Missiles wears off. It could be with bug with Protection From Normal Missiles as well since it is not a spell I use often. Maybe it should really be called "Protection From Missiles".</font>

[ 08-19-2004, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Interesting. I'll have to use the spell more often.

I'm a little surprised that the tower is the only place you use it. I use it a lot on my tanks in the Severed Hand and against the Tarnished Sentries. It lets you melee them one at a time without worrying about the nasty throwing axe damage their neighbours can do.

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">Good Tactical Tip, Aerich!!! I actually never thought of using it against Tarnished Sentries throwing axes, as I never thought of an axes and daggers as missile weapons. Just considered using it against arrows, darts, and bullets. But if they throw them they are being used as a missile.</font>

[ 08-19-2004, 01:14 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

It helps a LOT. If you cast Protection from Fire, Protection from Normal Missiles, Haste, and a couple buffs, you can hammer down all the sentries and salamanders with 2-3 tanks before your Haste expires. A bit of healing and an earth elemental summons helps too, plus a few single-target spells and arrows from the rest of the party to help take out the salamanders.

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Just use two spells. This is the best place to use the Invisibility and Static Charge spells. Charge your Druid's batteries, go invisible (all), and go collect thems' juicy arrows those dudes have. This is one of the only two areas that I use this tried and true trick [the other area involves some Dark Elves carrying a nasty crossbow surprise]. Carry on.

Yeah, that's a sure-fire way to get through any area that doesn't have monsters (e.g. tarnished sentries) who can detect invisible creatures. But there's just something so satisfying about pumping yourself to the max and hacking your way through.

Edit: this has always been one of my favourite fights. Contained area, nasty opposition, usable loot.

[ 08-19-2004, 04:45 PM: Message edited by: Aerich ]