I love fighting vampires, but they are quite a challenge. I can handle them 5-on-1 in town, when they're tangling with some muggers, but I can't take 'em on in big numbers like you find in Firkraag's temple. Any solid strategies people find work against these freaks?

Subotai, thief and archer

First of all, see my comments about dealing with level drain in katmay's Level Drain topic.

Second, cast every enhancement spell you can. Haste, armor of faith, protection from evil 10', ironskin, stoneskin, chaotic commands, chant, invisibility, are all musts. Mirror image, blade barrier, blur, strength are nice. Summon elementals and aerial servants. Have them at the front while you pound the vampires from a distance. If you have that mace of disruption, use it. Have a single healer back to take care of anyone who gets seriously hurt. If you have Minsc, make sure he is getting a lot of swings as his racial enemy is vampires and he will hurt them real bad.

Btw, dig the name. I'm a big Mongol fan myself.

use an undead hunter (paladin). problem solved.

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That drow cleric has pretty kick ass turn undead even at lvl 12-14 range. Get her up front with good armour and just stand there TUing, and let the rest hit em from a distance.

If you have animate dead at the increased level of getting Skeleton warriors, they are pretty resistant to damage and they lay a whupping.

Get yourself that Sun Blade, or whatever they call it. Day Star I think. It lets you cast Sunray once a day, which really does a number on all undead.

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You can find it on a Lich in the city gates district, there is a hidden passage in the Inn.

This is a strategy that works against all monsters when you can use a door or narrow passageway. Let somebody quaff a potion of invisibility, use the ring of invisibility or cast an invisibility spell on a non ranged weapon using tank. Position that one in the doorway and use another character to lure them out. Your second character can get by the first invisible one but the enemies can't. Proceed to pound on them with ranged weapons and they'll fall without anyone hurt. Unless the invisibility wears off but then a lot of them will be dead anyway and you got a fully healed tank to take care of the remaining baddies.

Yes yes, all the funny suggestions..

Now when you don't have the 'uber' methods what all these peope so far suggested to you, do as I do - first of all, check how many clerical types you have in the party. At the time of Firkraag's, I had 3 - Jaheira, Aerie and Anomen. Each of them has memorized 2 "Negative Plane Protection" spells, that makes in total 6 of those. 2 for each because the bloody spell has a short duration. Anyway, this is how I did it with the vamps in Firkraag's place:

the place is pretty good as such for singling out the targets. Basically all you need is Negative Plane Protection, doesn't hurt to add Haste also (or wear Boots of Speed). Leave the party in the room, which has the exit to the hallway which leads to the vamp room (turn off Party AI). Basically, the vamp room is to right from that room. Now, slap on Haste (Boots of Speed), slap on the main and best tank on the Neg. Plane Protection and move him out, towards the vamp room. Don't storm in the room. Move carefully closer, he should attract the attention of 1, 2 max. When these see you and charge you move back to your group but so, that the vamp will be standing in the doorway - that way you can single them out. And just beat of with this one tank, don't get other party members on vamps as it will really mess it up. Keep checking the Neg. Plane Protection timer and when it's about to run out, slap it on. You may want to use a weapon/helmet which gives protection to Charm or Confusion - if you have the Helmet of Charm Protection, that will do. Lilarcor (2h sword) will do as well. Or a class/kit which is immune or can become immune. Or just slap another spell on :D

These vamps were no trouble at all. Also in bigger open areas, use a tank buffed like this to separate the mobs as well - basically cut the corner hard and that way often only 1-2 mobs will turn around the corner, which others just watch behind there..

these suggestions are all good...but I took the firkraag quest as first one :( only have jaheira and my paladin (without spells)

oh and what big vampire room are you talking about?

I only came up against 1 vampire...

I had about 5 vamps in Firkraag place waiting for me. I guess the game may "adjust" the amount of mobs based on the level. My char was lvl 13 paladin by then. So if you are lower lvl and saw there just 1, then perhaps it's because of that.

Tere Ohtust!

Yes, I think it may scale, I've had some other fights that seemed to vary wildly based on level.

I also think some people like to post just to increase their rank, or hear themselves talk: get an undead hunter, yeah, right, that'll really help him out when he's playing a druid (or bard, or ....).

So to try to be a little more helpful, generally I suggest visiting every temple you can in order to find protection from undead scrolls. If you're not familiar with them, they protect you from physical damage from undead, which makes a BIG difference in the sort of confused free-for-alls that characterizes the fight you're talking about. Will also be handy later, since the undead like to simply bury you in numbers.. otherwise, definitely summon up creatures to protect your weaker party members (you have holy smite, fireball, Otiluke's Spell of Kicking Royal Vampire Butt, but it's no good if you can't get it off....)