I am trying out the solo bard posted by ScottG under "easiest solos": mook, 1 level fighter, bard 2-12 maxing vitality for iron skin, so no stealth in the beginning.

On my first try I thought maxing music was the key, so I got my level 2 mook's (1F/1B) music up to 91. But I still couldn't beat the obnoxious slime, and though I could sleep the king crab and gregor, they tended to be a bit peeved with me when I woke them up with my sword......tore me up into little pieces.

So now I'm on my second try, and I'm thinking maybe I need to have the fighter get close combat, shield, and staff up near 100. So I'm spending a lot of time at the doorway up above the ramp in the lower monastery waiting for wandering monsters. That way only a few can attack me at a time, and I can use the drop for a quick get away if the battle turns sour. But it is taking soooooo long. Am I going about this the right way?

Why Staff????? Sword is much better for Bard, and if you're a Mook, you can use the Giant's Sword if you change class later.
oh, maybe Scott said staff---
I have never agreed with any of his development plans, anyway...
Solos almost MUST have Stealth, and for that a Rogue or Ninja level is nice, usually L5 so you can survive the Seekers shooting at you (see Flamestryke's site about training techniques)
http://www.flamestryke.com/wizardry8...trykes_w8.html
As far as your combat skills, 50 should be enough, and you can work them up just as well if you are Bard or Rogue. I'd stay a Bard to L4, then go Rogue for Stealth (Shield will go up with Stealth, if you make sure your shield is armed) and practise everything, including Throw/Sling so you can use the bombs and powders more effectively.

I agree with Scatter. I disagree with ScottG about needing an extended range weapon as well.

Going solo you need to be able to dish out damage so you will want to work on your combat skills especially since Bards don't get any damage spells from their instruments until later on in the game. It's all very well being able to put monsters to sleep but without decent combat skills you'll just wake them up and then get yourself killed.

Sword is probably the way to go, especially as a Mook. Bards can use a lot of different swords and some of the better ones in the game (like Fang or the Giant's Sword). Like Scatter said, early on you don't need to get your skills up to near 100. Somewhere around 50 will do, though make sure you get over 50 since a lot of the bonuses kick in once you reach that magic number.

You don't need Stealth, in my opinion, though if this is your first run through as a solo I'd definitely advise a level as Rogue for Stealth becuase it does make things a lot easier.

xfactor

Why is your bard attacking sleeping boss monsters? You're a mook bard, not Chewbacca. Take the money and run ...

Next time you have a solo game, name your character Han, then you can talk about your Han Solo. Har har. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks you guys. I love this forum. I've been reading for months and I still learn something new each day.

So basically I'm getting the idea that Scott's plan is flawed. I still like the idea of iron-skin because I've never done that. How about this: What if I go to an alchemist on level 2, and train stamina and heal wounds? Then on to a bard at level 3. Would that work? My AC is currently 9, and goes to 12 when I'm in defense mode.

To Babar: Good one. But to answer your question, in an earlier game I snuck past Gregor, and went on to fight the roaches in the crypt room. After a couple rounds Gregor came charging down the hall to help them. So I thought that killing him was necessary....hmmmmmmm.

i never kill those roaches. The XP is so low for the work. You can even combat-run past Gregor from King Crab's ramp to the Coffins, loot them, sleep Gregor to get to the switch room...Of course, the Small Spiders are potential trouble, but if you have the Stink and Cherry Bomb and Fire Stix...(my favorite tactic here is to walk up to just before they drop down, enter combat mode and run forward half a step to make them appear, then back up just far enough that they're still in Thrown range so they don't move and stay in a nice target grouping:If you lock your weapons so your shield stays in place, and throw bombs/use Stix, they die soon.) Then you can get the Concussion Powder to help with Gragor, if you want to kill him.