I did the slave lord thing in the Temple district last night. After, I'm going round picking up loot. Has anyone noticed that Nalia isn't worth a pile of sh*t as a thief? I mean she can't pick a lock for trying (that's why I have her always have a couple of knock spells memorized). And it takes her about ten minutes to detect a trap? I guess I got spoiled in BG1 where Imoen was such a superior thief.

Anyway, I'm on the first floor of the mansion and I've given Nalia a potion on master theivery because she can't pick any of the locks and I used all my spells on second floor. (I hate her.) She didn't detect a trap (so what else is new) and picked a lock and the caption reads "trap triggered." Well, it went off and Nalia is gone--I mean TOTALLY gone. Her portrait is gone--NADA--total annihilation! Has this happened to anyone else? What was that in the trap? No blood, no guts--just GONE.

At that point, I was so disgusted I just quit playing for the evening.

BTW, got HoW in the mail from interplay yesterday (it was my birthday present from husband and child). Can't wait to get it loaded on. (Will be Monday before I can do that though--complicated).

One question is follow-up to answers I got about Mind Flayers. How do you heal from having intelligence drained? I know if you get to zero you're dead. Do healing spells work, potions, resting, what?

A prompt response would be appreciated--I might try to do the sewer--mind flayer thing this weekend.

Reeka,

Can't help with the flayers, going there soon myself. But yes, I do think Nalia is pretty poor as a thief and whines a lot! She's not bad as a mage, though.


Cloudbringer

I think the trap Nalia walked into must have been a disintegrate spell > it totally wipes the character out of existence.

And about Nalia being so horrible: if you're talking about the whining: couldn't agree with you more!
But talking about her skills - I have said this before - Nalia is *not* a thief. She's a dual class thief-mage! So you shouldn't expect the same amount of expertise as you'd expect from a real thief - she dualled as early as level 4!!
Think of her as a mage -a quite decent mage- who can fight with a bow and long swords! That sounds a lot better than lousy thief doesn't it?
And the best thief you can get is probably one you've made yourself, but you can always take Yoshi or Jan

i like her best when i have Korgian(the dwarf fighter) in the party,other than that she is about as annoying as Arie imho,she is the only one i would like to pimp slap(i know that sounds bad but it is how i feel)

Happy Birthday Reeka!

I try to forget that Nalia has some very basic theiving skills. Just think of her as a mage, which she is very good at, because she dualled so early on. She will reach higher levels more quickly than Jan or Aerie. But yes, I agree with you that the incessant moaning is a real pain!

I have to admit that I've never survived a mindflayer attack at close range - this is because my good melee fighters are all really thick, so will be dead in a couple of seconds!!! So I don't know the answer to that particular question.

I really use Nalia as a Mage. Even as a dual-class from Thief, her THACO isn't that great. I'd suggest picking up a different thief.

The intelligence drain from mindflayers wears off after a while. Resting should solve the problem.

Yeah, Nalia is great as a mage, however is usedless as a thief (but give her the gloves of pickpocketing and she can pickpocket fairly well)
As for the flayers mind drain, It wears off after a short time.

I have to agree with Epona, that incessant whining goes right through me. I dropped her and use Valagar. I am a Kensai/mage so I don't need her. I tried Edwin, and he just sucked.

Edwin sux?
That's a first
i rather think he's the best NPC of the game

Maybe I wasn't playing him right, any suggestions?