Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - Improved (Current Version Tactics) Bodhi (Spoilers)

SixOfSpades · 08-15-2004, 09:36 PM

Personally, I loathe the powergaming pattern I'm seeing in a lot of mods, and not just Weimer's; The modders want to be liked, so they create things that players will want to use, and if they aren't careful, they create overpowered things that essentially redefine the way the game is played. What used to be "Is your party strong enough to take on Boss X?" has now become "Is your party carrying Item Y?" And, inevitably, we get drawn into things like Weimer implying that Improved Faldorn is balanced because his Overbalanced Cernd has a 50/50 chance of beating her, after he's been given a couple of thousand extra hitpoints.

So, Improved Bodhi.

Immune to all forms of instant death, including Turn Undead and Undead-slaying weapons. Okay, I can see that, killing a major boss in less than a round is ridiculous. Besides, the Demi-Lich in WK has the same immunities.
Being immune to Spell Disruption makes sense, because her abilities aren't spells. When's the last time you were Disrupted while going into your Berserker Rage?
Immune to False Dawn. Say what?
Immune to Sunray. Like I said, ALL creatures except the caster take damage from Sunray.
Can see right through Invisibility, Non-Detection, Sanctuary and Protection from Undead. Oh yeah, this makes loads of sense.
She's dead. Dead people are cold (well, actually, room temperature). Somehow, this justifies a permanent, undispellable Fireshield: Blue that does something like 2D6 damage per hit?
Casts spell-like abilities that cannot be defended against. Now where's that spell that lets me cast Rapture of the Father in combat.....
Has the same old trick of always knowing exactly where the PC is, and can Dimension Door right to him, at will.

And why, exactly, does Bodhi have these abilities? Oh yeah....because she's an Elven Vampire, and a very young one at that.

I see essentially two strategies to whacking Improved Bodhi. Both require the party to be of rather high levels (8th level Mage spells and the like), but ToB is not necessary.

1) Buff your best Tank with everything you've got. Must-haves are permanent NPP, PfFire (127%), PfCold, Imp. Haste, Regeneration, Chaotic Commands, and Free Action. Send him in, and slam the door after him. The Haste and Regeneration will essentially nullify the damage he recieves from the Cloud of Bats. Don't exactly fight with him yet, just use him to take out the lesser Vampires and, more importantly, bait all the enemies away from the main door. When the doorway is clear, call in the artillery: Lower Resistances on Bodhi, then all the Fireballs, Incendiary Clouds, and FireStorms you've got. (Incidentally, FireStorm ignores Magic Resistance.) This new source of healing will help your Tank go toe-to-toe against Bodhi. When she gets her second wind, break out the Flame Arrows. I found the Vamp/Mages tough to kill, but they couldn't do me much damage, either. Interestingly enough, they seem to have forgotten SI:Abj (at least they did in my last game), so a single Dispel or Remove Magic will pretty much seal their fate....which, ironically, I discovered after I was already holding Bodhi's heart in my hot little hand.

2) You can use the hallway to your advantage: Designate a "hot" end and a "cold" end. Have your best Tank and your PC (if you aren't the Tank) stand at the hot end, and set up a defensive wall at the cold end: Those who can cast PfMW or Ironskins, and are also protected from Level Drain, form a wall behind which (at least 12 feet behind which) you can place your more vulnerable party members. With luck, you won't be pressed on this flank. Open the door, send somebody through it with a Summon to keep them company, and let Bodhi say her spiel. Turn and run, slamming the door behind you. Bodhi will Dimension Door right to your PC, and personally I think Improved Bodhi deserves nothing better than to be baited right onto a huge stack of Traps (apperently, Leslie thinks so too). As soon as you see Bodhi Dimension Door, have your PC run over to the cold end with everybody else. Proceed as per Plan 1.

[ 08-15-2004, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: SixOfSpades ]

08-15-2004, 09:36 PM	#33
SixOfSpades Dracolisk Join Date: September 16, 2001 Location: Bellingham, WA, USA Age: 48 Posts: 6,901	Personally, I loathe the powergaming pattern I'm seeing in a lot of mods, and not just Weimer's; The modders want to be liked, so they create things that players will want to use, and if they aren't careful, they create overpowered things that essentially redefine the way the game is played. What used to be "Is your party strong enough to take on Boss X?" has now become "Is your party carrying Item Y?" And, inevitably, we get drawn into things like Weimer implying that Improved Faldorn is balanced because his Overbalanced Cernd has a 50/50 chance of beating her, after he's been given a couple of thousand extra hitpoints. So, Improved Bodhi. Immune to all forms of instant death, including Turn Undead and Undead-slaying weapons. Okay, I can see that, killing a major boss in less than a round is ridiculous. Besides, the Demi-Lich in WK has the same immunities. Being immune to Spell Disruption makes sense, because her abilities aren't spells. When's the last time you were Disrupted while going into your Berserker Rage? Immune to False Dawn. Say what? Immune to Sunray. Like I said, ALL creatures except the caster take damage from Sunray. Can see right through Invisibility, Non-Detection, Sanctuary and Protection from Undead. Oh yeah, this makes loads of sense. She's dead. Dead people are cold (well, actually, room temperature). Somehow, this justifies a permanent, undispellable Fireshield: Blue that does something like 2D6 damage per hit? Casts spell-like abilities that cannot be defended against. Now where's that spell that lets me cast Rapture of the Father in combat..... Has the same old trick of always knowing exactly where the PC is, and can Dimension Door right to him, at will. And why, exactly, does Bodhi have these abilities? Oh yeah....because she's an Elven Vampire, and a very young one at that. I see essentially two strategies to whacking Improved Bodhi. Both require the party to be of rather high levels (8th level Mage spells and the like), but ToB is not necessary. 1) Buff your best Tank with everything you've got. Must-haves are permanent NPP, PfFire (127%), PfCold, Imp. Haste, Regeneration, Chaotic Commands, and Free Action. Send him in, and slam the door after him. The Haste and Regeneration will essentially nullify the damage he recieves from the Cloud of Bats. Don't exactly fight with him yet, just use him to take out the lesser Vampires and, more importantly, bait all the enemies away from the main door. When the doorway is clear, call in the artillery: Lower Resistances on Bodhi, then all the Fireballs, Incendiary Clouds, and FireStorms you've got. (Incidentally, FireStorm ignores Magic Resistance.) This new source of healing will help your Tank go toe-to-toe against Bodhi. When she gets her second wind, break out the Flame Arrows. I found the Vamp/Mages tough to kill, but they couldn't do me much damage, either. Interestingly enough, they seem to have forgotten SI:Abj (at least they did in my last game), so a single Dispel or Remove Magic will pretty much seal their fate....which, ironically, I discovered after I was already holding Bodhi's heart in my hot little hand. 2) You can use the hallway to your advantage: Designate a "hot" end and a "cold" end. Have your best Tank and your PC (if you aren't the Tank) stand at the hot end, and set up a defensive wall at the cold end: Those who can cast PfMW or Ironskins, and are also protected from Level Drain, form a wall behind which (at least 12 feet behind which) you can place your more vulnerable party members. With luck, you won't be pressed on this flank. Open the door, send somebody through it with a Summon to keep them company, and let Bodhi say her spiel. Turn and run, slamming the door behind you. Bodhi will Dimension Door right to your PC, and personally I think Improved Bodhi deserves nothing better than to be baited right onto a huge stack of Traps (apperently, Leslie thinks so too). As soon as you see Bodhi Dimension Door, have your PC run over to the cold end with everybody else. Proceed as per Plan 1. [ 08-15-2004, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: SixOfSpades ] __________________ Volothamp's Comeuppance Everything you ever needed to know about the entire Baldur's Gate series......except spoilers.