[Cerek]

Originally posted by Armen: quote: Originally posted by Cerek: My solo assassin is still running around the Chateau. I've managed to clear most of the dungeon and am now trying to pick off Illyich and his crew (took out the Glabrezu with 4 traps

mine too [img]smile.gif[/img] although i'm setting 6 . . .

i've stacked up 4 mages in the initial 'prison' room so far (not exactly realistic) and taken the glabrezu out with traps - my tactic is going to be to set traps in the corridor then wait in stealth until i get a backstab shot on one of the gang and then flee down the corridor - i just finished playing after the monk decided to go down the corridor anyway [img]smile.gif[/img] 2 down . . . . [/QUOTE]So far, I've killed ALL the duergar that have spawned (except for two mages that are still left in the room with all the big tubes). With a solo character, I usually get 1 mage and only 1 or 2 fighters with each spawn. I use Stealth to sneak as far away as possible and still see them, then I fire an arrow at the fighters and RUUUUUN like heck (all the while hoping I make my save vs the Confusion the mage is going to cast at me). I then lead the fighters on a merry chase through the Mineral Deposit Room (where you meet the djinn at the beginning of the game) and into the room with the cells. I fire arrows at one as long as I'm far enough ahead of them, then I run around corners and try to Hide in Shadows. IF I'm successful, then I attempt to Backstab my chosen target. IF I'm unsuccessful, I continue running (towards the cages or back to the Mineral room, depending on which direction is closest). So far, my MOST successful areas for HiS and Backstab are in the room with the big Lightening machine. I run from the Mineral room into the door of that room and then duck around the corner. It's especially funny when I hit the same target twice (or even 3 times) in a row with this move. It seems like they would figure out "hey, this guy keeps running around the corner and disappearing, then stabbing me in the back", but it works and I use it. The other area where I'm amassed a huge pile of duergar body and bones is coming from the cell room towards the Lightening Machine room. I go around the corner and HiS, then backstab. At level 9 and 10, I am getting Quadruple damage, so it only takes about 3 successful backstabs to kill the fighters.

Meanwhile, all of the mages nice pre-buff spells have worn off (except for Stoneskin - dangit). So you can't backstab him (at least not right away). I chose Chaotic Neutral for my alignment and that gives me two Vampiric Touches per day. I have discovered that ONE VT will usually kill the mages. If not, it will take them to Near Death. The only problem is that it triggers their Contingency and yet ANOTHER Stoneskin. (AAAARGH). I will try to hide and snipe them with arrows until I take the Stoneskin down, but this is a long (and painful) process - because it takes several "hits" to break through the Stoneskin. In the meantime, the mage will cast the following spells...

1) Hold Person
2) Web
3) Melf's Acid Arrow
4) Melf's Acid Arrow
5) Magic Missile
6) Magic Missile

The first two spells aren't too bad. I've usually run around the corner and out of sight (which should disrupt the casting but doesn't for some reason), so I just wait for the spell to wear off. The Acid Arrows are a bit worse, but the damage they do varies, so it may or may not damage you too bad. The Magic Missiles are just plain bad news for your thief. If I get hit by those, I usually just reload and try again.

You CAN be cheesy and just keep relaoding until your Vampiric Touch kills the mage. It does a variable amount of damage also (ranging from about 21-32). Most duergar mages seem to have 27hp, so you are bound to kill them sooner or later. But I do try to give them a bit of a sporting chance. Also, you regain a bunch of your hit points when you rest.

If you try the sniping technique above, just keep going till you take down the Stoneskin. Then one backstab will CHUNKIFY the mage into itty bitty pieces every time. VERY satisfying!

Oh...btw....I DID use CNTRL-Y on a few of the duergar because the spawn rate is just too dang fast if you ask me. The ones I used CNTRL-Y on "popped in" while I was in the middle of another battle - usually with the other duergar that "popped in" before this group. So far, I think I've only killed 3 groups with CNTRL-Y. All others have been killed using my assassin abilities.