[Lymond]

NobleNick,

No, I haven't finished yet. This is the second time I fell for the wiley Luremasters tricks. The strategy I mentioned is from my recollection of the last time I was there.

Without spoiling anything, I'm in the stage after the entrance to the castle proper. I'm still bent about spectal guards, however, because they keep popping up. They inspire the following thoughts:

1) At the entrance to the castle, before you do something to turn them against you, you can't turn them. I'm not surprised because it's just a game, but they're still undead. I left my paladin and cleric there for ten minutes trying to turn them (while I did the dishes). When I got back, nobody had run away or blown up, which is what I really wanted. I've never blown anyone up. Chunkified with extreme prejudice yes, but blown up, no. I'd like to see it.

2) I don't like paladins. There, I've said it. Ok, so I didn't give her all the best equipment- she has -12 ac when my tank has -19. Maybe some balancing is in order. Nevertheless, she does have that supersword. I don't know what it is, but she still doesn't deal out great damage. Her healing ability was nice at lower levels, but is now insignificant and she can't cast a tenth of what the cleric can. Right now, my cleric can heal in a big way, resurrect and is wielding that dove mace. She's also a ranger with skeletal undead as an enemy and has frequently handled enemies one on one. It seems like the paladin is always the last one fighting, and needs to be rescued by her sisters (yes, my current party is all women). I know there are many who disagree and I'm probably playing the paladin incorrectly, but I'd be curious to know what's so great about them.

3) How the heck can someone solo? The other night a single spectral guard blew through my slightly injured paladin (no surprise), cleric/ranger, and tank dc fighter/mage. The difficulty is set to hard and it was (ultimately I summoned a diversion and let the guard have it with every attack spell I had), but I can't imagine how people do it, even after reading other posts about it. Is it just a matter of hit and run and hit and run? What about enemies that regenerate? What about those rooms where six or more enemies pop up at once? Does the game adjust the difficulty knowing that you're going solo? Does the game take you five times as long as one with a complete party?

A lot to digest, I know.

Lymond