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NobleNick · 10-15-2004, 10:01 AM

Calagari,

Yeah, you're getting there. With the stuff you've learned and the stuff you've acquired in the last 36 hours, I'd say you are just about ready to kick Wight butt.

If some of your guys are close to leveling, I advise that you camp at the end of DE1 (near the entrance to DE2) and sleep/fight until they level. Then make sure you are totally rested with the right spell mix, before entering DE3.

With the extra rings of free action, the Web spells that Aerich suggested become extra effective.

Aerich remembers correctly: Fireball is a 3rd level Evocation (Invocation) spell.

Skull Trap (a Necro spell, IIRC) deals EXCELLENT damage; but the kill area is much less than Fireball and you have to get your timing right: Throw it too early and the first monster in triggers it, so only very few monsters take damage. Throw it too late and all monsters are already inside its trigger radius, so it does nothing. I believe Skull Trap is also a 3rd level spell. I have an Illusionist and a Bard, so use both Fireball and Skull Trap a lot; but my advice to you is to use all available 3rd level slots for Fireball, at least for the initial DE3 battle.

Remember: toasting every Wight and Troll at the scene, including those stacked up against your front line, without scorching ANY of your guys, is very doable. It just might take a little practice molding your front line to the right shape and getting the distance right; so save game just before entering DE3, and reload till you get it. If your Mage has two Fireballs and gets it right twice in a row, this encounter almost becomes a yawner. Correctly judging Fireball kill radius is a very valuable skill.

Off the subject unsolicited advice: Don't let the autosave be your babysitter, or you'll be sorry. Following the below rules *WILL* save you heartache later in the game.

1.) Save game at least once every 1/2 hour.
2.) Save game just before and after important points (battles, learning spells, pick pocketing, etc.) and just before entering doors that you suspect lead to new areas.
3.) Save to a NEW GAME NAME (e.g., DE1_01, DE1_02, DE1_03, DE2_01, DE2_02, etc.) at least once every 2 hours.
4.) Save game just BEFORE entering a new level or major area (like the caves in VoS) for the first time; and save to a NEW GAME NAME just AFTER entering a new area. This last is important enough to repeat: Save your game just before entering a door that you suspect leads to a new area (anything that makes you wait for a load; e.g., Black Wolf Temple level 1, BWT2, DE1, DE2, DE3, etc.) the FIRST time; and save to a NEW game name just after entering that loaded area for the FIRST time (to protect the save you made just BEFORE entering). These protected saves from just before an area loads are valuable for, among other things, re-randomizing treasure. (Randomized treasures are set the FIRST time an area loads, and do not change after that.) This starts becoming very important in the areas you visit just after DE.

--------------------
What's a party,
without a song?
Bards ROCK!
Party On!!

10-15-2004, 10:01 AM	#23
NobleNick Quintesson Join Date: February 5, 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL, USA Age: 64 Posts: 1,045	Calagari, Yeah, you're getting there. With the stuff you've learned and the stuff you've acquired in the last 36 hours, I'd say you are just about ready to kick Wight butt. If some of your guys are close to leveling, I advise that you camp at the end of DE1 (near the entrance to DE2) and sleep/fight until they level. Then make sure you are totally rested with the right spell mix, before entering DE3. With the extra rings of free action, the Web spells that Aerich suggested become extra effective. Aerich remembers correctly: Fireball is a 3rd level Evocation (Invocation) spell. Skull Trap (a Necro spell, IIRC) deals EXCELLENT damage; but the kill area is much less than Fireball and you have to get your timing right: Throw it too early and the first monster in triggers it, so only very few monsters take damage. Throw it too late and all monsters are already inside its trigger radius, so it does nothing. I believe Skull Trap is also a 3rd level spell. I have an Illusionist and a Bard, so use both Fireball and Skull Trap a lot; but my advice to you is to use all available 3rd level slots for Fireball, at least for the initial DE3 battle. Remember: toasting every Wight and Troll at the scene, including those stacked up against your front line, without scorching ANY of your guys, is very doable. It just might take a little practice molding your front line to the right shape and getting the distance right; so save game just before entering DE3, and reload till you get it. If your Mage has two Fireballs and gets it right twice in a row, this encounter almost becomes a yawner. Correctly judging Fireball kill radius is a very valuable skill. Off the subject unsolicited advice: Don't let the autosave be your babysitter, or you'll be sorry. Following the below rules WILL save you heartache later in the game. 1.) Save game at least once every 1/2 hour. 2.) Save game just before and after important points (battles, learning spells, pick pocketing, etc.) and just before entering doors that you suspect lead to new areas. 3.) Save to a NEW GAME NAME (e.g., DE1_01, DE1_02, DE1_03, DE2_01, DE2_02, etc.) at least once every 2 hours. 4.) Save game just BEFORE entering a new level or major area (like the caves in VoS) for the first time; and save to a NEW GAME NAME just AFTER entering a new area. This last is important enough to repeat: Save your game just before entering a door that you suspect leads to a new area (anything that makes you wait for a load; e.g., Black Wolf Temple level 1, BWT2, DE1, DE2, DE3, etc.) the FIRST time; and save to a NEW game name just after entering that loaded area for the FIRST time (to protect the save you made just BEFORE entering). These protected saves from just before an area loads are valuable for, among other things, re-randomizing treasure. (Randomized treasures are set the FIRST time an area loads, and do not change after that.) This starts becoming very important in the areas you visit just after DE. -------------------- What's a party, without a song? Bards ROCK! Party On!!