Ironworks Gaming Forum - View Single Post - A paean to bards and a wee update on the power party

Aerich · 02-08-2005, 03:43 AM

I've been splitting my time between IWD/HoW, IWD2, and my social life, job, etc, so I'm not particularly far along.

**Minor spoilers for those who haven't been through Dragon's Eye already**
*
*

However, I am in Dragon's Eye, and the only thing left to do is take out the Big Y. I walked all the way back to Kuldahar to reload on non-magical ammo and pick up a few things from Orrick. I had to sell all my gems, non-essential potions, and more artifacts than I wanted to (Erevain's Broadsword, Presio's Dagger), but I managed to buy up Pemby's Wand and the Ring of Shocking Grasp. My bard is a walking death machine of magical items.

So these guys and gals have been on autopilot since the very start of DE lvl 5, which was when my bard got... War Chant of the Sith. [img]graemlins/bonghit.gif[/img] I'm not making full use of the spell capabilities of the R/C and the F/D, because all I need to do in "tough" fights is cast a summoning spell for fodder, send them in ahead to take the hits, and go to full-out missile with the whole party (excepting the bard, who hasn't shot a bow since the Vale of Shadows - I've even sold all his weapons).

I do use the occasional spell, but not very many. I'm expecting the fight against Big Y to be quite easy. My characters are probably the least vulnerable group of any I've had so far; only two have less than 100 HP, the R/C (97 and close to the next level) and the bard (80, but stays out the way to sing and cast spells).

Here's how they set up, on DE lvl 5 playing on insane, without "camping" on DE lvl 3:

Fighter 9 (to mage at fighter lvl 13) - 5 PP in axes and a modified Thac0 of 5 with the throwing axe. [img]graemlins/evillaughter1.gif[/img]

Pally 8 - this tank has a "natural" (items, of course) AC of -10, which goes down to -18 with buffs.

Fighter/Thief 8/8 - archer supreme, good AC with the Helm of the Trusted Defender, flaming short sword to kill trolls/sneak attack.

Ranger/Cleric 7/8 - undead mulcher and valuable buffer; levelling slowly

Fighter/Druid 8/9 - the weak sister so far, mostly because of the lack of compatible magical weapons. Strictly ranged/spell right now.

Bard 11 - hasn't used a weapon since DE lvl 3 when I was swamped by cold wights at the entrance, so I sold them. Sings 80% of the time, acts as mage (my only arcane caster at the moment) the other 20%. Web, Stinking Cloud, Chromatic Orb, and Skull Trap are the spells of choice.

Things are going well so far; probably the easiest time of it yet, with the least amount of micromanagement. The bard helps with that - using a bard with this party feels like cheating.

Edit: ok, so DE lvl 2 was tough, mostly because I didn't use fireball on trolls and spiders and also got stunned by the beetles a couple times.

[ 02-08-2005, 03:50 AM: Message edited by: Aerich ]

02-08-2005, 03:43 AM	#1
Aerich Lord Ao Join Date: May 27, 2004 Location: Canada Age: 42 Posts: 2,061	I've been splitting my time between IWD/HoW, IWD2, and my social life, job, etc, so I'm not particularly far along. Minor spoilers for those who haven't been through Dragon's Eye already * * However, I am in Dragon's Eye, and the only thing left to do is take out the Big Y. I walked all the way back to Kuldahar to reload on non-magical ammo and pick up a few things from Orrick. I had to sell all my gems, non-essential potions, and more artifacts than I wanted to (Erevain's Broadsword, Presio's Dagger), but I managed to buy up Pemby's Wand and the Ring of Shocking Grasp. My bard is a walking death machine of magical items. So these guys and gals have been on autopilot since the very start of DE lvl 5, which was when my bard got... War Chant of the Sith. [img]graemlins/bonghit.gif[/img] I'm not making full use of the spell capabilities of the R/C and the F/D, because all I need to do in "tough" fights is cast a summoning spell for fodder, send them in ahead to take the hits, and go to full-out missile with the whole party (excepting the bard, who hasn't shot a bow since the Vale of Shadows - I've even sold all his weapons). I do use the occasional spell, but not very many. I'm expecting the fight against Big Y to be quite easy. My characters are probably the least vulnerable group of any I've had so far; only two have less than 100 HP, the R/C (97 and close to the next level) and the bard (80, but stays out the way to sing and cast spells). Here's how they set up, on DE lvl 5 playing on insane, without "camping" on DE lvl 3: Fighter 9 (to mage at fighter lvl 13) - 5 PP in axes and a modified Thac0 of 5 with the throwing axe. [img]graemlins/evillaughter1.gif[/img] Pally 8 - this tank has a "natural" (items, of course) AC of -10, which goes down to -18 with buffs. Fighter/Thief 8/8 - archer supreme, good AC with the Helm of the Trusted Defender, flaming short sword to kill trolls/sneak attack. Ranger/Cleric 7/8 - undead mulcher and valuable buffer; levelling slowly Fighter/Druid 8/9 - the weak sister so far, mostly because of the lack of compatible magical weapons. Strictly ranged/spell right now. Bard 11 - hasn't used a weapon since DE lvl 3 when I was swamped by cold wights at the entrance, so I sold them. Sings 80% of the time, acts as mage (my only arcane caster at the moment) the other 20%. Web, Stinking Cloud, Chromatic Orb, and Skull Trap are the spells of choice. Things are going well so far; probably the easiest time of it yet, with the least amount of micromanagement. The bard helps with that - using a bard with this party feels like cheating. Edit: ok, so DE lvl 2 was tough, mostly because I didn't use fireball on trolls and spiders and also got stunned by the beetles a couple times. [ 02-08-2005, 03:50 AM: Message edited by: Aerich ] __________________ Where there is a great deal of free speech, there is always a certain amount of foolish speech. - Winston S. Churchill