[Aerich]

After a significant hiatus, I've returned to play and just whipped through the rest of TotL today.

The key to an easy run through TotL is of course the F/D (or other character, but F/D is the easiest) with 100% slashing resistance. In my bardless party, I managed to get my F/D to the following resistances when shapechanged to water elemental: 100% crushing, 95% piercing, 127% (max) slashing. (Note: Bone Marrow Belt, Great Shield +3, Greater Ring of Resistance, Clasp of Bron's Cloak)

I breezed through spectral guards, glebrezu, and the spectral heroes at the end with no difficulties. The harpies on lvl 5 of the dungeon weren't a problem either, thanks to my party's glorious tanking abilities (F/D x2 and F/Ill).

However, there are still two fights that caused problems on my first couple of runs through, so this time I decided to add guile to the customary application of brute force. Mass Invisibility (mage spell lvl 7) is the key.

Against the jackalweres, buff yourself up with chaotic commands and cast mass invisibility as your last spell before going through the door. Being invisible, you can easily set up your party in the lower right corner with the F/D in front. When you break invisibility, I'd recommend summoning creatures in front of the F/D to take the magic missiles if you accidentally draw the stone nuisances. Add recitation, chaos, and a symbol of hopelessness, and the fight is won.

Against the Luremaster and spectral heroes at the end of the expansion, use the same tactic. If you cast mass invisibility and go through the portal, you come out near the lower left corner, as opposed to right in front of the throne. Set yourself up as before, with the F/D well out front - make sure the F/D is using the Frostbrand scimitar before shapechanging. The hard part about this fight is the constant dispel magic from the opposing spellcasters and the sheer damage handed out by the spectral heroes in melee. With mass invisibility allowing you to set up with the F/D out in front (far enough that a dispel targeting it won't hit the rest of the party), you've won. When the F/D gets hit with dispel, it doesn't fully lose the shapechange (e.g. not the resistances) but it does revert to its last-used weapon; if that weapon is Frostbrand, you are fire-protected and the rest of the party can firebomb the F/D and the surrounding area with relative unconcern. As long as you leave one slashing-weapon-using spectral hero until last, your F/D can "heal" up from spell damage while being pounded in melee.