Dundee, about SSSL - lvl 6 and 8

[daan]

I'm playing a solo sorcerer again and always use your spell-list as an example ( well, 2nd time I play a sorcerer so -always- might be over the top [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

Newayz,.. I noticed you do not have PfME as a 6th lvl spell;
- Are there any other spells that protect from area-effect spells such as ADHW and skulltrap that I'm missing ?
- My guess is that the answer to the above question is PfE lvl 8, is this what you use to protect yourself from enemy ADHWs and skulltraps in conjunction with the belt of inertial Barrier ?

Im asking this because it seems to me protection from magic energy ( in general, not the spell ) is neccesary, if not only for the bunny-nuke tactic.

I understand that PfE is more allround, since it will protect from Lightning and other elements, but it is also a lvl 8 spell.

Am I right in assuming you use this spell to protect yourself from magic energy and -in your experience- do you get it soon enough in the game to protect against mages ?
And you dont mind losing an 8th lvl spell-casting to it ?

I am offcourse assuming we havent reached the wish-lvl yet [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'm not PM-ing you about this because it might prove usefull to more than 1 soul [img]smile.gif[/img]

[LennonCook]

PFE + Belt of Inertial Barrier = 25% + 60% = 105% Magic Damage Resistance.
PFE + Boots of Grounding + Tear of Bhaal = 60% + 20% (?) + 20% = 100% Electrical Resistance.
PFE + FireShield: Blue + Tear of Bhaal = 60% + 50% + 20% = 130% Cold Resistance.
PFE + Fireshield: Red + Tear of Bhaal = 60% + 50% + 20% = 130% Fire Resistance.
(fireshields can be cast from scrolls if you don`t choose them as a spell)
Etc.

[ 04-27-2003, 05:52 AM: Message edited by: LennonCook ]

[daan]

PfE grants 75% resistance to magic / elements [img]tongue.gif[/img]
Though I do doubt I'm going to start carrying around Fireshield scrolls, I'm a sorcerer for crying out loud, proud of not having to use scrolls

Newayz, your points are still quite valid since fire, cold and electricity will be a standard 95% ( with Tear of Bhaal ) which is nice [img]smile.gif[/img]

Which still leaves the questions:
-isnt it a hindrance that you get it relatively ( its solo after all ) late game ?
-isnt it a hindrance that it takes up a lvl 8 spell

EDIT to add some info :
-Without the Belt you cant reach invulnerability to magic damage, while the 6th lvl spell confers and immediate 100% resistance
- PfME ( lvl 6 ) lasts 1 *turn* per level
- PfE (lvl 8 ) lasts 1 *round* per level

[ 04-27-2003, 06:08 AM: Message edited by: daan ]

[Rataxes]

What else but the Belt of Inertial Barrier would a Sorcerer want to wear anyway?

PftE + PfE + BoIB gives you 127% Resistance (27% absorbation that is) to every non-physical type of damage, though only for a few turns.

[ 04-27-2003, 07:46 AM: Message edited by: Rataxes ]

[daan]

True .. and I guess a sorcerer can do without that extra ADHW, he's usualy dishing out overkill anyway. Which also negates the fact that the complete protection only lasts for a few turns, he doesnt need much more than 1 without being rather extremely incompetent
Maybe later, in the much tougher fights .. but he'll have Wish by that time [img]smile.gif[/img]

Ah well,.. guess I'm not picking protection from Magical Energy after all

[Dundee Slaytern]

Hmmmm... ...

The thing is... getting to level 19 in the game as a soloist is a 'piece of cake', especially if you are a veteran soloist and know how to maximise your XP gains in the early beginnings.

That said... there are other ways to counter Magic Missile, Skull Trap and Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting.

I recently replaced Friends with Shield. Good in the beginning, it stays useful even towards the end game due to one property. Immunity to Magic Missiles.

Skull Trap and ADHW can be countered with Mirror Image, or Spell Immunity:Necromancy if you want to be 100% safe.

Sad to say... but there are very little good( or uber as I prefer them) spells at Level 8, especially ones that cater to my kind of playing style( speedcasting).

Level 6 spells on the other hand... have a lot of useful spells, and it would be a shame to 'waste' a slot on one spell, when you can easily get a much better spell at Level 8 with next to nothing penalties.

The Belt of Inertial Barrier is more or less welded to my Sorcerers, so everytime I cast PfEnergy, I heal from Magic Damage( 25% of Magic Damage done to me). 95% resistances to Fire/Cold/Electricity in ToB is nothing to sniff at either, although Spell Immunity:Evocation handles most of the elemental damage issues.

I do use PfEnergy often, if only to laugh at the Improved Mages who wildly cast their ADHWs/Skull Traps and wonder why I can just shrug them off; and of course... I use my Project Image to cast it on itself and my Sorcerer before unleashing the so-cheesy-it-is-almost-unfair tactic of Bunny Nuking the enemy.

[img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Just make sure that there are no innocents in the area( read, THE MAP), unless you are playing a Chaotic Evil/Neutral Sorcerer or something.

[pcgiant]

Hmmm. I see your point with changing Friends for Shield, Dundee, because money won't be a problem after a while. But then, we do have the Shield amulet, which can almost make Shield itself redundant. Perhaps changing Shield for another spell could make more effective use of this slot?

[Dundee Slaytern]

You will have to pry the Amulet of Power from the cold dead hands of my Sorcerers. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Not many other useful level 1 spells in any case( aside from those on my list).

[daan]

I am Chaotic Neutral actually [img]graemlins/firedevil.gif[/img]