Higardi Bandits Getting Smarter?

[Kerneth]

I recently read a thread here about someone who was working on a Fighter/Bishop party. After some consideration, that sounded like fun, so I started one of my own, a Dracon Fighter and an Elven Bishop. I'd originally wanted to do a Faery Bishop but, alas, the lack of hps seemed too great to overcome in such a small party.

At any rate, while wandering from Arnika back to the Monastery with the Wheel Key for some constructive looting, I ran into a bit of a problem in the form of three different large groups of high-level Higardi bandits.

As per standard operating procedure, I baited the first group into chasing me into a location where my Bishop was safely concealed within a niche in one of the rocky areas and slaughtered the Higardi. After that group was gone, I went out to bait in closest of the two remaining groups. They were cooperative enough to run towards me while I waited for them in the open, but as soon as I started to fall back to my protected spot, they turned and ran.

Moving back towards them resulted in them charging me again, but once more, as soon as I started retreating they did so as well.

I found this both highly amusing and highly frustrating, since in a 2-person party allowing myself to be surrounded by 7 or 8 Higardi Bandits seemed a good way to get my Bishop killed, especially when there was another large group nearby that might have jumped in on the fight. But letting a group of bandits that size get away went against the grain, too.

[snooch_dawg]

Try luring over to you when you are within 1 walk or run in combat mode. They'll come at you as long as they can see you. They'll charge and you can scuttle back to your nook while in combat.

BTW how will you beat 9 Juggernaughts in the same area when you are lvl 10 with only one fighter? he'll look like lunchmeat by the time he's killed the 3rd one [img]smile.gif[/img]

I guess if you like extreme challenges it would be fun to try a small party, but as an old Phantasie, MMI & SSI D&D gamer... gosh darnit... parties were just supposed to have six people in them [img]smile.gif[/img]

Cheers.

[Gimli]

Exactly, it's a party, parties are more fun with alot of people [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Kerneth]

Didn't run into any Juggernauts on the way from the Monastery to Arnika...and on the way from Arnika back to the Monastery, the Dracon Fighter was wearing full plate from head-to-toe and carrying Bloodlust. Juggernauts, psh.

The only really annoying part of the game was right after killing the boss crab in the monastery when they got jumped by a large group of web-spitters who managed to paralyze them both repeatedly and simultaneously. Had to reload that a couple of times, but haven't had much if any trouble since then.

Keep in mind that I'm fairly careful to manuever to keep the Bishop behind the Dracon Fighter, who has upwards of 210hps--and I just finished getting the Stone Idol from Marten's Bluff. On those rare occasions I do get flanked, well, that's when the spellcaster earns her keep. I've had very little difficulty thus far, though if high damage enemies DO surround my party the Bishop dies. I've had to resurrect her several times. So far, nothing's managed to kill the Dracon.

[MaskedFrog]

One thing to remember is that with smaller parties each character gets more experience thus leveling faster. I am running with a 4 person party and one RPC and they are doing better than the orignal six person party that I finished the game with. Personally I do not think I could go below 4 PCs due to the lack of tactical diversity.

[Nomad]

One way to get parties to follow that don't want to is to initiate combat at the farthest range you can( press sword icon). then for your first move, run to the crack in the wall( may take two turns to get there. Then fight them.
They will follow you once combat is started.

[el_kalkylus]

I think the trouble is that monsters can't move certain distances IN combat mode. So you have to lure them without combat mode until you think they are close enough. It shouldn't be a problem.

[Wereboar]

The only really annoying part of the game was right after killing the boss crab in the monastery when they got jumped by a large group of web-spitters who managed to paralyze them both repeatedly and simultaneously.

These spiders have very low stamina. And their web spell uses up a lot of stamina.

I usually run from them when combat starts. They follow, and after a few rounds, they fall asleep. Then you can start to fight them.

Even if they catch you first, you don't have to reload. With my current party (expert, ironman), i was too careless, or just unlucky - everybody was paralyzed after the second round. The spiders webbed again and again, sometimes hitting for 1 point of damage. After maybe 30 rounds, they started to fall asleep, and a while later, my characters were mobile again.