monster special attacks

Legolas73 · 03-25-2005, 03:45 PM

Hi all,
is there anybody out there (I am sure there is!) who knows whether monster special attacks are effectively the same as if a spellcaster casts the spell? The question came up when in the Mt gigas caves I encountered Ensnaring Spiders with my Solo Monk/Bishop/porbably-to-become-Ninja (yep, I did get the Cane of Corpus from the Don). Although my magical resistances are rather high I keep getting paralysed. So I wondered if the web which the spiders throw at me is the same as the spell and whether my magical resistances would also protect me against such monster attacks? If not, what can protect me?

Cheers,

Legolas73

xfactor · 03-25-2005, 04:44 PM

As far as I've been able to figure out there are some special attacks that are based on spells but most seem to be seperate types of attack.

I think the chances of success for any special attack are based on the type of attack, monster's level and the difference in your levels. I think magic resistances may also be applied but I'm not 100% sure.

Ensnaring spiders are really tough. Even at a pretty high level my solo characters have massive problems dealing with them. Your best bet is to get in close quickly and hope your luck holds out long enough to kill a few because spells don't seem to affect them too much either.

xfactor

babar · 03-25-2005, 06:17 PM

I wonder if it helps to bring a hobbit along.

Scatter · 03-25-2005, 07:11 PM

Special Attacks are indeed resisted according to your resistence in the respective Realm. Ensnaring Spiders "cast" the equivalent of Freeze Flesh (you can tell because it affects whole parties with paralysis, not Web) at a high "power level" and can overcome a fairly high Water resistance. Try Element Shield when you meet them. (also, note that the lower-level spiders also "cast" from Water--Paralysis)
So, no, a Hobbit wouldn't help, and a Felpurr is especially challenged.

babar · 03-26-2005, 11:36 AM

too bad. that would have been a cute easter egg (just in time for easter) - hobbit rogues named bilbo and/or frodo armed with sting/stinger(2) automatically berserk lightning strike ensaring/miscellaneous spiders for mucho hp damage/hit. Of course you need a editor or something to get a stinger as it stands. perhaps you would also need some dwarves in the party.

SpitBall · 03-28-2005, 02:40 PM

Scatter: If the spiders are "casting" a spell, why can't I silence them and stop the webbing? To be sure, you can cast silence and they will appear as "silenced" - but it does not prevent them "casting" the "spell".

I had always seen this as a "special" attack - they are using a physical approach that has the same effect as a spell, but it is not magick, so can't be silenced, or resisted as magick. (it MAY be resisted by other means).

I tend to think of a "modern weapon" - like a rocket launcher the same way. Even if silenced, you should be able to use the rocket laucher, no?

However, I'm not certain that the developers of Wiz8 see it this way because my Bard is often silenced and this prevents his playing the instruments, even though the Spell Book says that the silence spell affects the vocal cords. I don't see why a Bard would need vocal cords to play the drums.

The story of using hand-held bombs may be similar, but I haven't had a chance to toss any bombs while silenced, so I don't know how that one works.

SpitBall · 03-28-2005, 02:49 PM

Another point for Scatter: It is true that the spiders shoot webs and the affected character appears as "paralyzed" - but the stronger characters struggle against the webs and can break free - my strong dwarf fighter used to do this, but now he doesn't get webbed in the first place. Never have I seen a character struggle while paralyzed - like from a bug-bite or true spell.

It is clear that the monster attacks are not simply a spell by another name.

Scatter · 03-28-2005, 07:52 PM

that's why i put the word "cast" in quotation marks.

[ 03-28-2005, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: Scatter ]

SpitBall · 03-29-2005, 10:01 AM

Excuse me for trying to clarify a point or two, but here, I have no ability to cast "Mindread", so I must resort to the crude means of initiating an actual conversation.

Firebane · 04-13-2005, 07:34 PM

from what i can tell from my cosmic forge editor, monster special attacks are based on a percentage from 1-100. so im guessing that they have a high percentage to paralyze.

03-28-2005, 02:40 PM	#6
SpitBall The Magister Join Date: March 17, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 110	Scatter: If the spiders are "casting" a spell, why can't I silence them and stop the webbing? To be sure, you can cast silence and they will appear as "silenced" - but it does not prevent them "casting" the "spell". I had always seen this as a "special" attack - they are using a physical approach that has the same effect as a spell, but it is not magick, so can't be silenced, or resisted as magick. (it MAY be resisted by other means). I tend to think of a "modern weapon" - like a rocket launcher the same way. Even if silenced, you should be able to use the rocket laucher, no? However, I'm not certain that the developers of Wiz8 see it this way because my Bard is often silenced and this prevents his playing the instruments, even though the Spell Book says that the silence spell affects the vocal cords. I don't see why a Bard would need vocal cords to play the drums. The story of using hand-held bombs may be similar, but I haven't had a chance to toss any bombs while silenced, so I don't know how that one works. __________________ \"The great legacies of the 20th Gregorian century are the domestication of humanity and the economic advantage of superior firepower\"

04-13-2005, 07:34 PM	#10
Firebane Elite Waterdeep Guard Join Date: July 6, 2004 Location: Ohio Age: 46 Posts: 38	from what i can tell from my cosmic forge editor, monster special attacks are based on a percentage from 1-100. so im guessing that they have a high percentage to paralyze. __________________ [img]\"http://www.vgcats.com/misc/icons_avatars/av/leoavp.gif\" alt=\" - \" /><br />\"Ya, i know. As if killing you wasn\'t bad enough, you get a face full of alien wing-wong\"

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03-25-2005, 03:45 PM	#1
Legolas73 Elite Waterdeep Guard Join Date: January 31, 2005 Location: Germany Age: 51 Posts: 23	Hi all, is there anybody out there (I am sure there is!) who knows whether monster special attacks are effectively the same as if a spellcaster casts the spell? The question came up when in the Mt gigas caves I encountered Ensnaring Spiders with my Solo Monk/Bishop/porbably-to-become-Ninja (yep, I did get the Cane of Corpus from the Don). Although my magical resistances are rather high I keep getting paralysed. So I wondered if the web which the spiders throw at me is the same as the spell and whether my magical resistances would also protect me against such monster attacks? If not, what can protect me? Cheers, Legolas73

03-25-2005, 04:44 PM	#2
xfactor Dungeon Master Join Date: June 15, 2004 Location: UK Posts: 77	As far as I've been able to figure out there are some special attacks that are based on spells but most seem to be seperate types of attack. I think the chances of success for any special attack are based on the type of attack, monster's level and the difference in your levels. I think magic resistances may also be applied but I'm not 100% sure. Ensnaring spiders are really tough. Even at a pretty high level my solo characters have massive problems dealing with them. Your best bet is to get in close quickly and hope your luck holds out long enough to kill a few because spells don't seem to affect them too much either. xfactor

03-25-2005, 06:17 PM	#3
babar Manshoon Join Date: November 12, 2003 Location: celesteville Age: 54 Posts: 246	I wonder if it helps to bring a hobbit along.

03-25-2005, 07:11 PM	#4
Scatter Symbol of Cyric Join Date: August 17, 2003 Location: Portland Age: 66 Posts: 1,336	Special Attacks are indeed resisted according to your resistence in the respective Realm. Ensnaring Spiders "cast" the equivalent of Freeze Flesh (you can tell because it affects whole parties with paralysis, not Web) at a high "power level" and can overcome a fairly high Water resistance. Try Element Shield when you meet them. (also, note that the lower-level spiders also "cast" from Water--Paralysis) So, no, a Hobbit wouldn't help, and a Felpurr is especially challenged.

03-26-2005, 11:36 AM	#5
babar Manshoon Join Date: November 12, 2003 Location: celesteville Age: 54 Posts: 246	too bad. that would have been a cute easter egg (just in time for easter) - hobbit rogues named bilbo and/or frodo armed with sting/stinger(2) automatically berserk lightning strike ensaring/miscellaneous spiders for mucho hp damage/hit. Of course you need a editor or something to get a stinger as it stands. perhaps you would also need some dwarves in the party.

03-28-2005, 02:49 PM	#7
SpitBall The Magister Join Date: March 17, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 110	Another point for Scatter: It is true that the spiders shoot webs and the affected character appears as "paralyzed" - but the stronger characters struggle against the webs and can break free - my strong dwarf fighter used to do this, but now he doesn't get webbed in the first place. Never have I seen a character struggle while paralyzed - like from a bug-bite or true spell. It is clear that the monster attacks are not simply a spell by another name.

03-28-2005, 07:52 PM	#8
Scatter Symbol of Cyric Join Date: August 17, 2003 Location: Portland Age: 66 Posts: 1,336	that's why i put the word "cast" in quotation marks. [ 03-28-2005, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: Scatter ]

03-29-2005, 10:01 AM	#9
SpitBall The Magister Join Date: March 17, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 110	Excuse me for trying to clarify a point or two, but here, I have no ability to cast "Mindread", so I must resort to the crude means of initiating an actual conversation.

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