First encounter with -improved- Bodhi *spoiler*

[daan]

I was just strolling through her graveyard complex for the first time
( just after receiving the quest from Aran). Killed the three main vampires, stabbed them,.. and ... as always Bodhi appeared. I didnt know the improved Bodhi mod already affected this part too ( i thought it only changed her in the final fight).
So suddenly she starts blurting out some nonsense about how powerfull she is and all,.. and then unfortunately backs it up with slow-spells, ADHW-type spells, an Undispellable pretty painfull ring of blue flames around her, a great THACO and an even better AC and regeneration rate ....

Fortunately she decides to back off after a while, but I never got her an further than Barely Injured with my +/- lvl 12 party.

So my question, just out of curiosity:
Did anyone actually manage to get her to near-death, first encounter but improved ?

P.s. Was it my computer, or was this site down for atleast a month or so ?

[ 12-15-2002, 07:27 AM: Message edited by: daan ]

[dragon_lord]

I dont think my party fared that well against the first encounter with her. Though they sure had alot more trouble the second time around, due in no small part to a 1/3 of my party being taken by her (Anomen - Romance and Solaufein). She sure was beefed up. Her level drain and blue flame shield (which cant be brought down i think) is killer. IW was down for just over a week.

[Alson]

Originally posted by daan: So my question, just out of curiosity: Did anyone actually manage to get her to near-death, first encounter but improved ?

Yep. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Despair not - she is killable. Just like every other Weimer mod - the key here is finding the right approach for this specific battle.

Here are some tricks that might get you a step closer:

• Slow her. She is a mean fighter and her Regeneration is hideous - slowing her will cut them both by half. The Flail of Ages is a good choice here.
• Improve Haste your fighters. Works on the same logic as above, but vice versa. [img]smile.gif[/img]
• Protect yourself from her damage. Her "Vampiric" spells deal Cold and Magical damage - so be sure to memorize the 3rd level spell "Protecion from Cold", and the 6th level spell "Protection from Magical Energy". Items and potions can replace the use of spells, of course.
• Protect yourself from Level Drain. IIRC, she drains 5 levels per hit. That's a lot. Equipping yourself with the Amulet of Power and the Mace of Disruption is a good idea.
• Summons! Don't let Bodhi come anywhere near your guys if you can control it. A group of Aeriel Servants will make short work out of her.

Hope it helps. Let me know.

[Dundee Slaytern]

Got mauled on my first few tries, but hey, I did not know what to expect.

Using summons is generally not a good idea because it triggers Bodhi to cast some instantanous spell that detonates in an unholy area-of-effect explosion that can easily deal 20-40+ damage on Core Difficulty. Extrapolating the figures from Insane Difficulty where it was 40-80+ damage.

It is unlimited and kills your summon instantly. Not fun. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

However... there is a way to cheese the battle. A method so cheesy it reeks to the skies. What if... I told you that you can win this battle on Insane Difficulty with minimal effort and suffer not one HP of damage?

Impossible? Hardly so.

You need one Mage/Sorcerer capable of casting Abjuration spells.

Yes... it is always the Wizard and his/her cheesy ways is it not? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Bodhi spawns with a group of Undead Archers( UA) that SURROUND her. Since they cluster around her, and add to the fact that they do not move if their target is within range, Bodhi is TRAPPED.

ABUSE this to your advantage. Do NOT attack the UAs. In fact... prior to summoning Bodhi, have your suitable Wizard cast Protection from Normal Missiles and position him/her close, but not too close, to Bodhi's spawn zone. Just make sure that he/she will be the nearest target for the UAs when they arrive.

Watch in amusement as the UAs futilely attack your Wizard as Bodhi squirms "helplessly" among them. Have your entire party switch to ranged weapons and target Bodhi, and Bodhi only.

Do not dilly-dally though. Each UA only has 20 arrows, so this gives you one turn to turn Bodhi into a pincushion. More than enough time in my opinion. Use equipment like Azuredge, Melf's Minute Meteors, Tansheron Bow, Heartseeker, etc... with ammunition like Acid Arrows or just plain old Arrows +2.

Using this method... you can bring Bodhi to near-death and grin with satisfaction as she slinks away licking her wounds. Note that you can still use this tactic without a Mage. Just use the party member with the best AC value to take the hits from the arrows. Drink healing potions as necessary.

[Alson]

Originally posted by Dundee Slaytern: Got mauled on my first few tries, but hey, I did not know what to expect. Using summons is generally not a good idea because it triggers Bodhi to cast some instantanous spell that detonates in an unholy area-of-effect explosion that can easily deal 20-40+ damage on Core Difficulty. Extrapolating the figures from Insane Difficulty where it was 40-80+ damage. It is unlimited and kills your summon instantly. Not fun. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Well, it worked for me. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

However... there is a way to cheese the battle. A method so cheesy it reeks to the skies. What if... I told you that you can win this battle on Insane Difficulty with minimal effort and suffer not one HP of damage? Impossible? Hardly so.

It never is...

You need one Mage/Sorcerer capable of casting Abjuration spells. Yes... it is always the Wizard and his/her cheesy ways is it not? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Indeed it is.
Why else would we be bother to play Wizards? [img]graemlins/evillaughter1.gif[/img]

Bodhi spawns with a group of Undead Archers( UA) that SURROUND her. Since they cluster around her, and add to the fact that they do not move if their target is within range, Bodhi is TRAPPED. [snips tactic]

Never happened to me... The Archers were always behind her... Makes sense.

I would consider this tactic a last resort.
I don't like abusing things like this - it is quite similar to door and fog-of-war abusing, IMO.
But hey, who am I to complain about cheese?

[ 12-15-2002, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: Alson ]

[daan]

*slaps alson and Dundee*

Im very dissapointed here
You of all people should read posts carefully

I [img]graemlins/shine.gif[/img] specifically [img]graemlins/shine.gif[/img] said NoT the final battle ....
and what do you do?

I'm talking about the very first time you fight Bodhi,..the first time you're asked to clean out the lair.... you think my party would be lvl 12 at the final fight ?

I'll forgive you for now .. but Issue a challenge at the same time ...
Get that woman down to near-death, the very first time you fight her improved ... My three man party was +/- lvl 12

Archer
Cleric-fighter
Fighter-mage

[Alson]

And what made you think we meant the second time?

[daan]

Awh, crap .. I was going to say the Undead Archers .. but I just realised that UA also spawn the first time
:slaps himself:

[Alson]

LOL!

Never mind it. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Good luck - i hope we helped.

[Dundee Slaytern]

Originally posted by Alson: Never happened to me... The Archers were always behind her... Makes sense. I would consider this tactic a last resort. I don't like abusing things like this - it is quite similar to door and fog-of-war abusing, IMO. But hey, who am I to complain about cheese?

Did you make sure that nobody was on Bodhi's spawn zone? Doing so will mess up the UAs' positions, which is why I mentioned that nobody should be too near her spawn zone.

--------

To daan,

If we were talking about the Chapter 6 fight, the scenerio would be quite different. Note we did not mention any other Vampires. We mentioned summoning Bodhi, which is only what you do in Chapter 3. You merely meet Bodhi in Chapter 6.