Suicidal Gnomes - where will they get to?

[Marty4]

Congrats, I am likewise amazed at your progress. If you manage to somehow beat the game... I don't even want to think about that.

So, what kind of strategies are you using? Obviously, lots of scroll power, but you cant have 5 scrolls per fight. Ranged cheesing?

[Midget Gems]

LOL, ZFR you're on the button there. I have been away in France for a few days, so when I read your post I didn't get it - but then I read the newspaper and fell about laughing. Are you telling me you get our news in your country?

As for Terikan I took my own advice and dodged passed him. When he re-appeared in the Hall of Heros, I used Sanctuary to avoid him and complete the quest. This is fairly typical of my tactics - I don't fight unless I have to, so I dodged passed the Crystal Sentries as well. You also have to remember that even though I am Level 1, I do have the best equipment available, so with AC in the -6 to -10 region the bad guys usually need a critical to hurt me. Obviously ranged attack is the preferred choice in combat and I have set a world record for the number of spell castings for Magic Stone. I also make use of Charm when appropriate, though a lot of the monsters are immune. The hardest fights were in Dragon's Eye because my defences weren't as good then as they are now. I was using scrolls and potions almost as fast as I could get them, but now I have better gear I am saving my resources for when things get REALLY tough. I am currently running with Normal difficulty setting - Insane mode is but a distant memory. Healing is not quite as big a problem as might be expected, with so few HPs to replace, my basic spells and potions are enough.

My next problem is how to fix the bridge with minimum damage to my small adventurers. If I can avoid the Ice Salamanders all together that would be a real bonus, 'cos I know I will have no resistance to their cold damage.

[Azred]

I bow to your patience, MidgetGems. I have never heard of anyone else every trying to complete the game this way. What you're doing would be harder than soloing HoF.

[Midget Gems]

Thanks for the comments guys, but Azred you are over-estimating the difficulty. When I started out I only expected to get a short way so it appeared a fun way to play a mini game - I don't have the time to play all that much. I certainly had no plans to complete the original game.
And having played solo and in HOF mode I can tell you that HOF is harder, this rates about the same as soloing. As I said, I have all the equipment and skills I need to play normally, all I am really missing is HP.

I am certain I would have failed by now if it were not for 'Beginners Luck'. I knew nothing of this feature until this adventure, but in combat I always survive the first blow from an enemy. No matter how powerful the blow, or the amount of magic damage, I still survive. It's amazing, for my Fighter/Mage with 9HP I get a message along these lines:
"Gnasher"; Damage=8 (12 damage resisted)
With 1 HP remaining there is just time to drink a potion, or get the Cleric to cast Heal, before the next big blow lands. It is however important to keep HP at 100%, any less and even the reduced damage level is enough to kill my Gnome. For magic damage I have seen some very large amounts being resisted, but any damage delivered in two parts is fatal. I assume this feature is a built in safegaurd to let novice players, who are just starting out, have a chance to learn the game. If anyone with knowledge of the game design can confirm this, then it would be interesting.

Be sure to catch the next thrill packed installment of "The Suicidal Gnomes".

[Jerry_Seinfeld]

Congrats man, but, lol this was my last post over 2 months ago and this thread is still going on (had to leave for a while) but still if you could beat the game, I mean wow.

[Midget Gems]

Now it's 2 down and 4 to go - but things are really hotting up around here. Ouch!
MG

[Midget Gems]

Not much gaming time this weekend but we made some progress into LDD. I have enough fire resistance on my Fighter to deal with the Salamanders, but as usual the Tarnished Sentries are hard work. Next problem might be Umber Hulks, I don’t know how we will react to them.

Looking back at Chapter 5, I was lucky that many of the potentially tough fights could be avoided and I didn’t lose much of the loot by doing it this way. Apart for the annoying Winter Wolves, the one hard fight I did take on was against Kontik and his Knights – because I really wanted his gear – and I won this fight quite easily thanks to a few simple Charm spells.

I now need to make a couple of decisions, so any suggestions are welcome:
Which Badge should I try for?
Is there any need to go down the well?

[Soothsayer]

Firstly, you're completely insane...or a genius (i try not to make that destinction).
Secondly, big well done, not just for the difficult challenge that you have chosen and are (quite worryingly) defeating, but also for the determination it must have taken, millions of reloads, and no rewards....

Anyhow, Im sure The Helm of the Trusted Defender has come in handy, ever considered cloning it by importing characters? I wouldnt usually suggest such a apallingly 'power-gamer' ish tactic, not to mention cheap....but your case is special, and needs must eh?

I honestly thought Yux would take you...I mean, even after getting past all the Veebourgs in the Temple of the forgotten god.....im in awe, totally...

Good luck with Malavon

[ 04-26-2005, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: Soothsayer ]

[Midget Gems]

Well that’s three down and three to go, but I’m having to work hard to make progress. Right now the Difficulty has fallen to Easy and we are living on potions and spells, so there is not much in reserve. If I run out of Scrolls and Magical Ammo then I’m done for. Also I am finding that my Saving Throws are a limiting factor – I fail to save against most spells and there are a lot of spell-casters in this area. If only I had a few Dispel Scrolls that would help quite a lot.

Still one way or another the end is getting near. MG

[Midget Gems]

Progress report - now at 4 Badges, with 2 to go.

My concern at the moment is that I am using up my Scrolls quite quickly. I only have one of each for the powerful spells, so I have to think ahead and remember which scrolls to save for the battles that are coming up next - if I ever make it that far. I think that Badge no.5 will be easy, but no.6 is Malavon who is one tough cookie.

Happy adventuring everyone, from the (soon to be) 'Suicidal Gnomes'.