HoF mode: How do I deal with the Wailing Virgins?

[Klorox]

They are just slapping my party around! I've been playing HoF mode from the beginning, so I have a very high level party:

Paladin
Cleric/Ranger
Fighter/Cleric
Fighter/Illusionist
Fighter/Mage/Thief
Bard

I can't figure out a way to deal with these monsters! My Paladin can't Turn them, my Bard's song that's supposed to protect against sound attacks doesn't seem to do anything, and they interrupt a lot of my spells that might help (summons, chain lightning, static charge).

Any and all help is appreciated.

TIA

[Dragonshadow]

What levels would be "very high"? So we can know what kind of spells you have.

[Klorox]

Originally Posted by Dragonshadow What levels would be "very high"? So we can know what kind of spells you have.

The only one I can remember offhand is my Paladin is level 23. All party members have roughly the same amount of XP, so you can take it from there. I should play later tonight or tomorrow, so I'll update then.

EDIT: got into the game sooner than I thought:

Paladin: 23
Cleric/Ranger: 18/15
Fighter/Druid: 17/17
Fighter/Illusionist: 17/16
Fighter/Mage/Thief: 14/14/16
Bard: 30 (next level:Godhood... neat-o!)

[Thrasher91604]

That should be high enough to cast a few webs and entangles to catch them in a killing zone at a safe distance. Sprinkle in a few summons to use as decoys, too.

These are good killzone spells: Horrid Wilting, Incendiary Cloud, Death Fog (give it time to build up), Acid Storm, Fire Storm, Fire Shroud (especially in swarmed areas - it's the spell that keeps giving ), cloudkill, spike stones, spike growth, skull trap, fireball, etc.. Cast greater malison and curse upfront to reduce saving throws.

Some are more summon friendly than others. For example, firebased spells are good if you have fire elementals as decoys, plus the fire elementals are immune to web and entangle.

[Aerich]

1) Protect yourself from Hopelessness. Cast Mind Blank (caster-only mage lvl 8 spell), Impervious Sanctity of Mind (caster-only cleric 7), and/or Chaotic Commands (cast on any, cleric 5).

2) Hang out at an entrance - this makes it less likely for anything to get behind you, and you can escape easier if need be.

3) Send a scout to draw the Barrow Wights and Drowned Dead. Once they're gone, the WVs' Haste wail won't do anything, and you can focus on the WVs.

4) Be careful about auto-targeting and ranged weapons - WVs wander back and forth, so you could find your shooters walking off after a moving WV and into your own spelltrap.

Use a combination of the most powerful tactics available to you. Spelltraps are good, summons help against non-WV undead as meatshields, and you can buff up and haste your tanks to take out concentrations of WVs if you're sure there aren't too many other undead around. Recitation, Prayer, Protection From Evil, and other saves-enhancers are always good too.

Make sure to always protect every character from Hopelessness, and save at various convenient spots (like when you go back up top) using different slots.