Nice trick with Skull Trap

[Thuram]

I just found out a nice trick I wanted to share with you, although you already might know.

It is common knowledge that Mirror Image is very efficient in spell deflection. Because the way mages target you, it even can "absorb" area spells.

Now, you may have found yourself in the middle of a battle, surrounded by you enemies (sounds familiar, doesn't it?). One of the most area spells that does the most damage is Skull Trap. So you feel tempted to get rid of your enemies by casting one or two of this spell, weren't it that you would probably hurt yourself.

Here comes the trick: Cast Mirror Image first. This will help you also to absorb melee damage while you continue casting. Then cast Skull Trap ON YOU! You will lose one image but won't get hurt, while your enemies will.

It is possible that on occasion you may get hurt since there is a chance that not an image but yourself gets targeted. That's the way Mirror Images work - I believe.

I have only tested it once and it worked, so I hope it was not only luck. It works best for a Bard since he is the highest level spellcaster in the game (SoA) and so is the Skull Trap's damage.

[Pirengle]

That sounds a wee bit risky for a weenie mage to be doing. Fighter/mage, maybe, but not weenie mage. Better to toss that skull from a distance and know your fighters can shrug the damage off, or cast Protection from Magical Energy instead of Mirror Image. Those things can hurt, let me tell you, and that pain is best saved for baddies.

[Russ]

Nice use of a bug.

But better yet, learn to gauge blast radii... my solution for most significant fights is a barrage of fireballs -- hard to beat nine fireballs in three rounds for softening up those bad guys prior to melee, and I haven't nailed any of my front-line team in a long time.

Of course, if this is for soloing, then I can't really speak to it -- I found soloing way too easy, and stopped.

[Olorin]

Although, it does lead to some tempting thoughts concerning Ilbratha...

It's always fun to have a fighter run ahead and fool the enemies into bunching up in a small group so they are easier targets for area spells. With the right equipment, a fighter can run up and keep the enemies together while you toss fireballs in to heal your fighter. To be able to throw Skull Traps in without damaging your guy would make the strategy work vs. fire-based enemies too...

[ 04-29-2003, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: Olorin ]

[Gopher Bait]

Thuram,

I think that is a wonderful tactic. I use it myself, except I do not use mirror image, rather since skull trap does magic damage I then cast protection from magical energy-then completly immune, and also then not a bug!

[Dundee Slaytern]

A well documented bug( cheese?) since the days of old( refer to the Spell Reference Website in the FAQ). Mirror Image protects you from all AoE Direct-Damage spells, and most persistent AoE spells. Instead of Skull Trap... you can cast Death Fog and move merrily around within its' radius so long as you have Mirror Image active( although with a slight chance the real you might get hit).