Fighting Elyssa & Company Strategy Needed!

[Hawkwind]

I am having a hell of a time fighting this witch & her buddies. Maybe *alone* I might take her - but the rest of them cast that biting insects spell which kill my characters in short order. I've tried keeping out of the main room and fighting in the narrow corridors of the entryway - one time even managed to kill all but her - but of course 5 out of my 6 characters are dead by then, so why continue? If up to 3 characters were dead, I could manage since I have the Amulet of Life with 3 Ressurect spells left. Unfortunately, my characters are only around Level 8 and I have no defensive spells except Bless (wowee) and Armorplate. I've managed to do major damage to her with Flamestrike, but it's just not enough. I'm thinking that if I could get rid of the Keepers and Caretakers without any characters dying, I might have a chance. The elevator goes back down, so you can't even run away, and fight from a distance. My other problem (I've been coping with it up to now) is that one of my Clerics is Stone, and I can't heal him or unStone him, so he dies all the time.

It just seems that the game throws enemies at you that are too powerful way too early in the game (i.e. Mantraps) With games like Might & Magic, you could go and do easier areas and build up some levels. But in this game, what options do you have? I suppose I could reset adventures, but doesn't that put you back to Valeia? I really don't want to do all that stuff again....

==Hawkwind==

[Wyvern]

Pushed up two other threads that ought to help you out, Hawkwind!

Best bet is to start the fight before she is ready and keep your crew back at the corridor so they can duck out of sight to heal when needed!! DISTANCE works!! lol!

Good Luck,
Wyv

[Sazerac]

Take out Elyssia first at ALL costs. Dodge the other attacks by "strafing". One good thing about the attacks is that they're centered on a spot, not on you...so you can move out of their way. Just don't move back into their line of fire.

Also..try attacking Elyssia before she's through speaking. Nothing she says is important to the game.

-Sazerac

[Druadic]

I used Elemental Blast on her baddies and wiped them out FAST since the spell spreads like crazy. Just keep casting that and make sure your mana is really high. After about three of those they're wiped out. Then go after Elyssa. That's what I did, but she got stuck below the stairway on the left. So, I naturally sneaked up to her, just getting her into view and pelted her. My chars were NOT really high enough to do much, but if you do get close to her the spells seem to stop until all your chars attack. Glad I had a nightblade and that to kill her so fast. Good luck; she's a toughie. I saved my game once I SAW the room she was in and then went after her. If I got killed I restored. Just trial and error friend!

Druadic
"It's GREAT to be back!"
"Lost in the forests of Wizards and Warriors and I'll NEVER come back to reality!"

[Ryanamur]

I agree with Sazerac: wipe the witch out first. Use storms spells if you have them... that way, you might also take out a fee other bad guys.

[Balgin]

Saz, I've got to totally disagree with you on this one (see my answer to Druadic's post on this subject). I've noticed that once you get close enough to her Ellissia is one of those NPC's who like to maintain a minimal dialogue distance between you until she's finished. In short, as soon as she walks round the alter she'll follow you until she's said her piece. So, I don't know if she'll actaully leave the room but here's a handy hint (for a seventh level party). As soon as she get's close and speaks back away from her up the left hand ramp towards the corner, aim at a space that'll put you between two of her accomplices and that'll get you in close combat immediately. If you're left handed you might find the other ramp easier to use. Ellissia won't come onto the top step or two but she will continue to regail you. Whilst she spouts off throw up an all out party bless, armour plate, heroic might (if you've got it), bloodlust (if anyone's been promoted to a fiendish magic using class) and then chuck a repel on any spell casters who have low hit points followed by a lure on any really tough characters who you can rely on to soak up a good load of damage. As soon as she finishes get you're primary offensive spell caster (usualy a wizard or a warlock) to hurl their mightiest spell (I think I might have had meteor then). Next lay into that nearest priest and he should drop fairly quickly, allow the magician (you'rs that is) to lob another spell at her. Once the nearest serpent priest is vanquished charge at the next one along the ledge (run through this move, don't walk it, I know that it's tempting to walk in combat but it does affect enemies recovery times). Don't forget to grab whatever the foe drops because it won't be there when the fight is over. After defeating all three priests on the ledge (paying no attention to the evil priestess, concentrate on them to get it over with quicker) run back up through the entrance. There now commences an complicated game of peekaboo involving you, Ellissia, her remaining three cohorts and every single corner in that circluar appraoch to her lair. To elaborate, wait by the side of the entrance (healing up) in order to gain a flank attack as they emerge into the "Tunnels of Death" (tm). As soon as it looks like one of them is about to do something hostile (take no chances), leggit round the corner. Do a full circle and come at them from behind. When they turn and get nasty either repeat the above or back around a corner and wait. Don't do anything too consistant (computers seem to be designed to predict things therefore a little random spontaneity can work wonders). During the course of this chase you'll probably take a lot of damage and this is where that little alcove opposite the lift comes in handy (as long as their behind it, if they're in either of the side tunnels or closer don't run the risk of getting cornered. When she's down to only one companion (or none if you get really lucky) rush her and start getting close and personal. You'll probably have to get diplomatic with her (diplomacy normally involves large hafted weapons so don't feel let down, after all she started it). One last word of warning concerning that insect swarm spell. It's homing (to a certain degree), if it hits you don't try to run out of it because it sticks with you. It's one of the nasty spells that breaks up the damage into small parts to make you take multiple resistance rolls (although the only decent protective item that you'll probably have at this level is the Mavin Signet). You can dodge it but once it gets you it's unavoidable. I hope this helps.

Balgin the Triumphant Dwarf

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Balgin, the Dwarf

[Hawkwind]

Originally posted by Ryanamur: I agree with Sazerac: wipe the witch out first. Use storms spells if you have them... that way, you might also take out a fee other bad guys.

Sorry I was so long in following up on this thread, but I've been playing fast and furious!

I disagree totally with the tactic of wiping Ellysa first - during my *ahem* MANY attempts at getting through this area (the first time I tried, at least) I found that I had the most success by dealing with the Serpent Keepers & Caretakers first - and then concentrating on Ugly herself. I was finally able to do it that first time - but at the expense of 4 dead characters. But it was the Keepers & Caretakers that did the most damage - and in fact, wiped out most of my party with their damned Swarm Spells (the insect swarm thingy they cast)

But, after finally beating her, I decided to Reset Adventures and go through it again. And the reason was, so that I'd have more Wizard firepower to fight those rotten Mantraps, when I got there again. This time around, I had most characters up to Level 10, and obtained Flamedrop, Flamestrike and Dragon Breath by the time I reached the Naga. I caste Haste on all my characters when I fought the Naga - and I don't actually think she did me more than a couple of points of damage. I just wailed away on her with weapons and down she went.

When I encountered Ellysa, I used a tactic that I read on one of the threads: First I cast Haste & Armourplate, but I didn't go up to her, I stood in the entryway and did 3 Flamestrikes on her, each doing a damage of about 10-15 points. I then retreated back to the first corner of the narrow hallway to the left of the entry and waited. I had enough Mana left for one more Flamestrike and that took out 2 of the rabble as they came through the entryway. Ellysa didn't show up to join the party (I think occasionally she gets hung up by the altar)so I alternated between Healing & whacking them with weapons (since my Wizard was out of mana by then) When they were all toast, Elyssa STILL hadn't shown up, so I went back to the elevator, and healed and un-poisoned everybody. And waited. Soon my mana was back up again, so I went back down (save, save SAVE!) cast Haste again, and again stood in the doorway and Flamestriked her 2 more times. That got her moving toward me. I then backed up all the way to the corner of the hallway by the elevator, and wailed on her at the corner. She was in the yellow by then so several whacks later she was Roach Food (anybody ever HIT one of those things with a weapon?

Whew!! I *talk* too much!

==Hawkwind==

Great Strategy Hawkwind! Worked like a charm huh?

That was my favorite fight in the whole game!


Moni

P.S. Never did manage to hit a roach with a sword and I tried a few times LOL...However, the first time I ever read in the text window that one died from crush damage, I thought we had stepped on it! EW!! LOL

[This message has been edited by Moni (edited 04-06-2001).]

[KattB]

Here is a tip I got on one of my posts.
"Another tip...when you reach the auditorium where you will encounter Ellyssia, don't even go in...throw a strong distance spell at her and run when she is hit...she is going to summon a bunch of priests to come after you so keep running around the small square hallway prior to the auditorium door and take these guys out one by one. Go back and hit her again...she will likely come after you at this point so keep backing off and hitting her even if you have to wait for her to round corners."
That worked, in fact the fight was almost not one at all for me, not really all that hard.
Another thing I did was put all the spells I could on all of my ppl.
bloodlust (orwhatever it is caled) bless, amorplate, haste, and nible. I caste all those spells on all my party. I don't know if it helped or not..but it did not seem to hurt. In fact, once I got the prist...rember you get two waves of them, I shot her with a flame blast or something then ran back to the place where you got off the elivator and waited for the first wave of prist, they came and I got them one by one. then I went back to where she was and on the other side of the hallway were some more that I got, one by one. she never came after me so I went inside the door to where she was and just started hitting here then, and I got closser and keept punching my mouse button to attack her, often I got a lot of blows in before she had a chance to fire back at me.
just rember to save before you go after the first prist, and once you get all of them, save again, then go after her....just in case.
good luck
Kathy

[KattB]

hmm, in reading the rest of the post. I got through this part with NO dead ppl. now the rest of the temple before this I had one heck of a time, but this was the eastest monster for me to fight. and I have NO clue why. If (and from what others have said I bet I will) I ever replay this game, with my luck I won't make it past her so easy the next time.
Hawkwind, do you only have prist? if so, I have no idea what you can do. I got my first shotes in with flam drop, elm. blast, all that kind of thing. using my wizard, etc. as I use them the most, next party I make will have two wiz's in it, not just one.
Kathy