Ranged Parties

[Krull]

Realised that I've never attempted a ranged party (apart from my 3 Gadgie party presently struggling in Rapax land).

Here's a couple I've been thinking about:

1) 2 x Mook Rangers, Gadgeteer, Bishop, Mook Fighter (thereby 3 Giant swords) and a Ninja (bit heavy on Alchemy I know but love those cloud spells)

2) Samurai, Valkyrie, 2 x Gadgeteers, Ranger and Bishop

Anybody care to share their favourite ranged parties? I assume no cursed weapons, that at least one Gadgeteer and Ranger are mandatory and that Senses would be more important because of Eagle Eye.

Thanks in advance.

[Scatter]

My fave had no Gad, and was imported for the Elven Bow: Elf Ranger, Hobbit Bishop, and Hobbit Ninja. The Ninja used Slings for Long and the Boomer and a handful of whatever for closer.

Fave non-imported did have a Gad: Hobbit Bard, Hobbit Ranger, Hobbit Gad. The Ranger used Modern Weapons and ended with a Phaser--Ranger Crit includes Moderns.

Your suggested parties would all be way too big for me to like much.

[Krull]

Thanks Scatter

Yes, I'm beginning to think everyone is right in that smaller is better.

I'll try your fave one and see how it happens. Haven't got a threesome import which has an Elven Bow though. Might need to uise an editor to get one.

Actually, like the idea of missiles for short and sling for long as a sling with impaling stones seems lots better than a chance fo a critical with fetaher drats, throwing knives etc.

But doesn't that mean that at melee range the hobbit doesn't do enough damage?

Thanks.

[Scatter]

Yah, the Ninja does less damage, esp with the Boomer, but i keep a high stock of Throwing Stilettos and Death Stars, so the other effects balance that well enough. That's part of the challenge of a ranged-only party--much less damage than with melee, regardless of weapon choice.

[Kakero]

I did a range party once but notice they didn't do enough damage as the enemies always manage to get into melee range. Maybe I should have tried for samurai or ninjas as they always got the instant kill thing. However, does instant kill work with range weapon?

[Scatter]

Ranger gets "ranged critical" and Ninja gets "thrown critical" and there's some argument about what these include. Ninja's definately includes Sling, the way the game figures throw/sling together (known bug) and Ranger's definately includes Modern Weapon (that's even in the manual) but there's some argument about Ranger's including Throw/Sling. Samurai/Monk crit does not include ranged at all.

[xfactor]

I've done a ranged party of Gadgeteer, Ninja and 2 Rangers. It worked OK except for the problem that Kakero encountered with regards to damage potential.

It was only really an issue in the mid game since you don't have access to many of the good bows or missiles you get later in the game. Once I had a good stock of Lightning Bolts and Death Stars it got a lot easier.

The most difficult thing was staying disciplined and not reverting to melee when the enemy got close.

xfactor

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

FYI, I picked an Elven Bow from Burz once.

[Scatter]

Your game is doing something nobody else's does.
The only special Bow Burz EVER can possibly have is Enchanted Bow and you have to kill/PP him for it.

[Krull]

That's interesting about Ninjas getting critical hits with a sling.

I dimly recall an argument about this on the VN Boards that said they didn't.

Anyway, Ninjas of mine don't do nearly enough crits with thrown weapons anyway so assume I've always built them wrong, hence me rather giving them slings to use.

Scatter, do you remember how you bulit up your Ninja to get crits?