Weakish Undead Powers

[Mike B.]

Another thread questioned whether the Weakish Undead Powers contained in the latest Sola release was too difficult.  I decided to find out using a new game I recently started.  My party consists of me (fighter dualled to a mage), Minsc, Jaheira, Aerie, Nalia & Anomen.  Please, no comments on the party composition. I just wanted to make clear I wasn't using four Undead Hunters, a High Priest and an Archmage.  My party had already finished Chateau Irenicus, solved the Circus Tent mystery,  freed Hendak and the slaves and taken back Nalia's keep from Torgal.  The party's levels ranged from 9th to 11th.  Everyone has a +1 magic weapon except Minsc has +3 Lillarcor and Anomen has the +3 Flail of the Ages.  I didn't have Azuredge, Daystar or Prot. from Undead scrolls.

I cleared out the graveyard in Athkatla knowing that I would encounter nothing but weakish undead.  I agree with Wes.  The encounters required more buffing up and a little more strategy.  I noticed much use of the fear spells (Horror, etc.) which makes sense.  After all, most characters should recoil in terror when confronting undead.  The Skeletal Warriors were the best, casting Horror and then engaging in melee.  I didn't notice much difference in the Mummy.  Of course, I immediately engaged him in melee to avoid any spells being cast my way.  I do remember some Shadows (I think it was Shadows) casting Ray of Enfeeblement and taking out my PC who couldn't move.  That required a reload or two.  Basically, weakish undead powers are more challenging but not impossible.  I would recommend using Remove Fear/Resist Fear for every encounter.  Buff up and use some potions.

Finally, certain encounters in Spellhold or the Umar Hills could be quite the challenge.  I would thnik that prot. scrolls, Daystar, Azuredge would tip the balance in your favor.  After all, you can always lower the difficulty level and use Ctr-Y to balance out the encounter.                    

[KaPe]

Haven't tried it yet, but Ray of Enfe(whatever) sound like Babau in Ascension... love it... they were more on distraction, then destruction side, but it was nasty... And now normal undeads - sound nice... And horror - well, i always use pro fear, so it doesn't make any difference -1st level spell takes care of this problem ... How about about doing something nasty, like giving skellys larloch on strike?(like foebane)                    

[Piker]

I am pretty sure that some Skeleton Warriors I fought recently have what I would consider a non-weak undead power.  They cast Black Blade of Disaster, then engaged in melee.  It hurt a bit more than usual.  I wish *my* skelly Warriors could do that.  This might be a bug, or might be specific to the place I fought them (defunct Temple of Bhaal in the early part of TOB), or part of the "weakish undead powers", I don't know.  I am assuming the lattermost though I don't think a 9th level spell is weak, really.

I liked it better this way. It took me more than the 1.3 seconds that fight normally lasts, so if it was part of a power up progression - I like it.  It still didn't take a great deal longer, since you can still waltz your cleric right into the middle of the them and cast Sunray, but it made me actually consider tactics in that fight for what I believe is the first time.                    

[Eocine]

Yep, Stroll on in with upgraded Daystar and blast of a couple of sunrays is my undead attack right now. Their undead powers may have increased but most of the time my fights with the undead are so short I don't notice.                    

[Althernai]

Yes, 9th level spells such as Black Blade of Disaster and Wail of the Banshee are "weak undeadish powers" - I thought this would be a good idea for a thread with an amusing reference for those who have been here a while.