Is this a sound solo strategy?

[galraen]

Originally Posted by Dante2377

So if you're a Dwarven fighter-type, you'll only need to worry about Maze and Imprisonment.

That raises a point I've been wondering about for some time. Does the game actually implement the golden rule, that one is always a fail, irrespective of anything else?

I've never been too sure about that, if anyone has a definitive answer it would be appreciated.

PS Apologies to mods if I've gone too far off topic.

[fable]

Not too far off. It seems pertinent, and it's an interesting discussion.

[Dante2377]

I just ran into the Gauth in the Maze and it was a good test b/c I'll get to save vs spells 4-6 times per round.

I did in fact save several times while rolling a 0 (yes a zero).

The actual line is

Conan - Save vs Spell: 0

This was against a Paralyze eye ray (I was not enraged nor did I have anything that would prevent me from being paralyzed) and I didn't get paralyzed. I had that come up several times.

I have a screenshot if anyone wants me to email it to them.

[Dante2377]

FYI, further update - I'm now in hell (I hit the lvl 40 xp cap I installed somewhere in ctr 6). The only thing that fazes the Dwarven Barbarian from a Magic perspective is Maze/Imprisonment. I went through the whole drow city, suldassenar, and Irenicus #1 with only the odd Maze here and there.

I also have Improved Aegis Hide, Helm of the Rock (with Horns, I stopped off and did the first 2 levels of Watcher's Keep so I can upgrade Flail of Ages with the poison head), so between all of that for elemental protection and DoE + Barbarian + Hardiness + GWW, I'm pretty much a killing machine.

Definitely way easier than the Paladin solo I did last year.

[Dante2377]

Soa was a breeze. First parts of TOB are easy (head grove, first challenge, getting out of saradush). Yag shura soldiers are easy, but fire giants are much harder! The elites in yag shura lair called for all my resources (hardiness, gww, invis from Gaxx to rest/regenerate).

[Saros]

Originally Posted by Dante2377

Soa was a breeze. First parts of TOB are easy (head grove, first challenge, getting out of saradush). Yag shura soldiers are easy, but fire giants are much harder! The elites in yag shura lair called for all my resources (hardiness, gww, invis from Gaxx to rest/regenerate).

I did all of ToB in a solo-no-reload insane Wizard-slayer game(except for the last five+mel battle), and I have to tell you, it's all about planning ahead and equipment change tactics, as well as knowing when you have the right tools in order to visit a specific area. And I tell you, a WS is much harder to run because of the item restrictions. In this particular situation, I used fire protection armor(Red Dragon Scale), Defender of Easthaven off-hand + hardinesses, of course, as well as Roranarch's Horn (many enemies in there have crushing attacks). As a main weapon you might want to try the Ice Star, again because of the fire prot permanent ability, but also - because of the cold damage it deals on hit. Of course, Crom Faeyr is even a better option. BTW - Ice Star will be also your weapon of choice versus Improved Yaga.

When you obtain the Roranarch's horn, it is time for the third WK level. The demons are nasty, but now you have the proper tool(Roranarch's Horn + hardiness + DoE will give you 110% crushing resistance, meaning you will regenerate from the lesser demons' attacks.

[Klorox]

But can a Barbarian wear the red dragon armor?

[galraen]

Originally Posted by Klorox

But can a Barbarian wear the red dragon armor?

No, at least not in the vanilla game.

[Dante2377]

Originally Posted by Saros

I did all of ToB in a solo-no-reload insane Wizard-slayer game(except for the last five+mel battle), and I have to tell you, it's all about planning ahead and equipment change tactics, as well as knowing when you have the right tools in order to visit a specific area. And I tell you, a WS is much harder to run because of the item restrictions. In this particular situation, I used fire protection armor(Red Dragon Scale), Defender of Easthaven off-hand + hardinesses, of course, as well as Roranarch's Horn (many enemies in there have crushing attacks). As a main weapon you might want to try the Ice Star, again because of the fire prot permanent ability, but also - because of the cold damage it deals on hit. Of course, Crom Faeyr is even a better option. BTW - Ice Star will be also your weapon of choice versus Improved Yaga.

When you obtain the Roranarch's horn, it is time for the third WK level. The demons are nasty, but now you have the proper tool(Roranarch's Horn + hardiness + DoE will give you 110% crushing resistance, meaning you will regenerate from the lesser demons' attacks.

Yup - I did the SOA solo using the Wiz Slayer 1-2 years ago and it felt similar (using the various weapon immunities and properties) to the Barbarian, although different enough given the WS can only use the magic armor and weapons.

(yes in the vanilla game you can't use any of the plate mail with barbarians - I use the Item Upgrade mod, so I use the improved Aegis Hide which has +25% elemental resistance).

I generally tend to try and solo melee-based characters (on a variety of difficulties from core to insane), although here's what I've solo'd through SOA and parts of TOB

- 2 Paladins (undead hunter and inquisitor)
- Wiz Slayer
- Dwarf Barbarian
- Blade (with and without Rogue Rebalancing HLA change)
- F/M/T

I'd be curious to try a Monk, which I've had in parties, but the early SOA solo part might be difficult.

I also want to try a Cavalier, but worry it might end up the same as the other 2 Paladins (push through until you get the Holy Avenger, then with that plus Gaxx Ring plus 10% mr necklace + others become near immune to magic).

[Saros]

Yep, I forgot about the Barbarian's inability to wear plate. Anyway, there is the Aegis Hide (even when not upgraded still adds 15% resistances), and Darkmail(+20% fire res), various Rings of Fire resistance and Control and other unavailable to the WS fire-protective items, which totally guarantee you higher than 100% fire resistance. And there are always potions of Fire res too...the WS is restricted only to Green Protection scrolls, which are scarse.

BTW, one of the best suits of armor for a Barbarian is the Orc Leather, because with it your Barbarian will have permanent 95% Missile resistance at lvl 20(20% natural + 40% hardiness + 25% Inertial Barrier belt + 10% orc leather), and with installation of ToB and an evil Barbarian, that bonus grows to 100 or 105% at one of the Pocket Plane trials.

A monk with its vanilla HLAs is pretty weak, because, frankly, the natural fighter's HLAs are qute useless to him. Hardiness, for instance, is weak unless combined with at least DoE, and a monk cannot use flails. So, I recommend using the Oversight mod, which gives a monk a new HLA pool to choose from. And indeed the monk is weak at first, unless you deploy the Undead prot. Scrolls at maximum use and kill all of the undead in Athkatla and Umar Hills, thus collecting nice loot and gaining sufficient amount of XP for attaining a Quivering Palm, which afterwards kills dragons in a snap(activate, attack, if unsuccessful - run, and remember it kills through Stoneskin).

[Dante2377]

Are you really worried about missiles in TOB (it's been awhile since I played much past Saradush, I usually finish SOA and start again with a different party)? I mean the base 80% (20% barb, 20% DoE, 40% hardiness) should be fine for that. I don't like losing the elemental resistances.

[Cuchulain82]

This is a great thread. Please keep it up- I want to keep hearing about this character!

Originally Posted by galraen

That raises a point I've been wondering about for some time. Does the game actually implement the golden rule, that one is always a fail, irrespective of anything else?

Does anyone have the answer to this? I realize that the save was made with a "0" above, but was that an aberration? If you can make a save rolling a 1 (or 0), does that mean that the converse, rolling a 20, doesn't necessarily mean making a check? I'd like to think that a 20 always hits the dragon...

[galraen]

I'm pretty sure 20 is always a hit, it certainly is in BG1, it's the only way to hit Drizzt IIRC. It's certainly the only way I've hit him.

[Cuchulain82]

Originally Posted by galraen

I'm pretty sure 20 is always a hit, it certainly is in BG1, it's the only way to hit Drizzt IIRC. It's certainly the only way I've hit him.

I couldn't kill Drizzt in BGI- I didn't have the patience to wait him out.

I was pretty sure 20 always hits, but then how could a 0 make a save? Did the designers really only implement the "20 always hits" rule but not the "1 always misses" rule?!

[Dante2377]

Originally Posted by Cuchulain82

I couldn't kill Drizzt in BGI- I didn't have the patience to wait him out.

I was pretty sure 20 always hits, but then how could a 0 make a save? Did the designers really only implement the "20 always hits" rule but not the "1 always misses" rule?!

I know it implements the "1 is always a miss" for attack rolls, but I left that Barbarian sitting in front of the Gauth for ~5 minutes of real time, so 5 mins x 60 sec/min x 1 rd/ 6 sec x 6 eye rays/round = ~300 eye rays to save from. Statistically, I should have failed ~15 of them, but I never failed any saves nor took any damage.

Maybe that wasn't implemented for saving throws, only attack rolls.