soloing for the first time

oggeboy · #1 (**permalink**) 10-04-2001, 02:35 PM

yes my computer works again... so i started to solo a blade... damn its hard took me 12 days to get through the irenicus dungeon... four hours in real time....

has anyone got any tips on any tactics i can use for future battles? no cheese please

Xyx · #2 (**permalink**) 10-04-2001, 03:21 PM

Read Two's excellent No deaths, no reloads topic for some very good ways to go about it.

oggeboy · #3 (**permalink**) 10-05-2001, 04:36 AM

ok thanx

Quitch · #4 (**permalink**) 10-05-2001, 05:54 AM

That thread made me laugh in the ToB bit. He goes into ToB at level 40, with all the best equipment because he knows where to find it, with only one character to worry about, then complanis that the first section, which is normally going to have level 18 parties stumbling into it, is too easy.

Quite frankly, the guy was a good power gamer, but he doesn't have a clue about game design or balance. I do agree with his point though that ToB really stuffs SoA balance. Removing the cap was just silly, it should have been in place till you hit ToB.

I think he'd have found it much harder if he'd tried to complete the game, with a party which always had six people in it. Harder than soloing that's for sure.

Xyx · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2001, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Quitch:
ToB really stuffs SoA balance. Removing the cap was just silly, it should have been in place till you hit ToB.

That's like saying SoA hands out way too much XP, and if you mean that one person is more powerful than a party, that's like saying D&D's game balance is rotten.

You may be right on both occasions, though.

two · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2001, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Quitch:
That thread made me laugh in the ToB bit. He goes into ToB at level 40, with all the best equipment because he knows where to find it, with only one character to worry about, then complanis that the first section, which is normally going to have level 18 parties stumbling into it, is too easy.

Quite frankly, the guy was a good power gamer, but he doesn't have a clue about game design or balance. I do agree with his point though that ToB really stuffs SoA balance. Removing the cap was just silly, it should have been in place till you hit ToB.

I think he'd have found it much harder if he'd tried to complete the game, with a party which always had six people in it. Harder than soloing that's for sure.

Well at least I made somebody laugh!

Let me warn the original poster, however, that multiple blur's are "not legal" according to the latest latest official patch. I used multiple blurs extensively in SOA. However, the latest latest patch from Baldurdash also fixed a few things that were left out of TOB (like -4 added to AC for being invisible) so that makes up for missing blurs. It is still very easy to get a disgustingly low AC with Bladesinger and invis, one blur, etc. etc. Throw a mirror image on yourself plus stoneskin and whack away. Once you get Use Any Item, your AC will be crazy low even before the Blade's defensive spin. When spinning, you should be ridiculously low. -25 or so. Unhitteable.

Dont' forget to pick up stuff for later use with Use Any Item, particularly Cernd's cloak -- it gives +1 to AC AND +1 to saving throws, better than the Sewer Cloak. And other junk too, etc.

Have fun!

Do lots of quests in Ch. 2!

You should get your first special ability before chatper 3!

Oh -- and Quitch -- you are simply nuts if you think that, somehow, 6 level 18 characters with all their SOA equipment would have been tougher for me in TOB! I could still have my nicely outfitted Bard plus Korgan, Edwin, Jaheria, etc. none of whom need share my equipment. Meaning, the stuff my bard uses, Korgan does not use. Nor Edwin, nor etc. There's plenty of great gear for everyone!

I was using large parties for a while until it got totally boring for me. I tried smaller parties and that was more fun/difficult. Soloing is even harder and more interesting. Just my opinion. But I still can't think of a battle that would be easier for my level 40 bard than 6 level 18 characters. Korgan plus my bard alone would dice everything to bits lickety split! Just let the other 4 sit back and heal us every 20th round or so, if it gets that far.

oggeboy · #7 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 06:48 AM

lucky for me i've only memorised one blur then

oh and another fun thing i've noticed... i really messed up choosing weaponskills... i choose twohanded weapon fighting instead of two weapon fighting

(no wonder i could only place one * in that proficency) hitting those mephits are really hard then so now i'm running around throwing daggers at the dwarf from the den of seven vales 'cos i can't hit him with my shortswords

two · #8 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oggeboy:
lucky for me i've only memorised one blur then

oh and another fun thing i've noticed... i really messed up choosing weaponskills... i choose twohanded weapon fighting instead of two weapon fighting

(no wonder i could only place one * in that proficency) hitting those mephits are really hard then so now i'm running around throwing daggers at the dwarf from the den of seven vales 'cos i can't hit him with my shortswords

Oh man, no wonder you had trouble hitting --!!

Sorry to hear that. Dual wield is the only way to go, particularly with Blades that get to put more than one "star" in dual-wield. I would suggest using shadowkeeper to change this, or just start over! You can get through Irenicus' prison in about 1 hour if you make the switch! (i.e. much faster. PS use magic missle on mephits if you have any, you KNOW they will hit)

oggeboy · #9 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 07:02 AM

thac0 23 offhand 27 heh alot of magic missiles got fired in the dungeon i can assure you of that

don't have shadowkeeper and haven't really the patiance to start over so i'll just fill the two weapon skilla as i move along and levelling up...

by the way does offensive spin work with missile weapons... seems to work with my throwingdaggers anyway

two · #10 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oggeboy:
thac0 23 offhand 27 heh alot of magic missiles got fired in the dungeon i can assure you of that

don't have shadowkeeper and haven't really the patiance to start over so i'll just fill the two weapon skilla as i move along and levelling up...

by the way does offensive spin work with missile weapons... seems to work with my throwingdaggers anyway

Hm... seriously, I would still consider starting over. Those THATCOs are very painful. If you start over with 2 stars in dual-wield, then some normal weapons proficiencies like short bow, short sword, longsword, etc. you should be able to hit OK even in the prison. Not sure about missle weapons and offensive spin; might only work with thrown weapons. ie. bow+offensive spin=? Just don't know, sorry.

You might be ok though you will level up very quickly. At present do NOT dual-wield if you don't have 2 stars in dual-wield at least. Just use one weapon; on hit is better than 2 misses.

Don't forget to web + throwing dagger stuff dead!

oggeboy · #11 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 07:37 AM

thanx alot for the help... just tried to use only one shortsword (+2) and i hacked the dwarf to tiny pieces

killed the rest of his party pretty easy an now i've got one * in two weapon fighting skill.... the thac0 is somewath better now and i'm using magic shortswords so i'll think i'll do better from now on...

two · #12 (**permalink**) 10-06-2001, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oggeboy:
thanx alot for the help... just tried to use only one shortsword (+2) and i hacked the dwarf to tiny pieces

killed the rest of his party pretty easy an now i've got one * in two weapon fighting skill.... the thac0 is somewath better now and i'm using magic shortswords so i'll think i'll do better from now on...

Cool man, good job. Stick another prof. in dual-wield as soon as you can, it is priceless. Also -- there is one side-quest you can do while in Chapter 2 that is Bard-specific. I mean, completing it gives you some of the best early bard gear in the game. This the the Hear-dalis play quest (astral prison). I'm not sure how much you know about SOA, but rest assured -- this one is geared towards bards. As soon as you are powerful enough (level 15 or so) go for it. Doing Astral Prison gets you:
Improved Thaco
Armor you can cast with (melodic chain)
kundane short sword (put off hand, adds an extra attack)
boots of speed
other great stuff!

Xyx · #13 (**permalink**) 10-07-2001, 02:36 AM

Yeah, and you get some dumb harp as well that I've never been able to sell.

But seriously, that kind of loot looks good on anyone, not just Bards.

Craig · #14 (**permalink**) 10-07-2001, 03:43 AM

Im soloing for my first time and its a Swashy/Fighter quite efected(the ac and thac0 really help)

THE JAKER · #15 (**permalink**) 10-07-2001, 04:06 AM

I just want to point out that offensive spin does work for missile weapons, not just thrown. sort of a cut rate whirlwind attack for blades.