Question about soloing an archer.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 7:57 am

I wouldn't choose vampire as the racial enemy, not with all the Protection from Undead scrolls you can find. Demonic/fell would be a better choice, especially in ToB.

As for which type of bow, I say both short bow and long bow.

[ 08-20-2001: Message edited by: Sojourner ]

pomr · Post by **pomr** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 8:09 am

There are a lot protection from undead scrolls, that much is true, plus if you have Vhailor's Helm you can use two scrolls forever.

You're right about the enemy Sojourner - demonic/fell seems a very good choice.

@Saigo - I didn't notice that, but I didn't use bow as my primary weapon; I tend to go for blunt trauma up close, rather than running about with a bow. But that's me. The Archer might be a worthy experiment though...right after I try a Blade.

Saigo · Post by **Saigo** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:45 am

PoMR, Blunt trauma: good. You should try a Half-Orc Fighter/Cleric!

For fun, add a custom sound: "Hulk Smash!"

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 11:57 am

My half-orc barbarian battl cry...

"ME SMASH THINGS!"

Saigo · Post by **Saigo** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 12:25 pm

How about "I will crush you to goo?"

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 12:27 pm

Unless you cheat, the super cheesey mehtod of getting arrows of detonation is not available. I've only found them once in the game, as llot in container in tanner quest. Where are the good crap anyway, in BG2????

Never found arrows of dispelling or arrows of polymorph, or any othr good stuff.

If ya go for archer put a couple prof in crossbow, get crossbow of speed or searing, and when you hit the underdark get as many koa tuan stun bolts as you can. Really handy, and they can be used in daylight. stuns the victim, so your party or you can then finish it off.

jeremiah · Post by **jeremiah** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 3:22 pm

Originally posted by UserUnfriendly:
Unless you cheat, the super cheesey mehtod of getting arrows of detonation is not available. I've only found them once in the game, as llot in container in tanner quest. Where are the good crap anyway, in BG2????

Never found arrows of dispelling or arrows of polymorph, or any othr good stuff.

If ya go for archer put a couple prof in crossbow, get crossbow of speed or searing, and when you hit the underdark get as many koa tuan stun bolts as you can. Really handy, and they can be used in daylight. stuns the victim, so your party or you can then finish it off.

You can get 2 quiver fulls of arrows of dispelling (should last for the whole game) from the Fletcher in Waukeen's Promenade.

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 12:55 am

Well, anyway I am a magic user, pure and simple. however, I am planning to run my next game from start of soa and move in thru the game and hit the TOB section after defeating the big I.
This time I plan to make imoen into a multiclass assassin/mage. This will give me some weapon prof. I can assign later to bow and long sword. As I've mentioned before, with Tob installed and the pit of 2million exp points called watchers keep, The multiclass becomes the true powerhouse class. greater whirlwind and the uber spells make it so that the multiclass can be a true super char. aerie for example is going to be a multiclass conjurer/cleric. This can be done with shadow keeper. Anyway, the cleric/conjurer is a truely evil and naasty class. Cinhurer so she gets extra spells per level, and while you miss out two really necessary spells, true sight and farsight, guess what you get them as a cleric!!!

Anyway, make imoen into a mage/assassin multiclass, so she has after the exp in watcher's keep be able to set spike traps, and more importantly will level up in thief skills as she goes along. Assassin so any arrows she has can be poisoned...

quiverful of fire arrows poisoned by imoen, the fired by the gesen bow should be really nasty...

Uther Pendragon · Post by **Uther Pendragon** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 12:10 pm

Originally posted by UserUnfriendly:
Well, anyway I am a blah, blah, blah, pure and simple. however, I am blah, blah, blah to blah, blah, my next game from start of SoA and blah, blah, blah, and hit the TOB section after blah, blah.
This time I plan to blah, blah, Imoen into a multiclass cheat/cheat. This will blah, blah, some blah, blah. I can blah, blah, later to blah, blah, multiclass cheat/cheat. As I've mentioned before, blah, blah, ToB installed and the "pit of 2million exp points", called Watchers Keep. The cheat becomes the true blah, blah, cheat. Cheat and the blah, blah, cheat make it so that the cheat can be a true super cheat. Aerie for example is blah, blah, multiclass cheat/cheat. This can be blah, blah, with Cheat. Anyway, the cheat/cheat is a blah, blah, blah, cheat. Cheater, so she gets blah, blah, blah, and while you miss blah, blah, spells, true sight and farsight, guess what you blah, blah them, as a cheat!!!

Anyway, make Imoen into a cheat/cheat multiclass, so she blah, blah in watcher's keep be able to blah cheats, and more importantly will blah, blah cheat skills as she blah, blah. Cheat, so blah, blah, arrows she has blah, blah can cheat...

Blah, blah of blah cheated by Imoen, then blah, balh, by the gesen bow should be really blah, blah, blah...

What the Hell did this moron's post have to do with the topic of, "Question about soloing an archer"?

This is how a post reads when you.

1. Post out of topic
2. Sound like a cheat-bragging idiot

In the future, might I suggest you read the other posts and the topic header before posting such trite, and making yourself sound like a complete imbecile.

A wise man once said, "Better to be quiet and let people think you a fool, then open your mouth and prove it".

THE JAKER · Post by **THE JAKER** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 1:11 pm

Uther, I think you might want to moderate your language a little - calling another Member an "idiot" a "moron" and an "imbecile" is not too cool...

Anyway, just so I'M not off topic, too (for all the topic cops out there) - Do the changes to grandmastery that are instituted in the TOB patch help out the solo archer any?

What's really too bad is that you can't get any of those magic arrows from Baldur's Gate 1, back when they really did some <1D6 + 2, 2D6 acid> damage!

Uther Pendragon · Post by **Uther Pendragon** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 2:35 pm

To: THE JAKER

Yes, I suppose you're right. I was a bit hard on him and his post. I don't normally go around flaming so flagrantly, but here I was reading these interesting posts and getting very into what was being said and I came accross his. It caught me totally of guard and I lashed out at him for it.

But I ask again, What the Hell does his post have to do with, "Question about soloing an archer"?

I suppose he was just overcome with the joy of having a thought and just had to share. In a different thread, it might have been revered, but it had no place here.

However, in the efforts of peace and goodwill, I humbly apologize to whomever's post it was.

THE JAKER · Post by **THE JAKER** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 2:45 pm

Well Uther I think that's VERY gracious of you...I was a little nervous saying anything because I don't like getting in fights. I think User was talking about arrows and stuff earlier in the thread, and then he just kindof went off on his own thing.

By the way, I didn't even read the "quote" part of your post til after I had responded...I have to say it's really hilarious how you edited his post-very evil

And once again I will say - solo archers! I would imagine the Flail of Ages and Celestial Fury would be handy, because if you HAVE to melee someone, you could slow or stun them, then run away and pelt them with arrows!

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 12:13 am

I'm sorry too, I do tend to go off in a directio of my own. I was mostly thinking about the ranged weapon support for my next party,and started to go off on how to make imoen a really killer archer.

Does anyone have any idea where you fould get arrows of detonation in bg2??? I hacked some on an experiemnt, it looked like the damage was decent and I figured that a couple of quiver fulls fired from the tulgan bow would be the ultimate in massed killing. I mean 3 arrows a round, aimed at the black dragon, for example, i figued it was like having three mages cast fireballs continuously for a while, each arrow not doing as much damage, but after a while the continuous fireballs would add up and kill just about anything vulnerable to fire, however I did find out each arrow is only about as damaging as a projectile from necklace of missiles. So it would be ok for disrupting a mass of mages, but doesn't have the lethality of say an arrow of biting on a single target.

I also recommend getting as many greater whirlwinds as possible. Greater whirlwind is even more usefull for the archer than for meelee fighters, because it only lasts one round, and uless you've got boots of speed, you need to get pretty close to the target before activation, then you need to make the hits right away. tricky business, and quite risky sometimes. With an archer, you've got all hits ranged, so unless you've got fog of war problems, you "use" the greater whirlwind fully. critical strike is nice too, and possibly smite? Smite might be best of all, since the concept of the archer is ranged damage, and if you can get some enemies blown back, they can be pincushioned more.

There are some nice longbows, the mana bow comes to mind with its additional magic resist, but shortbows are the way to go. a few points in crossbow would be nice, for the firetooth, one of the very few ranged weapons that can hit demi liches, and the light crossbow of speed, to use those koa tuan stun bolts available enmasse in the under dark. The ammo pouch in the watchers kep is really great for holding a variety of different ammo for special situations.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 12:41 am

UserUnfriendly,

The arrows of detonation are one of those random items that show up in different locations. Sometimes you get lucky and find a few (I got very lucky in one game while playing an assassin and found ~20 of them).

Here's where I've found them so far:

Irenicus's dungeon in one of the chests
Dropped by different enemies
Beholder dungeon in the Underdark
Chests in some houses in Athkatla

Dimensional · Post by **Dimensional** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 3:03 am

Just checked the patch with archers - Your no of attacks is changed on your stats page - but still capped at 2.5 per round - which makes ring or gaxx essential for larger battles.

I have never personaly used fail of ages or clestial fury with an archer - though the idea is good mainly because i have limited space for weapons so i use 1 my bow, next mace disruption+2 for undead and clay golems, 3 sword of flame +4 (from druid grove) to kill klangaxx and mages protected by mantle (this is replaced by CRom Feyer when i get it) once you have the bag of holding carry all the stuff you want.

Daystar is laso esential for killing liches before they get a chance to nail you. (helm of vhalior also helps a lot.

most useful archer trick is shoot some one full of arrows run through door, hide in shadows waut for enemy to chase you into room. shoot run away through door - repeat.

I have yet to find any arrows of detonation (oh how I yearn for them but i always carry 2 stacks of arrows of bitting for them pesky mages and 1 stack of arrows of disppelling (which are great but do not penetrate mantle or improved mantle - they do get rid of prot normal missiles )

oh yes somthing to remeber - called shot stacks! improved haste or greater whirlwind + 2 * called shot = dead dragon.(very quickly , firkraag did not even reach me to attack me)

UserUnfriendly · Post by **UserUnfriendly** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 3:14 am

most useful archer trick is shoot some one full of arrows run through door, hide in shadows waut for enemy to chase you into room. shoot run away through door - repeat.

Gotta make sure you've got a fully patched version of TOb or un TOB soa install. In tob supposedly if you leave via a door the beastie will fowllow, and when you get back to the origianl room it will still be theere, after you kill the one that followed you!

anyway, if you want to clua them in, arrows of detonation are
AROW06
so that you can at least summon some for fun!!!

you feel like a mage....You know, with the tulgan bow and greater whirlwind, you should be able to take out any grup in the game with enough arrows....

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 3:32 am

Just be wary that certain enemies aren't hurt by the Tuigan +1 bow, so it's still wise to carry along another bow with a bigger enchantment, such as Tansheron or Heartseeker. This should get through the various mantle spells enemy mages cast. Additionally, a stalker also can cast certain druid spells, including Dispel Magic, which can remove some of their protections.

Interesting munchkin tactic: Cast Called Shot, then Greater Whirlwind. Devastating, eh?

Also, although the archer is supposed to be limited to leather armour, he can wear the White Dragon Scale, which is one of THE best armors in the game, alongside Armor of the Hart +3 (take the White Dragon Scales from Watcher's Keep to Cespenar).

Musashi Miyamoto · Post by **Musashi Miyamoto** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 7:22 pm

the white dragon armor is off that white dragon in underdark?

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Wed Aug 22, 2001 9:30 pm

Originally posted by Musashi Miyamoto:
the white dragon armor is off that white dragon in underdark?

No, the one in the Underdark is not a white dragon.

Vehemence · Post by **Vehemence** » Thu Aug 23, 2001 12:33 am

Originally posted by Johnny:
Interesting munchkin tactic: Cast Called Shot, then Greater Whirlwind. Devastating, eh?

That's not going to work too well since by the time you can cast whirlwind, the duration of the called shot is almost over.