The dreaded energy drain

[Mr Sleep]

Woudln't it be easier to create a new topic with this, as opposed to spamming this thread?

Although LMAO Thane and Kameleon

[Catcher]

SPOILERS
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
If you're hitting those Vampiric Mists in the Unseeing Eye quest, try walking on the East side of the circular room ONLY! Don't let one of your characters path-correct to the West side. For some reason, I believe the "trap" only fires if someone walks that way. If that doesn't work, the suggestions given above are all good with the following caveats.
Negative Plane Protection: Short duration (5 rounds or 3?) make this a combat-only spell and a little difficult to implement with a three-member party, but it will make the target immune to level drain.
Restoration from Scrolls: Obviously is not cheap on the gold, but they can be found at most temples and some merchants as well. One other thing about them, you get 24 hours of fatigue when you use them just as if you used the spell. You'll need to rest soon after using one or two or you'll get the bad fatigue penalties ( -1 to ALL rolls for every 4 hours after the character gets the little Fatigue icon ).
Amulet of Power: You can get this great little item after paying off Gaylen Bayle and meeting Erin Linvale, but it is expensive in its own way and Jahiera may or may not be able to use it (Sorry, haven't tried it )
Improved Mace of Disruption: You actually can only get this very nice anti-undead weapon after going through Chapter 3 and doing a little side quest. Probably not where you want to be right now.
Protection from Undead Scrolls: These will make you "invisible" to the undead. Little less available than Restoration scrolls and more useful when you have more than a couple of undead to face. Not even sure if the mists count as undead.
Hope this helped out...

[Thane of Cawdor]

Thanks. Reckon I'm going to have to get me a cleric and resign myself to the shared xp penalty. I've been going up like a rocket playing with just three people.

I think there are just too many level draining creatures to rely solely on other things. I used to hate the level drain thing when I did pen and paper ad&d in my youth, and generally avoided putting undead in my adventures.

ps nice tip on that trap - I made it through there twice without setting it off, then I was fecked.

T

[THE JAKER]

Jaheira can wear the amulet of power. Give her the amulet, a good shield like the tower shield or even one of the +2 small shields you get in the sewers, have her cast chaotic commands on herself, and then she can clear almost any undead infestation by herself.

Thane, you didn't say what class your PC is...if you have a good alignment fighter, stand behind Jaheira and nail vampires and mists with Azuredge.

Negative Plane Protection lasts for five rounds. It is only useful in emergencies, but it does cast very quickly, so it can be handy for taking down one vampire.

Another thing - if they can't hit you, they can't drain you. If you get your AC down really low and take on a limited number of undead at a time, maybe cast imp invisibility on your PC too, often they won't get even one hit in...

[Thane of Cawdor]

Chaotic Neutral Fighter (can't remember which kit, I'm a basic set d&der at heart). The problem is though, is that down in the dungeon beneath the beholder cult, I get ambushed by shadows and the like from all sides, which means there is no where to escape to.

Also, my character does not like to leave Jaheria to do all the fighting. He considers that to be a "poor show".

Cawdor.

[Ned Flanders]

The only creatures you have to worry about with level drain in the Unseeing eye quest are the wraith's. I don't think the shadows or shadow fiends drain levels although they do temporarily drain strength and can stun with their hits. Summon a little somethin' somethin' when starting these fights and focus all attacks on the wraiths in the group. Pixie Dust is a good spell (druid level 5) to help you get set up for these battles. Make sure Nalia has MM and chromatic orbs memorized, I've had good luck with those spells against undead. Stay away from vampires right now with your group, it doesn't sound like your set to battle them. Hell, as long as you are talking about drinking at the Coronet, go get Korgan, not only is he a drunk but he also has a quest that takes you directly in the path of the mace of disruption. Go get it and get out of there, drop Korgan, and finish his 'kaza book' quest later.

Additionally, I find Aerie to be the most useful NPC in the game. No matter how many times I play the game, I just can't get past how versatile she is. If you find her that annoying, just create a new soundset for her and shut down the romance hodge-podge quickly and she'll keep her mouth shut.

Good post, I also hate level drain although I doubt many out there enjoy it.

[UserUnfriendly]

Aerie is by far my fav character, with the possible exception of viccy, have yet to play with her down the underdark, where she is suppose to be hilarious.

Have nalia summon up some skeletons, they are semi immune to level drain, or some invisible stalkers, and follow them around for a while ehile sniping with azureedge.

Like my signature????

PS, I can't stand nalia, Anomen, who I turn into a squirrel every time I see him, jan and Keldorn. No, I play a good party, I just like the aerie jaheira viccy interaction. what I've seen of it.

Viccy is by far the best cleric, aerie is a specialist char, played well she just rocks. and ya wanta just hug her and keep yourself in front of her when big bad dragons are coming at ya, even tho you gave her mace of disrupt +2 a eek ago and sent her alone to disrupt some liches and she did such a nice job...

[THE JAKER]

One thing I would like to add to this thread:

I think that people are too scared of level drain...it is really not that bad. I know the first few times it happened to me, I was like "Oh no!!!! Reload!!!" The fact is, getting level drained so your 12th level fighter is 10th level temporarily is NOT the end of the world! Carry on, you'll see that the fight ends and you're still there. Use a resto scroll once the level draining is over. Problem Solved.

It does really blow when spell-casters like mages get hit...they lose memorized spells, and a resto does not bring them back, they have to go sleep. But for a fighter? It's not so bad.

So I'm just trying to say "The dreaded energy drain" is NOT the end of the world!

[Xyx]

It's certainly not the end of the world (cast a spell, visit a temple or use a scroll), but it hurts more than it would appear. Your Max Hit Points plummet downwards, so while your portrait may not show much damage, you're a lot closer to kicking the bucket. Some vamps drain five levels per hit! Imagine what that does to a level 12 Fighter. Dead in three blows.

[THE JAKER]

What vamp drains five levels? Is it one that you fight when you're 12th level?

I had a party I was using, with Korgan and a swashbuckler as the tanks. I wanted to clear out Bodhi's lair and I did NOT want to upgrade the mace of disruption or use prot from undead. Neither of my tanks could wear the amulet of power, either. So I just bit the bullet and did it. Both of the tanks got drained, I used neg plane protection one time, 2 or 3 resto scrolls, and went and got restoed at a temple afterwards, but we made it, no deaths/reloads, and it was fun...not a big cakewalk like it is with the mace upgraded.

A vampire can kill in 3 - 6 hits, but their melee skills are not great except Bodhi, so they do not hit that much...

[Rodo]

My advice for you: Send in the dual/multi classes!

Or use a restoration scroll, have a background character (suchas Nalia) cast it.

And, @Thane of Cawdor, you don't speak like that in real life (reffering to the way you write) do you? If you do, then that's a bit to creepily middle age to me.

[UserUnfriendly]

Thats cause bodhi is an illegal char, the dreaded monk/cleric multiclass, lv 30 in both! What a wicked char to play, I've harped constantly on how the fighter cleric class is hell on wheels for those who like to play fighter, but this is obscene. Lv 30!

The only way to take out a fighter /cleric played properly, armor of faith, righteous magic , chaotic commands is with a mage using shield breakers.

But think of such a char with quivering palm, and multiple greater whirlwinds!

[Xyx]

Originally posted by UserUnfriendly:
<STRONG>The only way to take out a fighter /cleric played properly, armor of faith, righteous magic , chaotic commands is with a mage using shield breakers.</STRONG>

"Played properly" wouldn't include stacking Armors of Faith, would it?

[Thane of Cawdor]

Originally posted by Rodo:
<STRONG>My advice for you: Send in the dual/multi classes!

Or use a restoration scroll, have a background character (suchas Nalia) cast it.

And, @Thane of Cawdor, you don't speak like that in real life (reffering to the way you write) do you? If you do, then that's a bit to creepily middle age to me.</STRONG>

WTF? Talk like what you little jerk. Keep your little juvenile perversions to yourself.

I'll talk how I god damn want.

The Thane

Postscript: learn to spell, you illiterate prick.