Shadow Mages

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Fri Aug 17, 2001 6:48 pm

The story of Zhyckxss continues...

Got myself a nice Lilarcor soundset, so now I say "Hands up, kiddies! Who wants to die?" and stuff like that when attacking.

I got killed by a Color Spray!?

Those things aren't supposed to affect creatures of 6 Hit Dice or more, and I'm level 11! It was on a trapped chest in the slavers' ship in the Slums. Must've been a special kind of Color Spray that's in traps...

All those random encounters when switching areas are pretty annoying when you play solo. You start out totally unprepared, at pretty short range, against mixed groups with archers and spellcasters. Fortunately, none can overcome the mighty Stinking Cloud!

I plunk them with the Tuigan Bow while they're lying in the fumes.

Went to nick Daystar. Memorized Knock, cast Haste, went in, cast Knock, opened container... Wrong container!

Stupid me... Lich starts to do all sorts of crazy stuff, but I don't wait to see. I run back out, he doesn't come after me, I pay the bartender and rest right there to get my Knock back. Haste again, run in again, this time Knock the chest, grab the damn sword, run out.

Currently in D'Arnise Hold. I took Grand Mastery in Flails, so I'd better get the good one right away.

Gonna dual-wield it Bruce Lee style with The Sleeper until I get Belm (and later Crom).

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Sat Aug 18, 2001 12:56 am

Originally posted by Edwin:
.Things were not easy in the early days and one of the funniest war between the two guilds started....

Hehehe that was was primarily due to my mage bashing animated comics.

Ah the good old days.

Originally posted by Edwin:
BTW: where are Kayless and U-Niq and Garcia and Nael???? Our historycal members!!!!!

I've been lurking around. Been a tad busy recently but I'm always lurking in the shadows somewhere.

Originally posted by Xyx:
The story of Zhyckxss continues...

It's illegal to have a name like that in all but six nations of the world.

Edwin · Post by **Edwin** » Sat Aug 18, 2001 1:01 am

Well, finally Kayless and Nael are back!!!! I know you're always in the shadows....but i prefer you when you leave them

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Sat Aug 18, 2001 4:13 am

Originally posted by Kayless:
It's illegal to have a name like that in all but six nations of the world.

Why's that? No (true) vowels?

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Sat Aug 18, 2001 4:45 pm

More rants about Zhycxss the Berserker/Mage...

My stats aren't exactly uber (Strength 15, no armor), so I made a script that casts Armor, Strength and Melf's Minute Meteors every time I wake up.

Cleared out D'Arnise Keep. All those fire/acid damage dealing goodies just lying around are quite convenient.

Got myself the uber-Flail of Ages. Dual-wielding two flails gives a distinct Bruce Lee-like impression. B).

Went back to town to sell phat lewt and get the Girdle of Giant Strength. There's some stuck door in the Keep that I can still not open. Some door!

When travelling from the Keep to the Slums, my Stoneskin wears off. When I arrive, the script immediately casts a new one!

Did I get a licence for that? Noooo... I immediately exit the area and go to another part of town to elude any Cowled Wizards that want to sell me permits. After a short stroll on Waukeen's Promenade I go back. No Wizards. Who needs a permit?

Glaicas didn't give me too much problems. After one reload, a Domination got him. I rested, and when I awoke, he was normal again.

That b1tch Lady Delcia Caan (Nalia's mom) dissed me, so I cast Domination on her. Show her who she's trying to boss around!

When I got out of the keep, she was hostile, but didn't attack me. I cast Feeblemind on her. That's permanent.

How's this: I'm solo, but when I try to walk out of the keep, I hear: "You must gather your party before venturing forth.". ???

Some Umber Hulks tried to confuse me, but Berserk made sure I could care less, and Minor Spell Turning got one of their own.

Nalia gives me the Keep despite the fact that I dedicated my life to magic now. I don't object. Whoever designed the Keep sure never used it, I guess. It's such a bother! I have to walk all over the map and suffer various load times just to get my money.

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Sat Aug 18, 2001 4:50 pm

(previous post continued: I got some annoying message telling me "not to use more than 8 images"...)

Back in town I decided to do the much lauded Mae'Var quest. This guy gives me 50K XP for just fetching a stupid amulet, and when I take his letter to Renal Bloodscalp, I get another 50K XP! 100K for just walking around!

I'm level 9/12 by now, but Edwin is obviously not impressed (even though I have more XP than him), because he sends me to collect some stuff for him two houses down the road... Could he not have hired some poor fools to do this work for him? This is no job for a man of my stature!

Ah, well... it sure pays good. After Mae'Var gets what's coming to him, I visit the Mart and get Vecna's Robe and the Bracers of Defense AC 3 (so I can finally stop casting Armor every time I wake up). This is finally starting to look like something. The Robe of Vecna must be awesome in melee.

Wondering what to do next...

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Sun Aug 19, 2001 12:16 am

Originally posted by Xyx:
Why's that? No (true) vowels?

If you have to ask, you'll never know.

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Sun Aug 19, 2001 2:06 pm

hi all??
sup?
how are our new members??
did u all pst something about your char.???
and did u vote our members a 5 star rating ??
because that's what u must do when u become a memeber from the Shadow mages

ain't that right Ed ???

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Sun Aug 19, 2001 2:30 pm

Quiet day for Zhycxss... (I was busy testing enemy AI scripts

)

Ran around to get Xzar killed. Bashed the Tanner and some Rune Assassins. Picked lots of scrolls from bodies, which got me to level 13. Went to Trademeet.

Mislead is SOOO OVERPOWERED!

I had no idea! Especially against Mages that cast all those confusion/panic/charm spells. I just let the decoy run around and butcher everyone while remaining completely invisible all the time.

Even if they kill the decoy, I do not immediately become visible.

Melf's Minute Meteors are the greatest! The damn things also make your off-hand attack!

Ever seen someone get hit by The Sleeper from across half the screen?

BTW, does anyone know where I can get a Scroll of Project Image? I'll have level 7 spells soon, and that means Cheese(TM)!

Fezek · Post by **Fezek** » Sun Aug 19, 2001 9:27 pm

Originally posted by Xyx:

I'll have level 7 spells soon, and that means Cheese(TM)!

Xyx, what is your favorite cheese spell? Your list is great, but hard to determine which one is fave.

Edwin · Post by **Edwin** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 6:58 am

Hello everyone!!!!
Now, with the high lvl abilities added, i think the spell to be choosen from a sorcerer at lvl 9 are a bit different...
I mean, now i think that the first 9th lvl spell to be choosen is chain contingency (with 3 abi dalzim....

). That's because you can now choose a 10th lvl spell (like dragon's breath for example....)....
What do you think of this????

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 8:26 am

Originally posted by Fezek:
Xyx, what is your favorite cheese spell?

Project Image takes the cake IMHO.

Nearly limitless potential. If you're level 30 or something, Simulacrum gets level 9 spells and becomes much better, though.

Other spells I depend heavily on whilst soloing are:

Armor (before I had the Robe of Vecna, cast after resting)
Knock
Strength (before I had the Girdle of Giant Strength, cast after resting)
Melf's Minute Meteors (cast after resting)
Stoneskin (cast after resting)
Minor Spell Turning (to protect from nasty traps, lasts pretty long)

Also immensely useful:

Friends (10% discount when buying, at least, with my rep)
Protection from Evil (2 point AC and save bonus)
Blur
Mirror Image
Skull Trap (both before and during combat)
Haste
Improved Invisibility (before I had Mislead)
Breach (to take down Protection from Magical Weapons; the only thing Melf's will not get through)

Edwin · Post by **Edwin** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 8:33 am

I also realized how useful Glitterdust can be....with a 2nd lvl spell you're able to make enemies visible and if they don't save vs spell they're also blinded....really good and useful.

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Mon Aug 20, 2001 5:06 pm

Zhycxss did more stuff...

Walked around Trademeet trying to get some info on the Rakshasi. Nobody wants to talk about it! Yeesh, do they want the Dao to go away or not!?

Went the Druid Grove, killed all kinds of Trolls and Shadow Druids, then ran into Cernd again. He immediately wants to go clobber Faldorn, but I want to cast a few spells on him to make sure he beats her. Since he has a blue circle, I cannot Haste him. Since I have to talk to him to start the battle, I cannot cast Improved Invisibility on him.

Turns out not to be necessary at all; Cernd shifts to Greater Wolfwere like a true powergamer and hands Faldorn her a$$ before she can even shapechange.

I seek out the Rakshasi. Improved Invisibility is deadly against spellcasters!

Ithafeer - Spell Ineffective
Ithafeer - Spell Ineffective
Ithafeer - Spell Ineffective

Hey, what's that smell coming out of my backpack? Oh-oh, it's the body of Aegisfield... That's about a week past its date now.

Better get back to town.

I stop by the Crooked Crane to beat up the resident Lich (I ran away from him after stealing Daystar). Must've been a month since I've seen him, but he still hasn't rememorized his Chain Contingency! 5 Melf's and an off-hand hit with Belm +2 (from 20 feet away!) reduces him to chunks.

After dropping off Aegisfield's remains, I stop by to see Vicky. I listen to what all the folks standing around have to say, and talk to each of them. Just when I try to take her off the pyre (my finger already descending on the mouse button), she's struck by some huge Flame Strike and croaks! I may be soloing, but I might wanna talk to her again sometime: Reload...

Back to Trademeet to be proclaimed hero. I try all kinds of crazy stuff to get a non-standard statue: Polymorph Self (can't talk while polymorphed

), Mislead, Spell Immunity, Mirror Image; it makes no difference, I get a boring statue that does not even hold weapons! What am I, the first pacifist Berserker on earth?

The Tanner is foolish enough to show up again: Die, you bastard!

I've reached level 14, the seat of Cheesy Power(tm). Does anyone know where I can find a Scroll of Project Image?

TheDude · Post by **TheDude** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 4:39 am

WOHO!!
ad last i'm a elite!!!

1000 posts!!!
come to the SYM board and celebrate with me

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 9:38 am

Right, Zhycxss doesn't know when to quit.

Beat up Mencar & Co today. Nothing that three sequenced Skull Traps, a Mislead and a severe bashing with the Flail of Ages wouldn't handle. Not a scratch.

Walking is boring! I Ctrl+J all over the place in areas I've already been through a couple of times (such as the ever aggravating D'Arnise Keep, with its multiple Save/Load area transitions

). It was clearly time to get the the Boots.

Beat up the sewer party. Much tougher battle (although the sequenced Skull Traps did their work rather well). Some annoying wizard throws Symbol - Fear at me before I had the time to Berserk, and I failed my save.

Hasted as I was, I ran all over the place like some crazed roadrunner! Fortunately, I ran away from the group and only the hatchet-guy came after me. Man, those Symbols last long!

Ran through half of the sewers several times before it finally wore off, Mr. Hatchet trying to keep up with me all the time. My script kept casting Stoneskin every now and then.

(Mental note: make script that runs away and casts Invisibility when panicked

). When it finally wore off (after bashing Mr. Hatchet), a second helping of sequenced Skull Traps took care of the leftovers.

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 9:43 am

[double post...]

Hey, wait... That's my first double post ever! B)

[ 08-21-2001: Message edited by: Xyx ]

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 9:45 am

[continued from above (another annoying "only 8 images per post" message)]

Up into Mekrath's home I go. Big deja vu here; place looks familiar!

Mekrath is a wuss; he can't even take a Minor Sequencer with Magic Missiles to the head without falling over dead.

I find a Scroll of Contingency! My Cheese Power Level instantly rises another notch!

It can be cast while the game is paused, and can be cast regardless of whether you've just cast another spell. I am tempted to use it for "free" in-battle Glitterdusts or Stoneskins

, but decide upon Helpless: Invisibility in the end.

Save Haer'Dalis yada yada, I go to the Planar Prison. Whoa, this place is something else! Big fights and phat lewt everywhere. And the Boots! Mine at last!

The place is crawling with high level Mages (Yuan'Tis included), but they are no match for me, my Skeleton Warrior (just broke level 15

) and my Wand of Cloudkill. There's so much stuff here that I cannot even carry half of it.

I try to conserve my spells (and Berserk) a bit here, and as a result I get immobilized twice.

Not good, but in each case my Contingency gets me out of trouble.

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 9:46 am

[last one to go! (For now

)]

Lots of off-screen fighting going on after I destroy the Orb of Mastery. I'm half-dead and almost out of spells, but decide to take a look anyway. I send in my shock troop (which has been rather durable) and an Air Elemental from the Staff of Air. I take a look, drop in a Cloudkill from the Wand, then get out and wait for the fighting to calm down. And, lo and behold, after 5 minutes the noise ceases and my trusty Skeleton Warrior comes walking back to me.

Turns out he killed the Warden as well (which I never even laid eyes on). Good boy. B)

I save Haer'Dalis & Co again (yeesh, what is it with these people?) and sprint off to Ribald to sell my phat lewt. 40K gold gets me the cheesiest helm in the game: Vhailor's Helm. Intent on exploiting the damn thing to the fullest, I help myself to a Scroll of Protection from Magic.

Still no Project Image!

Where is the damn thing? Anyone know where I can find it? Or any nice high-level scrolls for my simmy? Time Stop would be nice.

Kayless · Post by **Kayless** » Tue Aug 21, 2001 11:05 am

Originally posted by TheDude:
WOHO!!
ad last i'm a elite!!!
1000 posts!!!
come to the SYM board and celebrate with me

Good for you Dude.

I'll have to hop in to your SYM party.