I'd like to ask two questions : one is if the Drow get across the river, is that Cavallas (the boatman) who helps them? I see that you are given the option to kill him, so if one did so, would that stop the Drow getting in? I'm presuming not, but I'd like to find a way to keep them out - Grrrr!
Secondly - any tips for this battle? I used up most of my magic simply stopping the enemy getting in. We got down to me fighting off hordes of Drow with the tiny assistance of Deekin (I gave him loads of scrolls and a couple of wands I had crafted, but he didn't get much of a chance to use them). The first time around, I went up to command a Ballistra and ended up getting Valean killed - I didn't see how, but when I ran down to stop the enemy getting in, he had disapeared from my party. Also, I cast a spell at the Lair Pit creature and suddenly, Deekin said, "What have you done?" Alt eh Drow truned a friendly green and the Seer's troops turned into enemies. Then they turned back. Then I died.
Second time around, I beat the enemy back from the gates, but ended up in the courtyard and got mashed. I've looekd at the walk through and I've basically done what it said - shoudl I have left more troops with the Seer? Maybe the Golems and whatshername? Lavona?
I can't understand why it's such a hard fight for my character, she's 28th level pure wizard, and the Valsharess has NO allies. She has the Nameless Light souped up to +6 enhancemnet (+5 more points against Evil), regeneration, level drain, electrical damage, keen, permentantly hasted (I had a lot of gold) and true sight......which I don't think helps in this case, but anyway....and Enserric, with added regeneration, level drain. She is a two weapon fighter so that's no problem. I took out Vix'xthra with no problems at all. But we get down to basically hand to hand combat and that's it.
Help with Seer battle (MAJOR spoilers for HotU)
Help with Seer battle (MAJOR spoilers for HotU)
"And she'll be facing......VODKA! Over to John Anderson."
That's a pretty tough battle. I positioned the marksmen in the two towers, one group of swordsmen near the inner walls, one around the outer walls, and one in the courtyard.I sent the winged guy to guard the Seer and the Golem to guard the outer walls. I recommend you to go up in one of the towers and bombard the enemy with massdestructing spells like Ice Storm, Meteor Swarm, Sunburts etc.When the demons appear in the courtyard use Isaac's Greater Missile Storm to finish them off (when I ran out of them I beat the rest up with my Enserric).
When they flee and you return to the inner part of the city, I recommend you to transform yourself into a Red Dragon with the Shapeshift spell (in this form I beat up the whole lot easily). When the third wawe digs through the earth I just bet them up.
P.S.: Check the difficultymode in the Game Options Page. Maybe it's in the hardcore mode and that's the reason why you killed Valen.
GOOD LUCK
When they flee and you return to the inner part of the city, I recommend you to transform yourself into a Red Dragon with the Shapeshift spell (in this form I beat up the whole lot easily). When the third wawe digs through the earth I just bet them up.
P.S.: Check the difficultymode in the Game Options Page. Maybe it's in the hardcore mode and that's the reason why you killed Valen.
GOOD LUCK-
JackOfClubs
- Posts: 823
- Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2002 1:51 pm
- Location: California, USA
- Contact:
I don't think Cavallas is in league with the Drow if that is what you are asking. They simply attack from the docks as a poorly defended area. If you didn't hold back the besiegers at the main gate, they will attack from both directions (though in separate waves, I think). I am pretty sure killilng Cavallas would not prevent that attack, though I have not tried it.
With regard to strategy, I would definitely send the golems and the diva back to guard the seer. The golems especially can get in your way in the cramped quarters of the city gate area. I didn't find Lavonna to be terribly helpful, but I wasn't really paying too much attention to her.
It is tempting for a spell caster or archer to try to fight from the towers, but I couldn't find a way to do this effectively. Casting buffing spells (especially haste) on the defenders seems to be a more effective option.
I mainly used melee fighting to win this battle so I don't have much advice on how to play a pure spell caster. One obvious thing would be to get as many spell-castiing items, such as wands, staves, etc., to avoid depleting your spell book.
If you try it again and still get killed, take special note of your battle text so that you can pinpoint exactly what is getting you. It is a little hard to give advice without knowing what the problem is.
With regard to strategy, I would definitely send the golems and the diva back to guard the seer. The golems especially can get in your way in the cramped quarters of the city gate area. I didn't find Lavonna to be terribly helpful, but I wasn't really paying too much attention to her.
It is tempting for a spell caster or archer to try to fight from the towers, but I couldn't find a way to do this effectively. Casting buffing spells (especially haste) on the defenders seems to be a more effective option.
I mainly used melee fighting to win this battle so I don't have much advice on how to play a pure spell caster. One obvious thing would be to get as many spell-castiing items, such as wands, staves, etc., to avoid depleting your spell book.
If you try it again and still get killed, take special note of your battle text so that you can pinpoint exactly what is getting you. It is a little hard to give advice without knowing what the problem is.
Resistance to Tyrants is Service to God.
Thanks for the response guys, I have to confess I actually managed to do it yesterday. When I went up to the catapult last time, I tried hitting the Drow with Chain Lightning etc. and it said I couldn't target them becasue I didn't have line of sight. It took several attempts to win (I was sick and tried off listening the Valsharess' offer by the end - tried to find the quickest, rudest way to say no!), but I got there.
My main problem was that when I was reduced to Melee, my Wizard didn't seem to do a great deal of damage, whereas the Drow would take off at least 10 hit points with every strike. My 180 hit point character was therefore reduced to dust even with a +4 hitpoint boost every round. I failed twice even without me dying, because the Seer got killed (still don't know how that happoened, I engaged the Drow head on as they ran in, and somehow they got to her. I can only presume there was a Marksman I had not noticed who managed to pick her off).
I put one lot of Marksmen in one Outer tower (left) and one lot on an Inner (right). This way, there was a crossfire in the courtyard, even though the enemy broke in with considerable ease. I used my Red Dragon itn the Courtyard (My Dragon knight, not my transfiguration - he is AWESOME!) and my Mummy. Draggy survived to the retreat. Lavona and Golems went to the Seer. I had one lot of Swordsmen with her too, and they held up the Drow long enough for me to get some spells off and to sneakily revive Valenn (he managed to make it to the retreat too, this time. I think the trick is to stay close to the Seer for the Healing spells she casts. It was a close thing, but she saved my bacon. One nitpick was that I also revived Naryya, but as she hadn't been in my party, she just stood around and let the Drow run past her. Guess she was confused by her revival! I should have remembered my Celestial Avenger too, he was very useful when he was reduced to fighting hand to hand.
I was very worried when I was going to be put up against the Valsharess as I had virtually no spells at all, but thank heavens, they were all there for the final battle. My Red Dragon soon polished her off. And so I'm on to the next bit!! Whay-hey!! What am I going to do when I finish this....?!
My main problem was that when I was reduced to Melee, my Wizard didn't seem to do a great deal of damage, whereas the Drow would take off at least 10 hit points with every strike. My 180 hit point character was therefore reduced to dust even with a +4 hitpoint boost every round. I failed twice even without me dying, because the Seer got killed (still don't know how that happoened, I engaged the Drow head on as they ran in, and somehow they got to her. I can only presume there was a Marksman I had not noticed who managed to pick her off).
I put one lot of Marksmen in one Outer tower (left) and one lot on an Inner (right). This way, there was a crossfire in the courtyard, even though the enemy broke in with considerable ease. I used my Red Dragon itn the Courtyard (My Dragon knight, not my transfiguration - he is AWESOME!) and my Mummy. Draggy survived to the retreat. Lavona and Golems went to the Seer. I had one lot of Swordsmen with her too, and they held up the Drow long enough for me to get some spells off and to sneakily revive Valenn (he managed to make it to the retreat too, this time. I think the trick is to stay close to the Seer for the Healing spells she casts. It was a close thing, but she saved my bacon. One nitpick was that I also revived Naryya, but as she hadn't been in my party, she just stood around and let the Drow run past her. Guess she was confused by her revival! I should have remembered my Celestial Avenger too, he was very useful when he was reduced to fighting hand to hand.
I was very worried when I was going to be put up against the Valsharess as I had virtually no spells at all, but thank heavens, they were all there for the final battle. My Red Dragon soon polished her off. And so I'm on to the next bit!! Whay-hey!! What am I going to do when I finish this....?!
"And she'll be facing......VODKA! Over to John Anderson."