BG2: favourite contingencies/sequencers?
Jonathan K.
better. Right now I tend to use:
Minor sequencer: Magic Missile, Melf's Acid Arrow--just for a burst
of damage.
Spell sequencer: Secret Word, Spell Thrust, Chromatic Orb--bring down
some mage defenses and then bitchslap.
Contingency: Improved Invisibility at 50% of hit points. The idea is
that my main character being a mage, if for whatever reasons she's
taking a bad pounding, will be able to get away from the fray.
I'm sure I'm not using these to best advantage. Ideas?
jkk
Henry Lockwood
> of damage.
Minor sequencers are, IMO, best used something like this.
> Spell sequencer: Secret Word, Spell Thrust, Chromatic Orb--bring down
> some mage defenses and then bitchslap.
I prefer Greater Malison - Fireball - Fireball as a way to do lots of nasty
things to lots of nasty people.
> Contingency: Improved Invisibility at 50% of hit points. The idea is
> that my main character being a mage, if for whatever reasons she's
> taking a bad pounding, will be able to get away from the fray.
A good use. Stoneskin is another one to consider.
The real fun comes in preparing Spell Triggers. I prefer 3xPierce Magic for
use against spellcasters and dragons, or Greater Malison followed by 2x
Chain Lightning.
T.J....@durham.ac.uk
> I have limited experience with these and would like to use them
> better. Right now I tend to use:
> Minor sequencer: Magic Missile, Melf's Acid Arrow--just for a burst
> of damage.
Agree.
> Spell sequencer: Secret Word, Spell Thrust, Chromatic Orb--bring down
> some mage defenses and then bitchslap.
Triple Skull Trap, although the fact that you can't target the ground
when you cast them from a sequencer makes it less useful.
> Contingency: Improved Invisibility at 50% of hit points. The idea is
> that my main character being a mage, if for whatever reasons she's
> taking a bad pounding, will be able to get away from the fray.
I've found that they can often still target you if they're already
trying to hit you. ISTR that drawback's the major difference between Imp
Imvisibility and Shadow Door.
I normally just put a Stoneskin in this.
Tom
--
What a strange place to put a walrus.
- Baron Greenback
ms
great on anything with protective magics. Putting the pierce magic first
will remove deflections and reflections, breach most everything else, and
then lower resistance so your own spells can pound them.
For spell sequencer, three lightning bolts will kill almost anything,
especially if you removed the protections.
"Jonathan K." <apostate.get...@gte.dontneedthispart.net> wrote in
message news:br6s6vo2h2vvo1dnl...@4ax.com...
Transit
helpless". So when I get paralyzed or confused or whatever, it promptly goes
away.
(as does everyone's buffs, but it's a rare enough occurrence that I live with
it)
Troll
> My favorite trigger: Pierce magic, breach, and lower resistance - works
> great on anything with protective magics. Putting the pierce magic first
> will remove deflections and reflections, breach most everything else, and
> then lower resistance so your own spells can pound them.
>
> For spell sequencer, three lightning bolts will kill almost anything,
> especially if you removed the protections.
outdoors and you didn't have to worry about reflections. In BG2, so much
of the game takes places indoors that lightning bolts are very risky in
most encounters, especially since the bolts rebound at wildly
implausible (and, so far as I can tell, random) angles.
feroce
> Hmm, I loved lightning bolts in BG, when a lot of the combat was
> outdoors and you didn't have to worry about reflections. In BG2, so much
> of the game takes places indoors that lightning bolts are very risky in
> most encounters, especially since the bolts rebound at wildly
> implausible (and, so far as I can tell, random) angles.
Try three Flame Arrows instead. This is an instakill against enemy mages,
as long as you take down their protections first...
feroce
istara
Gosh - I have just realised I finished the whole game never bothering
to try a single sequencer. Nor even a spell recall. I never used the
Book of Infinite spells or that Rod of Randomness(?? the one worth
50,000 gold).
I did do some limited wishes though, including the "adventure like no
other". Which was very like most of the minor quests in the game, so
I don't get what was different/exciting/special about it.
Jonathan Ellis
<T.J....@durham.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:b4l7g4$tkt$1...@sirius.dur.ac.uk...
Good contingencies include Shadow Door, Stoneskin (upon being
sufficiently damaged): Shadow Door upon being rendered helpless
(whether through fear, stunning, knocked out or whatever).
Contingency: Haste upon enemy sighted, will save you a 3rd-level spell
slot you can use for a Fireball.
I like to mix Pierce Shields and Lower Resistances in a Spell Trigger.
For earlier dragons, who generally use just one anti-spell spell, use
one Pierce SHield and two Lower Resistances: for later ones, who have
a tendency to use two anti-spell spells, use two Pierce Shields and
one Lower Resistnace, fire it off, then have your other mage cast
Lower Resistance too.
A nice protective Spell Trigger is Mislead/Stoneskin/Globe of
Invulnerability. Or, if you don't need the stoneskins, Mislead/Globe
of Invulnerability/Spell Shield (the latter will prevent the first
spell attack that tries to bring down the Globe.) For best effect,
then cast Spell Immunity:Divination, and your Mislead will never be
destroyed by a True Sight.
Another nice defensive Spell Trigger is Protection from Magical
Weapons/Globe of Invulnerability/Spell Shield.
Minor Sequencers I usually fill up with Magic Missiles and/or Melf's
Acid Arrows, but usually Magic Missiles only.
Chain Contingencies are the most fun. Use mainly when you're certain
you're going to be facing a tough enemy. One of my favourites is "two
mordy swords and Haste, in that order", on "enemy sighted". Triple
Pierce Shield works well against Demogorgon, provided you can make
sure he's the first thing your mage sees (bring him down the stairs at
the right moment, or summon Demogorgon without leaving the chamber so
that he appears first before summoning any minions.)
Also nice is Protection from Magical Weapons, Spell Turning, Spell
Shield. The former to make you immune from magical weapons: the Spell
Turning to prevent any attempts at breaching: and the Spell Shield to
prevent the first attempt to dispel the Spell Turning...
For Aerie: try a Spell Sequencer: Greater Malison/Doom/*anything*.
Nuke the guy's saving throw by combining clerical and mage spells in
your cleric/mage's spell sequencer, then blast him with something
nasty. (Chromatic Orb works well in a Spell Sequencer, as you can't
have spells of higher than 4th level in a Sequencer. In a Spell
Trigger, try something like Disintegrate or Flesh to Stone. In a Chain
Contingency, use it with Finger of Death...
Also nice is Aerie's Instant All-Summoning Chain Contingency (once
she's got the high-level cleric abilities near the end of ToB, and has
enough XP to cast Chain Contingency as a mage): 1x Summon Deva (from
cleric spell list), 1x Summon Elemental (likewise), 1x Mordenkainen's
Sword (from mage spell list), then cast Haste on the lot from a second
mage...
Jonathan.
Troll
arrow since I got the Robe of Vecna for my PC. With the casting speed
bonus, it's basically just like MM, only doing twice the damage. Very Nice:)
Henry Lockwood
> arrow since I got the Robe of Vecna for my PC. With the casting speed
> bonus, it's basically just like MM, only doing twice the damage. Very
Nice:)
Wait until you get Imp. Alacrity. You can hurl out 8 Flame Arrows, 8 Acid
Arrows, 8 Magic Missiles, all in zero time. Once you've lowered their MR
(Oh yes, that's instantaneous too) even dragons don't stand a chance.
T.J....@durham.ac.uk
> Nice:)
Interestingly, Dragon's Breath is instantaneous, but ADHW isn't (that's
with Vecna and AoPower, obviously).
Tom
--
How do you expect me to get through a de-tox day without
caffeine and lard?
-Kimmy
Henry Lockwood
> with Vecna and AoPower, obviously).
However, DB doesn't take effect until about 2 seconds _after_ it's cast, as
the head has to appear. But yes, it's a nice one to use if you've got spare
9th level spells.
Scobin
You may also consider Mirror Image and Blur (defensive) or two Chromatic
Orbs.
> Spell sequencer: Secret Word, Spell Thrust, Chromatic Orb
I think that Flame Arrow will work better than Chromatic Orb there. It is
a higher level spell and thus does more damage. Chromatic Orbs are better
in Minor Sequencers.
Besides, I've always used to put defensive spells in that one. You can have
for instance Improved Invisibility and Non-Detection there, along with some
other spell that you consider useful (like Stoneskin). This should be able
to bring you out of combat whenever you wish. Also try the combination that
enemy mages seem to use very often: Stoneskin + Improved Invisibility + Fire
Shield (or Ethereal Armor).
Note that one of the most interesting Sequencers when dealing with melee
fighters is Greater Malison, Confusion and Emotions.
> Contingency: Improved Invisibility at 50% of hit points. The idea is
> that my main character being a mage, if for whatever reasons she's
> taking a bad pounding, will be able to get away from the fray.
Shadow Door is better than Improved Invisibility (although you may not have
it in your Contingency before level 15). You may also consider putting
Stoneskin or Protection from Magical Weapons (the second one comes only when
your mage is level 18, though, and that may take time) into Contingency.
> I'm sure I'm not using these to best advantage. Ideas?
What's the experience level of your PC? When do you think you'll hit level
18?
> jkk
--
Best regards,
Stanislaw "Scobin" Krawczyk
If there are any lingustic mistakes in this letter, please point them out to
me. I'll be thankful.