Oh there IS a Keen bastard sword around btw, just not where you'd expect to find one.
A pure ranger is indeed rare. I'll be going for a 25/5 build which is very close to pure and I spoke to a few peeps last night IG who also are going near pure rangers too...so mayhaps its a new trend...
Don't forget the winter spiders (frozenfar) and frostspiders (Brog) for Vermin. Vine Spiders (Amia Forest), She-kats (spider valley), summoned spiders (drow, druids, etc). Also, bugs in various places across Amia makes it very useful. Its just useful as a favoured animal to clean up quickly since so many areas are full of vermin. Forrstakkr rats are another such nuisance, though they've been nerfed greatly. They used to be the toughest thing on the isle and as a pack could take down a Cave Bear.
_________________ Illithira Frostmaiden (Snow Elf) Guardian of the Frostfell Elithiel Issatheerin (Shadow Elf) She who Lurks Isolia Oussea'lylth (Sun Elf) Apprentice Wizardess
Blade Thirst means Keen as a weapon property is actually undesirable; you're better stripping it off and adding Vampy Regen or Massive Crits or an ability boost.
I got to the Abyss Temple shop alone in my Ftr11/WM14 yesterday.
Plainly he has no access to GS, nor epic Hide/MS and as I found out to my displeasure, I've forgotten to give him a token point in Disable Trap.
The wonders of a big stack of Invisibility and Haste items, and merry bushels of healing kits/potions meant he made it anyway.
The earliest I've been without GS was level 12, but that was a pure Monk who simply ran out of perception range so fast the casters couldn't hurt him.
Fighting your way there is a different animal altogether. That needs the usual mix of Tank/Cannon/Buffer, with extra ease of pwn coming from Debuffing/Disabling.
I'd believe what your battle log reads over what your character sheet says, and I'd believe both before I took the word of someone on the forum.
Check your battle log or client log for crits on 15 and 16 if you want to be totally sure it's Keened.
I cast it on my companion and searched through my client log after a a hunting session, but I couldn't see any crits except on 20's. It wasn't the world's longest hunt, so I can't discount bad luck, but I don't think it Keens them.
The earliest I've been without GS was level 12, but that was a pure Monk who simply ran out of perception range so fast the casters couldn't hurt him.
Lvl6 (5druid, 1 shifter) can do it without much problems as well.
Invis, FoM, bubbly, haste and some type of heal potions needed.
Tenarii will cast on you, but will only get in one spell which you can be immune to.
The traps on bridge are covered by your immunity and healpotions (for those traps that do minor damage, the big hitters you're not immune against are easy to dodge).
Only issue is that at lvl6 in general your HP is too low, so if you get stuck you're dead... + you don't have enough cash for a good shopping.
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Anyway, going to the Abyss shop at levels 6-12 is still based on the fact that you, at some point earlier, have fought your way with a high level character trough blood, flesh and gore to get to a point where you can start to explore the area. Once you're familiar with it and you know where to run and why, it might be easy enough to get there with a level 6. It's that point, finding a party who wants to go there and is willing to pay for the effort in time and heal potions, that I haven't found yet.
(I just assume it's the same to the Gauntlet shop then? a lvl 6 can do it?)
soundofastream wrote:
Someone yesterday said that Bladethirst don't work with anything but slashing weapons..yet..it seems to work fine on my rapier..what is true?
Also, does Bladethirst work on your animal companion? It says its does in NWN wiki...
It's altered in Amia and works on any melee weapon now, it last's longer too and gives the weapon +5 enchantment at level 21. It also works on a summon with a weapon in it's hands (Hound archon/Erinye for instance) but not on animals. Check the sidebar for altered spells in Amia.
It's that point, finding a party who wants to go there and is willing to pay for the effort in time and heal potions, that I haven't found yet.
Try hanging out in Zanshibon. A fighting Abyss run is worth ~8,000XP, so it's a popular stomping ground. I doubt you'd need to wait more than an hour, even if you didn't Partyball for buddies.
Joined: 16 Dec 2005 Location: on the couch (-6 GMT)
swe_west_coast wrote:
Dakotaen wrote:
:shock: You've been around for nearly three years, and haven't ever been to that particular shop? Wow.
Yes, isn't it marvellous that there are still things that I don't know about. There are a lot of other things I don't know yet: -Why is a dryad stuck in a tree west of Kohlingen? -Why is a tree shimmering outside Cordor? -How do I find the key to the door in the second tier in the old duergar mine? -What strange bush grow behind the troglodyte mound? -What is "spice" used for -How is it inside the drow city? (I've never created a drow) All these little things actually makes me keep playing. If everything was easily revealed after some days of play, things would be boring. These kinds of oddities tickles my mind and keep me going.
There are other things that I do have found out in game though: -The yuan-ti shop -What spider eye root is good for -How to find gear hearts -Who makes poisoned arrows -What obsidian shrapnels are used for -Where to hunt a dragon -What paintings on the walls really can be used for -Where to find wolvesbane
After three years of play, my highest level character is level 26, and I have never been through Abyss and I have never been to the Gauntlet, whatever it might be. But give me time and the right company and I'm sure I'll find it, not that I need to, as several other have stated, I have the spell "Blade thirst" anyway, but just to satisfy my curiosity.
I've played here for 4 years, I have one epic PC at lvl 27, and I know about 1/2 the info you do.
So don't feel bad, we each play/learn at our own pace. I have to admit that I've been to each of the abyss and gauntlet shops once, so I'm ahead of ya there, but that was long ago...no idea what those areas are like these days, with so many server changes.
I'm glad to read this thread; I have a lvl 4 ranger and I was wondering about favored enemies. My ranger will have 5 Fav Enemies. Sounds like the best choices are:
Question about animals/beasts/magical beasts. Can anyone clear this up? Which is the best to choose in the long term i.e. epic? I can only pick one of these.
Last edited by Dervish on Mon, Dec 15 2008, 17:53 PM, edited 1 time in total.
I made a real effort tonight, tried to run to the shop with shiploads of haste and invisibility potions. I did run past all enemies, even though several quite obvious spotted me. All the way to a temple deep in the desert... (I was looking for a temple, according to the forum it's a shop in there). There I ran into two traps in a row (I was hasted...) and died faster than I coud say ooops. Point is that there were other enemies around so only way to get through without a fight is to be skilled enough to remove the epic DC 30 traps while invisible and in stealth mode.
Seriously, I don't buy the "I can do it at level 6" statement.
Dervish wrote:
I'm glad to read this thread; I have a lvl 4 ranger and I was wondering about favored enemies. My ranger will have 5 Fav Enemies. Sounds like the best choices are:
Question about animals/beasts/magical beasts. Can anyone clear this up? Which is the best to choose in the long term i.e. epic? I can only pick one of these.
Don't take animals/beasts/magical beasts at all.
Epic, I would say:
Giants, aberrations, outsiders, undead and reptilian (for yuan-tis and sahuagins).
Vermins are good all way through level 1-30.
Don't take beasts, to my knowledge, no critter in Amia are beasts. Magical beasts mainly for sphinxs and manticores, but that is no real big deal since you can dominate them instead. The worst true animals around are, to my knowledge, the icebears in Brogenstein wilderness and they are not dangerous in epic levels.
If you take reptilian at level 5, you have use for it through the kobold caves and troglodyte mound at low levels. In level 20+ you have use for it against yuan-ti's and sahuagins.
If you take giants at level 5 you have use for it when hunting trolls, ettins in Amia forest, ogres around Minmir bridge and giants in the spire in epic levels.
If you take undead at level 5 you have use for it in Cordor sewers, in black castle (? outside the trolls), the flaming crypt and electric castle around level 15, nes'ek desert around level 20 and the vampire castle in epic levels. Not to mention in PvP agains necromancer players.
If you take human at level 5 there are plenty of them all the way up to the barbarians around Brog when you're around lvl 20. Good n PvP after that.
If you take elves you can measure up against all PvP happy drows.
Yeah we get it already. Amia is easy to solo on even with a ranger...
Quote:
Aid is your most important spell (AB +1 and last 1 turn/level), buy a scabbard/potions that give bless and you have another +1 AB there for both you and your animal companion. Be a junkie on bulls might (+1-2 AB and damage), rhinos stamina (more HP and better +1-2 fortitude saves), lesser mind blank (a must for a fighter and its pet) and speed potions (+4 AC and one extra attack). Especially the extra AC from speed is usually your key to survival.
The above whilst necessary in some areas really are just a crutch. If you learn about your character and the spawns, it is possible to do without some of these and earn ''Badass points'' . Or you could just use them and guarentee victory.
Otherwise although damning (the lack of viability of a dex based skill focused ranger makes me a sad panda) its a fairly acurate write up.
OOC information like this as far as hunting is frowned upon. Building tips is one thing, hunting guides are completely different. We don't need a leveling guide.
As far as 'losing dex ac', everyone and their dog gets +4/5 dodge boots, and tumble, including str builds. A wisely built dexxer has uncanny dodge.
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I still think Wyjjyn is right. You choose your favoured enemies based upon whom your character chooses to hunt. For instance, you might take favoured goblinoids. You then go and hunt down the Buck tooth clan when you're in epic levels. Great for gnome and hin rangers.
You choose Elves if you're a shevarrashan, so you can hunt down Drow in the UD.
That is, I advocate a mixture of PvM and PvP choices of Favoured Enemies rather than just one or the other.
Yes, sure, Bear and Boar are the toughest animals, but ever seen a bear or boar in the Underdark? Not likely. Get it reskinned or choose rat or badger. Select for RP as well as for build.
_________________ Illithira Frostmaiden (Snow Elf) Guardian of the Frostfell Elithiel Issatheerin (Shadow Elf) She who Lurks Isolia Oussea'lylth (Sun Elf) Apprentice Wizardess
Or just get a party and play whatever build you want to. I have a dex ranger archer. I can solo pretty easily upto level 17 which she is now. And thats pure ranger baby!
Yes, sure, Bear and Boar are the toughest animals, but ever seen a bear or boar in the Underdark? Not likely. Get it reskinned or choose rat or badger. Select for RP as well as for build.
Nice idea in theory, utterly impractical in reality. Alot of players simple do not have the DC's to spare on what is just a cosmetic change for the pet (when you could spend those DC's on levelling, items, custom spells, widgets etc).
Secondly what does the brand new player do who rolls up an underdark race? They haven't earned any DC's yet and so are stuck with an unsuitable companion for ages until the DC's are earned. It is one of the problems inherent in the DC mechanism, not having enough available when you actually want something. ie only long-term players or high level characters have the DC's to affect changes that really ought to be apparent from day one.
Otherwise I agree with the sentiment. Sometimes mechanical choices should have a basis in roleplay.
It is one of the problems inherent in the DC mechanism, not having enough available when you actually want something. ie only long-term players or high level characters have the DC's to affect changes that really ought to be apparent from day one.
You don't need DCs to affect change. The DC cost of the creation of the new Drow houses near L'Obsul is exactly zero.
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I motion for the entire post to be deleted on ground sof OOc walkthrough
Seconded.
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It is one of the problems inherent in the DC mechanism, not having enough available when you actually want something. ie only long-term players or high level characters have the DC's to affect changes that really ought to be apparent from day one.
You don't need DCs to affect change. The DC cost of the creation of the new Drow houses near L'Obsul is exactly zero.
You need DC's if its to do with customising your character for example. Why is it free to have a drow house built but you have to pay 10 DCs to reskin your wolf to a white wolf for example? I'm not even being cheeky, im just genuinely curious. Is it far more work to do the skin change?
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. Or you could just use them and guarentee victory.
