Final Battle in the Ascension mod *spoiler*

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I installed the Ascension mod and I got to the final battle more or less painlessly. However, as soon I started the fight I got ripped to shreds. After Irenicus' initial spells only my main character and Sarevok were standing (I play as a Cavalier). I thought the final battles in the original were tough. This completely took me by surprise. Any hints? My party is composed of a Cavalier, Volygar, Sarevok, Imoen, Aerie and Sir Anomen. And I have Balthazar (spelling?) with me.

 

I needed quite a few reloads to get through this. Try to get Irenicus to target one character with high hit points and magic resistance, while the rest run away. Obviously, this means your cavalier, with Carsomyr or the Purifier. You'll probably survive easily, then get everyone to gang up on individual enemies. Try to get Imoen to go for someone with good AC and hitpoints, she'll recover eventually.
I have to confess, I finished this battle when Sarevok killed Bodhi and Irenicus with one lucky blow each (Ravager vorpal ability allows no saves ). I believe the key might be to stock up on Imprisonment scrolls, which will take out Bodhi instantly. None of the final enemies have any treasure, making this spell incredibly useful.
As for Balthazar, I have no idea, as my main character had carelessly lost his ring of human influence.

 

Thanks for the tips Fru.

I don't know if it was clear in my previous post but Balthazar is on my side. I'll try your approach (having my weaker party members run away from Irenicus).

FYI: if you have the rune hammer you can take out Bodhi with one shot.

 

If she fails her save, of course.
Just a few more thoughts...
I found Bodhi to be surprisingly annoying here. The openness of the Throne area meant that I couldn't seem to get ther to just duel my Negative Plane Protected fighters.
Of course, my party was crap for this fight, as it wasn't particularly well balanced, being David (halfling kensai), Mazzy, Sarevok, Anomen and Imoen. Losing Imoen left me without a spell caster.

Is it possible to disrupt Irenicus' spellcasting anyone? I never managed to stop him casting Time Stop.

 

Try casting dargon's breath. It disrupts Irenicus's spellcasting, and hurts Bodhi plus at leats one fallen solar. Imoen's slayer change makes this battle extremely difficult. Do not kill Imoen! She will change back to her normal form eventually. It won't be easy, but you should try to ignore her and yet stay alive! I don't want to scare anyone, but the fist final battle is not the thoughest one by any means. The one, before you finally face melissan is the real challenge.

 

Thanks TIN_MAN. You are right about the first battle not being the most difficult. I finally got to the final battle but I lost half of my party (they got permanently killed so I couldn't resurect them). So I faced the 5 with my Cavalier, Balthazar, and Sir Anoment (Sarevok betrayed me - what did I expect?). I died of course. I did learn something useful though. One of the 5 casts a time stop, by then I had a special ability that makes you immune to that spell. I timed it just right and was able to take out the archer (my only kill) before my end

 

Sendai is the one who casts Time Stop. Trouble is, Balthazar is immune to it, which is really beginning to annoy me. I still haven't killed anything in this battle, as Balthazar is kicking my Focused kensai while Sendai casts her spells.

My only consolation is that Sarevok didn't betray me, as I turned him chaotic good. One thing I learnt is to summon something meaty, preferably a planetar, who can tie up enemies for a short time. Anyone got any tips for the final battle? (I hope)

 

Does any one know the best order in which to attack the Five? I noticed that Illismere (sp?) - the Archer - is the easiest one to kill because I can dispell her protections. The rest seem immune to pretty much everything (oh yeah, I can do 1pt of damage per hit to Yaga-Shura).

[This message has been edited by Sebastos (edited March 07, 2002).]

 

Mmmm... Kinda weird, I did the Ascension Mod while solo-ing a fighter/mage/thief. Irenicus wasn't much of a trouble, just cast some disabling magic... Bodhi was just annoying, and with protection from normal and magical weapons, she didnt do that much. Have negative plane or any other anti-level drain equipment on and it should be easier. Also equip your characters with weapons that use VORPAL action, increasing your chances of just killing him/her outright.

Then the big trouble came, with the Five fighting me at once. I had a very HARD time trying to defeat those bastards. Especially since Balthazar revives himself.
I went about it this way (SOLO remember!) - I got rid of Irenicus & Bodhi, which wasnt all too difficult, just be prepared (my tactic was play a couple of games - ie. around 3, to find out what they do, what they cast, their normal actions, and then counteract. As simple as that - It isnt that hard).
Then the Five. Well, I just placed the whole goddamned place FULL with traps. Two time traps to be precies, a couple of SPIKE traps, which caused alot of damage. As far as I can recall, it killed off Yaga-Shura bwahhaha, and Balthazar (with the aid of the time trap I finished him off), then I cast the normal mage spell Time stop (Robes of Vecna really help here) and beat Balthazar down again.
Then it came down to running away from Illasera & Sendai. Drinking alot of potions and trying to engage them, running away again, restore etc. Summon alot of cannon fodder and hope it works. Also, you have the three pools, just run away, cast some fodder, go and plant some traps, then come back and lure them into them.
Then you're off to face Melissan, haha, ill shut up about her.

So, the tips?
Be prepared! Place traps. Use summon creatures (Solars really help). Protect and heal your "Tanks". Use your mages to disable the enemies' mages. And really I cant stress this enough, RUN AWAY. It's better to run and live, than to stick your ground and die.

Also a last note, I played on CORE rules, while SOLO-ING an Elven Fighter/Mage/Thief, so anyone who has a problem with the cheesy trap tactic, well... i challenge you to try and beat them without using any of them nice lil traps .
Cheers guys.
Hope this kinda helps .
(sorry for the long rant)

 

I'm impressed Desu. I can't imagine solo-ing the Five.
For me, I think, the key is Time Stop. Make yourself immunue to it (as per the special ability) and then pick off them one by one. Two problems:
1. I can only do damage to Gromnir and Illasera - the others are too well protected
2. Mellisan is immune to it

I suppose, I could try running away form them long enough for their protection to wear off.

Almost forgot, Bigby's hand seems to work great against them. It stuns them for a few rounds.

[This message has been edited by Sebastos (edited March 08, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by Sebastos (edited March 08, 2002).]

 

Right. It's 9:55pm on Friday the 8th and, to the exclusion of anything else, I'm going to make Faerun safe for freedom and democracy...

 

It was very hard to pull off... but practice makes perfect

 

12:15am, and I managed to get Amellysan to "injured" last time. I've just realised I'm not using The Big Metal Unit (I went all the way through the series with this character). Hmmm... on the one hand I got it fairly, and I'm desperate to win. On the other I'd feel, obscurely, that it was a bit less of a victory with it on. It's a rather silly item, let's face it. I'll keep trying without, for the moment.

[EDIT] 1:23am. Disillusioned, cokeless.

Illasera: annoying.
Yaga-Shura: easily distracted with my juggernaut golem, takes about 1 damage from any of my weapons.
Sendai: also distracted, so many spell protections and physical protections she's almost impossible to hurt.
Balthazar: tough, immune to Time Stop (sometimes). Usually the one I kill to get Amelyssan to appear, due to lack of protections.
Abazigal: ******* ***** *******. Immune to everything, deals out massive damage. Curiously, breach doesn't seem to do anything to him.
Mellisan: Instantly slaughters anyone who approaches, or if not, Stops Time, then slaughters.

Notes: Wish I had spellstrike, but Wish useless, due to Imoen being my spellcaster (Wis 11). Pondering about BMU pointless, they hit me on 2s anyway (AC a mere -23). My hatred for Mellisan is fast approaching that of my characters'.

2:10am. Tactics and innovative thought leave via window exit. Sustain hope with the fact that, given infinite time, eventually every to hit role made by the enemy will be a critical miss. Lower difficulty setting to "normal", despite the social stigma this will undoubtedly bring in later life. With every kill, give insane cackle, with perfect mental picture of one of the five's bodies falling to the ground as I tear out their heart. As for running away tactics, Balthazar seems to move faster than characters with the boots of speed.

"Just a little bit longer" record, still held by Lemmings, now threatened.

3:15am. Infinity Engine indulges in one of it's endearing little crashes, leaving everyone standing in the abyss, staring at each other. Hypothesis: each side unsure of correct ettiquete for fight on Throne of Blood.

Shear bloody-mindedness packs in. Can no longer stand the sight of humanoids fighting on Throne of Blood. Entire night wasted. Oh well. It'll still be installed tomorrow...

[This message has been edited by Fru (edited March 09, 2002).]

 

My party:

my sorcerer (Black blade of disaster, energy blades, Melf's minute meteors)

Imoen (Staff of the Ram +6, Crimson dart +3)

Sarevok/who turned into ch/good/ (Ravager +6, Firetooth +5)

Minsc (Ixil's spike +6, Heartseeker +3)

Mazzy (Angurvadal +5, Short bow of Gesen)

Jaheira (Spectral Brand +5, Erinne sling +5)

...and Balthazar was also with me...

1.) Sarevok kills Illasera in a few hits, and almost get killed by Abazigal.

2.) my sorcerer breaches Sendai, Imoen casts time stop and then my (focused)main char and Balthazar chopps poor Sendai to pieces.

3.)Yaga Shura is occupied with Mazzy(short bow of Gesen), Minsc (Heartseeker +3 and arrows of ice)and Jaheira(Spectral Brand +5; Red dragon scale, and Darksteel shield, plus iron skins) - Yaga Shura pounds Jaheira, who is so well protected that she only takes 3-4 damage per hit. Yaga Shura can't focus on attacks because Minsc and Mazzy shoots arrows fast. because of the constant cold damage Yaga Shura slowly gets weakened.

4.)My main char's focus ability still remains, the sorcerer breaches Abazigal, then Imoen casts time stop. My sorcerer and Imoen cast Melf's minute meteors. I call for Balthazar who casts hand of murder/Abazigal saves ...damn!!!
Imoen and my sorcerer begins to hit Abazigal with the meteors while Balthazar kicks his arse. When time stop fades Abazigal Turns out to be badly injured, and begins to pound Balthazar heavily. Sarevok runs to help the monk and with two greater whirlwinds Abazigal lies dead!

5.) After 10 rounds only Yaga Shura stands. Sarevok and Jaheira is in badly injured state, Minsc and Mazzy are injured, my sorcerer and Imoen are ununjured. Balthazar is badly injured. /Yaga Shura is injured/

6.) All my party members now concentrates on Yaga Shura. When he reaches the near death state Melissan appears.

7.) Melissan fell in 30 seconds by my tanks(Sarevok, Minsc, Jaheira and Mazzy)

It wasn't that hard after all, but I used tons of healing potions.

 

It may just be coincidence, but I've noticed that difficulty seems to affect how quickly Amelyssan turns up. When playing on core rules she appeared as soon as ONE of the five died, which means you have to deal with her while being pounded on by the rest of them.
On normal, she waited for a while, presumably adding last minute touches to her "giant spear-wielding lunatic" look. Hmmm.

 

Strange....I played core rules, but Melissan only appeared in the end.

 

I also find that statement very odd. She just sits there gathering energy and waits for the Five to get killed. Then she attacks you..

 

Could be a bug, but she definitely turns up early for me, usually. Sometimes its as soon as I kill a single one of the Five, others she waits for the second. This is probably a Bad Thing.

 

I'm with Fru - as soon as I kill one of the five Amelyssan shows up.