Ankheg Armour

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Yeah, but as Fel points out, the fact that you can get it early in the game, and you can't get your hands on more than two sets of full plate mail no matter what you do, it still means it's the next best armor in the game after the two sets of full plate. (Although there may be a set of +3 plate mail armor in Durlag's Tower, but that's considerably later in the game.)

In my parties I never use a mage (I like bards better, and since they can use all the wands they're nearly as effective magic-wise). As a result, it is not uncommon for me to have at least 3 characters and oftentimes 4 characters that have no armor restrictions. As a result I ALWAYS want the ankheg armor. In fact, for the parties with 4 characters with no armor restrictions, I typically get two sets (the one you make and the one you find). The only times I would consider replacing the Ankheg armor is possibly with the set in Durlag's Tower (if it's +3) or if I'm playing a F/T multi-class and get Drizzits armor (F/T can use it and still use their thief skills, and it saves time switching back and forth between armors.)

 

Aldeth, it's true that ankeg armor is very useful early game, but there's actually three sets of full plate mail in the game, plus the +3 plate mail (if you have totsc). So you prety much dont need the ankeg armor late game. (that's without killing drizzt, which if you decide to do, can be done reasonably early)

 

Druids can use Ankheg plate, and not full plate.

my poor strength 8 cleric can use ankheg plate becose she can carry it.

cheaper

easier to get

faster to get

If you want armor on all your characters, there isnt enough full plates in the game ever (6 players, all able to use heavy armor) and two of those full plates are very late game.

And it IS wrong that they count as magical (as Fel pointed out), they should not.

So while technically they are not "the best" they have many uses. And i often end up using more ankheg mails than full plates anyways.

 

Just as a point of interest, the Dark Side of the Sword Coast mod appears to replace the free Ankheg armour with a cloak of invisibility. (Which, as far as I can ascertain, doesn't make you invisible - this is probably due to whom it's previous owner was)

 

I find the Ankheg armour to be good and very lightweighted. But that does not mean I use them, because later in the game I always find better armour, especially when you have Darkside installed, that mods has got some all-powerfull armour sets for a paladin.

 

Yeah - really late game. That third set of full plate mail is the one that Tomoko carries right before the final fight with Sarevok. That one is +1, so you can't wear rings/amulets/cloaks of protection with it. It practically doesn't count, because the only time you have it is for the final fight. And that one isn't guaranteed either as you don't have to fight and kill Tomoko - you can talk her out of it.

For the majority of the game, there simply isn't enough available armors for ankheg armor not to be one of your best options. You can acquire two sets of full plate by the end of chapter 3. If you use cheese, you can also kill Drizzit by then (although I typically wait until I have a wand of monster summoning).

Doing the lower levels of Durlag's Tower is not possible with a low level party. With the number of traps to disarm, attempting to navigate DT without a thief with a reasonable score in pick locks and find traps is virtually impossible.

So when you are talking about characters with no armor restrictions, there are no more than 3 sets that can be considered as good as or better than ankheg plate. Finally, the plate mail +3 in DT provides the exact same AC as ankheg plate - even taking additional armor modifiers into account, as they are both plate mail. The only reason you'd switch armors at that point would be as a cosmetic choice. However, since ankheg armor is available earlier, it is BETTER. Same thing goes for Drizzit's armor. The base AC is the same as Ankheg armor, although it is more versatile if you have a F/T or a ranger, as stealth and thieving abilities are possible with that armor. So I will rank Drizzit's armor higher than ankheg armor, and naturally the two sets of full plate. If you have four or more characters with no armor restrictions, you will have at least one character using ankheg plate for the vast majority of the game.

 

Aldeth, the third set of full plate I mentioned is in DT in the wyvren room. One of the adventurers you gain control of (the dwarf) is wearing it. And I think the plate mail (edited)is +3 so it should have ac of 0, ankeg armor is 1(I might be wrong).
But Im not trying to argue any of your points, you'r absolutely right, Im only pointing out that there's enough better armor in the game.

[ July 28, 2006, 15:21: Message edited by: w.d. ]

 

Marcenor is right about the AC, but it's not full plate, it's just plate mail. Full plate +3 would have an AC of -2, and that doesn't exist in this game.

 

I always forget about that one. More often than not, I do the three elemental rooms across the bottom first, meaning I'm teleported directly to the chess game, and I never even fight the wyverns. I usually mean to, but I forget, and if I didn't have a recent save, I won't reload.

 

Ancient Galatan: Darkside of the Swoard Coast adds alot of silly items, and i do mean silly. like ranger/druid boots that give you haste AND free movement that doesnt negate eachothers. And the infamous Ettin's Wand, that thing is monsterous, I beat every boss in the game with that items, and ended up with focusing entire game on earning enough cash to sell and rebuy it since it killed anything in the game alone.

 

You can get the first set from Nashkel more or less at the beginning of the game for free, which makes it the best early-game armor. Also, the low weight makes it great for wimpy tanks like Jaheira.

 

^

I love that find It's true that for a warrior, you CAN get better armours than ankheg (normal full plate with a ring of protection+1/+2 is better), but for lower strength characters, such as Viconia and Jaheira, the light weight really does help out. Drizzts mithril chain is the ultimate armour in the game in my opinion (fighter/mage anyone??), but I always play good characters and refuse to kill him. You can't go wrong with Ankheg though.

 

I love that ankheg armor, I even use it in BG2. Its light weight and found early in both games, for free!! in BG1. Pretty sweet!