Battle squares

Remove all ads!

When I play this game again, i'm just going to play on normal, not HOF. I'm also going to play brand new chrs, not imports. Now as such, I really struggle to even get to level 6 on the squares. I was wondering if you had any tips for me to complete them all the way?

 

You mean the Arena? Don't try to complete them all when you are still in chapter 2. You can always go back later on, unless you already left for Kuldahar. I usually obtain the key to Oria's Room and go back later on, just after exiting the Underdark to clear the rest. If you have someone who can use polearms the battle against those Apocalyptic Boneguards is even easier, you can use the Hammer of Lucerne that you find in Black Raven Monastery.

 

I once left it and tried to go back, but when Nickodemus brought me back. I never tried going back before Kuldahar.

 

AFAIK when Nick is summoning you, you can't access the battle square (I might be wrong, though).

 

nope, they are unavailable then. You can enter the room, but all characters like the golem are gone.

 

Even if I migth get slapped , here´s a question:
Exactly what is that you want? an strategy for completing the battle square all at the same time? or some tips that make your battles easier?
I luckely come to an (little cheese) way to complete it from 1 to 10 level all the way up but you have to possess a monk´s patience to achieve it( I still strongly sugest you to level up a twice or three times before you try the 7-10 levels)
Waiting for your answer...

 

I just want to complete 1-10. I just cant do 7--10. But I never tried coming back just before getting to Kuldahar.

 

Do a search and find my complete gude to the battles squares, for the lazy, I'll give the Cliff notes version here:

The key to the battle squares is summons. But you say everyone but the contestant (summons too) are teleported out at the beginning of the turn. The trick is to hide them from the golem at the beginning of each level (a level consisting of pulling the lever and choosing 3-7 squares, battling each target, then getting a comment from the golem).
It really doesn't matter what you summon, as long as the last more than a few rounds. Animate dead is geat here, if for the 8 hr time limit. Summoned bears also work were here. Now tell all your summons ( I like 3 to 6 guys) to move to the top right corner. Make sure they are as far into the corner as possible. Have the part buff, buff, buff the contestant. The first 5 levels, you can probably get away with a bless and a bull strength. Later levels, use all you got. Now if you run low an spells, specifically summoning, you can rest between levels. The golem knows which ones you have finished. You could always leave and come back, but hey, while you are here, why not give it a go!!! Move the rest of the party into the hallway to the left of the arena. Take your contestant and pull the lever.

Your party is teleported the top room, but the summons hidden in the corner are still there!! The first square you choose per level, the monster will target you. You NEED to move so you are between the golem and the monster. I like to get right in on them and start the attack. Now select everyone (yeah you get the party members too, but they can't leave that room up top, so who cares) and attack the monster. Your summons will move in from the right. Make sure the all attack the monster from the left. Micro manage here if necessary. Early on the summons will probably get more than their share of kills. Later (levels 7-10) they probably won't get one hit in between them, due to magic weapon requirements, etc. But now they are just cannon fodder so YOU don't take the hit. Once you defeat the monster, don't move your summons, just leave them right in the middle of the sqare. On your 2nd through 7th squares, the summons are closer to the monster than you are, so it will target them first, so you can come in from behind and wale away. If you find yourself growing short on CF, then have the party reload ya.

On figuring out who to use in the square, you need someone who can deal some damage, as the higher level monsters have lots of HPs (duh) but more importantly, you need someone who can either take a big hit or just won't get hit. I find a Deep Gnome decoy work great here. The level 10 monsters needed a 20 to hit him and he was able to nickel and dime his way to most victories. Yeah you may have to reload every once in a while, but hey, this is a computer game, who doesn't reload now and then. Just remember to SAVE. With the mace of disruption, the higher level demons and undead are easier than the giant remorrahs.

 

It's actually club of disruption. And after winning a level (can't remember which one), you get a neat animate dead wand.

 

WARNING!!!
SPOILERS AHEAD!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

I don´t know who develop this guide to survive the square, but is pretty accurate (almost the same that I discovered).For the first part of the description, follow them as they written.
But instead of all those HIDE-and SEEK game with the summons, place your party in the most upper-left corner(in a single line) and sticked to the wall. Your first character should be placed rigth next to the "activate mode" lever.
Just before you move the lever, be sure that the Ice golem isn´t able to "see" the rest of your party( it´s easy to figure it out, if the golem is in the "fog of war" and out of YOUR sigth, that means he isn´t spot you at all)
When you pull the lever, the golem moves and you´ll be teleported in the middle of the room but your party is still in the upper-left corner !!!
The golem says"bla,bla,bla select a square" and WAITS.Nothing happens UNTIL you click in one of them sooo.... now you can move your first character rigth next to the rest of the party and cast every buff spells you want(haste,pray,bull´s,stoneskin and the like) AND every summon you´re able to cast.
Move your first character and your summons next to a square(but leave your party when they are), and select a ranged weapon (here is when you consider "I migth buy the NINE STEPS SPEAR") with your party(and if you don want to get hurt, also with your first character) and click it.
The feast begins!!! your summons are rigth next to the monster when he/she appears, they start attack him...and leave the rest of your party unattendent, free to nail him with 6!!!! ranged weapons...and a bunch of summons...no need to say that he won´t stand a chance(how sad).
No need to run, no need to risk your neck... looks like it´s too good to be true, but it is!
the only setback is when (rarely) the monster picks on one of your other party member to attack, this action makes a funny thing: the stupid ice golem moves near the monster in order to "see" the battle properly, and at this time, he "discovers" the rest of your party and send them(and the summons) to the hermetic closed room, makes you look like an bonded lamb, waiting to be slaugthered by the monster.
By the time you get the mace of disruption the monster are invulnerable by normal weapons, so I suggest that you keep ALL the magic ranged ammo you find, in order you can use it from this point ahead.
You always can "gamble" an attack with your first character and expect a disruption hit...very usefull versus those nasty elementals and boneguards...or you can reload it until an "easier" monster appears.
But from level 8 ALL the monster are hard SoB so you really need patience in order to fullfill the challenge.
It´s kind of cheesy, kind of boring, but untill now it´s the only way I figured out to complete "all at once" the battle square, so if anybody knows better, I´m antxious to hear it.

 

Well, the advice has been wonderful. Thank you.

 

Oh. there are some minors errors in my typing( i´m from a foreign country , you know), so here is the correction:
When I said "upper-left corner" , I wanted to say "upper-rigth corner" (next to the activate 10 lever), in a single line from down to top.
I also want to add that you can use the "electric blasting trowing axe" wich is sure shot(like a +5 weapon) or the sure shot arrows that you already found in the ice temple. If you got one or more arcane caster in your party, you can always shoot away a couple of magic misile or flame and acid arrows to dlecine the balance to your side. If you want to risk your self a little bit and not waste so much ammo, you can use the "nine steps" spear wich lets you hit the SoB from a distance, or you can cast "magic hammer" with your cleric,it´s the same concept( I dont remember if by this early time you can cast Modenkainen´s sword).
Also, this strategy also works if you leave your entire party out of the bounds of the battle chamber( you have to open the upper door, the one that says"you need a Oria´s key") and walked in when the mode is already activate it, but remember that if the ice golem spots you, he sends away and you can´t come back untill the mode is deactivated or you win the stage.
Hmmm, I think is all for now, if I remember anything else, I will put it here.