Act-II side quest battle harder than boss battle? ***SPOILER WARNING***

[bunkerking]

I’m about done with Act II on tactician. I’m almost lvl 8 and I found the side quest where you…

***** SPOILER WARNING ******

… are given the option to release the pods in the Mind Flayer Colony actually harder than the main battle against General Ketheric and his undead. Not that is was easy, I found it challenging — but frankly, that sidequest battle versus 4 mindflayers in close proximity is insurmountable at my current level. I tried it around 10 times and each time I only manage to kill two and hurt the rest. Each attack does massive damage to my whole party and I always lose turns from Mind Blast stuns. Which frankly I never realized just how powerful that attack is. It’s listed as being able to inflict 9-37 damage — but I always get the higher end of the spectrum. I mean I attempted the battle at least 10 times and each time without failing a single attack does 25+ damage to each party member.

I don’t normally opt out of combat but I did so in this instance, especially given that you get 1000+ xp by “Purging”, Did I miss any rewards? I feel like I should be higher level for that fight? Should I have been?

[Queen Yuu The Reclusive]

Just sounds like bad luck, possibly a level lower than you could have been.

If I'm correct, you also have NPCs helping you out, so maybe you just need to throw in a Hold Person/Monster or two?

[michael199310]

Aren't there some items preventing getting stunned condition?

I would not enter Moonrise Towers below level 8 at all. You should be able to reach that level before or in the prison. There are few locations which I missed in Act 2, like Kuo-Toa fishery or House of Healing Morgue. Also, not sure if you did the Art/House of Healing quest, but the portal fight can give some xp as well.

[bunkerking]

The NPC’s almost exclusively target the Imps. Also, I take about the max hit on those Mind blasts. I remember seeing 33-35 hits all the time to at least 1-2 party member with the one further out getting 20-25 hits. I’m wondering if my party is more susceptible to psionic attacks…

[[AdD]♛K♛ng♛C♛sper♛ ۞]

I beat this instantly. 1 of my dudes gets like 4 hits then the allies help with heals.
My team is just built to be effective and yours is ♥♥♥♥ i guess

[bunkerking]

Originally posted by michael199310:

Aren't there some items preventing getting stunned condition?

I would not enter Moonrise Towers below level 8 at all. You should be able to reach that level before or in the prison. There are few locations which I missed in Act 2, like Kuo-Toa fishery or House of Healing Morgue. Also, not sure if you did the Art/House of Healing quest, but the portal fight can give some xp as well.

Yes, I did the morgue fight and the dungeon that connects it from the fish house. Frankly, I’m not sure how people are reporting being level 10 by the time they battle General Ketheric in the second encounter in the Colony. Unless theyre save scumming for max approvals and best dialogue outcomes — cause I am taking my time and doing all the side quests and exploring the world. I mean it took me 100 hours to finish Act-II on tactician.

[bunkerking]

Originally posted by AdD♛K♛ng♛C♛sper♛ ۞:

I beat this instantly. 1 of my dudes gets like 4 hits then the allies help with heals.
My team is just built to be effective and yours is ♥♥♥♥ i guess

Ok internet hero, thanks for all the help. Don’t let the world define you as anything less than great.

[bunkerking]

Originally posted by michael199310:

Aren't there some items preventing getting stunned condition?

I would not enter Moonrise Towers below level 8 at all. You should be able to reach that level before or in the prison. There are few locations which I missed in Act 2, like Kuo-Toa fishery or House of Healing Morgue. Also, not sure if you did the Art/House of Healing quest, but the portal fight can give some xp as well.

I think my party most definitely needs some anti-stun sorcery. Or some anti psionic juju.


Doing the Moontowers and Mind Flayer Colony at level 7 tactician is definitely challenging but rewarding.

[DACNINJA]

This is true, the 4 mindflayers can stun blast you with high DC and the saving throw for that is int which is the worst stat in the game. Conversely mindflayers have strong saves against cc (int wis cha proficiency). Id never use a cc spell against mindflayers instead a damage spell/attack for 1/4 hp their +saves are just too high. If mobs can fight one another theyll eat ketheric anyday.

If you want to retry the fight, kill the small brains first then have the rest of your party sneak outside of room so they dont get engaged in combat when you release. Release the mindflayers with the highest dex/init character. Dont take the turn with your in combat character yet use the sneaking people to alpha strike mindflayers. I had my monk tav stun 2 mindflayers on his first turn which is very lucky.

This fight is really hard if youre playing blind and dont reload.

Dont quit the fight even if youre down to 1 character as long as Zevlor can fight he can dish out the damage. He can smite twice per round around 50 damage can one turn a full hp mindflayer if he crits.

Youre missing 1 level for this fight but it doesnt matter much unless youre playing multiclass. At the end of Act 2 I was level 10

[Isseus]

Skill issue

[shogunsmurf]

I wonder how many people even played BG1 or BG2. The hardest fights in those game where in random cellars where a lich was hiding his phalactry and stuff.

[bunkerking]

Originally posted by DACNINJA:

This is true, the 4 mindflayers can stun blast you with high DC and the saving throw for that is int which is the worst stat in the game. Conversely mindflayers have strong saves against cc (int wis cha proficiency) if mobs can fight one another theyll eat ketheric anyday.

If you want to retry the fight, kill the small brains first then have the rest of your party sneak. Release the mindflayers with the highest dex/init character. Dont take the turn with your in combat character yet use the sneaking people to alpha strike mindflayers. I had my monk tav stun 2 mindflayers on his first turn which is very lucky.

This fight is really hard if youre playing blind and dont reload.

Dont quit the fight even if youre down to 1 character as long as Zevlor can fight he can dish out the damage. He can smite twice per round around 50 damage can one turn a full hp mindflayer if he crits.

Youre missing 1 level for this fight but it doesnt matter much unless youre playing multiclass. At the end of Act 2 I was level 10

That’s a good tactic. I’ll try to introduce the rest of my party into the battle after the combat is initiated. I have tried targeting and killing Imps before too though, and the mind flayers just decimate the party, partly due to the stuns. I’ll re try with a fresh head tomorrow. I was a bit on the tired side hence the lack of fresh takes on how to approach combat.

[michael199310]

Originally posted by vagabundo:

Originally posted by michael199310:

Aren't there some items preventing getting stunned condition?

I would not enter Moonrise Towers below level 8 at all. You should be able to reach that level before or in the prison. There are few locations which I missed in Act 2, like Kuo-Toa fishery or House of Healing Morgue. Also, not sure if you did the Art/House of Healing quest, but the portal fight can give some xp as well.

Yes, I did the morgue fight and the dungeon that connects it from the fish house. Frankly, I’m not sure how people are reporting being level 10 by the time they battle General Ketheric in the second encounter in the Colony. Unless theyre save scumming for max approvals and best dialogue outcomes — cause I am taking my time and doing all the side quests and exploring the world. I mean it took me 100 hours to finish Act-II on tactician.

I honestly don't see how it is possible to reach 10 before Thorm on normal playthrough. I had difficulty reaching 8 before Moonrise and I hope I can get to 9 in the Gauntlet. Yet people are claiming it should be a breeze. Maybe if I would kill everyone in the inn, grove and underdark, then I could make it, but I don't think that's the point of the game...

[bunkerking]

Originally posted by Isseus:

Skill issue

Actually, you’re not wrong. And also ability, I feel like I should re class and make some tweaks. I didn’t really know each spell and canter well enough when I picked. Moteover, I shouldve gotten higher HP on most of the characters via the “strength” ability. I only have strength to my support: Shadowheart. At level 7 she has 85 HP, Lae-zel has around 70 I think.

But Astarion my custom druid are around 60. So yeah a Mind Blast that
Is doing max dmg hits at 33 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ points is basically decimating me.

Now that being said, my party has gotten along just fine, they only real test was the Belthazar fight in the Shadowlands. And of course, now this. The only reason I never re-classed or tweaked is because I succeeded and the only battle where I had to revive members afterwards was the battle versus Belthazar. Otherwise, its been challenging at times but definitely doable.

[Ivas]

I dropped stinking cloud on 2 of mind flayers from my bard (they have pretty low con save). That was enough. I immediately knew that if I let them act I'm ♥♥♥♥♥♥)

[DACNINJA]

Originally posted by vagabundo:

Originally posted by Isseus:

Skill issue

Actually, you’re not wrong. And also ability, I feel like I should re class and make some tweaks. I didn’t really know each spell and canter well enough when I picked. Moteover, I shouldve gotten higher HP on most of the characters via the “strength” ability. I only have strength to my support: Shadowheart. At level 7 she has 85 HP, Lae-zel has around 70 I think.

But Astarion my custom druid are around 60. So yeah a Mind Blast that
Is doing max dmg hits at 33 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ points is basically decimating me.

Now that being said, my party has gotten along just fine, they only real test was the Belthazar fight in the Shadowlands. And of course, now this. The only reason I never re-classed or tweaked is because I succeeded and the only battle where I had to revive members afterwards was the battle versus Belthazar. Otherwise, its been challenging at times but definitely doable.

Im curious what are you running btw? Its impressive that you were able to beat Act 2 at level 7.

Its possible to oneshot bosses in the game. Ive just 2 turned all of phase 1 and 2 of act 2 fight at level 9 but thats because its my 3rd playthrough already.