Any ideas on defeating netherbrain?

[GmanUK1965]

So I'm stuck where you have to get your characters to the crown and use netherstones. I've looked at youtube and they all seem to use invisibility on all their characters but whenever I try it just gets countered every time. I'm using 2 wizards, shadowheart and asterion.

[pezenwever]

Plenty of ways to do it I guess. This is my way :

My character with highest initiave will also have action surge. So that one starts with calling forth an ally in the middle of the area. (My favorite allies are Strange Ox and ally summons with multiple characters to draw more aggro.)
Then after hitting action surge it flies or moves from the spawn point, half way to one of the circular ledges. So after spending that bonus action it stil has a regular action which is spent on casting arcane gate from the spawn to the ledge.

Any next char with action surge will call forth another ally, take the arcane gate and move up the ledges to take out 3 out 4 of the mindflayers with bows or spells.

The furthest mindflayer on the opposite edge gets do deal with my elementals. I have all characters cast an elemental before I enter the fight. Elementals can fly or warp themselves easily around the battlefield.

My mindflayer character with the stones (or the emperor) uses the arcane gate and then flies to the portal. It's possible to start channeling in the first turn.

I make sure to move all my characters around the mindflayer. Having 2 characters with counterspell helps a lot.

When the channeling is done all my characters can move in the gate. The netherbrain goes down in 1 turn. Both on normal and tactician.

[GmanUK1965]

Originally posted by pezenwever:

Plenty of ways to do it I guess. This is my way :

My character with highest initiave will also have action surge. So that one starts with calling forth an ally in the middle of the area. (My favorite allies are Strange Ox and ally summons with multiple characters to draw more aggro.)
Then after hitting action surge it flies or moves from the spawn point, half way to one of the circular ledges. So after spending that bonus action it stil has a regular action which is spent on casting arcane gate from the spawn to the ledge.

Any next char with action surge will call forth another ally, take the arcane gate and move up the ledges to take out 3 out 4 of the mindflayers with bows or spells.

The furthest mindflayer on the opposite edge gets do deal with my elementals. I have all characters cast an elemental before I enter the fight. Elementals can fly or warp themselves easily around the battlefield.

My mindflayer character with the stones (or the emperor) uses the arcane gate and then flies to the portal. It's possible to start channeling in the first turn.

I make sure to move all my characters around the mindflayer. Having 2 characters with counterspell helps a lot.

When the channeling is done all my characters can move in the gate. The netherbrain goes down in 1 turn. Both on normal and tactician.

You mention casting spells. What about the four enemy that counter nearly every spell you cast

[Lord Kouranis]

zoink! traas!, egad!

quiet pinky; i must ponder for tonight!

[GmanUK1965]

Originally posted by Lord Kouranis:

zoink! traas!, egad!

quiet pinky; i must ponder for tonight!

**** off

[Raelic]

Summon all your allies and just mow everything down working your way north. Yes, the nautiloid will keep shooting enemies your way, but they aren't hard to crush quickly. As far as counterspell, they start pretty far from your party and counterspell has a long range. Also, a used counterspell is one less level 3 magic missile.

Just clear the ground level of the brain and then go kill the mindflayers. The whole fight feels rushed because of the nautiloid, but it's not as big an issue as you may think. Then have whovever you gave the ability to cast the spell cast it. Then attack the brain with one character. Then move everyone else into the portal after that attack.

[pezenwever]

Originally posted by GmanUK1965:

You mention casting spells. What about the four enemy that counter nearly every spell you cast

Originally posted by pezenwever:

take out 3 out 4 of the mindflayers with bows or spells.
The furthest mindflayer on the opposite edge gets do deal with my elementals.

Both on normal and tactician I took out the 2 closest mindflayers with my fighter-bard under the effects of an elexir of bloodlust. The 3rd one with magic missile because the figher-bard was out of range.
The MM did not get cancelled. This could be because at level VI it can't be cancelled (not sure about this), plain random luck or because mindflayers allready used counterspell against the summoned allies that cast spells such as the Selunites.

[GmanUK1965]

The main problem I'm having now is the emperor has netherstones and if he dies it's game over because you cannot help him. Keeps coming up with cannot help innanimate object. Seems you cannot take netherstones off him either

[SpaceWombat]

Just haste your party and have each of them use a potion of flight or fly spell before starting the fight ( misty step also helps )

This lets everyone get to the other side of the arena turn one. Then all you have to do is have someone cast dome of invulnurability over the portal opener and you win lmao.

[Flharfh]

1. Summon all your allies on the first or second turn. AoE damage spells are helpful in the beginning of the fight.
2. Work your way towards the crown, killing the mindflayers on the platform and the humanoid enemies on your way. You don't need to kill the dragon or the tentacles, let your allies distract them.
3. Once you open the portal, move your entire party in and focus fire the brain. Remember to move on the platforms so you can avoid the instakill platform destruction attack.

[Moonbane]

Bring disintegrate scrolls aplenty.

[ARFett]

Tons of speed potions...scrolls with aoe damage as single target damage scrolls suck.

[UnLucky]

I picked up a dozen or so concussion grenades from Gortesh's room. Those are pretty overpowered.

[ᛈᚢᛒᚲᚱᚨᛚᚱ13]

Originally posted by SpaceWombat:

have someone cast dome of invulnurability over the portal opener

This, for sure. In all of my playthroughs, this has saved my ass every time. Almost guaranteed win, as long as you can get there quickly and in one piece.

[Moonbane]

Originally posted by pubcrawler13:

Originally posted by SpaceWombat:

have someone cast dome of invulnurability over the portal opener

This, for sure. In all of my playthroughs, this has saved my ass every time. Almost guaranteed win, as long as you can get there quickly and in one piece.

Orpheus can cast globe of invulnerability if you freed him.

[pezenwever]

Well OP. As you see, plenty of ways to try again.
Dont forget to prebuff your party as much as you can before going in. Longstrider, Bardic Inspiration, Elixirs, potions, Danse Macabre, scrolls of summon elemental...
You can get some buffs in the Stormshore Tabernacle as well, they last untill long rest I believe. (Next to Basilisk Gate in Lower City)
Perhaps also check how many permanent buffs you missed out on :
https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Permanent_Bonuses