How do you keep Jaheira alive during the assault on the towers?

[Quadsword]

She just runs straight into danger with no regard for the fact she's a) a druid and b) wearing light armor. I had Wyll use hunger of hadar, and she just stood inside of it, blinded and taking damage every turn for absolutely no reason.

I really despise any time I have to protect friendly NPCs in this game. They have zero self preservation instinct and will suicide into enemies even when far better options exist (like bombarding them with spells while they're trapped inside a hunger of hadar sphere and can't do anything except eat it).

[Cartesian Duelist]

I had no trouble keeping her alive when the inn was attacked and no issues at the tower. I can't say that I did anything special other than play carefully. That being said, NPC AI in this game is bad so there's not much you can do about that.

[Falmari]

Tell her to join your party so you control her

[Recjawjind]

Kill them all before freeing nightsong. Pretty easy to just clear out the entire tower, then go to shadowfell. No harper shall die today.

[Kaisha]

I like using heavy CC. So I ran a frost sorc with a life cleric.

Life clerics AOE heal can target allies (not just companions) giving them full bonuses/buffs.

Drop a sleet storm (no one actually takes damage) on BOTH your men and theirs, put anti-prone boots on your melee, and laugh as every single NPC on both sides falls prone and does nothing while your men happily run around mopping them up.

Not only does sleetstorm stop the enemy, but it also prevents your allied NPCs from doing anything as well (since they often get themselves killed).

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by Falmari:

Tell her to join your party so you control her

Yup. This is the way.

[Lord Farquad]

Magic

[Space Dog]

She's level 8 and they gave her starter Leather Armor with 11 AC. She also has like two spells.

I mean.. Larian could put a little effort into these characters as well and give her level appropriate gear. Make her a Land Druid with Mirror Image, Stoneskin, something!

And the AI is a real problem. I just played the big tower fight. Jaheira survived but AFTER the combat some Harper Dingus walked into a Caustic Brine and all the Harpers and Flaming Fist turned hostile. Talk about an anti-climax to a big battle.

[jonnin]

I had Wyll use hunger of hadar

^^ I found the problem. There are a number of persistent aoe damage effects that the computer does not register as bad to stand in. Cloud of daggers is another one. There isnt a darn thing you can do about it except position these aoes away from idiots or not use them (sad) or let them die.

Technically J is supposed to be a fighter-druid. I have hated her since 'better part of valor' days, so I never took her in here ... if she is pure druid, someone didn't do their homework.

[Space Dog]

Originally posted by jonnin:

Technically J is supposed to be a fighter-druid. I have hated her since 'better part of valor' days, so I never took her in here ... if she is pure druid, someone didn't do their homework.

Technically, Jaheira has fought enemies like Ancient Red Dragons and Demogorgon and a believable 5e level for her would start somewhere around 13.

It would have been really cool to see powerful non-companion NPC's in action so I wonder why they didn't use her or Halsin like that. Or they did somewhat because Halsin the "Archdruid" went alone into Shadowfell and ordered you to defend the portal. But later turns out he wasn't any more powerful anyway. Go figure.

These supposedly powerful characters would have been a lot cooler if they weren't de-leveled and demoted into little minions for Tav, who wait for you at camp to take them somewhere.

Larian wanted their new characters to be more badass than the old legendary heroes of BG1 and 2 even if you start a new party at level 1, and that's where they failed. It just doesn't feel right seeing Jaheira as a mid-level minion, or Sarevok or Viconia as some mini-bosses to remove from your path. Probably a lot of the devs didn't play the original games and just don't get it.

And I don't understand why the player needs to be presented as the "top dog" among heroes at any level. BG 1 is great because you go from humble beginnings to heroics. I.e. progress. If you're "legendary and amazing" at level 1, no progress.

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by jonnin:

I have hated her since 'better part of valor' days

I think you may be confusing her with her husband, Khalid. He was the one with the low morale who was extremely prone to running from battle shouting "Better part of valor! Better part of valor!"

Anyway, 5e doesn't have multi-class in the same way that AD&D 2.5 did, so it wasn't really possible to spec her out as a fighter-druid like she was before.

[Mike Garrison]

Originally posted by Space Dog:

These supposedly powerful characters would have been a lot cooler if they weren't de-leveled and demoted into little minions for Tav, who wait for you at camp to take them somewhere.

Yeah, Jaheira would have been better as, for example, a level 12 druid + level 12 fighter, who maybe you got to use in one mission which was balanced for that, but otherwise had other stuff to do besides sit in your camp and follow your orders.

[Mike Garrison]

Imagine if Act 2 ended with your team (about level 9 or 10) plus Jaheira who was level 24 (12 fighter, 12 druid) and the final fight against Thorm was about twice as hard as it is now. Jaheira would seem so badass, with three attacks per action and her cool 6th-level spells that your party didn't have access to yet.

[Jeronimosss]

Feign Death.

[Space Dog]

Originally posted by Jeronimosss:

Feign Death.

Heroic.

[Space Dog]

Originally posted by Mike Garrison:

Imagine if Act 2 ended with your team (about level 9 or 10) plus Jaheira who was level 24 (12 fighter, 12 druid) and the final fight against Thorm was about twice as hard as it is now. Jaheira would seem so badass, with three attacks per action and her cool 6th-level spells that your party didn't have access to yet.

I just finished the final Ketheric fight and boy was it disappointingly easy for a level 10 party.

The fight needs at least 3 more Mind Flayers and a bunch of Myrkulite priests throwing some nasty spells at you to provide any kind of challenge. And some tactically placed Intellect Devourers or undead minions that block your path with melee while the priests do their thing in the back. You can reach the imprisoned character in the first round by just Dashing and casting Misty Step. Didn't even need a Haste and those potions are like bread and butter. Everything is just made so easy.

Also since Finger of Death is apparently now a Cantrip, Gale just Counterspelled it.

Jaheira would have been properly used if she would have saved the party and driven off a Corrupted Red Dragon in the Shadow Cursed Lands in a cutscene. With some big ass lightning display. Qudenos disappeared anyway. But it's Larian so if there's a Corrupted Red Dragon you're supposed to cheese it with barrels or beat it through some effortless puzzle mechanics like Grym.

The world building needs more structure i.e. show that there are in fact people more powerful than your party.