How to enter Friendly Arm Inn?

[Rekuzatus Riki]

Pretty much I'm stuck at the entrance, a wizard pops out with a few soldiers and they obliterate me. Any tips&ideas on how to get past?
For more info, I have a party of 3, a Dragon Disciple (main), an Assassin and Imoen. I've tried using Wand of Magic Missiles, but I still die immediately.
Should I wander around and level up? I just left Candlekeep.

[ÄmJii]

The wizard shows up alone, those few soldiers are inn's guards... I always just let the guards handle it: Have one character as a bait (leave others well behind), lure him near the guards before he starts dialogue. When the combat starts, wait until he starts casting Horror (he starts off with Mirror Image) and run out of his Line of Sight before he finishes casting. This makes him turn his focus on guards & only tries to melee them which gets him killed 90% of the time.

Killing him is worth 120 exp, but it's really not worth the hassle imho.

[Rekuzatus Riki]

How are the guards supposed to handle it when they attack me? They spawn with red health bars.

[Loxisito]

You can send Imoen to sneak or use potions of invisibility. Also, Imoen can backstab the mage (dealing extra damage) before the dialog is initiated.
//
I guess guards are not hostile if you have 6 or more points of reputation, but can't confirm that one. Reputation can be raised by donations in temples (like that one east of the inn).

[wendigo211]

Disrupt his spell casting. He walks right up to you for the conversation before he starts casting. If you attack with a high speed factor weapon (dart, dagger, short sword) he'll fail his Mirror Image cast and then he's mincemeat. This also works with Silke in Beregost.

It can be a good idea to kill some of the skeletons around High Hedge for their throwing knives. Used right they're great mage disruptors for most of the game.

[Rekuzatus Riki]

I've managed to kill the mage with sneak attacks, however the guards absolutely own me. I'll work on increasing my rep, right now it's -4.
Thanks for your suggestions!

[danconnors]

Make sure you don't use an area spell while the guards are trying to kill the bad guy. IF you do they will start trying to kill you. The guy's a real pushover.

[fauxpas]

What gets me is the Rep(4) ... what did you do that early in the game?

[red255]

he apparently killed some guards while killing the mage. due to reasons. likely area effect spells.

not too hard to fix if you get some money, and donate to the temple. 4 to 5 is 600 gold. you can pay 500 to raise it from 5-6 and just keep paying 500 7 more times to raise it up to 12.

getting ankleg shells from north of the friendly arm in and selling them in beregost for the money.

[fauxpas]

Maybe, but since he had trouble with the Friendly Arms assassin and stated that the guards "own" him the story just doesn't track and I wonder if he murdered some NPCs in their houses or something.

[danconnors]

I will often decide to sart with plate mail instead of splint mail, and murder one of the guards in Canflekeep for his set. That'll get you down to a 4 or 5 real quick. On a few occasions I've gotten it low enough that if I dismiss Imoen from the group, she's gone forever. If I keep my rep low enough, all my special abilities will be magic spells, giving me a chance to cast spells as if I were a berserker/mage dual class, before I've actually become the dual class.

[Rekuzatus Riki]

Originally posted by fauxpas:

Maybe, but since he had trouble with the Friendly Arms assassin and stated that the guards "own" him the story just doesn't track and I wonder if he murdered some NPCs in their houses or something.

I got caught stealing in Candlekeep Inn, so I ended up killing everyone upstairs and the guard that showed up \_:)_/
I started fresh, this time keeping my rep positive and got past. All is good now!

[J]

I usually roll a berserker for my main character, all points in two handed sword and two handed weapon proficiencies and 18/90+ strength. If an attack lands, Tarnesh is usually dead :P

[Sniper Bear]

well, the early game is tough due to how soft of a target you are. the best thing i can tell you is quick save before triggering him, then hope for the best. running away from him to get others attacking him might help, but even then, its all up to luck of the dice.

[danconnors]

Consider, Imoen has a wand of missiles given her at the end of her stay in Candlekeep. You can have Montaron and his partner for a party of four by the time you enter the inn. The evil mage can fire off four spells by the time you enter and grab the memory ring. It shouldn't really be a problem.

[Profile Name]

If i recall he casts horror then a load of magic missles, if you have the shield spell send that char in alone to soak up all of it (shield makes you immune to magic missle)