How many times do the Cowled Wizards attack?

[voehringer_nitron]

Well, as much as I've played this game dating back to the days of the disc based version, I've largely ignored the Cowled Wizards. Back when I first started, I didn't give much thought to strategy and tried brute forcing things too much, which doesn't work out too well when fighting multiple enemy mages at once. As time went on, I adapted more and was better able to handle them. But I just found it tedious fighting these guys.

Now, however, I'm working on a solo Cleric/Mage (and a few other characters, but that's beside the point). I have a fairly good spell library built up by this point, but I might be able to get a few more scrolls I don't have yet. Plus, trying to kill time so my apprentices can finish their work. They're on the second task now. I've gotten 3 or 4 spawns so far, but wondering how many times it will happen.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Well, they only attack you, if you violate the laws in Athkatla, which forbids using arcane magic in public. To avoid that, the majority of players visit Corneil of the Council of Six eventually and buy a magic license.

[red255]

no they don't.

the majority of players go to the roof of the copper coronet have yoshimo set his traps and cast a spell. you want to do a poll?

as for how many times they appear, its not that many but you have to wait at least an hour between spawns. usually its set traps, cast spell wait 8 hours, repeat. I think its less than 6 spawns but they tell you when the last spawn exists.

however yes if you are finding it tedious fighting them you can just pay them off.

[Weizen1988]

I sorta doubt that red. Majority of players of evil characters, possibly. Randomly murdering guards and ambushing government officials sent to do their job is fairly overtly evil.

On the topic, its about 6 or so spawns, if i remember correctly.

[fauxpas]

Nah, I'm pretty sure Red is right for once; the Crowls aren't painted in a favorable light by the game and it's more fun as well as rewarding to fight them instead of buying a license.

I'm not sure I'd agree that Red's trap cheese is what most people do though.

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally posted by red255:

you want to do a poll?

No, because it has been done before in multiple places, and I don't think the sample would be larger than e.g. --> https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/18856/bg2-pay-the-cowled-wizards-or-not

[red255]

interesting, its a 50/50 split.

regardless TC has already killed the bulk of the spawns.
Paying them always felt like paying an unlawful toll. Not unlike a mugging to me.
To explain the difference between a lawful and unlawful toll.

So like if you build a bridge or maintain a boat its lawful to pay the toll to cross the bridge or use the boat because the service is being provided.

but if the person is merely holding a mountain pass thats not something he made and is extorting a toll backed up by force of arms merely because he got there first, thats an unlawful toll.

in this case the cowled wizards are extorting an exhorbitant toll on a natural resource purely because they can back it up with force of arms.

also killing them doesn't incur a rep hit. so it never cross my mind people might not consider it lawful good.

[Weizen1988]

Regardless of if they themselves are good people or not, they are considered a valid part of the government it seems, as they operate from civic buildings in the government sector, and operate a prison for them. Why has the most noble order not wiped them out if they were indeed as you suggest merely mendacious and malevolent magical muggers (Edit: masquerading as magistrates (Love me some alliteration)) molesting the citizenry?

Edit
Looks like 53% pay, and like 45% dont for various reasons. and thats only if you count all "depends" as "no i dont". So at least 35% dont pay, and up to 45% dont pay, meanwhile 53-63% pay, by the same range. Clearly more pay.

[red255]

Not sure how you are adding 45+53 to get 100%.

depends, the poll is old. but I would take depends as they avoid paying and avoid casting spells in the city to not force the issue.

Honestly the most RP solution is to get imoen back, then hunt cowled wizards for revenge.

[fauxpas]

Originally posted by red255:

Not sure how you are adding 45+53 to get 100%.

depends, the poll is old. but I would take depends as they avoid paying and avoid casting spells in the city to not force the issue.

Honestly the most RP solution is to get imoen back, then hunt cowled wizards for revenge.

Also it's a poll on bd's site, so it's hardly an accurate representation of the lifetime of the game; going to SS and browsing through their polls would be more meaningful.

[red255]

the poll is poorly worded.

it should be just 'usually yes, I do pay them'
or 'usually I do not pay them'

[Weizen1988]

Originally posted by fauxpas:

Originally posted by red255:

Not sure how you are adding 45+53 to get 100%.

depends, the poll is old. but I would take depends as they avoid paying and avoid casting spells in the city to not force the issue.

Honestly the most RP solution is to get imoen back, then hunt cowled wizards for revenge.

Also it's a poll on bd's site, so it's hardly an accurate representation of the lifetime of the game; going to SS and browsing through their polls would be more meaningful.

Im just reporting the numbers I see on the poll we are discussing. That they dont add up to 100% I also found odd, but they arent my numbers. I suspect its compounding rounding errors, it rounds to nearest whole number and cuts off some fraction of a percent, do that enough and you can lose 2-3 percent out of the total.

I do absolutely agree the poll is terribly worded though, and categories like "depends" are utterly meaningless, because we do not know what it "depends" on, or any other information. (unless we cared to read the whole thread and count specific reasons, i kinda dont.)

[D'amarr from Darshiva]

Originally posted by Weizen1988:

That they dont add up to 100% I also found odd,

Rounding down has been applied to all percentage values.

[Tasi]

Well... does not matter I guess, but for me is like: from RP perspective I would say lawful characters (does not matter if good or neutral) will probably pay and neutral and chaotic characters does not have much reason (except of avoid fight) to pay some ransom...

I have set some traps here just for the case someone will attack me and casted this harmless spell for fun... It is their fault that they are so aggressive :)

[voehringer_nitron]

While I would sometimes pay off the Cowled Wizards, for the most part I merely avoided casting mage spells. Most of what you encounter outdoors in the city is nameless muggers and thugs, not very challenging. Another reason I tended to ignore them.

My Cleric/Mage is Lawful Neutral, mostly for the ferret familiar so I could have it pick pocket. I actually used EE keeper to change it, because I had been Chaotic Good in part one and hadn't yet decided on soloing. I am not RPing my alignment, however, not by a long shot. I've triggered the guards in multiple houses by looking in containers, and went back after I ransomed the noblewoman from the Buried Alive quest. This has netted me over 2 dozen sets of full plate mail to sell.

Well if it's 6 or so spawns, guess I will need to either do some more quests or just wander around the map. I really want to get the Ring of Wizardry before I leave for Spellhold.

[red255]

Not going to get into an allignment discussion. if it was unlawful you should get a rep hit.

you get a rep hit for stealing (and getting caught) you get a rep hit for killed people objecting to your stealing.

nobody in the city feels bad if you kill the cowled wizards.

Originally posted by voehringer_nitron:

Well if it's 6 or so spawns, guess I will need to either do some more quests or just wander around the map. I really want to get the Ring of Wizardry before I leave for Spellhold.

Shame you are soloing then, Jahiera gets you one pretty easily.