ice dragon/Slane ice dragon spoiler question

[SeriousCCIE]

Hello everyone

I was just wondering, if there is any real difference between defeating him in his dragon form, or in his lizardman form?

I ended up killing him in his dragon form (and my "main" character was busy sneaking in a preperation/good location position...but was too far away and missed most of the combat because I forgot about him!)

And uh well. I received the achievement, and got alright loot I guess (the weapon of course was something no one I had really was outfitted to use, but whatever I try not to game the random number generator...)

But was wondering if the loot or experience differs depending on what form he is in. I had already defeated who imprisoned him before I ever even spoke to him, so I sort of goofed how a regular player would be lead to understand things as to how the story goes. But, it was OK, because in the end I kicked his rear and got mostly epic loot that was useful as well.

I also had already taken care of the other aspects of that area that the dragon could technically have provided some assistance with, so as far as that is concerned, I didn't know what I was missing when I decided I decided that Slain would have been a more appropriate name for Slane because that's what he was gonna be--slain.

[Pyromus]

Loot and xp are the same either way. A popular way of quickly killing him is saving a death fog barrel from the starting boat, setting it off next to his dragon form, and then freeing him so he turns humanoid and the deathfog kills him as a lizard. Same exact loot, and same combat xp but you also get quest xp

[iRaged]

Originally posted by SeriousCCIE:

Hello everyone

I was just wondering, if there is any real difference between defeating him in his dragon form, or in his lizardman form?

I ended up killing him in his dragon form (and my "main" character was busy sneaking in a preperation/good location position...but was too far away and missed most of the combat because I forgot about him!)

And uh well. I received the achievement, and got alright loot I guess (the weapon of course was something no one I had really was outfitted to use, but whatever I try not to game the random number generator...)

But was wondering if the loot or experience differs depending on what form he is in. I had already defeated who imprisoned him before I ever even spoke to him, so I sort of goofed how a regular player would be lead to understand things as to how the story goes. But, it was OK, because in the end I kicked his rear and got mostly epic loot that was useful as well.

I also had already taken care of the other aspects of that area that the dragon could technically have provided some assistance with, so as far as that is concerned, I didn't know what I was missing when I decided I decided that Slain would have been a more appropriate name for Slane because that's what he was gonna be--slain.

Killing him in Dragon Form grants an Achievement. If you are going for 100% achievements in the game you will need 2 play through, one as Lohse and another as Fane as a party leader if I'm not mistaken.

The Unique Fang of the Winter Dragon is one of the best early game weapons you can get for a mage. FotWD grants 10% crit and 150% crit damage, so combined with Savage Sortilege+Hot Head+Peace of Mind you have roughly 30% crit chance. Combine this with DeathWish which stacks and gives you 250% max crit damage and a high ground advantage (an extra 45%) and you have a Mage which will be a very heavy hitter.

Don't stress to much about min/maxing experience. Nearly everyone will reach level 20 by end game provided they do most of the quests in any fashion they enjoy. The exp difference between 20 and 21 is massive.

Since it sounds like you are leaving driftwood, be sure to get your +theif gloves, chest armor, and weapon. Jahan gives a nice skillbook to you if you complete his quest with 3 SP already. This skillbook is a very nice DPS and M.DEF boost for mages. Be sure to get Almira and the Fletcher to go onto Lady Vengeance. Jahan will also join you on Lady Vengeance. Tarquin should also be with you. The next act is really fun!

[SeriousCCIE]

Hey thanks for responding guys.


I actually hadn't made it to driftwood yet (but did so last night). I am totally not trying to min/max, but am happy to accelerate my level gains process and reach a high level a little earlier on via a challenge like that combat.

I ended up getting the one handed sword as part of the rewards, and have optimized my playstyle for two handed and dual wielding. Go figure! (Still, I used it with a shield during one of the harder combats that soon followed, and it likely helped with my longevity due to hitting hard when it did hit [even if accuracy wasn't so good], as well as having a shield... )

And sad for me, I didn't think of taking a death fog barrel. This is my first time playing and that room in the starting boat hold just seemed like a way to teach a character about insta-death game mechanics to avoid!! But I see now that one can embrace those same mechanics sometimes, too...now if only I could fill intestines with deathfog and make insta-death balloons..

[iRaged]

Originally posted by SeriousCCIE:

Hey thanks for responding guys.


I actually hadn't made it to driftwood yet (but did so last night). I am totally not trying to min/max, but am happy to accelerate my level gains process and reach a high level a little earlier on via a challenge like that combat.

I ended up getting the one handed sword as part of the rewards, and have optimized my playstyle for two handed and dual wielding. Go figure! (Still, I used it with a shield during one of the harder combats that soon followed, and it likely helped with my longevity due to hitting hard when it did hit [even if accuracy wasn't so good], as well as having a shield... )

And sad for me, I didn't think of taking a death fog barrel. This is my first time playing and that room in the starting boat hold just seemed like a way to teach a character about insta-death game mechanics to avoid!! But I see now that one can embrace those same mechanics sometimes, too...now if only I could fill intestines with deathfog and make insta-death balloons..

Sorry for the mess up. I sometimes mix battles. Slane is right before Alexander. There is a witch controlling Slane, hope you killed her. There's a nice item (consumable) that gives + to all stats but it wears off if you die. I think you can only grab a death fog barrel if you are using an Undead Character as your starter. I don't think a living character with telek can grab it.

I don't know your team comp but I can tell you that in terms of melee Warfare 2 handed is better than dual wield. You would only dual wield daggers for Scoundrel skills or dual wield wands for a mage/ranger playstyle. Typically this mage goes well with a team more focused water/ice/aero since you can CC easily with dual wand builds while dishing out nice damage.

Melee chars that use a shield often output very low damage, that its not worth it. It is better to use 2 handed with executioner talent. Enjoy the Respec Mirror on Lady Veng on the bottom level. It's only good to put a shield on a spell caster. Its really silly but spell casters are better tanks than melee chars.

[SeriousCCIE]

hmmm 2 hander with executioner. That does sound promising now that I think about it.

I just selected that what a rush perk since my tank has so much vitality it seems that he'd benefit from that once he got worn down (as opposed to quickly dying if brought down to less than half their HP...)

I am using the default character profiles with no alterations--my original intent was to figure out the system and roll something new--but then... I continued playing. I also haven't quite figured out all of the system, of course--but tactics I can do.

And the mirror presented so many potentials that for now I am avoiding it!

I am also a little disappointed there are, as far as I can tell no really random encounters--not that I have noticed. That means making decisions have permanent consequences as far as cash flow is concerned--there is no mirror of unspending, unfortunately! I guess that explains the level cap as well--rather than just stopping due to a limit, the limit is the amount of XP actually available. I'd rather hit a ceiling that can't be surpassed via advancement than run out of gas (experience) by design, but I guess the results are similar.

The lack of random encounters also plays into the character specs; it makes it hard to really get a feel for what works due to the limits of what one can encounter. There are a lot of straightforward combats, but the ability to experiment seems like it's more geared towards applying what one learns towards a second (or third etc) playthrough. Unless I drop the pyramid in front of the mirror and go back and forth to test out the differences in combat via a save, die horribly, reload, teleport to mirror, make more bad choices, teleport back and die horribly, etc!

[iRaged]

Originally posted by SeriousCCIE:

hmmm 2 hander with executioner. That does sound promising now that I think about it.

I just selected that what a rush perk since my tank has so much vitality it seems that he'd benefit from that once he got worn down (as opposed to quickly dying if brought down to less than half their HP...)

I am using the default character profiles with no alterations--my original intent was to figure out the system and roll something new--but then... I continued playing. I also haven't quite figured out all of the system, of course--but tactics I can do.

And the mirror presented so many potentials that for now I am avoiding it!

I am also a little disappointed there are, as far as I can tell no really random encounters--not that I have noticed. That means making decisions have permanent consequences as far as cash flow is concerned--there is no mirror of unspending, unfortunately! I guess that explains the level cap as well--rather than just stopping due to a limit, the limit is the amount of XP actually available. I'd rather hit a ceiling that can't be surpassed via advancement than run out of gas (experience) by design, but I guess the results are similar.

The lack of random encounters also plays into the character specs; it makes it hard to really get a feel for what works due to the limits of what one can encounter. There are a lot of straightforward combats, but the ability to experiment seems like it's more geared towards applying what one learns towards a second (or third etc) playthrough. Unless I drop the pyramid in front of the mirror and go back and forth to test out the differences in combat via a save, die horribly, reload, teleport to mirror, make more bad choices, teleport back and die horribly, etc!

As you progress through the game, you will learn that the meta is DAMAGE. Always push damage because if you kill enemies, they can't hurt you. Executioner gives +2 AP for a kill on your turn which is an insane talent when combined with Elemental Affinity which gives -1 AP when standing on an element you wish to cast. Defensive Talents are ok early game but do not provide much benefit late game since your goal is to clear the entire round in 2 turns or less without having enemies strip your armor.

If you want a no BS guide to Divinity and want to learn how to make a build watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWifwu1Fe80&t=766s

All these websites showing builds make it seem as if the game is complicated and needs to be specialized meanwhile that's far from the truth. Utility is what makes a build. The best overall builds I've seen are SinTee's builds. I do warn you though, I use SinTee's Necromancer build (not lone wolf) and I 1 shot the Final Boss and The Doctor. If you like playing Physical, I strongly recommend you make one 2 Hander, 1 Archer, 1 Blood Mage, and 1 Flex. The Flex can be an archer or blood mage or summoner.

Random encounters do happen but they do not re spawn. In all honesty, you will appreciate the fact that you can't over level to make the game easy. However, once you learn some tactics, the game becomes much easier later on if you abuse them. There's a nice learning curve to the game. With regards to EXP, you will reach level 20 end game by doing most of the quests.

You don't have to worry about Cash at all. Sorry for being vague but this is off the top of my head. Once you go into driftwood there is an NPC called Dashing June. She gives you +2 thief gloves if you talked with an NPC in Fort Joy. If you didn't, you can steal the gloves from June by having one character enter a discussion with June and have your thief sneak behind and steal the gloves. Once the thief steals the gloves, run all 3 chars away, end the conversation with your main char and then just run that char away. There is little consequence to stealing and not getting caught. You can't use the same character to steal from an NPC twice. Don't stress about this. You generally want to use this tactic to steal gold. Stealing gold later in the game will net you more gold however there is so much gold you can steal that it literally doesn't matter. Smoke cloud enables you to steal gold from any NPC you can't sneak behind. In short, stealing is the economy of the game. The gold you get from pickups is meaningless once you have the respec mirror.

Aside from that there is a dwarf in the driftwood bar called Papa Thrash guarding a cellar which sells +1 thief chest. You can purchase a belt with +1 thief on it. There is also a +1 thief dagger you can get from Gareth's Parents Grave near his house (I missed this item). Once you acquire this equip, go to respec mirror and max out Thief and use all skilled up for another point into thief and feel free to rob everyone aside from the following NPC's

Tarquin
Almira (invited in quest Unlikely Lovers)
Mihaly
Sergeant Zrilla
Gareth
Jahan (invited in quest A Hunter of Wicked Things)
Malady
Fletcher (invited near lone wolf camp)

These NPC's carry on through your play through. Better to rob them later for convenience.

Cheers.

[Pyromus]

Quick note on you saying the accuracy was bad on Slane's sword that dropped. If you again find a weapon that is a higher level than your party, that weapon will come with an accuracy penalty. I think it's like -20% at one level higher and gets bigger from there. There aren't a lot of them, but if you get a really good unique or lucky charm drop, keep that in mind.

[SeriousCCIE]

Yes it was about three levels higher! I was surprised I could even equip it; I figured there was a level restriction but I took the ability to use it to mean the item was that level, not that I had to be that level to wield it. Although it seems one has to be at least item level to use it effectively minus any other modifiers. That explains it, thank you for pointing that out. A single handed weapon that did as much damage as my best 2 handed one was worth the trade-off until I leveled up, truth be told :) .

Now, I am combatting enemies with that sword that are about three levels higher than me right now as it is--and they are proving hard to hit for more obvious reasons!

(So hey that combat trait for dual wielding...does the dual wielding apply to wands as well? I sort of expected that to mean hand weapons only, but it says wield, but not what...and how about 2 handed affecting staff use?)

[JebKerman]

Originally posted by SeriousCCIE:

(So hey that combat trait for dual wielding...does the dual wielding apply to wands as well? I sort of expected that to mean hand weapons only, but it says wield, but not what...and how about 2 handed affecting staff use?)

Correct on both counts.
Two Wands = Dual Wielding
One Wand + Open Hand or Shield = One Handed
Staff = Two Handed

I'd assume Dual Wielding also works if you've gone for something funky like a Wand + Sword or Dagger (which I don't think actually works well in combat as you attacks will be based off what's in your main hand (I don't think you can fire a projectile, then take a cleaving swing with a melee weapon for instance)).