Desther Fight (end of Ch.1)

[StarScepter]

Possible Spoilers

The Desther boss fight to end Ch.1 is a rip. I had to lower the hardness to Easy, AND cheat like hell (cowsfromhell !!) to get him to surrender. The whole event feels contrived. Why in the hells would he surrender,,, when he must have known his execution was the only likely outcome. Also, why would you surrender when you've got ~1150 hit points?? How the hells am I,,, a level 4 Wizard/ level 4 Pale Master supposed to defeat such an opponent... no matter how many buffs and potions I consume. Now I remember why I quit playing NWN years ago, but this time I'm going to finish it, if I have to cheat the entire rest of the way.

[Selphea]

Pale Master is a newbie trap. It only comes into its own as a tank in the late epic levels. Relevel as pure Wizard. Revel as Wizard/Fighter even. Anything but Pale Master.

As a Wizard if you want to cheese any boss just cast Invisibility on yourself and summon the highest summon you have, buff it with all the buffs you can give and let it wail on the boss. If it dies just run away, rest and repeat.

[StarScepter]

Where/how does one relevel?

[Flying Fox]

by starting anew

[Cheb]

Yeah, I would recommend relevelling, as you absolutely need your full spellcaster level in the beginning. If you're playing a melee character with high strength it's a piece of cake since you can just waltz on in and spin around in circles, but with a spellcaster you're begging for death if you don't have the highest level spells available to you. Don't be afraid to use your undoubtedly huge selections of potions, including haste potions. They're there for a good reason. Also make sure your companion drinks some potions before any big fight, that usually helps.

[Selphea]

Originally posted by StarScepter:

Where/how does one relevel?

https://www.reddit.com/r/neverwinternights/comments/6f4hqr/any_way_to_re_level_existing_character_nwn/

[Tyler Durden]

Casting haste on your henchman will do wonders, as is watching their health carefully. The more allies you have for this fight, the easier it is. I had to summon a monster to help me, too, as not being able to rest on that level hurts quite a bit! Don't waste your spells clearing the side rooms. Go straight to Desther!

[Blooddove]

you have to kill the stationary casters surrounding him making him immune then his skeleton summon then him lol, had to cheat?

[Ahakarin]

As a pale master it's hardly unthinkable.

NWN's "caster" prestige classes are... not great choices for casters, sadly.

[Hamtata]

I also noticed enemies scale towards your levels(+ teamates if multiplayer). I didn't realize this until I was fighting Gang leaders in Pennisula distract and goul lords in beggars nest.

[rubyismycat]

the single player game really doesnt suit casters unless u spam summon monsters and use a crossbow or stay invisable low level casters are just too squidgey if your a new play stick to a nice easy Paladin or Druid for your first playthrough as a druid you really have to be stupid to die they are very OP

[raubrey]

It's one of the hardest fights given your level, equipment. So don't get discouraged.

Some pointers:

Save before you enter: Skip the side rooms:
Buff, Buff, Buff - you and companion -- Haste, Bull's Strength, Clarity, Endurance, Etc.
Kill Guardians Quickly - Fireball is your friend (staff, scroll or spell)
You only have to HARM Dester: Bring Spells if Needed or Wands -
Some things that work - Summons, Magic Missle, Bigby's Hand
Run, RUN, RUN away from him as he chases.
Use invivibility potions if needed. Keep speed buff up.
Stoneskin can give you a bit of a breather too.

Be prepared for your companion to die, so plan ahead:
If things get real nasty: Don't forget Stone of Recall.

I'm usually a caster or rogue and usually bring Dalean but have brought Tomi.
Sorc, Wiz, Cleric, Druid with or without Fighter levels
Should be doable on any build (assuming high enough level) on Easy as long as you bring enough prep (buffs, wands, scrolls etc.).

The balance is much better after this, with a few difficult fights here and there.

[raubrey]

Originally posted by Jinkaru:

Fallen from grace or not, Desther was still a Helmite and with it, the engrained idealism of " Always get the job done ". So, he surrendered because he fufiled that task and his death made public would be the closure to that final part of his purpose; which is to let people know that he died doing what he did to the bitter end. Even despite corruption pride, ego and duty was still in his nature.

Also, Pale Master serves best as a catylist class for three class builds.

Interesting interpretation. I can see where you came to this conclusion. Myself, I just thought it was pure Ego. Much like with the hollywood version of a serial killer.

[Magnus]

A little bit late to the party but....As a mage I did the following:

Clear the rooms to the left and right of the main room corridor. I don't like people behind me.
Go to the far bottom right if you are lucky and the monsters in the main room are away from you then you can rest if you tuck right into the corner. It may take some time.
Tell your companions to stand their ground.
Do to the main room door and drink an invisibility potion.
Go to the room in the top left, there are some very useful potions there.
Go back to the main room corridor and start sniping the undead with a bow or crossbow.
Run into the far corner when they come for you, go behind your companions and use whatever scrolls you have to help them or use healers kits.
Once the undead are gone take an invisibility potion and head to the main room and check that the room only contains Desther and the ritual creatures, possibly also a Ghoul or Zombie lord.
Back to the corridor and start sniping the Ritual creatures.
Once Desther chases you, run behind your companions, tell them to guard you and hit Dether's companions with fireballs, ice storms or whatever you have.
Take an invisibility potion, Run past Desther and into the main room. Close the main room door and run to the potions room. Leave your companions to die.
You should be able to rest here and recharge all you spells.
Resummon your familiar and creature. Buff them.
Go after Desther. Once he is alone all it takes is a few hits from magic missile or a fireball or two and he will give up.

[n00bdragon]

He has 1150hp but he surrenders when his HP drops below 900, so you really only need to count to 250 against him. Other than that he's just kind of a big sack of HP. He can't even really hurt you. He just swings his mace around for 1d6+4 damage with a +10 Attack Bonus. Summon something, have your companion wail on him. Throw some magic missiles. Consider that as a pale master you can easily make yourself into a very sturdy tank:
+4 AC from your class
+4 AC from Shield
+3 more stacking AC from Mage Armor
+2 from Cat's Grace
+4 AC from Haste (very short duration for you though)
Even with no equipment of any sort and 10 base dex you can put out a respectable AC 27. If you managed to snag that 10/- bludgeoning belt then you can ignore your own AC entirely as you are all but immune to his attack damage. Wizards are the most powerful class in the game. Even if you nerf yourself by trying to be a caster-based palemaster you can always find a way out through clever use of magic.

[Etchasketch]

Yeah if I didn't have a stockpile of potions I would've never beaten him.