How to fight shadows & shadow fiends

[Legacy_Aathis]

               Has anyone advice about how to fight shadows & shadow fiends. I get my strenght drained in the first round and cannot hit them. Frustrating. Can I protect myself or are they weak to something? I am in Helms Hold in the OC.
Thanks
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Xovian]

               Try using ranged attacks  is the easiest method. You can also carry the various items that can get rid of those effects (restoration)  if you have access to them. Stone of recalling back to be "healed", also does it if you can't use ranged attacks all that effectively.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Genisys]

               Two words...



Blind Fighting



Because they have 50% concealment, therefore, you will miss a lot unless you have this feat...



As far as the strength drain, well, you can get some potions of lesser restoration somewhere, surely.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Aathis]

               Thank you for the advice folks. I was able to get some potions of lesser restoration. I am just a beginner, so learning the ropes. It is quite annoying when your hero becomes a weakling. I use to hate level draining monsters in BG2.

Genisys would Blind Fighting be worth getting on a Red Dragon Disciple? Will I encounter enough opportunities to benefit from it to justify getting it?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               Try knockdown if you have it.  It will force them out of their shadow drain mode even after they recover from the KD.

The fiends are the worse of the two IMO because of the immunities.  Sonic or acid weapon enhancements cut through them.

If you can trap (i.e. rogue or ranger) set up acid/sonic traps and kite the shadows.

If you have Pally/cleric levels, try turning them.

edit: IMO Blind fight is an essential feat for any melee build.  I will leave it to the rest of the community to dispute that claim.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 28 août 2010 - 11:45 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Genisys]

               

Aathis wrote...

Thank you for the advice folks. I was able to get some potions of lesser restoration. I am just a beginner, so learning the ropes. It is quite annoying when your hero becomes a weakling. I use to hate level draining monsters in BG2.
Genisys would Blind Fighting be worth getting on a Red Dragon Disciple? Will I encounter enough opportunities to benefit from it to justify getting it?

Blind fighting is a good feat, period, for sometimes mages cast improved invisiblity, even though they attack and become visible they still get 50% concealment which cannot be dispelled, the benefit of the feat will be usable throughout the game from time to time, so it's well worth the investment for any combat / melee or ranged based build of a character.

Mages on the other hand using something like Vampiric Touch are also effected by concealment, so they too may benefit from blind fighting...
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Genisys, 29 août 2010 - 12:02 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Genisys]

               woops, double post
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Genisys, 29 août 2010 - 12:02 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Aathis]

               Excellent info folks. Will definitely get blind fighting. Also will try sonic and acid. Thanks '>

One more question...Is there a doc or such with a comprehensive list of the monsters in the game with their attributes and weaknesses and advice on fighting them?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

Aathis wrote...

One more question...Is there a doc or such with a comprehensive list of the monsters in the game with their attributes and weaknesses and advice on fighting them?

I've found some bestiary sites scattered about on the web that deal with D&D monsters but the ones I've found were both incomplete and based on D&D versions different than what NwN uses.  Interesting but not all that helpful.

The best resource to identify the attributes, spells, immunities, damage reduction, etc.. is the Toolset.  It's really not difficult to use and the most concise resource for monster descriptions and so much more.

An on-line source that has most information regarding monster descriptions among its knowledge base is the NwN Wiki.

As far as reading strategies go, I tend to discourage that route mainly because it makes a player ineffectual in the long run.  Why? Because monster attributes can be (and usually are) changed significantly in custom content modules and PWs. So many of those suggestions become moot and then you are on your own again.  One would be better off trying different methods themself and noting which are effective and which are not.  What a new player would benefit the MOST from, knowledge-wise that is, are the broad categories of races and the standard attributes associated with them (ie. aberration, animal, beast, construct, dragon, elemental, fey, giant, goblinoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, orc, outsider, reptilian, shapechanger, undead,  vermin).
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 29 août 2010 - 01:43 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Genisys]

               The best way to learn the game is to experience the game...



You will probably not be overly challenged by Original Campaign monsters, considering even lowly gear will put you well past the challenge in most situations..



The best way to understand combat & monsters sometimes too, is to read the log AFTER the fighting is over, this way you can gauge what you need to work on, weaknesses wise..
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Aathis]

               Thaks Genisys. I hear with what you say about learning by experience and paying attention to the log. Sound advice.

My experience here on the forum has been great. Thanks all.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shia Luck]

               My advice would be to think before you start fighting "if this goes horribly wrong, where am I running away to and how do i stop them following me?"



Traps, scrolls, spells, summons, HiPS, running around a corner and stealthing, doors, buildings, etc etc can all help you avoid dying. If you are RDD you have bard or sorc spells, summons, scrolls and hopefully UMD.



If you have UMD then find a scroll of Negative energy protection which will stop those little shadows from draining your strength.



Have fun '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Aathis]

               Yes I do have some points in UMD so I will try to get some negative energy protection scrolls & think my way through the game - obviously NWN is not 'hack and slash'.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_HipMaestro]

               

Aathis wrote...

Yes I do have some points in UMD so I will try to get some negative energy protection scrolls & think my way through the game - obviously NWN is not 'hack and slash'.

Be aware that some modules *hint hint* do not offer either Negative Energy Protection or Shadow Shield scrolls for sale. Besides that, they may not ever drop as random items either.  So, in that case, you would need at least 5 levels of cleric, 13 levels of wizard or 14 levels of sorcerer to gain access to one of the NE-protective spells.  

In your case, although you hadn't mentioned it, I am assuming you used bard to qualify for RDD since you have UMD. Unfortunately, bard will never have access to Shadow Shield, a level 7 arcane spell... so is reliant on finding/purchasing one of the aforementioned spell scrolls if the module provides them.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par HipMaestro, 29 août 2010 - 08:01 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               Btw anyone finds the shadow AI too mechanic, and the shadow strenght drain too inbalanced? Because I do and had in plan to include modification in my community patch. 25% chance to use the special attack, only d2 str lowerage.

Because when I used shadow at lvl 7 and hardcore difficulty, he instantly killed player within 3 rounds, if two spawned, it was insta death in one round...
               
               

               

                     Modifié par ShaDoOoW, 30 août 2010 - 01:06 .