I would hardly call the demon knights a push-over
So it seems like you're on quite some strength already...you'll need it for ToB.
Improved Demo awaits you. Did you install the Sola mod? It's a very well-written NPC, lots of dialogue, very few bugs. Interesting class too (drow fighter/mage). That mod packs along a few whoopass fights too. (Eclipse for one...that bastard took me some time, even if I was only 4 ppl, I think)
Maybe you can install the sola mod afterwards, and CLUAconsole yourself to the fight, cos you're kinda past the part where you can pick sola up anyhoo. (not to mention party space etc.)
Here's readme on the eclipse
Q: I'm getting my head handed to me on a platter by the Eclipse party.
Dude, what were you thinking?
A1: They're do-able, really. Actually, my big concern used to be that
they're too easy to be a ToB challenge. Having play-tested them a bit more,
that's no longer my concern
. However, Keldorn and Solaufein should be
able to take down at least half of them by themselves (depending on how you
guided the romance). [In fewer than 10 tries] I was able to defeat the
entire gang on Impossible with a F/T, Sola and Keldorn. Of course, Keldorn
was gibbed and Sola died.
A2: Read the file solarom\README-Eclipse.txt for Gwion's analysis of the
Eclipse foes. That file is ON YOUR HARDDRIVE, not on my webserver.
A3: If you lower the diffuclty level to "Normal" they get 6 seconds of
timestop every two rounds instead of every other round. If you move it down
to "Easiest" they get 6 seconds of timestop eveyr 3 rounds *and* all of
their buffs are dispelled before the fight starts.
Q: Somehow, that's not reassuring. Any real hints?
A1: Well, the standard tricks of trapping the area to hell and back
in advance probably won't work since they send in some fodder beforehand.
Time Stop and Time Trap are pretty poor choices to use against them. The
normal method for this sort of party is to ignore the fighters, take out
the mages and then go back for the fighters. However, these guys put a lot
of pressure on you real fast -- it's not clear that you can ignore the
fighters for too long. Try dispelling their buffs first (important:
improved hasted regenerators regenerate twice as fast!), then nuking the
area with multiple dragon's breaths. Protection from magic weapons and
stoneskin are a must. Try to trick them into attacking someone who is
protected from magic weapons. If you want to keep your spells alive, take
down the Sorcerer early. Try to avoid ever being hit by the fighters
because blindness is seriously annoying. This is tricky, because they will
use Critical Strike and Smite to ensure that they hit you. Also, the
fighters are basically immune to missile damage. They're tough because
they're buffed up fighters who combine Improved Haste, Critical Strike and
Regeneration. Consider doing something similar yourself. Oh, and don't have
your whole party stand in one spot. That would be suboptimal
. The magic
users use the "cast and attack" trick (that you should be using) in
conjunction with Energy Blades ... that hurts. Use Physical Mirror or
something to block their missile attacks (they're doing it to you). Also,
notice that when they start fighting, Solaufein invokes Eilistraee and she
grants him her protection (which turns out to be temporary immunity to
blindness, stun and timestop). Use that to your advantage. Try to take on
their warriors one at a time (if you can) -- I'd go for the Anti-Paladin or
the Kensai first. If you can get the warrios to drop their weapons in panic
they become *much* easier.
