Is Durlag's Tower difficult ?

[Midget Gems]

The first time through DT I found it hard going. The atmosphere created is good as you press on in to the unknown, faced with endless traps, riddles to solve, quest items to find and the constant threat of danger. You don't know what lies ahead but you realise that you shouldn't turn back to cash in the loot and re-arm the party.

However, once you've made it then repeat trips are not too daunting. You know the route, where to find things and how to deal with the set-piece fights, so it's not so tough anymore. With prior knowledge of the problems, it can be tackled with a much lower level party since none of the fights are mega difficult. Also 2nd time around you can get by without such a good thief, or even do without one altogether!

These are just a few thought of my own - so how was it for you ?

[SixOfSpades]

I'm with you as far as the "foreknowledge is a HUGE help" thing, though my mind boggles at the concept of doing Durlag's without a Thief. Even if I wanted to tackle Durlag's at low level, I think I'd leave it until later anyway, so the rest of the game wouldn't be anticlimactic. Of course, I still think you're insane for using Osprey. [img]smile.gif[/img]

P.S. Does a Pack Mule suck up 1/6th of the party's EXP?

[The Ozzman]

*****minor spoiler*****
I just think back to how bittering it was to kill those warders, especially 'pride' I had a character with a -9 armor class and he once killed me in about 5 swings, thank goodness for magic missle.

I've just started Durlag's Tower for the first time in my current game and reached Kirinhale, the nymph near the top of the tower. Do you three (or anyone else, for that matter) have any stratagies for dealing with her dire charms, ethereal travel and general hard-to-killness? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 06-19-2002, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: Arledrian ]

[Hayashi]

I just did this last night!!

Here's a hint: you don't *have* to fight her, there's a non-violent solution to this involving the thief you found downstairs, Riggilo or something like that.

If you want to fight her, use potion of clarity (I think) to protect against dire charm. Use detect invisibility to deal with her ethereal travel, and use miscast magic or silence 15' radius (since she is a magic user). Let your fighters whack her (it actually, it's a succubus) and mages cast offensive spells (good ol' magic missile, etc).

Non-violent solution: (Spoiler follows)
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Agree to stay with her, then choose the dialog option which says to the effect that you can find someone else to take her place. She will give you a lock of hair, take it and go one level downstairs to the thief.
Give it to him (choose the dialog option about getting stabbed in the back while you rest).
Then go back upstairs and talk to Kirinhale. Quest completed.
If you want additional exp, go back and talk to the thief again. He'll go hostile, and you can kill him for 1400 exp.

[Midget Gems]

That Kirinhale is pretty hard to deal with so I usually take the non-violent option - if there's any fancy magic flying around then I prefer not to be on the receiving end. And yes, I agree that Pride and his chums are all tough cookies. I try to split them up and keep them at arm's length, using all the Entangle/Hold/Stun/Summoning type spells I can cast.

As for going in without a thief, I mentioned it because on one visit I had my Mage walk through a lot of the traps with Mirror Image up, and handle the locks with her Knock spells, so it can be done if you want a change of style.

Good point Six, sending Osprey into Durlags is somewhat insane, but I've reached the point where I'm trying out increasingly reckless missions.

Imagine the scene. The mighty Osprey (Cleric/Mage level 6/5 ; HP=24) stands astride the defeated DemonKnight, which has died at her feet. She thinks she has killed the evil beast, but actually she was the bait. Her friends downed it with a barrage of missiles, while it slashed away wildly at Osprey's magic defenses. The comrades-in-arms gather up their loot and head off into the sunset . Osprey remarks to her friends. "This is so much fun I never want to go back to being an Illusion. If we hurry we can get back to the Jovial Juggler in time for Happy Hour, or there's Karaoke Night at the Burning Wizard Inn."

PS : Don't you think this story is a bit like Pinocchio - if you prove you are worthy, then you can become a REAL boy/girl.

PPS : Who has the most Charisma, Osprey or the Pack-Mule ?

Thanks for the ideas, I'll give them a go right away

[Midget Gems]

Hey, here's another obserevation in Durlag's Tower. I was fighting with the DemonKnight and he thinks he's a real tough dude, but he's not as smart as he'd like to think.
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I wonder if he didn't pay enough attention at Magic School because at one point he cast Symbol of Fear at me, while I was too close to him, and he failed to save against his own spell -- oops! Then on another occation he failed to save against Chromatic Orb and was left defenceless, again. Not too smart for someone who wants to dominate the world (or whatever). Of coarse the rest of the time I got toasted but I wanted to reload a few times to see what happened. That Aec'Letec geezer probably went to the same school 'cos he misses important saves as well. Suprisingly playing solo against the DemonKnight is pretty easy, because if you break the mirror the fight is easy against one opponent. So how did you get on against him, piece of cake or served on toast?

[SixOfSpades]

For Kirinhale, I just had a Tank go chop her up, while my pack of Archers formed a tight group of their own. My Tank usually made his Saves, and if she happened to cast at the Archers, her Dire Charm and Energy Drain affect one target only--and we had plenty of Dispel Magics to deal with it.

The Demonknight was very much the same--my super-fast Tank moved too fast to be fit with Fireballs or anything, while the DK himself was taking archer fire from all 4 staircases. Kinda difficult to cast spells with arrows embedding themselves into the back of your neck.

[Evergreene]

I stumbled upon Durlog's tower once, and couldnt even HIT the guy out in front.. turned back, cleared the gnolls and the mines and the Bridge dungeon.. going back to durlags now since i am MUCH better equipped and leveled!