Putting gems in the orb

Anyone has an idea if there is any advantage to putting the Elemental Power Gems inside the Orb of Golden Death?
I couldn't find out.

 

The Orb has tremendous powers when it has all 4 gems. The powers and spells make a huge radial menu. You can take it with you to fight the demoness or destroy it and severely weaken her. If you take it with you to the big fight be prepared. It's one monster of a fight.

 

I got the four gems and identified them, they each have four spells available. the orb has 2 spells. Then I put the four gems in the orb and slept a good night's sleep. Then the orb has exactly the 14 spells from the various objects in the same radial menu. But no spells are added.
I don't see the advantage of this, it seems better to have the gems with various PCs to have more possibilities of casting.

Am I missing something?

 

Any one magical item that has that many spells and summoning features is very powerful. The wizard holding the orb is really tough. How you use the orb and gems is up to the player. I don't know how you can beat the Balor without it. Then again, my success rate with Balor is very poor.

 

Actually, I think it's better to keep them separated. Here's why:
Each gem gives you the power to teleport to the Node you got it from (which you lose permanently when you add them to the Orb). You can still summon a Balor from a loose fire gem (IIRC).
More importantly, you have FOUR gems + ONE orb. That's FIVE actions/round. Rather than ONE for a fully upgraded Orb. Your fighters can use the gems too. So on your first round you can cast every granted spell (Stoneskin in particular would be useful for a fighter). Then again, the Orb by itself is crap. So it's more like four actions/round. You catch my drift though, right?

 

yeah exactly what I was trying to say

 

I think I have had a misunderstanding here. I was under the impression that the wizard with the Orb had to pick up the gems and they go into the Orb. I was not aware that the gems could be use seperately by other players. I thought the gems had to be in the Orb to work. Very interesting. I'm beginning to see the light.

 

Keep in mind...

...that the orb should be assembled once you're done with it and then destroyed before going to the end game.

 

I have tried the final fight with the demoness twice with the Orb and it just didn't work out and I quit the game. You are probably better off if you destroy the thing and weaken her. I know she can be beaten that way.

 

What you need...

...are some tactics. She is beatable...but you need to give her something else to worry about besides your pc's. In my last effort, the character that did the most damage to her was a halfling ranger/rogue with a bow. Crafting is also extremely important, as it's the only way to get the best stuff for your party. The Atari site has lots of info on how to accomplish these goals.

BTW, MANY years ago, I used to D&D with a guy named George who loved playing wizards...? The name "Siegfried of Irongate" doesn't ring any bells for ya, does it?

 

I've beat the demoness numerous times, but I lose somebody in the process. The game i'm in now is the strongest i've ever had. Fragarach, Scather, 2 powerful wizards, 100+HP, AC30 fighters. We'll be ready when we get there. Actuall, I played a Paladin. Ramose, a Servant of Ra, the great sungod. He was a fanatical, holyroller jerk that built little pyramids everywhere he went. He had a Holysword+5 made by Ra from a piece of the sun. He was absolute hell on undead and chaotic evil. I think he was 9th level and he had a female half-elf wizard companion. This was 1979/80 about and the DM's name was Bob.

 

Sorry...

...80/81, and different DM.

*Ahem*

Meeeemorieeees...

 

Holy sword +5 at level 9? Uh...okay...That's a little overpowered...Anyway.
I've found the key to taking down Zuggtmoy tends to be squashing her dastardly molds quickly (use chain lightning!). After that, flank her. She was actually pretty easy for me. I was kinda disappointed.
Oh, and...
BUFFS

 

I'll get out the 1st edition DMGuide but I beleive the HolyAvenger swords where +5 and the Paladin wasn't even allowed it until level 8 or 9. That was the DM's decision, if he felt it had been earned. We killed a black dragon,barely, and he had to stand jugement in front of RA. RA and the DM where very generous, obviously, but that sword was something else. It shed TRUE sunlight. Undead couldn't come with a mile of it and vampires left in a hurry. It was cool. It made Fragarach look like a piece of junk metal. Overpowered, you bet, but it was fun!