Beating the balor

Seeing as I'm a lazy bastard, what is the easiest way(s) to beat the balor in the Fire Node ?

 

The balor is the toughest mob in the game, other than Iuz. Stack up on fire resistance spells, and if you have a bard, make sure they are playing the courage song so your PC's dont run in fear (Pally's never run though).

I also use the golden skull to summon mobs of my own, as well as spells to summon huge earth elementals to distract him. I think you can also use dimensional anchor to stop him from summoning, but I am not sure.

 

Hi
I would also have a cleric cast "Spell Resistance" on your fighters as the Balor will charm one or two of them if you don't. Even with Spell Resistance, it is a good idea to have spell casters with "Break Enchantment" and "Greater Dispel Magic" handy. I usually have my wizard(s) stock up on Magic Missle spells. the main wizard (if I have more than one) will have the feats "Spell Penetration" and "Greater Spell Penetration" to get through the Balor's Magic Resistance. If I have Meleny along, I will usually have hear summon a Huge Water Elemental to distract the Balor or his Efreeti friends. Other spells that are useful are Barkskin, Stoneskin, Shield of Faith, Bless, Prayer, Magic Circle against Evil, Haste, Heroes Feast, Dsiplacement, and Blur.
The Royal Canadian

 

I agree with RCMP, spell resistance is a must as well as stonekin. magic missle wands for the spell users are teh best. i've had a dismissal spell work on him a few times. i ususally also conjur a mob after he does his first fear spell. I am one to use scather on him, though the deadly loop can crash a game.
a way i use to counter the loop is to have a potion the character can use. then they try to use it and can't. when that happens, the character loops out and the next character can go, usually.
Dismissal will kill Balor outright, if you can get through the spell resistance and then he doesn't save

 

Enlarge, bull's strength a monk, then trip him.

 

this forum cracks me up. i never thought of trying to trip the balor. that must be funny to see him layed out.

 

Hi G. G
Have you tried this in 5.7 ?? The only reason I ask is because I saw the same tactic recommended for dealing with Iuz, but when I tried it, I was told that Iuz can't be tripped !! I wonder if the same holds true for the Balor.
The Royal Canadian

 

WTH, Iuz can't be tripped now? Laaaaaame.

As for Balor, I usually go with the usual attributes buffs, and use cold/holy weapons. He isn't really that hard. An alternative to spell resistance or courage would be the more accessible "Owl's Wisdom" which will give your charas a boost to Will save.

Mobs like Chain Devil, or Charmed Trolls (not so much cause fire, but still) are also great, since they take nonlethal dmg and don't die very fast, thus making a great meat shield.

Don't bother with missle weapons or low-damage weapons like shortswords or daggers, especially if wielded by characters with less-than-17-strength, because they will deal very little damage, if any, while taking a lot more in the process.

 

I haven't tried 5.7 due tot he lack of content, but in vanilla and 5.5 I had a 1/2orc monk, belt of STR, favorite tactic was for cleric to enlarge him for all big battles. He then would trip anyone giving the party trouble. He did successfully trip Iuz and the balor, then the party surrounds the fallen foe and pounds away. It took several rounds to kill Iuz, it seems St Cuthbert doesn't do anything while he is on the ground. The balor was easy once he went down, as everyone in the party had multiple attacks against him, then AoO when he tries to get up, just make sure your tripper re-trips him as he tries to stand.

 

If you want to see funny, rest in the lower levels of the temple for random encounters. Ogres and hill giants are common ROs here. I usually rest in a smaller room to keep things close, so when you get that RO of 10-20 hill giants i have my monk and halberd fighter go on a tripping spree. Then you get 6-8 of them lying on the ground trying to get up. Next time through the game I will try to get some screen shots.

 

I dunno, my favourite thing to do with the Temple troops is going on a "Charm Monster" spree. Sure, having them lie down is fun and all, but it's way more fun to bring an army of your own to the Hedrack battle ^__^

 

I agree with most of the previous posters, the Balor is fairly difficult, but can be taken down easily using several methods. Usually I have a buffed paladin or barbarian with holy cold weapons whale on the balor while the cleric and mage deal with any summoned creatures. Don't discount a rogue's sneak attack ability, especially with a bow. My party is usually about 11th level when I reach the Balor, so the rogue has 5 sneak attack dice. So 11th level rogue with high Dex, Imprv Init, Holy Bow, Haste (from spell, scroll, potion or Boots of Speed) and Rapid shot. Just to make sure he catches the Balor flatfooted, I have the rogue sneak into position and fire away first. So Mr Balor has a very poor beginning to the fight. As far as tripping, only time I tried that one I knocked him on his butt was with a half-orc sorceror (Tenser's Transformation anyone??) but didn't get to kill him because of a loop problem. One more thing about weapons, I prefer to equip my front line PC's with reach weapons, like the Holy Ranseur. Front liners with reach seem to survive better when the Balor explodes at the end.
First time I destroyed the Balor, way back when, I didn't know about the explosion and it killed my entire surviving party. Killed the Balor and still got TPKed, ouch!!!

Something I noticed in the 5.7.2 mode about the Balor is that the fight is a bit easier. In previous versions, only weapons with Holy and Cold damage penetrated the Balor's DR. In 5.7.2, I got through using only a Holy weapon (it was also doing Lawful damage, but I don't think that made a difference). Is this a new change or did I just imagine it??

 

To DESTROY the Balor - and beat all the game - without so much effort, just use a party of Paldins.
Five paladins.
One old-scholl human with high charisma and Wisdon to cure, cure and cure a little more - and to Smite the balor;
An Elf with high Desterity and Inteligence to use Disable Device/Open Lock - and Smite the Balor;
A half-elf with high Charisma and Inteligence to have the Social Skills of a faceman - and to Smite the Balor;
And a Dwarf and a Half-orc with low Charisma but high Strenght and Constituition to kick the Balor's @ss - and to smite him too, of course.

Ya know, Paladins are imune to fear. And they Smite the Evil - and the Balor, as all other enemies in the game, are evil.

Paladins.

Five of then.

 

Yeah, but pallies are boring as hell. You can't even drink at the tavern!

BOO.

 

Paladins are not boring! They just have a hard way to see things aroud they. They are the epitome of law and order. And they are able to Smite the Evil!
But see: this is not about how nice is to play the game, but how to destroy the Balor more easely - and how to play more properly with paladins around all the game. I have done and I shall say that it's funny - limited, but funny.

By the way, let me say that I love paladins. They have a very clear point of view about a world with no grey areas, where all it's black and whyte, good and evil. In a game with defined alignments, they are the true and absolute "good guys", the heroes, and is this that D&D it's about.