Lone Play Through

I have wanted to try a play through with only one person for my party, to see the differences, and I need some advice.

So far I'm almost done with the moathouse, about to take on the fight with lareths guards. Up to this point in singles I've noticed two details that stand out compared to parties with more people.

1) You level up faster, since all of the EXP goes to the only person there. This will be useful once I reach the point I can handle fights well.

2) It is really really hard. (or at least early game)

I need some help, I'm getting fed up with dying over and over and over and over and OVER. I'm pretty sure it will get better once I gain more levels for power, but until then or after then, I need to know how to play smart. I've noticed that when i'm by myself like this, difficulty forces you to take extreme measures and use strategies to win fights, instead of just walking in and using brute force or throwing handfuls of AoE spells everywhere.

-what are strategies and good hints for winning fights where I'm always outnumbered like this? how can I not die so much. I've been doing some flee combat, heal, and come back to kill a few more people strategy. any helpful hints?

-Classes. From experience, rougues surpass the battle capabilities of fighters around the 12th level and on, so my character is part rogue. Also, I like clerics, and they have healing, so I'm part cleric too. Should I go farther with the dual classing or just be those two? (later on I plan to use my rogue strengths to full potential by going invisible and assassinating everyone, robes of midnight/ring of invisibility for the win!) also being cleric I get righteous might, so yay. I'm a human cleric of sun and strength. plus some rogue levels.

 

Well that is indeed a tough one and I might suggest you take your cleric levels first. This way you not only get more spells and healing, but also more HP. Once you are 3rd level, you get hold person and spiritual weapon. I would also suggest spell focus conjuration and augment summoning. This will allow your spell summons to be tougher.

By splitting your classes you actually dilute the strength of your ability when you solo play. Find the right medium or maybe use a double party to give you some more variety and that way both can be single class.

Good luck and have fun.

 

I have played lone playthrough games multiple times in Ironman mode, just to see how far I could get before death..so I must admit I have never finished the game in this mode.
I did find I had the most success with a Fighter/Cleric multi combo though. Even though I agree with you that once you reach 12 level and higher a rouge out shines a fighter; but because you are multi-classing it will take you much longer to get those rouge levels. Keeping pretty even levels with a FTR/CLR combo gives you good HP's/healing/and combat abilities all needed for solo play. I also usually put points in open lock every level up and made sure I got thieves tools even though it doesn't help with the traps (but your pretty stout hp wise and can handle the damage) it will get you by some locks early game.

Good luck--Oh by the way I have made it to 5th level in this mode 3rd lvl clr/ 2nd lvl ftr going solo I don't think any of my other attempts ever made it past 3rd let alone get to the Lareth battle...so my experience may not be relevent if your looking to higher levels and the "end game".

 

I like a level of rogue to start, for the interpersonal skills, a couple of fighter levels for HP and surviving the first fights, and then all wizard, whose wide array of spells gives you great versatility, with the option of crafting. Depending on how you want to play it, you can get a couple of levels doing the Hommlet quests, and picking up the holy +1 longsword makes life a lot easier. There are lots of healing potions to be found and purchased, and most of the undead are pretty weak, so I don't feel the need for a cleric.

 

I made it almost all the way through with a rogue/druid. Rogue level first for the skill points, then druid for a while for the companion and summoning. Pumping skill points into Use Magic Device allowed me to use wizard scrolls throughout the game. Money was not a problem after selling all the magic stuff I didn't need. I crafted a little bit, until I got Senshock in Verbo, then I spent gold like crazy.

Tactics were summon earth elementals for tanks, then blast away with fireball wand, then move in to mop up.

 

I remember the Balor being a long drawn out battle. Ran out of damaging spells, but I think I had a wand of solid fog, and used my composite longbow to finish him off. Took a long time.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. Seems rogue is the best way to go. However, I've learned from dual classing this save that if I do something after cleric and do more cleric levels I don't get more cleric spell levels. So I'm going to have to restart the save. Also I've learned the value of enlarge person while holding a longspear. I kicked @$$. And if you're in conversation that will start a fight, if you press c you get to attack first .

 

Just to tell you, in case you do not know this, but you can use a large/tower shield with that long spear when you are enlarged. That way you can have a better AC for the tougher fights, and get the extra damage for the lesser fights when you do not utilize the shield.

Keep us informed on how your do. Always fun to see what tactics others use and how it works out.

 

Dual classing was second edition, you can freely go back and forth between classes now and still get the full effects of both classes.

 

Yep, the enlargement is really helping, I just kill everything with my longspear, and it's a simple weapon so clerics can use it right off the bat.

Well I restarted the save, as I said, and went full cleric so I get the spells this time. I've gotten to Nulb and beaten the Imerdy's Run fight already, and I'm making my dent in Hickory Branch at the moment. I'm level 9 currently.


Things I've learned thus far;

+maybe it's just because I'm high level, but the longspear is a really powerful weapon, even without enlarging. Perhaps reach weapons could be nerfed a bit? like making it so there are actual drawbacks if you are too close. (I recall reading that reach weapons in ToEE arent proper, as they have no minimum range)

+Cleric spells are amazing for a single play through. I have so much power and support. Tons of healing spells too. I went sun strength pelor cleric so I've got plenty of goodies. Righteous Might, Flame Strike, Enlarge person, Fire Shield.

+Fire Shield is a great spell when the enemies are all attacking the one person with it in effect. I've tried it before in group parties but it never really shined out for me, but here, Fire Shield is really powerful. Enemies just kill themselves for you, which is nice when you dont have support being by yourself.

+I developed a strategy in battle. Enlarge person usually, but I can do without it if needed.
Step 1) Activate Fire Shield
Step 2) On my turn I just five foot step away from my enemies, and use a healing spell to heal myself.
Step 3) The enemies walk to hit me and I get an AoO thanks to my combat reflexes and dexterity (this will be even better when I do rogue levels)
Step 4) Enemies lose more damage if/when they hit me because of fire shield

Repeat step 2 until satisfied, step 1 when fire shield wears off if needed.

I've read for ToEE that there are certain classes that you do not gain their abilities further for if you switch from them and go back. E.g. --> Level 1 Cleric, Level 2 Rogue, Level 3 Cleric.

The ones I recall are Paladin, Monk, Cleric, and maybe? druid. If you do the above, then you dont gain further class attributes upon levelling. I experienced this in my first save attempt at my single playthrough here. I took cleric level 1, then a level of rogue, then cleric. I was at cleric level 5 even and I had no higher cleric spells than cleric level 1 spells, and at cleric level 5 I should certainly be at the 3rd level spells, but I didnt have any.


sorry for the long post

 

Glad is working for you and that you are having fun.

To answer some of your points, from what I understand, the reach weapon nerf idea can not be addressed as it is hard coded. Clerics are indeed of THE most useful spell uses for solo play through. Especially if you plan on doing a lot of crafting for yourself. Not sure if you want to use it, but you can summon all kinds of critters to help you out or act as damage absorbers from the hoards while you pick off the edges or to allow you to heal up. If you wish you can also cast enlarge on them to help you out.

For your issue with getting levels for your cleric, remember you need to have a wisdom equal to the level of the spell plus 10. So 11 for 1st, 12 for 2nd, ect. Not sure if this may be why it did not work for you. Also if you change classes from a paladin or monk, you can never go back to get another level. So if you do play a character of one of those classes, be sure your as far as you want to go before you try another class.

 

BTW, longspear is nothing. Try glaive

I never did a solo run, but I did a 2-person run, clr10/fgt10 + straight bard. Cleric was double-wielding dwarven axes, and mowed down Balor in just a few turns. Would be even faster if they were holy and not just lawful.

I think I'll try playing a single Sor/fgt (probably 12/8 respectively) sometime soon. I had one in a party before, but with a poor wpn choice (short swords - because he was a concept char) and he had mostly support spells. For single-play I might try either double Daos (light wpn, 1d8, slashing - possibly best choice for TWF) or bastard sword/shield, and take all sorts of enchantment spells to basically create my party from enemies ^__^

Also, I wonder what happens if you go against the slavers alone Do you automatically lose through dialogue?

 

Aww, I was just about thinking about who I should recruit to be the sacrifice >

 

From some experience playing with a rogue using a spiked chain before in a previous save, I've guessed that if there is someone between you and your target that the reach weapon is nerfed a bit. Is this true? It seemed that she missed more if my fighter got in front of her.

Which reach weapon is the most powerful if there is one. I've guessed that the Ranseur is.
Also, is there a difference between the stabbing reach weapons and the swinging reach weapons? Like (longspear, ranseur, gliave) and (spiked chain, flail, heavy flail). Are they different in any way?

After this save I plan on doing a solo with a druid/monk.