dunklezhan
01-14-2010, 06:46 AM
Ran Caverns of Korromar on normal with a friend and a hireling last night. We took a L8 kensai TWF fighter, L2 Rogue/L5 Mage and a L5 Cleric hireling. We ran this blind – neither of us had done it before, and we knew nothing about it except that the wiz/rogue and hireling were under level and it was ‘long’. We prevailed without any deaths which we were reasonably pleased with and I thought it was a brilliant adventure. However, it was a complete surprise to find that there was a fragging Beholder, and so we were completely unequipped for it.
I (the wiz/rogue) contributed fine in terms of DPS & buffs, right up until that fight with the beholder, at which point I became completely useless. And I do mean completely – I checked the combat log and believe me I served no purpose whatsoever. No damage at all. Not one point.
I still had my buffs up when I gave up trying to hit it with my weapons (hoping for flanking bonuses and such, and failing miserably) and decided in desperation to try, y’know, a spell or something (scorching ray as it happens). But it turned around and antimagicked me before the spell even went off. Not actually sure how I managed to draw the aggro for it to turn and face me given I wasn’t doing any damage, but there we are. Luckily about two seconds after that the fighter’s massive DPS took it down.
I’d read the thread by Mr Cow a few weeks previously (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=151041) so at least we had an idea of some tactics for the fighter to use which I think along with the high level of DPS he was doing did help with the fighter’s success, but essentially, the fighter would have been fine without me. Didn’t need me at all for that part of the adventure at all in fact.
My spell list is pretty complete but I didn’t see any spell of Obvious Win to use. I assume beholders are probably outright immune to Otto’s Resistable Dance or similar charms? We went in hoping the fighter would get aggro and I could sneak attack it with for a few extra points of damage before it wouldn’t turn its Anti Magic gaze on me and strip me of my buffs (WRONG!!).
My standard approach to date has been to play more as a buffing rogue who happens to have the odd damaging spell. My ultimate build objective is far more classically wizardy, but with the ability to handle most traps and locks, and evasion + insightful reflexes seems quite a powerful combination. I don’t think there’s a problem with my build as such, it does what I want it to so far, so think it’s a tactics issue. I do hope it isn’t the build because I really enjoy playing it.
Anyway, all that waffle was leading up to some questions/requests for comment:
1. Has the time now come to play more like a wizard and less like a rogue, or am I better off vs something like a beholder just doing what I’ve been doing and grabbing the best weapon I’m proficient with and trying to stab it some?
2. What can I do to improve my effectiveness against such a creature when we go back and try this on hard or with another group? Note I do not have access to a higher level toon, masses of money to buy stuff from the AH, or the time to raid (not that I could at L7 anyway).
3. For something like a beholder, is it a question of tactics or is it a question of gear (I know its ‘both’, but which is of primary importance)?
4. Again, for something like a beholder, any particular spells (L3 or below) to use so I can fight like a card carrying wizard for once? Do I need to wait until I have L4 or over spells?
I (the wiz/rogue) contributed fine in terms of DPS & buffs, right up until that fight with the beholder, at which point I became completely useless. And I do mean completely – I checked the combat log and believe me I served no purpose whatsoever. No damage at all. Not one point.
I still had my buffs up when I gave up trying to hit it with my weapons (hoping for flanking bonuses and such, and failing miserably) and decided in desperation to try, y’know, a spell or something (scorching ray as it happens). But it turned around and antimagicked me before the spell even went off. Not actually sure how I managed to draw the aggro for it to turn and face me given I wasn’t doing any damage, but there we are. Luckily about two seconds after that the fighter’s massive DPS took it down.
I’d read the thread by Mr Cow a few weeks previously (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=151041) so at least we had an idea of some tactics for the fighter to use which I think along with the high level of DPS he was doing did help with the fighter’s success, but essentially, the fighter would have been fine without me. Didn’t need me at all for that part of the adventure at all in fact.
My spell list is pretty complete but I didn’t see any spell of Obvious Win to use. I assume beholders are probably outright immune to Otto’s Resistable Dance or similar charms? We went in hoping the fighter would get aggro and I could sneak attack it with for a few extra points of damage before it wouldn’t turn its Anti Magic gaze on me and strip me of my buffs (WRONG!!).
My standard approach to date has been to play more as a buffing rogue who happens to have the odd damaging spell. My ultimate build objective is far more classically wizardy, but with the ability to handle most traps and locks, and evasion + insightful reflexes seems quite a powerful combination. I don’t think there’s a problem with my build as such, it does what I want it to so far, so think it’s a tactics issue. I do hope it isn’t the build because I really enjoy playing it.
Anyway, all that waffle was leading up to some questions/requests for comment:
1. Has the time now come to play more like a wizard and less like a rogue, or am I better off vs something like a beholder just doing what I’ve been doing and grabbing the best weapon I’m proficient with and trying to stab it some?
2. What can I do to improve my effectiveness against such a creature when we go back and try this on hard or with another group? Note I do not have access to a higher level toon, masses of money to buy stuff from the AH, or the time to raid (not that I could at L7 anyway).
3. For something like a beholder, is it a question of tactics or is it a question of gear (I know its ‘both’, but which is of primary importance)?
4. Again, for something like a beholder, any particular spells (L3 or below) to use so I can fight like a card carrying wizard for once? Do I need to wait until I have L4 or over spells?