Larian Studios Forums Beyond Divinity (English) General Resist attribute-sapping spells? * SPOILER*

I’m near the beginning of Act IV, in the Battlefields. My duo has encountered more attribute-sapping spellcasters like the ones they encountered in the Black Temple area of Act III. Does any particular resistance (air, earth, poison, etc.) work against these guys? Is there anything at all that resists their spells? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

This sounds like the Wizard | Body Magic | Offensive | Disease spell, which reduces all primary stats. AFAIK the spell can not be resisted, though you may be able to use potions to counter the effects. BTW, it can be learned in act 2 from a ghost in the imp village, in act 3 from the temple mage merchant or from 'Zandalor' on the ruins island, and in act 4 from a book in the summoning level.

There are individual and party based Cure Disease spells, which have lower mana requirements than the offensive version (learn from Annabelle in the BF of acts 3-5, or Elder Ansukar on the summoning level in act 4). Warriors probably do not have a lot of mana, but they may still be able to counter the spells of one or two mages. Even if you can just buy yourself a few more seconds or so to attack and defend at full strength, it might make a significant difference.

Are you playing two melee fighters? If so, they would be at a bit of a disadvantage against ranged opponents, particularly mages. If you can switch one to a bow or crossbow (even just as a backup), that would let you start hitting opponents sooner, which will interfere with their attacks. The act 1 summoning doll can equip a crossbow. Even leveled up he is not very tough (note: summoning doll upgrade skills can not be unlearned), but as long as he is out of the way so opponents do not target him he'll last through the fight. If he does get targeted, he will at least provide a temporary diversion for your main characters.
Other than that, if you approach slowly you should hopefully be able to take on a couple mages at a time. If you run into a group, you could withdraw, and those that followed you should spread out a bit, and you might be able to turn and fight the closest, while the others were still catching up.

Thank you for the reply.

I was afraid of that. That is, a non-resistable spell. Tentatively I think it should be resistable, but it's not worth arguing about.

My hero is melee, and my DK is a strong archer.

I have had no trouble with any enemies in the game so far. Even these attribute-sapping spellcasters have so far been no more than nuisances. Above ground in Act IV's Battlefield, I have been using my hero to lure these mages to an ambush by my DK. When one or both of my guys do get zapped, they kill the mage(s) with bare fists. But then they need to sleep to restore vitality.

I ran through the previous Battlefields as fast as possible, equipping high-luck items to generate good salvage. The lure-ambush tactic slows things down in Act IV, but it has not been bad.

It's the tight areas in the dungeons that I'm worried about.

My DK is a level-four alchemist, and he can make large potions. I am confident these would neutralize the attribute-sapping effects, but there are many of these mages. They are not worth wasting potions on. If I encounter a boss character who casts spells like this, I will use potions.

I use my dolls as packhorses, scouts, and cannon-fodder decoys, as you suggest. But I am not going to use skill points to upgrade them. Also, my hero is more effective as a lure. He can go farther (without disappearing). <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/down.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

If you are planning to check out the after game BF, you can have your DK unlearn all his skills near the end of the game and put the points into summoning doll upgrades (since you do succeed in getting separated).

I very probably will not be checking them out. I think what makes the regular-game Battlefields worth visiting is that my paladin can increase his power, power that can help him escape from Nemesis, the Death Knight, and Damian.

In other words, without the motivation provided by the main plot, I have no interest in the after-game Battlefields. I would rather move on to one of the other games on my shelves. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Near the end of the game I used some (then all just before escaping Nemisis) of the DK's skill points to upgrade the skeleton summoning doll, which I used for support in he last 2 fights of the game.

I checked out the after game BFs briefly, but mostly because I had not done the BF dungeons in the main game (visiting the BF only for the traders).

That's seems a cheesy tactic. I may, however, use it if I need to. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/badsmile2.gif" alt="" />

I wouldn't say cheesy, 'sneaky' maybe.

How about practical? Once the DK gets separated he is not going to need the skill points any more, so they might as well be put to use. Waste not, want not, and all that. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />
If you want to use a summoning doll in the BF to fight, then you would at least have to boost their range.

im playing the game for the second time and im up against these mages/clerics again.

the first time around they wiped the floor with me, but this time ive used the walkthrough and completed tons more quests, maximised my experience and found that these guys can be fought against.

by going at them bit by bit and then coming back ive built up enough stats to take the attribute slasher (disease spell) on the nose and keep going. of course when your stats get knocked down, all that fabby equipment is useless so i switch my guys on to cheap weapons that can be used at starting level. this means im not going at them with just punches.

my only gripe now is trying to kill the clerics before they drop the hammer on me!

so far my techniques working.

As I see it, these mages (and somewhat less the clerics) are more than a nuisance - they are a nonsense!

Did anybody EVER come across a "desease" spell in any rpg or action game which was working instantly + from far distance, without touching the enemy AND without any possibility to resist (e.g. by high constitution or the like)??? Furthermore, this spell seemingly ALWAYS hits, although those mages have much lower initiative stats etc. - and what's more: completely independent of an area (=the green clouds you see). Whether you try to escape these clouds or not, doesn't matter. Even if you manage to kill one of these mages ASAP he'll have enough time to cast his spell before dying.
Nearly the same is true for the hammer spells of the clerics which will hit both of my two heros even when I move them seperated by a reasonable distance! At least this hammer spell SOMETIMES is missing, but even for this spell is true that the AI keeps targeting at moving objects, while - after recovering - your heroes will run to the area point (!) their enemies were located, before they got stunned!

All in all: by far the worst idea the Larian Studios have implemented in their Divine Universe! (Especially true since they took away the pyramids in Act 4 in order to let the player run and recover three times as much as in the battlefields before while the loot doesn't get better but worse! Same is true for the prices you get for them from merchants...) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/memad.gif" alt="" />

My conclusion now is to completely ignore the battlefields (not the merchants though) and try to complete the main plot as fast as I can... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Well, deducing from your words, this is something new. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

And I favour rather something new than the massively used motorhighways of common spells. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Well, Alrik... no matter what and how, important is that it's something new?
One could also say: No answer is an answer too!

But never mind, I actually enjoyed <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> a lot (in spite of it's technical insuffiencies) and won't let take that away by some strange idiosyncrasies in <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/riftrunner.gif" alt="" />

I simply stopped playing the latter at all! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />