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="" />
