Neverwinter Nights Revolutions

[duke o' york]

I was off work ill yesterday, and because I'm such a consciencous employee, I spent most of the day either bumming about or playing SoU.
I'm still on the Interlude (which is a zillion times better than the first Chapter, so why they didn't give it Chapter status I don't know), and have come across a particularly interesting ruck at the end of the first level of the ruins. There's a gang of slaads fighting some ant (formica ) creatures, and I've only been through it once, but I foolishly went to the aid of the ant creatures. They won the fight, obviously, but then turned on me - the ungrateful buggers, and their leader is really hard to kill. Tips gratefully accepted.

I was really annoyed that the roof fell in on the tomb, because I could only carry the blackguard helmet, and left the armour to pick up later. Seeing how much I got for the helmet, I just wish I had been strong enough to carry the armour too.

[Jamski]

Erm... I didn't fight the ants. Dunno. The queen is pretty tough though.

-Jam

[Dis]

they initially fight you. but as you get close to their queen, she will speak telepathically. Although you can still choose to fight her, it's easier to side with them .

you initially encounter the fight in the large room. You end up fighting both sides. But when you descend into the crevice you will fight the ant workers, and later some ant warriors until finally the Queen says you can come in peace.

[DrSpike]

Yeah, not sure how Duke managed to rile her.

[Dis]

you can even steal all her things, and she won't care.

[duke o' york]

I didn't say that I fought the queen of the ants - I haven't even been into the crevice yet! It was a formica myrm-something or other though. So you recommend that I just leg it into the crevice rather than messing about with the fight? I like the sound of looting your allies though Diss.

[Jamski]

Oh dear. You shouldn't have too many problems with the myrmachs (sp?) They're not that tough. Or maybe they are and I forgot. Hmm... I must investigate.

-Jam

[duke o' york]

Well it hit lightly but often, and bizarrely, seemed to heal itself with the damage that it took off us. It also seems to be immune to magic, or at least magic missile, fire spells and lightning.

[DrSpike]

You mean the bit with just one tough one fighting the slaads? Focus on her first then wipe up the slaads if she dies.

[Dis]

you may need tough melee attacks against her. I can't remember.

the only time I remember having problem with that thing, is when she dazed me or something like that. Knocking me out of the fight for a long time.

[duke o' york]

The trouble is that I don't have tough melee attacks. I gave the stupid dwarp a huge magic axe, but she can't use it properly. And I have never managed to get the assassin death attck to work.

[Snotty]

Does the death attack not even bring up a DC check? When I was using the death attack in MP it was only ever the very first blow of combat. I used to sneak up and whack them with it. Maybe if one of your henchmen is running in first then you dont get to make the first blow...or something.

I remember that encounter, theres an odd bit with a rat around there too. I never actually went into the ant pit though.

[Jamski]

You have to sneak attack while not in combat mode for the death attack to trigger. So either sneak up to them, or catch them unawares though other means (paralyse/stun them for example) for the death attack to trigger. The DC is 10+level as Assassin. Sneaking/invis is the easiest way. At about level 12 assassin people start failing that save a lot.

-Jam

[duke o' york]

I suppose that since I've got to assassin as a ranger, and not a rogue, then never getting a sneak attack might have a large part to play in that, so maybe I ought to go invisible to see if it works. But with only 2 levels as assassin, I ain't going to kill anything that's half-decent.
I'll try the fight again when I next play, but if it doesn't work then I'll just chicken out and go into the hole without bothering with the fight.

[Dis]

eventually you are going to need to clear that areas. And they will probably be there even if you make friends with their queen. I doubt the developers considered people would bypass them and didn't script the faction change.

The problem is that fight is in front of the doors to another big fight which you are going to want to prepare for. (though if you side with the queen formian, you can get some allies for the fight)