WOW_avoider

I actually finished Avernum 1 last week - I gave my fighters a level in mage spells, and when I'd fight mung demons, I'd keep the mage and priest out of their line of sight. I also stocked up on haste and healing potions. After finishing Avernum 1, I tried to get started in Avernum 2, but after being nearly unstoppable, it takes some getting used to being low level again.

I came up with a really sneaky way of slaughtering basilisks - if I found an area infested with them, I'd cast Haste, Shield, and Battle Rage on the character with the crystal shield, while the rest of the party hid in a corner. Cheap, but it works. Mung demons are still a bit of a problem - but if I cast Haste a couple times on the fighter wielding Demonslayer before they can work their (anti)magic, they're not so bad.

Right now, I'm going through Avernum 1 for the first time (I just got the trilogy a couple weeks ago), and I keep getting owned by mung demons and basilisks. Is there a potion or some item that will prevent dumbfoundedness or cast Unshackle Mind? And, where do you find more crystal gear? I just found one crystal shield in the Great Cave, and haven't run into any more. In addition, that shopkeeper in Fomello who's supposed to sell a crystal necklace (Sue, I believe) doesn't seem to have them. But, aside from this, I love this game. I bought this, and I bought Bioshock about a week later, and I've been playing Avernum way more than Bioshock.