A6 - Scepter quest (spoiler)

[Jerakeen]

Is there some tricky way to get the onyx scepter off the body (where I assume it is) or do I have to wait until I can actually kill the haakai? I tried sneaking close and then Adrenaline Rushing by him, but it says I can't examine it with him blowing fire at me.

 

Just a general hint would be appreciated.

 

Edit: Well, I found my own solution to the problem, though I doubt it was the intended one. It's embarrassingly cheap and I don't know if it would even work for a party of four, but...

Spoiler

I placed my singleton in the center of the pentagram to the east of the haakai. From there, even though there was a direct line of sight, I could hit him with endless Icy Rains without provoking any reaction--as long as I didn't target him directly with anything. The exception being an Acid Shower scroll, which I guess doesn't count as AOE for some reason.

 

Even using Shield Breaker and Mighty Blow at every opportunity, it took a long time, but I only had to use one energy potion. And the main thing is that I didn't get dead.

 

For all I know, it would have worked from anywhere outside his immediate vicinity, but I don't feel like trying it again.

 

[Randomizer]

I never tried getting it before killing the haakai, but if you get that type of message than it's scripted to not be obtainable until after the fight. That usually happens with special items.

[Vicheron]

Does anyone else miss the good old days in Exile and Avernum 1 - 3 when your party could take on groups of three to four Haakais?

 

I wonder why Jeff made the adventurers so weak after Avernum 4. Your characters in this game would get their butts kicked by Grah Hoth and the Empire.

[*i]

I thought about that too not too long again. I think I like it that way though. The dragons in A1 were not to bad in terms of killing, whereas Melanchion is pretty hard requiring high resistance to fire and magic, high endurance, and a healthy stock of invulnerability elixirs.

 

If Jeff ever decides to remake A1-3, it will be interesting to see how Jeff balances fights like Pyrog and Grah-Hoth. Perhaps they will require more trickery or getting outside help.

 

Really, I think the biggest thing in terms of difficulty is Jeff taking out the HP stops at zero giving you a chance to heal thing.

[Randomizer]

I think it will still be possible, but because the multi-target spells can no longer be targeted in different directions at the same time there will have to be a change in tactics. Retreating to more favorable terrain so as to not face 3 haakais and assorted demons at once will become more important.

[Vicheron]

I thought there's already an Avernum 1 remake on the way.

 

The nerfing of buffs/debuffs, lack of anti-demon weapons, elimination of the Assassin skill, higher resistances on monsters, and major nerfing of repel spirit really changes things. Heck, even nerfing summoning skills makes it harder since you can do plenty of damage by summoning undead and demons in Exile and A1 - A3 due to their ability to negate armor. I miss the ability to summon Quickghasts, those things can easily rip apart the toughest monsters.

 

I really don't see how Avernum 1 can be remade like A4 - A6 without really changing the story.

[Ephesos]

Originally Posted By: Vicheron

I thought there's already an Avernum 1 remake on the way.

Where'd you hear that? I know Jeff made some off-handed comment about making an Avernum 0 at some point in the distant future, but I'm pretty sure the next thing from SW is going to be new.

[Randomizer]

Well at some point Jeff is going to remake Avernum 1 to keep it current with the newer computers, but that may be years away.

[Jerakeen]

Originally Posted By: *i

Really, I think the biggest thing in terms of difficulty is Jeff taking out the HP stops at zero giving you a chance to heal thing.

Yes, but against that, you don't drop all your gear when you "fall unconscious", and as long as one character escapes, everyone can be restored for free. I think I prefer this. Although not useful for a singleton, of course.

[Cryomancer]

I think maybe the characters are weaker from A4 on to show that Avernum itself has gotten weaker, that the legendary heroes of old have died away and no one really is left who has the ability and raw talent that the oldies did, including people like Erika and Patrick, not just the party.

[*i]

There is Gladwell, who is on par with them, but he serves his own purposes. Avernum got lucky in that the Empire was foolish to banish some of their best and brightest all at once.

[Mea Tulpa]

Is Gladwell actually on par with Erika? Erika and Garzahd seem to have been leagues more powerful than everybody else, with the possible exception of Rentar-Ihrno. I haven't finished A6 yet, but from his roles in A4 and A5 it doesn't really seem plausible that he could rise to that level so quickly.

[Alorael at Large]

Gladwell rises up and is put down unless the adventurers give him a helping hand. Erika could be defeated either by intrepid PCs with artifacts specifically designed to neutralize her power or the curse applied by the Empire, doubtless by Garzahd and company.

 

—Alorael, who would put Gladwell on a tier below Erika, Garzahd, and Rentar, but not too far below.

[Dantius]

Isn't it specifically stated in A5 that Gladwell gets his power by artificially inflating it through consumption of magical artifacts? Therefore, if he got enough of said artifacts, he could in theory inflate his power to the point where he would, in fact, be on par with the Big Three. The problem would be getting them, which explains why he would be put down easily without the PC's fetching them for hem, because he couldn't grow powerful.

[Vicheron]

Gladwell seems relatively young. Based on the descriptions, he hasn't artificially increased his lifespan. Erika and Garzahd are definitely much older than they look. Rentar is hundreds of years old.

[Alorael at Large]

The artificial life extension only really appeared in A4. In her appearances Erika disparaged the masking of age as useless vanity, and while she was described as well past her youth, nothing much was ever made of her age. The timeline of A1-3 actually doesn't require an expanded lifespan, particularly since the other major magical powers in Avernum are not yet using life extensions and presumably aren't any younger than Erika.

 

—Alorael, who will just note that all bets are off with Garzahd and his incorporation of demon bits.