A:EftP - How to defeat Drath?

[Mad Genius]

Yesterday I tried to go to the crypt of Drath to get another part of Demonslayer.

 

The crypt itself was easy to clean. But the battle with Drath himself got really tough (after half an hour I got him to half his HP but had to quit the game).

 

I suspect that I'm trying to do it to early since my party is just level 21 or 22 at the moment. But tactically speaking, the shape of the room (with the stairs and magical barriers) and the fact that he seems not to let you have many chances to get him without his buffs active (spine shield, regeneration, battle frenzy, etc.) is an indication that this battle won't be made a lot easier just by getting more levels.

 

So I would like to know your experiences with this.

What strategies did you use to beat him? Do you dispel the barriers so your fighters can go melee on him while spellcasters attack from a "safe" distance? Or you keep everyone at a distance with fighters using wands and scrolls to do damage?

[Lilith]

If it honestly took you half an hour just to get him down to half HP, you really should just go and gain a few more levels, but there is a way to make the fight easier on yourself. Look for a secret passage leading around the north side of his room. Not only does it let you get straight to Drath while avoiding most of his minions, but there's a basin in there that gives you temporary invulnerability.

[Mad Genius]

Originally Posted By: Lilith

If it honestly took you half an hour just to get him down to half HP, you really should just go and gain a few more levels

I've already decided to do that.
Perhaps even waiting for my priest to get the Divine Retribution spell (instead of rellying on Smite to do damage) and getting Addrenaline Rush for my spellcasters (better to cast three spells than just one before he has the chance to regen, or better yet, waiting for an opening on his buffing spells so that AR gets him with his shields down).

Originally Posted By: Lilith

but there is a way to make the fight easier on yourself. Look for a secret passage leading around the north side of his room. Not only does it let you get straight to Drath while avoiding most of his minions, but there's a basin in there that gives you temporary invulnerability.

I did found a passage north of the gate that leads to the room but I guess I didn't follow it all the way to its end since I entered the room through a switch that opens a wall in the northwest corner of the room (which means I didn't found the basin and I still had to clean his minions before getting at him). I'll try that passage the next time, thanks.

[Abdulla AlBinali]

I found Drath to be quite difficult, I managed to defeat him before I realised that there was a secret passage but had to use a substantial amount of pots along with invulnerability potions. Soon after that though I found the secret passage which lead to the invulnerability basin so decided to go through the fight again which is was a great thing as I only needed to use two healing potions.

[Randomizer]

You want to have higher damage per round otherwise you drag the fight out with all buffs and summons you face. It's the same with a quest to evict someone for Houghton.

[ShieTar]

I have to say I found Drath rather easy, in any way much easier than any of the dragons. I think I was already close to lvl 30 thogh. My strategy was to spawn and buff summons with all 4 members (2x Arcane Summon and 2x Divine .. Body? Or whatever the last summon for priests is called) and then just kill Drath with my bows, while he tried and failed to kill my summons. He didn't fear or stun, so just healing and re-summoning was no problem.

 

The fight took me about 15 minutes or so. Still better than that one dragon with her golems, which had me feared and the party sepparated and surrounded within 2 turns. Without leaving any space open for resurrections for a long time.

 

 

[Necris Omega]

Just goes to show - in an open game like Avernum, when you fight something can be even more of a deciding factor than "how".

 

Drath was one of the hardest fights in my play through, but that blackroom portal nonsense was a lot more frustrating I found.

[Matchstk]

A tip for the invulnerability basin: don't use it until the end of the fight with Drath, when the notice arrives that Drath is close to death and about to expel massive amounts of energy. In fact, a good strategy is to fall back to that room and stand near the basin, let Drath follow you and get out of reach of all his helpers spells.

 

One thing about the Sulfras fight with the room full of Golems. The player should really get XP for those things. I understand low level summoned creatures not giving XP, but a room full of powerful Golems and a dragon - there should be some decent XP there.

[Earth]

I did it that way that 1st I killed each of his minions 1 by 1 w/o passing those crystals (2nd attempt to defeat him/it, 1st time walked straight to ambush) and then passed crystals and moved fighters near barriers and then 1st caster removed barriers and on next round fighters started hitting Drath and casters stayed far back (away from harm) and used smite on Drath and healed fighters when needed, it took a while but eventually he/it surrendered.