Avernum 1 - Mung demons and crystal goodies.

[WOW_avoider]

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.

[Nioca]

I don't know about extra crystal equipment or undumbfounding items (I only have the demo of A1), but I do know that Radiant Shield provides a little additional protection against Basilisks. Also, if you give fighters a point in mage or priest spells, mung demons will start targeting their dumbfounding rays against the fighters as well as actual spellcasters.

[Randomizer]

There are potions and I think crystals (at least in the other games) that will unshackle mind to remove dumbfounding. Silverlocke, west of the Castle, will sell you potions later in the game when you have done a lot. Try to avoid mung demons for now and keep some wands handy for spellcasters that are dumbfounded. Also watch for arrows of light that do extra damage versus demons.

 

Later in the game there are plenty of crystal shields and necklaces. For now equip the fighter closest to the basilisks since they usually go for the closest one.

[WOW_avoider]

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.

[Ephesos]

One thing that's helped me deal with mung demons and other dumbfounding creatures is to give my fighter and my rogue one or two points in Priest/Mage Spells. Not only does it make someone else cast Light every once and a while, but it might get the mung demons to aim at them instead of your primary spellcasters.

 

(Also, it's kinda nice to have a fighter who can bless himself)

[Taliesin]

I haven't done this much in the Avernum games, but in Nethergate I gave both my fighters some Health Circle so that they could heal everyone after battles and conserve my druids' energy. So a level or two of Priest Spells might be a decent investment.

[Randomizer]

Doesn't work with the cursed nephil altar that dumbfound the whole party and a few other places. Being prepared with other ways to fight is what works while you remove the dumbfounding.

[The Mystic]

For those situations, I load up on potions of clarity; and when it comes to mung demons, I also make sure to have a supply of energy potions/elixirs.

Quote:

Originally written by Taliesin:

So a level or two of Priest Spells might be a decent investment.

I personally recommend at least a couple of levels for everybody in the party. Having four people who can do healing is definitely better than having just one or two.

[Rent-an-Ihrno]

investing 1 point in priest skill is definately good for fighters, as that enables them to bless themselves and attract dumbfounding rays, but please - they can never accumulate enough skill points to be able to cast any spells worth using, so dont spend any more points in priest and (especially) mage skill.

 

beside everything already said, intelligence is a good help against dumbfounding and the like. it requires a high level, but eventually you'll become resistant against most mind blows.

 

edit: typo. oh, and i forgot to point out one thing - you'll never learn any spell worth using because soon after the beginning, divine restoration is the only usable healing spell, and has a far too high skill requirement for fighters, as well as divine fire and cloud of blades. at that point, the lower spells are all useless except for blessing.

[La paix]

First of all, some of you people clearly haven't played A1 for a while. There is no such thing as radiant shield in A1. And, what in Avernum is a potion of clarity (which The Mystic mentioned)?

 

Anyway, I usually train an archer in my party and my main fighter usually has some skill in thrown missiles. For mung demons, I usually just kind of get by without spellcasters, but the ideas mentioned are very smart. For basilisks, I usually just charge them madly with everyone hasted (let's just say that Beast Ceremony Level 3 is a great asset!) and destroy them. Also, having Luck skill might help against their gaze. In most of the other games it does.

[The Mystic]

Quote:

Originally written by Rent-an-Ihrno:
intelligence is a good help against dumbfounding and the like. it requires a high level, but eventually you'll become resistant against most mind blows.

How high? I usually go to about 10-12, with no real help against dumbfounding.

Quote:

Originally written by Fractal:
And, what in Avernum is a potion of clarity (which The Mystic mentioned)?

Apparently, I misspoke. In the Exile trilogy, that potion was used to cure dumbfounding; after some checking, I guess there's no such item in Avernum. However, in Avernum, you can use an item called an unshackling crystal for the same purpose.

[Micawber]

In Avernum trilogy, one of the healing potions (I think called restoration elixir or something like that) also cures dumbfounding.

 

Edit: restoration brew

[Rent-an-Ihrno]

sorry, i haven't checked on this thread for a while.

i'm not sure about what level of intelligence you need for having an effective protection against dumbfounding, but i'll take a look at my savegames when i have a chance. maybe one of the know-it-all members around here knows the exact procentage of resistance intelligence brings.

 

but besides, luck is more useful in this context, especially regarding the lower skill cost. i just think intelligence is a nice addition as you don't depend on your luck so much.

[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.

[Rent-an-Ihrno]

congratulations! i'm sure you will like a2 very much very soon (isn't it a great feeling to start a new party in a new game?). plus, mung demons and basilisks are far easier to handle in the later avernums. enjoy!

[The Mystic]

Quote:

Originally written by Rent-an-Ihrno:
i'm not sure about what level of intelligence you need for having an effective protection against dumbfounding, but i'll take a look at my savegames when i have a chance. maybe one of the know-it-all members around here knows the exact procentage of resistance intelligence brings.

but besides, luck is more useful in this context, especially regarding the lower skill cost. i just think intelligence is a nice addition as you don't depend on your luck so much.

I checked in A1-A3, and found "Willpower" listed under "Useful Skills"; it's supposed to give a 5% per level chance to resist mental attacks, and has a base value of:
Intelligence
+ Mage Spells/2
+ Priest Spells/2
+ Luck

By the time I face my first mung demon, I like to have the following stats:
8-10 Intelligence
10-15 Mage Spells
10-15 Priest Spells
2-5 Luck

According to the above formula, I should have a minimum 100% resistance to mental attacks. However, I still get a massive dose of dumbfounding.

[Alorael at Large]

I'm not sure dumbfounding can be resisted, and keep in mind that the percentages are not what you think they are. Higher is better, but you're never immune.

 

—Alorael, who has come to terms with fighting mung demons by hand and saving the spells for other times.

[Brock The Archmage]

go to your character's info screen, in the bottom right where it has your mage spells and abilities and all that click useful skills, then click willpower. it explains it there. i believe willpower is derived from intelligence and luck, and maybe one of the magic skills. It says in te description what the formula is. 5% resistance per point of willpower i think, compared against the skill of the one who uses it. incidentally, dumbfounding is one of the most difficult effects to resist.

 

Edit: Let's say a mung demon has a 60% chane to dumbfound, and you have 80% resist. the 60% comes from your chance. 80% minus 60% is 20%, so u have a 20% chance of resisting it. see?

 

Edit:yay i have been given a 5 star rating by someone!

[The Mystic]

Quote:

Originally written by Quiet victoriousness:
I'm not sure dumbfounding can be resisted.... Higher is better, but you're never immune.

—Alorael, who has come to terms with fighting mung demons by hand and saving the spells for other times.

I think I'm beginning to agree with you. However, it's not going to stop me from trying.

In the interim, I'll just continue to stock up on Energy Elixirs and Unshackling Crystals, and maybe equip Demonslayer instead of storing it somewhere or selling it.

[Kelandon]

At least one person claimed to have resisted dumbfounding once or twice (and then to have been promptly dumbfounded right afterwards). Someone other than Rent-An-Ihrno, that is.

 

But yeah, the simplest solution for Mung Demons is to blow all of your spell points right before the battle with buffs and then go nuts with melee fighters. If you've equipped your spellcasters with arrows, now's the time to use them.