Stuck again, request for Cheese, Fighting Desther @ Helm's Hold

[lennon]

I have a L9 wiz with Dealan and I can't defeat Dester and his undead minions on the last level of Helms Hold, mainly because Dealan keeps dying.

Any advice?

[Rastor]

The ultimate cheese tactic is to use the stone of recall right in the middle of combat everytime Daelan dies.  Because the health of the enemies is not regenerated, eventually you'll get them by waging a battle of attrition. 

If you want something a little more fair, keep tossing potions to Daelan while you burn through high level spells using scrolls (does that work in NWN?)  Use any and all summoned creatures that you can and even try to melee yourself once all your spells are gone.  There's a boatload of potions in this game so may as well use them.

I think it's best to focus on Dester himself in this battle.

[Xenshail]

From the Gamebanshee Walkthrough

There are a couple of things to be done here before you can go up against Desther. First you will need to destroy the Ritual Golems that surround Desther and protect him from any harm. Be careful though because several other undead are inside as well. Do not forget your Stone of Recall is things get bad. Also Desther as you will soon notice has a HUGE amount of hit points and no matter what damage you deal to him he will be barely injured.

Don

[lennon]

The ultimate cheese tactic is to use the stone of recall right in the middle of combat everytime Daelan dies.  Because the health of the enemies is not regenerated, eventually you'll get them by waging a battle of attrition. 

Doesn't work after Fenthick 

If you want something a little more fair, keep tossing potions to Daelan while you burn through high level spells using scrolls (does that work in NWN?)  Use any and all summoned creatures that you can and even try to melee yourself once all your spells are gone.  There's a boatload of potions in this game so may as well use them.

I think it's best to focus on Dester himself in this battle.

After the ritual beasts and so maybe best to duff up the skeleton chief first 

[Xenshail]

Did the Gamebanshee one not help?

If not these two threadsat Bioware's forums deal with the same trouble.

[lennon]

Did the Gamebanshee one not help?

If not these two threadsat Bioware's forums deal with the same trouble.

Thanks for these and sorry to have taken so long to come back, I have decided to start the chapter again, this time I put the magic great sword in my character's backpack and so import it into the final chapter. If you leave it in Dealan's inventory, the game magics it away. 

I'll see if I can equip ourselves better the second time.

[lennon]

I am not doing well, its as bad as ever. I am thinking of taking Linu because she has a better chance of resisting the Bodak and her turning will help.

[Xenshail]

Well here's wishes for the best. I've never managed to get that far, so all I can send are well wishes, and hopes that you'll get past it soon.

[lennon]

I am nothing if not persistent This thread at Bioware documents how to rest on the top floor. I may try this to see if I can get my Wiz and Dealan through the floor. Noon 27 Dec 2007 GMT

Absolutely can rest on the top floor. I have now beaten Desther, but I need to see if I can beat him while keeping Dealan alive, since I don't get the opportunity to save his magic two handed sword and other goodies I gave him. I have found some unused spell slots as well, which since they're 5th level, give me access to dismissal. This makes the skeleton chief a bit easy. To be clear, I killed everything outside the ritual chamber and then rested, buffed up and then moved into the ritual chamber, dismissed the skeleton chief, Dealen and Detsher duked it out, the wiz killed the ritual creatures. There's still something a  bit odd about the fight.

I'll write again soon. 17:15 27 Dec 2007 GMT

[lennon]

Just had another go, this is really odd.

I have the 5th Level spells, breeze into the summoning chamber, Desther fails to summon the Skeleton Chief. Dealan kills two ritual beasts before Desther closes with him. He wastes his flame strike on me, the wizard with elemental protections, I ice strom another two ritul beasts, magic missile then hit the 5th with the staff. Dealan dukes it out with Desther who surrenders, its an easy fight - after the months I have been looking for this I find it hard to believe.

Is it personal learning or luck? 

[Xenshail]

Failed to summon? Almost sounds like a bug, but we could up it to learning too.

Afterall I'm sure you'd prepared differently.