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Black Raven Monastery | Eight Chambers | Underdark | Drider Caves | Z'Hinda Citadel |
Z'HINDA CITADEL
Abdoshanheth
Here I fight a Mind Flayer guarding the front door of the Citadel named Abdoshanheth. This is a fairly straightforward fight that can be won by physical combat, although I do have Lady Elanna cast Animate Dead in order to occupy the Drow Archers. And again, Akutugawa holds the Mind Flayer in place with Stunning Blow, allowing the party to kill it before it can teleport away.
Mind Golems and Thralls
I begin to explore the perimeter of the Citadel for now, avoiding the Elder Brain in the center.
A frequent foe will be the occasional Mind Golem. What a Mind Golem has going for it, besides powerful physical attacks, is a Mind Fog attack that can reduce your Wisdom and thereby your resistance to psionics. If you do decide to attack one, three things: 1) Cast whatever protective spells you may need before hand, and Mass Haste if need be 2) Make sure you have +3 weapons you can use against it and 3) Make sure you take it on away from any Mind Flayers. The Mind Fog can make you especially vulnerable to psionic powers like Domination and the Stun cone.
I also periodically run into Drow, Derro, Duergar, and Minotaur Thralls around the perimeter as well. Duergar can sneak up for attacks after having gone invisible. Derro Savants can cast minor spells. Drow typically shoot Corrosive Arrows +1. Despite these minor perks they can be easily overcome with physical attacks.
There may also be a few items of interest around here as well. In one of the rooms to the east is a Stunning Longsword +2 (25% chance of stunning target for 1/2 round).
In the southwest is a room with several containers. Some of them contain Masterwork weapons. The Light of Selune mod also adds:
Bonefang Dagger – +3 dagger, +2 points of venom damage per second for 6 seconds unless a Fortitude saving throw is made, Target will be slowed for 6 seconds unless a Fortitude saving throw is made.
Mind Flayers
In the eastern part of the Citadel will be several Mind Flayers. In Tactics they are now helped out by a few Umber Hulks. I have Stygar reconfigure his 5th-level spells specially for this battle (and another one thereafter) so that he has multiple instances of Chaotic Commands. I then put up my pre-buffs, including Chaotic Commands on everybody besides Akutagawa (who has a good Wisdom score). This preparation by and large renders my party immune to both the Flayers' stun cones and the Hulks' confusion gazes. I also take out the Umber Hulks first and foremost, since they're the ones that can inflict significant physical damage. After that I take out the Mind Flayers one at a time. When I do target a Mind Flayer, I position everyone around it first and then close in for the attack. This will minimize the chances of it teleporting away. Of course, holding one or two of them in place with Akutagawa's Stunning Fists helps as well.
The Elder Brain
Now I go for the Elder Brain in the middle of the Citadel while all my buffs, including the Chaotic Commands on multiple party members, are still place. As in previous fights the Elder Brains Thralls are too spread out for offensive spells to be effective. So I summon in plenty of help. Once combat starts I have my big three hitters, Lord Markus, Stygar, and Akutagawa, head straight for the Elder Brain. I fan out my summoned creatures to keep the Thralls occupied. Alliria and Tithian either switch over to melee weapons when enemies come close and to bodyguard Lady Elanna, or switch over to missile weapons when enemies (especially Drow Mages and Derro Savants) are at a distance. Lady Elanna is simply content to use her Mordenkainen's Sword at a distance.
Mirozulosh
There will be one last remaining Mind Flayer that guards the northeast exit from the Citadel, Mirozulosh. He won't be any harder than any of the previous Mind Flayers, so the same tactics will work. In fact you can gain an advantage by telling him that you destroyed the Elder Brain. This will allow you to surround him completely prior to starting combat.
Majrash and Mirabel
I start the video adding a few extra pre-buffs, like Remove Fear, Mass Haste, Death Wards, etc.
Once I leave the Citadel, I'll get ambushed by two Red Wizards named Mirabel and Mardrash, as well as their minions, which include four Earth Elementals and several Harpies (hence the Remove Fear spell beforehand). Majrash and Mirabel are capable of pretty powerful spells, including Disintegrate. Also, things like Stunning Fist or Feeblemind or Insect Plague won't work either. So ....
I start off with summoned help to keep them occupied while I go to work on their minions. Alliria casts Summon Insect near one of the Wizards, and Stygar chips in with Animate Dead as well. Elanna casts Animate Dead near the other Wizard, and is always ready to cast it again once the previous undead goes down. This is to keep the Red Wizards occupied and focused on your summoned creatures for the time being.
Once the horde closes in Tithian and Lady Elanna unleash their Chaos-Slow combination. Markus and Akutagawa wade straight into the Harpies.
Stygar changes over to the Club of Disruption and takes out the Earth Elementals one at a time. Everybody else in the meanwhile is going to work on the Harpies.
Once you've cut the crowd down to size, take out the Red Wizards as quickly as you can. Alliria, Tithian, and Elanna hang back and fire from a distance.
Mirabel leaves behind:
Majrash leaves behind:
