Video-Based Walkthrough for NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer
SAFIYA, F TN HUMAN WIZARD 7 / RED WIZARD 10
Despite what the NWN2wiki says, Safiya can become a very powerful damage caster on account of her being able to obtain the Improved Empower Spell feat. As far as wizards go, she'll be able to do it all, summoning, buffing, weakening the monsters, damage casting, etc. Keep in mind that she can be physically vulnerable, so pre-buffing may be necessary at times.
Her familiar is capable of performing thieving tasks, although he may need Cat's Grace and/or Greater Heroism spells to improve his effectiveness. That may be a viable option for main characters who do not have thieving skills.
Valeria does a lot of what Safiya is capable of, and other things besides, so Safiya is not a mainstay character. I do have Safiya with me during Act I, when her presence is mandatory, and during Act II when I go to the Academy of Shapers and Binders in Thay, when her presence makes a lot of what is going on more meaningful.
*Evil* She is, however, a core member of the evil party led by Zarathos.
Stats
- Str 9
- Dex 15
- Con 14
- Int 19
- Wis 11
- Cha 14
- 20th level: +1 Int
- 24th level: +1 Int
- 28th level: +1 Int
It's Intelligence all the way for Safiya because of her pretty much exclusive devotion to being a Wizard.
Skills
Safiya starts off emphasizing Concentration, Craft Alchemy, Craft Weapon, Lore and Spellcraft. That's all well and good, but I still spend the next few rounds getting her to pick her Craft Armor and Craft Weapon skills up to speed. The reason being there are some custom made items that I have in mind for Kaelyn and Gann.
I also have her raise her Use Magic Device skill just enough to obtain a rank of 15. The reason being so that she can wear a pair of Boots of the Sun Soul +4.
Feats
Starting Feats:
- Arcane Defense (Transmutation)
- Spell Focus (Transmutation)
- Greater Spell Focus (Transmutation)
- Spell Penetration
- Greater Spell Penetration
- Empower Spell
- Extend Spell
- Persistent Spell
- Craft Magic Arms & Armor
- Craft Wondrous Items
- Scribe Scroll
18th level: Shield Proficiency - There's a shield in Mask of the Betrayer that will not add any chance of arcane spell failure and will be just right for her.
19th level: No feat
20th level: Spell Focus (Evocation) - All part of the plan to make Safiya a powerful damage caster.
21st level: Vampiric Feast - A potent instant death spell with an enhanced saving throw DC (+5).
22nd level: No feat
23rd level: Epic Spell Penetration - I've already got the previous two, so why not? Spell resistance monsters become more frequent during Mask of the Betrayer as well.
24th level: No feat
25th level: Epic Spell Focus (Transmutation) - Further enhancing one of Safiya's strong points, her use of Transmutation spells.
Greater Spell Focus (Evocation) - Further enhancing Safiya's power as a damage caster.
26th level: No feat
27th level: Hellball- The most damaging spell in the game.
28th level: No feat
29th level: Epic Gate - Gives Safiya the option of summoning two Balors, one after the other, as bodyguards or meat shields.
30th level: Epic Spell Focus (Evocation) - Maximizing Safiya's power as a damage caster.
Inventory
- Primary Weapon: Dream Dagger (Dagger +6, +1d4 positive energy damage, +1d4 damage vs. incorporeal, immunity to illusion spells, Sleep DC = 24 10% / 2 rounds) - Obtained during one of the dreams forced on the protagonist by the Slumbering Coven. Its attack abilities aren't a big deal, but then Safiya shouldn't go out of her way for melee as it is. The immunity to illusion spells (e.g. Weird) as a defensive benefit is my reason for preferring this dagger for her.
- Shield: Shield of the Magi (Light Shield +6, -5% arcane spell failure, +1 4th level arcane spell, Minor Globe of Invulnerability (15) 1 / day, Greater Magic Weapon (15) 1 / day) - Looted from Omaga in the Nightshore. The shield comes without any penalties to arcane spell failure, provides a bonus spell, and a bonus spell ability or two. Combining this shield with a simple weapon is as good a set up as I can think of for Safiya, as magical staves are rather underwhelming in Mask of the Betrayer.
- Helmet: Golden Circlet (immunity to mind-affecting spells, +1 Will saving throws, +1 Concentration, 10 spell resistance) - Looted from Nak'kai after wiping out the Ice Troll Berserker Lodge. The immunity to mind-affecting spells is the key benefit. The small bonus to Concentration is welcome as well.
- Amulet: Periapt of the Lost Witch (30 spell resistance, immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks, Avasculate 1 / day, Bestow Curse (11) without limit) - Found on the skeleton behind the Ice Troll Berserker Lodge in Mulsantir, in a spot that can only be accessed by a Shadow Portal. Forget the spell-like abilities, the spell resistance and the immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks are the real reasons for having Safiya wear it. And indeed the immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks will augment her use of damage reduction spells, since the two will work together to ensure that any hit she receives inflicts only minimal damage.
- Armor: Binder's Robes (+8 armor, +1 6th level Bard spell, +1 7th level Sorceror or Wizard spell, Polymorph (7) 2 / day) - Carried by Master Inarus in the Instructors' Quarters. The +8 bonus to armor class is enough to justify Safiya wearing it, but the bonus 7th level spell is extra sugar on top.
- Cloak: Durthan Cloak (+3 deflection bonus to armor class, 25% acid resistance, +25% cold resistance, +25% electrical resistance, +25% fire resistance, +25% sonic resistance, bonus 3rd and 5th level spells for any spellcasting class) - Looted from Fentomy after killing him at the Lake Shore. The deflection bonus to armor class, the bonuses to elemental resistances, and the bonus spells are all very welcome benefits for Safiya.
- Gloves: Gnarlthorn's Sacrifice (+4 armor class, Heal (11) 1 / day, immunity to ability / level draining) - Found in the Mines near the Immil Vale. It serves as Safiya's source of immunity to ability and level draining. The Heal ability might be useful once in a while.
- 1st Ring: Instructor's Ring (+6 Intelligence, +1 8th level Wizard spell, +9 saving throws vs. fire, +9 saving throws vs. acid) - Bought the Ring of Clear Thought +6 from Azim in Mulsantir, and then enchanted it to add a bonus 8th level spell, plus saving throw bonuses against both fire and acid. Safiya getting her Intelligence bonus from her ring frees up her head slot for the Golden Circlet, which will immunize her against mind-affecting spells.
- 2nd Ring: Silverfire Ring (+4 regeneration, +9 saving throws vs. cold, +9 saving throws vs. electricity, +1 8th level Wizard spell) - Looted a Ring of Regeneration after wiping out the Ice Troll Berserker Lodge. I then enchanted it to add the bonus 8th level Wizard spell and the saving throw bonuses against cold and electricity.
- Belt: Favored of Szass Tam (immunity to death magic, light, +9 Fortitude saving throws, +9 Strength) - The Belt of Guiding light was part of Kaelyn's starting equipment. I added the +9 bonus to Fortitude saving throws afterwards, which is a welcome benefit for any character. The +9 bonus to Strength is more about increasing Safiya's carrying capacity than anything else.
- Boots: Thayan Commander Boots (+8 Constitution, +8 Dexterity, +4 dodge bonus to armor class, +9 Reflex saving throws) - Found another pair of Boots of the Sun Soul +4 in the Fire Beetle Nest at the Lake shore. These are good boots for enchantment purposes because they provide the otherwise unavailable dodge bonus to armor class, can have their Dexterity bonuses increased, and can have two additional enchantments added to boot. For Safiya, it's enough to raise the Dexterity bonus to +8 and to add both a +8 Constitution bonus and a +9 bonus to Reflex saving throws. Of course, like Gann and Kaelyn, she'll have to get a Use Magic Device skill rank of 15 to be able to wear them.
*Evil* Safiya gets the Eyes of the Coven instead, the reason being that Zarathos equips the Ice Troll Helmet to benefit from the blunt damage resistance. She also uses the Staff of the Ashenwood, a decent weapon that provides her with powerful clerical abilities, and would not have been available during the good playthrough.
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