Seeking clarification on how Nishruus and Hakeashars "work"

[Bursk]

After reading this thread - http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?s...=10138&st=0 - I'm unsure how these fellows now operate, once the official patch is applied.

 

Am I right in understanding that they no longer drain (and potentially destroy) magical items with charges? Wasn't this the major downside to summoning Nishruus and Hakeashars? Are these spells now overpowered, or can one still survive most mage fights without using them?

 

Apologies if I've posted this in the wrong place.

 

Edit: Just to say that I've never used these two spells, because I never wanted to risk losing any items. Are they very useful?

[CamDawg]

In an unpatched game, they're supposed to drain charges from items, but they actually destroy anything magical. In the ToB patch, the opcode is disabled so they no longer do anything to items at all (but they still drain spells). In SoA it was never patched, so they still destroy everything.

 

There's nothing we can do in either case.

[Bursk]

Right, thanks for the clarification. So it seems that poor SoA-only users really shouldn't use the spells, but SoA + ToB (with the offical v26498 patch applied) are okay.

 

As a more general question (perhaps you should move this thread to, I dunno, Noobermeet or General Mod Discussion) are they useful spells? I always thought the "True Sight/True Seeing, Ruby Ray of Reversal, Khelben's Warding Whip, Breach" combo was the way to combat enemy spellcasters, but it does look like the Nishruu/Hakeashar spells are pretty useful. I'm guessing it's best to cast the Nishruu/Hakeashar spells after the others I mentioned, so that enemy spellcaster protections are taken down first.

[CamDawg]

Moved.

 

And I'm definitely not the person to ask, as I'd run a party of six melee fighters if it wasn't for all those friggin' mage protection spells. (Every mage in my party always ends up with Favorite Spell: Breach.)

[Bursk]

Cool, thanks again.

[Guest Truper]

Yes, Nishruus and Hakeshars can be useful. Easiest victory over Tanova I ever had:

 

I was playing a F/M, dual-wielding long and short swords. I had Arbane's Sword in my off hand, and was therefore immune to Symbol: Stun (this was with Baldurdash installed). I found a scroll of Summon Hakeshar in the outer corridors of Bohdi's lair. Putting two and two together, I sent my F/M in alone, sword in hand and scroll in quick slot. Tanova casts Symbol, F/M reads scroll. Tanova expends entire magical arsenal trying to hurt Hakeshar, F/M watches the show, applauding occasionally. It was that easy.

[Avenger]

The item drain and the spell drain are separate opcodes.

So it would be easy to remove the item drain from the creature's claw weapon.

[Avenger]

I have a question, what makes these creatures heal when hurt by magic???

[CamDawg]

IF
 SpellCastOnMe([ANYONE],0)
THEN
 RESPONSE #100
ApplySpell(Myself,CLERIC_CURE_LIGHT_WOUNDS)
END

 

This is below the checks for dispel magic (which kills them).

 

And this:

 

The item drain and the spell drain are separate opcodes.

So it would be easy to remove the item drain from the creature's claw weapon.

is a complete 'duh' moment on my behalf. Yes, of course, we can fix this for SoA at least.