Cernd vs Improved Faldorn

[Varangianzx]

First I want to say I greatly enjoy SCSII in every regard. The caster AI is great. As is so much else. In truth I greatly prefer it your mod vs Tactics. The latter simply requires power gaming Fighter/Mage or Ranger/Cleric style characters as well asTrue Grandmastery (which is of course a Weidu mod) to even have a chance at. This mod allows my current character, ans Inquestioner, to actually have a shot at beating the game (he is actually rather good vs all the improved spellcasters).

 

Anyways, I felt I should state all that before getting to my point as this is my first time posting here.

 

Have you ever tested Cernd vs Improved Faldorn? She beats him into the ground. It's pretty awful. I would argue that until Cernd is at a level equal to Chapter 6 groups it is nearly impossible for him to beat Faldorn. Oddly enough, Jaheria can best Faldorn by pretty much casting the Druid level 2 Flame Blade spell and just beating Faldorn to the ground despite her Improved Invisibility. If you do attempt to use Cernd than you will have to go through three level 16 Totemic Druid Stoneskins (I have the Spell Revisions Mod also installed, which was a great recommendation from your site). Of course Jaheria and her Flame Blade care little for these Stoneskins, but Cernd and his Werewolf form do. Cernd could also use the Flame Blade, but his lack of melee prowess will really show and unless he is very lucky will result in his quick death.

 

I realize this is a small concern since both Jaheria and possibly the Bhaalspawn can defeat Faldron but just wanted to point out that as of now Cernd is pretty much useless vs Faldorn until near the end of SoA. This might be more of a Cernd problem rather than the mod. But I felt like mentioning it since Cernd is one of two legal (unmoded) NPCs that can fight Faldorn assuming the Bhaalspawn is not a Druid. If anyone here is interested in a challenging fight (and I suspect since you installed this mod, you are) try to defeat Improved Faldorn with Cernd in Chapter 2-3.

 

I mostly felt like posting this because I just spent far too long vs Improved Faldorn. Trademeet better double my Reputation gain. And as for Cernd, he was not welcomed to continue with me on my travels. Werewolves and Inquestioners simply do not see eye to eye. Espeically useless Werewolves and annoyed/facepalming Inquestioners.

[DavidW]

Interesting. On balance, I think that's not a problem, but I'd welcome other comments.

[Clockwerk]

To beat Improved Faldorn with Cernd, I just cast Harm. Note that I always install the component making the spell deal 150 damage instead of HP reduction to 1 so it may be harder without it.

 

Funnily enough, if you ask Cernd to fight Faldorn without him being in the party, he absolutely slaughters her in his werewolf form without breaking a sweat. Apparently there are multiple copies of Faldorn and only the one you fight yourself is improved.

[DavidW]

Yeah, that's basically a cutscene.

[Varangianzx]

Balance is very hard. That's funny about the cutscene, I've always had Jaheria, Cernd or the Bhaalspawn face Faldorn. I'll use that next time.

[Clockwerk]

Noticed something in my latest run in the Cernd/Faldorn cutscene:

 

In the event Cernd doesn't manage to disrupt her casting and her Improved Invisibility actually goes off, she just does nothing. She waits for the duration to run out and then tries to cast it again. Rinse and repeat until she has no II left at all. Made me laugh a bit, considering she's supposed to enjoy battle xD

[Shaitan]

I haven't noticed anything I consider as a bug here: mostly Cernd as a werewolf wins, and Faldorn tries to cast spells, but gets interrupted.

 

1/5 times however Faldorn succeeds and ultimately wins.