[MM7] Fighting Queens of the Dead

[GreatEmerald]

I'm quite curious - how do you, followers of the Light path, deal with all those Queens of the Dead in the Wine Cellar and especially the Pit? I've tried going there (I need the Divine Intervention book before getting Archmage) and slash my way through the Pit, and it seems all I can do is take out one Queen of the Dead at a time. They're just cheap monsters like that... So basically, when I try to attack them, I use this (Knig/Arch/Cler/Sorc):
1. Remember to have Day of the Gods, Day of Protection, Hour of Power (or, rather, 3 hours of power ), Regenerate and Protection from Magic on;
2. Sorcerer uses Acid Burst;
3. Others use arrows from afar;
4. We try to charge the Queen;
5. Whenever she casts Pain Reflection, the Cleric casts Dispel Magic - that also confuses her and she tries to cast it again instead of Dragon Breath;
6. Whenever she casts Dragon Breath, Cleric casts Shared Life and stops shooting and instead starts healing the party with Heal, usually also seeking for shelter (houses).
7. If she casts another Dragon Breath too early, reload.

This strategy works, but only if there is only one Queen. If there's a Speaker for the Dead nearby, I'm dead from the Dragon Shrapmetal combo. If there's a Necromancer, I can kinda survive, with shooting at her while the Queen has her Pain Reflection on.

It's a lot easier with the undead versions of them, Lich Kings. My Cleric instead casts like 3 Destroy Undead and it goes poof (however, I kinda don't want to try that, but does the Pain Reflection reflect the Destroy Undead spell? Logically it shouldn't, but it's still pain...) Also, I guess it would all be easier if I had my Wizard up to Archmage, but I need to go through the Pit first... It would also help if I had Power Cure, but I need a lot of skill points and I'm still short of levels. Guess I could go on other side quests first, though.

So, any tips or alternative strategies? (No, I don't want to use Invisibility, unless it's used to strike the opponent - I want the experience, items and a clean Pit to visit for another few years!)

[arturchix]

It would also help if I had Power Cure, but I need a lot of skill points and I'm still short of levels.

It seems you are not strong enough to directly assault The Pit yet. Queens are one of the nastiest monsters in MM7 and you don't want to mess with them too early. Sometimes I take on The Pit at very high levels but usually I just skip it, passing by with Invisibility because several Queens can kill the best party in seconds. However, one Queen with your Light magic spells shouldn't be a big problem.

BTW, there's always the TBM and the Hit -> Save -> Reload trick. Of course, it can be very tedious when fighting against all odds.

[Avonu]

1. Remember to have Day of the Gods, Day of Protection, Hour of Power (or, rather, 3 hours of power ), Regenerate and Protection from Magic on;
2. Sorcerer uses Acid Burst;
3. Others use arrows from afar;

It wokrs perfect on them - you only need to move and dodges they attacks.
Paralyze is very good too.

4. We try to charge the Queen;

Neved do that - they cast Dragon's Breath even at close range (they are immune for that) and you are screwed when they hit your team.
Unless you paralyzed them.

5. Whenever she casts Pain Reflection, the Cleric casts Dispel Magic - that also confuses her and she tries to cast it again instead of Dragon Breath;

Accually Pain Reflection isn't a big problem - you can easy hit her when she cast that spell and not loose much HP. Better try to paralyze her then remove Pain Reflection.

6. Whenever she casts Dragon Breath, Cleric casts Shared Life and stops shooting and instead starts healing the party with Heal, usually also seeking for shelter (houses).

Try to avoid her spell - hide in corner of building (not always working because Dragon's Breath may hit wall and explode near you), hide behind another enemy (then spell "stop" at his back) or just run around her if you have enough space.

[GreatEmerald]

Hmm, I always use turn-based combat for fighting them (in fact, I'm a turn-based guy - I use that in any occasion possible ), so it didn't really matter if I was near or far - except that Queens are usually near other queens, speakers or liches. But I could try dodging... Yet the Pit is full of lava pits, so it's really hard to navigate and not fall into one. And yes, good idea about paralyse. That could make it a lot easier that way.
And yea, about spells stopping on friendly monsters - I noticed that, Speakers for the Dead always summon something like a hobgoblin and it blocks all her shrapmetal The problem is that I can't attack the Speaker, just like she can't attack us.

[Variol]

I can recall using several curse words while fighting them. They are a tough lot. Pain reflection is a bugger.

[Sure Valla]

Well i did it with 4 knights too, and it was easy


4 Tanks all around 90+ damage so it wasn't that hard

But if you can hold it just go back to the inn which is somewere in the middle of the pit, rest and try again

[GreatEmerald]

Yea, I already cleared that area - everything around the entrance, mainly because it was easy to reach everyone in melee that way.

[Paviel]

I'd suggest fighting your way to the Breeding Zone and completing the Archmage Promotion before trying to clear out anything else.

I'm pretty sure that the Archmage and Lich promotions were designed for stealth rather than a straight fight, but since you prefer a straight fight, that's my suggestion. You certainly won't be attacking Castle Gloaming without an Archmage...

[Sure Valla]

You certainly won't be attacking Castle Gloaming without an Archmage...

Well i did it with 4 knights too, and it was easy


4 Tanks all around 90+ damage so it wasn't that hard

Like i said: 4 Knights all around 90+ damage and alot of hp is easy enough for the whole pit

[tolich]

Almost all keywords are said:
1) Remove Pain Reflection with Dispel;
2) Paralyze (works on Liches too), but Dispel before Paralyzing;
3) Avoid Dragon Breath
I can add some:
4) Summon Light and then run like hell from it (cause it's too explosive).
5) Use Pain Reflection Scrolls. Their Health is less then yours, and they never Dispel, so their Dragon Breath will return to them.

*added a day after*
6) Strategy: cast Invisibility before entering the Pit, then go invisibly to Dark Temple. Clean in, periodically leaving (turnbased) to use Temple's healing. Then Dark Temple will be your first green zone to cast Invisibility again. (Note that the Hall of the Pit is not such zone, because of too many dragonbreathers close to entrance).

[GreatEmerald]

Hmm, too bad there is no "Wand of Reflections"...

[GrayFace]

I remember we used Invisibility to get close to one of them and then smash her. If you fight in turn-based, you sure should fight in close combat.

[GreatEmerald]

The problem with this method is that in the pit, you never get to face a queen or king alone, they are always surrounded by their necromancer, speaker and power minions and occasionally even more queens and kings. So once you get in close combat, you get jacked from all sides for extra damage.

[klaymen]

I'm pretty sure that the Archmage and Lich promotions were designed for stealth rather than a straight fight, but since you prefer a straight fight, that's my suggestion.

The Lich promotion quest is IMO much easier. I never had much problems when dealing with magi/angels/whatever, like I had when attempting to clear The Pit.

[Tress]

2 things that people already mentioned. Dispell pain reflection since its most annoying thing in their arsenal. And abuse paralysis that is REALLY cheap(both meanings(manawise and I personally consider that particular is spell borderline of cheating and tend to not use it)) like no tomorrow. Against liches, destroy undead spell, but they arnt that dangerious as queen. Vampires on other hand with mana drain can be pain...

[GreatEmerald]

Vampires on other hand with mana drain can be pain...

Never had any trouble with them. I just never let them come close enough to bite me, and destroy them early.

[tolich]

They also can be paralyzed.

[Sure Valla]

7. If she casts another Dragon Breath too early, reload.

Do you mean that if she casts Dragon Breath and it will hit you, you will load the game?

Because that is pretty lame.....

Vampires on other hand with mana drain can be pain...

Well, about the knights - again

Knight have no mana so no problems.

[GreatEmerald]

No, I meant that if she casts 2 DBs in a rapid succession and most of my party members die, I reaload. Though I guess Preservation would have helped me here, I didn't use it back then...

[HodgePodge]

I cast Summon Light Elementals over and over. Soon the whole room was filled with Light Elementals which all attacked and left my army free to flee. Hahaha!