Deep Uniques

[Merlin]

I've gotten further than I ever have before with this level 50 mage that finally got the last book, but I'm having a hard time beating the uniques that summon other monsters. Then those that are summoned may summon more... Does anyone have any advice as to how I could defeat them?

[Derakon]

Got the last book? Cast Banishment or Mass Banishment. Other classes have to get in close to the enemy in an area that has limited room so that there's no room for the enemy to summon, but mages can just make the summons go away. This is how they make up for having terrible hitpoints and limited offense.

Similarly, you can banish away a unique's escort. Why bother fighting the 15 Greater Balrogs that are escorting Gothmog?

If uniques are summoned, then you can teleport them away.

[Timo Pietilä]

I've gotten further than I ever have before with this level 50 mage that finally got the last book, but I'm having a hard time beating the uniques that summon other monsters. Then those that are summoned may summon more... Does anyone have any advice as to how I could defeat them?

Fight them in small spaces. Corner of the dungeon works fine, if one gets summoned behind you teleport it away.

[Zikke]

You can also back yourself into a corner and use -TO if you need to.

[artes]

Dig a diagonal tunnel in a zig-zag pattern. When fighting the boss inside the tunnel, the monsters that he summons can't help him. I don't remember if he can summon a monster behind you inside such a tunnel.

[artes]

Another question. Do you people use to kill uniques the first time you see them, or do you wait until you are deeper down, to get better artifacts from them?

[Derakon]

I kill uniques when I am capable of killing them. Usually I'll take them on even if doing so is risky, just because it's more fun that way. It's not worth worrying about rewards, for two reasons:

1) Odds are you'll get useless cruft anyway.
2) If you do get something useful, it's every bit as good to get a mid-level useful item now as it is to get an endgame useful item later. Reason being that you need the mid-level gear to be able to hack it in the late game.

If you asked one of my warriors if they'd rather have Dethanc now (current weapon: Main Gauche (+4, +5)) or Doomcaller later, they'd go for Dethanc, every time.

[buzzkill]

I kill uniques when I am capable of killing them. Usually I'll take them on even if doing so is risky, just because it's more fun that way. It's not worth worrying about rewards, for two reasons:

1) Odds are you'll get useless cruft anyway.
2) If you do get something useful, it's every bit as good to get a mid-level useful item now as it is to get an endgame useful item later. Reason being that you need the mid-level gear to be able to hack it in the late game.

If you asked one of my warriors if they'd rather have Dethanc now (current weapon: Main Gauche (+4, +5)) or Doomcaller later, they'd go for Dethanc, every time.

Wow, I couldn't agree with this more.

[Timo Pietilä]

Wow, I couldn't agree with this more.

Seconded. Or is that thirded (is that a word??).

[artes]

Ok, I'll begin to kill them off, mostly to limit the risks. Even if they are weak, they can cause problems if they show up unexpectedly or someone summons them.

[Timo Pietilä]

Ok, I'll begin to kill them off, mostly to limit the risks. Even if they are weak, they can cause problems if they show up unexpectedly or someone summons them.

Summoners and uniques with escorts especially should be killed ASAP. Feagwath with Master Liches as escort is way less dangerous than Feagwath with Black Reavers as escort.