A Talon What!

Trinn · Post by **Trinn** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:20 am

hehe my heart fair leapt into my throat when I saw a Talon Warlord walking toward me. S'creepy being on the other side of those fella's

sweet work builderscripterstoryteller dude/ett's *clapapapapa*

Kazak · Post by **Kazak** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:36 am

Tinuvhiell · Post by **Tinuvhiell** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:40 am

Talon were the bad guys that liked to invade the old village and wipe everyone out.

obsoletenihilist · Post by **obsoletenihilist** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:41 am

Go read the background on the Talon subfaction of the Varanite Claws, Kaz. Interesting information. The Das 1 vets are probably a mix of giddy and scared on seeing them.

We Das noobs however, will probably need to get our butts kicked a few times to really appreciate them.

Stormknife · Post by **Stormknife** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:20 am

It's like walking into a rebel base in Star Wars and asking a stormtrooper for directions. o.O

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:25 am

Dont worry, newcomers, I have a newly rolled up Talon Warlord PC for everyone to suck up to all ready and waiting.

Stormknife · Post by **Stormknife** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:26 am

I saw that. I was hoping my warlock'd meet him so he could express his patriotism.

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:28 am

Uh huh. He would demand no less, citizen!

obsoletenihilist · Post by **obsoletenihilist** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:00 am

I saw you log on as him as well.. and instantly metagamed myself running to the hills and cowering.

Vain · Post by **Vain** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:24 am

I like the armor, they dress with style.

Post by **Vahene** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:37 am

Wyvern wrote:Dont worry, newcomers, I have a newly rolled up Talon Warlord PC for everyone to suck up to all ready and waiting.

This differs from a Claw Warlord how, by how much more tolerant Talon are than Claw, or the actual amount of freaking out vets do behind the keyboard at seeing one? You just didn't want us hysterical, did you? You just wanted us mildly concerned?

-K

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:19 pm

The Claw were overused at the end of the first campaign. I am currently thinking of ways to reinstill what it means to meet a Claw. It isn't going to happen for a while I think.

Judas · Post by **Judas** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:47 pm

I saw a sign post to the Talon Hold ! , lookin’ forward to revisiting that place , tho’ I don’t suppose I’ll be looting it this time …

Also wile were on the subject My Nergalite Black Guard Banevict Killed a Claw once

.. He shot it in the back wile others were dieing at its blades , only way I know to kill one ..

Post by **Peregrinus** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:31 pm

Wyvern wrote:The Claw were overused at the end of the first campaign. I am currently thinking of ways to reinstill what it means to meet a Claw. It isn't going to happen for a while I think.

That was the DM's decision, since one did provide a challenge for a small group of level 20s, and a few of them could easily wipe out everything.

Falson killed his share of Claw, though I had to use the big guns and pray they didn't notice me first, except for Claw Mages... I think most good level 20s could solo a Claw mage as their AI was flawed. They just started at the top of their spell list and worked their way down, no finesse involved, and being a spell-slinger takes a lot more finesse than most people give credit, you have to know what spell to use against which targets, not just start casting your level 9 spells first and working your way down.

Wyv, if you want Claw to be feared again, as an elite unit, don't look at giving them ridiculous HP and gear, like they were in NWN, see if there is a way, beyond direct control, of making them smarter. When the AI controlled the Claw, it was simply a matter of predicting what they would do and knowing how to react, which even though they are very powerful, most folks who got to level 20 know their classes well enough to work through most basic strategy, and be able to react to what the basic enemy AI would do. I don't know if this is possible in NWN2, but to me, if the Claw worked as a unit, rather than as a bunch of individuals, they would be more terrifying than ever before.

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 8:36 pm

The Claw should never have been used as regular encounters under AI control. People always want to play with the shiniest toys though. Early on, they were only used while being directly controlled by a DM. Then one would tear apart any number of people. I saw a single one take down level 20 after level 20 with ease through smart play. It's not that they were invincible, they were just played smart, in small numbers. Then they started being tossed out like candy, leaving the dumb as bricks AI to take care of it, and all of a sudden you had mages taking them down solo with acid sheath etc. They managed to lose a lot of their edge after that.