Ok, is there any way to take on the vampires in the Windspear Hills WITHOUT someone getting drained a level or dying?

I've got my palladin, Jan, Jaheira, Aerie, Minsc, and Yoshima. Protection from evil and turn undead seem to do nothing. Aerie's wearing some kind of anti-level drain necklace, but she's the only one who can wear it. I had some success with animal summoning a few bears and wolves, but Minsc still got level drained.

Any tips?

try putting aerie at the front, making them attacking her. Then rush to aid with the rest and kill the vamp, run away and let aerie be attacked by the next.

It worked for me, though I was quite a high level at the time. There is a cleric spell called negative plane protection, doesn't that protect from level drain as well?

Scrolls of protection from undead would be incredibly useful here. You can buy these at Waukeen's Promenade and some temples in the temple district (there may be other places too). Just give it to your tanks, hide your other chars and watch as you shred the vampires whilst the just stand around :D :D.

So BG treates "undead" and "evil" differently? I just kind of assumed they were the same.

yes it does, though most undead are evil. I have hard time figuring out what's evil though

First of all: Memorize both negative plane protection and restoration and buy a lot of restoration scrolls. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a dungeon because you have to get past a room filled with level-drainers. (wich happen way to often if you ask me)Personally I had a protected characther stand in the doorway while my 2 priest's bombarded the monsters with holy smithes.
And...(I know its really nasty) find the daystar sword. It can be found in a hidden room in the gates district inn along with a lich. Give it to your highest level characther capacle of wielding a sword and the fun can begin. The sword invokes sunray: 1d6 damage per level of the caster to undead creatures. Save vs. spell or be destroyed.
MuhahahahaHAHAHAHAHAhaaaaaa...

Mace of disruption.
Unless you want to avoid directly attacking, you are going to have to use restoration. Buy all the scrolls that you can get and have the same character cast it on everyone who is level drained (that way only one person is fatigued).

When you send Aerie up front with the Amulet of Power be sure to stoneskin her and mirror image her as this will protect her from the physical damage and allow her to cast spells with out interruption. Burn those vamps to kingdom come!

If I remeber the room correctly...

Here's what I did:

Send Minsc toward the doorway to the room (I had him carrying Lilarcor.) Stop in the doorway, and when the undead notice you, use his special enrage ability. If Minsc stays in the doorway, no one can get past, and the rest of your party can use missile weapons. For me, he cleared the room, including the vampires, in about 60 seconds without taking a single hit.

Alternatively, use Daystar's Sunray, as well as Azuredge, and Mace of disruption.


Incidentally, this is the only time in the entire that I used Minsc's Enrage. With it, though, he turned into a beast.

[This message has been edited by Fubini (edited July 19, 2001).]

Those vampires will cast domination and dire charm as well IIRC. You can protect yourself agaist those spells by casting chaotic commands or using certain equipment (Shield of Harmony, Helm of charm protection?).

And btw, Jaheira should be able to use the Amulet of Power as well.

Or you could wait a few levels then come back with a couple of false dawns, which will make very quick work of them.

Don't underestimate the power of Turn Undead. When I was for the first time in Graveyard for the battle with vampires, my level 13 or 14 cleric (Anomen) has destroyed lots of them without a scratch. He also has Amulet of Power. He manage to destroy even vampires with names, like Del.
Just suport him with you fighters (by the way, Minsc has as racial enemy vampires. Equip him wit some dedicated weapons, like Daystar or Mace of Disruption and he is deadly).

In chapter 6 things was much easier. My cleric has 21 level and his Turn Undead is awesome.

You do not HAVE to face the Vampires. You can use the cleric spell - Sanctuary to get past them.
Just so you know...

Unless your whole party has nothing but clerics in it or you've edited sanctuary to be able to cast it on others I really don't see how that hint will be of any use. Might try mass invisibility, though.

Yeah, one time through Jan made everyone invisible, but since the only thing on the other side is a room of wraiths, I didn't see much point in going that direction at all.

Poor Yoshima fell to Firkraag's mage. Ah, Yosh. We never knew ya. And we'd keep you around, but you're useless now that Renal has given us your quest.