Ilbratha and Namarra, Look Ma, no hands

Gilden · Thu, 9th Dec '04, 12:54am

Ilbratha is a +1 shortsword that can cast mirror image, Namarra is a +2 longsword that can cast silence. Nothing very odd there.

However, you would imagine that you have to select one of these weapons to utilise it's special ability. In fact, that is not the case, the weapon only needs to be in a weapon slot for you to access it's ability, you can be wielding another weapon at the time.

This makes such weapons so useful I keep them long after other +1, +2, and even +3 weapons are sold. Ilbratha is particularly good for the fighter who has no other way of getting Mirror-Image cast on himself.

I wonder if this applies to Ras, the dancing blade?

Harbourboy · Thu, 9th Dec '04, 1:15am

Yep, Arya, my Kensai / Thief carries that Mirror Image sword in an unutilised weapon but now seldom uses that ability because she's too lazy.

AzathothXy · Thu, 9th Dec '04, 4:56am

I keep Daystar in an unused slot for the same reason. Very good for surprise vampire attacks.

Saber · Fri, 10th Dec '04, 12:22am

Hmm. It would appear that this works, but is the mirror image really worth it? It doesn't seem to help prevent the enemy from bashing my mage to little bits, what is it supposed to do?

Klorox · Fri, 10th Dec '04, 6:11am

Well, a Mage can't equip the sword. A thief, Ranger, Fighter, ect. can all have it in a weapon slot, and even if they never equip it, they can cast Mirror Image if they're in trouble.

Register · Fri, 10th Dec '04, 9:44am

Quote:

Hmm. It would appear that this works, but is the mirror image really worth it? It doesn't seem to help prevent the enemy from bashing my mage to little bits, what is it supposed to do?

Quote:

Well, a Mage can't equip the sword. A thief, Ranger, Fighter, ect. can all have it in a weapon slot, and even if they never equip it, they can cast Mirror Image if they're in trouble.

What he probably meant was that a mage doesn't have much use for the mirror image, cast from scrolls or the spellbook, not that he actually gave the sword to his mage.

Carcaroth · Fri, 10th Dec '04, 1:25pm

Mirror image is supposed to stop you getting hit i.e. each (successful?) "hit" kills off one of the mirror images before the character can be hit.

Doesn't always seem to work though, at least one of my characters has taken non-magical damage while still having some mirror images up and I haven't worked out why.

It's also quickly taken out by magic misile.

Malovae · Fri, 10th Dec '04, 3:04pm

My take on mirror image is that it is percentage based.

If you have 4 mirror images, then there is a 20% chance that the caster will be hit, 80% that a mirror image will be hit; because there are 5 possible targets - 100/5 is 20.

Magic missile still works on this principle, so its posble that all could hit the caster and leave the images intact. This is very unlikely though.

I may be wrong but thats my perception of it.

Splunge · Fri, 10th Dec '04, 3:13pm

According to this (The Spells/Arcane Spells/Level 2), Malovae is correct.

Saber · Fri, 10th Dec '04, 8:58pm

@Caleb*:
Precisely what I meant.

It's just that when my mage casts it, it doesn't work very well, or for very long. Oh well...

Yulaw9460 · Fri, 24th Dec '04, 2:49am

What´s with this fascination of Ilbratha? I´ve NEVER used it, not even in a secondary weapon slot.... Well, not entirely true, I´ve used it on Minsc once and found, that I really did not have a use for it....
I guess I´m a bit of a deviant... Then again, Aerie is my favorite spellcaster, so I must be.

Gilden · Thu, 30th Dec '04, 11:01pm

Yulaw9460.
The good thing about Ilbratha is that a fighter can have a mirror image up.

M/U's can only cast them on themselves, not others. If you are going up against something that can hurt you fast, then it is invaluable for buying time.

If you are a fighter with 4 weapon slots in your main hand, then you can afford one slot for Ilbratha with it's special ability. You don't fight with Ilbratha, nor do you need proficiency in short swords. Just think of it as a miscellaneous magic item that happens to go in a weapon slot.

Yulaw9460 · Tue, 4th Jan '05, 8:15pm

I know. I´m just lazy.

San Ti · Thu, 6th Jan '05, 12:39pm

i did the same thing i took daystar and had it to my monk and i never used it i just had it for sunray...some times +1 or +2 items have really good abilities

[ January 07, 2005, 09:13: Message edited by: San Ti ]

Capt Massacre · Sat, 8th Jan '05, 1:42am

IMO it's cheesy to use abilities this way. You should at least have the weapon in hand.

Stu · Sun, 9th Jan '05, 6:07am

Why? You just need to lift it out of its hilt use the ability, put it back in its hilt (or wherever it's stored) and grab your original weapon. It's not like the spell casts instantly - there is a casting time.

San Ti · Sun, 9th Jan '05, 9:40am

well there is a small casting time for almost all the item abilities but it is not such a long time

Fri, 10th Dec '04, 6:11am	#5
Klorox Baruk Khazad! Khazad ai-mênu! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NY, USA Posts: 2,955 Like: 4 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,225 Level: 28 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 82% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 55.92% Achievements	Well, a Mage can't equip the sword. A thief, Ranger, Fighter, ect. can all have it in a weapon slot, and even if they never equip it, they can cast Mirror Image if they're in trouble.
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Thu, 9th Dec '04, 12:54am	#1
Gilden Gems: 5/31 Latest gem: Andar Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bristol, England. Posts: 103 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 644 Level: 9 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 1.16% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	Ilbratha is a +1 shortsword that can cast mirror image, Namarra is a +2 longsword that can cast silence. Nothing very odd there. However, you would imagine that you have to select one of these weapons to utilise it's special ability. In fact, that is not the case, the weapon only needs to be in a weapon slot for you to access it's ability, you can be wielding another weapon at the time. This makes such weapons so useful I keep them long after other +1, +2, and even +3 weapons are sold. Ilbratha is particularly good for the fighter who has no other way of getting Mirror-Image cast on himself. I wonder if this applies to Ras, the dancing blade?

Thu, 9th Dec '04, 1:15am	#2
Harbourboy SPS Account Holder Take thy form from off my door! Join Date: May 2003 Location: North Harbour Posts: 13,221 Like: 54 Liked 11 Times in 10 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 28,188 Level: 45 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 71.87% Daily Activity 62.5% Weekly Activity 9.79% Monthly Activity 15.57% Achievements Awards	Yep, Arya, my Kensai / Thief carries that Mirror Image sword in an unutilised weapon but now seldom uses that ability because she's too lazy.

Thu, 9th Dec '04, 4:56am	#3
AzathothXy Gems: 3/31 Latest gem: Lynx Eye Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 60 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 472 Level: 7 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 83.49% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	I keep Daystar in an unused slot for the same reason. Very good for surprise vampire attacks.

Fri, 10th Dec '04, 12:22am	#4
Saber A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 4,897 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 11,218 Level: 31 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 30.62% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	Hmm. It would appear that this works, but is the mirror image really worth it? It doesn't seem to help prevent the enemy from bashing my mage to little bits, what is it supposed to do?

Fri, 10th Dec '04, 1:25pm	#7
Carcaroth SPS Account Holder I call on the priests, the saints, the dancin' girls and the God-damned reprobates! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: In the Library with a Wench. Posts: 1,655 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 3,931 Level: 19 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 96.32% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	Mirror image is supposed to stop you getting hit i.e. each (successful?) "hit" kills off one of the mirror images before the character can be hit. Doesn't always seem to work though, at least one of my characters has taken non-magical damage while still having some mirror images up and I haven't worked out why. It's also quickly taken out by magic misile.

Fri, 10th Dec '04, 3:04pm	#8
Malovae Gems: 18/31 Latest gem: Horn Coral Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Somewhere over there Posts: 1,049 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,587 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 62.47% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	My take on mirror image is that it is percentage based. If you have 4 mirror images, then there is a 20% chance that the caster will be hit, 80% that a mirror image will be hit; because there are 5 possible targets - 100/5 is 20. Magic missile still works on this principle, so its posble that all could hit the caster and leave the images intact. This is very unlikely though. I may be wrong but thats my perception of it.

Fri, 10th Dec '04, 3:13pm	#9
Splunge SPS Account Holder Bhaal’s financial advisor Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: In hiding after Bhaal became Lord of Murder when I had him put everything into subprime mortgages. Posts: 6,545 Like: 13 Liked 57 Times in 38 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 15,912 Level: 36 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 23.01% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 69.38% Achievements Awards	According to this (The Spells/Arcane Spells/Level 2), Malovae is correct.

Fri, 10th Dec '04, 8:58pm	#10
Saber A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 4,897 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 11,218 Level: 31 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 30.62% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	@Caleb*: Precisely what I meant. It's just that when my mage casts it, it doesn't work very well, or for very long. Oh well...

Fri, 24th Dec '04, 2:49am	#11
Yulaw9460 Gems: 8/31 Latest gem: Skydrop Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 9460 Brovst, Denmark Posts: 250 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,012 Level: 11 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 0.8% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	What´s with this fascination of Ilbratha? I´ve NEVER used it, not even in a secondary weapon slot.... Well, not entirely true, I´ve used it on Minsc once and found, that I really did not have a use for it.... I guess I´m a bit of a deviant... Then again, Aerie is my favorite spellcaster, so I must be.

Thu, 30th Dec '04, 11:01pm	#12
Gilden Gems: 5/31 Latest gem: Andar Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bristol, England. Posts: 103 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 644 Level: 9 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 1.16% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	Yulaw9460. The good thing about Ilbratha is that a fighter can have a mirror image up. M/U's can only cast them on themselves, not others. If you are going up against something that can hurt you fast, then it is invaluable for buying time. If you are a fighter with 4 weapon slots in your main hand, then you can afford one slot for Ilbratha with it's special ability. You don't fight with Ilbratha, nor do you need proficiency in short swords. Just think of it as a miscellaneous magic item that happens to go in a weapon slot.

Tue, 4th Jan '05, 8:15pm	#13
Yulaw9460 Gems: 8/31 Latest gem: Skydrop Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 9460 Brovst, Denmark Posts: 250 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 1,012 Level: 11 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 0.8% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	I know. I´m just lazy.

Thu, 6th Jan '05, 12:39pm	#14
San Ti Gems: 5/31 Latest gem: Andar Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Graveyard District Posts: 121 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 596 Level: 8 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 69.19% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	i did the same thing i took daystar and had it to my monk and i never used it i just had it for sunray...some times +1 or +2 items have really good abilities [ January 07, 2005, 09:13: Message edited by: San Ti ]

Sat, 8th Jan '05, 1:42am	#15
Capt Massacre Gems: 5/31 Latest gem: Andar Join Date: May 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 139 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 689 Level: 9 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 27.21% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	IMO it's cheesy to use abilities this way. You should at least have the weapon in hand.

Sun, 9th Jan '05, 6:07am	#16
Stu Gems: 20/31 Latest gem: Garnet Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 1,206 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 3,060 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 89.84% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	Why? You just need to lift it out of its hilt use the ability, put it back in its hilt (or wherever it's stored) and grab your original weapon. It's not like the spell casts instantly - there is a casting time.

Sun, 9th Jan '05, 9:40am	#17
San Ti Gems: 5/31 Latest gem: Andar Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Graveyard District Posts: 121 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 596 Level: 8 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 69.19% Daily Activity 2.98% Weekly Activity 1.28% Monthly Activity 2.11% Achievements	well there is a small casting time for almost all the item abilities but it is not such a long time