Just ran into Nessie with my Level 14 party. It's a very tough combat and the Davey Jones Locker chest (yes, I've won twice out of a dozen or so attempts!) hardly makes it worthwhile.

But my bard is the weakest link - favourites are usually haste and slow instruments, but these don't work, so she contibutes very little to the party's efforts - doubleshot crossbow is all.

Are there any items I can give her to use? (Tempted to give her razor cloak and stick her in front!)
Thanks

• RE: What can a bard do against Nessie?,Assaf Einat (Guest), 06:36 AM, Feb-26-02
• RE: What can a bard do against Nessie?,Strange Brew (Guest), 06:40 AM, Feb-26-02
• Davey Jones Locker IS worthwhile,Lady Ens (Guest), 07:11 AM, Feb-26-02
  • RE: Davey Jones Locker IS worthwhile,ldwilmer, 07:48 AM, Feb-26-02
    • RE: Davey Jones Locker IS worthwhile,amastropolo, 09:14 AM, Feb-26-02
    • RE: Davey Jones Locker IS worthwhile,Strange BRew (Guest), 09:47 AM, Feb-26-02
      • RE: Davey Jones Locker IS worthwhile,Dyak (Guest), 10:21 AM, Feb-26-02
      • RE: Davey Jones Locker IS worthwhile,ldwilmer, 03:48 PM, Feb-26-02
        • RE: Davey Jones Locker IS worthwhile,Dyak (Guest), 04:11 PM, Feb-26-02

I think that you have to kill nessie in order to reach the sea caves behond it. except the chest - there is a bubble lift over there - which leads you to a new complex of tunnels.
about your bard - what about magic screen, soul shield, ect.
some defensive effects...
or maybe armormelt or something like that

Against Nessie I found Jericho's Horn (Armormelt) to be very useful, made it much easier to hit and penetrate. Also Angels Tongue (Bless), and Dulcimer of Mending (heal all) every second round or so was essential. That combined with a rest all from my bishop every so often made my bard very useful against Nessie. I also used my bishop to cast guardian angels on everybody which made Nessie's breathe attack bearable.

Read the various posts about it.

Yes, and I'm sure that if I HAD Jericho's Horn and/or the Dulcimer of Mending I would have a chance of repeating the combat successfully a few times to get some good stuff.

As it stands, I haven't got those items, so I start off the combat with Superman, Eye for Eye, Guardian Angel, Armourmelt and Bless then bard contributes very little.
Hadn't thought of re-using Bless - I thought once per combat was all that was needed?

I'm not sure if you realize this, but the contents of the chest are set when you first enter the area. You would have to restart from a save outside of the area, and then enter again. Otherwise, the contents will be exactly the same.

I don't know if this is true or not, but the contents actually seem to be set the first time you enter the area. So if you enter, kill nessie, leave, rest 4 times, and reenter, they don't reset. That's what happened to me, although I only did that once. I don't know what would happen if I left the area for an extended period of time.

you dont need to reuse bless as far as I know unless it runs out. I only meant to reuse heal all every second round or so. But I had a bard and gadgeteer in my party both with the ability to heal all (bard - dulcimer of mending), (gadgeteer - regenerating stone), and I also used the gadgeteer to cast superman on my fighter and also to cast guardian angels. Overall against nessie I found my gadgeteer more useful, my bard was more useful against large groups of monsters (with the chaos drone and arresting aria).

And the chests generate items the first time you enter an area so once you enter that is what you get unless you reload before entering the first time. But this is information that has been posted many times already. And I found a very useful sword on my 4th attempt. But there are other useful items in DJL (other than the sword best one I found was the regenerating ring).

...it is indeed. And by the way, you do not need to fight Nessie! Once upon a time I even posted here an algorythm of avoiding her (basically, you hide behind rocks, and after she fails to attack you in three rounds, she just retreats - Q.E.D.); it takes several minutes to send cowering Nessie to her corner, and then you are free to explore the chest. Normally, you need less than ten attempts to get that *very* useful sword.

>once you enter that is what you get
>unless you reload before entering the first time.

Let me guess - I have to go back to before the psionic sharks, right?
I don't think this area is meant to be for me until I have better equipment. Better get my party back on track doing what they were supposed to be doing, instead of goofing off and exploring randomly!

Thanks for the advice,though - I'll bear it in mind for when I come back later!

If you want to "explore" the DJL, it is better to enter Bayjin Shallows from Mt.Gigas Water Caves, not from Bayjin.