----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Weiss" <[removed]>
To: <[removed]>
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 1:40 PM
Subject: RE: [acthesource] Re: What drops Level V Jewelry/Cloths?

>
> Is it possible to melee Umbris at higher levels? Or are their spells too
> powerful for close range combat and insufficient Magic D?

To have "sufficient" Magic D, you would have to be a mage :)

The following assumes that your melee skill is good enough to hit Umbris.
Farik's skill is somewhere in the 280 range (assuming self buffs, and
Weakness and Clumsiness debuffs).

The way to solo melee an Umbris is, get it to come over from its spawn
without all of its friends following along. This is done the same way as
with other critters -- stand outside their aggression range, then
shoot/spell it, run, wait for the mob to return to the spawn, then
shoot/spell the same umbris again. The second time, she'll come over alone.

You will spend the first several 'rounds' of combat switching between combat
mode and peace mode. Go into peace mode to heal. You need to at least
occasionally go into combat mode; if you don't attack the Umbris every so
often, she may get bored and head back to her spawn.

While the Umbris is crazy-casting War and Drain magic on you, you will need
to have a supply of healing potions and healing kits handy. Use kits when
your health is above 1/2 or 2/3 (depends on your skill). If your Health gets
below 1/2, use potions until you're in kit range again. The Umbris will
intersperse some melee combat with the magic attacks. If you have some nice
Bludgeoning Protection, that will help with the melee attacks (Umbris hit
pretty hard).

Umbris also cast debuffs on you. Take em as gifts, you're saving your
healing power when this happens.

You will be able to tell that Ms. Umbris is out of mana when she goes for
several melee attacks without casting any spells. Once this happens, you can
go into combat mode and hack away. If you're like me, you can't solo an
Umbris before she recharges enough mana for another big War shot. When this
happens, heal up, and get back to combat.

If the fight goes on long enough, Ms. Umbris will run out of stamina. You
can tell that this has happened when she stops evading your attacks and/or
you start getting more crits.

Speaking of Stamina, you will probably run low a few times during the fight.
Carry some stamina elixirs with you.

Kill the Umbris. Loot. Grumble at the grapes, gypsum, magic gem, 5-10
utterly flawless long sword, and 14,876py citrine chalice.

Move on to the next Umbris.

If you follow this plan, you will not be killed very often. If the Umbris
goes nuts and casts three non-volley War shots in a row, you will probably
buy it. Other than this, you will be in good shape. The important thing to
remember is, if you are seriously hurt, do not panic. Suck down some
sure-fire healing (potions), and use healing kits to top off your Health.

Another thing: once you've fought one Umbris, you will very likely have Life
Magic Ineptitude V on you. The only way to counter this is if you can cast
level V Creature magic. If not, you will have to be able to do all your
buffing without using Stam-to-Mana or Health-to-Mana. Either that, or wait
for the Ineptitude to wear off (boring).

Other folks (with more experience at this than me) may have other things to
add. But this is how Farik hunts umbris solo.