I need help with battle tactics when fighting Dragons, Fallen Planetaars, Liches, and the Gang of the "Twisted Rune" with Sword Coast Stratagems and Ascension installed. Its my first playthrough with these mods and I'm having a bit of trouble. I was able to beat the Shadow Dragon without much trouble, but Firkragg is just killing me too fast. I was able to beat Kangaxx but only by going back upstairs and waiting until the Fallen Planetaar summons disappeared, which I'm not proud of. And I couldn't even kill one of the bunch in the Twisted Rune group, because they all cast Protection from Magic Weapons and my strategy for anyone else who cast that was to basically wait it out. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm playing the EE Trilogy. I have the mod that cuts experience in half, so I don't have HLAs yet. My party is:
- Me, a Monk
- Chaotic Neutral Anomen
- Tiax
- Viconia
- Edwin
- Jan
I had Korgan, but he got chunked in Spellhold. I suppose I could switch one of my clerics for and underleveled Dorn if need be. Again any help or advice would be appreciated very much.

I don't know the details of SCS/Acension changes, so some of these points might not be useful.

Have you been using the spells that remove spell protections? Might be worth coordinating your casting such that the protection stripping spells arrive just before the butt kicking spells.

Also, are you pre-buffing?

Is Death Spell knocking out their summons?

Maybe drop a Nishruu or Haskashar on some of the casters?

Edit: Looks like you might only have the Monk up front. Are you adding your own summons to the mix (Mordencainen's Sword, Animate Dead)?

Yeah, I've been trying to remove the spell protections. Tried doing some pre-buffing, but one of the first things Firkragg does is remove all spells you've cast on your own party members. You're probably right on needing more summons. Or I really need to pick up Dorn for more fighting power, even if he has terrible constitution and will be under-leveled. I was hoping I could wait until Throne of Bhaal to replace one of the clerics with Sarevok, but that might not be possible. Thanks for the ideas though. Maybe I'll just skip Firkragg and the Twisted Rune, despite the loot. I don't really need the Paladin sword from Firkragg, but wanted some red-dragonscale armor. I also wanted the Staff of the Magi for Edwin.

So I'll try better summons/tinkering with more customized spellbooks. Any other ideas anybody?

I could just go to Suldanessellar, but might have trouble getting past that dragon.

Kind of off-topic, but any advice on which of Anomen/Viconia to ditch for Sarevok. He has some fighter levels and more HP, but she has more magic resistance and an extra 1/2 level worth of experience? Depsite being weaker, I want to keep Tiax for his personality and to see his ToB epilogue.

I'd say just wait, and then probably dump Anomen for Sarevok.

What spell levels do you have available? Mordencainen's swords are pretty wonderful tanks because they are basically invulnerable (though one of the mods might change this?).

Are you making use of Greater Malison on Firkraag? Also, maybe start casting fire protection spells just after he starts the Dispel magic. Which of his attacks are actually doing you in? Breath weapon, melee, or spells?

For the twisted rune, it is harder. Cloudkill and some other dots might be useful, as well as summons to soak attacks.

I was mainly trying to use melee against him with my monk and three clerics while Edwin and Jan kept taking down his protections. Then I tried with some summon monsters and elementals. Clerics were getting squished in melee, and use his breath against my mages. I could basically get out 3 spells before the mages were toast. Maybe I need to study which spells to use better. I've kind of always kind of chosen spells without really researching which spells other people think are the strongest. I'll try M. Sword and Greater Malison. Thanks for all the advice! :)

Have your clerics casting spells to help fill the summon gap (Animate Dead, Summon [whatever]) and to deal some damage. Alternatively, use the combat buffs (Holy Power, Draw Upon Holy Might) to buff before wading into melee. Take a look at Harm as well.

A quick look over the spell casting list shows Protection From Fire at 3rd level gives 100% fire protection. Sound useful to your mages?

Casting Magic Resistance on the dragon might be useful (depending on your level).

Be advised that Greater Malison is useless by itself, since it affects saving throws. Don't bother with it if you aren't casting spells or using effects that require the enemy to save.

Standard dragon fare:

Chain Contingency: Lower Resistance, Lower Resistance, Pierce Magic/Pierce Shield

Greater Malison spam

Cleric's Doom

Abi-Dalzim after the debuffs.

Lowering a dragon's magical resistance (no save) and removing his protections is key.

If the player doesn't have HLAs yet, they don't have sustainable access to Chain Contingency. (For Limited Wish, it's a one-time effect, and you can't have a Projected Image or Simulacrum use the scroll (and doing so in the classic edition could easily softlock the game).)