ToME: the Tales of Maj'Eyal

Escort tasks can be very annoying when you fail.
But when you save an escort, you are rewarded well, so IMO this is an important part of the game.
I hate to loose an escort.

First have in mind that escorts are true idiots.
They act like kamikaze pilots and run like mad into a fight, no matter how hard this fight might be.
One more aspect is that the tasks are not randomly created when you take a staircase down.
They are already set at game creation and follow this character even if he dies, when you choose 'start same character' at death.
This means you can 'scum' escort tasks if you have a good setup.
My personal preference is to have a task on Trollmire 2 and 3, and also 2 in Kor Pul.
If tasks go bad I suicide and start again. (A bit cheesy I admit, but it gives me a lot of practice to save the escorts)

* First step on an escort task should always be to ask him where the portal is located. (This can be done several times without using a move)
* Ofcourse, check the area at once if there are enemies in sight.
* Also check the escort if he has any enemies as target. This means he might start running (or in rare cases, trapped and wont move)
* Take a view of the terrain. Can you block the escort from a fight? If you can, do so.

Ok, so you cleaned the area where the task started, or there where no enemies in sight.
You have the escort blocked from moving.
* Slow down! Take a deep breath! Do not rush!
* Check the area for enemies with spells/wands if you have any.
* Map the area with vision or the orb or a spell if you have the possibility.
* Check the escort again if he has a target.
* If the area starts with a corridor (Old Forest, Kor Pul, Daikara and the like) try to outrun the escort to the first room (Movement infusion, blind him, speedbots etc etc). If you reach a room, try to take a step or a few out in the room and immidiately be prepared to back down into the corridor again to block the escort from reaching open space. This to attract enemies in the first room and kill them off. After this is done, try to detect enemies again and map if possible the area again.

* Sometimes you meet an enemy in 'open area' who you need to kill. When you fight that particular monster, the escort might help, but some times he will start running towards other enemies. This is a VERY dangerous moment. STOP UP!! Do not panic. Think over the scenario and try to figure out what is most important move now. Check the escort what he has targetted. Do not let him out in open space vs multiple enemies, because then all is most likely lost.
Consider using the 'stop for a while' command at this stage if possible.

* If you and the escort are engaged, try to think over if you can swap position with him to have him fight less dangerous enemies.

* If you reach an open area with no enemies engaged and the escort right behind you, you must now consider if you should enter the open space area, with the escort. This might be the moment to use the 'stop for a while' command and take a few steps out in the room alone. If there are monsters triggered by this move of yours, back down to the escort again blocking him, and kill the attracted monsters.

* If you step on a trap, then stop! Wait until the escort are right behind you, then swap place with him. He lands on the trap, but the trap is not set off, meaning no bad effects for the escort. This tip I learned here in the forum. Beware he starts running though. It is always preferable to have him behind.

* Some times there is slack and the escort starts to come far behind you in an area where you have little control of possible encounters (Trollmire etc).
This is very dangerous as he suddenly might run away in another direction and you loose sight of him. This is often the end of the task. He will die soon unless you are very lucky. Do not let this happen. Never leave him alone in such an area. Only out run him in corridors.

* Sometimes you have bad luck and there is a task in Old Forest(5) or Daikara(5). Then you meet the Boss who starts using the icystorm (or whetever spell) that swirls around him. This means you must very quick engage the boss and stop the escort from coming to close within the stormspell. Try stopping him with the command if possible.

* I suppose it is possible, but I have never been able to try it, but using a healing wand (or spell?) might save the ass of an injured escort.

* Main advice is to play those tasks slow.
Dont rush them and have the escort killed due to a mistake.
This is more annoying than have a start where it impossible to save him. You can blame those on the game. A mistake is something you can never blame someone else for.

Another tip is to check what enemies are targeting the escort and make sure you take them out first. Disabling some whilst you take out others is always good too - stun and freeze can be particularly effective.

It also helps to consider class-specific abilities that may help:

Anyone who has Dimension Door or Swap can use it to reposition the escort. That earth-element entombment spell is also very useful, as is any spell that creates an LOS-blocking cloud. Summoners should send summons ahead to fight (and, if you can control them, scout) as much as they can; Alchemists can send their golem ahead a bit, or leave their golem to block the escort and move ahead themselves (remember to order whatever you leave behind to block the escort to stay in place and not follow you.)

Anything that boosts movement or global speed is useful for catching up to the escort and blocking them off. Anything that disables enemies is useful for keeping the escort safe. Attacks that don't hit friendlies are extremely useful, though few of those exist (note that with Alchemist Protection 5/5, your bombs will not hurt any friendly units, including escort targets.)

And Track (or other monster detection talents) is useful when you have no idea which way the idiot went. Particularly in the damned Trollmire....

Also, the Burning Star (or, to a lesser degree, weaker mapping skills) can be used to find the portal.

With the Burning Star + 5/5 Phase Door + Arcane Eye to look ahead and make sure it's safe, you can often teleport the person you're escorting right to the portal the moment the quest begins... though, that's a bit risky, since the spell might fizzle and work randomly.

Trivial, but I'll mention it - if you're a Wilder, don't forget to use Nature's Touch to heal your escorts as needed.
I don't think there are many other talents that let you heal escorts(perhaps some Anorithil/Sun Pallie ones?).

The celestial/light talent Bathe in Light can be used to heal the escortee, if you can get him to stand still long enough.

Knockback talents can also help you shove the escortee around, to get him out of a dangerous spot. These include Repulsion (plus free daze, yay), Wing Buffet, and Heave, and possibly some chrono/doomed spells.

greycat wrote:The celestial/light talent Bathe in Light can be used to heal the escortee, if you can get him to stand still long enough.

Knockback talents can also help you shove the escortee around, to get him out of a dangerous spot. These include Repulsion (plus free daze, yay), Wing Buffet, and Heave, and possibly some chrono/doomed spells.

Doomed spells would annihilate escorts. Radiant Fear might work, and in general would be a good way to keep melee attackers off your escort.

Do dungeons without the possibility of escorts first. Maze, sandworm lair, all/any of your non-starter zone areas.

This makes the escort much higher level that he'd usually be if you encounter the escort via normal game play.

Obviously diakara, dreadfell, and reknor escorts can be difficult no matter what level they're on.

People have already covered most of what I would add, but here are a few things:

1) In Daikara, at least (I forget where else, although I'm sure someone else can say), watch out for Xorn. It can complicate matters a bit if you rush ahead a few squares to tank some things when a Xorn suddenly burrows through the wall right next to your escort.

2) Some attacks are particularly dangerous at range for your escort, even if he's behind you. My favorite is the thrown boulder, although breath attacks are a close second. For dealing with a lot of those, I usually just try to make good use of corners and the wait command.

3) I always review my abilities, especially the item-based ones, when I start an escort. That way when an odd situation pops up, I'm more likely to remember that one item I have squirreled away for a rainy day.

Targeted wormhole can help if you're playing a class with access to it. If you put the wormhole exit and entrance locations close enough together the escort will basically cycle between the two for the duration of the effect.