Editing Marcus

{{Infobox creature
| image = 
<gallery>
Marcus Headshot.jpg|In-game
Portrait Marcus.png|Portrait
</gallery>
| name = Marcus
| full name = Flaming Fist Marcus
| size = Medium
| race = [[Aberration]], [[Human]] (former)
| faction = [[Cult of the Absolute]]
| type = 
| extra init = 3
| ac = 17
| hp = 86
| t hp = 195
| movement m = 9
| weight kg = 75
| level = 6
| str = 23
| dex = 16
| con = 16
| int = 10
| wis = 10
| cha = 10
| str save prof = Yes
| con save prof = Yes
| resistances =
| passives = Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack, Dark Devotion, Extra Attack, Feral Instinct, Opportunity Attack, Tenacity (passive feature)
| t passives = Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack, Dark Devotion, Extra Attack, Feral Instinct, Opportunity Attack, Tenacity (passive feature), Improved Critical Hit
}}

'''Flaming Fist Marcus''' is a former member of the [[Flaming Fist]], now turned into an elite agent of the [[Cult of the Absolute]]. 

== Involvement ==
=== Last Light Inn ===
When the party reaches [[Last Light Inn]], [[Jaheira]] is instantly wary of them and summons vines to stop them. She believes the party are True Souls. If Mol didn't survive [[Act One]], Marcus comes to vouch for the party, telepathically revealing that he is an Absolutist spy.

Revealing that Marcus is tadpoled to Jaheira will trigger a fight against him. He will have a [[Initiative#Surprised|surprise round]] where he will summon 13 [[Crawling Claw]]s and then disappear, returning to Moonrise Towers. He can however be defeated here if members of the party have the passive [[Alert]] or have the condition [[Elixir of Vigilance]]. Killing him here will prevent the abduction attempt when you first talk to [[Isobel]].

If Marcus wasn't killed earlier, when the party first goes to speak with Isobel on how to traverse through the Shadow-Cursed Lands, Marcus will show up on the balcony much to her shock. He will quickly reveal his loyalty to the Absolute and [[Ketheric Thorm]], urging Isobel to come with him to see the warlord. A critical choice is then made here:

* Fight against Marcus and his [[Winged Horror|Winged Horrors]] who will focus on taking down Isobel.
* Turn against Isobel, making Marcus and the Winged Horrors allies. The rest of the inn won't be hostile at first though. Doing so will put a huge divide with Jaheira and the [[Harpers]].
* If Isobel is defeated, the barrier protecting the Last Light Inn will fade, letting the shadow curse in. Everyone except Jaheira and the party will either die or become [[Shadow-Cursed Undead (Condition)|Shadow-Cursed Undead]]. This will make multiple questlines prematurely end along with losing merchants, some of who will no longer be active in [[Act Three]].

===Moonrise Towers===
If the player failed to protect Isobel and Marcus survived the fight in the [[Last Light Inn]], Marcus can be found inside Moonrise Towers, on the top floor near the door to [[Balthazar]]'s room.    
If Isobel was knocked out and thus abducted alive, Marcus will also be alive. If, however, Isobel didn't survive the abduction, Marcus will be found dead, presumably killed by an angry [[Ketheric Thorm]].

== Combat ==
===Attacks and abilities===

{{TooltipBox|Main Hand Attack - [[Greatclub +1]]|image = Greatclub PlusOne Icon.png
|Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

{{Action}}

{{Attack Roll}}: +10
{{DamageInfo|count=1|die=8|plus=7|type=Bludgeoning}}
}}

{{TooltipBox|Vampiric Shout
|Vent a malevolent shout, wounding nearby foes and healing yourself provided they're neither Constructs or Undead.{{DamageInfo|count=2|die=8|type=Necrotic}}{{AOE|Circle|m=8|ft=25}}
}}

{{Feature box|name=Fly (Class Action)|image name=Fly.webp
|{{Action|Movement|m=3|ft=10}}
Fly using movement at a {{Range|m=16|ft=60}}.
}}

===Tactics===
'''Marcus''' is an incredibly aggressive great weapon fighter, who in the case of the encounter at the [[Last Light Inn]] will focus on [[Isobel]] in trying to knock her out. The fight there can end very quickly if he and the [[Winged Horror|Winged Horrors]] act first on [[Initiative]]. Being a dedicated [[Fighter]], his extra attack along with a bonus attack he can gain through a [[Critical Hit]] thanks to his Great Weapon Master passive.

The key to besting '''Marcus''' is preparation. During the conversation with him, shifting your party around to avoid getting caught up in his Vampiric Shout is a good way to avoid losing [[Concentration]] on a spell. An easy approach is to use [[Banishment]] to put him out of the fight, sparing Isobel his wrath and allowing the group to clear out the [[Winged Horror|Winged Horrors]]. By the time the spell ends, he will be no match against the full party and the Inn's defenders.

Alternatively adding barrels and other objects to block the entrances will help by confusing the enemies and limiting how many have to be fought at the same time. Some enemies will attack the blockades to gain access, using explosive barrels with torches or other effects can trick enemies into damaging themselves.

===Notable loot===

*{{RarityItem|Greatclub +1}}
*{{RarityItem|Half Plate Armour|alias=Half Plate Armour (Flaming Fist variant)|override_icon=Flaming_fist_half_plate_icon.jpg}}
*{{RarityItem|Shifting Corpus Ring}}
*{{RarityItem|Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery heights="200px" mode="packed">
Marcus Wings.png|Marcus with wings.
Marcus Model.png|Marcus' model.
Marcus Model Wings.png|Marcus' winged model.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{notebegin}}
* If Marcus is killed while attempting to kidnap [[Isobel]], his body can later be found in the grass to the north of the Last Light Inn, seemingly dumped there unceremoniously during the cleanup after the attack.
* Can be spoken to with [[Speak with Dead]].
{{noteend}}

{{Shadow-Cursed Lands}}
[[Category:Aberrations]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters in the Shadow-Cursed Lands]]
[[Category:Characters in Act Two]]
[[Category:Followers of the Absolute]]
[[Category:Available to Speak with Dead]]