When can I get to Cloakwood lodge?

Wilbur

I'm planning on picking up Coran to handle the necessary thieving when I dual Imoen, but I don't remember when I can get to Cloakwood lodge. I want to pick him up at his lowest levels (3/3?) so I want to get there as quickly as possible. Can I get there when I complete Nashkel mines?

Ignatius

Nope. After completing the Nashkel Mines (which will trigger Chapter 3), you will need to clear out the Bandit Camp i.e. engage a specific conversation there, and only then will Chapter 4 begin. This will unlock Cloakwood 1 map (lodge), where Coran is waiting for you.

Wilbur

Ignatius said:

Nope. After completing the Nashkel Mines (which will trigger Chapter 3), you will need to clear out the Bandit Camp i.e. engage a specific conversation there, and only then will Chapter 4 begin. This will unlock Cloakwood 1 map (lodge), where Coran is waiting for you.

Thank you for the quick answer! Then I'll take care of those filthy bandits first

Ignatius

Wilbur said:

Thank you for the quick answer! Then I'll take care of those filthy bandits first

Take care, it is more difficult than the Nashkel mines ! although still very much achievable at low levels...

moopy

You actually don't have to fight any of the bandits at all.

You can trick your way into the camp. Have a cleric cast sanctuary. Have that cleric be the only one that walks into the tent where you have to fight. Have them go pick the scrolls out of the chest that progresses you to the next chapter. Done.

No fighting and you can progress the chapter to where cloakwood is unlocked.

Ignatius

@moopy: is it picking-up the scrolls or talking with the prisoner, that triggers Chap.4? can't remember.

moopy

@Ignatius

The scrolls.

At least in EE.

I had a solo F/M/C I was trying a no reload with and I wanted to avoid this battle. I took the scrolls, got the chapter change, completely ignored the prisoner, and continued on to cloakwood.

Ignatius

@moopy: ah ok, thanks.

Your no-reload F/M/C chickening out of the tent battle? that can't be right... ;-) what happened to him/her?

moopy

They died horribly at some point in the Cloakwood Mines can't remember to what as this was about a month ago.

Almost all my no reloads end in the Cloakwood Mines because for whatever reason it is about that point that I get high enough in levels that I start to get cocky.

Wilbur

@moopy

That's an interesting although somewhat cheesy approach

I don't think it will be a big problem dealing with the bandits with a level ~3 party. Atleast I hope so.

moopy

Yeah, a level 3 party should easily take those guys. Your only possible problem would be that the mage in the tent opens with horror, but just cast a resist/remove fear on your party before you walk into the tent and it is pretty easy.

Another cheesy approach is to use Algorians Cloak on the mage in the tent and have him cast horror on his allies.

Erg

Wilbur said:

@moopy

I don't think it will be a big problem dealing with the bandits with a level ~3 party. Atleast I hope so.

Just be careful not to level up, if you want to pick Coran at his lowest levels:

PC level 1-3 => Coran 3/3
PC level 4+ => Coran 5/5

Ignatius

moopy said:

They died horribly at some point in the Cloakwood Mines can't remember to what as this was about a month ago.

See, that's because you mocked the Sword Coast gods under Tazok's tent ;-)

moopy said:

Almost all my no reloads end in the Cloakwood Mines because for whatever reason it is about that point that I get high enough in levels that I start to get cocky.

Mine have the bad habit to end right after completing Cloakwood, for the same reason: complacency. My last party of 4, with a PC I really enjoyed, got humiliated by... Larze the Ogre assassin in the 2nd inn they visited in BG. He landed 2 critical back-to-back and he does hit hard.

Wilbur

Erg said:

Just be careful not to level up, if you want to pick Coran at his lowest levels:

PC level 1-3 => Coran 3/3
PC level 4+ => Coran 5/5

So if MC has enough exp to level up to lvl 4 or even 5, but is still lvl 3 will Coran then be 3/3?

moopy

@Wilbur

That is also my understanding of how it works.

You should be able to have any amount of xp as long as you haven't leveled above 3 and Coran will be 3 when you pick him up. Then you can hit the level up button right after you joins.

Erg

Wilbur said:

So if MC has enough exp to level up to lvl 4 or even 5, but is still lvl 3 will Coran then be 3/3?

moopy said:

You should be able to have any amount of xp as long as you haven't leveled above 3 and Coran will be 3 when you pick him up. Then you can hit the level up button right after you joins.

@Wilbur
@moopy

Yes, this is how I was expecting this to work as the NPC levels are based on the PC level when you enter the area.

To be sure I tested it with a newly created PC, using the console to give him enough XP to be level 4 before moving him to the area where Coran is.

I can confirm that this is indeed the case.

Ignatius

@Erg: can you confirm this is how it works with other NPC's, especially other multi-classed NPC's? for instance, at what levels will be respectively Quayle and Tiax when you pick them up (depending on PC's level)? do you know if there is a summary table of this, somewhere?

Erg

@Ignatius

Yes, the table is in npclevel.2da and you can look at it with tools like NearInfinity.

There is also an online version (link below) but it is for the original BG1, so I still recommend to use NearInfinity to get the more up to date information.

http://iesdp.gibberlings3.net/files/2da/2da_tots/npclevel.htm

The table shows for example that if PC level is 1-3 the game spawns Coran.cre, otherwise Coran5.cre, then you can check the CRE files in NearInfinity for details like levels, thief skills, etc.

Ignatius

@Erg: thank you. I must admit I have nver used NearInfinity.

moopy

@Ignatius

I find this easier to read:

http://www.forgottenwars.com/bg1/good.htm

The table to the right of each NPC shows what level the npc you recruit will be based off of your CHARNAME level at that time.

Erg

moopy said:

@Ignatius

I find this easier to read:

http://www.forgottenwars.com/bg1/good.htm

The table to the right of each NPC shows what level the npc you recruit will be based off of your CHARNAME level at that time.

Yep, it's a nicer table.

However, consider that there may be differences in BGEE because this table is for vanilla BG1plus DudleyFix.

For instance, the proficiencies are the old ones (large sword instead of long sword etc.), it doesn't take in account the new thief skills (e.g. Move Silently, Detect Illusions, Set Traps, etc.) and there are other differences (e.g. Coran 3/3 has 27 HP in BGEE instead of 24)

moopy

Oh yeah, I've only used that table for npc starting level which hasn't been wrong yet.

Deucetipher

@Ignatius

Larze is no joke if you fight him straight up. No humiliation there. He has 21 str and base thac0 of 5 with three attacks base and three pips in spiked. Str and pips gives him another +6, so is thac0 is -1.

Quartz

Wilbur said:

Erg said:

Just be careful not to level up, if you want to pick Coran at his lowest levels:

PC level 1-3 => Coran 3/3
PC level 4+ => Coran 5/5

So if MC has enough exp to level up to lvl 4 or even 5, but is still lvl 3 will Coran then be 3/3?

@Wilbur Many times I have gotten enough experience to level past Level 3, but refrained from pressing the button to level up. Coran will be 3/3.

Wilbur

moopy said:

@Ignatius

I find this easier to read:

http://www.forgottenwars.com/bg1/good.htm

The table to the right of each NPC shows what level the npc you recruit will be based off of your CHARNAME level at that time.

I had forgotten about this table. This is one of the best since it shows HP and weapon pips too although they are not accurate for BG:EE. I wish someone updated this for BG:EE.

Ignatius

Deucetipher said:

Larze is no joke if you fight him straight up. No humiliation there. He has 21 str and base thac0 of 5 with three attacks base and three pips in spiked. Str and pips gives him another +6, so is thac0 is -1.

That's an awesome thac0 in BG1 terms. But still, it was 4 vs 1. I had PC (Halfling Priest) and Ajantis at AC -6 meleeing and PC took the opening critical hit dealing >30dmg I believe. Imoen in the back was clueless with her bow, I think she had time to cast sleep but Larze was in no mood for a nap. And then Neera. She did not have in her spellbook any disabling spell memorized then; all she could do was magic damage, not enough to kill the Ogre. Ajantis drank a STR potion and hit hard, but the second hit from Larze on PC came very quickly (on second thought I don't think it was another critical) and killed him.

Wilbur

Deucetipher said:

@Ignatius

Larze is no joke

I remember him vaguely. Isn't he located somewhere near Nashkell mines?

Ignatius

Wilbur said:

I remember him vaguely. Isn't he located somewhere near Nashkell mines?

No. He's at the Blushing Mermaid, in BG.

Wilbur

Ignatius said:

Wilbur said:

I remember him vaguely. Isn't he located somewhere near Nashkell mines?

No. He's at the Blushing Mermaid, in BG.

Then I got him mixed up with someone else.

SirK8

I like to trick him into not fighting me. I know you miss out on the fight, but I always feel so clever.

Ignatius

Wilbur said:

Then I got him mixed up with someone else.

Probably with the Amazing Oopah, the carnival's pet ogre. Larze eats Oopah for breakfast.