Druid Strategies/walkthroughs

elminster

Didn't see anywhere here about Druid strategies, but to be honest I didn't look extensively within other threads here.

I guess I'll be posting here about my druid strategies for beating Baldur's Gate with a solo druid. Since I don't have BGEE installed due to some computer issues (and because I'm currently forced to use a netbook which has an intel graphics accelerator) I'll just be playing BG1.

I'll also try to stay away from spamming animals as a strategy, and do my best to keep within the 5 animal summoning limit of BGEE. Obviously at higher levels this isn't as much of an option.

Anyways, feel free to post any druid related strategies you can think of. Whether they are concerning BGEE, BG1, BG2, etc. Likewise whether they are solo play strategies, kit strategies or party strategies (etc).

elminster

Having gone through his perilous training involving only the most intense stat min-maxing, Fruhorn enters Winthrop's inn with instructions to purchase what gear he can.

franco

Wow. He must have been training real hard. Actually @elminster, I'm looking forward to seeing this. The Druid is a pretty fascinating character to handle.

bbear

Are you using True Class or any specific kit?

elminster

franco said:

Wow. He must have been training real hard. Actually @elminster, I'm looking forward to seeing this. The Druid is a pretty fascinating character to handle.

Its fun but man, that BG1 spell selection for level 4/5 really sucks. No insect plague, woodland creatures, or iron skins for me

bbear said:

Are you using True Class or any specific kit?

True class, in BG1 (no kits, BG1 spells).

In BG2 probably a shapeshifter. Just for RP reasons.

elminster

I've managed to get him to level 3 and am in Beregost. I've also decided that while I will use Algeron's cloak for the charisma advantage I won't be using it for its charm ability. Namely because it makes the game too easy.

elminster

So far my strategy has been pretty standard. Lots of darts, a little bit of fog of war edge entangle (which despite its save is such a more useful spell in BG1 compared to BG2 since there is none of that constant aoe webbing to have to save against but people who are caught in it stay caught in it). By fog of war edge entangle I mean casting entangle as close as possible to where I know difficult enemies are so I can hopefully snare them.

I didn't say this was going to be an honourable playthrough. This is about survival lol. Especially in the earlier levels. Its also why I'm max health levelling, though to be honest up to level 3 I haven't had to actually reload to get full health.

elminster

I actually got a use out of flame blade against the spiders in Landrin's home. That brings me back. When flame blade actually had a purpose beyond being a last option to kill trolls with.

Ligg

I like the portrait - can I ask where it's from?

Also - if you aren't using Algernon's cloak to charm will you be using the charm animal spell? Does that work on humans? Or am I thinking of hold person/animal?. It's been some time since I saw BG1.

If you don't have BG:EE would you consider BGT to play BG1 with the BG2 engine? Druid spells are much better in BG2 - Call Woodland Beings, Summon Insects, Iron Skins... blah de blah.

Ligg

Do druids get Sanctuary in BG1?

elminster

Ligg said:

Do druids get Sanctuary in BG1?

Nope

Ligg said:

I like the portrait - can I ask where it's from?

Also - if you aren't using Algernon's cloak to charm will you be using the charm animal spell? Does that work on humans? Or am I thinking of hold person/animal?. It's been some time since I saw BG1.

If you don't have BG:EE would you consider BGT to play BG1 with the BG2 engine? Druid spells are much better in BG2 - Call Woodland Beings, Summon Insects, Iron Skins... blah de blah.

Yes I will be using charm animal or mammal. Difference being it has a +3 save vs spell. The cloak is save vs breathe.

No I wouldn't consider BGT. For a couple of reasons. Firstly I've already started my playthrough, and secondly I've personally never been a fan of BGT/Tutu.

elminster

@Ligg I've attached the file I got the portrait from. "Big B's Extreme Portraits (Submitted)" on sorcerers.net

http://www.sorcerers.net/Games/BG2/index_portraits2.php

I've attached the zip file they (78 portraits) are all contained in. Basically it looks like they are Magic: The Gathering cards so in some cases the quality is a little meh.

Pecca

I apologize for little off-topic, but I thought I'd share a druid-related curiosity. I recently found what seems to be druid shapeshifting GUI button within BG1 game files. It suggests, that at the beginning it was supposed to be more like cleric's turn undead ability maybe. That might be quite powerful.

As for the topic, I remember using entagle a lot in vanilla. I always entagled the belt ogre and shot to death. He almost never gets entagled in EE, so I guess they changed it a little. But know I can use Avenger's web. (oh, and spider form of course)

elminster

Pecca said:

I apologize for little off-topic, but I thought I'd share a druid-related curiosity. I recently found what seems to be druid shapeshifting GUI button within BG1 game files. It suggests, that at the beginning it was supposed to be more like cleric's turn undead ability maybe. That might be quite powerful.

As for the topic, I remember using entagle a lot in vanilla. I always entagled the belt ogre and shot to death. He almost never gets entagled in EE, so I guess they changed it a little. But know I can use Avenger's web. (oh, and spider form of course)

Looks like its just the brown bear. Instead of going with that they went with a silhouette of it. (note: the larger image here isn't using the same length-width ratio as the smaller one which is the original image)

Pecca

Well, the difference is that the blue icon (with number) is an innate ability, it has uses per day and is softcoded - moddable. The gold icons are used for hardcoded abilities with infinite uses such as turn undead or bard song. I think they might have been considering making shapeshifting like that, but changed their minds later.

bbear

Druids dont get much offensive spells. Offensive spells I usually cast are entangle, charm mammal and doom.

Ligg

I'm looking forward to hearing more of your progress. Can we have an update on your level, weapon profs and chosen spells? Have you had any real tactical challenges?
I should imagine the first levels to be a bit same-ish. At level 5 Call lightening will beef things up. As will protection from fire with necklace of missiles/potions of explosion. And then shapeshifting at level 7. For most traps protections from fire and electricity should help.

elminster

Still at level 3 in Beregost. When I have more time to play tonight I will. Weapon proficiencies are long sword (was actually a mistake to do that one over staff but ohh well) and missile weapons). Only reason I say its a mistake is I'll need short sword proficiency to aptly use the anti-wolfwere dagger as its the only thing I can use to potentially kill Karoug with.

But Yea I'm going to have to rely on a lot of less conventional things like potions of explosion, ring of energy, necklace of missiles, wands of the heavens, etc.

Ligg

There was a discussion some time ago about Ankheg mail being usable by druids - being an animal product not a metal. I think it got altered in BG:EE to do this. Are you tempted to mod BG1 to allow this?

I think the Wand of fear can be used by druids and clerics?

elminster

Ligg said:

There was a discussion some time ago about Ankheg mail being usable by druids - being an animal product not a metal. I think it got altered in BG:EE to do this. Are you tempted to mod BG1 to allow this?

I think the Wand of fear can be used by druids and clerics?

No need for modding ankheg mail has always worked for druids in BG1. Also you can find it in the farmers field west of nashkel, so I don't even need to buy it.

Yea there are a few wands you can use. I think its sleep, fear, magic missiles, and heavens.

elminster

Apparently you can get a wand of sleep from Thalantyr and I think it takes the overkill of the wizard spell to the next level. Not sure what the + bonus creatures get against the wand itself or how long the wizard spell lasts in game, but the description for the wand says the sleep effect lasts for 5 turns!

elminster

I'm in Nashkel now

Ligg

You gained 2 levels between Beregost and Nashkel? Did you wander around for a bit? Things should get radically better now you've level 3 spells. How much cash do you have? And what have you bought? Can you do an inventory screenshot?

elminster

Ligg said:

You gained 2 levels between Beregost and Nashkel? Did you wander around for a bit? Things should get radically better now you've level 3 spells. How much cash do you have? And what have you bought? Can you do an inventory screenshot?

I completed Highhedge, the place south of Highhedge and the place south of that. I skipped on Drizzt, for now. I'm saving him for later

Anyways druids advance quickly. 12,000 experience is nothing when you are killing guys like Bassilus (who I basically was only able to kill at level 5 because I entangled him and hit him with a double call lightning. Then I went toe-to-toe with him after drinking a potion of defence I got off one of the dudes that Silke wants you to kill. My scimitar broke in the fight but I did manage to kill him eventually. Almost died though due to that hammer

Ligg

I'm taking an interest in this because I want to see it done. If you buy the necklace of missiles from the Carnival merchant the Nashkel mines should be easy. As should outside the bandit camp. But inside Tazok's tent should be interesting.
A list of fights I want to hear about are:
The red wizards of Thay.
Centeol's spider lair.
The assassins outside the Cloakwood mines.
Daevorn

You do get dispel magic? If I remember right it should clear off all magic in BG1.
What makes this challenge interesting is that you will be using all those items that people normally disregard as useless. You will suddenly discover the Potion of Fire Breath. (This does a heap of fire damage. There are 2 in the bandit camp: though they may be in locked chests).
How much cash do you have?

elminster

Ligg said:

I'm taking an interest in this because I want to see it done. If you buy the necklace of missiles from the Carnival merchant the Nashkel mines should be easy. As should outside the bandit camp. But inside Tazok's tent should be interesting.
A list of fights I want to hear about are:
The red wizards of Thay.
Centeol's spider lair.
The assassins outside the Cloakwood mines.
Daevorn

You do get dispel magic? If I remember right it should clear off all magic in BG1.
What makes this challenge interesting is that you will be using all those items that people normally disregard as useless. You will suddenly discover the Potion of Fire Breath. (This does a heap of fire damage. There are 2 in the bandit camp: though they may be in locked chests).
How much cash do you have?

I'll keep those places in mind and report as I can about them.

I have about 19000 on me at the moment. I would have more but I had to spend money at the church of helm in Nashkel to raise my reputation. Killing for Algeron's cloak cost a fair bit of rep. Long term though it was worth it. As I doubt I spent much more than 800-1000 on raising my rep.

elminster

Ligg said:

You do get dispel magic?

If you can believe it, apparently druids don't!

Ligg

That must be a mistake. I'm sure in BG2 you do get it. I'd mod that with a clear conscience. All magic users of any type should have this ability.

elminster

Ligg said:

That must be a mistake. I'm sure in BG2 you do get it. I'd mod that with a clear conscience. All magic users of any type should have this ability.

You get it in BG2 as a druid, just not in BG1

http://www.planetbaldursgate.com/bg/character/spells/priest/3/

I'll accept it as being a greater challenge.

Ligg

I think you'll need Dispel Magic for the fight outside the Cloakwood mines and for Daevorn.
If you manage to get past these I'll buy you a big cream bun.

elminster

My plan there is to charm one of the fighters, use him as a meat shield. Charm one of the other people (probably a mage or cleric that doesn't go invisible) and then use them for what they can do. Charm person and mammal has its uses, though getting that initial fighter charmed may prove difficult. As for the horror/rigid thinking/confusion (I can't remember exactly what they cast at you), I guess I'll take my chances. That or I'll stalk up on invisibility potions and hit one of the mages with a dagger of venom right from the start, then try charming someone.

As for Daevorn (or whatever his name is) I have no idea lol. The battle horrors (or whatever the traps summon) will be a pain to kill.