Using potions in BG1-ToSC
Eadwyn_G8keeper
Member Posts: 541
Does anyone have a link to a guide suggesting which encounters in BG1 need to be prepped with various potions other than Health. -Speed and Invisibility I can imagine, but when to use stuff like Giant Strength and Heroism??
So far, other than Health, the only potion I have used was the weird Strength potion from Carnival. That was so Imoen could tote a bushel of Ankheg shells to Beregost.
I do not have access to the potion and scroll bags in BGEE and find myself amassing quite a hoard of them in Beregost and am still in Chap. 3.
~Also, is there some place where I can get good value for magical items such as Chainmail+1,etc. that I am not using.
Ditto for Ankheg shells after I have the Ankheg Armor from Talruum. Thanks.
So far, other than Health, the only potion I have used was the weird Strength potion from Carnival. That was so Imoen could tote a bushel of Ankheg shells to Beregost.
I do not have access to the potion and scroll bags in BGEE and find myself amassing quite a hoard of them in Beregost and am still in Chap. 3.
~Also, is there some place where I can get good value for magical items such as Chainmail+1,etc. that I am not using.
Ditto for Ankheg shells after I have the Ankheg Armor from Talruum. Thanks.
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Comments
If you are facing something particularly tough and are fighting them hand to hand, use haste and strength. if you are using something like djinni or dragons, use protection from fire. etc... Watch the damage done and the effect and you should be pretty good. Khalid doesn't have the most impressive strength, so he usually gets all of my strength potions.
I do think that the lower levels of Durlag's Tower are really good places to use the elemental resist potions/scrolls. Just a tip.
As for buying and selling, Beregost is where I do most of my trading until i get to The Gate.
Here is the items i use for the various fights on the critical path, while playing solo. They allow you to win all the game with basically no risk at all.
- tarnesh : nothing (use shield to protect from MM)
- neira : nothing (disrupt her casting with the wand of magic missile)
- mulahey (same for bassilus): greenstone amulet + potion of freedom (not needed if you got the ring of freedom)
- tranzig : nothing (he does nothing)
- bandit camp main tent : greenstone amulet + potion of freedom (if you want to use web for that fight, not needed otherwise). Potion of grounding for the trap in the chest
- group at the entrance of cloakwoodmines : greenstone amulet + potion of freedom (only if using web)
- davaevorn : potion of magic blocking (immune for 4 round to all spells below level 5). Sometime you need to use 2 if he is too slow to use all his spells (fireball, lightning bolt, charm person, hold person in that order)
- iron thone top level : greenstone amulet, potion of freedom, fire resistance x2 (important for that fight since several caster will use fire based spells like pillar of fire and flame arrow)
- catacombs (get the books) : potion of grounding, potion of fire for the traps
- catacomb group : greenstone amulet, potion of grounding (normally still active from the catacomb) since prat use lightning bolt which can be very nasty in the narrow corridor.
- end of the game fights (iron throne, slythe, duchal palace, maze, final fight) :
you can do all using the following potions :
- magic resistance x2 -> 100% MR.
- potion of defense -> -10/-12 AC
- potion of giant strength
Beware of angelo's dispell for the final fight (keep a double of all the potions). Apart from that, you should be able to complete all these fights within the duration of the potions.
For the final fight, use invisibility potions as well to kill sarevok with no risk.
I guess one possibility is that Bioware was strewing potions to make the game possible for newb Charnames with first-roll stats, no spoilers and no reload levelling. If so one might prefer an extra quick item slot to really make use of potions a potential gameplay theme.
Perhaps a mod-feature of vanilla Bard's knapsack!
JUST USE THEM.
You will end up with them coming out your ears by the end of BG1, and that's without using your money to buy up potions in the shops if you decide to use them sparingly.
Oil of speed and Oil of burning/explosions seem to be the ones I run out the quickest on a run, and they are pretty much replaced with the spell versions by the end.
One of the most enjoyable momment is the game is watching what an Oil of burning does to a bunch of xvarts! I want a mod that makes the huts explode into flames when I visit the village... I love the smell of Oil of burning in the morning...
I already can see that Potion of Absorption will be useful in Bandit Camp which is my next major objective.
All potions useful, accept the defence ones when you can get your AC past 0... They still improve saves, so not a complete lost. Drink up and enjoy!