Do you think it's a good idea to do tons of subquests before I start the main game?

abazigal5

Subquests like Umar Hills, de'Arnise Keep, Watcher's Keep, Windspear Hills, etc.

SionIV

That's pretty normal to do. I do close to every quest i can in chapter 2/3.

abazigal5

I'm planning to do Umar Hills for the piece of Crom Faeyr that Thaxll'sillyia drops, de'Arnise Keep for Flail of Ages, Watcher's Keep for the awesome equipment it gives you (and I've never fought Demogorgon), and Windspear Hills for Carsomyr.

SionIV

abazigal5 said:

I'm planning to do Umar Hills for the piece of Crom Faeyr that Thaxll'sillyia drops, de'Arnise Keep for Flail of Ages, Watcher's Keep for the awesome equipment it gives you (and I've never fought Demogorgon), and Windspear Hills for Carsomyr.

Nothing prevents you from doing all of them including trademeet, planar sphere etc. The only reason you would rush quickly through chapter 2-3 and leave those quests behind is if you want Imoen back earlier.

Montresor_SP

From a roleplaying point of view, how eager are you to save Imoen from the clutches of the Cowled Wizards? From a powerplaying point of view, are you planning to keep her in your party during the later parts of the game?

abazigal5

Well, after my first SoA and ToB game, Imoen starts to annoy me, so I'm not really that eager. And I already have Nalia, though I might replace her with Imoen, because Imoen has 100 in lock pick and Nalia has 60.

the_spyder

I always do every single side quest I can once I get into chapter 2. From an RP perspective, My Charname (usually a CN Wizard) figures that he is up against an intractable foe and he needs all the power he can get to defeat him. He equally figures that Imoen will be 'relatively' safe for as long as it takes because she will need to be alive and well to draw him in.

As an aside, I've never been able to get much past level 2 of Watcher's Keep until ToB. Basically there are just really insanely difficult things in there that you NEED the extra levels and gear to defeat. But then again I never claimed to be an expert player, so maybe others have a different experience? Demogorgon though is in a class all by himself in any event. If you can defeat him before the Underdark, I'd bet that nothing down there will be much of a threat.

abazigal5

THanks, everyone. I'm doing these side quests because I'm planning to be EPIC when I finally get back to the main plot of SoA.

Gallowglass

Hmm, completing all of WK before rescuing Imoen would be seriously tough, I've never even attempted it that early in the game. I guess it's possible with enough care (and cheese), and no doubt someone here will testify that they've completed it in Chapter 2, but it's surely not the designers' intention that you should tackle it so early, or at least not the lower levels - it's clearly designed for late-SoA or early-ToB parties. In fact, if you want to beat Demogorgon in a straight toe-to-toe fight, then I'd say late-ToB, although of course many of us have beaten him in SoA by using subtler tactics ... but probably not many of us have defeated him before Chapter 6 of SoA, and I've never even gone beyond the first level of WK until Chapter 6.

The rest of the side-quests, however, are certainly do-able in chapter 2. I usually do most of them before rescuing Imoen, although I usually leave Kangaxx and the Twisted Rune (and sometimes also the Windspear Hills) until I get back from the Underdark, when they're much easier.

abazigal5

I have a level 26 cleric, Minsc, Valygar, Nalia, and Viconia, and I'm planning to get Keldorn. I probably won't be able to defeat Demogorgon, but I might.

SionIV

Demogorgon isn't so much about level as it's about equipment and the correct tactic.

abazigal5

By the time I get to Demogorgon, I'm planning to have Crom Faeyr, Carsomyr, Flail of Ages (already have), Daystar (maybe) and Storm Star.

Jenzafar

Also, if you have a stronghold, usually you want a messenger to be able to find you for several weeks, and they can't do that if you're off at Spellhold. Annoying, but true. We've all learned that lesson!

abazigal5

Just so everyone knows: I'm planning a blow-by blow account of my trip through Watcher's Keep. I'll start it either tomorrow or the day after.

FinaLfront

Let me guess, you're gonna—yep.

abazigal5

I'm gonna what?

kiwidoc

I usually do most of them, as I never get Imoen back. She's just not good enough as a thief. I prefer playing a fighter thief, or using a mod , or (of course) using the seething powerhouse of magery, thievery and giggles that is Jan.

Can anyone tell me if BG2EE has some level dependent monsters in some of the quests, like old BG2? I can't remember them all, but I know if you play the Windspear Hills dungeon after getting back from Spellhold you get some seriously meaty monsters. This ends up giving you more XP in the long run, and is especially useful if you are playing with the XP cap raised or removed.

FinneousPJ

@kiwidoc‌ I belive this is true also in EE.

@abazigal5‌ I recommend not doing everything, because it makes the rest of the game trivially easy and boring. The game also kind of assumes you didn't do everything (IMO), because when returning from underdark they suggest you should go around looking for allies (i.e. questing).

CrevsDaak

FinneousPJ said:

kiwidoc‌ I belive this is true also in EE.

I can also confirm watch out if you go with medium levels to Spellhold, you could get Liches to spawn very easily, even if they give easy XP, they can easily beat your party.