Well, I guess it's time for a new report about the MP run.
After a previous defeat, the good thing is indeed that there's always a next attempt. We decided Tresset will be our Bhaalspawn this time, and he rolled a nearly perfect Inquisitor (with stats like 18/00, 18181818181818181818181818).
"We can't do worse, can we?" - with these words Gotural rolled a Wild Mage.
I rolled a Totemic Druid, apparently still thinking about our first attempt.
CrevsDaak went for a Priest of Lathander.
And Tresset also included "Mr. L&T" - Mister Locks&Traps, an english gentleman whose only role is precisely "Locks&Traps"
We were doing well at first, with even a first level spirit animal providing a nice support in meleeing while the characters were still about the 1st level or so. Shari, our Inquisitor, was killing the most, while Crevs was trying to tank, and Gotural has survived a few wild surges: nothing to write home about, except for the sex change and visuals.
Then, we encountered a Cave Bear. This creature, with the SCS, goes for the first character it sees, no matter what. You can let it see your tank and it will go for it even if a mage with AC 10 will try to melee it without weapons.
This time, the bear saw my druid first. Understanding it didn't promise anything good (we were still near the level 1), I tried to run.... Only to find a winter wolf that spawned on my way. One attack, 8 cold damage and 8 cold damage in a second, and my druid was gone.
Others then killed both the bear and the wolf, so I rolled a new character. A halfling barbarian. Because I'm trying to follow the Gotural's rule of hardcore characters, even not those who are Bhaalspawns, I coulnd't continue with the druid. I named him like Mazzy, just Fazzy.
And I chose longswords for him. This is why our low-level party had to take on Greywolf - for the long sword +2. "We'll be fine", Gotural said. I just needed to kite Greywolf with an added speed of the barbarian, while others were going to shoot him.
"The famous last words, #305." Of course, Greywold didn't want to go after my barbarian. And first killed Meshanis, our mage, then Ajshenrtvarden, our cleric, and only then went after Fazzy.
I would have kited him, but a bunch of kobolds spawned nearby, with their commando killing Fazzy not long after. My halfling lasted less than 10 minutes...
The serious thing was that our Bhaalspawn, Shari, was alive. She gulped a potion of speed, a potion of heroism and killed all the kobolds and Greywolf without problems. As long as our leader is there, any bad luck for others is OK, especially at the first levels.
Becoming even more serious, we decided to get some XP from ankhegs, to minimize those crazy things in the future. I rolled a new character, a FMT. I so much liked this character in my single player run, so I decided to try him in the MP. All points in HiS, short swords.
Against ankhegs, it reminded our normal play, without risks and all. Those deaths that happened near the Nashkel Mines, were a good wake up call.
I have always been skeptical about the very high diceroll claims. In all those years, I think I rolled a 98 or 99 once. It is true that I do not waste time with the game interface. Rolling a 90+ charbase is something difficult with most classes. As a result I used to just grant me the wanted score with *keeper, around 90. And sometimes I was just happy with my 80 point fighter type.
More recently I decided to roll several characters and play a bit with those guys. Unable to roll a high score sorcerer (does not really matter) whereas I easily got 90+ thieves and 93 F/M... I wanted to try other character types because I found a few interesting pictures/portraits. This is how I casually clicked a few times to obtain the following roll. I checked the strength (18/04) but these were the initial stats.
What's the link with @bengoshi 's message? It was a female inquisitor like @Tresset 's character. It looks like I am a victim of my own distrust. I think I deleted the game file by mistake.
Enjoyable stuff guys! At least the shit hit the fan early on, doesn't hurt as much
@Musigny, 90+ rolls aren't generally that hard to obtain in my experience, even with characters with no special racial or vocational bonuses. 95+ is where rolls get special to me.
Bardin, LN Cleric/Thief, in SoA (Part 8)
Bardin dealt with Cotirso a Cleric/Thief apparently (because he backstabbed) who wanted the Gnome's position in the Temple of Helm, and he stopped an open war between the churches of Lathander and Talos, before he set sail to Spellhold.
Brynnlaw/Spellhold
None of the battles in Brynnlaw caused him any trouble, with Vampires simply being exploded, Vadek dispelled and meleed, and Perth the Adept Cloudkilled and slain with the SotM.
In Bardin's Candlekeep dream the Gnome was relieved to find that a Demon could be fake-talked out of stealing a stat point from him. Bhaal however didn't follow him into the library, even in a separate attempt where Bardin did relinquish a stat point (INT). I had to console Bhaal in and rewarded Bardin by continuing with the save wherehe hadn't given up his INT.
In the Spellhold Maze nothing survived Bardin's snares, backstabs and high level spells like Storm of Vengeance and Fire Storm.
The battle against Irenicus was over quickly, with Bardin's SotM dispel of Irenicus' initial buffs (which didn't include PfMW) possibly preventing the arrival of Bardin's clone.
Either way, faux Bardin never spawned. This allowed the Gnome and the inmates to give Irenicus their full attention. Wanev especially contributed nicely with an ADHW.
A DUHM from Bardin was enough for Irenicus to scutlle off.
Bardin reluctantly accepted the help of Saemon Havarian in tracking the mage down.
City of Caverns
On board the ship, Bardin had to briefly fear for his life as a fight with Githyankis and Sahuagin went into a cutscene, with the Gnome seriously injured (38 health) and not finished healing himself with a Blessed Bracers resurrection. Thankfully he survived the battle and the sinking of the ship, ending up in a Sahuagin city. He bought magic scrolls from a priestess there, slew another priestess for a Cloak of Mirroring, and a Sahuagin Prince to buy him passage from the King into the Underdark.
Underdark
Bardin stole several scrolls from Duergar merchants, ignored most hostile creatures that roamd the area (excpt for some Kuo-Toas he killed), relying on his SotM, stealth and non-detection. He befriended his Svirfneblin kin, and lived up to the expectations they may have had of him upon learning he was priest of Gaerdal Ironhand: fully buffed, he singlehandedly banished a Balor to the abyss.
He also released an imprisoned Svirfneblin boy for one of the Deep Gnomes. Reaching Cleric level 24 gave Bardin one last weapon proficiency point to spend. It went to Flails. The Gnome's weapon proficiencies are: * Clubs, * Slings, *** Two-Weapon Fighting (thanks to Rogue Rebalancing), * Staves, * Two-Handed Weapon Style, * Flails.
Adalon cast an Illusion spell on Bardin that made the Gnome look and speak like a Drow and understand their language, so that he might retrieve her stolen eggs. He went shoplifting a second time at the Duergar encampment, and entered Ust Natha where hist first business was more shoplifting. He worked for a bit for House Despana. First of all his traps and Storm of Vengeance helped the house rescue one of their favored females from Mind Flayers and Umber Hulks.
On the way back Bardin's time traps, Fire Storm and a Cloudkill taught an adventuring party not to judge people by their looks.
In the Beholder hive, Bardin's Skeletons slew an Elder Orb despite the opposition of a group of Mind Flayers,
The Hive Mother was left alone. Another Beholder was slain in Ust Natha for House Despana, and Bardin managed to avert a Drow assault on the Svirfneblin settlement by feigning to have slain a patrol leader of the Deep Gnomes. Bardin then ventured into the Kuo-Toa tunnels, having Hasted Skeleton Warriors do much of the cleaning.
Bardin weakened the Kuo-Toa prince with corrupted tadpoles and, fully buffed, finished his foe off in straight combat.
The Gnome had to deal with Demogorgon's Demon Kights alone. His Skeleton Warriors fell after they killed one of the Demon Knights. One of the Demon Kights PW:Blinded Bardin. He made the most of that by setting several snares, time traps especially.
Thus he secured the Belt of Frost Giant Strength, just in case he would want Cromwell to forge Crom Faeyr (for easy Golem/Troll killing more than anything else).
The Gnome gave Matron Mother Ardulace an Elder Orb eyestalk, which saw him obtain his last level as a Cleric and a Holy Symbol of Helm. Apparently Bardin's efforts to bring law and order and to exact justice had pleased not only Gaerdal Ironhand but also Helm. He got into a fight with Phaere Despana after his half-hearted promise to help her betray the matron mother didn't convince the priestess. Bardin clubbed the female down,
and found Ust Natha, sealed by Matron Mother Ardulace, completely hostile. Bardin relied on his SotM-invisibility to enter the Temple of Lolth, where he buffed himself and destroyed five Golems, and found Adalon's eggs in a storage room. Before he could leave however, several Drow barred his path out of the storage room. The Gnome cast Dimension Door from scroll to get past them.
He encountered the Matron Mother on a platform, and suspected he had to kill her in order for the seal to be removed. Bardin buffed with HP+RM+DUHM, Improved Haste (from the Kuo-Toa Prince's Bracers of Blinding Strike) and Assassination, and slew the Drow matron in a couple of hits.
Bardin then Dimension Doored his way out of the Temple and out of the city.
With the help of his spike and time traps, and that of a most grateful Adalon, Bardin managed to leave the Underdark.
Bodhi
Upon leaving the Underdark, the Gnome was thoroughly questioned by Elves who were rather tight-lipped themselves about their motives. Eventually it was agreed that Bardin would retrieve a Rhynn Lanthorn from Bodhi, which would allow them all access into the Elven city of Suldanessalar. Bardin recruited Drizzt and friends, Paladins of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart, and Shadow Thieves to help him against Bodhi, but the role of these allies would be limited to that of spectators as Bardin purged the place using his Turn Undead ability.
As during Bardin's first visit to the Vampire lair, Bodhi (Tactics Remix, Toned Down version) was the only threat. Bardin had prepared carefully for his meeting with the Guildmistress. He first lured her into three spike traps and dealt her a blow with his club, which was enough for her first incarnation to yield.
Her second incarnation rapidly brought down Bardin's CON to an alarming 8, but three pre-laid time traps bought the Gnome enough time to finish her off for good.
Bardin got his final level-up around this time. His thieving skills are all 100, except HiS/MS 180 each, and Pick Pockets 135. Bardin's HLAs are: Energy Blades, Storm of Vengeance, Elemental Summoning, Globe of Blades, Summon Deva, Implosion, Aura of Flaming Death, UAI, Assassination, 7x Spike Trap, 6x Time Trap, 1x Exploding Trap. I considered picking an Avoid Death, but considered that multiple castings per day of Death Ward and a good stock of potions should work just as well. I definitely would have picked fewer divine quest spells if I hadn't played with the caster HLAs as innate abilities component.
Lich in the Docks
Bardin was eager to travel to Suldanessalar, so he pacified the Chosen of Cyric (a Rogue Rebalancing encounter), and yet he accepted to return to Brynnlaw (Back to Brynnlaw mod), where a wizard might be able to restore his soul. Unfortunately this wizard, Roslin, insisted in meeting a storehouse in the Docks District that also happened to be the abode of a Lich. Bardin survived an ADHW, and several Time Stops (three or even four), thanks to standing away from the Lich,
and was also pleased to witness the unsummoning of a Simulacrum and a Project Image. He buffed with the holy triumvirate and a Gaxx haste to dispatch a Bone Golem, saw his Magic Resistance lowered twice by the Lich, and his Saves undermined by a Greater Malison, something the Gnome repaired with an invulnerability potion. Skeleton Attacks, Skull Traps and Flame Arrows, brought Bardin close to losing his life, but a timely Blessed Bracers heal helped him back on track.
(In hindsight a Greater Restoration would have been better here, insta-cast thanks to the Robe of Vecna. I had Bardin memorize that spell only recently though, so I wasn't used to casting that spell.) When Bardin was attacked by invisible muggers as well, he retreated with SotM invisibility, and cast Fire Storm, killing all the muggers and some Skeleton Warriors.
Bardin shrugged of several Enchantment spells cast at him by the Lich, and defeated his foe with a couple of SotM dispels followed by Improved Hasted melee attacks with his club and his Scarlet Ninja-To.
Back to Brynnlaw
This mod, nicely written but maybe a bit too generous in XP rewards, basically turns the Cowled Wizards, including a particularly evil one, Berlin, against the protagonist. Not surprisingly, Bardin had to fight numerous wizards and their summons. He relied heavily on SotM dispels and invisibility, traps, AoE spells, and melee attacks as soon as his opponents were vulnerable. Demons he either defeated or outlasted; Salamanders and Greater Fire Elementals were slain with the Wave. Eventually Roslin, a good mage, restored part of Bardin's soul:
(Bardin chose to have his WIS raised to 21.)
Bardin might still fight Thaxxy and Firkraag, more because it could be fun than for the treasure, even though Carsomyr appeals for instant +50 MR. (I'm less enthusiastic about the Alhoon though, and about Crom Faeyr). If not, Suldanessalar should become his next destination.
@Blackraven Many of the screenshots are really nice, aesthetically speaking. In particular, I like the spellhold screenshots and it's also good to see those exploding vampires.
Been a while since I posted (real life is eating up my BG time, especially my no-reload time), but I have been reading a lot of the updates. Amazing work all ! Congrats on so many successes!
@semiticgod, thank you man. Coming from such a skilled player as yourself, your words are a huge compliment @Musigny, thank you too. I sometimes have difficulty keeping up with developments in complex battles, so I'm glad you can appreciate my screenshots.
Bardin, LN Cleric/Thief, in SoA (Part 9)
In Athkatla Bardin did a lot of shopping (Ribald's special stock, couple of item upgrades by Cromwell) before he left to conclude some unfinished business in the Windspear Hills and in the Temple Ruins. Playing with SCS' beefy Dragons meant that killing Firkraag required one time trap (for SotM dispels and some damage), six spike traps, and once those had triggered, two more time traps.
Thaxxy gave Bardin a longer run for his money. The Shadow Dragon got through Bardin's time stops pretty well thanks to a PfMW activated just before the first time trap triggered, and survived the few spike traps the Gnome had set. Bardin retreated behind the pillars where Thaxxy couldn't reach him, and landed a few good hits with the Sling of Everard before he got PW:Blinded.
Impatient with the slow pace of his sling attacks, the Gnome buffed with HP+RM+DUHM and attacked with his club and ninja-to. He dealt more damage faster, but also suffered more damage, so he retreated for a Greater Restoration, only to see the dragon succumb to the lingering slivers of Bardin's club.
Suldanessalar
The priest then traveled to Suldanessalar with the Elves he had met near the Underdark exit. Bardin avoided Irenicus' servants as much as possible, relying heavily on his SotM invisibility. Unfortunately a number of demons saw right through he Gnome's trickery, and Bardin ended up fleeing into Nizi's lair as he was unwilling to fight the fiends without proper buffs.
The fight with Nizi (and with a Red Dragon that lands once Nizi is dead, courtesy of Big Picture) was frustrating. I had to reload twice or thrice as the simultaneous triggering of Bardin's spike traps caused CTDs. Eventually things worked the way they should. Bardin first rested (if only to get the fiends from Suldanessalar back to their orginal positions), summoned an Ultroloth whose Fire Storm injured Nixi, and when this fiend was slain, lured the dragon into his traps.
The Gnome then meleed the dragon until his health got a bit low (34), prompting the priest to take a break for a Greater Restoration.
A second round of melee combat saw both the dragon and the Gnome flirt with death. Bardin was the first to retreat and was more than glad to see the lingering splinter damage of his club kill the dragon while the priest himself managed cope with the dragon's lingering damage.
He quickly returned to Suldanessalar before the Red Dragon could finish him, and rested. I was curious about possible loot (hadn't checked the Red Dragon in EEKeeper), so Bardin returned, fully buffed and - importantly - Hasted by an oil of speed. Bardin's warp speed enabled the setting of lots of time and spike snares to soften the creature up. The Gnome finished his foe in melee.
There was no loot, so note to self: next time skip Red Dragon. Back in Suldanessalar, Bardin limited himself to picking up the items required to accede the Tree of Life; no battles were fought.
Tree of Life
Bardin dispatched the Elementals using his Elemental Staff +5 (Item Upgrades item: slays Elementals with no save), although sneak attacks with the Wave should have worked just as fine. He kept his distance from Irenicus, avoiding possible trouble during a Time Stop the wizard cast. Bardin had his own time traps, which he scattered about the tree. Irenicus summoned a fiend, a Nycaloth. It became Bardin's first victim when one of his time traps were triggered.
More time stops allowed Bardin to SotM-dispel Irenicus' protections, and finish his foe under Improved Haste (from the Improved Cloak of Protection +2).
Hell
Collecting the tears of Bhaal, Bardin acted as follows.
Wrath: Sarevok's taunts were withstood, with Bardin defeating Wraith Sarevok with snares and melee attacks rather than by transforming into the Slayer, for +1 to WIS and CHA. Somewhat disappointingly, BG2EE, unlike BGT, doesn't have a scroller for characters that have more spell slots than the maximum that can be displayed (twelve). It meant that Bardin's 13th level 4 spell slot, another Death Ward, was lost. I might correct that with an innate Death Ward though. Greed: Bardin had little use for Blackrazor. He exchanged the blade with the Genie for the tear of Bhaal and a +2 to saves. The Gnome's saves are now really good: -6/-8/-3/-5/-8 without the SotM (which gives another +2 bonus to all saves) but with his armor, rings etc. Extra HPs would probably have served him better, but Bardin kept open the option of drastically improving his HPs through other means, as will be explained below. Selfishness: Bardin refused to choose between self-sacrifice and the sacrifice of an innocent's life, attacking the demon instead. This was the neutral path conform the Revised Hell Trials mod, which saw Bardin rewarded with +30% slashing resistance.
Fear: the Gnome received the demon's Nymph cloak (the damage to the Nymph had already been done) to collect the next tear of Bhaal, for a +2 CON bonus. Immunity to normal and +1 weapons (good path) isn't that great considering the fact that most ToB foes have better weapons than that, nor is +2 DEX (neutral path) for Bardin. +2 CON, for 20 CON, on the contrary, allows for the sacrifice and summoning of two Familiars in ToB (Bardin had summoned one already in SoA). A brutal measure, but good for an impressive 48 HPs at virtually no loss. Not sure if Bardin should be doing this, but it's tempting. (Should he encounter the machine of Lum the Mad, another 24 HPs could come his way.) EDIT: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/28014/beastmaster-dies-when-familiar-dies. This thread suggests that a character's bonus HPs from a Familiar are lost when the Familiar dies! Please tell me this ain't so! Pride: Bardin felt no need to fight the dragon, earning himself +20% resistance to Fire, Cold, and Electricity.
The Gnome placed four spike traps on one of the stairs to soften up Irenicus, an exploding trap near the portal surrounded by the tears of Bhaal, and two time traps on two other stairs. He then cast a defensive Chain Contingency (Heal + HP + RM, when HPs <10%), a Spell Trigger with the same contents, and an offensive Spell Sequencer with three Holy Smites, and rested. When he got up, he summoned an Ultroloth and cast all his divine buffs (even though some of them have become almost unnecessary thanks to his great saves), complemented by Stoneskin, Spirit Armor and Blur from scroll, and then he received Irenicus.
Bardin retreated to the south where two Balors and two Glabrezus kept teleporting after him. The Gnome didn't really mind that. He just made sure he stayed on the move, tried to injure the fiends together with his Ultroloth and a Skeleton Warrior, and he cast SI: Abjuration from scroll when Irenicus cast Remove Magic at him .
When Slayer Irenicus cast a Time Stop, Bardin had positioned himself near one of his own time traps. Irenicus was far away but managed to Dimension Door his way toward Bardin. He summoned a Dark Planetar, and tried to injure the Gnome with melee attacks. Stoneskins and cold resistance kept the wizard from hurting Bardin.
Time resumed, but was immediately stopped again, now by Bardin's trap. The Gnome used the time stop to dispatch the Fallen Planetar, and succeeded just as time resumed.
Slayer Irenicus had a large amount of PfMWs that seemed to activate automatically, hence Bardin's focus on the Celestial. The Gnome summoned Kitty as a decoy, and then moved away from Slayer Irenicus again, hoping to get rid of the demons first. But this was easier said than done. The weaker Glabrezus went ethereal whenever Bardin gained the upper hand in melee combat, and the permanently fireshielded Balors required fire resistance. Bardin countered another Remove Magic with a SI: Abjuration from scroll (if only to keep his Death Ward up, because the Balors might or might not have a vorpal attack that allows no save), and a Greater Malison with a potion of invulnerability.
He was fighting a Balor on one of the stairs when the Slayer cast another Time Stop. It went by without incident, and Bardin continued his battle against the demons. First he chose to run from due to a PW:Blind from Irenicus and two successful disruptions by the demons of castings of True Seeing (which in my setup negates Blindness). At one point Bardin had three of the four at badly injured or near death status but their joint attacks put Bardin's life at risk as well. It caused the Gnome to retreat for a Greater Restoration.
When his health was restored, he quickly finished one of the Balors, then rebuffed with HP+RM+DUHM to finish the second Balor and the two Glabrezus.
Against the Glabrezus Bardin's Detect Traps/Illusions ability was really handy. He would attack a Glabrezu, then activate Detect Illusions. It caused him to fight and detect illusions at the same time, a great remedy against the fiends' infinite castings of Mirror Image.
Only Slayer Irenicus remained. Bardin tried to lure him into the spike traps he had set on one of the stairs before he opened the portal, but Irenicus seemed to sense he shouldn't follow Bardin there. The Gnome studied his foe carefully and learned two important things about him: (1) Slayer Irenicus did not see through Invisibility,
and (2) he was vulnerable to backstabs.
Initially Slayer Irenicus seemed protected by an undispellable Stoneskin, for Bardin's SotM dispels failed to remove his foe's protection. It bought the Slayer the time to attack with spells that were relatively harmless to Bardin: Finger of Death and ADHW (3x). Bardin's magics (Fire Storm, Storm of Vengeance) were harmless as well; Irenicus regenerated too rapidly. The Gnome knew he had too defeat his foe with phyisical means. He therefore worked through his enemy's Stoneskins until he landed his first decent backstab.
His follow-up attacks also connected (so no undocumented Stoneskins or anything). Bardin retreated for yet another casting of the holy triumvirate, followed by Improved Haste (from the Bracers of Blinding Strike). He equipped the Short Sword of Backstabbing in the off-hand for sextuple backstab damage, which resulted in a nice hit.
The Short Sword of Backstabbing then made place for the Scarlet Ninja-To, and the Assassination ability was activated. Six APR that dealt maximum damage, five of which counting as x5 backstabs (Scarlet Ninja-To is no backstab weapon so doesn't count), including a critical hit, were too much for Slayer Irenicus.
I congratulate you, @Blackraven, on a scintillating performance of a cleric/thief. It looks so easy from your report, but I feel "years" of playing through BG in it. ToB will be a bit more difficult because your character already has everything, while enemies will only improve, but you're playing carefully and with a calculation.
The Monty Python's crew.
Me, Tresset and Gotural finished the ankheg farming and decided to further improve our levels with basilisks.
Using my experience with Hades, I proposed to use Corax on Mutamin as the first thing to do on that map. The reason is simple - I've noticed that thanks to better calls for help Mutamin can stop being neutral if he feels someone if fighting nearby basilisks.
So, my invisible FMT let Tresset to order Corax attack Mutamin while the mage was still neutral - with a third or fourth attack Corax stunned Mutamin.
After we cleared the whole basilisk area, Gotural had to leave because of RL issues, but asked us to continue.
The first thing we did was a learning session. When we came to Thalantyr, it turned out we still hadn't completed the Melicamp quest. This time, just like with our first MP attempt, Melicamp survived the Antichickenator spell.
We bought basically all needed spells for Meshanis and Bengoshi, I chose MMx2, Blindnessx2, Spookx2, Armor and Shield, as well as Mirror Image, Horror and Strength for Meshanis, the latter spell specifically to improve my FMT's STR for major fights. For my FMT, we bought Shield, Mirror Image and Minor spell deflection - basically the main spells for him till the end of BG1.
We completed several outside areas: wolves near the Beregost Temple, Vax/Zal, Dryad of the Cloadpeaks, Gnolls. Then Tresset checked the statistics of Mr L&T:
And then Meshanis put additional fun to our playthough.
First, he nearly killed my character and killed Mr L&T with a fireball when tried to cast Strenght on Bengoshi. I expected something like that and moved away from Shari, the Bhaalspawn, just in case:
We still defeated Bassilus, though. And seeing two-handed swords and crossbows on zombies as well as our Inquisitor, I figured out all those zombies were inquisitors once:
On one of the next maps, Meshanis continued to add fun.
We had only choice but to run, while our Inquisitor was the only person being able to face the demon (thanks to numerous PfE abilities).
But Nabassu is very hard to hit at the start of BG1, and Shari managed to bring it to the "Near Dead" status, not to kill. In the end, Nabassu gave Shari a death gaze, and only thanks to her Dispel Magic our Bhaalspawn didn't become a ghoul.
I figured out it was time for Meshanis to send Nabassu back to Nine Hells (after all, it was the wild mage's fault in the first place that the demon was summoned to the Sword Coast). Tresset read that Nabassu had 50% MR and regenerated 2 HP/round, but it turned out this one didn't.
Overall, it was a very fun playing session with 2 of the worst possible wild surges for the start of the game, but we survived them. I put a robe of saving throws against Pertification on Meshanis, just in case, in the end.
@Blackraven Unlocking a thief is very efficient and I already know that a Mage / Thief is a potent combo. Here this is the clear demonstration that a Cleric / Thief is also a super character.
@bengoshi This wild surge gating a demon made my BG day!
Thanks people for your likes and congratulations It's nice to be in ToB again, after many months of failed or aborted attempts. @Musigny, Cleric/Thief is certainly a combo with potential, though I'm a bit unsure how to play the class in (the last part of) ToB. I see different options. I might try to continue playing him the way I played him in SoA, i.e. a bit like a Fighter/Mage, with quickly cast spells, including offensive spells, thanks to the Amulet of Power and the Robe of Vecna and with arcane (from scroll/item) as well as clerical buffs and protections for melee work. I'll need lots of Stoneskins and PfMWs though, because Bardin's AC is bad, and don't think I have enough PfMW scrolls (about eleven). Another route would be to go for damage resistance. Bardin got 30% slashing resistance from the neutral Sacrifice path in Helll, receives 25% physical resistance whenever he casts Armor of Faith plus another 25% whenever he dons Jan's armor. One of Ascension's Bhaalspawn powers is a passive +25% to all physical resistance. This means that Bardin can end up with 75% piercing damage resistance, 100% missile damage resistance (Belt of Inertial Barrier), 105% slashing damage resistance, and 125% crushing damage resistance (Roranach's Horn), as long as he's able to keep his Armors of Faith up. EDIT: I forgot to include another +20% from the Defender of Easthaven for pretty much complete physical invulnerability. (Was a bit in rush because to go to a concert. ) Elemental protections would have to come from potions and green scrolls; magic resistance (optional) from items and potions. This appears to me as the safer route, though being unable to cast much due to increased risk of spellfailure is a big drawback.
Bardin, LN Cleric/Thief, in ToB (Part 1)
Illasera
My memory of this battle is a bit fuzzy, because I had to reload due to a crash. If I'm not mistaken, things went as follows. Pre-set time traps allowed Bardin to dispatch two of Illasera's Black Reavers, a rogue and a wizard, at the beginning of the battle.
Since Illasera could see through invisibility, the Gnome intended to deal with the Bhaalspawn asap. But when time resumed and Illasera went after him, Bardin managed to shrug her off, in the south of the area. This allowed Bardin to deal with the other minions first. His strategy was to start with SotM dispels and backstabs, and finish his foes in melee when they were badly injured.
Illasera killed herself thanks to her arrows reflecting off Bardin's Reflection Shield straight back at her.
One of the Reavers dropped a Cloak of Protection +2, so Bardin could now get a second upgraded cloak and thus a second long duration Improved Haste, from Cespenar.
Pocketplane Battle I
Patience saw Bardin prevail here. While a Cleric/Thief with 8 million XP does have the means of quickly dispatching groups of enemies, their options are more limited compared to those of warriors with multiple GWWs and especially wizards with multiple ADHWs and other area damage spells. The Gnome saved his spells in case he needed them later, and used the Wand of Cloudkill instead to dispatch the first groups of enemies that appeared: Kobolds, Gnolls, Ogre Mages. Unfortunately the Sahuagins that followed were less vulnerable to the wand's effects. Bardin slew some of the creatures but not all with Holy Smites, Divine Wraths and melee attacks before Sarevok, Bodhi and Irenicus arrived. Irenicus removed Bardin's buffs and went for IA + Time Stop + Greater Malison + Fallen Planetar + Gate x2 + Energy Blades. When time resumed Bodhi hit and con-drained Bardin and Irenicus injured him with Energy Blades and a surprise Melf's Acid Arrow when an unintentional click on a weapon on the ground made Bardin visible. Irenicus also cast Wish ("I wish for my party to be invulnerable", which gave him and others Hardiness). Bardin managed to cast Death Ward to avoid Dark Planetar or Balor vorpals, and he quaffed an oil of speed soon after. Irenicus made sure that more fiends followed, an Ultroloth and a Nycaloth that both summoned Skeleton Warriors, but Bardin simply made sure he stayed on the move, pausing only for a potion of superior healing, and remained SotM-invisible to Sarevok and Irenicus (but not to Bodhi, the fiends, and the Sahuagins who all saw through the ruse.)
Bardin just kept running around, waiting for the fiends to be unsummoned. After all there was little for him to gain in fighting them, and there would be a high risk of getting swarmed if he paused to fight. The Gnome's Turn Undead ability destroyed the Nycaloth's smaller Skeleton Warriors, but not the Ultroloth's larger variant. When the last of the fiends was gone, Bardin dispelled Irenicus' buffs with a SotM-dispel, mostly to annoy his foe, because Irenicus wasn't Bardin's first target. The Gnome decided to further thin the enemy's ranks first, by taking on the Sahuagins and a surviving Ogre Mage with Holy Smites, a Divine Wrath, and melee attacks.
With only a Skeleton Warrior, Bodhi, Sarevok and Irenicus around, there was much more room for Bardin to manoeuver. He even managed to set three time traps at the left end of the area, making sure the first two weren't triggered before the third was set. Bardin then lured Bodhi into them, and he finished the Vampire and injured Sarevok in the time his snares gave him, thanks in part to an Improved Haste he cast via his cloak.
Sarevok fell soon after to the lingering slivers of Bardin's club followed by an Implosion.
Irenicus still had a couple of harmless spells (a la Symbol: Stun) for Bardin, but he had no answer to the Gnome's Gaxx-Hasted backstabs and melee attacks.
Saradush
Bardin didn't stay long in Saradush. He didn't like the place at all. Apart from the incessant incoming fire boulders from Yaga-Shura's army, the townspeople's prejudice against him was insulting. When he got into a fight with some of Gromnir's men, others turned against him as well: humans, elves, militia guards, Alexander Ralisar, Oris Nimblefingers, and even captain Samand (the killing of whom lowered Bardin's rep to 10, made the Justice for Mateo quest unavailable, and kept Kiser's house inaccessible). The Gnome patiently slew them all (backstabs, Storm of Vengance, Holy Smites, Divine Wraths).
He also dispatched two Cultists and their Cold Mistress, and retrieved Lazarus' spell book so he could purloin some very good arcane scrolls. He returned to his pocketplane and had Kitty injure him so as to trigger his Chain Contigency (which would trigger at 10% of HPs left), and then cast a new one containing Greater Restoration, Death Ward and Armor of Faith, to trigger when HPs go below 25%. The Gnome returned to Saradush where he invested in his reputation at the Temple of Waukeen, and obtained a prison key from Sister Farielle. The prison's vampires were no problem thanks to Turn Undead, although Phlydian didn't explode; she merely fled. Bardin finished her with backstabs. In Gromnir's dungeon Bardin released several prisoners, which saw his reputation rise to 20 again, while staying invisible before the guards. On the first floor of Gromnir's castle Bardin found a quiet spot where he buffed himself for his imminent meeting with Gromnir. Again the guards were left alone.
Upstairs he lured Gromnir and most of his cronies to the Half-Orc's throne before going invisible. It resulted in Gromnir getting stuck between his own allies. Bardin then softened up Lashar'ra with a backstab and the crowd, including all mages, with a Storm of Vengeance.
The spell killed one Il-Khan Battlemage as well as Ramazith.
Interestingly, Bardin ran into two red-circled invisible entities, each called 'Target', on the east side of the room. In the last screenshot you can see Bardin standing next to one. According to EEKeeper they are a BP addition. They're 100% resistant to all elemental damage types, to all physical damage, and to magic, and they have an AC 0 and saves of 1. They didn't attack Bardin but they did follow him within a certain radius whenever he got too close to them even when invisible, and enemies would then try to cast AoE spells at the Targets. Bardin considered the Targets little more than a nuisance, as they prevented him from setting snares, but enemy spells were not something he had to worry about much. Several charges of the Wand of Cloudkill (which was harmless to Bardin thanks to his Ring of Gaxx), made sure that enemy wizards and priests wouldn't be casting much.
The damage dealt was just a positive side-effect. Bardin patiently let the Cloudkills do their work, though he spent a couple of invisibility potions to speed things up with backstabs.
On the platform there was another invisible presence, Snare Trap. It constantly detected Bardin's invisibility, inspiring the Gnome to steer clear of the platform.
Bardin slew all of Gromnir's minions except Eler Had who was invisible most of the time, and finished an already injured Gromnir in melee with HP+RM+DUHM and Improved Haste.
(Bardin had also activated Assassination but Gromnir was immune to backstabs.) Eler Had was then finished in close combat.
Yaga-Shura
In the North Forest Bardin killed the robbers so as to get access to Karthis al-Hezzar's wares (scrolls and potions mainly). In the Forest of Mir he had some difficulty with the Wraiths when his Sunrays proved insufficient for quick disposal of the undead.
He eventually prevailed with Turn Undead and time/spike traps.
The Gnome could fight the Skeleton Mage on its own, as it Dimension Doored toward him. A SotM dispel and a backstab were all Bardin needed to disptach the creature.
The other undead were even less of an issue. At the entrance to Yaga-Shura's lair Bardin set spike traps to deal with two Burning Men, so that he could walk around invisibly without being harrassed. Inside the dungeon, he did the same with four Fire Trolls (taking them out in melee). With Detect Traps (the spell), an oil of speed, and SotM-invisibility Bardin managed to secure access to the second floor without having to deal with other critters, outrunning even a Dimension Dooring Fire Lich.
On the second level, the drill was the same: get in, disarm snares, and pick up required items (in this case the two hearts). Brimstone the Dragon somehow managed to follow Bardin downstairs, but the Gnome simply rushed off, back to the Forest of Mir.
There he had Nyalee cast her magics on Yaga-Hura's heart before he blew her up with his spike traps.
Yaga-Shura was dealt 1 damage with the SotM, which was enough for him to retreat for a while. Bardin used that time to place seven spike traps but those were all triggered by a Lieutenant Thief.
Bardin then lured Yaga-Shura into a quiet space that was large enough for the Gnome to get out of Yaga-Shura's sight without being noticed by others. It enabled Bardin to place all his time traps (at different moments) and club the giant to death.
Pocketplane Battle II
I lost Norgath, my Dwarven Bounty Hunter here last year, mainly due to my being unfamiliar with the battle. I remember being surprised that faux Norgath was a warrior with a two-handed sword and GWWs. (Makes some sense though because the dialogue preceding the challenge is about Charname's and Sarevok's roles being inverted.) As with the first pocketplane challenge and as with the battle in Gromnir's castle, patience was key. Bardin spent the first couple of rounds running around, hasted by both his boots and an oil of speed, waiting for faux Bardin, who was also hasted, to expend his (G)WWs and for Semaj's simulacra to expire. Since faux Bardin could see through invisibility he was difficult to get rid of. Bardin had to dispel his foe's haste with the SotM and later again when the latter applied an oil of speed. He failed to set a snare on the eastern edge when no one seemed to be in sight, but that was because hidden Angelo still had to reveal himself. Either way, Bardin had the opportunity to cast the holy triumvirate, and used his divine power to soften up Tamoko.
It was only then that Angelo appeared. Semaj cast a Time Stop, but Bardin had moved to the other side of the area by then, and he was invisible when he spell took effect.
Stopped time went by uneventfully. Bardin dispelled faux Bardin's buffs, and those of Semaj, interrupting the latter's casting of another Alteration spell (another Time Stop?).
The wizard then quaffed an invisibility potion, and Bardin retreated to the east, where he managed to set a time trap. When it triggered he slew Tamoko and injured Angelo.
The setting of a second time trap failed when faux Bardin approached, but Bardin made more progress soon after, when he felled Angelo with sneak attacks.
Only Semaj and faux Bardin remained. The former was SotM-dispelled and finished off in melee. His casting of a Dragon's Breath could not deter Bardin.
Faux Bardin triggered a couple of time traps, which gave the real Bardin enough time to activate Assassination and defeat his foe.
Bardin received Resurrection as his first Ascension Bhaalspawn power (for giving the Solar the 'evil' answer that Gorion's debt had been paid).
Oasis
Unfinished Business allows for a peaceful resolution of the encounter with Tombelthen, I discovered. I roleplayed Bardin here, and ended up garnering the General's trust.
Bardin moved on to Amkethran where he had a short talk with Balthazar, bailed the Mayor's thieving daughter out of a violent encounter with Mercenaries, and did some shopping in a Smugglers' Cave before the Monks would rid the place of the smugglers.
Watcher's Keep, Sendai or Abazigal are next. I'm inclined to go to Watcher's Keep to experiment with the two options I mentioned above (Bardin the Vecna-wearing spell caster vs Bardin the Adventurer Wear-clad damage resister).
You came very well-prepared, @Blackraven. I notice you cast Improved Haste via the Improved Cloak of Protection +2. Normally I don't even think to forge that until later in ToB, but you brought in the relevant scrolls from SoA. Long-term planning.
@semiticgod, bringing Improved Invisibility and Improved Haste scrolls (as well as other useful scrolls) into ToB was indeed planned. What was not planned, was Bardin's acquisition of a second Cloak of Protection +2. I didn't know one of the Black Reavers would drop that, so was pleasantly surprised.
I already have a good party ready for SoD (Cleric/Thief charname, Jaheira, Khalid, Minsc, Dynaheir and Safana). And several pages ago I prepared an evil party for SoD, led by Hades, a FMT, which included Safana, Edwin, Baeloth, Dorn and Viconia).
I figured out that I would like to see a SoD content for Rasaad, and, because I usually can't find a place for Rasaad in general parties (for example, I'm planning to include Neera, not Rasaad, in a SoD party with all 4 new characters: Corwin, Voghiln, M’Khiin and Glint), I decided to try a run with Rasaad. But to make this run more unique, I decided to accompany Rasaad with another monk. Combining a Sun Soul Monk and a Dark Moon Monk looks interesting to me.
This is my WeiDU log, without changes since the run with Hades. I continue to play on the Insane difficulty. Let's see how it turns out with monks.
// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods // The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod // ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version] ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Initialise mod (all other components require this): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1910 // Protection from Normal Missiles also blocks Arrows of Fire/Cold/Acid and similar projectiles without pluses: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2010 // More consistent Breach spell (always affects liches and rakshasas; doesn't penetrate Spell Turning): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2030 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2120 // Slightly weaken insect plague spells, and let fire shields block them: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2150 // Make spell sequencers, spell triggers, and contingencies learnable by all mages: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3000 // Replace BG1-style elemental arrows with BG2 versions: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3010 // Replace +1 arrows with nonmagical "fine" ones: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3030 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Faster Bears: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Grant large, flying, non-solid or similar creatures protection from Web and Entangle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // More realistic wolves and wild dogs: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4040 // Make party members less likely to die irreversibly: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4110 // Allow NPC pairs to separate: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4120 // NPCs go to inns: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4130 // Move NPCs to more convenient locations: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4140 // Allow Yeslick to use axes: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5000 // Ease-of-use party AI: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Move Boo into Minsc's pack: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5020 // Remove the blur graphic effect from the Cloak of Displacement: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5060 // Ensure Shar-Teel doesn't die in the original challenge: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages -> Mages cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests -> Priests cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs -> All of the potions dropped by slain enemies are recoverable: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6300 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6310 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6320 // Smarter basilisks: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7000 // Improved doppelgangers: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Relocated bounty hunters: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved Ulcaster: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7080 // Improved Demon Cultists: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7100 // Improved Bassilus: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7110 // Improved Drasus party: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7130 // Improved Red Wizards: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7140 // Improved Undercity party: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7200 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7210 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7220 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7230 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7250 // Improved final battle: v30 ~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7900 // Improved minor encounters: v30 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #0 // The BG1 NPC Project: Required Modifications: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #1 // The BG1 NPC Project: Banters, Quests, and Interjections: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #6 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Viconia her BG2 portrait: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #8 // The BG1 NPC Project: Add Non-Joinable NPC portraits to quests and dialogues: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #9 // The BG1 NPC Project: Ajantis Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #10 // The BG1 NPC Project: Branwen's Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #11 // The BG1 NPC Project: Coran's Romance Core (adult content): v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #12 // The BG1 NPC Project: Dynaheir's Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #13 // The BG1 NPC Project: Shar-Teel Relationship Core (adult content): v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #14 // The BG1 NPC Project: Xan's Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #15 // The BG1 NPC Project: Female Romance Challenges, Ajantis vs Xan vs Coran: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #16 // The BG1 NPC Project: NPCs can be sent to wait in an inn: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #18 // The BG1 NPC Project: Alora's Starting Location -> Alora Starts in Gullykin: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #20 // The BG1 NPC Project: Eldoth's Starting Location -> Eldoth Starts on the Coast Way: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #22 // The BG1 NPC Project: Quayle's Starting Location -> Quayle Starts at the Nashkel Carnival: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #24 // The BG1 NPC Project: Tiax's Starting Location -> Tiax Starts in Beregost: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #26 // BGEE Banter Timing Tweak: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #28 // The BG1 NPC Project: Bardic Reputation Adjustment: v22_20150614 ~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #200 // The BG1 NPC Project: Player-Initiated Dialogues: v22_20150614 ~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2090 // Change Experience Point Cap -> Remove Experience Cap: v16 ~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2192 // Limit Ability of Storekeepers to Identify Items -> Hybrid of Both Methods: v16 ~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3011 // Maximum HP for NPCs (the bigg) -> For Non-Party-Joinable NPCs Only: v16
Sigyn and Rasaad, or the Duo Monks' Tale
Enters Sigyn, a lawful evil Dark Moon Monk:
I decided to up STR, DEX and CON to 18, so that Sigyn could use the Claw of Kazgaroth without penalties, and put pips into daggers and darts.
This is my first thorough acquaintance with a monk class in BG1, and the fact that there will be two monks in the party, with different kits, will add to my understanding of them.
Right from the start, Monks start with a faster speed than other characters (except for barbarians), and this speed lets them successfully kite enemies while attacking from a distance (daggers are a solid choice for a 18-18 STR and DEX monk).
Thanks to the added speed, Monks can kite even wolves and bears.
A Dark Moon Monk starts with Blindness as a special ability. It helped against Tarnesh:
The Evermemory ring was sold for 9000, that let Sigyn to buy a Wand of Sleep. In Nashkel, Sigyn met a fellow monk, Rasaad, who was from an opposite order than she. But something in this monk told her that he can be turned to her side in the end. After all, Rasaad looked like he wasn't so sure about the things he said himself.
Sigyn met Rasaad while both were of the 1st level, and I decided to accept new levels only if they bring enough HPs (at least a half of their maximum), otherwise wait for the next level ups.
Then weather (was it Shar, or Selune?) helped us during the Senjak's ambush.
Attacking from the shadows doesn't give any multiplier to monks, but still provides a solid THAC0 bonus:
Sigyn used two potions of invisibility in order to steal some treasure from a cave full of golems (one potion before facing sirens, and another after looting). The main thing was Relair's Mistake - to increase THAC0 of a monk and make attacks magical (as well as to set melee APR to 2), and the CON tome, that opened a door to the Claw (Sigyn had to gather some money first, though).
Selling everything not needed for monks (armours, wands, scrolls, weapons etc) provided a lot of money. Sigyn bought the Necklace of missiles from Nashkel Carnival, sold and bought it again so that it had 25 charges. It should have been enough for Bassilus.
Each round either Sigyn or Rasaad used the Necklace to hit Bassilus and stop his casting. Then another monk used the Necklace. Then the first monk used the Necklace. Bassilus took 10 charges, but it was a very safe and reliable way of killing him.
Sigyn and Rasaad needed money, so they went for some ankheg hunting - bringing shells to Taerom could let them gather the amount of money needed for the Claw. This is where the Wand of Sleep helped a lot.
Monks can use fighters' potions, so both Sigyn and Rasaad gulped potions of 19 STR, to be able to carry all the needed shells. And voila! The Claw was finally bought.
Then the time of basilisk hunting came. HiS is very helpful on Monks, it increases their potential a lot. Mutamin was stunned before he could harm anyone.
Nearly simultaneous (divided only by a second or two) uses of the Necklace of missiles by both monks (I imagined like Rasaad threw the necklace to Sigyn during the fight) helped to kill a mage from the mercenary group, and thus Rasaad got his girdle against slashing weapons. Other mercenaries went away but Sigyn still tracked them and killed one by one with Missile Blasts from the necklace.
Selling armours and weapons from these mercenaries helped to re-charge the Wand of Sleep - now it had 100 charges.
With all these charges, the monks could defeat those ankhegs that were not killed when Sigyn and Rasaad first visited that area.
In BGEE, the monk's bonus to AC adds after the AC class provided by bracers or a shield spell, this is why with the Shield amulet both Sigyn and Rasaad could have -6 AC - enough to reduce the chance of being hit in most cases to criticals only. Sigyn can also cast Blur as a special ability, which futher improves her AC.
I already can say that items play a huge role while playing monks. The Shield amulet was illustrated above, and I can't praise the Necklace of Missiles enough. Not only it penetrates the Protection from Magic, but also Vampiric Wolves' Magic Resistance didn't help here:
As I said, I managed level ups of both Sigyn and Rasaad, and now they're both at the 6th level (which sets APR with fists to 2). Sigyn has 48 HPs, Rasaad - 38 HPs.
I like the portraits of Rasaad and Sigyn very much and think they look excellent together - the latter is from BG2EE, from the additional portrait pack included into that game, by @NatJones .
Nice @bengoshi! Agree on the portrait, love it I might follow your example of preparing good, evil and maybe neutral parties to prepare for SoD and take through the trilogy. Btw was your good character a Cleric/Thief? A confrere of Bardin? I thought he was a Cleric/Illusionist.
Btw was your good character a Cleric/Thief? A confrere of Bardin? I thought he was a Cleric/Illusionist.
He-he! You rightly remember I had been playing a Cleric/Illusionist with the good party indeed till I figured out that including Imoen into a SoD-specific party might be not a good choice, which forced me to stop the run, to reevaluate my options, and change Imoen for Safana. I couldn't continue the run because the immersion was broken. Then I completed an undocumented playthrough with a Cleric/Thief (it was not a no-reload run after the big disappointment because of Imoen) - to me, that character suits the good party better.
I abjured my initial intent to create a FMC but it is still triple-class time Mimicking @bengoshi I created a FMT (evil alignment but not sure how I will role play her). So yet another FMT tree growing from seed but this is where I differ from @bengoshi plan. I won't play until I get SoD and I will cover BGEE in solo unless it becomes obvious that SoD imports BGEE variables to customize events and dialogs. Enters Püppchen:
After several troubling episodes, including Rasaad being webbed by a giant spider and killed by a ghast, I decided to go to the Ulgoth's Beard to get the ring of free action. Monks are very dependant on items, so I couldn't skip TotSC bonuses till later in the game in this run, just to be able to survive.
This is one of the bad things about playing monks in BG1, as I consider using TotSC items prior to getting an access to the BG city to be a little bit cheesy.
Dushai was killed by Rasaad who was using throwing daggers (from the line of sight, with a retreat after each attack) while Sigyn was hidden in shadows to provide a good visibility.
The ring of free action was useful soon enough - against Mulahey: it protected Sigyn from Hold Person, so that she could patiently melee the half-orc, while Rasaad fireballed the coming support.
I discovered that the Sun Soul Monk's Sun Soulray, with the in-game description of affecting only 1 target, actually affects several creatures in a small radius:
Although the difference between the description and the reality costed Sigyn a lot of her hitpoints, Mulahey was defeated.
Against Nimbul Sigyn tried her Detect Illusion skill (that was at 60 at that time), after that with the help of amnish guards the bounty hunter was chunked.
Tranzig was blinded, just as Tarnesh, and finished with throwing daggers (both Rasaad and Sigyn have proficiencies in daggers).
Approaching the Bandit camp with 2 monks was not as easy as it had been with Hades and the full party. A much shorter list of tricks and options forced me to do the following.
First, Rasaad used the Wand of sleep on one bandit and attacked it with throwing daggers. The alarm meant that all nearby (and not only) bandits followed Rasaad as he went away from there. Then he gulped an Invis potion, because HiS failed him this time. After that both monks used the Necklace of missiles at the group of enemies, who centered at the place where Rasaad had become invisible.
Thanks to their added speed, Rasaad and Sigyn could safely retreat and use charges of the necklace backwards. The necklace had only 8 charges, so after 7 of them were used, the monks switched to potions.
This is the second bad thing about monks - their fire power, if you don't want to risk getting critical hits from enemies due to no helmets, is based largely on the Necklace that has only 25 charges and that costs (with a reputation not better than 8, with higher reputation it would be cheaper, but not much) about 7000 gp.
The main thing was that the majority of archers were killed, and Venkt, an enemy mage, shared their fate. After that a little bit of kiting brought down the heavyweights.
After selling all the loot from the Bandit camp Sigyn could recharge the Necklace of missiles. It was just in time, as when the monks went to Cloakwood, they were subsequently ambushed by two groups of bounty hunters.
This is where the ring of free action helped greatly - Rasaad couldn't be held while spamming fireballs. Even invisible amazon thieves were fried, before they could land backstabs.
The second group spawned nearly on the monks' heads, so the only way was to use a Potion of Magic Blocking by Rasaad to draw aggro of both enemy mage and cleric, while Sigyn could retreat a bit and time her blasts better.
So far, so good. But the battle against Drasus showed the third bad thing about monks.
I approached this fight with Rasaad who used the scroll of Protection from Magic, a potion of Defense and 2 potions of fire resistance. He had -9 AC, a lot lower than that against missile weapons, and was fully protected from enemy magic.
At first, all was well, with Sigyn spamming fireballs while Rasaad was maneuvering in front of enemies. And then it happened. A critical hit by Drasus. No helmets on monks, coupled with the Insane damage, meant 88 (!) from one attack. No chance to surive for monks. No matter how low your AC is, an enemy will still crit once.
The sad part was not only losing Rasaad. He used Protection from Magic and valuable potions, and now it all was gone. The happy part was that not Sigyn had been one-shotted.
I paused the game for about 10 minutes, to think about my options.
An option 1 was to skip the encounter. But there were valuable items on the battlefield, and Sigyn couldn't carry them all from that area. Being under the protection of the Cloak of Non-Detection, Sigyn took what she needed from Rasaad and continued.
An option 2 was to deal with enemies one on one and later put all the items into a container in the building nearby.
The enemies didn't stand where the had been, they were wondering about. And Genthore was the first.
One of the big advantages of monks is that they can hide. Not as good as thieves due to a limited number of points per level, but still - it's a matter of time when your character succeeds in hiding. And when you're invisible, you can find an enemy and throw fireballs into his direction, so that you remain unseen for him. Drasus was the second.
Having a potion of Magic Blocking ready, Sigyn went in the direction of the bridge, detecting illusions. As soon as Kysus became visible, she attacked and managed to kill him before the action of the potion ended.
For the next mage Sigyn didn't have potions of Magic Blocking and couldn't use the Protection from Magic scroll - she needed it for Davaeorn. So she used absolutely everything she had - a potion of invulnerability, a potion of fire resistance, a potion of Absorbtion, a potion of Magic Protection (50% MR), and of course, the Shield amulet. She also had the ring of free action in the inventory.
It was enough for Rezdan.
So, despite losing Rasaad in the fight when she couldn't go back to the temple, Sigyn defeated the whole group in the end.
Dat critical! You have 'prevent npc chunking' component installed, right? Otherwise, poor Rashad would be at -50 hp and in extra chunky salsa mode. Good fun!
And yes, I have that component installed - the WeiDU log is just higher on the page. After all, I want to see the SoD content for Rasaad, so I need him alive, not only to complete BG1 without reloads, and it would be impossible to do with the Insane damage if not that component.
Sigyn and Rasaad, or the Duo Monks' Tale, part 3
For Davaeorn, it was better not to risk Rasaad, so he invisibly waited in the corner. Sigyn, meanwhile, used the Protection from Magic scroll, a potion of Heroism, a potion of invulnerability and a potion of Cloud Giant Strength, and faced Davaeorn. Why Sigyn this time, not Rasaad - well, she had more HPs and Vampiric Touch, available only to her, made the difference even more. Those HPs were needed to not die from an unlucky arrow or melee hit and thus to not lose Protection from Magic effect.
The main aim was to make Davaeorn use all his spells on the monk so that they could damage the bandit troops as well.
Sigyn tried the Wand of Heaven on Davaeorn, and although the wand didn't inflict much damage, he still spent his healing potions because of that.
But then the number of guards chasing Sigyn became so big that it was hard even to move. Sigyn gulped the potion of invisibility and witnessed what I had noticed before - the guards that were coming in waves, if not opposed at the entrance, went straigt to Davaeorn and stood around the mage, leaving him only to trace your character for several steps and then coming back. Literally bodyguards. This is why when Sigyn went invisible, all guards who chased her went to Davaeorn, which let Sigyn to kill Battle Horrors one on one.
Then Sigyn, carefully choosing from where to stand, attacked guards using throwing daggers, so that she was visible to only one or two of enemies - again, their AI made them gather around Davaeorn - just look at the amount of bodies in that room:
The process took so long that Protection from Magic wore off. Sigyn repeated her potions, adding a potion of Magic Protection (50% MR) instead of the green scroll. The number of guards around Davaeorn was quickly decreasing.
It took Sigyn 11 darts of poisoning before Davaeorn actually failed his saving throw. The job was done soon after that.
Is there a reason why you did not use the wand of heavens on the soldiers?
Well, it didn't have a lot of charges, and I had to leave them for Davaeorn, just in case. With monks, you can never have a lot of money because you have to constantly recharge items, so you can't constantly use them here and there.
When Sigyn sold the archrobe of Davaeorn, she could recharge the wand of heavens, so it had 100 charges after that:
Meanwhile, after reaching the BG city, the monks could start and finish a personal quest of Rasaad, which brought him the girdle of 19 STR and +2 THACO bracers. The quest wasn't difficult, although it provided 2 trolls, which were hard to kill because they regenerated quickly and only fell unconscious for several seconds.
BTW, equipping the girdle of 19 STR that also set Rasaad's INT to 6 didn't lead to him losing the wand of heavens from the quickslots (till the next level up, but it's a long way still), so he can get the best of the 2 worlds.
Sigyn bought a new wand of heavens for herself (although with 25 charges so far). Also, 19 STR let Rasaad to bash the door to Nadine in the BG city, who gave another Necklace of missiles as the quest reward.
So both monks can now simultaneously use Necklaces of missiles and/or wands of heavens.
Now with the girdle and the bracers, Rasaad is a formidable force: 8 THAC0, 8-11 damage, 5/2 APR with throwing daggers, or 9 THAC0, 8-17 damage, 2 APR with fists, and all that with -5 AC thanks to the Shield amulet.
Sigyn trails a bit in the damage department due to not having 19 STR yet, but her 19 DEX (thanks to the tome) gives her 10 THAC0, 2-4 damage and 7/2 APR with darts of acid/fire, and -4 AC even without the Shield amulet.
For the fight agains the Iron Throne mercenaries I decided to use another scroll of Protection from Magic (it was sold at the Sorcerous Sundries), followed by potions of heroism, invulnerability, fire resistance (x2), and 19 STR for Sigyn and potions of heroism, invulnerability, fire resistance (x2) for Rasaad, who also had the ring of free action, activated both the Shield and Greenstone amulets.
This way, the monks were completely protected from the Necklaces of Missiles, and their main aim was to dodge enemy melee and ranged attacks and to trigger Missile Blasts each round.
The key to victory was not to get stucked surrounded by numerous enemies, so Sigyn and Rasaad never crossed each other's way.
I can't say the monks weren't hit. They were, for example, Sigyn was critted at 40 damage with an arrow - the Vampiric Touch, used before the fight on an item on the ground, added to her HPs for an hour, so she had more than 60 HPs overall.
It was time to make a pause, to heal while invisible. Soon the rage of an enemy archer ended, with meant Sigyn and Rasaad could attack with throwing daggers:
The next critter was first set afire and then killed with throwing daggers too:
Dealing with an enemy mage was easy: Detect illusions and a punching session.
Seeing that nearly all protections were still on, I decided to use my chance and kill Sunin. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but indeed, it was our my mistake in the MP run to let the main character face a mage without the shield. After recharging the Shield amulet can have 50 charges, enough till the end of the game.
I hope we'll make a rule for the current MP run: @Tresset 's character, Shari, can enter fights against mages only with the Shield effect on.
In the case of two monks, they didn't make any mistakes with Sunin. They, being protected nearly from everything, just punched him.
@bengoshi Good stuff! I really appreciate your run so far and it looks very difficult, congrats!
Concerning the Shield amulet and the MP run, don't forget that my F/M/C and Tresset's Dragon Disciple both died because it didn't work for no reason 3 times out of 4 against Magic Missile.
To not use it would be an error, but to rely on it would be even more dangerous in my opinion. Let's be cautious with that necklace.
Very nice, I haven't seen the bodyguard behaviour from Davaeorn's goons. Kudos to @DavidW once more! Though it has been some time I played bg:ee. I am more of a bg2:ee person.
I was like 'monks detect illusions!?' then 'oh yeah, dark moon.' I love that small skill gives a tremendous buff to the kit, very very useful throughout the entire bg saga, doubly so with scs. In bg2, pause your game, order attack a mirror imaged glabrezu and then click detect button, then unpause. Your monk will both pummel the demon and detect its illusions to remove those pesky mirror images. Very handy.
Comments
After a previous defeat, the good thing is indeed that there's always a next attempt. We decided Tresset will be our Bhaalspawn this time, and he rolled a nearly perfect Inquisitor (with stats like 18/00, 18181818181818181818181818).
"We can't do worse, can we?" - with these words Gotural rolled a Wild Mage.
I rolled a Totemic Druid, apparently still thinking about our first attempt.
CrevsDaak went for a Priest of Lathander.
And Tresset also included "Mr. L&T" - Mister Locks&Traps, an english gentleman whose only role is precisely "Locks&Traps"
We were doing well at first, with even a first level spirit animal providing a nice support in meleeing while the characters were still about the 1st level or so. Shari, our Inquisitor, was killing the most, while Crevs was trying to tank, and Gotural has survived a few wild surges: nothing to write home about, except for the sex change and visuals.
Then, we encountered a Cave Bear. This creature, with the SCS, goes for the first character it sees, no matter what. You can let it see your tank and it will go for it even if a mage with AC 10 will try to melee it without weapons.
This time, the bear saw my druid first. Understanding it didn't promise anything good (we were still near the level 1), I tried to run.... Only to find a winter wolf that spawned on my way. One attack, 8 cold damage and 8 cold damage in a second, and my druid was gone.
Others then killed both the bear and the wolf, so I rolled a new character. A halfling barbarian. Because I'm trying to follow the Gotural's rule of hardcore characters, even not those who are Bhaalspawns, I coulnd't continue with the druid. I named him like Mazzy, just Fazzy.
And I chose longswords for him. This is why our low-level party had to take on Greywolf - for the long sword +2. "We'll be fine", Gotural said. I just needed to kite Greywolf with an added speed of the barbarian, while others were going to shoot him.
"The famous last words, #305." Of course, Greywold didn't want to go after my barbarian. And first killed Meshanis, our mage, then Ajshenrtvarden, our cleric, and only then went after Fazzy.
I would have kited him, but a bunch of kobolds spawned nearby, with their commando killing Fazzy not long after. My halfling lasted less than 10 minutes...
The serious thing was that our Bhaalspawn, Shari, was alive. She gulped a potion of speed, a potion of heroism and killed all the kobolds and Greywolf without problems. As long as our leader is there, any bad luck for others is OK, especially at the first levels.
Becoming even more serious, we decided to get some XP from ankhegs, to minimize those crazy things in the future. I rolled a new character, a FMT. I so much liked this character in my single player run, so I decided to try him in the MP. All points in HiS, short swords.
Against ankhegs, it reminded our normal play, without risks and all. Those deaths that happened near the Nashkel Mines, were a good wake up call.
In all those years, I think I rolled a 98 or 99 once. It is true that I do not waste time with the game interface. Rolling a 90+ charbase is something difficult with most classes. As a result I used to just grant me the wanted score with *keeper, around 90. And sometimes I was just happy with my 80 point fighter type.
More recently I decided to roll several characters and play a bit with those guys. Unable to roll a high score sorcerer (does not really matter) whereas I easily got 90+ thieves and 93 F/M...
I wanted to try other character types because I found a few interesting pictures/portraits. This is how I casually clicked a few times to obtain the following roll. I checked the strength (18/04) but these were the initial stats.
What's the link with @bengoshi 's message? It was a female inquisitor like @Tresset 's character.
It looks like I am a victim of my own distrust.
I think I deleted the game file by mistake.
@Musigny, 90+ rolls aren't generally that hard to obtain in my experience, even with characters with no special racial or vocational bonuses. 95+ is where rolls get special to me.
Bardin, LN Cleric/Thief, in SoA (Part 8)
Bardin dealt with Cotirso a Cleric/Thief apparently (because he backstabbed) who wanted the Gnome's position in the Temple of Helm, and he stopped an open war between the churches of Lathander and Talos, before he set sail to Spellhold.
Brynnlaw/Spellhold
None of the battles in Brynnlaw caused him any trouble, with Vampires simply being exploded, Vadek dispelled and meleed, and Perth the Adept Cloudkilled and slain with the SotM.
In the Spellhold Maze nothing survived Bardin's snares, backstabs and high level spells like Storm of Vengeance and Fire Storm.
City of Caverns
On board the ship, Bardin had to briefly fear for his life as a fight with Githyankis and Sahuagin went into a cutscene, with the Gnome seriously injured (38 health) and not finished healing himself with a Blessed Bracers resurrection. Thankfully he survived the battle and the sinking of the ship, ending up in a Sahuagin city. He bought magic scrolls from a priestess there, slew another priestess for a Cloak of Mirroring, and a Sahuagin Prince to buy him passage from the King into the Underdark.
Underdark
Bardin stole several scrolls from Duergar merchants, ignored most hostile creatures that roamd the area (excpt for some Kuo-Toas he killed), relying on his SotM, stealth and non-detection. He befriended his Svirfneblin kin, and lived up to the expectations they may have had of him upon learning he was priest of Gaerdal Ironhand: fully buffed, he singlehandedly banished a Balor to the abyss.
Reaching Cleric level 24 gave Bardin one last weapon proficiency point to spend. It went to Flails. The Gnome's weapon proficiencies are: * Clubs, * Slings, *** Two-Weapon Fighting (thanks to Rogue Rebalancing), * Staves, * Two-Handed Weapon Style, * Flails.
Adalon cast an Illusion spell on Bardin that made the Gnome look and speak like a Drow and understand their language, so that he might retrieve her stolen eggs. He went shoplifting a second time at the Duergar encampment, and entered Ust Natha where hist first business was more shoplifting. He worked for a bit for House Despana. First of all his traps and Storm of Vengeance helped the house rescue one of their favored females from Mind Flayers and Umber Hulks.
Bardin then ventured into the Kuo-Toa tunnels, having Hasted Skeleton Warriors do much of the cleaning.
The Gnome gave Matron Mother Ardulace an Elder Orb eyestalk, which saw him obtain his last level as a Cleric and a Holy Symbol of Helm. Apparently Bardin's efforts to bring law and order and to exact justice had pleased not only Gaerdal Ironhand but also Helm.
He got into a fight with Phaere Despana after his half-hearted promise to help her betray the matron mother didn't convince the priestess. Bardin clubbed the female down,
Bodhi
Upon leaving the Underdark, the Gnome was thoroughly questioned by Elves who were rather tight-lipped themselves about their motives. Eventually it was agreed that Bardin would retrieve a Rhynn Lanthorn from Bodhi, which would allow them all access into the Elven city of Suldanessalar. Bardin recruited Drizzt and friends, Paladins of the Order of the Most Radiant Heart, and Shadow Thieves to help him against Bodhi, but the role of these allies would be limited to that of spectators as Bardin purged the place using his Turn Undead ability.
Lich in the Docks
Bardin was eager to travel to Suldanessalar, so he pacified the Chosen of Cyric (a Rogue Rebalancing encounter), and yet he accepted to return to Brynnlaw (Back to Brynnlaw mod), where a wizard might be able to restore his soul. Unfortunately this wizard, Roslin, insisted in meeting a storehouse in the Docks District that also happened to be the abode of a Lich. Bardin survived an ADHW, and several Time Stops (three or even four), thanks to standing away from the Lich,
When Bardin was attacked by invisible muggers as well, he retreated with SotM invisibility, and cast Fire Storm, killing all the muggers and some Skeleton Warriors.
Back to Brynnlaw
This mod, nicely written but maybe a bit too generous in XP rewards, basically turns the Cowled Wizards, including a particularly evil one, Berlin, against the protagonist. Not surprisingly, Bardin had to fight numerous wizards and their summons. He relied heavily on SotM dispels and invisibility, traps, AoE spells, and melee attacks as soon as his opponents were vulnerable. Demons he either defeated or outlasted; Salamanders and Greater Fire Elementals were slain with the Wave. Eventually Roslin, a good mage, restored part of Bardin's soul:
Bardin might still fight Thaxxy and Firkraag, more because it could be fun than for the treasure, even though Carsomyr appeals for instant +50 MR. (I'm less enthusiastic about the Alhoon though, and about Crom Faeyr). If not, Suldanessalar should become his next destination.
Many of the screenshots are really nice, aesthetically speaking.
In particular, I like the spellhold screenshots and it's also good to see those exploding vampires.
But I really enjoyed catching up on Bardin's exploits on my lunch break! I want to give a Cleric/Thief a try now.
@Musigny, thank you too. I sometimes have difficulty keeping up with developments in complex battles, so I'm glad you can appreciate my screenshots.
Bardin, LN Cleric/Thief, in SoA (Part 9)
In Athkatla Bardin did a lot of shopping (Ribald's special stock, couple of item upgrades by Cromwell) before he left to conclude some unfinished business in the Windspear Hills and in the Temple Ruins.
Playing with SCS' beefy Dragons meant that killing Firkraag required one time trap (for SotM dispels and some damage), six spike traps, and once those had triggered, two more time traps.
Suldanessalar
The priest then traveled to Suldanessalar with the Elves he had met near the Underdark exit. Bardin avoided Irenicus' servants as much as possible, relying heavily on his SotM invisibility. Unfortunately a number of demons saw right through he Gnome's trickery, and Bardin ended up fleeing into Nizi's lair as he was unwilling to fight the fiends without proper buffs.
Tree of Life
Bardin dispatched the Elementals using his Elemental Staff +5 (Item Upgrades item: slays Elementals with no save), although sneak attacks with the Wave should have worked just as fine.
He kept his distance from Irenicus, avoiding possible trouble during a Time Stop the wizard cast. Bardin had his own time traps, which he scattered about the tree. Irenicus summoned a fiend, a Nycaloth. It became Bardin's first victim when one of his time traps were triggered.
Hell
Collecting the tears of Bhaal, Bardin acted as follows.
Wrath: Sarevok's taunts were withstood, with Bardin defeating Wraith Sarevok with snares and melee attacks rather than by transforming into the Slayer, for +1 to WIS and CHA. Somewhat disappointingly, BG2EE, unlike BGT, doesn't have a scroller for characters that have more spell slots than the maximum that can be displayed (twelve). It meant that Bardin's 13th level 4 spell slot, another Death Ward, was lost. I might correct that with an innate Death Ward though.
Greed: Bardin had little use for Blackrazor. He exchanged the blade with the Genie for the tear of Bhaal and a +2 to saves. The Gnome's saves are now really good: -6/-8/-3/-5/-8 without the SotM (which gives another +2 bonus to all saves) but with his armor, rings etc. Extra HPs would probably have served him better, but Bardin kept open the option of drastically improving his HPs through other means, as will be explained below.
Selfishness: Bardin refused to choose between self-sacrifice and the sacrifice of an innocent's life, attacking the demon instead. This was the neutral path conform the Revised Hell Trials mod, which saw Bardin rewarded with +30% slashing resistance.
EDIT: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/28014/beastmaster-dies-when-familiar-dies. This thread suggests that a character's bonus HPs from a Familiar are lost when the Familiar dies! Please tell me this ain't so!
Pride: Bardin felt no need to fight the dragon, earning himself +20% resistance to Fire, Cold, and Electricity.
The Gnome placed four spike traps on one of the stairs to soften up Irenicus, an exploding trap near the portal surrounded by the tears of Bhaal, and two time traps on two other stairs. He then cast a defensive Chain Contingency (Heal + HP + RM, when HPs <10%), a Spell Trigger with the same contents, and an offensive Spell Sequencer with three Holy Smites, and rested.
When he got up, he summoned an Ultroloth and cast all his divine buffs (even though some of them have become almost unnecessary thanks to his great saves), complemented by Stoneskin, Spirit Armor and Blur from scroll, and then he received Irenicus.
The Gnome summoned Kitty as a decoy, and then moved away from Slayer Irenicus again, hoping to get rid of the demons first. But this was easier said than done. The weaker Glabrezus went ethereal whenever Bardin gained the upper hand in melee combat, and the permanently fireshielded Balors required fire resistance. Bardin countered another Remove Magic with a SI: Abjuration from scroll (if only to keep his Death Ward up, because the Balors might or might not have a vorpal attack that allows no save), and a Greater Malison with a potion of invulnerability.
At one point Bardin had three of the four at badly injured or near death status but their joint attacks put Bardin's life at risk as well. It caused the Gnome to retreat for a Greater Restoration.
Only Slayer Irenicus remained. Bardin tried to lure him into the spike traps he had set on one of the stairs before he opened the portal, but Irenicus seemed to sense he shouldn't follow Bardin there. The Gnome studied his foe carefully and learned two important things about him: (1) Slayer Irenicus did not see through Invisibility,
Having them all connect is even more impressive (but I guess some of the cleric buffs can be thanked for that).
The Monty Python's crew.
Me, Tresset and Gotural finished the ankheg farming and decided to further improve our levels with basilisks.
Using my experience with Hades, I proposed to use Corax on Mutamin as the first thing to do on that map. The reason is simple - I've noticed that thanks to better calls for help Mutamin can stop being neutral if he feels someone if fighting nearby basilisks.
So, my invisible FMT let Tresset to order Corax attack Mutamin while the mage was still neutral - with a third or fourth attack Corax stunned Mutamin.
After we cleared the whole basilisk area, Gotural had to leave because of RL issues, but asked us to continue.
The first thing we did was a learning session. When we came to Thalantyr, it turned out we still hadn't completed the Melicamp quest. This time, just like with our first MP attempt, Melicamp survived the Antichickenator spell.
We bought basically all needed spells for Meshanis and Bengoshi, I chose MMx2, Blindnessx2, Spookx2, Armor and Shield, as well as Mirror Image, Horror and Strength for Meshanis, the latter spell specifically to improve my FMT's STR for major fights. For my FMT, we bought Shield, Mirror Image and Minor spell deflection - basically the main spells for him till the end of BG1.
We completed several outside areas: wolves near the Beregost Temple, Vax/Zal, Dryad of the Cloadpeaks, Gnolls. Then Tresset checked the statistics of Mr L&T:
And then Meshanis put additional fun to our playthough.
First, he nearly killed my character and killed Mr L&T with a fireball when tried to cast Strenght on Bengoshi. I expected something like that and moved away from Shari, the Bhaalspawn, just in case:
We still defeated Bassilus, though. And seeing two-handed swords and crossbows on zombies as well as our Inquisitor, I figured out all those zombies were inquisitors once:
On one of the next maps, Meshanis continued to add fun.
We had only choice but to run, while our Inquisitor was the only person being able to face the demon (thanks to numerous PfE abilities).
But Nabassu is very hard to hit at the start of BG1, and Shari managed to bring it to the "Near Dead" status, not to kill. In the end, Nabassu gave Shari a death gaze, and only thanks to her Dispel Magic our Bhaalspawn didn't become a ghoul.
I figured out it was time for Meshanis to send Nabassu back to Nine Hells (after all, it was the wild mage's fault in the first place that the demon was summoned to the Sword Coast). Tresset read that Nabassu had 50% MR and regenerated 2 HP/round, but it turned out this one didn't.
Overall, it was a very fun playing session with 2 of the worst possible wild surges for the start of the game, but we survived them. I put a robe of saving throws against Pertification on Meshanis, just in case, in the end.
Unlocking a thief is very efficient and I already know that a Mage / Thief is a potent combo.
Here this is the clear demonstration that a Cleric / Thief is also a super character.
@bengoshi
This wild surge gating a demon made my BG day!
@Musigny, Cleric/Thief is certainly a combo with potential, though I'm a bit unsure how to play the class in (the last part of) ToB. I see different options.
I might try to continue playing him the way I played him in SoA, i.e. a bit like a Fighter/Mage, with quickly cast spells, including offensive spells, thanks to the Amulet of Power and the Robe of Vecna and with arcane (from scroll/item) as well as clerical buffs and protections for melee work. I'll need lots of Stoneskins and PfMWs though, because Bardin's AC is bad, and don't think I have enough PfMW scrolls (about eleven).
Another route would be to go for damage resistance. Bardin got 30% slashing resistance from the neutral Sacrifice path in Helll, receives 25% physical resistance whenever he casts Armor of Faith plus another 25% whenever he dons Jan's armor. One of Ascension's Bhaalspawn powers is a passive +25% to all physical resistance. This means that Bardin can end up with 75% piercing damage resistance, 100% missile damage resistance (Belt of Inertial Barrier), 105% slashing damage resistance, and 125% crushing damage resistance (Roranach's Horn), as long as he's able to keep his Armors of Faith up. EDIT: I forgot to include another +20% from the Defender of Easthaven for pretty much complete physical invulnerability. (Was a bit in rush because to go to a concert.
Elemental protections would have to come from potions and green scrolls; magic resistance (optional) from items and potions. This appears to me as the safer route, though being unable to cast much due to increased risk of spellfailure is a big drawback.
Bardin, LN Cleric/Thief, in ToB (Part 1)
Illasera
My memory of this battle is a bit fuzzy, because I had to reload due to a crash. If I'm not mistaken, things went as follows. Pre-set time traps allowed Bardin to dispatch two of Illasera's Black Reavers, a rogue and a wizard, at the beginning of the battle.
Pocketplane Battle I
Patience saw Bardin prevail here. While a Cleric/Thief with 8 million XP does have the means of quickly dispatching groups of enemies, their options are more limited compared to those of warriors with multiple GWWs and especially wizards with multiple ADHWs and other area damage spells. The Gnome saved his spells in case he needed them later, and used the Wand of Cloudkill instead to dispatch the first groups of enemies that appeared: Kobolds, Gnolls, Ogre Mages. Unfortunately the Sahuagins that followed were less vulnerable to the wand's effects. Bardin slew some of the creatures but not all with Holy Smites, Divine Wraths and melee attacks before Sarevok, Bodhi and Irenicus arrived. Irenicus removed Bardin's buffs and went for IA + Time Stop + Greater Malison + Fallen Planetar + Gate x2 + Energy Blades. When time resumed Bodhi hit and con-drained Bardin and Irenicus injured him with Energy Blades and a surprise Melf's Acid Arrow when an unintentional click on a weapon on the ground made Bardin visible. Irenicus also cast Wish ("I wish for my party to be invulnerable", which gave him and others Hardiness). Bardin managed to cast Death Ward to avoid Dark Planetar or Balor vorpals, and he quaffed an oil of speed soon after. Irenicus made sure that more fiends followed, an Ultroloth and a Nycaloth that both summoned Skeleton Warriors, but Bardin simply made sure he stayed on the move, pausing only for a potion of superior healing, and remained SotM-invisible to Sarevok and Irenicus (but not to Bodhi, the fiends, and the Sahuagins who all saw through the ruse.)
When the last of the fiends was gone, Bardin dispelled Irenicus' buffs with a SotM-dispel, mostly to annoy his foe, because Irenicus wasn't Bardin's first target. The Gnome decided to further thin the enemy's ranks first, by taking on the Sahuagins and a surviving Ogre Mage with Holy Smites, a Divine Wrath, and melee attacks.
Saradush
Bardin didn't stay long in Saradush. He didn't like the place at all. Apart from the incessant incoming fire boulders from Yaga-Shura's army, the townspeople's prejudice against him was insulting. When he got into a fight with some of Gromnir's men, others turned against him as well: humans, elves, militia guards, Alexander Ralisar, Oris Nimblefingers, and even captain Samand (the killing of whom lowered Bardin's rep to 10, made the Justice for Mateo quest unavailable, and kept Kiser's house inaccessible). The Gnome patiently slew them all (backstabs, Storm of Vengance, Holy Smites, Divine Wraths).
He returned to his pocketplane and had Kitty injure him so as to trigger his Chain Contigency (which would trigger at 10% of HPs left), and then cast a new one containing Greater Restoration, Death Ward and Armor of Faith, to trigger when HPs go below 25%.
The Gnome returned to Saradush where he invested in his reputation at the Temple of Waukeen, and obtained a prison key from Sister Farielle. The prison's vampires were no problem thanks to Turn Undead, although Phlydian didn't explode; she merely fled. Bardin finished her with backstabs.
In Gromnir's dungeon Bardin released several prisoners, which saw his reputation rise to 20 again, while staying invisible before the guards. On the first floor of Gromnir's castle Bardin found a quiet spot where he buffed himself for his imminent meeting with Gromnir. Again the guards were left alone.
Bardin considered the Targets little more than a nuisance, as they prevented him from setting snares, but enemy spells were not something he had to worry about much. Several charges of the Wand of Cloudkill (which was harmless to Bardin thanks to his Ring of Gaxx), made sure that enemy wizards and priests wouldn't be casting much.
Bardin patiently let the Cloudkills do their work, though he spent a couple of invisibility potions to speed things up with backstabs.
Yaga-Shura
In the North Forest Bardin killed the robbers so as to get access to Karthis al-Hezzar's wares (scrolls and potions mainly). In the Forest of Mir he had some difficulty with the Wraiths when his Sunrays proved insufficient for quick disposal of the undead.
At the entrance to Yaga-Shura's lair Bardin set spike traps to deal with two Burning Men, so that he could walk around invisibly without being harrassed. Inside the dungeon, he did the same with four Fire Trolls (taking them out in melee). With Detect Traps (the spell), an oil of speed, and SotM-invisibility Bardin managed to secure access to the second floor without having to deal with other critters, outrunning even a Dimension Dooring Fire Lich.
Pocketplane Battle II
I lost Norgath, my Dwarven Bounty Hunter here last year, mainly due to my being unfamiliar with the battle. I remember being surprised that faux Norgath was a warrior with a two-handed sword and GWWs. (Makes some sense though because the dialogue preceding the challenge is about Charname's and Sarevok's roles being inverted.) As with the first pocketplane challenge and as with the battle in Gromnir's castle, patience was key. Bardin spent the first couple of rounds running around, hasted by both his boots and an oil of speed, waiting for faux Bardin, who was also hasted, to expend his (G)WWs and for Semaj's simulacra to expire. Since faux Bardin could see through invisibility he was difficult to get rid of. Bardin had to dispel his foe's haste with the SotM and later again when the latter applied an oil of speed. He failed to set a snare on the eastern edge when no one seemed to be in sight, but that was because hidden Angelo still had to reveal himself. Either way, Bardin had the opportunity to cast the holy triumvirate, and used his divine power to soften up Tamoko.
Oasis
Unfinished Business allows for a peaceful resolution of the encounter with Tombelthen, I discovered. I roleplayed Bardin here, and ended up garnering the General's trust.
Watcher's Keep, Sendai or Abazigal are next. I'm inclined to go to Watcher's Keep to experiment with the two options I mentioned above (Bardin the Vecna-wearing spell caster vs Bardin the Adventurer Wear-clad damage resister).
I figured out that I would like to see a SoD content for Rasaad, and, because I usually can't find a place for Rasaad in general parties (for example, I'm planning to include Neera, not Rasaad, in a SoD party with all 4 new characters: Corwin, Voghiln, M’Khiin and Glint), I decided to try a run with Rasaad. But to make this run more unique, I decided to accompany Rasaad with another monk. Combining a Sun Soul Monk and a Dark Moon Monk looks interesting to me.
This is my WeiDU log, without changes since the run with Hades. I continue to play on the Insane difficulty. Let's see how it turns out with monks.
// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1000 // Initialise mod (all other components require this): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1910 // Protection from Normal Missiles also blocks Arrows of Fire/Cold/Acid and similar projectiles without pluses: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2010 // More consistent Breach spell (always affects liches and rakshasas; doesn't penetrate Spell Turning): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2020 // Antimagic attacks penetrate improved invisibility: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2030 // Iron Skins behaves like Stoneskin (can be brought down by Breach): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2120 // Slightly weaken insect plague spells, and let fire shields block them: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2150 // Make spell sequencers, spell triggers, and contingencies learnable by all mages: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3000 // Replace BG1-style elemental arrows with BG2 versions: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3010 // Replace +1 arrows with nonmagical "fine" ones: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3030 // Re-introduce potions of extra-healing: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Faster Bears: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4010 // Grant large, flying, non-solid or similar creatures protection from Web and Entangle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // More realistic wolves and wild dogs: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4040 // Make party members less likely to die irreversibly: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4110 // Allow NPC pairs to separate: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4120 // NPCs go to inns: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4130 // Move NPCs to more convenient locations: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4140 // Allow Yeslick to use axes: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5000 // Ease-of-use party AI: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5010 // Move Boo into Minsc's pack: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5020 // Remove the blur graphic effect from the Cloak of Displacement: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5050 // Stackable ankheg shells, winterwolf pelts and wyvern heads: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5060 // Ensure Shar-Teel doesn't die in the original challenge: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages -> Mages cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests -> Priests cast some short-duration spells instantly at start of combat, to simulate pre-battle casting: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs -> All of the potions dropped by slain enemies are recoverable: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6300 // Smarter sirines and dryads: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6310 // Slightly harder carrion crawlers: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6320 // Smarter basilisks: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7000 // Improved doppelgangers: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7030 // Dark Side-based kobold upgrade: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Relocated bounty hunters: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved Ulcaster: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7080 // Improved Demon Cultists: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7100 // Improved Bassilus: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7110 // Improved Drasus party: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7130 // Improved Red Wizards: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7140 // Improved Undercity party: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7200 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7210 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7220 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7230 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7250 // Improved final battle: v30
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7900 // Improved minor encounters: v30
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #0 // The BG1 NPC Project: Required Modifications: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #1 // The BG1 NPC Project: Banters, Quests, and Interjections: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #6 // The BG1 NPC Project: Give Viconia her BG2 portrait: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #8 // The BG1 NPC Project: Add Non-Joinable NPC portraits to quests and dialogues: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #9 // The BG1 NPC Project: Ajantis Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #10 // The BG1 NPC Project: Branwen's Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #11 // The BG1 NPC Project: Coran's Romance Core (adult content): v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #12 // The BG1 NPC Project: Dynaheir's Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #13 // The BG1 NPC Project: Shar-Teel Relationship Core (adult content): v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #14 // The BG1 NPC Project: Xan's Romance Core (teen content): v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #15 // The BG1 NPC Project: Female Romance Challenges, Ajantis vs Xan vs Coran: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #16 // The BG1 NPC Project: NPCs can be sent to wait in an inn: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #18 // The BG1 NPC Project: Alora's Starting Location -> Alora Starts in Gullykin: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #20 // The BG1 NPC Project: Eldoth's Starting Location -> Eldoth Starts on the Coast Way: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #22 // The BG1 NPC Project: Quayle's Starting Location -> Quayle Starts at the Nashkel Carnival: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #24 // The BG1 NPC Project: Tiax's Starting Location -> Tiax Starts in Beregost: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #26 // BGEE Banter Timing Tweak: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #28 // The BG1 NPC Project: Bardic Reputation Adjustment: v22_20150614
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #200 // The BG1 NPC Project: Player-Initiated Dialogues: v22_20150614
~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2090 // Change Experience Point Cap -> Remove Experience Cap: v16
~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2192 // Limit Ability of Storekeepers to Identify Items -> Hybrid of Both Methods: v16
~BG2_TWEAKS/SETUP-BG2_TWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3011 // Maximum HP for NPCs (the bigg) -> For Non-Party-Joinable NPCs Only: v16
Sigyn and Rasaad, or the Duo Monks' Tale
Enters Sigyn, a lawful evil Dark Moon Monk:
I decided to up STR, DEX and CON to 18, so that Sigyn could use the Claw of Kazgaroth without penalties, and put pips into daggers and darts.
This is my first thorough acquaintance with a monk class in BG1, and the fact that there will be two monks in the party, with different kits, will add to my understanding of them.
Right from the start, Monks start with a faster speed than other characters (except for barbarians), and this speed lets them successfully kite enemies while attacking from a distance (daggers are a solid choice for a 18-18 STR and DEX monk).
Thanks to the added speed, Monks can kite even wolves and bears.
A Dark Moon Monk starts with Blindness as a special ability. It helped against Tarnesh:
The Evermemory ring was sold for 9000, that let Sigyn to buy a Wand of Sleep. In Nashkel, Sigyn met a fellow monk, Rasaad, who was from an opposite order than she. But something in this monk told her that he can be turned to her side in the end. After all, Rasaad looked like he wasn't so sure about the things he said himself.
Sigyn met Rasaad while both were of the 1st level, and I decided to accept new levels only if they bring enough HPs (at least a half of their maximum), otherwise wait for the next level ups.
Then weather (was it Shar, or Selune?) helped us during the Senjak's ambush.
Attacking from the shadows doesn't give any multiplier to monks, but still provides a solid THAC0 bonus:
Sigyn used two potions of invisibility in order to steal some treasure from a cave full of golems (one potion before facing sirens, and another after looting). The main thing was Relair's Mistake - to increase THAC0 of a monk and make attacks magical (as well as to set melee APR to 2), and the CON tome, that opened a door to the Claw (Sigyn had to gather some money first, though).
Selling everything not needed for monks (armours, wands, scrolls, weapons etc) provided a lot of money. Sigyn bought the Necklace of missiles from Nashkel Carnival, sold and bought it again so that it had 25 charges. It should have been enough for Bassilus.
Each round either Sigyn or Rasaad used the Necklace to hit Bassilus and stop his casting. Then another monk used the Necklace. Then the first monk used the Necklace. Bassilus took 10 charges, but it was a very safe and reliable way of killing him.
Sigyn and Rasaad needed money, so they went for some ankheg hunting - bringing shells to Taerom could let them gather the amount of money needed for the Claw. This is where the Wand of Sleep helped a lot.
Monks can use fighters' potions, so both Sigyn and Rasaad gulped potions of 19 STR, to be able to carry all the needed shells. And voila! The Claw was finally bought.
Then the time of basilisk hunting came. HiS is very helpful on Monks, it increases their potential a lot. Mutamin was stunned before he could harm anyone.
Nearly simultaneous (divided only by a second or two) uses of the Necklace of missiles by both monks (I imagined like Rasaad threw the necklace to Sigyn during the fight) helped to kill a mage from the mercenary group, and thus Rasaad got his girdle against slashing weapons. Other mercenaries went away but Sigyn still tracked them and killed one by one with Missile Blasts from the necklace.
Selling armours and weapons from these mercenaries helped to re-charge the Wand of Sleep - now it had 100 charges.
With all these charges, the monks could defeat those ankhegs that were not killed when Sigyn and Rasaad first visited that area.
In BGEE, the monk's bonus to AC adds after the AC class provided by bracers or a shield spell, this is why with the Shield amulet both Sigyn and Rasaad could have -6 AC - enough to reduce the chance of being hit in most cases to criticals only. Sigyn can also cast Blur as a special ability, which futher improves her AC.
I already can say that items play a huge role while playing monks. The Shield amulet was illustrated above, and I can't praise the Necklace of Missiles enough. Not only it penetrates the Protection from Magic, but also Vampiric Wolves' Magic Resistance didn't help here:
As I said, I managed level ups of both Sigyn and Rasaad, and now they're both at the 6th level (which sets APR with fists to 2). Sigyn has 48 HPs, Rasaad - 38 HPs.
I like the portraits of Rasaad and Sigyn very much and think they look excellent together - the latter is from BG2EE, from the additional portrait pack included into that game, by @NatJones .
I might follow your example of preparing good, evil and maybe neutral parties to prepare for SoD and take through the trilogy. Btw was your good character a Cleric/Thief? A confrere of Bardin? I thought he was a Cleric/Illusionist.
Good start btw!
Mimicking @bengoshi I created a FMT (evil alignment but not sure how I will role play her).
So yet another FMT tree growing from seed but this is where I differ from @bengoshi plan. I won't play until I get SoD and I will cover BGEE in solo unless it becomes obvious that SoD imports BGEE variables to customize events and dialogs.
Enters Püppchen:
I am ready!
After several troubling episodes, including Rasaad being webbed by a giant spider and killed by a ghast, I decided to go to the Ulgoth's Beard to get the ring of free action. Monks are very dependant on items, so I couldn't skip TotSC bonuses till later in the game in this run, just to be able to survive.
This is one of the bad things about playing monks in BG1, as I consider using TotSC items prior to getting an access to the BG city to be a little bit cheesy.
Dushai was killed by Rasaad who was using throwing daggers (from the line of sight, with a retreat after each attack) while Sigyn was hidden in shadows to provide a good visibility.
The ring of free action was useful soon enough - against Mulahey: it protected Sigyn from Hold Person, so that she could patiently melee the half-orc, while Rasaad fireballed the coming support.
I discovered that the Sun Soul Monk's Sun Soulray, with the in-game description of affecting only 1 target, actually affects several creatures in a small radius:
Although the difference between the description and the reality costed Sigyn a lot of her hitpoints, Mulahey was defeated.
Against Nimbul Sigyn tried her Detect Illusion skill (that was at 60 at that time), after that with the help of amnish guards the bounty hunter was chunked.
Tranzig was blinded, just as Tarnesh, and finished with throwing daggers (both Rasaad and Sigyn have proficiencies in daggers).
Approaching the Bandit camp with 2 monks was not as easy as it had been with Hades and the full party. A much shorter list of tricks and options forced me to do the following.
First, Rasaad used the Wand of sleep on one bandit and attacked it with throwing daggers. The alarm meant that all nearby (and not only) bandits followed Rasaad as he went away from there. Then he gulped an Invis potion, because HiS failed him this time. After that both monks used the Necklace of missiles at the group of enemies, who centered at the place where Rasaad had become invisible.
Thanks to their added speed, Rasaad and Sigyn could safely retreat and use charges of the necklace backwards. The necklace had only 8 charges, so after 7 of them were used, the monks switched to potions.
This is the second bad thing about monks - their fire power, if you don't want to risk getting critical hits from enemies due to no helmets, is based largely on the Necklace that has only 25 charges and that costs (with a reputation not better than 8, with higher reputation it would be cheaper, but not much) about 7000 gp.
The main thing was that the majority of archers were killed, and Venkt, an enemy mage, shared their fate. After that a little bit of kiting brought down the heavyweights.
After selling all the loot from the Bandit camp Sigyn could recharge the Necklace of missiles. It was just in time, as when the monks went to Cloakwood, they were subsequently ambushed by two groups of bounty hunters.
This is where the ring of free action helped greatly - Rasaad couldn't be held while spamming fireballs. Even invisible amazon thieves were fried, before they could land backstabs.
The second group spawned nearly on the monks' heads, so the only way was to use a Potion of Magic Blocking by Rasaad to draw aggro of both enemy mage and cleric, while Sigyn could retreat a bit and time her blasts better.
So far, so good. But the battle against Drasus showed the third bad thing about monks.
I approached this fight with Rasaad who used the scroll of Protection from Magic, a potion of Defense and 2 potions of fire resistance. He had -9 AC, a lot lower than that against missile weapons, and was fully protected from enemy magic.
At first, all was well, with Sigyn spamming fireballs while Rasaad was maneuvering in front of enemies. And then it happened. A critical hit by Drasus. No helmets on monks, coupled with the Insane damage, meant 88 (!) from one attack. No chance to surive for monks. No matter how low your AC is, an enemy will still crit once.
The sad part was not only losing Rasaad. He used Protection from Magic and valuable potions, and now it all was gone. The happy part was that not Sigyn had been one-shotted.
I paused the game for about 10 minutes, to think about my options.
An option 1 was to skip the encounter. But there were valuable items on the battlefield, and Sigyn couldn't carry them all from that area. Being under the protection of the Cloak of Non-Detection, Sigyn took what she needed from Rasaad and continued.
An option 2 was to deal with enemies one on one and later put all the items into a container in the building nearby.
The enemies didn't stand where the had been, they were wondering about. And Genthore was the first.
One of the big advantages of monks is that they can hide. Not as good as thieves due to a limited number of points per level, but still - it's a matter of time when your character succeeds in hiding. And when you're invisible, you can find an enemy and throw fireballs into his direction, so that you remain unseen for him. Drasus was the second.
Having a potion of Magic Blocking ready, Sigyn went in the direction of the bridge, detecting illusions. As soon as Kysus became visible, she attacked and managed to kill him before the action of the potion ended.
For the next mage Sigyn didn't have potions of Magic Blocking and couldn't use the Protection from Magic scroll - she needed it for Davaeorn. So she used absolutely everything she had - a potion of invulnerability, a potion of fire resistance, a potion of Absorbtion, a potion of Magic Protection (50% MR), and of course, the Shield amulet. She also had the ring of free action in the inventory.
It was enough for Rezdan.
So, despite losing Rasaad in the fight when she couldn't go back to the temple, Sigyn defeated the whole group in the end.
I love the kit too: monastic pyromaniac! Well done
Good fun!
And yes, I have that component installed - the WeiDU log is just higher on the page. After all, I want to see the SoD content for Rasaad, so I need him alive, not only to complete BG1 without reloads, and it would be impossible to do with the Insane damage if not that component.
Sigyn and Rasaad, or the Duo Monks' Tale, part 3
For Davaeorn, it was better not to risk Rasaad, so he invisibly waited in the corner. Sigyn, meanwhile, used the Protection from Magic scroll, a potion of Heroism, a potion of invulnerability and a potion of Cloud Giant Strength, and faced Davaeorn. Why Sigyn this time, not Rasaad - well, she had more HPs and Vampiric Touch, available only to her, made the difference even more. Those HPs were needed to not die from an unlucky arrow or melee hit and thus to not lose Protection from Magic effect.
The main aim was to make Davaeorn use all his spells on the monk so that they could damage the bandit troops as well.
Sigyn tried the Wand of Heaven on Davaeorn, and although the wand didn't inflict much damage, he still spent his healing potions because of that.
But then the number of guards chasing Sigyn became so big that it was hard even to move. Sigyn gulped the potion of invisibility and witnessed what I had noticed before - the guards that were coming in waves, if not opposed at the entrance, went straigt to Davaeorn and stood around the mage, leaving him only to trace your character for several steps and then coming back. Literally bodyguards. This is why when Sigyn went invisible, all guards who chased her went to Davaeorn, which let Sigyn to kill Battle Horrors one on one.
Then Sigyn, carefully choosing from where to stand, attacked guards using throwing daggers, so that she was visible to only one or two of enemies - again, their AI made them gather around Davaeorn - just look at the amount of bodies in that room:
The process took so long that Protection from Magic wore off. Sigyn repeated her potions, adding a potion of Magic Protection (50% MR) instead of the green scroll. The number of guards around Davaeorn was quickly decreasing.
It took Sigyn 11 darts of poisoning before Davaeorn actually failed his saving throw. The job was done soon after that.
Is there a reason why you did not use the wand of heavens on the soldiers?
Nice tactic with davaeorn. I did not expect the guards to all run off when you went invisible. Strange coding
When Sigyn sold the archrobe of Davaeorn, she could recharge the wand of heavens, so it had 100 charges after that:
Meanwhile, after reaching the BG city, the monks could start and finish a personal quest of Rasaad, which brought him the girdle of 19 STR and +2 THACO bracers. The quest wasn't difficult, although it provided 2 trolls, which were hard to kill because they regenerated quickly and only fell unconscious for several seconds.
BTW, equipping the girdle of 19 STR that also set Rasaad's INT to 6 didn't lead to him losing the wand of heavens from the quickslots (till the next level up, but it's a long way still), so he can get the best of the 2 worlds.
Sigyn bought a new wand of heavens for herself (although with 25 charges so far). Also, 19 STR let Rasaad to bash the door to Nadine in the BG city, who gave another Necklace of missiles as the quest reward.
So both monks can now simultaneously use Necklaces of missiles and/or wands of heavens.
Now with the girdle and the bracers, Rasaad is a formidable force: 8 THAC0, 8-11 damage, 5/2 APR with throwing daggers, or 9 THAC0, 8-17 damage, 2 APR with fists, and all that with -5 AC thanks to the Shield amulet.
Sigyn trails a bit in the damage department due to not having 19 STR yet, but her 19 DEX (thanks to the tome) gives her 10 THAC0, 2-4 damage and 7/2 APR with darts of acid/fire, and -4 AC even without the Shield amulet.
For the fight agains the Iron Throne mercenaries I decided to use another scroll of Protection from Magic (it was sold at the Sorcerous Sundries), followed by potions of heroism, invulnerability, fire resistance (x2), and 19 STR for Sigyn and potions of heroism, invulnerability, fire resistance (x2) for Rasaad, who also had the ring of free action, activated both the Shield and Greenstone amulets.
This way, the monks were completely protected from the Necklaces of Missiles, and their main aim was to dodge enemy melee and ranged attacks and to trigger Missile Blasts each round.
The key to victory was not to get stucked surrounded by numerous enemies, so Sigyn and Rasaad never crossed each other's way.
I can't say the monks weren't hit. They were, for example, Sigyn was critted at 40 damage with an arrow - the Vampiric Touch, used before the fight on an item on the ground, added to her HPs for an hour, so she had more than 60 HPs overall.
It was time to make a pause, to heal while invisible. Soon the rage of an enemy archer ended, with meant Sigyn and Rasaad could attack with throwing daggers:
The next critter was first set afire and then killed with throwing daggers too:
Dealing with an enemy mage was easy: Detect illusions and a punching session.
Seeing that nearly all protections were still on, I decided to use my chance and kill Sunin. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but indeed, it was our my mistake in the MP run to let the main character face a mage without the shield. After recharging the Shield amulet can have 50 charges, enough till the end of the game.
I hope we'll make a rule for the current MP run: @Tresset 's character, Shari, can enter fights against mages only with the Shield effect on.
In the case of two monks, they didn't make any mistakes with Sunin. They, being protected nearly from everything, just punched him.
Concerning the Shield amulet and the MP run, don't forget that my F/M/C and Tresset's Dragon Disciple both died because it didn't work for no reason 3 times out of 4 against Magic Missile.
To not use it would be an error, but to rely on it would be even more dangerous in my opinion. Let's be cautious with that necklace.
I was like 'monks detect illusions!?' then 'oh yeah, dark moon.' I love that small skill gives a tremendous buff to the kit, very very useful throughout the entire bg saga, doubly so with scs. In bg2, pause your game, order attack a mirror imaged glabrezu and then click detect button, then unpause. Your monk will both pummel the demon and detect its illusions to remove those pesky mirror images. Very handy.