I give Frisk a Find Familiar scroll to boost their HP a little and pay a visit to Kuldahar Valley to see if I can take down those goblins who nearly killed me earlier. The visit proves short-lived; there's an awful lot of enemy pressure and Carl, our Bounty Hunter, can't find a safe space from which to set a trap.
We flee the area and head to the Vale of Shadows. Turns out the IWD Mega Mod adds some new enemies to the Vale as well.
Luckily, I scouted out these critters beforehand and set a bunch of traps, allowing us to avoid a potentially deadly fight entirely.
Elsewhere, we run into Skeleton Elites, who have massive HP, high damage output, and are resistant to Carl's traps.
This party is extremely reliant on missile damage, as our primary damage dealer are a Bounty Hunter and an Archer. It doesn't help that our fighter, Chara, uses daggers. Frisk, our cleric/illusionist, uses Magical Stone to help take down the first Skeleton Elite, but we're running low on resources already.
Magical Stone deals 6d4 damage to undead in IWD and is extremely useful in the Vale of Shadows. But Frisk only has so many, and soon, Chara is in critical condition with no potions left.
Chara runs away and we break down another Skeleton Elite, but the third one switches gears and attacks Snowy Tae, our Archer, who has terrible AC due to being unable to wear armor stronger than studded leather.
Snowy Tae is one hit away from death, so Chara engages the Skeleton Elite in melee in the hopes of saving her. But Chara's AC doesn't hold, and without them to distract the enemy, Snowy Tae croaks, too.
I try to kit using Carl, the one remaining character with HP above 20, but the skeleton has a very low speed factor despite using a two-handed sword and is somehow able to land hits on him while he's running.
Carl tries to run the Skeleton Elite in a circle around the dungeon, only to stumble upon a mass of other undead.
This fight has become unwinnable. We hurry outside, but for the first time ever, I see enemies follow me outside.
We resurrect Snowy Tae and Chara and use Chara to distract the enemies while Snowy Tae and Carl weaken them with missile damage. Frisk's Magical Stone spells are enough to finish them off.
Asriel gains a level and can now cast Color Spray. Conveniently enough, thieves are basically always within the level range that friendly Color Spray spells blind them, allowing them to set traps and/or hide in shadows in the middle of combat.
And, conveniently enough, the blindness lasts three rounds, which is enough for Carl to use all of his traps before regaining his sight and being able to use his bow effectively. Thieves get 1 Set Snare at level 1 and every 5 levels thereafter, while Bounty Hunters get an extra Set Special Snare in addition to Set Snare, so Carl has 2 traps per day (and will get 4 pretty soon).
Carl's traps, whether set while blind in the middle of combat or thrown from afar, destroy a lot of the tough encounters in the Vale of Shadows. Unlike Snowy Tae's missile damage, Carl is limited each day, but it hits harder (for now), strikes as an area-effect spell, and bypasses weapon immunities.
Single-target spells aren't so useful in IWD because there are just so many enemies, but being able to land a hit without using an attack roll does give us a reliable way of quickly removing troublesome critters like Mytos.
The Sleep trap in this area can be extremely dangerous (no save, sleeping characters won't wake up on hit) and cannot be disarmed, but Invisibility and Sanctuary are great ways of tackling it safely. With pre-set traps, we don't even have to worry about cleanup.
Now that we're a little higher level, we can finish off Kuldahar Valley. There's not much to say.
The last two areas of Kresselack's tomb have an absolute army of undead in each one. I generally prefer to do them with multiple rests, taking advantage of IWD's lack of calls for help. As usual, I take down the first row of Skeleton Archers and then bait the Skeleton Mage into casting Stinking Cloud on a single person before attacking it with ranged weapons.
Whenever the enemy gives us lots of breathing room, Carl's traps can essentially wreck everything that doesn't have very high HP and resistance to missile damage.
The Skeleton Elites fit this description, but the rest of the party is tough enough to handle them with all of the other enemies removed by traps.
We have lots of trouble with a Revenant and a Demonic Ghast, who are immune to normal weapons and therefore Snowy Tae's arrows, but we just barely manage to slow them using spell damage and kiting. Further ahead, we find that the deadly Spectral Knights have no resistance to missile damage, allowing Carl's traps to destroy them before they can reach us.
The Skeleton Mage disables us with Stinking Cloud and Web and deals spell damage to Carl using Melf's Acid Arrow and Lightning Bolt, but without any other undead to apply pressure, Carl survives.
Chara narrowly avoids a fatal Hold Person spell, allowing us to finish up the last of Kresselack's minions with little trouble.
All that's left is Lysan. But she has no defense against a blind Bounty Hunter's traps.
The curse on the Vale of Shadows is finally lifted!
But Kresselack says our princess is in another castle; the evil we were hunting down is not in the Vale. This entire area had no relation to the main plot whatsoever. But at least we got a new suit of armor out of the deal.
Chara's cool black plate mail makes them look like such a badass. It fills us with determination.
I decided to have another run of Maredud Margred the Aasimar fighter, but decided to serve a different god this time.
Journal of Maredud Margred
I was most disappointed that because of my lack of charisma, I was unable to become a paladin. Gorion suggested that I become a cleric, but at that stage in my life I still hadn't decided which deity to follow, so he suggested that I train as a warrior and switch to becoming a cleric when I knew better which cleric I favoured (Or who favoured me). Of course I could dual to either a mage or a thief, but neither of those options attract me.
In Candlekeep I was attacked by three assassins all of whom died. Mendas was the most dangerous but he died as a result of flamestrike.
After an ambush during which Gorion was killed, I fled north intending to hide among the crowds in Baldur's Gate. Unfortunately I was denied access to the city. On the way I killed several hobgoblin before coming across a zombie which I killed. It wasn't agressive. It's just that I don't like undead. Nearby, I met up with Sonner who I eventually ended up killing as he didn't hide his evil nature quite well enough.
I then headed south keeping well clear of the main roads to avoid bandits which are all too prevalent. However, instead of bandits, I was attacked my a powerful wolf who hurt me quite badly.
A chicken that I met then asked for help and if I can get around to it, will indeed help. I went into Beregost where I invested in a better sling. Heading south I came across a family who had been slain and picked up their effects.
I ended up at the carnival where I rested. During a dream I gained the ability to heal. Perhaps this means that I am indeed destined to become a cleric.
I proceeded westward and killed a wolf and the two thugs Caldo and Krumm.
I then returned to beregost to rest and afterwards headed northward where I fought an ogre. As I retreated from it, intending to use my bow, a xvart crept up behind me and I ran to avoid being trapped between my two enemies.
After killing the xvart, I killed the ogre.
I came across the mage's residence that Mellicamp the chicken had told me about, and to his delight Mellicamp was returned to his human form.
Further south I reunited Albert and his dog, Rufie.
I then told the dryad about the demise of the thugs.
After rescuing Dynaheir, she joined my party and upon returning to Nashkel, I bedded Bardolan.
Outside I met Minsc who was delighted to be reunited with Dynaheir. He proved to be invaluable when we came across some sirines on the coast.
After picking up Drake, we all went hunting for Ankheg.
Afterwards we finished a good day's work by killing Tarnesh.
The day ended even better when I investigated the ogres belt and ended up bedding Lena,
We then helped Ardruine and killed some bandits.
More bandits and sirine's were next on the agenda.
We then did some very successful gnoll hunting with Drizzt.
Followed by killing some evil adventurers.
Then it was more assassins who met their death.
It was then the turn of Mutamin and his hordes.
Vynd then joined us after which we then cleared the mine with few problems.
We had a quick visit to Durlag's Tower visiting everywhere above ground except the basilisks as we had no protections against them. Dynaheir was killed by the ghost, but the web that she cast was sufficient for us to gain our revenge. We killed Kirinhale, though it took as quite a while to do it. We had to sleep in order to get the spells needed. (Dispell invisibility and the like)
The first Acolyte has a Wand of Paralysis, a bad omen for a no-reload party. But our Chromatic Orbs can disable the target on a failed save at +2 (the save bonus comes from the IWD Mega Mod).
Relying on failed saves isn't a good strategy in no-reload runs, but we have lots of Chromatic Orbs.
The mega mod adds ogre mages to the temple! One of them uses Confusion, but I made sure only Chara was engaged; the rest of the party stayed out of range.
The next batch of Acolytes is much tougher than normal, but Carl's traps wipe out some of the enemies early, and a backstab takes down another, though the Verbeeg Elite turns out to be immune to stun. Chara has to tank it.
The loot in this game is no longer so randomized, so whenever a container gives one of three or four items, we get all of them instead of just one. IWD loot is seldom game-changed, but there are lots of little pluses.
Carl's traps continue to win the day in the next area, but they run out fast. A helpful Web spell nails an ogre mage who otherwise was invisible.
The final group is tough, but like lots of tough fights, the enemies come in big groups, which makes area-effect spells great. Bounty Hunters effectively have Fireball at level 1.
As I suspected, the mega mod adds a fight to the last area, which otherwise is empty. Carl's traps again make a huge impact.
We end up finishing off the Acolytes using Chromatic Orbs and missile weapons. A summoned enemy Nymph manages to cast a Hold Monster spell, but we resist it, and the Nymph's Barkskin isn't remotely enough to keep it alive.
The last remaining enemy is a half-ogre, but he has no missile weapons. We mostly just kite him to death.
On the way out, we get ambushed by another mod-introduced batch of enemies...
...but I suspected this would happen, and rested beforehand. We use Animate Dead to distract the enemy until Carl can take down the ogres.
To my surprise, the doppelganger pulls out a Teleport Field spell.
Teleport Field is great, but it's not much use when it's not paired with Protection from Normal Missiles or a healthy supply of friendly goons to harass the party's archers, and Fire Shield is already enough to deter melee attacks. The doppelganger doesn't renew its Stoneskins, spelling its fate.
On to Dragon's Eye! The first area is really high-pressure and dangerous. Snowy Tae interrupts a Dispel Magic early on, preserving our meager buffs.
Carl is blinded, but I let the enemies get too close to him, preventing him from using traps in the middle of combat--a critical mistake.
Things get hairy really fast. Another shaman appears from the south and removes Chara's buffs, more lizard men pile in, and both Frisk and Chara suffer badly before Carl launches a trap in the next round.
If I hadn't screwed up that first trap, many of those lizard men would be dead by now. And because I've let Chara, our tank, drift too far to the south, we have no wall to keep the lizard men away from our sorcerers.
And my sorcerers don't have Mirror Image active.
I try to disable the lizard men with Chromatic Orb, but luck is against me. The lizard men remain strong.
I bring Frisk to the west so they can heal themself, and Asriel manages to cast Mirror Image, but we're still under heavy pressure. The enemy has just enough HP to stay alive--if that first trap had landed, we'd have been safe.
Asriel is nearly dead, and I don't think using his last level 2 spell to cast Mirror Image is going to do much good: at this low a level, you don't get many images, and the odds are that Mirror Image won't even let him get a single other spell off before he dies. I decide to commit him to Agannazar's Scorcher before he dies.
His only hope of survival is a Web spell from Mollyboo, our other sorcerer. But it seems that any critter with a large circle is immune in IWD:EE.
Carl has lots of HP and can hold off the enemies a bit longer so Snowy Tae can keep using her longbow without penalty, but with studded leather and a +4 AC penalty from blindness, Carl is really easy to hit.
Snowy Tae keeps plucking away on her longbow, but the party is disintegrating, and there are still plenty more lizard men to deal with.
The enemy finally breaks through. Snowy Tae can no longer stay at a safe distance.
This fight is unwinnable. I already turned Frisk invisible in case we had to flee, but I see no reason to keep fighting when I'd just be trading Snowy Tae and Chara for a couple of dead lizard men. Resurrection is too expensive, and Frisk couldn't carry back all the equipment on their own.
Instead, we flee the area, resurrect the dead, and come back to finish off the lizard men, who have no Raise Dead spells to bring back their fallen comrades. It goes well, but then I see something very new.
The IWD Mega Mod threw a basilisk in the middle of Dragon's Eye! Thankfully, its AI is primitive and all we have to do is fall back and use traps to take it down.
Not everything is so simple. It seems that the shamans here can already cast Static Charge, a nightmarishly deadly spell for a no-reload run.
It strikes randomly, deals massive damage, and we're still a long way from being able to cast Protection from Lightning on even a single party member. I hang back and let our skeletons and zombies soak up damage while we attack from afar. No need to engage in melee when we've got strong ranged power and a sturdy wall to hide behind.
I do some more scouting and find more bad news.
That wasn't the only basilisk in the dungeon; there are more. It's a bad sign: if basilisks become a trend, sooner or later we're going to get caught off-guard. And a save vs. polymorph is no guarantee in a game like IWD.
What about Protection from Petrification? Well, neither of my sorcerers bothered learning such a situational spell, and Frisk, as an illusionist/cleric, can't cast necromancy or abjuration spells.
Rather than fuss with the local basilisks and spiders, I shoot them down from afar. Carl's traps again prove instrumental.
We didn't even need to use choke points for the basilisk; it simply didn't have the AI to go searching for the party when we bombed from the fog of war. The IWD Mega Mod makes a lot of interesting alterations, but complex AI isn't one of them.
Mollyboo has hit level 6 and can now cast Fireball, but Carl's traps are faster-casting, and remain our standard spell for taking out large groups of enemies.
Still, Carl doesn't have enough traps to take down every enemy group, which is where Mollyboo's Fireball comes in.
Notice that Carl has waded into the fray; it's the only way to maximize the number of enemies he can hit with his traps as long as he's blinded. Blindness also lets him escape when the enemies target him.
These fights require much more micromanagement than you'd think--we need to herd the enemies into the right spots, which takes some manipulation, and Chara as a tank is far from indestructible--but Fireball and traps practically obviate the need for other spells and weapons.
Carl wastes another important trap in the fight with the southern priests, but he manages to slip away, and he still has three traps left.
Chara has dual-classed to druid, mostly for role-playing reasons, and gains the ability to shapeshift into a Winter Wolf, which is especially helpful against Cold Wights. Unfortunately, the Cold Wights are not alone.
Thankfully, a Protection from Fire spell from Frisk, combined with the Mantle of the Coming Storm, grants Chara immunity to fire, allowing us to extricate them with Fireballs. Traps and Fireballs greatly simplify the Cold Wight area.
Before I face Presio, I make sure to disarm the traps to the north, because I want to take down Presio's Apprentice (who appears near those traps on higher difficulties) rather than let her flank us when we pounce on Presio herself.
The apprentice herself turns out to be pretty squishy. Carl and Chara take her down quickly.
But that Revenant is surprisingly tough, and moves really fast. It survives the fire damage that burned down the Poison Zombies.
Undead start bubbling up from Presio's chamber to the south. I see them early enough to block them off with a Web, though an Imbued Wight gets past it thanks to an innate haste effect.
Presio is still alive and well in her chamber, but Asriel finishes off her minions with a Lance of Disruption.
Unfortunately, it seems that Presio has yet more minions, and she buffs them with Haste. But we still have the resources to bring them down.
Presio has some really great powers, but she suffers from crippling incompetence. She loses a spell to her own Cloudkill and wastes a powerful Cone of Cold spell on our cold-immune undead summons.
We lose some undead to a fire spell, though, and suffer heavy damage when we get too close to another Cone of Cold spell.
To compensate for Presio's poor AI, she has some really incredible powers, including the ability to instantly cast Heal in the same round that she gets another spell disrupted by her own Cloudkill.
Instantly casting Heal is silly enough, but to be able to do it with a clouded aura? That's just not fair.
Presio's AI cripples her, however, and she can't actually do much to the party with that Cloudkill ruining her spellcasting. Her MGOI wears off, opening her up to Chromatic Orb spells, and her Stoneskins go down soon after.
We arrive at the Eldathyn lair surrounded by nice pacifist clerics. Knowing that nothing can possibly go wrong in such a friendly place fills us with determination.
We spent a few minutes beating up kobolds on the way through the Nashkel Mine. Gate70 made the fatal mistake of remarking that we were over-levelled for that and I responded by not taking Mulahey seriously . He ignored a chromatic orb strike and sent Foci into a state of rigid thinking - still with sling equipped. There were several summons available, as well as Treecal, but the placement meant they couldn't quickly get to grips with Foci's attackers and the failure to have a melee weapon equipped meant that getting to grips slowly was not good enough.
Journal of Maredud Margred We finished both Cloakwood and the mines easily. Now back in Beregost trying to decide whether to take on the Section or go to Baldur's gate.
EDIT
Journal of Maredud Margred
In the end I decided to take on the Section. The party sneaked in using invisibility and found themselves being attacked by hordes of Section Operatives and Section Elite all of whom died. Sadly Drake did also, so after casting invisibility spells, we sneaked out again to have Drake raised. We then sneaked back in again. We had some more difficult battles against the elite and also against ahirukuru. However I have now worked out a defence against them. The vanguard are protected against web, dynaheir casts web when they are attacked. A cleric dispells invisibility when the enemy is webbed and everyone attacks it when it is visible. At least they give 2000 experience. What was scary was how Minsc was almost killed with one blow!
IWD has very few Potions of Genius/Mind Focusing, so I've been hoarding them so Frisk can scribe a bunch of scrolls at once. Due to a bug in the IWD Mega Mod--gaining 150% spell scribing chance is supposed to be possible at Intelligence values above 25, but getting INT higher than 25 is impossible due to engine limitations--Frisk fails to scribe some scrolls. Since this isn't intended behavior (and since I always hated the idiocy of scribing failure--why would you lose the scroll just by copying it into your spellbook?), I use a reload and a quick change in the difficulty level to give Frisk their rightful 150% scribing chance after downing most of our Potions of Genius.
Normally I'd only need two potions to guarantee a successful scribing session, but if the mod worked as intended, 4 would have been necessary, so I drank 4 instead.
The Eldathyn lair can be pretty rough due to the extreme length of the fights (and my rather foolish preference for completing the area without resting). There are lots of Eldathyn priests who use poison attacks that crowd around you the moment you attack the Eldathyns or expose their true nature as Yuan-ti cultists, and even when they're gone, you have a bunch of Yuan-ti spellcasters to deal with scattered across the map. All the while, the High Summoner periodically summons lizard men and trolls to send after you.
I usually tackle this by adopting a low-buff approach to the initial wave of Eldathyns and saving my resources for the fights with the Yuan-ti spellcasters. Geelo and Albion are spellcasters in their own right, so I like to take them down early.
This turns everyone hostile, and all of the Eldathyns, plus a small number of Yuan-ti, will come to fight us from across the map. The front doorway provides a convenient choke point, but I don't keep my wall of undead close enough, so the enemy breaks through. Carl tries to switch between throwing traps from afar and backstabbing, but I misjudge the distance, and he loses one of his traps.
The enemy doesn't stand up too well against Snowy Tae's arrows, and a Chromatic Orb spells the doom of the last Yuan-ti.
Chara still hasn't recovered their fighter levels, so they're still working with druid armor restrictions. Without plate mail, Chara has to resort to Barkskin. Chara is a lousy tank without proper armor, but they'll have to do. The High Ritualist is a potential problem, but he has no defense against Chromatic Orb.
Chara cannot handle two trolls at a time; we are forced to fall back to recover and pounce when we're ready. Asriel takes Chara's place as our tank for the time being.
The High Summoner is going to keep summoning trolls and lizard men if we dawdle, but before we can tackle him, we have a large room full of Yuan-ti Elites and Yuan-ti Mages to deal with. The mages use diverse disablers and damage spells, and the archers apply constant pressure. We break out our best resources to tackle the new threat.
Unfortunately, Mirror Image blocks Fireball, possibly because IWD:EE isn't to v2.x yet, and so we need another way of dealing damage. Snowy Tae would normally be our choice, but these mages come pre-buffed with Protection from Normal Missiles. We cannot stop all of their spells, and because nobody in the party has any Berserker levels, we have to rely on saving throws.
We're far too low-level to be able to cast Chaotic Commands, so the only way to get immunity to Feeblemind is Exaltation. But Exaltation has a long casting time of 9, a short duration of 10 rounds, and it only affects one person--it's hardly enough to keep those Feeblemind spells from crippling us.
A Greater Doppelganger joins the fight. We apply pressure with Chromatic Orb, Slow, and Presio's Dagger (though Chara's THAC0 and APR are terrible), but there are too many targets. The Greater Doppelganger moves in and takes advantage of Snowy Tae's high AC.
Archers don't do well when the enemy has Protection from Normal Missiles, and with a whole other area crammed with spellcasters to deal with, we don't exactly have a lot of magical arrows to spare.
Chara's poison manages to shut down a single mage's spellcasting, but the doppelganger is close to killing Snowy Tae. I send her away and Frisk manages to frighten the doppelganger with Spook.
Snowy Tae can now stuff the doppelganger with arrows for the next three rounds. But the enemy mages' defenses are still holding strong, and we fail a couple of extremely important saves against Vitriolic Sphere and Polymorph Other.
Asriel only has 1 HP left, but it makes no difference. He's no good to us in squirrel form anyway; he can't cast spells when polymorphed.
Carl, however, is another story. He still has traps left, and if I let him die, we won't get to use them before the fight is over. While the rest of the enemies are distracted, I send Carl down south to throw a trap at the mages.
But with Mirror Images active, the Yuan-ti seem to dodge all the damage.
We could be in critical condition if we don't turn this situation around. Rather than rely on Chromatic Orb and its generous +2 save bonus, I have Frisk use Spook instead. Due to Frisk's ~6 mage levels and illusionist specialization, the save penalty is -5, enough to disable one of the mages. Chara keeps another mage locked up with poison damage.
The doppelganger recovers and starts attacking our summons. Frisk chips in a Magic Missile to help bring it down before it attacks one of our vulnerable party members.
With the doppelganger gone, Snowy Tae turns her attention to the enemy archer that has been escaping my notice due to a transparency effect that lets it blend into the carpet.
After several of our spells fail against the mages' saves and MR, we finally take down the last of the Yuan-ti, though the party is in lousy shape.
Despite our low HP, we still have a lot of excellent spells left, and we can exhaust the last of our resources without worrying about future fights. The High Summoner crumples, and though another doppelganger surprises us, we have enough Mirror Images to tank it.
The area is clear! We return Asriel to natural form using Dispel Magic and enter the next area well-rested.
An odd little girl greets us. Sidereal translations fill us with determination.
@semiticgod i had no idea you were playing my mod in a no reload run ( very dangerously risky indeed ) but then i saw the "basilisk in the middle of dragon's eye" heading, and i was like; hmm, that sound familiar haha
wish i could actually look at your screen shots but just trying to load this page is nightmare enough with the lousy internet that is at this work site im at
The party are slowly and carefully working their way through the Section HQ in Beregost. The enemy are tough but they drop plenty of healing potions, so many that each party member now has 20. Sadly there are few potions of extra healing. They are what are needed in the middle of a battle. However, so long as we survive the battle, we are able to recuperate afterwards. Dynaheir had a scary moment. A section operative had fled due to being badly wounded. The party moved forward and with difficulty killed his fellow-operatives. Then the one who had been wounded arrived seemingly out of nowhere to attack Dynaheir who was way behind the lines having been wounded.
Fortunately at that time the last of his allies was killed and Dynaheir was able to hide behind the rest of the party until he too was slain.
Kolla takes Blind and Protection from Petrification as her initial spells.
Once the Candlekeep chores are done we tick off some easy xp with Shoal blinded, a cursed ring returned to the nearby owner, retrieving Perdue's short sword from gnolls and heading down to Nashkel to speak to Noober. Sapper dusts off some Ankheg plate and relieves Arghain of his two handed sword. We also belatedly purchase a couple of tin helmets, having both neglected to buy headgear at the start. Samuel is returned to a temple while boots + a ring are returned to Zhurlong and Mirianne respectively.
Basilisks, a gnome illusionist and Kirian's party contribute further to our xp. The latter of which had magical arrows +1 which Kolla plans to use against flesh golems. Off to the coast, killing Sil and five other sirines. Sapper seems keen to use the arrows, while Kolla had intended to use them with the dwarf meleeing. Never mind how it's done, so long as the due rewards are obtained. Sapper takes the constitution tome and with CON of 20 will gently heal over time.
Sapper is asked if he feels like fighting a Doomsayer, sure why not. Kolla uses all her Magic Missiles and warns Sapper her support has ended, just as he obliterates the Doomsayer. Captain Brage provides a fast-track back to Nashkel and no time is wasted in heading north to clear an ankheg nest.
No real danger, although one level 1 ambush saw Kolla down to 7hp. Details such as screenshots, levels, equipment are safely held on another pc so not got them to hand.
I safely reached the heart of the Section HQ. Now all we have to do is get out safely. Maredud has now reached level 8. We are now laden with quite expensive equipment which is of little practical help to the party. So if we reach the exterior we intend to sell much of it and recharge our wands.
EDIT
We got out fine and now have 5 fully charged wands and a better bow for Vynd. Also bought some potions. We then had very little cash. We have now done several minor quests at Baldur's Gate and have a certain amount of cash again. We are not rich, but not poor either.
Cromarty and his fellows successfully tackled the battle of Bridgeport with only a protesting whine from my machine. Hopefully I won't need to use webs or Cloudkills any time soon...
We haven't dawdled much around the coalition camp, solving some quests that gave us items like the Traitor Quest, the plague victims, and hearing their stories. We did clear the nearby locations such as the Grove and Dead Man's Pass. The latter saw the first enforced dirt naps in a while as Safana was caught by a Mimic while more dangerously Sirene was hit by an Earthquake effect by a Greater Elemental we pulled onto this plane. This could have been potentially fatal for Cromarty as well if he'd been closer... I shall leave that cursed earthquake hammer well alone... There was also a surprise as the Sirene mod dumped a demon knight on us, while some Displacer beasts attacked from the other side. Quick repositioning and a bunch of summons got us through though.
After pottering around the Underground River area- killing a few too many ogres in the process!- we took the seal from the gates and are now investigating Dragonspear castle's courtyard. My first time here I think so will probably head on soon. XP seems far less relevant in Dragonspear due to the odd place it occupies on the power curve.
In other news no-reloading has led me to messing around with roguelikes on my tablet. A healthy cure to BG no-reloading invulnerability when you rediscover the hundred ways you can die deep in a dungeon!
@sarevok57: Tell your boss you're having trouble surfing the web during work hours; maybe they'll upgrade the network.
hahahahahhahaha, yeah, that wont work here, im staying at a work camp site, the reason why my internet is garbage is because my room is so far away from the router, and i dont feel like lugging my laptop way over to the router to make my connection better haha
Does anyone know if someone has completed a solo run with a fighter/cleric in this thread?
I think that the answer is no. The Hall of Heroes is on page 1.
Is that list maintained though? It looks like a few are missing, surely semiticgod should have a few on the list for example.
That list is for full Trilogy no-reloads only and semiticgod's runs are mostly SoA/ToB. There were the same thread(s) on the old bioware forums and the only full trilogy success with Half-Orc Fighter/Cleric there was by Frabjous. I don't know if it was solo run though.
Does anyone know if someone has completed a solo run with a fighter/cleric in this thread?
I think that the answer is no. The Hall of Heroes is on page 1.
Is that list maintained though? It looks like a few are missing, surely semiticgod should have a few on the list for example.
I know that it is maintained, but how well I don't know.
Journal of Maredud Margred
In BG Maredud did a lot of quests which caused no problems. The Iron Throne is next. I thought the best way of letting people know which quests are done was to post this:
Does anyone know if someone has completed a solo run with a fighter/cleric in this thread?
I think that the answer is no. The Hall of Heroes is on page 1.
Is that list maintained though? It looks like a few are missing, surely semiticgod should have a few on the list for example.
I add completed runs to the original post when I am tagged, but technically the list had been maintained by other volunteers. I am just a mere go-between.
@semiticgod Should know when he has completed the trilogy, so if the Hall of Heroes needs updating, he should inform YGramul. I have looked back a few pages but couldn't find anything, but his memory of when he has done things will be better than ours.
My tetralogy run was the "Undergate" run, with Chara the Alchemist as Charname, Frisk the Seducer, and 37 other NPCs over the course of the saga. I died once in BG1, but I did not reload; I started over from Candlekeep so it would be a continuous no-reload run. I have the links for each section of the run:
Notable mods include basically everything. I used BWS to install almost every mod I could, with a few minor exceptions like IR in BG2 (I did have IR in BG1 and SoD) and major rule changes like Scales of Balance. I installed all the tactical improvements of SCS and Ascension, including full pre-buffing and universal HLAs. Notable quest mods include the Grey Clan, Episode 1. Notable kit mods include my own Seducer kit for thieves and Alchemist kit for mages.
I have completed all the quests in BG that I have been given and had a few more skirmishes into the bargain. However this scenario is new to me and I don't have a clue what to do. Presumably from a mod perhaps Drake but perhaps not.
@Wise_Grimwald The dialogue comes from BG2 Romantic Encounters. The nymph is supposed to be in the Windspear Hills which probably shares the area code with that section of Baldur's Gate. You probably installed the mod in the wrong game.
Time to fight Yuan-ti. Poison traps, confusion traps, and archers, mages, priests, and fighters with magic resistance.
Oh goody.
The one reason this area is actually doable is because it's split up into many different, smaller fights. It is possible to beat the entire area without resting, but it would require a very precise party setup with just the right pool of resources and careful moves throughout. I do not have that, so we're going to go room by room.
One of the roughest fights here is the archer room, where we find the High Archer with the Messenger of Sseth, the most famous longbow in IWD with its incredible 3 APR. The enemy applies tremendous pressure the moment you open the door, and it's very easy to get overwhelmed.
The trick is to apply equally heavy pressure early on, because the enemy's defenses are pretty lousy. The enemy is very spread out, but the first batch of Yuan-ti is grouped together just enough for you to launch a Fireball before they engage your party. But since we have Carl, we have something better than Fireball: Set Special Snare.
A Greater Doppelganger courtesy of the IWD Mega Mod hastes the enemy, but Mollyboo cancels it.
Carl launches another trap, slaying several Yuan-ti, and Chara's Nymph lands Hold Monster. Carl ducks behind the doorway to hide in shadows and lands a brutal backstab.
The strength of the enemy is broken! That room can quickly prove fatal if you try to outlast the enemy; blitzkrieg tactics are much more effective.
Amazingly enough, we're not done with basilisks just yet. This area has even more of them, though fortunately they too have poor AI and will not retaliate if you strike from the fog of war.
The High Torturer has some interesting new pre-buffs, and he even uses a Wand of Monster Summoning.
This could have gotten very ugly, but thanks to a couple of lucky rolls, both the High Torturer and the menacing Yuan-ti Champion nearby fail important saves against Confusion and Chromatic Orb.
With no spells from the High Torturer and no attacks from the Yuan-ti Champion, the room is a cakewalk. But later on, I make a dangerous mistake.
I approached the enemy while invisible, but I forgot to turn off party AI, which means Snowy Tae attacked on sight and broke invisibility.
We retreat, luring them across one of Carl's traps, but without further pressure, the spellcasters will survive.
The enemy wastes a Dispel Magic on Carl--we have no buffs anyway--but I know worse is to come. I send Snowy Tae out to distract the enemies so Carl can throw out another trap...
...but somehow the damage didn't disrupt their spells. Snowy Tae's marvelous 4 APR isn't enough to shut all of them down, either, and she suffers the full force of their magic.
Snowy Tae downs one of our few Potions of Healing, but she's still very vulnerable. Fortunately, Carl has one last Special Snare to throw (he only has two; the first trap was a normal trap).
But it's not enough. Three priests strike Snowy Tae in unison.
There's no way to save her.
But the priests are very weak, and thanks to Snowy Tae and Carl, the rest of the party is strong enough to finish off all of the spellcasters who chased us down the hall. There are more enemies up north, but we have the resources to tackle them once the party is fully buffed. We get a curious prize for our trouble.
The last major fight is guarding the door to Yxunomei's chamber. But they are clustered together very closely--a fatal mistake.
All that's left is to tackle Yxunomei. Hopefully she won't be too much harder than in the unmodded game. Knowing the danger, I seed the hallway with traps, rest, and buff the party with everything I can, even the weak spells I normally don't bother with.
Normally, on higher difficulties, you get flanked by spellcasters who try to hit you with Dispel Magic. But thanks to Carl's traps, we don't have to worry about losing our buffs.
The moment the Yuan-ti Champion falls, Carl takes the opportunity to land another trap. To the east, Chara begins casting Spike Growth in the hopes of slowing down the incoming Yuan-ti. But they are completely vulnerable to Dispel Magic, and our tank loses all of their defenses--and then fails a save against Cloud of Pestilence.
Notice the missile damage. Chara didn't get hit by a Dispel Magic spell; they got hit by an Arrow of Dispelling. That is a much, much worse sign.
But the Arrow of Dispelling isn't the only debuffer. A spell hits us, too, and only Frisk and Mollyboo hold on to their defenses.
Snowy Tae nocks an Arrow of Dispelling of her own and cures the blindness on Chara, but the rest of the party is still much weaker than I had hoped, and a group of Revenants--hasted, hard-hitting zombies from the IWD Mega Mod--summoned by Yxunomei, is chewing up our own undead summons.
I blast the Revenants with two Fireballs, but I fumble the targeting, because I forgot that Chara has lost their immunity to fire. Our primary tank is already close to death.
Snowy Tae rushes to engage the Revenants with a new +2 bastard sword before they finish off Chara, but Snowy Tae, like all Archers, is a crummy tank.
We take down several enemies, but Yxunomei enters the fray, buffed with MGOI, Mirror Image, and maybe some other defenses I don't know about.
Knowing Snowy Tae won't survive much longer if things keep going as they are, I send her up to the northern room, and when one of the Yuan-ti tries to chase her, Carl blocks the way. Meanwhile, our mages struggle to finish off Yxunomei's wounded allies.
More enemies go down, and Snowy Tae heals herself with one of our few remaining potions. Yxunomei is on the prowl and hits hard, so Mollyboo hurries over to distract her, allowing Chara to heal themself and Frisk to buff the team with one of the short-lasting spells I saved for the middle of this fight.
Mollyboo has Mirror Images to block Yxunomei's many weapons, but it seems Yxunomei came well-prepared for this situation. She has True Seeing active.
Snowy Tae is our best damage dealer, but we only have so many +2 arrows. We need to make them count. Frisk buffs Chara with Aid while the rest of the party hassles Yxunomei. Her spell reflection buff bounces the fire damage from Minute Meteors back at us, but the piercing damage of the meteors still hits.
The spell reflection effect is a bad sign. Even when MGOI wears off, it still won't be possible to try to paralyze her with Chromatic Orb, as I liked to do in my other runs.
Mollyboo gets Slowed just as her Stoneskins run out. I send her away, and fortunately, Yxunomei is perfectly willing to change targets. Less fortunately, Chara doesn't have the defenses that our mages have. And worse yet...
...Yxunomei can re-cast her buffs.
If there's not a limit on those Mirror Images of hers, we can't win a war of attrition. We need to strike as hard and as fast as possible to make sure Yxunomei can't recover. Because if this fight drags on, we simply don't have the resources--the defensive spells, the healing spells, or the potions--to survive a protracted battle against a heavy hitter like Yxunomei.
And with a limited supply of +2 arrows, kiting her will not be an option.
I desperately need to get rid of those Mirror Images. I'm sure Arrows of Dispelling strike as +1 weapons and therefore won't hit Yxunomei, but I have to try; this is too important.
Snowy Tae misses every shot.
Amazing, isn't it? Even against a boss, an Archer missing on an 8 is not normal.
Yxunomei apparently can cast Heal, though I'm not sure if it works quite right.
I haven't noticed any True Seeing spells trigger on Yxunomei, so I have Asriel tank her using Mirror Images. Frisk, having no weapons stronger than +1, resorts to shapeshifting to get a +3 weapon. But the numbers here are grievously imbalanced.
Yxunomei's THAC0 and AC are both incredible. Landing a hit without a natural 20 is simply not realistic for anyone besides a fighter. But that's not all.
Where is that spell failure coming from? Asriel has no spell failure icon; he hasn't gotten hit with a Miscast Magic spell. Nor does he have an Insect Plague icon or animation, or a deafness icon that would indicate spell failure from Unholy Word.
Does Yxunomei inflict spell failure on hit? Like a Wizard Slayer?
Asriel runs away in the hopes that he can restore his defenses despite whatever amount of spell failure he as. Mollyboo is still suffering from Slow, but she manages to cast Stoneskin--and it's a good thing, too, because Chara cannot handle Yxunomei on their own.
I send Chara away to cast Cure Moderate Wounds (a level 2 spell in IWD, and one of the few level 2 priest spells that are really useful) while Asriel tries again to renew his defenses. He fails.
And it seems that Mollyboo is suffering from the same problem.
It might be an on-hit effect, which would explain why Mollyboo only failed just now, but I don't really know. Spell failure is always percentage-based, so it's entirely possible that Yxunomei has a non-stacking spell failure aura, and the only reason Mollyboo lost a spell now and not before is because of luck.
With only one spell per round, and with a limited number of spell slots to expend, there's no way to calculate the percentage accurately. Nor is there any way of finding out how long it lasts (especially if it's a short-duration stacking effect) which makes a cost-benefit analysis impossible.
Snowy Tae runs out of +2 arrows. And to my despair, +1 arrows are not enough.
Our Archer must resort to a +2 bastard sword to continue fighting, dropping her APR from a brilliant 4 to a crippling 1.5. And because Snowy Tae is a halfling with only 17 STR, even the damage per hit is a pathetic 8 on average. Her THAC0 is weaker, too; she has to roll high to land a hit.
It's impossible for any of my characters to survive long under Yxunomei's intense melee pressure; I've been switching out my tanks every one or two rounds. It's the only way to avoid a death, the only way to make sure my characters can recover. It's an absolute necessity to survive, but all the extra movement and micromanagement and waiting at a distance lessens the pressure we can apply to Yxunomei. If she regenerates, or gets more castings of Mirror Image, that low-pressure approach is just going to grind us down to nothing.
When my sorcerers grow weak, I have to use Carl, our Bounty Hunter, as a makeshift tank. He doesn't do it well, but I have no choice. Everyone needs to soak up some damage to make sure no one character drops to zero.
Asriel manages to cast Stoneskin! He can come back to tank a little more. Snowy Tae downs a potion of giant strength to compensate for her abysmal STR and Asriel tries to fortify his defenses with Mirror Image, only to see the spell failure come back.
Yxunomei has been taking damage the whole time. I just need to buy Snowy Tae a little more time; she's the only person who stands a chance of dealing any damage to the marilith. Mollyboo restores her defenses; Asriel won't be able to hold the fort forever.
Finally, Snowy Tae tears down the raving tanar'ri with a clumsy bastard sword she's barely qualified to even hold.
Our reward is a big ugly rock, plus a couple of overpowered short swords that only Carl can use to any effect... and a bastard sword speed weapon for Snowy Tae, which she can dual-wield with the +2 bastard sword she already has, in case her arrows can't hit a tough enemy.
The archdruid reveals his true nature back at Kuldahar and the real one croaks in the room upstairs. We still have the Heartstone Gem, but the only one who could use it to show us the source of the evil that plagues the dales is a mad lich atop the Severed Hand.
The party is finally coming into its own. Chara has regain their fighter levels and can now cast Ironskins, making them the spectacular tank I always wanted them to be.
Snowy Tae, too, is just what I needed her to be: a high-powered sniper with a sky-high kill count.
Carl's equipment is nothing special, but he doesn't need items. His traps alone have made him even more dangerous than Snowy Tae. And in a game like IWD, out-killing an Archer is a rare feat.
Frisk is our humble healer and support character. No flashy gear or crazy tricks; just a steady stream of buffing spells to keep the party a little bit safer.
Last are our sorcerers, Asriel and Mollyboo, relying only on their own spells and doing everything that brute force cannot.
The party has been a remarkable success given the circumstances, but so far their performance has actually been extremely suboptimal. A Dwarven Defender would totally outclass Chara's role as a tank, a fighter/cleric would be far more useful than a cleric/illusionist like Frisk, and having two sorcerers is highly redundant. The only reason I have both Mollyboo and Asriel is because I plan on creating the scorcher loop when they hit level 14, but 1.5 million XP is a long way away. The only reason we've done so well is because Archers and Bounty Hunters are so incredibly effective in Icewind Dale.
We leave the warm circle of Kuldahar and descend into the cold valley where the long-dead elven stronghold, the Severed Hand, awaits. We are filled with determination.
@Wise_Grimwald The dialogue comes from BG2 Romantic Encounters. The nymph is supposed to be in the Windspear Hills which probably shares the area code with that section of Baldur's Gate. You probably installed the mod in the wrong game.
I remember it now. You are correct. Fortunately only 8 of them installed, probably because the area reference wasn't in this game. I wonder if any of the encounters are do-able. It would be funny if they were. I'll just have to ignore them I suppose. I could uninstall but mid-game that would probably cause more problems than it solved.
I'm surprised that it installed at all!!
Journal of Maredud Margred
Now in Candlekeep Web and Fireballs dealt with Prat and his cronies. Thinking that Durlags is now worth a visit.
Comments
Underdale 1: Frisk in Icewind Dale
Part 2
Frisk, Cleric/IllusionistChara, Fighter
Asriel, Sorcerer
Mollyboo, Sorcerer
Carl, Bounty Hunter
Snowy Tae, Archer
Previous posts here:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/887489/#Comment_887489
I give Frisk a Find Familiar scroll to boost their HP a little and pay a visit to Kuldahar Valley to see if I can take down those goblins who nearly killed me earlier. The visit proves short-lived; there's an awful lot of enemy pressure and Carl, our Bounty Hunter, can't find a safe space from which to set a trap.
We flee the area and head to the Vale of Shadows. Turns out the IWD Mega Mod adds some new enemies to the Vale as well.
Luckily, I scouted out these critters beforehand and set a bunch of traps, allowing us to avoid a potentially deadly fight entirely.
Elsewhere, we run into Skeleton Elites, who have massive HP, high damage output, and are resistant to Carl's traps.
This party is extremely reliant on missile damage, as our primary damage dealer are a Bounty Hunter and an Archer. It doesn't help that our fighter, Chara, uses daggers. Frisk, our cleric/illusionist, uses Magical Stone to help take down the first Skeleton Elite, but we're running low on resources already.
Magical Stone deals 6d4 damage to undead in IWD and is extremely useful in the Vale of Shadows. But Frisk only has so many, and soon, Chara is in critical condition with no potions left.
Chara runs away and we break down another Skeleton Elite, but the third one switches gears and attacks Snowy Tae, our Archer, who has terrible AC due to being unable to wear armor stronger than studded leather.
Snowy Tae is one hit away from death, so Chara engages the Skeleton Elite in melee in the hopes of saving her. But Chara's AC doesn't hold, and without them to distract the enemy, Snowy Tae croaks, too.
I try to kit using Carl, the one remaining character with HP above 20, but the skeleton has a very low speed factor despite using a two-handed sword and is somehow able to land hits on him while he's running.
Carl tries to run the Skeleton Elite in a circle around the dungeon, only to stumble upon a mass of other undead.
This fight has become unwinnable. We hurry outside, but for the first time ever, I see enemies follow me outside.
We resurrect Snowy Tae and Chara and use Chara to distract the enemies while Snowy Tae and Carl weaken them with missile damage. Frisk's Magical Stone spells are enough to finish them off.
Asriel gains a level and can now cast Color Spray. Conveniently enough, thieves are basically always within the level range that friendly Color Spray spells blind them, allowing them to set traps and/or hide in shadows in the middle of combat.
And, conveniently enough, the blindness lasts three rounds, which is enough for Carl to use all of his traps before regaining his sight and being able to use his bow effectively. Thieves get 1 Set Snare at level 1 and every 5 levels thereafter, while Bounty Hunters get an extra Set Special Snare in addition to Set Snare, so Carl has 2 traps per day (and will get 4 pretty soon).
Carl's traps, whether set while blind in the middle of combat or thrown from afar, destroy a lot of the tough encounters in the Vale of Shadows. Unlike Snowy Tae's missile damage, Carl is limited each day, but it hits harder (for now), strikes as an area-effect spell, and bypasses weapon immunities.
Single-target spells aren't so useful in IWD because there are just so many enemies, but being able to land a hit without using an attack roll does give us a reliable way of quickly removing troublesome critters like Mytos.
The Sleep trap in this area can be extremely dangerous (no save, sleeping characters won't wake up on hit) and cannot be disarmed, but Invisibility and Sanctuary are great ways of tackling it safely. With pre-set traps, we don't even have to worry about cleanup.
Now that we're a little higher level, we can finish off Kuldahar Valley. There's not much to say.
The last two areas of Kresselack's tomb have an absolute army of undead in each one. I generally prefer to do them with multiple rests, taking advantage of IWD's lack of calls for help. As usual, I take down the first row of Skeleton Archers and then bait the Skeleton Mage into casting Stinking Cloud on a single person before attacking it with ranged weapons.
Whenever the enemy gives us lots of breathing room, Carl's traps can essentially wreck everything that doesn't have very high HP and resistance to missile damage.
The Skeleton Elites fit this description, but the rest of the party is tough enough to handle them with all of the other enemies removed by traps.
We have lots of trouble with a Revenant and a Demonic Ghast, who are immune to normal weapons and therefore Snowy Tae's arrows, but we just barely manage to slow them using spell damage and kiting. Further ahead, we find that the deadly Spectral Knights have no resistance to missile damage, allowing Carl's traps to destroy them before they can reach us.
The Skeleton Mage disables us with Stinking Cloud and Web and deals spell damage to Carl using Melf's Acid Arrow and Lightning Bolt, but without any other undead to apply pressure, Carl survives.
Chara narrowly avoids a fatal Hold Person spell, allowing us to finish up the last of Kresselack's minions with little trouble.
All that's left is Lysan. But she has no defense against a blind Bounty Hunter's traps.
The curse on the Vale of Shadows is finally lifted!
But Kresselack says our princess is in another castle; the evil we were hunting down is not in the Vale. This entire area had no relation to the main plot whatsoever. But at least we got a new suit of armor out of the deal.
Chara's cool black plate mail makes them look like such a badass. It fills us with determination.
Journal of Maredud Margred
I was most disappointed that because of my lack of charisma, I was unable to become a paladin. Gorion suggested that I become a cleric, but at that stage in my life I still hadn't decided which deity to follow, so he suggested that I train as a warrior and switch to becoming a cleric when I knew better which cleric I favoured (Or who favoured me). Of course I could dual to either a mage or a thief, but neither of those options attract me.In Candlekeep I was attacked by three assassins all of whom died. Mendas was the most dangerous but he died as a result of flamestrike.
I then headed south keeping well clear of the main roads to avoid bandits which are all too prevalent. However, instead of bandits, I was attacked my a powerful wolf who hurt me quite badly.
I ended up at the carnival where I rested. During a dream I gained the ability to heal. Perhaps this means that I am indeed destined to become a cleric.
I proceeded westward and killed a wolf and the two thugs Caldo and Krumm.
I then returned to beregost to rest and afterwards headed northward where I fought an ogre. As I retreated from it, intending to use my bow, a xvart crept up behind me and I ran to avoid being trapped between my two enemies.
I came across the mage's residence that Mellicamp the chicken had told me about, and to his delight Mellicamp was returned to his human form.
Journal of Maredud Margred
Upon returning to High Hedge, I spent an EXCEEDINGLY pleasurable time with Mellicamp.and Greywolf who also died.
Journal of Maredud Margred
After rescuing Dynaheir, she joined my party and upon returning to Nashkel, I bedded Bardolan.It was then the turn of Mutamin and his hordes.
Vynd then joined us after which we then cleared the mine with few problems.
We had a quick visit to Durlag's Tower visiting everywhere above ground except the basilisks as we had no protections against them. Dynaheir was killed by the ghost, but the web that she cast was sufficient for us to gain our revenge. We killed Kirinhale, though it took as quite a while to do it. We had to sleep in order to get the spells needed. (Dispell invisibility and the like)
// 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]
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Slime Quest: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #1 // Beregost Family Quest: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #2 // Installing the Babysitting Quest, including the Carnival Encounter...: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #3 // Nashkel Monster Quest: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #4 // Fallen Paladin Quest: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #5 // Undying Love Quest: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #6 // Orcish Lover Encounter: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #7 // Unexpected Help Quest: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #8 // "Many Little Paws": v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #9 // Drunk near Beregost Temple: v14
~BGQE/SETUP-BGQE.TP2~ #0 #10 // A Warm Place for Noober: v14
~DRIZZTSAGA/DRIZZTSAGA.TP2~ #0 #0 // The Drizzt Saga for BGEE/Tutu/BGT -> Default version: areas connected by travel triggers: v3.00
~DRIZZTSAGA/DRIZZTSAGA.TP2~ #0 #2 // Raise the XP cap: v3.00
~DRIZZTSAGA/DRIZZTSAGA.TP2~ #0 #3 // Delayed start: Drizzt joins after Durlag's Tower: v3.00
~RECOLOREDBUTTONS/SETUP-RECOLOREDBUTTONS.TP2~ #0 #1 // Recolored character's toolbar buttons (BG:EE) -> Golden color scheme: v4.1
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #0 // Ice Island Level Two Restoration: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #1 // The Mysterious Vial: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #4 // Finishable Kagain Caravan Quest: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #6 // Kivan and Tazok: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #7 // Branwen and Tranzig: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #10 // Place Entar Silvershield in His Home: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #11 // Scar and the Sashenstar's Daughter: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #12 // Quoningar, the Cleric: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #13 // Shilo Chen and the Ogre-Magi: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #14 // Edie, the Merchant League Applicant: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #16 // Creature Corrections: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #17 // Creature Restorations: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #18 // Creature Name Restorations: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #19 // Minor Dialogue Restorations: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #21 // Store, Tavern and Inn Fixes and Restorations: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #22 // Item Corrections and Restorations: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #28 // Prism and the Emeralds Tweak: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #29 // Duke Eltan in the Harbor Master's Building: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #30 // Nim Furlwing Encounter: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #32 // Svlast, the Fallen Paladin Encounter: v14.0
~BG1UB/SETUP-BG1UB.TP2~ #0 #33 // Mal-Kalen, the Ulcaster Ghost: v14.0
~BYMULTIPORT/BYMULTIPORT.TP2~ #0 #0 // Multi-Portrait Mod: 1.5
~SETUP-DARKHORIZONSBGEE.TP2~ #0 #0 // "Dark Horizons" Mod for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition: BG:EE v213
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #40 // Change Viconia's Skin Color to Dark Blue: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #50 // Avatar Morphing Script: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #60 // Weapon Animation Tweaks: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #110 // Icon Improvements: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #130 // Force All Dialogue to Pause Game: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #140 // Fix Boo's Squeak: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #180 // Unique Containers -> Fixes only: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #191 // Use Character Colors Instead of Item Colors -> For non-magical shields and helmets: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1036 // Make Cloakwood Areas Available Before Completing the Bandit Camp -> All of Cloakwood Except the Mines: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1070 // Improved Multi-Player Kick-out Dialogues: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1080 // Add Bags of Holding: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1090 // Exotic Item Pack: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1100 // Reveal City Maps When Entering Area: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1120 // Stores Sell Higher Stacks of Items: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1250 // Move NPCs from Baldur's Gate: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2040 // Universal Clubs: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2060 // Weapon Styles for All: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2151 // Wear Multiple Protection Items -> No Restrictions: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2200 // Multi-Class Grandmastery (Weimer): Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2211 // Change Grandmastery Bonuses -> BG2 Grandmastery Rules: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2352 // Alter Multiclass Restrictions -> Install both of the above options: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2360 // Remove Racial Restrictions for Single Classes: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2371 // Alter Dual-class Restrictions -> Allow non-humans to dual-class: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2380 // Remove Racial Restrictions for Kits: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2420 // Loosen Equipment Restrictions for Cleric Multi-Classes: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2440 // Everyone Gets Bonus APR from Specialization: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #2999 // Max HP at Level One: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3000 // Higher HP on Level Up -> Maximum: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3010 // Maximum HP for NPCs (the bigg) -> For All Creatures in Game: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3031 // Easy Spell Learning -> 100% Learn Spells and No Maximum Cap: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // Make Bags of Holding Bottomless: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3050 // Remove fatigue from restoration spells: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Increase Ammo Stack Size -> Unlimited Ammo Stacking: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3090 // Increase Gem and Jewelry Stacking -> Unlimited Gem and Jewelry Stacking: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Increase Potion Stacking -> Unlimited Potion Stacking: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3110 // Increase Scroll Stacking -> Unlimited Scroll Stacking: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3121 // Happy Patch (Party NPCs do not complain about reputation) -> NPCs Can Be Angry About Reputation but Never Leave (Salk): Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3125 // Neutral Characters Make Happy Comments at Mid-Range Reputation: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3190 // Rest Anywhere (Japheth): Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3205 // Stores Purchase All Item Types: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3220 // Sensible Entrance Points: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3230 // Taerom Makes Additional Ankheg Armor (Icendoan/grogerson): Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // Adjust Evil joinable NPC reaction rolls: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // ToB-Style NPCs: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4031 // Consistent Stats: Edwin -> Use BG2 Values: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4041 // Consistent Stats: Jaheira -> Use BG2 Values: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4061 // Consistent Stats: Minsc -> Use BG2 Values: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4071 // Consistent Stats: Viconia -> Use BG2 Values: Beta 5
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #4090 // Make Montaron an Assassin (Andyr): Beta 5
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #5 // Bjornin's Desire, by jastey (adult content): v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #13 // A Lonely Dryad, by Kulyok (adult content): v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #14 // Edwin's Softer Side, by Kulyok: v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #24 // A Night with Lais in Imnesvale, by Kulyok: v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #30 // Rebecca the Gypsy, by Kulyok: v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #41 // Isabelle's Fears, by gertjanvh (adult content): v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #45 // Rehearsal with Chandra, by Western Paladin: v11
~RE/SETUP-RE.TP2~ #0 #52 // Minsc. Takes. A Bath, by Thimblerig: v11
~CORANBGFRIEND/CORANBGFRIEND.TP2~ #0 #0 // Coran's Extended BG Friendship Talks: v4
~XANBG1FRIEND/SETUP-XANBG1FRIEND.TP2~ #0 #0 // Xan's friendship path for BG1: v9bgee
~SETUP-WMART.TP2~ #0 #0 // Deidre and Joluv in BG:EE
~S3DISCLUBS/S3DISCLUBS.TP2~ #0 #0 // Distinguisable Clubs: V1.1
~NPCKIT/NPCKIT.TP2~ #0 #30 // Improved Specialist Mage Descriptions: v4
~NPCKIT/NPCKIT.TP2~ #0 #31 // Replace Berserker Kit with Battlerager for Dwarves: v4
~NPCKIT/NPCKIT.TP2~ #0 #900 // Add Red Wizard to Edwin's Kit Description: v4
~NPCKIT/NPCKIT.TP2~ #0 #1400 // Give Imoen Adventurer Kit: v4
~NPCKIT/NPCKIT.TP2~ #0 #2300 // Change Minsc's Title to Rashemaar Ranger: v4
~SETUP-BGEEAR.TP2~ #0 #0 // TeamBG's Armors for BG:EE, BGT and TuTu Version 1.05
~SETUP-BG2EEW.TP2~ #0 #0 // TeamBG's Weapons Pack for BG2:EE Version 1.01
~WANDCASE/WANDCASE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Wand Case: v1.3
~SETUP-VYND.TP2~ #0 #0 // Vynd for BGTutu, BGT and BG:EE
~GARRICK_FLIRT/SETUP-GARRICK_FLIRT.TP2~ #0 #0 // Garrick's Infatuation: b20140925
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #102 // Choose a class for Imoen -> Make Imoen a multiclass mage/thief: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #143 // Choose a class for Khalid -> Make Khalid a ranger: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #161 // Choose a class for Minsc -> Make Minsc a fighter: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #483 // Choose a class for Xan -> Make Xan a fighter/mage: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #583 // Choose a class for Viconia -> Make Viconia a cleric/thief: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #621 // Choose a class for Neera -> Make Neera a sorcerer: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #2000 // NPC kit choices: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #3000 // multiclass kit choice: v2.6.6
~NPC_EE/NPC_EE.TP2~ #0 #121 // Choose a class for Jaheira -> Make Jaheira a druid: v2.6.6
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #11 // Install new spells -> Only add spells if not present from other mods: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #100 // Cleric Remix: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #103 // Install Silverstar of Selune Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #106 // Install Nightcloak of Shar Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #107 // Install Holy Strategist of the Red Knight Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #109 // Install Battleguard of Tempus Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #115 // Install Firewalker of Kossuth Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #118 // Install Authlim of Iyachtu Xvim Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #121 // Install Lorekeeper of Oghma Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #124 // Install Heartwarder of Sune Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #130 // Install Strifeleader of Cyric Cleric Kit: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #600 // Install Battleguard of Tempus Kit for Branwen: v8
~DIVINE_REMIX/SETUP-DIVINE_REMIX.TP2~ #0 #610 // Install Nightcloak of Shar Kit for Viconia: v8
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Amount of -ahem- details and BG-style vs. description text!: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #1 // Bardolan's Briefing, by berelinde: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #2 // Scar's Spare Time, by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #3 // Kim's Preoccupation, by jastey (WARNING - refer to the readme!): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #4 // Extension of Bjornin Encounter (Personal Wound Treatment), by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #5 // No Starch in the Maypole: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #6 // Duke Eltan's Spare Minute, by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #7 // Husam's Personal Preparation, by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #8 // Laurel's Post-Hunting, by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #9 // Bartus' Seduction, by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #10 // Lina's Massage, by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #11 // First Night with Quentin, by Kulyok: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #12 // Chatting Niklos Up, by Kulyok (mature content. WARNING - refer to the readme!): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #13 // Slythe and Krystin, by Kulyok (mature content. WARNING - refer to the readme!): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #14 // No Regrets: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #15 // Purchased Love, by Thimblerig: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #16 // Hull: Heavy Duty, by Lava: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #17 // Late Night with Jaheira, by Kulyok: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #18 // Sil's Blessing, by Lava: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #19 // Melicamp: The Poultry Boy, by Lava: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #20 // Reading with Rinnie, by Western Paladin: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #21 // Molly the Husband-Grabber, by Kulyok: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #22 // The Mourning of Centeol, the Spider Lady, by Lava: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #23 // The Essential End, by Lava: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #24 // The Harvestmen Lair, by Lava (mature content): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #25 // The Great Zudini, by Kulyok (mature content): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #26 // The Messenger, by Thimblerig: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #27 // Ender Sai, the Hero's Reward, by Thimblerig (WARNING - refer to the readme!): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #28 // The Novelists, by Thimblerig: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #29 // The Honest Lies of Two Riversides, By Lava: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #30 // Necromancer's Trouble, by jastey (WARNING - refer to the readme!): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #31 // Dinner with Thalantyr, by jastey: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #32 // Girdle of Gender Reactions, by Thimblerig, Kulyok, Domi, Lava, Lastknightleft, Twani, Jastey, Daisy Ninja Girl: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #33 // The Surgeon's Dream, by Kulyok: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #34 // All That Left Was, by Lava and Thimblerig: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #35 // A Childhood Friend, by Kulyok: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #36 // Arlene the Working Girl, by Kulyok: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #37 // Della May from Thay, by Kulyok: v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #38 // A Dirty Guard in Candlekeep, by Kulyok (mature content. WARNING - refer to the readme!): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #39 // Phoenix Flame, by Kulyok (mature content): v1.6
~BG1RE/SETUP-BG1RE.TP2~ #0 #40 // Mikala the Monk, by Twani: v1.6
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #0 // The BG1 NPC Project: Required Modifications: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #1 // The BG1 NPC Project: Banters, Quests, and Interjections: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #9 // The BG1 NPC Project: Ajantis Romance Core (teen content): v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #10 // The BG1 NPC Project: Branwen's Romance Core (teen content): v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #11 // The BG1 NPC Project: Coran's Romance Core (adult content): v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #12 // The BG1 NPC Project: Dynaheir's Romance Core (teen content): v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #13 // The BG1 NPC Project: Shar-Teel Relationship Core (adult content): v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #14 // The BG1 NPC Project: Xan's Romance Core (teen content): v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #15 // The BG1 NPC Project: Female Romance Challenges, Ajantis vs Xan vs Coran: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #18 // The BG1 NPC Project: Alora's Starting Location -> Alora Starts in Gullykin: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #20 // The BG1 NPC Project: Eldoth's Starting Location -> Eldoth Starts on the Coast Way: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #22 // The BG1 NPC Project: Quayle's Starting Location -> Quayle Starts at the Nashkel Carnival: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #24 // The BG1 NPC Project: Tiax's Starting Location -> Tiax Starts in Beregost: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #30 // The BG1 NPC Project: Cloakwood areas availability in Chapter One -> Open four Cloakwood areas (everything but the Mines): v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #32 // The BG1 NPC Project: Sarevok's Diary Adjustments -> Sarevok's Diary Date Changes only: v22.8
~BG1NPC/BG1NPC.TP2~ #0 #200 // The BG1 NPC Project: Player-Initiated Dialogues: v22.8
~DELAINY/SETUP-DELAINY.TP2~ #0 #1 // Delainy/Durlyle Same-Sex Romance Options -> Always spawn Durlyle.: v0.91
~DELAINY/SETUP-DELAINY.TP2~ #0 #3 // Dialogue Fixes: v0.91
~K9SHARTEELNPC/SETUP-K9SHARTEELNPC.TP2~ #0 #0 // Install Shar-Teel NPC Mod: v1.3
~NORACERESTRICTIONS/SETUP-NORACERESTRICTIONS.TP2~ #0 #0 // BCaesar's No Race Restrictions Mod: Version1.01
~SIRENE/SETUP-SIRENE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Sirene NPC for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
~SIRENE/SETUP-SIRENE.TP2~ #0 #1 // Sirene NPC for Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear
~SIRENE/SETUP-SIRENE.TP2~ #0 #3 // Choose an alternate class for Sirene? -> Cavalier
~SIRENE/SETUP-SIRENE.TP2~ #0 #7 // Alternate Portrait (BG2 style) by Isandir
~SOA/SETUP-SOA.TP2~ #0 #0 // The Stone of Askavar for TotSC/Tutu/BGT/BGEE -> Default version: areas connected by travel triggers: 2.0
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #0 // Copy all portraits for use by player characters: v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #1 // Replace all NPC portraits (AMOK): v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #4 // Alternate Branwen portrait: BioWare edit by XVIII: v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #7 // Alternate Coran Portrait -> Alternate by Melisah: v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #10 // Alternate Dynaheir Portrait -> Alternate #3 by Amok: v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #13 // Alternate Faldorn Portrait: by XVIII: v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #19 // Alternate Kivan Portrait: BioWare edit by XVIII: v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #23 // Alternate Safana Portrait: BioWare edit by XVIII: v2
// Recently Uninstalled: ~BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK/BG1NPC_PORTRAIT_PACK.TP2~ #0 #27 // Alternate Viconia Portrait: BioWare edit by XVIII: v2
~SAPP/SETUP-SAPP.TP2~ #0 #0 // Alternate Aerie Portrait by sporeboy!: v3
~SAPP/SETUP-SAPP.TP2~ #0 #1 // Alternate Imoen Portrait by sporeboy!: v3
~SAPP/SETUP-SAPP.TP2~ #0 #2 // Alternate Jaheira Portrait by sporeboy!: v3
~SAPP/SETUP-SAPP.TP2~ #0 #3 // Alternate Mazzy Portrait by sporeboy!: v3
~SAPP/SETUP-SAPP.TP2~ #0 #4 // Alternate Nalia Portrait by sporeboy!: v3
~SAPP/SETUP-SAPP.TP2~ #0 #6 // Alternate Viconia Portrait by sporeboy!: v3
~SAPP/SETUP-SAPP.TP2~ #0 #7 // Install new portraits to the 'portraits' directory: v3
~SETUP-BGII-SUBRACE.TP2~ #0 #2 // Alternate NPC subraces
~GAVIN/GAVIN.TP2~ #0 #0 // Gavin NPC for Tutu, BGT, and BG:EE: v11
~GAVIN/GAVIN.TP2~ #0 #1 // Gavin: Romance (mature content): v11
~GAVIN/GAVIN.TP2~ #0 #2 // Gavin: Flirts (adult content): v11
~GAVIN/GAVIN.TP2~ #0 #5 // Gavin: Alternate Portraits (Default portrait is already installed) -> Dawn skies, by Kaeloree: v11
~GAVIN/GAVIN.TP2~ #0 #10 // Gavin: Player Initiated Dialogue: v11
~SETUP-TGC1E.TP2~ #1 #0 // The Grey Clan Episode One: In Candlelight, BGT-WeiDU/EET/BG:EE edition v1.9 -> Normal edition: v1.9
~SETUP-BGII-SUBRACE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Subrace mini-mod for BGII v1.0
~SETUP-BGII-SUBRACE.TP2~ #0 #1 // GUI changes for subrace mod
~ISHLILKAMOD-SETUP.TP2~ #0 #0 // Ishlilka mod for BG [FULL VERSION 1.3]
~DRAKE/SETUP-DRAKE.TP2~ #0 #0 // Drake NPC for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
~DRAKE/SETUP-DRAKE.TP2~ #0 #1 // Optional: Universal crossbows, crossbow proficiency for Drake
~SHADOWADEPT/SETUP-SHADOWADEPT.TP2~ #0 #0 // Shadow Adept Kit for BG:EE
~SHADOWADEPT/SETUP-SHADOWADEPT.TP2~ #0 #1 // Shadow Magic: Shadow Monk monk kit for BG:EE
~SHADOWADEPT/SETUP-SHADOWADEPT.TP2~ #0 #2 // Shadow Magic: Item Pack
Underdale 1: Frisk in Icewind Dale
Part 3
Frisk, Cleric/IllusionistChara, Fighter
Asriel, Sorcerer
Mollyboo, Sorcerer
Carl, Bounty Hunter
Snowy Tae, Archer
Previous posts here:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/887489/#Comment_887489
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/888222/#Comment_888222
The first Acolyte has a Wand of Paralysis, a bad omen for a no-reload party. But our Chromatic Orbs can disable the target on a failed save at +2 (the save bonus comes from the IWD Mega Mod).
Relying on failed saves isn't a good strategy in no-reload runs, but we have lots of Chromatic Orbs.
The mega mod adds ogre mages to the temple! One of them uses Confusion, but I made sure only Chara was engaged; the rest of the party stayed out of range.
The next batch of Acolytes is much tougher than normal, but Carl's traps wipe out some of the enemies early, and a backstab takes down another, though the Verbeeg Elite turns out to be immune to stun. Chara has to tank it.
The loot in this game is no longer so randomized, so whenever a container gives one of three or four items, we get all of them instead of just one. IWD loot is seldom game-changed, but there are lots of little pluses.
Carl's traps continue to win the day in the next area, but they run out fast. A helpful Web spell nails an ogre mage who otherwise was invisible.
The final group is tough, but like lots of tough fights, the enemies come in big groups, which makes area-effect spells great. Bounty Hunters effectively have Fireball at level 1.
As I suspected, the mega mod adds a fight to the last area, which otherwise is empty. Carl's traps again make a huge impact.
We end up finishing off the Acolytes using Chromatic Orbs and missile weapons. A summoned enemy Nymph manages to cast a Hold Monster spell, but we resist it, and the Nymph's Barkskin isn't remotely enough to keep it alive.
The last remaining enemy is a half-ogre, but he has no missile weapons. We mostly just kite him to death.
On the way out, we get ambushed by another mod-introduced batch of enemies...
...but I suspected this would happen, and rested beforehand. We use Animate Dead to distract the enemy until Carl can take down the ogres.
To my surprise, the doppelganger pulls out a Teleport Field spell.
Teleport Field is great, but it's not much use when it's not paired with Protection from Normal Missiles or a healthy supply of friendly goons to harass the party's archers, and Fire Shield is already enough to deter melee attacks. The doppelganger doesn't renew its Stoneskins, spelling its fate.
On to Dragon's Eye! The first area is really high-pressure and dangerous. Snowy Tae interrupts a Dispel Magic early on, preserving our meager buffs.
Carl is blinded, but I let the enemies get too close to him, preventing him from using traps in the middle of combat--a critical mistake.
Things get hairy really fast. Another shaman appears from the south and removes Chara's buffs, more lizard men pile in, and both Frisk and Chara suffer badly before Carl launches a trap in the next round.
If I hadn't screwed up that first trap, many of those lizard men would be dead by now. And because I've let Chara, our tank, drift too far to the south, we have no wall to keep the lizard men away from our sorcerers.
And my sorcerers don't have Mirror Image active.
I try to disable the lizard men with Chromatic Orb, but luck is against me. The lizard men remain strong.
I bring Frisk to the west so they can heal themself, and Asriel manages to cast Mirror Image, but we're still under heavy pressure. The enemy has just enough HP to stay alive--if that first trap had landed, we'd have been safe.
Asriel is nearly dead, and I don't think using his last level 2 spell to cast Mirror Image is going to do much good: at this low a level, you don't get many images, and the odds are that Mirror Image won't even let him get a single other spell off before he dies. I decide to commit him to Agannazar's Scorcher before he dies.
His only hope of survival is a Web spell from Mollyboo, our other sorcerer. But it seems that any critter with a large circle is immune in IWD:EE.
Carl has lots of HP and can hold off the enemies a bit longer so Snowy Tae can keep using her longbow without penalty, but with studded leather and a +4 AC penalty from blindness, Carl is really easy to hit.
Snowy Tae keeps plucking away on her longbow, but the party is disintegrating, and there are still plenty more lizard men to deal with.
The enemy finally breaks through. Snowy Tae can no longer stay at a safe distance.
This fight is unwinnable. I already turned Frisk invisible in case we had to flee, but I see no reason to keep fighting when I'd just be trading Snowy Tae and Chara for a couple of dead lizard men. Resurrection is too expensive, and Frisk couldn't carry back all the equipment on their own.
Instead, we flee the area, resurrect the dead, and come back to finish off the lizard men, who have no Raise Dead spells to bring back their fallen comrades. It goes well, but then I see something very new.
The IWD Mega Mod threw a basilisk in the middle of Dragon's Eye! Thankfully, its AI is primitive and all we have to do is fall back and use traps to take it down.
Not everything is so simple. It seems that the shamans here can already cast Static Charge, a nightmarishly deadly spell for a no-reload run.
It strikes randomly, deals massive damage, and we're still a long way from being able to cast Protection from Lightning on even a single party member. I hang back and let our skeletons and zombies soak up damage while we attack from afar. No need to engage in melee when we've got strong ranged power and a sturdy wall to hide behind.
I do some more scouting and find more bad news.
That wasn't the only basilisk in the dungeon; there are more. It's a bad sign: if basilisks become a trend, sooner or later we're going to get caught off-guard. And a save vs. polymorph is no guarantee in a game like IWD.
What about Protection from Petrification? Well, neither of my sorcerers bothered learning such a situational spell, and Frisk, as an illusionist/cleric, can't cast necromancy or abjuration spells.
Rather than fuss with the local basilisks and spiders, I shoot them down from afar. Carl's traps again prove instrumental.
We didn't even need to use choke points for the basilisk; it simply didn't have the AI to go searching for the party when we bombed from the fog of war. The IWD Mega Mod makes a lot of interesting alterations, but complex AI isn't one of them.
Mollyboo has hit level 6 and can now cast Fireball, but Carl's traps are faster-casting, and remain our standard spell for taking out large groups of enemies.
Still, Carl doesn't have enough traps to take down every enemy group, which is where Mollyboo's Fireball comes in.
Notice that Carl has waded into the fray; it's the only way to maximize the number of enemies he can hit with his traps as long as he's blinded. Blindness also lets him escape when the enemies target him.
These fights require much more micromanagement than you'd think--we need to herd the enemies into the right spots, which takes some manipulation, and Chara as a tank is far from indestructible--but Fireball and traps practically obviate the need for other spells and weapons.
Carl wastes another important trap in the fight with the southern priests, but he manages to slip away, and he still has three traps left.
Chara has dual-classed to druid, mostly for role-playing reasons, and gains the ability to shapeshift into a Winter Wolf, which is especially helpful against Cold Wights. Unfortunately, the Cold Wights are not alone.
Thankfully, a Protection from Fire spell from Frisk, combined with the Mantle of the Coming Storm, grants Chara immunity to fire, allowing us to extricate them with Fireballs. Traps and Fireballs greatly simplify the Cold Wight area.
Before I face Presio, I make sure to disarm the traps to the north, because I want to take down Presio's Apprentice (who appears near those traps on higher difficulties) rather than let her flank us when we pounce on Presio herself.
The apprentice herself turns out to be pretty squishy. Carl and Chara take her down quickly.
But that Revenant is surprisingly tough, and moves really fast. It survives the fire damage that burned down the Poison Zombies.
Undead start bubbling up from Presio's chamber to the south. I see them early enough to block them off with a Web, though an Imbued Wight gets past it thanks to an innate haste effect.
Presio is still alive and well in her chamber, but Asriel finishes off her minions with a Lance of Disruption.
Unfortunately, it seems that Presio has yet more minions, and she buffs them with Haste. But we still have the resources to bring them down.
Presio has some really great powers, but she suffers from crippling incompetence. She loses a spell to her own Cloudkill and wastes a powerful Cone of Cold spell on our cold-immune undead summons.
We lose some undead to a fire spell, though, and suffer heavy damage when we get too close to another Cone of Cold spell.
To compensate for Presio's poor AI, she has some really incredible powers, including the ability to instantly cast Heal in the same round that she gets another spell disrupted by her own Cloudkill.
Instantly casting Heal is silly enough, but to be able to do it with a clouded aura? That's just not fair.
Presio's AI cripples her, however, and she can't actually do much to the party with that Cloudkill ruining her spellcasting. Her MGOI wears off, opening her up to Chromatic Orb spells, and her Stoneskins go down soon after.
We arrive at the Eldathyn lair surrounded by nice pacifist clerics. Knowing that nothing can possibly go wrong in such a friendly place fills us with determination.
Foci, human conjurer (Grond0) & Treecal, dwarf barbarian (Gate70)
Previous update:
Here's a brief update for a brief session ...
We spent a few minutes beating up kobolds on the way through the Nashkel Mine. Gate70 made the fatal mistake of remarking that we were over-levelled for that and I responded by not taking Mulahey seriously
We finished both Cloakwood and the mines easily. Now back in Beregost trying to decide whether to take on the Section or go to Baldur's gate.
EDIT
Journal of Maredud Margred
In the end I decided to take on the Section. The party sneaked in using invisibility and found themselves being attacked by hordes of Section Operatives and Section Elite all of whom died. Sadly Drake did also, so after casting invisibility spells, we sneaked out again to have Drake raised. We then sneaked back in again. We had some more difficult battles against the elite and also against ahirukuru. However I have now worked out a defence against them. The vanguard are protected against web, dynaheir casts web when they are attacked. A cleric dispells invisibility when the enemy is webbed and everyone attacks it when it is visible. At least they give 2000 experience. What was scary was how Minsc was almost killed with one blow!Underdale 1: Frisk in Icewind Dale
Part 4
Frisk, Cleric/IllusionistChara, Fighter
Asriel, Sorcerer
Mollyboo, Sorcerer
Carl, Bounty Hunter
Snowy Tae, Archer
Previous posts here:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/887489/#Comment_887489
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/888222/#Comment_888222
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/889290/#Comment_889290
IWD has very few Potions of Genius/Mind Focusing, so I've been hoarding them so Frisk can scribe a bunch of scrolls at once. Due to a bug in the IWD Mega Mod--gaining 150% spell scribing chance is supposed to be possible at Intelligence values above 25, but getting INT higher than 25 is impossible due to engine limitations--Frisk fails to scribe some scrolls. Since this isn't intended behavior (and since I always hated the idiocy of scribing failure--why would you lose the scroll just by copying it into your spellbook?), I use a reload and a quick change in the difficulty level to give Frisk their rightful 150% scribing chance after downing most of our Potions of Genius.
Normally I'd only need two potions to guarantee a successful scribing session, but if the mod worked as intended, 4 would have been necessary, so I drank 4 instead.
The Eldathyn lair can be pretty rough due to the extreme length of the fights (and my rather foolish preference for completing the area without resting). There are lots of Eldathyn priests who use poison attacks that crowd around you the moment you attack the Eldathyns or expose their true nature as Yuan-ti cultists, and even when they're gone, you have a bunch of Yuan-ti spellcasters to deal with scattered across the map. All the while, the High Summoner periodically summons lizard men and trolls to send after you.
I usually tackle this by adopting a low-buff approach to the initial wave of Eldathyns and saving my resources for the fights with the Yuan-ti spellcasters. Geelo and Albion are spellcasters in their own right, so I like to take them down early.
This turns everyone hostile, and all of the Eldathyns, plus a small number of Yuan-ti, will come to fight us from across the map. The front doorway provides a convenient choke point, but I don't keep my wall of undead close enough, so the enemy breaks through. Carl tries to switch between throwing traps from afar and backstabbing, but I misjudge the distance, and he loses one of his traps.
The enemy doesn't stand up too well against Snowy Tae's arrows, and a Chromatic Orb spells the doom of the last Yuan-ti.
Chara still hasn't recovered their fighter levels, so they're still working with druid armor restrictions. Without plate mail, Chara has to resort to Barkskin. Chara is a lousy tank without proper armor, but they'll have to do. The High Ritualist is a potential problem, but he has no defense against Chromatic Orb.
Chara cannot handle two trolls at a time; we are forced to fall back to recover and pounce when we're ready. Asriel takes Chara's place as our tank for the time being.
The High Summoner is going to keep summoning trolls and lizard men if we dawdle, but before we can tackle him, we have a large room full of Yuan-ti Elites and Yuan-ti Mages to deal with. The mages use diverse disablers and damage spells, and the archers apply constant pressure. We break out our best resources to tackle the new threat.
Unfortunately, Mirror Image blocks Fireball, possibly because IWD:EE isn't to v2.x yet, and so we need another way of dealing damage. Snowy Tae would normally be our choice, but these mages come pre-buffed with Protection from Normal Missiles. We cannot stop all of their spells, and because nobody in the party has any Berserker levels, we have to rely on saving throws.
We're far too low-level to be able to cast Chaotic Commands, so the only way to get immunity to Feeblemind is Exaltation. But Exaltation has a long casting time of 9, a short duration of 10 rounds, and it only affects one person--it's hardly enough to keep those Feeblemind spells from crippling us.
A Greater Doppelganger joins the fight. We apply pressure with Chromatic Orb, Slow, and Presio's Dagger (though Chara's THAC0 and APR are terrible), but there are too many targets. The Greater Doppelganger moves in and takes advantage of Snowy Tae's high AC.
Archers don't do well when the enemy has Protection from Normal Missiles, and with a whole other area crammed with spellcasters to deal with, we don't exactly have a lot of magical arrows to spare.
Chara's poison manages to shut down a single mage's spellcasting, but the doppelganger is close to killing Snowy Tae. I send her away and Frisk manages to frighten the doppelganger with Spook.
Snowy Tae can now stuff the doppelganger with arrows for the next three rounds. But the enemy mages' defenses are still holding strong, and we fail a couple of extremely important saves against Vitriolic Sphere and Polymorph Other.
Asriel only has 1 HP left, but it makes no difference. He's no good to us in squirrel form anyway; he can't cast spells when polymorphed.
Carl, however, is another story. He still has traps left, and if I let him die, we won't get to use them before the fight is over. While the rest of the enemies are distracted, I send Carl down south to throw a trap at the mages.
But with Mirror Images active, the Yuan-ti seem to dodge all the damage.
We could be in critical condition if we don't turn this situation around. Rather than rely on Chromatic Orb and its generous +2 save bonus, I have Frisk use Spook instead. Due to Frisk's ~6 mage levels and illusionist specialization, the save penalty is -5, enough to disable one of the mages. Chara keeps another mage locked up with poison damage.
The doppelganger recovers and starts attacking our summons. Frisk chips in a Magic Missile to help bring it down before it attacks one of our vulnerable party members.
With the doppelganger gone, Snowy Tae turns her attention to the enemy archer that has been escaping my notice due to a transparency effect that lets it blend into the carpet.
After several of our spells fail against the mages' saves and MR, we finally take down the last of the Yuan-ti, though the party is in lousy shape.
Despite our low HP, we still have a lot of excellent spells left, and we can exhaust the last of our resources without worrying about future fights. The High Summoner crumples, and though another doppelganger surprises us, we have enough Mirror Images to tank it.
The area is clear! We return Asriel to natural form using Dispel Magic and enter the next area well-rested.
An odd little girl greets us. Sidereal translations fill us with determination.
wish i could actually look at your screen shots but just trying to load this page is nightmare enough with the lousy internet that is at this work site im at
Journal of Maredud Margred
The party are slowly and carefully working their way through the Section HQ in Beregost. The enemy are tough but they drop plenty of healing potions, so many that each party member now has 20. Sadly there are few potions of extra healing. They are what are needed in the middle of a battle. However, so long as we survive the battle, we are able to recuperate afterwards.Fortunately at that time the last of his allies was killed and Dynaheir was able to hide behind the rest of the party until he too was slain.
Kolla (Female Half-Elf Fighter/Mage), Gate70
Sapper (Male Dwarf Fighter), Grond0
Kolla takes Blind and Protection from Petrification as her initial spells.
Once the Candlekeep chores are done we tick off some easy xp with Shoal blinded, a cursed ring returned to the nearby owner, retrieving Perdue's short sword from gnolls and heading down to Nashkel to speak to Noober. Sapper dusts off some Ankheg plate and relieves Arghain of his two handed sword. We also belatedly purchase a couple of tin helmets, having both neglected to buy headgear at the start. Samuel is returned to a temple while boots + a ring are returned to Zhurlong and Mirianne respectively.
Basilisks, a gnome illusionist and Kirian's party contribute further to our xp. The latter of which had magical arrows +1 which Kolla plans to use against flesh golems. Off to the coast, killing Sil and five other sirines. Sapper seems keen to use the arrows, while Kolla had intended to use them with the dwarf meleeing. Never mind how it's done, so long as the due rewards are obtained. Sapper takes the constitution tome and with CON of 20 will gently heal over time.
Sapper is asked if he feels like fighting a Doomsayer, sure why not. Kolla uses all her Magic Missiles and warns Sapper her support has ended, just as he obliterates the Doomsayer. Captain Brage provides a fast-track back to Nashkel and no time is wasted in heading north to clear an ankheg nest.
No real danger, although one level 1 ambush saw Kolla down to 7hp. Details such as screenshots, levels, equipment are safely held on another pc so not got them to hand.
Journal of Maredud Margred
I safely reached the heart of the Section HQ. Now all we have to do is get out safely.Maredud has now reached level 8. We are now laden with quite expensive equipment which is of little practical help to the party. So if we reach the exterior we intend to sell much of it and recharge our wands.
EDIT
We got out fine and now have 5 fully charged wands and a better bow for Vynd. Also bought some potions. We then had very little cash. We have now done several minor quests at Baldur's Gate and have a certain amount of cash again. We are not rich, but not poor either.
We haven't dawdled much around the coalition camp, solving some quests that gave us items like the Traitor Quest, the plague victims, and hearing their stories. We did clear the nearby locations such as the Grove and Dead Man's Pass. The latter saw the first enforced dirt naps in a while as Safana was caught by a Mimic while more dangerously Sirene was hit by an Earthquake effect by a Greater Elemental we pulled onto this plane. This could have been potentially fatal for Cromarty as well if he'd been closer... I shall leave that cursed earthquake hammer well alone... There was also a surprise as the Sirene mod dumped a demon knight on us, while some Displacer beasts attacked from the other side. Quick repositioning and a bunch of summons got us through though.
After pottering around the Underground River area- killing a few too many ogres in the process!- we took the seal from the gates and are now investigating Dragonspear castle's courtyard. My first time here I think so will probably head on soon. XP seems far less relevant in Dragonspear due to the odd place it occupies on the power curve.
In other news no-reloading has led me to messing around with roguelikes on my tablet. A healthy cure to BG no-reloading invulnerability when you rediscover the hundred ways you can die deep in a dungeon!
Journal of Maredud Margred
In BG Maredud did a lot of quests which caused no problems. The Iron Throne is next. I thought the best way of letting people know which quests are done was to post this:My tetralogy run was the "Undergate" run, with Chara the Alchemist as Charname, Frisk the Seducer, and 37 other NPCs over the course of the saga. I died once in BG1, but I did not reload; I started over from Candlekeep so it would be a continuous no-reload run. I have the links for each section of the run:
(BG1 run begins here and ends here)
(SoD run begins here and ends here)
(SoA run begins here and ends here)
(ToB run begins here and ends here)
Notable mods include basically everything. I used BWS to install almost every mod I could, with a few minor exceptions like IR in BG2 (I did have IR in BG1 and SoD) and major rule changes like Scales of Balance. I installed all the tactical improvements of SCS and Ascension, including full pre-buffing and universal HLAs. Notable quest mods include the Grey Clan, Episode 1. Notable kit mods include my own Seducer kit for thieves and Alchemist kit for mages.
Journal of Maredud Margred
I have completed all the quests in BG that I have been given and had a few more skirmishes into the bargain. However this scenario is new to me and I don't have a clue what to do. Presumably from a mod perhaps Drake but perhaps not.Underdale 1: Frisk in Icewind Dale
Part 5
Frisk, Cleric/IllusionistChara, Fighter(7)->Druid
Asriel, Sorcerer
Mollyboo, Sorcerer
Carl, Bounty Hunter
Snowy Tae, Archer
Previous posts here:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/887489/#Comment_887489
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/888222/#Comment_888222
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/889290/#Comment_889290
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/889719/#Comment_889719
Time to fight Yuan-ti. Poison traps, confusion traps, and archers, mages, priests, and fighters with magic resistance.
Oh goody.
The one reason this area is actually doable is because it's split up into many different, smaller fights. It is possible to beat the entire area without resting, but it would require a very precise party setup with just the right pool of resources and careful moves throughout. I do not have that, so we're going to go room by room.
One of the roughest fights here is the archer room, where we find the High Archer with the Messenger of Sseth, the most famous longbow in IWD with its incredible 3 APR. The enemy applies tremendous pressure the moment you open the door, and it's very easy to get overwhelmed.
The trick is to apply equally heavy pressure early on, because the enemy's defenses are pretty lousy. The enemy is very spread out, but the first batch of Yuan-ti is grouped together just enough for you to launch a Fireball before they engage your party. But since we have Carl, we have something better than Fireball: Set Special Snare.
A Greater Doppelganger courtesy of the IWD Mega Mod hastes the enemy, but Mollyboo cancels it.
Carl launches another trap, slaying several Yuan-ti, and Chara's Nymph lands Hold Monster. Carl ducks behind the doorway to hide in shadows and lands a brutal backstab.
The strength of the enemy is broken! That room can quickly prove fatal if you try to outlast the enemy; blitzkrieg tactics are much more effective.
Amazingly enough, we're not done with basilisks just yet. This area has even more of them, though fortunately they too have poor AI and will not retaliate if you strike from the fog of war.
The High Torturer has some interesting new pre-buffs, and he even uses a Wand of Monster Summoning.
This could have gotten very ugly, but thanks to a couple of lucky rolls, both the High Torturer and the menacing Yuan-ti Champion nearby fail important saves against Confusion and Chromatic Orb.
With no spells from the High Torturer and no attacks from the Yuan-ti Champion, the room is a cakewalk. But later on, I make a dangerous mistake.
I approached the enemy while invisible, but I forgot to turn off party AI, which means Snowy Tae attacked on sight and broke invisibility.
We retreat, luring them across one of Carl's traps, but without further pressure, the spellcasters will survive.
The enemy wastes a Dispel Magic on Carl--we have no buffs anyway--but I know worse is to come. I send Snowy Tae out to distract the enemies so Carl can throw out another trap...
...but somehow the damage didn't disrupt their spells. Snowy Tae's marvelous 4 APR isn't enough to shut all of them down, either, and she suffers the full force of their magic.
Snowy Tae downs one of our few Potions of Healing, but she's still very vulnerable. Fortunately, Carl has one last Special Snare to throw (he only has two; the first trap was a normal trap).
But it's not enough. Three priests strike Snowy Tae in unison.
There's no way to save her.
But the priests are very weak, and thanks to Snowy Tae and Carl, the rest of the party is strong enough to finish off all of the spellcasters who chased us down the hall. There are more enemies up north, but we have the resources to tackle them once the party is fully buffed. We get a curious prize for our trouble.
The last major fight is guarding the door to Yxunomei's chamber. But they are clustered together very closely--a fatal mistake.
All that's left is to tackle Yxunomei. Hopefully she won't be too much harder than in the unmodded game. Knowing the danger, I seed the hallway with traps, rest, and buff the party with everything I can, even the weak spells I normally don't bother with.
Normally, on higher difficulties, you get flanked by spellcasters who try to hit you with Dispel Magic. But thanks to Carl's traps, we don't have to worry about losing our buffs.
The moment the Yuan-ti Champion falls, Carl takes the opportunity to land another trap. To the east, Chara begins casting Spike Growth in the hopes of slowing down the incoming Yuan-ti. But they are completely vulnerable to Dispel Magic, and our tank loses all of their defenses--and then fails a save against Cloud of Pestilence.
Notice the missile damage. Chara didn't get hit by a Dispel Magic spell; they got hit by an Arrow of Dispelling. That is a much, much worse sign.
But the Arrow of Dispelling isn't the only debuffer. A spell hits us, too, and only Frisk and Mollyboo hold on to their defenses.
Snowy Tae nocks an Arrow of Dispelling of her own and cures the blindness on Chara, but the rest of the party is still much weaker than I had hoped, and a group of Revenants--hasted, hard-hitting zombies from the IWD Mega Mod--summoned by Yxunomei, is chewing up our own undead summons.
I blast the Revenants with two Fireballs, but I fumble the targeting, because I forgot that Chara has lost their immunity to fire. Our primary tank is already close to death.
Snowy Tae rushes to engage the Revenants with a new +2 bastard sword before they finish off Chara, but Snowy Tae, like all Archers, is a crummy tank.
We take down several enemies, but Yxunomei enters the fray, buffed with MGOI, Mirror Image, and maybe some other defenses I don't know about.
Knowing Snowy Tae won't survive much longer if things keep going as they are, I send her up to the northern room, and when one of the Yuan-ti tries to chase her, Carl blocks the way. Meanwhile, our mages struggle to finish off Yxunomei's wounded allies.
More enemies go down, and Snowy Tae heals herself with one of our few remaining potions. Yxunomei is on the prowl and hits hard, so Mollyboo hurries over to distract her, allowing Chara to heal themself and Frisk to buff the team with one of the short-lasting spells I saved for the middle of this fight.
Mollyboo has Mirror Images to block Yxunomei's many weapons, but it seems Yxunomei came well-prepared for this situation. She has True Seeing active.
Snowy Tae is our best damage dealer, but we only have so many +2 arrows. We need to make them count. Frisk buffs Chara with Aid while the rest of the party hassles Yxunomei. Her spell reflection buff bounces the fire damage from Minute Meteors back at us, but the piercing damage of the meteors still hits.
The spell reflection effect is a bad sign. Even when MGOI wears off, it still won't be possible to try to paralyze her with Chromatic Orb, as I liked to do in my other runs.
Mollyboo gets Slowed just as her Stoneskins run out. I send her away, and fortunately, Yxunomei is perfectly willing to change targets. Less fortunately, Chara doesn't have the defenses that our mages have. And worse yet...
...Yxunomei can re-cast her buffs.
If there's not a limit on those Mirror Images of hers, we can't win a war of attrition. We need to strike as hard and as fast as possible to make sure Yxunomei can't recover. Because if this fight drags on, we simply don't have the resources--the defensive spells, the healing spells, or the potions--to survive a protracted battle against a heavy hitter like Yxunomei.
And with a limited supply of +2 arrows, kiting her will not be an option.
I desperately need to get rid of those Mirror Images. I'm sure Arrows of Dispelling strike as +1 weapons and therefore won't hit Yxunomei, but I have to try; this is too important.
Snowy Tae misses every shot.
Amazing, isn't it? Even against a boss, an Archer missing on an 8 is not normal.
Yxunomei apparently can cast Heal, though I'm not sure if it works quite right.
I haven't noticed any True Seeing spells trigger on Yxunomei, so I have Asriel tank her using Mirror Images. Frisk, having no weapons stronger than +1, resorts to shapeshifting to get a +3 weapon. But the numbers here are grievously imbalanced.
Yxunomei's THAC0 and AC are both incredible. Landing a hit without a natural 20 is simply not realistic for anyone besides a fighter. But that's not all.
Where is that spell failure coming from? Asriel has no spell failure icon; he hasn't gotten hit with a Miscast Magic spell. Nor does he have an Insect Plague icon or animation, or a deafness icon that would indicate spell failure from Unholy Word.
Does Yxunomei inflict spell failure on hit? Like a Wizard Slayer?
Asriel runs away in the hopes that he can restore his defenses despite whatever amount of spell failure he as. Mollyboo is still suffering from Slow, but she manages to cast Stoneskin--and it's a good thing, too, because Chara cannot handle Yxunomei on their own.
I send Chara away to cast Cure Moderate Wounds (a level 2 spell in IWD, and one of the few level 2 priest spells that are really useful) while Asriel tries again to renew his defenses. He fails.
And it seems that Mollyboo is suffering from the same problem.
It might be an on-hit effect, which would explain why Mollyboo only failed just now, but I don't really know. Spell failure is always percentage-based, so it's entirely possible that Yxunomei has a non-stacking spell failure aura, and the only reason Mollyboo lost a spell now and not before is because of luck.
With only one spell per round, and with a limited number of spell slots to expend, there's no way to calculate the percentage accurately. Nor is there any way of finding out how long it lasts (especially if it's a short-duration stacking effect) which makes a cost-benefit analysis impossible.
Snowy Tae runs out of +2 arrows. And to my despair, +1 arrows are not enough.
Our Archer must resort to a +2 bastard sword to continue fighting, dropping her APR from a brilliant 4 to a crippling 1.5. And because Snowy Tae is a halfling with only 17 STR, even the damage per hit is a pathetic 8 on average. Her THAC0 is weaker, too; she has to roll high to land a hit.
It's impossible for any of my characters to survive long under Yxunomei's intense melee pressure; I've been switching out my tanks every one or two rounds. It's the only way to avoid a death, the only way to make sure my characters can recover. It's an absolute necessity to survive, but all the extra movement and micromanagement and waiting at a distance lessens the pressure we can apply to Yxunomei. If she regenerates, or gets more castings of Mirror Image, that low-pressure approach is just going to grind us down to nothing.
When my sorcerers grow weak, I have to use Carl, our Bounty Hunter, as a makeshift tank. He doesn't do it well, but I have no choice. Everyone needs to soak up some damage to make sure no one character drops to zero.
Asriel manages to cast Stoneskin! He can come back to tank a little more. Snowy Tae downs a potion of giant strength to compensate for her abysmal STR and Asriel tries to fortify his defenses with Mirror Image, only to see the spell failure come back.
Yxunomei has been taking damage the whole time. I just need to buy Snowy Tae a little more time; she's the only person who stands a chance of dealing any damage to the marilith. Mollyboo restores her defenses; Asriel won't be able to hold the fort forever.
Finally, Snowy Tae tears down the raving tanar'ri with a clumsy bastard sword she's barely qualified to even hold.
Our reward is a big ugly rock, plus a couple of overpowered short swords that only Carl can use to any effect... and a bastard sword speed weapon for Snowy Tae, which she can dual-wield with the +2 bastard sword she already has, in case her arrows can't hit a tough enemy.
The archdruid reveals his true nature back at Kuldahar and the real one croaks in the room upstairs. We still have the Heartstone Gem, but the only one who could use it to show us the source of the evil that plagues the dales is a mad lich atop the Severed Hand.
The party is finally coming into its own. Chara has regain their fighter levels and can now cast Ironskins, making them the spectacular tank I always wanted them to be.
Snowy Tae, too, is just what I needed her to be: a high-powered sniper with a sky-high kill count.
Carl's equipment is nothing special, but he doesn't need items. His traps alone have made him even more dangerous than Snowy Tae. And in a game like IWD, out-killing an Archer is a rare feat.
Frisk is our humble healer and support character. No flashy gear or crazy tricks; just a steady stream of buffing spells to keep the party a little bit safer.
Last are our sorcerers, Asriel and Mollyboo, relying only on their own spells and doing everything that brute force cannot.
The party has been a remarkable success given the circumstances, but so far their performance has actually been extremely suboptimal. A Dwarven Defender would totally outclass Chara's role as a tank, a fighter/cleric would be far more useful than a cleric/illusionist like Frisk, and having two sorcerers is highly redundant. The only reason I have both Mollyboo and Asriel is because I plan on creating the scorcher loop when they hit level 14, but 1.5 million XP is a long way away. The only reason we've done so well is because Archers and Bounty Hunters are so incredibly effective in Icewind Dale.
We leave the warm circle of Kuldahar and descend into the cold valley where the long-dead elven stronghold, the Severed Hand, awaits. We are filled with determination.
I'll just have to ignore them I suppose. I could uninstall but mid-game that would probably cause more problems than it solved.
I'm surprised that it installed at all!!
Journal of Maredud Margred
Now in CandlekeepWeb and Fireballs dealt with Prat and his cronies.
Thinking that Durlags is now worth a visit.