This sidequest was quite time-consuming though I was successful and ended up at level 9.
Coldhearth is no more. He is a dead lich. It is deceased, It's passed on! The lich is no more! It has ceased to be! 'It's expired and gone to meet 'it's maker! It is bereft of life! etc.
@Enuhal Nice work, congratulations.
So that's Ranger done, and you had a Shapeshifter previously... any others that got crossed off? Even if not, it's just 11 to go.
On that note, I'm going to abandon the Conjurer + Fighter/Mage/Thief run.
Reason: It became way too easy, even with SCS.
First, there are plenty of shops you can steal from in Athkatla.
Shortly after exiting Jon's dungeon, every frontliner had full plate mail, everyone had magical weapons including ranged such (with enormous amounts of different ammunition), and we were sporting roughly 120 buff potions, a virtually inexhaustible supply of healing potions, and ludicruous amounts of spell scrolls of all levels.
It would've gotten even more bizarre stealing everything from the Underdark stores, to the point where we'd struggle to hoard all of our ill-gotten gains. I know I could curtail myself and simply not steal anything, but that would basically mean the FMT spent 225ish of his points on nothing. And also...
Second, anything remotely resembing a Fighter/Mage is just too strong. All you really need is two 5th level arcane slots for Spell Immunity: Abjuration and Spell Shield, and you can just waltz through any encounter. Doesn't matter if that SI:A only lasts about a turn, with Improved Haste and Bless/Chant/Prayer/Recitation on an undispellable dual-wielder there'll be nothing left alive after five rounds.
Basically, I need to handicap myself a bit to keep the game interesting: Only using NPC's for party members and picking a slightly sub-optimal protagonist is usually enough.
Leaning towards a Necromancer, since I tend to use Invisibility/Invisibility 10' Radius as a crutch (and there's still no Necromancer in the Hall of Heroes).
Classes and kits still missing from the combined Hall of Heroes:
Stalker
Priest of Helm, Priest of Talos
Avenger
Abjurer, Conjurer, Diviner, Necromancer
Thief, Bounty Hunter
Necromancer should definitely be a decent challenge in a modded run, with a few crucial defensive tools and utility spells missing. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it
At first eveything in the Forest of Wyrms went swimmingly. The spiders' cave was no problem and when we came across the dragon Morentherene, Safana killed it with a songle thrown dagger.
The other dragon wasn't quite so easy, but Ziatar did fall.
We tried to separate some of our enemies but were unsuccessful.
While we were fighting Akanna the Neothelid turned up and used its poisonous breath.
However it was unable to enter the room and with some difficulty we defeated Akanna.
We were forced to use two extra healing potions in the midst of the actual battle , and afterwards we used several healing potions.
The problem then waas that the Neothelid blocked the exit and we were unable to attack it.
After trying various methods of attack which didn't work, I had the idea of summoning a skeleton beyond it in the corridor.
The Neothelid then moved slightly and we were able to attack it, killing it quite quickly.
We freed the Priestess of Baal and the Imprisonned Crusaders.
We then returned to the camp and rested.
[I was beginning to think that we wouldn't be able to leave the temple. I thought of various spells that would have helped such as a teleportation spell, but it wasn't memorised and we couldn't sleep. It took a bit of thinking outside the box.]
Rescuing the Imprisonned Crusaders resulted in us being able to enter the Crusader Camp. We found the ale and gave it to the Irregulars who are no threat to us. It was now time to proceed to Bridgefort.
Jegg made Morentherene's Scales into a very good shield which I gave to Minsc.
While Steve Rogers (the first) Avenger is doing well, and has his stronghold, I got a bit bored of druid play, so I took a break and decided to try a party of characters with minimum stats again.
This is just so much fun, and I love the added challenge.
The 6 character party is all self created. The protagonist is an elven dragon disciple. There’s a dwarf defender, an inquisitor, a fighter/druid, a cleric/ranger, and an illusionist/thief.
We are just at the beginning of Siege of Dragonspear. I’m not sure if I’m going to play through the whole game or just export after I have the gear I really want, which is mostly the helm of Dumathoin.
Assuming I get that far in BG2, I’m not sure who will get the Defender of Easthaven; the dwarf defender or the cleric/ranger. They both can really benefit from it.
My plan is to eventually use as much regenerative gear as possible, and I won’t be assembling Crom Faeyr because I need as much strength boosting gear as possible. Inventory management is very tough with a game like this!
Meanwhile Hal has stopped the Creeping darkness, however it is now time for bed.
I decided to give up on SoD since I don’t enjoy it too much.
Starting over with no gear in Chateau Irenicus is tough. I miss those gauntlets of Ogre Power a lot.
It’s a really interesting game play; you find yourself using spells like Strength and Strength of One, you use those potions of agility, fortitude, and all the strength potions a lot more.
Trio 60 Update 5
Corefighter X - dwarven fighter, protagonist (Corey_Russell)
Gloriana - human blackguard (Gate70)
Steel - human illusionist (Grond0)
So last session Steel had just spent the time looting unsecured chests from the thieves. Corefighter wanted to get the potion bag as his inventory was almost all potions. But no when the party tried to get to Watcher's Keep we got ambushed with Remfeld. So instead we came back to docks and returned Remfeld. Then we finally got to Watcher's Keep to get our potion bag.
Since we had a thief, we decided we could at least get the crimson dart. Also since Gloriana had level drain immunity we could handle the basic undead if they spawn in the library area (which they did). So getting the dart was successful. Then we peeked into the main room and no vampiric mists so we went ahead and cleared the entire level. We also fought the two statues to get the Foebane for Corefighter - Steel's spells were very helpful here.
Then we came back to the docks and did some quests here, such as dealing with Prebek and Sansha - improved invisibility was quite helpful here. Then we looted Harper's Hold. We tried to web Xzar's assassin but we couldn't quite kill her.
We tried to get to D'Arnise Keep through the Gate area but Steel used a spell and caused the Cowled Wizards to warn us. So we got our license since we had money to do so. We also got Sir Sarles quest. We went to Waukeen's Promenade to buy the allow then Sir Sarles didn't like our "solution" so we talked to Temple of Helm and they accepted our "art".
We just realized we hadn't yet done the slavers quests for Hendak so we worked on that. With two fighters leading the way, this went really welll, Hendak was restored as the leader. We also went into the sewers to get the Lilacor for Gloriana - this worked pretty well. Then we needed to rest before going into the slaver's hold but we got carrion crawlers. Corefighter foolishly attacked the crawlers since they couldn't hurt him. But then he was no longer invisible. But we rested just fine. We then went invisible and ambushed the slavers. While Gloriana and Corefighter were putting down a beat down on the enemies Steel was running for her life. Unfortunately she ran too close to the trolls and nearly died. We were victorious nevertheless. We did need to rest to heal then came back and then Steel used web on the wizards then we ranged attack them. Slavers cleared!
We reported to Hendak our success and also paid off Galen Bayle while we were in the area. We got our goodies from Linvail. Then we headed to Trademeet and used protection from petrification to get the shield of harmony. So now Corefighter is usually using Foebane and the shield to be safe.
We were about out of time so went to D'Arnise Keep and saved our session here.
Varuca's return, it's shapeshifter time !
After falling in SoD then in the Underdark, I try again a shapeshifter.
Game is mostly unmodded, beside Endless BG1, Borarskyr Bridge, Road to Discovery and Another Fine Hell, in order to enhance SoD experience. I play on insane without double damage.
Early BGEE part was smooth, beside Neera almost killing me with her Color Spray, and a ghast paralyzing Varuca :
For the party, I went for :
- Branwen then Yeslick
- Imoen then Coran
- Minsc using composite longbow
- Dynaheir
- Ajantis using bastard sword then Spider's Bane
I did my usual route, finishing chapter 2 and 3 (clearing first dryad pond area and gnolls fortress) early so I could recruit Coran as soon as possible. Then I did Ankhegs area, zombies farm, Ulcaster, Gullykin, Firewine.
I was lucky with this lightning bolt...
Oops, it wasn't over !
I then went to Cloudpeaks south of Nashkel for the archer's bracers.
It was then time for Cloackwood trail.
I needed to do some backtrack because of Davaeorn, and a forgotten potion of absorption.
I'm now in chapter 5, recovering the main items in BG.
Classes and kits still missing from the combined Hall of Heroes:
Stalker
Priest of Helm, Priest of Talos
Avenger
Abjurer, Conjurer, Diviner, Necromancer
Thief, Bounty Hunter
Necromancer should definitely be a decent challenge in a modded run, with a few crucial defensive tools and utility spells missing. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it
Congrats for your new success !
After my shapeshifter run, I will probably try the stalker. I have one only in chapter 2, but backstabbing then piercing with arrows is already very fun.
I'm not too familiar with Priests of Talos and Blackguards, but we'll see how this goes.
Journal of Talossis the Tough and Black the Axe
Black and I realised that we were kindred spirits when an experienced Priest of Talos came to instruct us at Candlekeep. As we chatted we realised that unlike some evil characters we were quite happy to have a high reputation, indeed we revelled in the fact that others did not know our true nature. It would enable us to lead a far greater number of people and that would be neceassary if we were going to achieve our aims.
After the death of Gorion we headed with Imoen to the Sriendly Arms Inn where we left her with Joia after giving her a sword and Leather Armour.
Not realising that Sonner was also a follower of Talos, we killed him and his cohorts for the excellent flail that he mentioned.
Tenya was delighted to get her bowl back. Afterwards we hunted ankhegs and collected quite a few shells. We returned the body of Faemer Brun's son to him.
We then headed south to Nashkel where we acquired some ankheg armour which Black now wears. On the way we had called in at Beregost where we had calmed Marl, sold our shells and bought a decent sling for myself and an axe for Black.
We killed Greywolf, the command spell rendering his sword completely useless. When Zordral attacked us we killed him. We also reunited Albert and his dog.
Lena persuaded us to take Samuel's body to the FAI and whilst there returned Joia's ring to her and afterwards killed more ankheg.
I use command and Black does most of the killing!
Currently our main aim is to become more powerful and to equip ourselves better.
Safana joined us for a while and did some pickpocketting.
We now have excellent equipment for a thief and have also bought the robe of the good archmage for Dynaheir who has joined us. Having done that we are now poor.
We need to earn more gold and buy a lot of scrolls before recruiting a powerful team.
EDIT
Having done that we came across Dorn Nd recruited him.
We helped him against Kryll and returned to Nashkel where we were assaulted by Neira.
She cast Rigid Thinking with the result that Dorn started attacking commoners. To stop him, we were forced to kill him. Our reputation was already down at eight and we didn't want it to drop too low.
I've been trying to get back to BG and after doing some tests I'm doing a Cavalier, Sorcerer dual run with SCS and LoB difficulty. Cavalier is going to tank with the best immunities as charname and Sorcerer is going going to provide support.
weidu.log
// 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]
~EEUITWEAKS/EEUITWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1070 // Faydark's Abilities Auto-Roller/GrimLefourbe's BG2 UI: 4.0.6
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // Make Bags of Holding Bottomless: v16
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Increase Ammo Stack Size -> Unlimited ammo stacking: v16
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Increase Potion Stacking -> Unlimited potion stacking: v16
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1500 // Include arcane spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1510 // Include divine spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1520 // Include bard songs from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Install all spell tweaks (if you don't select this, you will be given a chance to choose by category): 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2500 // Add 9 new arcane spells: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2510 // Add 6 new divine spells (some borrowed from Divine Remix): 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2520 // Revised elementals and elemental summoning: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3505 // Wider selection of random scrolls: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // More Appropriate-Speed Bears: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // More realistic wolves and wild dogs: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4115 // Thieves assign skill points in multiples of five: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6300 // Smarter sirines and dryads: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6310 // Slightly smarter carrion crawlers: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6320 // Smarter basilisks: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7000 // Improved doppelgangers: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7030 // Improved kobolds: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Relocated bounty hunters: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved Ulcaster: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7080 // Improved Demon Cultists: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7100 // Improved Bassilus: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7110 // Improved Drasus party: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7130 // Improved Red Wizards: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7140 // Improved Undercity assassins: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7150 // Improved Carsa/Kahrk interaction: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7200 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7210 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7220 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7230 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7250 // Improved final battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7900 // Improved minor encounters: 35.10
Auto-rolled chars.
Chapter 1. Killing spree, Imoen, Montaron, Neera, Marl and Algernon. Getting Algernon's cloak my reputation fell to 7 which is still ok not to lose Cavalier abilities.
Chapter 2. Got one invisibility potion from Nashkel manor and bought 3 scrolls from the High Hedge, and we reached Mulahey being Invisible. Charmed Mulahey with the Algernon's cloak first go and the Kobbo's killed him. Used the rest of the scrolls to escape the place.
Chapter 3. Bought our reputation to 12 and killed Dushai for the Free-Action ring. Dushai can be lured away, so that the rest of the people wont agro. Then we yet again bought our reputation to 12. Charmed Minsc casually killed Nimbul, after which we tried to use the same tactic against Tranzig with Charmed Marl. But then it got hairy as we didn't want to waste Invisibility potion and Tranzig saw us. He blinded Marl, and followed us to downstairs where he killed Jin. I was able to lead him back to Marl and we continued to hack and smack him, but both of our Scimitars shattered. We then had to got to the weaponsmith to buy weapons but he only had flails for me, so the battle took a while, and we spent all of our healing potions.
Raiken took us to the bandit camp, where Charmed Taurgosz got killed by Black Bear for the Full Plate. But before getting the papers we needed Invisibility. We did the reputation run and killing Mellicamp's Wolf, Jin got to lv3 which meant she got Protection from Petrification and we could do the Basilisk xp-loop. We bought a Green PfP scroll and 35 Stone to Flesh scrolls. Jin cast PfP on Vanderley and we Charmed the lesser Basilisk and used the Green PfP on it. XP-looping Greater Basilisk went well, and soon we were out of the scrolls. Before leaving we petrified all in the level. Got the Slashing Belt from Kirian. Vanderley lv7, Jin lv9.
Chapter 4. Cloakwood passed with Invisibility right-click looting stuff. Got Scimitar +2. After reaching the mines we left to the Durlag's Tower. Molkar waylay happened so we took a free charming attempt, which worked. We got a Heroism potion and other stuff. We looted Durlag's Tower with Invisibility and got another Scimitar +2. Charmed Riggolo killed Ghost and was then killed by Ghasts. Lamalha waylay happened and again the free Charm attempt worked. Got Power potion. Bought One Gift Lost, and bombed Denak's party out of sight for the Ring of Energy. Bought Greenstone Amulet, Sandthief Ring and recharged all including WoMS. With Power, Cloud, Emotions Vanderley got Thac0 to -2 and with 15 hits from WoMS we downed Drizzt for his Scimitar's. My reputation fell from 19 to 9 and we used 3600 gold to get it back to 16. Back in the mines we Charmed named mine Guards one by one and they got killed. Then we used Invisibility to reach Davaeorn's personal Guard, which we Charmed with the Cloak. He then lured the Battle Horros's away, KO'd Davaeorn casually and we then gave the killing blow.
Chapter 5. In Baldur's Gate we Charmed Ragefast, emptied him from spells and then killed him. Ramazith Stunned with the Wand and killed. Lothander was pre-Charmed, stopped from leaving, Stunned and we got second pair of Speed Boots. WoMS handled Marek and Seven Suns. In Iron Throne we Charmed Naaman, who lured Kaalos and Shennara back to be killed with WoMS. All was going well but trying to kill Diyab others found us. We lured everybody to the small room with WoMS, and Vanderley went Invisible blocking the door and locking everyone inside. Jin then blasted them freely with Fireballs. Alai and Dobbelgangers died, and WoMS then cleaned up.
Chapter 6. Ogre Mage waylay passed with 2 Invisibility potions. Iron Throne leaders were Charmed and killed. Looted Candlekeep bare and left.
Chapter 7. Hasted and Charmed Larze and WoMS took care of Slythe and Krystin. In the Palace we charmed the Shaman and Mage, and then easily killed the three Greater Dobbelgangers and the Assassin. Then we waited Shaman to transform and he was easily killed, as was the Mage soon after. In Durlag's Tower we managed to separate Love and Fear from the rest of the Warders. With WoMS and Ring of Energy we eventually killed Love, but it took a lot of time being Slowed constantly and casting Greenstone Amulet. Got the Durlag's Goblet which Cavalier can use naturally. Did all the mundane stuff, hoarding a lot of gems and stuff for SoD. Nothing really interesting happened.
Vanderley and Jin vs. Sarevok was kind of anticlimactic as we bombed them all out of sight with 2 WoF's and a single PfU against the Skelis.
Nothing really bothered Cavalier and Sorcerer, interestingly Tranzig gave us most trouble as we tried to save one Invisibility potion. And in Iron Throne not all went as planned. On SoD we go.
@JuliusBorisov Would you be willing to help us with keeping the opening post of this thread up to date, now that Arvia is no longer active (or otherwise, recommend another mod who could help with that)? It should hopefully not be too much work, just updating the Hall of Heroes and the list of missing classes/kits whenever we get a new successful run (which usually only happens every couple of months).
Currently, the following entries would have to be added to the hall of heroes:
There might have been another successful entry that I might've missed, but I can't recall right now. If someone has another one to add, please quickly mention it
The list of missing classes and kits from the combined hall of heroes should right now look like this:
Stalker
Priest of Helm, Priest of Talos
Avenger
Abjurer, Conjurer, Diviner, Necromancer
Thief, Bounty Hunter
Enuhal is now a moderator, send him congratulations, everyone! So editing the initial post or other posts in this thread would be easier and more natural.
The topic is a marvel, it currently has 975.6K views so it will pass the 1 mln mark in no time.
Thanks @JuliusBorisov ! Note that my moderation will only extend to this thread, so I most likely won't be able to help you with anything else. Feel free to tag me with any successful runs that needs to be added to the hall (though I currently check the thread every day if I'm not travelling). I will update the opening post propably later today (or tomorrow) with the missing entries and the updated list of missing classes/kits.
Edit: The missing entries are now in. There are also some older entries with some missing information, I will try to track that down in the coming days if I can.
If there's a community consensus on any other changes / additions that should be made to the opening post, we can talk about changing something else as well, though I currently don't see anything that needs to be done
@histamiini Welcome back! I've been following some of your runs in the SCS+LoB Solo thread a couple of years ago. Looking forward to your SoD performance
There was no line for the game difficulty setting in the hall entry - I've now added core rules because all your entries around the time were played on core rules, but maybe you can confirm that for me if you remember it, because right now it's only based on conjecture - the old opening post to the run doesn't seem to state anything in terms of difficulty.
@histamiini Welcome back! I've been following some of your runs in the SCS+LoB Solo thread a couple of years ago. Looking forward to your SoD performance
Thanks, nice to see ya! Had about a three year break from the game as I was so disappointed in Baldur's Fake 3. But recently I saw the news about that it wont get any DLC's or sequels as Larian is moving to other things, and I got the itch to play the originals again.
Cavalier & Sorcerer continued to SoD.
Intro. Invisibility to Porios who surrendered. Invisibility and PfU to Korlasz, then 8 Fireball Invisibility combos to get her hurt enough so that she surrendered immediatelly when talked to. Nothing really interesting happened in Baldur's Gate, except we slew Viconia for her Circlet, which gives -1 saves for mages. Nobody cares if you kill her. Also sold some of my jewels I hoarded, so I could buy all the interesting stuff before leaving.
Chapter 8. Teleria and her Golem won't aggro if you kill them before talking. Listened Dwarves getting killed, picked up the 5 amulets, and made a deal with the lich and he promised the Undead would help me when Crusaders attack. Hid behind the tent for the parlay. Sided with the Vampire for the -3 Thac0 Troll Stone, buffed up and with the WoMS it was easily done.
Chapter 9. Jin got to lv10. Morentherene daggered, Ziatar burned afar. Neothelid was no match for buffed up Cavalier. Nor was Akanna, as WoMS kept company with the Aerial Servants. We took one Charm attempt with Shallen for the Archer's Eyes, but it didn't work and I didn't want to risk fighting the mob. Lv9 for Vanderley. Fort was surrendered and the Bridge Mage interrupted with Ring of Energy before killing the enemies.
Chapter 10. Did all the mundane quests. Undead cave was bombed with Fireballs using PfU. Ferrusk bombed out of sight with Fireballs. Used PfU on Zhadroth and we killed him casually, although he managed to Dispel us once. Got the Spell Sequencer robe for Jin who also got to max level. Casually looted Hephernaan chests for Crown of Lies with Chaotic Commands stopping the maze trap, and then we escaped with Speed and Invisibility.
For the Crusaders we buffed with 2x PfF, PfC, PfE, PfA, PfP, Mind Focusing, Storm, Absorbtion, Magic Protection, Heroism, Speed, Invulnerabilty and Clarity. Troll wave was quickly done after pre-casting 30 Skull Traps from scrolls, spells and sequencer. For the mages we pre-cast 5 Cloudkills, 5 Skelis, used Detect Illusions from Clasp of Helm and attacked. We were doing well, until we got Dispelled. No matter as all were still pretty quickly defeated, didn't lose single Skeli. But we needed to buff again before the next wave. With the Cavaliers we ganged on Rhyala, and prevented her Dispel with Ring of Energy. Had to use WoMS as Skelis got killed. But with 2 refreshes from Durlag's Goblet it was done. Auziel survived which was impressive. We refreshed our 1 hour buffs and with 4 refreshes from the Goblet the final wave was also done.
Ashatiel was no match 1on1 with Cavalier. We used leave level trick with Trix and we got to the lift without fighting anybody. For Belhifet we had the two best designs in LoB difficulty, Cavalier with Champions Strength scrolls, and Martyr's Morgingstar with Enchanted Weapon. We decided to only use the Martyr's and Jin cast Enchancted Weapon on Vanderley, there're two scrolls in SoD. We arrived with about 500hp from Heroism potions and escaped Bels Dispel. Jin hit him with Strength Strength sequencers to worsen his Thac0 by 3. In the end it wasn't close and only needed 5 refreshes from the Goblet. Jin was killed the second time in the playthrough so Vanderley resurrected her before leaving.
Good work. Considering all the evil stuff you're doing early on, it is a bit strange that the game didn't make your Cavalier fall. Seems like the only thing besides <7 reputation that does it are the hell trials in SoA.
Good work. Considering all the evil stuff you're doing early on, it is a bit strange that the game didn't make your Cavalier fall. Seems like the only thing besides <7 reputation that does it are the hell trials in SoA.
True, and even the hell trials fall can be escaped if I remember correctly, even getting lawful evil. And if Carsomyr is in the quick slot getting evil, Cavalier can in the end be like good & evil, wielding Carsomyr +5 and Soul Reaver +4.
I've now gone through the current hall of heroes as well, mostly adding a few missing starting posts by tracing runs without them back to their origin. Some runs have missing info that is not included in the opening post, but the players are inactive so there's little hope - however, for three runs with missing info, I hope we can still get information as the players have posted here this year already - these are the runs:
Trio 60 Update 6
Corefighter X - dwarven fighter, protagonist (Corey_Russell)
Gloriana - human blackguard (Gate70)
Steel - human illusionist (Grond0)
The party got a lot done today. Our first order of business was D'Arnise Keep. The two front fighters and with 3 bow users killing the trolls once they were down was trivial. The party did very well here. The Yuan-ti mage's chaos was not useful with Corefighter being protected by his shield of harmony and Gloriana protected by her Lilacor. The mage went down very quickly. Glaicas did a bit better putting quite the beat down on Corefighter despite Corefighter's -9 AC -- however, Corefighter had lots of extra healing potinos and used them plenty to keep together Glaicas goes down. Cloriana appreciated the armor upgrade. The golems were pretty easy, with Crimson Dart and Azuredge finishing off the Iron Golem through the doorway so the Iron Golem couldn't hit us. Gloriana had the watch the sport while the rest of the party finished off the golem.
Umber Hulks not going to be very effective with the confusion protection the fighters have. Some snares were laid for Torgal, and he wasn't able to last very long nor did his buddies. Corefighter decided to assume the mantle of master of the keep, though he might not ever return.
After selling at Watcher's Keep Corefighter had a bunch of stuff for the "bank" (a chest in Waukeen's Promenade we use to store things we don't need right away or much later). Gloriana lamented hey can we turn in this bear I've been carrying forever? Sure we returned the bear to Wellyn, then dealt with some grave robbers we found in the area - that's OUR job! Corefighter noticed we still hadn't been to Umar Hills, so we worked on that.
The surface quests are pretty easy in the village with the mimic unable to hold Corefighter because of his shield of harmony. We ran into a little bit of problem with Corefighter surrounded by undead and his party was no where near him. However his -9 AC plus his Foebane steadily ore the enemies down with them not being able to hit him easily - his party did eventually came to his aid.
Tie for the old temple surface area. The party didn't bother with the mirror and just beat down the undead and this worked out slowly but well all the same. The interior of the temple went pretty well as well. The worst of the undead was skeletal warriors so not too bad -- also Corefighter tried out Azuredge despite having no proficiency in axes but the axe did quite well even killing skeletal warriors with its death effect which isn't easy with the good saving throws of the skeletal warriors. A shadow wanted to talk to our leader but Gloriana said how about talk to my sword instead.
Dragon was next target. Gloriana did have negative plane protection and also ilbratha and Steel loaded up a bunch of blinds and we laid 7 snares (via rests). Time for the battle! The snares were doing a lot of damage and also the fighters were getting hits in. It ook 3 tries but think a 3rd blind finally landed then the dragon fell shortly thereafter0.
For the shade lord we used improved invisibility on all party members so we wouldn't die to FoD - this worked great and the Azuredge claimed the Shade Lord's life. We ran into some issues with Corefighter resting when his party hadn't finished leveling up - Whoops!
We needed to go to Waukeen's Promenade to get the shield of balduran and a robe of Vecna and AC 3 bracers for Steel. While were were we took on Mencar and friends. A chaos and stinking cloud/fireball worked out well and even Brennan Risling failed to escape. He was the last survivor but strangely didn't run and instead backstabbed Corefighter and stayed and died. Corefighter took huge damage but Corefighter also has huge HP so he was OK.
Not a lot of time left over, we decided to head to druid's grove and that will be our target next session.
So, going through old runs for the hall updates got me interested into going for my next run. However, the vanilla playthroughs I've been doing for a while now have been getting a bit stale. I thought about doing a randomized party, but I've done that quite a few times already. However, I once tried a randomized party with SCS installed - that was fun, but ended relatively early in the iron mines, as it can obviously be quite challenging. That got me to check out the G3 website, only to see that late last year, a big new version of SCS had been released, and I never even heard about it. There are some huge updates - around 15 completely new spells that open up new strategic options and paths of attack (a lot of them are of the elemental damage variety, and not fire/magical, so only protecting from fire/magical damage is possibly no longer enough against high level SCS mages (depending on how the new spells are integrated in the scripts). Protection from the elements and from energy might get a huge increase in power level. There are also pretty big changes to current spells, especially shapeshifting ones and elemental summonings. I didn't have the patience to study the entire readme, but there's a lot going on. A new resting system is included, limiting your rests via camping supplies depending on your difficulty rating (6 on tactical, 4 on hard, 2 on insane as far as I can tell) - they get refreshed when you rest at an inn, and the different rooms at inns now give some small resting bonus, similiar to Pillars of Eternity (I love that feature in PoE, so looking forward to it here) - however, the prices are also increased to reflect their new usefulness. I limit my rests pretty heavily already, so that fits with my playstyle. I am playing on tactical - 6 seems a bit too much, I'm never resting that much anyway. I would actually prefer to have the restrictions of insane, but I don't want to deal with that level of spellcaster preparation when I don't even know any of the new spells and haven't read through all the changes to current ones. The chance of randomly getting killed by something I've never even heard of is still there on tactical, but would be quite high on insane.
I'm also not doing a randomized party (yet?). There's a good chance of not having divine or arcane spellcasters in such a party, which would prevent me from trying out all the new stuff, so I'm going custom made for this exploratory run. I am still trying to get a new class into the hall, and since there's no thief run currently going, and my last one failed very early on, I'm trying my hand at that one again.
My customized party:
Livia, true neutral halfling thief:
Ung, true neutral dwarven berserker:
Nibel, true neutral dwarven fighter/cleric:
Kriemhild, true neutral elven fighter/mage:
Octavia, true neutral gnomish illusionist:
Agrippina, true neutral half-elven totemic druid:
The alignment is just to prevent holy smites/unholy blights, though it will lock me out of some alignment-restricted gear. Agrippina will be serving as the face character in BG1. This is a completionist run, so unlike in my last few playthroughts, we will be visiting TotSC content and SoD.
So far, we've started exploring many wilderness areas. Starting with a full party of six, including 4 spellcasters, we have the options to tackle some harder encounters even early on. I'm not too afraid of lower level SCS spellcasters on tactical, as they don't get their short duration buffs yet (which means that they often spend their first round casting mirror image). Tarnesh, as an example, is able to survive Livia's backstab here - but he can't survive Nibel's command spell and a barrage of attacks from everyone else:
Another change with the new version: Spellcasters from EE content (those involved in Neera's, Rasaad's and Dorn's questlines - NOT including SoD) now use SCS scripts. However, the wizard trying to capture Neera can be commanded and killed as well - despite Neera trying her best to sabotage us, knocking out Kriemhild and a spirit snake with color spray and later on damaging some of us with burning hands:
The most dangerous thing that can happen to us here is that an enemy wizard, after setting up mirror image, survives the next round and is able to follow up with sleep (we're usually protected against horror, the other likely option for mass crowd control at this level) - our berserker and elves have a decent chance to deal with that, but I usually try to spread out my party a bit in these early spellcaster levels if given the opportunity. Next up is our first cleric, Neira, who is both commanded and blinded:
We take a bit of a risk by moving to Greywolf early (he sometimes starts with an oil of speed in SCS and can deal devastating damage if not crowd controlled) - however, a bunch of our cc effects hit him:
North-west of Nashkel, we encounter our first bit of trouble: We challenge Teyngan's party, taking out the spellcaster with another command spell and a barrage of missles. Teyngan himself gets pretty aggressive, and since Kriemhild is currently wearing armor and has a good AC, I switch her to melee mode. However, despite her still being levels 1/1, he oneshots her with 16 damage:
Does level 1 protection not work for multiclasses? What's going on here? Well, we carefully kite him until victory is ours and resurrect our fallen comrade back in Nashkel. Turning in some quests back at Beregost we decide to go for Silke (I've avoided her until now due to her high level). She's the first spellcaster we face who resists our command attempt, but damage and frequency of hits, helped by her lowered AC thanks to alicorn lance, is enough to kill her before she's able to cast her second spell after her initial mirror image:
With this being a completionist run I'm going for full exploration, which means that I get to run into these "tiny little" bands of kobolds/commandos/guards at the carnival. Even getting close enough to cast sleep (the only way to safely deal with them at that level) can easily cause character deaths:
Zodral is our next spellcaster battle, he also resists command. We have picked up bless to help with our hit rate through mirror images, and once again we prevent him from going for a second spell. Alicorn lance does help again. I've tried the new faerie fire spell for similiar purposes a few times. The AoE component, while somwhat need, also hurts though - it has hitten my frontline berserker a few times, and he's exactly the party member whose AC I don't want to reduce:
North-east of Nashkel, we get in our next bit of trouble. Ioin's companions are quite deadly with their bows. However, Octavia gets really unlucky - she has elve's bane, shield active and 18 hitpoints, which is decent for a wizard at this point. Still, one lucky critical hit is enough to oneshot her from full hp - we use our remaining spells and some kiting to take revenge before resurrecting the gnome:
Before quitting the session for now, we take down Meilum. The Cloudpeak Mountain areas are next on our list.
This run is updated to its current status with each post, so unlike in my previous posts, I didn't play ahead - you know as much as I do about how things will go. So far, no new spells encountered yet (also no scrolls of them found). Still, that will hopefully change soon. The resting bonuses are a bit hard to use currently, it seems, due to long travel times and their durations being somewhat limited (though maybe the travel time from Beregost to Bassilus will be low enough for me to use one for him). I can, however, see them being very useful in the big city later on, because you get to fight in close proximity to the inns (also true for Athkatla in BG2).
@Enuhal Yeah apart from new spells that SCS IDW-spell component has been a stable addition for my playthroughs. Buffs like Prayer, Recitation, Emotion Courage and Emotion Hope has seen a lot of use with Skeleton Warriors, as they all stack.
However, I've gotten to test some of the low level ones by now in this playthrough - and so far, a lot of them are quite buggy, as will be documented in this update:
We start in the cloudpeak mountains, using our usual tools such as blindness, hold person etc. to deal with more powerful groups of enemies:
We find only a single winter wolf while fully exploring literally every map that can spawn them. Oh well. Bassilus is on our list, and we use the royal inn resting buff (which lasts 24 hours - long enough to last through the journey from Beregost) for a slight bonus. For those who haven't checked it out yet: The cheapest option only restores camping supplies, the next one gives 5 temporary hitpoints for 8 hours (mostly only useful if you're fighting in the same area), the second best lasts 16 hours and adds +1 to str/dex/con (but only up to 18, so mostly useful for non-optimized parties) in addition to the 5 hitpoints, and the best one (which costs 320 gold) lasts 24 hours, so some travel is possible - it adds, in addition to the previously mentioned buffs, +1 to saving throws, which is always useful.
Well, Bassilus is weaker than expected, maybe he has been nerfed in some recent SCS update, maybe it's because I'm only playing on tactical (in a previous insane playthrough, he started with a pre-cast aerial servant in additon to other buffs) - he also fails to save against silence, so there's that:
With the gold gained, we buy some magical ammo and take down the vampire wolves at the temple:
We get up to around 20k, which is enough to go on a huge scroll buying spree - we use our potions of genius from the FAI and learn everything, which means we're prepared to buff with PfP for some basilisk hunting - Mutamin fails to save against another silence spell - now that we're facing wizards that usually can't be commanded, this one is our next big trick (until they start using MGOI):
However, this gnome is prepared - he actually has vocalize memorized and is able to cast it. However, his followup (and final spell before we hack through his mirror images) is sleep - which would've been devastating in the previous session, but by now only 2 of our party members aren't already level 5 and thus immune to the spell - one being an elf. So he only hits one target and dies:
We still have spirit wolves going, so we attack the nearby adventurers, where we have some fun with hold person and call lightning:
I've been meaning to try out the new strength of stone spell on Nibel - it's supposed to reduce movement speed but give you +4 strength. However, as I try to use it against a couple of gnolls, I do get the "strength buff icon", but nothing actually happens:
No strength buff, but also no movement speed reduction. Just seems to be completely bugged.
We do encounter a basilisk ambush. Luckily, I alway buy the mirrored eyes potions when I first move to Ulgoth's Beard for just such an occasion:
The party travels south-west. Facing Laurel's gibberling hordes, we try another new spell, ice knife - decent for a level 1 spell, but the problem is that it has a slow-moving projectile, and I can see the AoE hurting my melee fighters:
Honestly, I think that the new and improved Larloch's Minor Drain might become the best alternative to magic missles, but my illusionist can't use that one. I still have hopes for minor lightning bolt, but I've only found a scroll after the first scroll scribing fiesta, so it will have to wait. The combustion spell is sadly melee range only - great damage for level 2 though, maybe it could be interesting in a minor sequencer.
Well, we move on to the sword coast. Spirit lions are immune to charm at our level, skeletons as well, and we have a berserker, so sirens are easy to kill. Arkushule gets stunned by the stupefier:
The sirens fall:
Droth gets commanded and killed:
By now, we've added forest beings to our arsenal. Narcillus is the first one to encounter them:
I should propably do the Nashkel mines, but for some reason I've decided that I want to clear every wilderness area before moving on, so we go into Gullykin and the Firewine Ruins. We send summons towards Lendarn - he actually has stoneskins and a minor sequencer (two ice knifes that he throws at our summons), so he's a dangerous enemy. Our summons melt pretty fast, being attacked by kobold commandos and ogrillons as well, but a forest being is able to cast confusion, which causes some of our foes to turn on each other. Octavia moves in, protected by MI, for a quick wand of fire charge to test out the waters:
We can see that the summons/confused ogrillons have taken down Lendarn's stoneskins. We send in some monsters via wand summon, but they all get hit by horror and run away. The wizard casts lighting bolt at one of his confused former allies and hits the ogre mage as well - though both are still alive (lightning bolt has been changed in v35, it can now only hit each target once even when bouncing through them multiple times):
The ogre mage is the first one to spot our defensive position and moves around the corner - However, he is already injured and falls to a single barrage of attacks:
Lendarn doesn't seem to know where we are, he doesn't move, so we have to go in. However, upon spotting us he starts casting minor spell deflection, which allows the missle weapon users to just snipe him down since his stoneskins are already gone:
The red wizards have stoneskins and some early anti-magic defenses as well, however, they don't hold such dangerous chokepoints and can more easily be engaged with via summons and hit with silence. Spirit lions are very good at tearing through early game stoneskins, and anyone who doesn't have their minor spell deflection up will get hit by icelances with a chance to stun, call lightning with devastating damage or silence if they fail to save:
We're mostly able to keep our party out of the line of fire, but one wizard saves against our silence follow-up and stun attempts - Diana deals some serious damage to us with a lance of disruption:
However, she dies shortly after that. We have to rest up for the spiders to the east, were we employ our full array of summons again. Icelances and call lightning once again do a great job, another spider group coming from the west gets hit with sleep spells:
In a very risky move, we move on to Ulcaster. Icharyd and the Wolf of Ulcaster are as difficult on tactical as they are on insane. Icharyd has a weird "timeskip" move when he gets injured - he turns to full hp, it turns nighttime, he starts throwing call lightnings at the party, but most importantly, when he does that all buffs disappear, propably by gametime moving forward quite a lot (at least my 24 hour inn resting buff - with at least ~14 hours still left - wasn't gone). Since I knew about that I saved bless + prayer until after he did that. His great thac0 and melee damage seriously hurt our fighters, we drank a bunch of healing potions and Ung ended up heavily injured when we finally defeated our foe:
The Wolf of Ulcaster is another serious challenge. I made the mistake of only having one remove fear memorized (he can dispel all buffs), but luckily I didn't get hit by a second horror effect after the dispel. I focused all my damage on the wolf, who isn't easy to kill with some magic resistance and other resistances/immunities - spirit animals, who don't hit as magical weapons yet, were the ones to keep away the dread wolves he calls in. As he called in ghouls as well, I had to make sure to move Livia to safety. Kriemhild ended up getting paralyzed, and we got hit with a greater malison howl, which was sure to make any future effects (and ghoul hits) much more dangerous, but shortly after, the wolf finally fell under heavy fire from wand charges (heavens/frost), magic missles, acid arrows and melee attacks:
We were able to save Kriemhild and take out the ghouls. Now, the only thing we still could do before the mines (except for Durlag's lower levels or the Ice Island, both way too dangerous for now - we also left alive Kahrk and the spirit in Durlag's upper levels) was Neera's companion quest, so we recruited her - she actually has the haste spell, which was nice for the final battle of her quest. However, that one was fairly simple, because the main red wizard foe actually failed to save against silence and didn't seem to have vocalize:
Also, I'm now doubtful of another thing I read in the SCS readme for the new version - the claim that non-SoD EE spellcasters now use SCS scripts. Ekandor had to cast his initial stoneskin, he didn't get it as a prebuff, which is very much not SCS-like behaviour.
Oh, I have no screenshots of this, but I also tried out the stonefist spell, which should give arcane spellcasters an AC bonus of 2 and the ability to release the power of the spell in a touch-range punch with a chance to stun. The punch works (however, your weapon slot is disabled until you use it), but the AC bonus does not, making the spell fairly useless (and, once again, bugged). Faerie fire, as mentioned in my first post, does seem to work but the AoE isn't that great as it is likely to hit your own melee fighters, so I stick to alicorn lance for that effect if I want it. Resist acid and corrosion works as well (its just 50% acid resistance, stacks with the green scroll - I've tried it for ankheg hunting - however its duration is so short at low levels that its not worth it at all). I've yet to try protection from good (no reason to use that one yet). I've noticed Fiendish Warding is in my clerics spellbook despite him not being evil, lets see if I get that if the run continues for that long. I've yet to find a scroll for "Turn Pebble to Boulder" or "Telekinesis" (which I might get the levels for in late BG1 and SoD) - the level 8+9 spells will, of course, have to wait. Looking forward to testing minor lightning bolt (my next scroll scribing session might be only in the big city, though, or maybe once I get access to 4th level spells on Octavia so she can learn the stoneskin scroll we got from Neera's quest). Once I get minor sequencer, I will see what I can do with ice knife, combust and minor lightning bolt with that added into the mix. Also looking forward to test the new polymorph self.
Ham and his twin brother were both greatly influenced by a visiting priest of Helm with the result that even Nic who is a thief decided to be a Helmite. It was pointed out to him that being heavily fined by the authorities for his thieving activities was perhaps a better option compared with being strung up by his victims. I on the other hand being more or less honest decided that justice was beneficial to all.
However that didn't prevent me from accepting the goods that my brother acquired in Candlekeep. After all my alignment is NOT lawful.
There was no line for the game difficulty setting in the hall entry - I've now added core rules because all your entries around the time were played on core rules, but maybe you can confirm that for me if you remember it, because right now it's only based on conjecture - the old opening post to the run doesn't seem to state anything in terms of difficulty.
Confirmed - all my successful runs have been on core difficulty.
Thanks for taking on all that work to keep things up to date @Enuhal and best of luck with your current run - sounds like that should keep the interest level going for you.
Nice to see you back in action as well @histamiini - you still seem to be making the difficult look all too easy .
We start at the Nashkel mines - a few sleep spells and a command for the kobold shaman get us to Mulahey:
Mulahey falls to hold monster spells cast by our forest beings:
On our way back into town, we backstab Nimbul:
And an icelance stun is enough to defeat Tranzig:
While travelling closer to the bandits, we encounter the amazon ambush. A combination of icelances, hold persons and call lightnings does the job:
At the camp, we summon in our army and Taugosz gets held by triple hold monster from the nymphs:
The nymphs and Agrippina start throwing out call lightnings on arriving bandits in order to get the spells going for additional damage over the rounds. Our two wizards use wands of fire to weaken the swelling numbers:
The nymphs are directed to cast 3* miscast magic at Venkt, the wizard - one of them succeeds, mostly neutralizing him before he eventually gets taken down by a spirit lion:
The cleanup isn't too difficult, the call lightning spells are still going and do a lot of the work:
Time to enter Cloakwood. Seniyad gets affected by the icelance stun, allowing us to avoid his insect plague:
Octavia gets to level 7, so we have emotion: hope and greater malison at our disposal - greater malison combined with triple confusion from our forest beings is a great combination, as the spider colony soon found out:
Traveling forward, we meet Molkar's group and throw down icelances and holy smite for some quick kills:
Amarande, our next dangerous foe, is interrupted by icelances as well (though not stunned), and we get through his ironskins before he can do anything dangerous - he saves against hold personl, but his two allies get hit:
Drasus awaits - we go for another malison + confusion combo, affecting one of the wizards and one of the fighters - the other wizard fails to save against silence:
Later on he even gets stunned, and the battle is ours:
We enter the mines - Hareishan is our first serious foe. We throw two wand of fire charges and a necklace of missles charge in there to kill her, but get hit by a lightning bolt in return - with the nerf to lightning bolt bounces, this is no longer the super deadly threat it used to be, though still dangerous:
Natasha is next. I actually understimated her and should've tackled her with summons and buffs. Some early spells and wand charges hit, but she is able to go invisible via minor sequencer and protects herself with MI, minor spell deflection, fire shield and still has stoneskins - meaning there's not much we can do to hurt her. We get rather lucky, as holy smite, one of the few things to still deal damage to her, fully works, blinds her and also reduces her morale to a panic - otherwise, she could've followed up her slow spill with something far more deadly and we had little to stop her:
The ogre mage, luckily, can just be commanded:
For Davaeorn, I decide to not cheese him with a PfM scroll this time around, instead trying to fight him with the full party. Not the greatest idea, I admit, especially with zero experience of doing so with SCS. We disarm the traps and start throwing wand charges at the battle horrors, and a wand of fire scorcher at him - however, Davaeorn's fireball doesn't get interrupted and nearly kills Octavia, two of our nymphs and our spirit animals:
Davaeorn follows up with his own scorcher ray, which does devastating damage to Kriemhild, who has to drink a healing potion to survive the second hit. Meanwhile, Octavia has inflicted Dav with greater malison, and we start throwing save or else spelse at him - our final forest being is successful with miscast magic, saving this fight for us:
While Ung deals with the arriving iron throne guards, we also hit the evil wizard with summon insects and finally get through his stoneskins, killing him:
We rest with our final camping supplies in order to avoid any deaths on the way home. The iron mines are never easy with SCS.
Before quitting for now, we also do a few small things in the big city - first, taking down the necromancers at sorcerous sundries with some forest being confusions (one of them is able to skull trap us after a successful save before dying to arrows):
Next, buying all the scrolls that our wizards can still learn after going on a short thieving spree thanks to some potions from the guild (Dushai's ring, Algernon's cloak, the Cloak of Balduran) - which means a goodbye to icelances for now as we learn slow/haste spells (and the new boulder spell, plus we can now also try out minor lightning bolt next time). Finally, we reduce our reputation by killing Drienne's cat and threatening the ambassador at Helm&Cloak after charming one of her guards so we can recruit Dorn again and finish his questline - the fight is easy enough as the enemy wizard dies before she can get any defenses going:
The elven chain mail will be quite useful for Kriemhild. Next time, we will explore the city of Baldur's Gate.
Comments
Journal of Hal the Helmite.
This sidequest was quite time-consuming though I was successful and ended up at level 9.
Coldhearth is no more. He is a dead lich. It is deceased, It's passed on! The lich is no more! It has ceased to be! 'It's expired and gone to meet 'it's maker! It is bereft of life! etc.
Now at Troll Claw Woods.
So that's Ranger done, and you had a Shapeshifter previously... any others that got crossed off? Even if not, it's just 11 to go.
On that note, I'm going to abandon the Conjurer + Fighter/Mage/Thief run.
Reason: It became way too easy, even with SCS.
First, there are plenty of shops you can steal from in Athkatla.
Shortly after exiting Jon's dungeon, every frontliner had full plate mail, everyone had magical weapons including ranged such (with enormous amounts of different ammunition), and we were sporting roughly 120 buff potions, a virtually inexhaustible supply of healing potions, and ludicruous amounts of spell scrolls of all levels.
It would've gotten even more bizarre stealing everything from the Underdark stores, to the point where we'd struggle to hoard all of our ill-gotten gains. I know I could curtail myself and simply not steal anything, but that would basically mean the FMT spent 225ish of his points on nothing. And also...
Second, anything remotely resembing a Fighter/Mage is just too strong. All you really need is two 5th level arcane slots for Spell Immunity: Abjuration and Spell Shield, and you can just waltz through any encounter. Doesn't matter if that SI:A only lasts about a turn, with Improved Haste and Bless/Chant/Prayer/Recitation on an undispellable dual-wielder there'll be nothing left alive after five rounds.
Basically, I need to handicap myself a bit to keep the game interesting: Only using NPC's for party members and picking a slightly sub-optimal protagonist is usually enough.
Leaning towards a Necromancer, since I tend to use Invisibility/Invisibility 10' Radius as a crutch (and there's still no Necromancer in the Hall of Heroes).
So the list now should look like this:
Classes and kits still missing from the combined Hall of Heroes:
Stalker
Priest of Helm, Priest of Talos
Avenger
Abjurer, Conjurer, Diviner, Necromancer
Thief, Bounty Hunter
Necromancer should definitely be a decent challenge in a modded run, with a few crucial defensive tools and utility spells missing. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it
At first eveything in the Forest of Wyrms went swimmingly. The spiders' cave was no problem and when we came across the dragon Morentherene, Safana killed it with a songle thrown dagger.
The other dragon wasn't quite so easy, but Ziatar did fall.
We tried to separate some of our enemies but were unsuccessful.
While we were fighting Akanna the Neothelid turned up and used its poisonous breath.
However it was unable to enter the room and with some difficulty we defeated Akanna.
We were forced to use two extra healing potions in the midst of the actual battle , and afterwards we used several healing potions.
The problem then waas that the Neothelid blocked the exit and we were unable to attack it.
After trying various methods of attack which didn't work, I had the idea of summoning a skeleton beyond it in the corridor.
The Neothelid then moved slightly and we were able to attack it, killing it quite quickly.
We freed the Priestess of Baal and the Imprisonned Crusaders.
We then returned to the camp and rested.
[I was beginning to think that we wouldn't be able to leave the temple. I thought of various spells that would have helped such as a teleportation spell, but it wasn't memorised and we couldn't sleep. It took a bit of thinking outside the box.]
Rescuing the Imprisonned Crusaders resulted in us being able to enter the Crusader Camp. We found the ale and gave it to the Irregulars who are no threat to us. It was now time to proceed to Bridgefort.
Jegg made Morentherene's Scales into a very good shield which I gave to Minsc.
This is just so much fun, and I love the added challenge.
The 6 character party is all self created. The protagonist is an elven dragon disciple. There’s a dwarf defender, an inquisitor, a fighter/druid, a cleric/ranger, and an illusionist/thief.
We are just at the beginning of Siege of Dragonspear. I’m not sure if I’m going to play through the whole game or just export after I have the gear I really want, which is mostly the helm of Dumathoin.
Assuming I get that far in BG2, I’m not sure who will get the Defender of Easthaven; the dwarf defender or the cleric/ranger. They both can really benefit from it.
My plan is to eventually use as much regenerative gear as possible, and I won’t be assembling Crom Faeyr because I need as much strength boosting gear as possible. Inventory management is very tough with a game like this!
I'll look forwqard to following this.
Meanwhile Hal has stopped the Creeping darkness, however it is now time for bed.
Starting over with no gear in Chateau Irenicus is tough. I miss those gauntlets of Ogre Power a lot.
It’s a really interesting game play; you find yourself using spells like Strength and Strength of One, you use those potions of agility, fortitude, and all the strength potions a lot more.
I certainly didn't enjoy the fact that I was killed attempting to relieve Bridgefort.
I think that my tactics were at fault.
On second thoughts I think that it might have been the AI that was the problem as the characters were not doing as instructed.
I haven't played SoD enough to know how to play it.
I'm thinking that I should have used a lot more potions!
They are useless if you are dead!
EDIT
I ran a couple of thieves but didn't recruit other companions soon enough. Greywolf and Ingot killed them.
Corefighter X - dwarven fighter, protagonist (Corey_Russell)
Gloriana - human blackguard (Gate70)
Steel - human illusionist (Grond0)
So last session Steel had just spent the time looting unsecured chests from the thieves. Corefighter wanted to get the potion bag as his inventory was almost all potions. But no when the party tried to get to Watcher's Keep we got ambushed with Remfeld. So instead we came back to docks and returned Remfeld. Then we finally got to Watcher's Keep to get our potion bag.
Since we had a thief, we decided we could at least get the crimson dart. Also since Gloriana had level drain immunity we could handle the basic undead if they spawn in the library area (which they did). So getting the dart was successful. Then we peeked into the main room and no vampiric mists so we went ahead and cleared the entire level. We also fought the two statues to get the Foebane for Corefighter - Steel's spells were very helpful here.
Then we came back to the docks and did some quests here, such as dealing with Prebek and Sansha - improved invisibility was quite helpful here. Then we looted Harper's Hold. We tried to web Xzar's assassin but we couldn't quite kill her.
We tried to get to D'Arnise Keep through the Gate area but Steel used a spell and caused the Cowled Wizards to warn us. So we got our license since we had money to do so. We also got Sir Sarles quest. We went to Waukeen's Promenade to buy the allow then Sir Sarles didn't like our "solution" so we talked to Temple of Helm and they accepted our "art".
We just realized we hadn't yet done the slavers quests for Hendak so we worked on that. With two fighters leading the way, this went really welll, Hendak was restored as the leader. We also went into the sewers to get the Lilacor for Gloriana - this worked pretty well. Then we needed to rest before going into the slaver's hold but we got carrion crawlers. Corefighter foolishly attacked the crawlers since they couldn't hurt him. But then he was no longer invisible. But we rested just fine. We then went invisible and ambushed the slavers. While Gloriana and Corefighter were putting down a beat down on the enemies Steel was running for her life. Unfortunately she ran too close to the trolls and nearly died. We were victorious nevertheless. We did need to rest to heal then came back and then Steel used web on the wizards then we ranged attack them. Slavers cleared!
We reported to Hendak our success and also paid off Galen Bayle while we were in the area. We got our goodies from Linvail. Then we headed to Trademeet and used protection from petrification to get the shield of harmony. So now Corefighter is usually using Foebane and the shield to be safe.
We were about out of time so went to D'Arnise Keep and saved our session here.
After falling in SoD then in the Underdark, I try again a shapeshifter.
Game is mostly unmodded, beside Endless BG1, Borarskyr Bridge, Road to Discovery and Another Fine Hell, in order to enhance SoD experience. I play on insane without double damage.
Early BGEE part was smooth, beside Neera almost killing me with her Color Spray, and a ghast paralyzing Varuca :
For the party, I went for :
- Branwen then Yeslick
- Imoen then Coran
- Minsc using composite longbow
- Dynaheir
- Ajantis using bastard sword then Spider's Bane
I did my usual route, finishing chapter 2 and 3 (clearing first dryad pond area and gnolls fortress) early so I could recruit Coran as soon as possible. Then I did Ankhegs area, zombies farm, Ulcaster, Gullykin, Firewine.
I was lucky with this lightning bolt...
Oops, it wasn't over !
I then went to Cloudpeaks south of Nashkel for the archer's bracers.
It was then time for Cloackwood trail.
I needed to do some backtrack because of Davaeorn, and a forgotten potion of absorption.
I'm now in chapter 5, recovering the main items in BG.
After my shapeshifter run, I will probably try the stalker. I have one only in chapter 2, but backstabbing then piercing with arrows is already very fun.
Journal of Talossis the Tough and Black the Axe
Black and I realised that we were kindred spirits when an experienced Priest of Talos came to instruct us at Candlekeep. As we chatted we realised that unlike some evil characters we were quite happy to have a high reputation, indeed we revelled in the fact that others did not know our true nature. It would enable us to lead a far greater number of people and that would be neceassary if we were going to achieve our aims.
After the death of Gorion we headed with Imoen to the Sriendly Arms Inn where we left her with Joia after giving her a sword and Leather Armour.
Not realising that Sonner was also a follower of Talos, we killed him and his cohorts for the excellent flail that he mentioned.
Tenya was delighted to get her bowl back. Afterwards we hunted ankhegs and collected quite a few shells. We returned the body of Faemer Brun's son to him.
We then headed south to Nashkel where we acquired some ankheg armour which Black now wears. On the way we had called in at Beregost where we had calmed Marl, sold our shells and bought a decent sling for myself and an axe for Black.
We killed Greywolf, the command spell rendering his sword completely useless. When Zordral attacked us we killed him. We also reunited Albert and his dog.
Lena persuaded us to take Samuel's body to the FAI and whilst there returned Joia's ring to her and afterwards killed more ankheg.
I use command and Black does most of the killing!
Currently our main aim is to become more powerful and to equip ourselves better.
Safana joined us for a while and did some pickpocketting.
We now have excellent equipment for a thief and have also bought the robe of the good archmage for Dynaheir who has joined us. Having done that we are now poor.
We need to earn more gold and buy a lot of scrolls before recruiting a powerful team.
EDIT
Having done that we came across Dorn Nd recruited him.
We helped him against Kryll and returned to Nashkel where we were assaulted by Neira.
She cast Rigid Thinking with the result that Dorn started attacking commoners. To stop him, we were forced to kill him. Our reputation was already down at eight and we didn't want it to drop too low.
weidu.log
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~EEUITWEAKS/EEUITWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #1070 // Faydark's Abilities Auto-Roller/GrimLefourbe's BG2 UI: 4.0.6
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // Make Bags of Holding Bottomless: v16
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Increase Ammo Stack Size -> Unlimited ammo stacking: v16
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Increase Potion Stacking -> Unlimited potion stacking: v16
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1500 // Include arcane spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1510 // Include divine spells from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #1520 // Include bard songs from Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2000 // Install all spell tweaks (if you don't select this, you will be given a chance to choose by category): 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2500 // Add 9 new arcane spells: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2510 // Add 6 new divine spells (some borrowed from Divine Remix): 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #2520 // Revised elementals and elemental summoning: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #3505 // Wider selection of random scrolls: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4000 // More Appropriate-Speed Bears: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4020 // More realistic wolves and wild dogs: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4115 // Thieves assign skill points in multiples of five: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6300 // Smarter sirines and dryads: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6310 // Slightly smarter carrion crawlers: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6320 // Smarter basilisks: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7000 // Improved doppelgangers: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7010 // Tougher Black Talons and Iron Throne guards: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7020 // Improved deployment for parties of assassins: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7030 // Improved kobolds: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7040 // Relocated bounty hunters: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7050 // Improved Ulcaster: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7060 // Improved Balduran's Isle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7070 // Improved Durlag's Tower: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7080 // Improved Demon Cultists: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7090 // Improved Cloakwood Druids: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7100 // Improved Bassilus: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7110 // Improved Drasus party: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7130 // Improved Red Wizards: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7140 // Improved Undercity assassins: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7150 // Improved Carsa/Kahrk interaction: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7200 // Tougher chapter-two end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7210 // Tougher chapter-three end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7220 // Tougher chapter-four end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7230 // Tougher chapter-five end battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7250 // Improved final battle: 35.10
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #7900 // Improved minor encounters: 35.10
Auto-rolled chars.
Chapter 1. Killing spree, Imoen, Montaron, Neera, Marl and Algernon. Getting Algernon's cloak my reputation fell to 7 which is still ok not to lose Cavalier abilities.
Chapter 2. Got one invisibility potion from Nashkel manor and bought 3 scrolls from the High Hedge, and we reached Mulahey being Invisible. Charmed Mulahey with the Algernon's cloak first go and the Kobbo's killed him. Used the rest of the scrolls to escape the place.
Chapter 3. Bought our reputation to 12 and killed Dushai for the Free-Action ring. Dushai can be lured away, so that the rest of the people wont agro. Then we yet again bought our reputation to 12. Charmed Minsc casually killed Nimbul, after which we tried to use the same tactic against Tranzig with Charmed Marl. But then it got hairy as we didn't want to waste Invisibility potion and Tranzig saw us. He blinded Marl, and followed us to downstairs where he killed Jin. I was able to lead him back to Marl and we continued to hack and smack him, but both of our Scimitars shattered. We then had to got to the weaponsmith to buy weapons but he only had flails for me, so the battle took a while, and we spent all of our healing potions.
Raiken took us to the bandit camp, where Charmed Taurgosz got killed by Black Bear for the Full Plate. But before getting the papers we needed Invisibility. We did the reputation run and killing Mellicamp's Wolf, Jin got to lv3 which meant she got Protection from Petrification and we could do the Basilisk xp-loop. We bought a Green PfP scroll and 35 Stone to Flesh scrolls. Jin cast PfP on Vanderley and we Charmed the lesser Basilisk and used the Green PfP on it. XP-looping Greater Basilisk went well, and soon we were out of the scrolls. Before leaving we petrified all in the level. Got the Slashing Belt from Kirian. Vanderley lv7, Jin lv9.
Spell Book for Baldur's Gate.
lv1 Chromatic Orb, Identify, Magic Missile, PfP, Sleep
lv2 Blur, Knock, Melf's Acid Arrow, Mirror Image
lv3 Haste, Invisibility 10', Skull Trap
lv4 Emotion Courage, Emotion Hope
Chapter 4. Cloakwood passed with Invisibility right-click looting stuff. Got Scimitar +2. After reaching the mines we left to the Durlag's Tower. Molkar waylay happened so we took a free charming attempt, which worked. We got a Heroism potion and other stuff. We looted Durlag's Tower with Invisibility and got another Scimitar +2. Charmed Riggolo killed Ghost and was then killed by Ghasts. Lamalha waylay happened and again the free Charm attempt worked. Got Power potion. Bought One Gift Lost, and bombed Denak's party out of sight for the Ring of Energy. Bought Greenstone Amulet, Sandthief Ring and recharged all including WoMS. With Power, Cloud, Emotions Vanderley got Thac0 to -2 and with 15 hits from WoMS we downed Drizzt for his Scimitar's. My reputation fell from 19 to 9 and we used 3600 gold to get it back to 16. Back in the mines we Charmed named mine Guards one by one and they got killed. Then we used Invisibility to reach Davaeorn's personal Guard, which we Charmed with the Cloak. He then lured the Battle Horros's away, KO'd Davaeorn casually and we then gave the killing blow.
Chapter 5. In Baldur's Gate we Charmed Ragefast, emptied him from spells and then killed him. Ramazith Stunned with the Wand and killed. Lothander was pre-Charmed, stopped from leaving, Stunned and we got second pair of Speed Boots. WoMS handled Marek and Seven Suns. In Iron Throne we Charmed Naaman, who lured Kaalos and Shennara back to be killed with WoMS. All was going well but trying to kill Diyab others found us. We lured everybody to the small room with WoMS, and Vanderley went Invisible blocking the door and locking everyone inside. Jin then blasted them freely with Fireballs. Alai and Dobbelgangers died, and WoMS then cleaned up.
Chapter 6. Ogre Mage waylay passed with 2 Invisibility potions. Iron Throne leaders were Charmed and killed. Looted Candlekeep bare and left.
Chapter 7. Hasted and Charmed Larze and WoMS took care of Slythe and Krystin. In the Palace we charmed the Shaman and Mage, and then easily killed the three Greater Dobbelgangers and the Assassin. Then we waited Shaman to transform and he was easily killed, as was the Mage soon after. In Durlag's Tower we managed to separate Love and Fear from the rest of the Warders. With WoMS and Ring of Energy we eventually killed Love, but it took a lot of time being Slowed constantly and casting Greenstone Amulet. Got the Durlag's Goblet which Cavalier can use naturally. Did all the mundane stuff, hoarding a lot of gems and stuff for SoD. Nothing really interesting happened.
Vanderley and Jin vs. Sarevok was kind of anticlimactic as we bombed them all out of sight with 2 WoF's and a single PfU against the Skelis.
Nothing really bothered Cavalier and Sorcerer, interestingly Tranzig gave us most trouble as we tried to save one Invisibility potion. And in Iron Throne not all went as planned. On SoD we go.
Currently, the following entries would have to be added to the hall of heroes:
Firl, the Invoker: @Enuhal
Notable Mods: None
Difficulty: Core Rules
Start: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1201871/#Comment_1201871
Finish: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1202927/#Comment_1202927
Kybele, the Shapeshifter: @Enuhal
Notable Mods: None
Difficulty: Core Rules
Start: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1204505/#Comment_1204505
Finish: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1205063/#Comment_1205063
Mandara, the Ranger: @Enuhal
Notable Mods: None
Difficulty: Core Rules
Start: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1206775/#Comment_1206775
Finish: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1207006/#Comment_1207006
There might have been another successful entry that I might've missed, but I can't recall right now. If someone has another one to add, please quickly mention it
The list of missing classes and kits from the combined hall of heroes should right now look like this:
Stalker
Priest of Helm, Priest of Talos
Avenger
Abjurer, Conjurer, Diviner, Necromancer
Thief, Bounty Hunter
Thank you in advance,
Enuhal
The topic is a marvel, it currently has 975.6K views so it will pass the 1 mln mark in no time.
Edit: The missing entries are now in. There are also some older entries with some missing information, I will try to track that down in the coming days if I can.
If there's a community consensus on any other changes / additions that should be made to the opening post, we can talk about changing something else as well, though I currently don't see anything that needs to be done
@histamiini Welcome back! I've been following some of your runs in the SCS+LoB Solo thread a couple of years ago. Looking forward to your SoD performance
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/904216/#Comment_904216
There's one piece of info that was missing - it concerns @Grond0 - your solo wild mage, Hale:
The original entry:
Character: Hale
Race: Elf
Class: Wild Mage, solo(!)
Entered by: Grond0
(the runs starts here: http://blackstrider.net/public_html/bg1-full/baldurs-gate-1-no-reload-challenge/forum.bioware.com/topic/124374-baldurs-gate-1-no-reload-challenge/page-449.html#entry17192212 )
There was no line for the game difficulty setting in the hall entry - I've now added core rules because all your entries around the time were played on core rules, but maybe you can confirm that for me if you remember it, because right now it's only based on conjecture - the old opening post to the run doesn't seem to state anything in terms of difficulty.
Cavalier & Sorcerer continued to SoD.
Intro. Invisibility to Porios who surrendered. Invisibility and PfU to Korlasz, then 8 Fireball Invisibility combos to get her hurt enough so that she surrendered immediatelly when talked to. Nothing really interesting happened in Baldur's Gate, except we slew Viconia for her Circlet, which gives -1 saves for mages. Nobody cares if you kill her. Also sold some of my jewels I hoarded, so I could buy all the interesting stuff before leaving.
Chapter 8. Teleria and her Golem won't aggro if you kill them before talking. Listened Dwarves getting killed, picked up the 5 amulets, and made a deal with the lich and he promised the Undead would help me when Crusaders attack. Hid behind the tent for the parlay. Sided with the Vampire for the -3 Thac0 Troll Stone, buffed up and with the WoMS it was easily done.
Chapter 9. Jin got to lv10. Morentherene daggered, Ziatar burned afar. Neothelid was no match for buffed up Cavalier. Nor was Akanna, as WoMS kept company with the Aerial Servants. We took one Charm attempt with Shallen for the Archer's Eyes, but it didn't work and I didn't want to risk fighting the mob. Lv9 for Vanderley. Fort was surrendered and the Bridge Mage interrupted with Ring of Energy before killing the enemies.
Chapter 10. Did all the mundane quests. Undead cave was bombed with Fireballs using PfU. Ferrusk bombed out of sight with Fireballs. Used PfU on Zhadroth and we killed him casually, although he managed to Dispel us once. Got the Spell Sequencer robe for Jin who also got to max level. Casually looted Hephernaan chests for Crown of Lies with Chaotic Commands stopping the maze trap, and then we escaped with Speed and Invisibility.
For the Crusaders we buffed with 2x PfF, PfC, PfE, PfA, PfP, Mind Focusing, Storm, Absorbtion, Magic Protection, Heroism, Speed, Invulnerabilty and Clarity. Troll wave was quickly done after pre-casting 30 Skull Traps from scrolls, spells and sequencer. For the mages we pre-cast 5 Cloudkills, 5 Skelis, used Detect Illusions from Clasp of Helm and attacked. We were doing well, until we got Dispelled. No matter as all were still pretty quickly defeated, didn't lose single Skeli. But we needed to buff again before the next wave. With the Cavaliers we ganged on Rhyala, and prevented her Dispel with Ring of Energy. Had to use WoMS as Skelis got killed. But with 2 refreshes from Durlag's Goblet it was done. Auziel survived which was impressive. We refreshed our 1 hour buffs and with 4 refreshes from the Goblet the final wave was also done.
Ashatiel was no match 1on1 with Cavalier. We used leave level trick with Trix and we got to the lift without fighting anybody. For Belhifet we had the two best designs in LoB difficulty, Cavalier with Champions Strength scrolls, and Martyr's Morgingstar with Enchanted Weapon. We decided to only use the Martyr's and Jin cast Enchancted Weapon on Vanderley, there're two scrolls in SoD. We arrived with about 500hp from Heroism potions and escaped Bels Dispel. Jin hit him with Strength Strength sequencers to worsen his Thac0 by 3. In the end it wasn't close and only needed 5 refreshes from the Goblet. Jin was killed the second time in the playthrough so Vanderley resurrected her before leaving.
On SoA we go.
Jehu the Shaman: @Neverused
Notable Mods: ?
Difficulty: ?
Start: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1111095/#Comment_1111095
End: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1114776/#Comment_1114776
Blaggerd the Blackguard: @Gate70
Notable Mods: ?
Difficulty: ?
Start: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1110570/#Comment_1110570
End: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1112293/#Comment_1112293
Michio the Illusionist: @Gate70
Notable Mods: ?
Difficulty: ?
Start: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1113032/#Comment_1113032
End: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/1115359/#Comment_1115359
If @Neverused and @Gate70 read this at some points and could help to fill in the information on mods and difficulty, it would be greatly appreciated.
Corefighter X - dwarven fighter, protagonist (Corey_Russell)
Gloriana - human blackguard (Gate70)
Steel - human illusionist (Grond0)
The party got a lot done today. Our first order of business was D'Arnise Keep. The two front fighters and with 3 bow users killing the trolls once they were down was trivial. The party did very well here. The Yuan-ti mage's chaos was not useful with Corefighter being protected by his shield of harmony and Gloriana protected by her Lilacor. The mage went down very quickly. Glaicas did a bit better putting quite the beat down on Corefighter despite Corefighter's -9 AC -- however, Corefighter had lots of extra healing potinos and used them plenty to keep together Glaicas goes down. Cloriana appreciated the armor upgrade. The golems were pretty easy, with Crimson Dart and Azuredge finishing off the Iron Golem through the doorway so the Iron Golem couldn't hit us. Gloriana had the watch the sport while the rest of the party finished off the golem.
Umber Hulks not going to be very effective with the confusion protection the fighters have. Some snares were laid for Torgal, and he wasn't able to last very long nor did his buddies. Corefighter decided to assume the mantle of master of the keep, though he might not ever return.
After selling at Watcher's Keep Corefighter had a bunch of stuff for the "bank" (a chest in Waukeen's Promenade we use to store things we don't need right away or much later). Gloriana lamented hey can we turn in this bear I've been carrying forever? Sure we returned the bear to Wellyn, then dealt with some grave robbers we found in the area - that's OUR job! Corefighter noticed we still hadn't been to Umar Hills, so we worked on that.
The surface quests are pretty easy in the village with the mimic unable to hold Corefighter because of his shield of harmony. We ran into a little bit of problem with Corefighter surrounded by undead and his party was no where near him. However his -9 AC plus his Foebane steadily ore the enemies down with them not being able to hit him easily - his party did eventually came to his aid.
Tie for the old temple surface area. The party didn't bother with the mirror and just beat down the undead and this worked out slowly but well all the same. The interior of the temple went pretty well as well. The worst of the undead was skeletal warriors so not too bad -- also Corefighter tried out Azuredge despite having no proficiency in axes but the axe did quite well even killing skeletal warriors with its death effect which isn't easy with the good saving throws of the skeletal warriors. A shadow wanted to talk to our leader but Gloriana said how about talk to my sword instead.
Dragon was next target. Gloriana did have negative plane protection and also ilbratha and Steel loaded up a bunch of blinds and we laid 7 snares (via rests). Time for the battle! The snares were doing a lot of damage and also the fighters were getting hits in. It ook 3 tries but think a 3rd blind finally landed then the dragon fell shortly thereafter0.
For the shade lord we used improved invisibility on all party members so we wouldn't die to FoD - this worked great and the Azuredge claimed the Shade Lord's life. We ran into some issues with Corefighter resting when his party hadn't finished leveling up - Whoops!
We needed to go to Waukeen's Promenade to get the shield of balduran and a robe of Vecna and AC 3 bracers for Steel. While were were we took on Mencar and friends. A chaos and stinking cloud/fireball worked out well and even Brennan Risling failed to escape. He was the last survivor but strangely didn't run and instead backstabbed Corefighter and stayed and died. Corefighter took huge damage but Corefighter also has huge HP so he was OK.
Not a lot of time left over, we decided to head to druid's grove and that will be our target next session.
Introducing Livia, neutral halfling thief - exploring SCS v35
So, going through old runs for the hall updates got me interested into going for my next run. However, the vanilla playthroughs I've been doing for a while now have been getting a bit stale. I thought about doing a randomized party, but I've done that quite a few times already. However, I once tried a randomized party with SCS installed - that was fun, but ended relatively early in the iron mines, as it can obviously be quite challenging. That got me to check out the G3 website, only to see that late last year, a big new version of SCS had been released, and I never even heard about it. There are some huge updates - around 15 completely new spells that open up new strategic options and paths of attack (a lot of them are of the elemental damage variety, and not fire/magical, so only protecting from fire/magical damage is possibly no longer enough against high level SCS mages (depending on how the new spells are integrated in the scripts). Protection from the elements and from energy might get a huge increase in power level. There are also pretty big changes to current spells, especially shapeshifting ones and elemental summonings. I didn't have the patience to study the entire readme, but there's a lot going on. A new resting system is included, limiting your rests via camping supplies depending on your difficulty rating (6 on tactical, 4 on hard, 2 on insane as far as I can tell) - they get refreshed when you rest at an inn, and the different rooms at inns now give some small resting bonus, similiar to Pillars of Eternity (I love that feature in PoE, so looking forward to it here) - however, the prices are also increased to reflect their new usefulness. I limit my rests pretty heavily already, so that fits with my playstyle. I am playing on tactical - 6 seems a bit too much, I'm never resting that much anyway. I would actually prefer to have the restrictions of insane, but I don't want to deal with that level of spellcaster preparation when I don't even know any of the new spells and haven't read through all the changes to current ones. The chance of randomly getting killed by something I've never even heard of is still there on tactical, but would be quite high on insane.
I'm also not doing a randomized party (yet?). There's a good chance of not having divine or arcane spellcasters in such a party, which would prevent me from trying out all the new stuff, so I'm going custom made for this exploratory run. I am still trying to get a new class into the hall, and since there's no thief run currently going, and my last one failed very early on, I'm trying my hand at that one again.
My customized party:
Livia, true neutral halfling thief:
The alignment is just to prevent holy smites/unholy blights, though it will lock me out of some alignment-restricted gear. Agrippina will be serving as the face character in BG1. This is a completionist run, so unlike in my last few playthroughts, we will be visiting TotSC content and SoD.
So far, we've started exploring many wilderness areas. Starting with a full party of six, including 4 spellcasters, we have the options to tackle some harder encounters even early on. I'm not too afraid of lower level SCS spellcasters on tactical, as they don't get their short duration buffs yet (which means that they often spend their first round casting mirror image). Tarnesh, as an example, is able to survive Livia's backstab here - but he can't survive Nibel's command spell and a barrage of attacks from everyone else:
This run is updated to its current status with each post, so unlike in my previous posts, I didn't play ahead - you know as much as I do about how things will go. So far, no new spells encountered yet (also no scrolls of them found). Still, that will hopefully change soon. The resting bonuses are a bit hard to use currently, it seems, due to long travel times and their durations being somewhat limited (though maybe the travel time from Beregost to Bassilus will be low enough for me to use one for him). I can, however, see them being very useful in the big city later on, because you get to fight in close proximity to the inns (also true for Athkatla in BG2).
I've just changed the portraits to make them look more like brothers.
https://gibberlings3.github.io/Documentation/readmes/subdocuments_dw/tof_desc_arcane.html
https://gibberlings3.github.io/Documentation/readmes/subdocuments_dw/tof_desc_divine.html
However, I've gotten to test some of the low level ones by now in this playthrough - and so far, a lot of them are quite buggy, as will be documented in this update:
Livia, halfling thief - exploring SCS v35, update 1
We start in the cloudpeak mountains, using our usual tools such as blindness, hold person etc. to deal with more powerful groups of enemies:
Well, Bassilus is weaker than expected, maybe he has been nerfed in some recent SCS update, maybe it's because I'm only playing on tactical (in a previous insane playthrough, he started with a pre-cast aerial servant in additon to other buffs) - he also fails to save against silence, so there's that:
We do encounter a basilisk ambush. Luckily, I alway buy the mirrored eyes potions when I first move to Ulgoth's Beard for just such an occasion:
Well, we move on to the sword coast. Spirit lions are immune to charm at our level, skeletons as well, and we have a berserker, so sirens are easy to kill. Arkushule gets stunned by the stupefier:
Oh, I have no screenshots of this, but I also tried out the stonefist spell, which should give arcane spellcasters an AC bonus of 2 and the ability to release the power of the spell in a touch-range punch with a chance to stun. The punch works (however, your weapon slot is disabled until you use it), but the AC bonus does not, making the spell fairly useless (and, once again, bugged). Faerie fire, as mentioned in my first post, does seem to work but the AoE isn't that great as it is likely to hit your own melee fighters, so I stick to alicorn lance for that effect if I want it. Resist acid and corrosion works as well (its just 50% acid resistance, stacks with the green scroll - I've tried it for ankheg hunting - however its duration is so short at low levels that its not worth it at all). I've yet to try protection from good (no reason to use that one yet). I've noticed Fiendish Warding is in my clerics spellbook despite him not being evil, lets see if I get that if the run continues for that long. I've yet to find a scroll for "Turn Pebble to Boulder" or "Telekinesis" (which I might get the levels for in late BG1 and SoD) - the level 8+9 spells will, of course, have to wait. Looking forward to testing minor lightning bolt (my next scroll scribing session might be only in the big city, though, or maybe once I get access to 4th level spells on Octavia so she can learn the stoneskin scroll we got from Neera's quest). Once I get minor sequencer, I will see what I can do with ice knife, combust and minor lightning bolt with that added into the mix. Also looking forward to test the new polymorph self.
However that didn't prevent me from accepting the goods that my brother acquired in Candlekeep. After all my alignment is NOT lawful.
Shank the assassin proved to be quite dangerous.
Confirmed - all my successful runs have been on core difficulty.
Thanks for taking on all that work to keep things up to date @Enuhal and best of luck with your current run - sounds like that should keep the interest level going for you.
Nice to see you back in action as well @histamiini - you still seem to be making the difficult look all too easy
Livia, halfling thief - exploring SCS v35, update 2
We start at the Nashkel mines - a few sleep spells and a command for the kobold shaman get us to Mulahey:
Before quitting for now, we also do a few small things in the big city - first, taking down the necromancers at sorcerous sundries with some forest being confusions (one of them is able to skull trap us after a successful save before dying to arrows):