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"Maybe this time" [NO-RELOAD THREAD]: "The Tale of TEN THOUSAND Trials"

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  • Corey_RussellCorey_Russell Member Posts: 996
    Congrats Enuhal! Hopefully your band of misfits can keep up their good work in BG 2. I would think it would be a bit easier in BG 2, in part due to some of the powerful weapons (helping things like Thac0), but also more powerful spells and summons. BG 1 is the real slog with a true random party.
    Wise_GrimwaldJuliusBorisovlolien
  • Corey_RussellCorey_Russell Member Posts: 996
    As an aside about random parties, I've ran them at least a dozen times, but only once did one of my parties make it into Amn.
    JuliusBorisovBlind_Visionarylolien
  • EnuhalEnuhal Member Posts: 920
    Thanks Corey_Russell. I have some experience with randomized parties in BG2 (2 of my randomized triology attempts did make it to BG2 before, but more importantly, I used to do randomized parties in a BG2+ToB-only challenge and once had success), and in my opinion, while BG2 isn't as painful as early BG1, there are still some relatively tough stages: Early BG2 is still quite hard if you're used to normal parties, so I'll have to go for the easiest quests possible, and some enemies with high physical damage like golems can be especially rough - but as you say, if you get some of the more powerful equipment, things get easier.
    The one thing that doesn't really get better are the hp scores, so I basically try to play as if I'd be playing on insane difficulty, which is fairly accurate, since decent characters might have double the hp my party currently has. Luckily, the fact that I have an arcane spellcaster this time does negate many of the usual problems a randomized party tends to face in BG2 and especially ToB.
    lolien
  • Corey_RussellCorey_Russell Member Posts: 996
    I see. In BG 2, wouldn't MMM be useful against golems if you have an arcane party member? With proper buffs the arcane can even tank the golems. Finally, High AC (such as a tank using Fortress Shield - though granted if he isn't strong enough to use that, that's a problem, but even a weak tank can use the Shield of Harmony) plus using things like Ilbratha, improved invisibility via spell or RoAC can boost a tank against a golem, even a tank with poor stats. But if you are desparate, guess someone can run around while the rest of the party ranges...
  • EnuhalEnuhal Member Posts: 920
    I do indeed count on stoneskin+MI to solve my golem problem, which is one of the reasons I mentioned that having an arcane spellcaster will make this attempt certainly easier. Owain, who, by the way, has 25 max hp right now, will ironically be by far my best tank (though that's generally always the case with arcane spellcasters once you reach BG2 and get the really powerful defensive spells).

    The "running around" thing is often not possible against golems (they tend to be hasted and can also slow your party down), which is one of the reasons they can be so tough. They also kill summons really quickly, and good ac isn't really something you get if none of the characters capable of using a shield or even any armor at all has a dexterity bonus to ac. Plus, the gauntlets of dexterity aren't available early on, and even a character with a good ac score is taking a huge risk trying to tank a golem - golems are still very capable of dealing damage faster than the character can drink healing potions. The other dangerous thing about them is that, due to their high damage output, they sometimes chunk killed characters, which is obviously terrible if you're not allowed to simply pick up another NPC.

    Let's not get too off topic, though. I'm sure that, with Owain in my party, golems won't be the thing that ends my run (famous last words, I know).

    Enuhal
    lolien
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    edited August 2016
    Aethel has picked up Gavin, mainly for RP reasons, killed Bassilus, Zargal et al, Shoal and Droth, the Sirenes nearby, the gnolls attacking Drizzt, the bandits and the half-ogres nearby. Took a lot longer to do than to write.

    The priest at the Morninglord Temple has asked Aethel to deasl with Mutamin. Before setting off, Aethel bought Imoen a new robe that gives +2 to armour protection and 30% magic resistance. Back to being poor again!!!
    ussnorwaySerg_BlackStriderlolien
  • Corey_RussellCorey_Russell Member Posts: 996
    Good points @Enuhal - but you are also right, wouldn't want to lead the thread astray. But I'm sure some readers of this thread are finding it educational, not realizing the challenges a true random stat party has in trying to complete no-reload.
    lolien
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903


    Re your Icewind Dale game, you are certainly enticing me to try it. I have already bought it as part of a bundle.

    ussnorway said:

    I may fire up icewind next as well

    I would also strongly recommend trying out Undertale itself. I wrote a review of it here:
    https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/47215/undertale#latest
    Wise_Grimwaldlolien
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848


    Re your Icewind Dale game, you are certainly enticing me to try it. I have already bought it as part of a bundle.

    ussnorway said:

    I may fire up icewind next as well

    I would also strongly recommend trying out Undertale itself. I wrote a review of it here:
    https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/47215/undertale#latest
    I have played BG1 without killing ANYONE! I played a number of games where Sarevok was my only death, but then one of these games there was a trap went off which set off a lightning bolt and simultaneously one of his cohorts shot at my character with an arrow of explosions. I don't know which killed him as at the time I was out of his sight.

    When I finished, my favourite weapon was fists. I used Algernon's cloak to charm opponents so that Mulahey was killed by his summoned monsters and Davaeopn by the battle horrors.

    I got a real buzz when Sarevok also fell at the hands of his cohorts as well.
    semiticgoddessJuliusBorisovBlind_Visionarylolien
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Very inventive, @Wise_Grimwald. That sounds cool.
    JuliusBorisov
  • ussnorwayussnorway Member Posts: 341

    I have just made a new one here: Duh! Perhaps it ought to be deleted if there are already ones out there:

    https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/61065/making-portraits-for-baldurs-gate-ee-bg2-ee-icewind-dale-ee-and-the-vanilla-games-too/p1?new=1

    I'm sure we can fill it up Wise... I know you have at least a doz of your own that could be placed in that thread if you want to?
    Wise_Grimwald
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    edited August 2016
    Aethel and party went to Durlag's Tower and cleared the upper reaches of it of enemies. Imoen used knock to open the chests as she hasn't got her thieving abiluities back yet. She was fortunate to find a knock scroll on the body of one of the deceased enemies after an ambush.

    William used the tome to increase wisdom and now has extra spells.

    On exit a number of items were sold in order to buy a wand of fire.

    This was used to wipe out a party of evil adventurers in the basilisk area. They were webbed and so not too much of a problem.

    Aethel then used a potion of haste and the scroll of protection from petrification to enable her to wipe out the basilisks, medusae and finally Mutamin. After doing this Imoen got her thieving abilities back.

    After telling the Morningmaster of their exploits, they went to visit Gavin's home.

    Unfortunately his parents were not at home. Another poster has had the same problem so I will have to read the thread in detail to find the answer to the problem. Probably a mod conflict.

    The thread did not help. Does anybody know the creature code for Gavin's parents?
    ussnorwayDyaraJuliusBorisovlolien
  • Corey_RussellCorey_Russell Member Posts: 996
    I don't know the answer to your question @Wise_Grimwald - but you probably could have guessed that since you know I don't use mods...good luck with your search for answers for that.
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    edited August 2016
    @semiticgod I like the write-up. :)

    @Enuhal
    I'm enjoying your write-up, but Luna doesn't look very much like a half-orc to me. There are a number of female orc portraits available on the web if you are interested.
    https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A7x9UkwmwL5XkA0AR1iP3olQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBsYWhiN2NvBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2lyMgR2dGlkAw--?_adv_prop=image&fr=yhs-mozilla-102&va=half+orc+portraits+female&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-102
    JuliusBorisovsemiticgoddesslolien
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,714
    @Wise_Grimwald In order to find a code for Gavin's parents, use NearInfinity and search in the program - https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/802573/#Comment_802573
    semiticgoddesslolien
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903

    @semiticgod I like the write-up. :)

    Thank you! I try to make my posts very image-dense, and post battle turning points round-by-round, which I think gives a strong impression of what's really going on in the more exciting parts of the run.
    JuliusBorisovlolien
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    edited August 2016
    @Grond0 The links to your photos don't work. I checked to ensure that photobucket is not down. It isn't so there is another problem.

    I am waiting for a solution to a bug in my Aethel, Wilfred and William game and in the meantime will start an Icewind Dale game. I haven't downloaded the mods yet though. I haven't yet bought the IWD EE game though I probably will. However since it is ages since I played IWD and I have never played it modded, now is possibly the time to unearth it again.
    JuliusBorisovlolien
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,305
    edited August 2016

    @Grond0 The links to your photos don't work. I checked to ensure that photobucket is not down. It isn't so there is another problem.

    I get confused as the methodology for posting images on these Forums has changed at least twice in recent months - so the appropriate format is different depending on whether I'm making a new post or updating an old one. I suspect you looked at the post while I was fiddling with it - the images now display OK to me :)
    JuliusBorisovWise_Grimwaldlolien
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    I have so many more screenshots than I post. Every time I have to edit my comment and X out all the unused ones.

    Brevity good!
    Grond0JuliusBorisovlolien
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