Oster said "I'm sure we'll have something else for you"
Arcalian
Member Posts: 359
And similar comments have been made by other blue posters on these boards.
So here's my fanboy pitch for Throne of Bhaal: Enhanced Edition/Adventure XYZ/whatever you want to call it:
THE BHAALSPAWN WAR
There are other powerful Bhaalspawn besides just the Five running about, and running amok. Not as powerful as the Five, but still very strong. Maybe some of them didn't "Make the cut" for the Five as far as Mellisan was concerned, and could be killed later by her, or the armies of the Five. Or maybe she manipulates you into killing them too. Or maybe the Solar says confronting them is part of your Destiny. Or whatever.
New maps east and south of the TOB map, or perhaps you just teleport to wherever they are via pocket plane, and the maps aren't directly connected to the TOB ones. Maybe Sarevok's researches into the sect of Cyric gave him the clue to where they are, if you take him into the party.
These other Bhaalspawn include (but are not limited to):
*A Derro. Perhaps he is feuding with Sendai, and she took some of his people captive, and that's where the Derro slave in her tunnels came from. The Derro Bhaalspawn's own underground lair includes creepy rotating platforms of deadly traps, etc. and lots of Derro coming for your head.
*A Sorcerer. He sits smugly atop his tower in some wilderness area. Think Ramazith's tower in BG but way more epic. And before you even enter it, he's raining fireballs and lightning bolts down on you. Maybe he's got a Dragon ally or two, maybe some demons. Maybe one of his own lieutenants is a recruitable party member, especially if you're evil.
*A pirate lord out in the sea. Smarter then Desharik, and less of a slimeball than Saemon (Saemon's probably crossed him in the past), he's resisted being pulled into the greater Bhaalspawn conflict, instead amassing a mighty fleet with which to harass the coast, sating his Bhaalspawn bloodlust by wreaking havoc as all pirates do, but on a more epic scale. He avoided the Five and kept his identity secret, even from his own followers. At least, he managed that until you came along....
And of course, new party members! The aforementioned sorcerer's lieutenant. Perhaps a warrior/mage from Suldanessalar whom Ellesime sent along to keep an eye on you. One of the Derro's prisoners/slaves. A shadowdancer in Saradush, a mercenary looking for a party outside Watcher's Keep. (Maybe that one could be recruitable for SOA as well?) Maybe a Bhaalspawn is trapped/hiding out in Watcher's Keep. Could be a party member....or they might just be out to kill you.
Let it Begin! The Bhaalspawn war isn't over until all are dead, or standing alongside you to take out Mellisan in the final battle!
So here's my fanboy pitch for Throne of Bhaal: Enhanced Edition/Adventure XYZ/whatever you want to call it:
THE BHAALSPAWN WAR
There are other powerful Bhaalspawn besides just the Five running about, and running amok. Not as powerful as the Five, but still very strong. Maybe some of them didn't "Make the cut" for the Five as far as Mellisan was concerned, and could be killed later by her, or the armies of the Five. Or maybe she manipulates you into killing them too. Or maybe the Solar says confronting them is part of your Destiny. Or whatever.
New maps east and south of the TOB map, or perhaps you just teleport to wherever they are via pocket plane, and the maps aren't directly connected to the TOB ones. Maybe Sarevok's researches into the sect of Cyric gave him the clue to where they are, if you take him into the party.
These other Bhaalspawn include (but are not limited to):
*A Derro. Perhaps he is feuding with Sendai, and she took some of his people captive, and that's where the Derro slave in her tunnels came from. The Derro Bhaalspawn's own underground lair includes creepy rotating platforms of deadly traps, etc. and lots of Derro coming for your head.
*A Sorcerer. He sits smugly atop his tower in some wilderness area. Think Ramazith's tower in BG but way more epic. And before you even enter it, he's raining fireballs and lightning bolts down on you. Maybe he's got a Dragon ally or two, maybe some demons. Maybe one of his own lieutenants is a recruitable party member, especially if you're evil.
*A pirate lord out in the sea. Smarter then Desharik, and less of a slimeball than Saemon (Saemon's probably crossed him in the past), he's resisted being pulled into the greater Bhaalspawn conflict, instead amassing a mighty fleet with which to harass the coast, sating his Bhaalspawn bloodlust by wreaking havoc as all pirates do, but on a more epic scale. He avoided the Five and kept his identity secret, even from his own followers. At least, he managed that until you came along....
And of course, new party members! The aforementioned sorcerer's lieutenant. Perhaps a warrior/mage from Suldanessalar whom Ellesime sent along to keep an eye on you. One of the Derro's prisoners/slaves. A shadowdancer in Saradush, a mercenary looking for a party outside Watcher's Keep. (Maybe that one could be recruitable for SOA as well?) Maybe a Bhaalspawn is trapped/hiding out in Watcher's Keep. Could be a party member....or they might just be out to kill you.
Let it Begin! The Bhaalspawn war isn't over until all are dead, or standing alongside you to take out Mellisan in the final battle!
7
Comments
I really like the idea of a bigger longer ToB, but SoA will always be bigger than it, so adding NPC's to just the expansion seems like a bit of a silly idea to me. Sure the way Sarevok was implemented was great, but that was just one NPC, if we get 3 or 4 it would be nice to get them in SoA, so we can learn about them, do a quest or 2 for them, romance them and then have quests they could resolve in ToB.
I agree, it's the RP/Social elements that are so sorely missed in TOB.
One way would be to use the pocket plane abilities for the NPC.
It says at one point, "it takes you where you need to go".
Well what if Edwin needed to go to Thay?
Minsc needed to return to tell them about Dynaheir?
Haer'Dalis needed to help out Raelis on a different plane?
Aerie needed to return and find her family?
ect. ect.
Within that set up, you could also get an understanding of how the Bhaalspawn saga is viewed from different perspectives. Some places would help, some would just want you dead, you'd be put in the situation where you either had to escape or persuade people to change their minds.
You have dragged these people with you for months, it wouldn't be immersion breaking for Charname to realise that they owe their companions some loyalty and help if they wanted them to stay and fight alongside them for the throne.
I agree with others that the expansion really lacks a roleplaying and social impetus. Dont get me wrong I still love ToB but I could easily call it "romancing Viconia while fightin" since thats all I did.
I just think ToB would benefit greatly from something that allows you and your party to stretch your legs and find your voices - that is doing it completely removed from the slaying of other Bhaalspawn.
I know it was only a small encounter with virtually no flexibility but one of the parts of ToB I enjoyed was that Oasis where you meet that Tombelthan fellow. I know its connected to the Bhaalspawn still but it at least originated from and represented a connection to something outside of it. It reminded you there was more going on in the world than just Bhaalspawn slaughtering eachother.
So yeah Im of the view that ToB has far too much carnage and combat already. Id love to see a little more socialising and subtlety and interaction with your party if it was to ever happen.
That or Baldur's Gate III: Your Dick Dad Is Back
In a perfect world BG2 would have capped a bit earlier (like 2-2.5m XP) and ToB would have filled the gap up until 5-6m XP. Within a full 50hr of gameplay.
XP in ToB is a dime a dozen and level ups are pointless.
Bhaal's return is based on the events of the novels and thus should be ignored/severely altered by anyone using them.
I've yet to see an explanation for exactly how and why Myrkul comes back.