Timer on Edwin's quest? (spoiler)

Son_of_Imoen

Note: this is my first time with Edwin in the party and I haven't progressed the quest yet beyond what I describe, so please be careful to not spoil the plot.

My question is this (spoiler warning for those who didn't take Edwin at all ever):




I took Edwin in my party for the first time and found out his quest starts when entering the Graveyard districts and he talks about wanting to get the Nether scroll. I advanced up to the point where it turns out you have to fight a Lich to continue the quest (I tried talking and the Lich stayed non-hostile, but then Edwin interfered and I had to fight anyway). But for the easy Lich in the Underdark and a lucky hit once when conquering Daystar I have never defeated a Lich in BG2 and feel really intimidated by it.

What I did, is reload to a save before his quest triggered and I wanted to avoid the Graveyard, so as not to start a timer on Edwin's quest, as I fear I might lose him if I take the quest so I planned to only get to the Graveyard when I return from Spellhold. But now I'm about to start chapter 3 and want to try taking Bodhi's side (which I have also never done), but that means entering the Graveyard and that means Edwin's quest will trigger.


So will it be possible to enter the Graveyard (so Edwin's quest will trigger), do quests for Bodhi, get to Spellhold and only afterwards finish Edwin's quest or will that turn of events make Edwin impatient and leave?


I ask to refrain from spoiling me about how Edwin's plot unravels, just tell if it's safe to wait for that long.

Tresset

There is a timer that will start once you enter the graveyard. I don't think Edwin leaves if you ignore his quest, but I am not 100% sure. He does complain about not doing it, but I don't think he leaves.

In any case I highly recommend making the attempt to kill Nevaziah (the lich with the scroll) as he is far and away the weakest lich in the whole game. He can't even cast spells above level 5. You should have no problem with him.

Son_of_Imoen

Tresset said:

In any case I highly recommend making the attempt to kill Nevaziah (the lich with the scroll) as he is far and away the weakest lich in the whole game. He can't even cast spells above level 5. You should have no problem with him.

I got Swordcoast Stratagems installed and in my game he opens up with Time Stop and summoning a demon (don't remember which kind) with Gate. So that does give a problem defeating him. I searched the SCS readme, but alas there isn't an option to not install improved liches as there's no separate component for them. The search turned up the phrase "SCS II liches are so much more powerful than vanilla ones that it is nearly suicidal to take them on at lower levels (at least without cheesy tactics)" but their difficulty seems part of the general Smarter Mages component.

So if anyone knows of cheesy tactics to defeat a SCS Nevaziah, I'm much obliged?

Son_of_Imoen

Note: my party includes Mazzy (Fighter level 13 with a point spent on Azuredge), Anomen (Berserker 7 - Cleric 13) wielding a Mace +2, but I haven't got the Mace of Disruption yet, as I've not yet started chapter 3 and am undecided wether I'll side with Bodhi or the Shadows Thieves), Faren (F7>T16) Blade of Roses +3 alternated with Flail of Ages), Keto (Bard level 15), my main character a vanilla mage level 13 and Edwin at level 12 by now (giving him four 6th level spells).

So what's a doable way to defeat a SCS Lich with this setup?

JustLeft

Use haste and just run the moment he summons the demon, the demon will attack him and kill him if he doesn't see you. You lose the experience. Protection from Evil doesn't work on Demons like in vanilla.

I killed him by having Edwin remove his protection and then attacking him just like a normal mage he is not like the rest of the liches, much weaker. Secret Word, Breach and then attacked him along with all of my summons, only problem with that is he keeps turning invisible so you can't target him with magic. The genie he sometimes summon is more troublesome.