Spoiler on The Docks With Guild Boss that runs it... and spoiler on late game TOB weapons

Beowulf

So the Thief Guild is what I do first in BG2. Once I have recruited irascible Edwin and gotten rid of the rival in the basement and collected the reward I always go upstairs and attack Renal the guild master which triggers the -once killable - Arkas Grath. He use to be killable with the Tefling Bards shortswords. He would also be slain by the level 9 shape shift Mind Flayer. But then tried my CN Bard and his short swords and he lived. So, I just ran away and he was gone after I sided with Bohdi and her vampires.

However, having more or less completed the game I did the classic complex non-console cheat method. I had a save with all the super weapon components. I made the short sword of Mask +5 with the 15 percent level drain, made the Gram Sword of Grief plus 5 with the -5 save or level drain (that was tow seprate exports as you can not have both in one game) and I made the +6 Pali Holy Avenger 2 hand sword.

I had 3 dummy characters with most every upgraded weapon made. I replayed in multiplayer, got to Arkanas Grath, and had MInsc thwacking on him with the level draining weapons as well as the vorpal ones. All of them failed. (you can get him on the first floor on the platform if you open and shut the door fast enough)

So the key question is- Is Arkanas Grath now completely unkillable?

I dislike the game like that. I rather have every character in the game able to be slain- including Elminster who heckles you in all three games. Is there a mod for that? I almost am tempted to replay the game with a mod that lets you dispatch all the in game non player character cheaters...

Doubledimas

As far as I recall he has been made unkillable to prevent disruption of the plot of the game.
There have been some topics on this already:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/41386/how-to-kill-arkanis-gath
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/53889/andrus-gath

lunar

Well, if you ally with the thieves, and then attack them, the plot comes to a halt. You can not progress any further. Arkanis kills you so you have to reload and not repeat your mistake. If you kill Arkanis and survive, there is nothing to do in the game to progress the plot. Railroading, yes, but it ultimately saves a newbie's game. Rather crude, but effective. If you stray from the plot path, dm kills you. If a dm did this in pnp play he would have been lynched.

rapsam2003

lunar said:

If a dm did this in pnp play he would have been lynched.

Yes, but in P&P, the DM can adjust on the fly. The game isn't that smart.

Arthas

arkanis gath is the cheesiest thing ever made. I do understand that it is needed for new players, but I would add his spawning as an option to the gameplay menu.

Or add a writing like "you severed your chance to find irenicus by defiling the thieves guild. Load an older savegame or live with the consequences". Etc etc

rapsam2003

Arthas said:

Or add a writing like "you severed your chance to find irenicus by defiling the thieves guild. Load an older savegame or live with the consequences". Etc etc

The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind did this. But it literally broke the main quest and a notice that "You Broke The Game" would keep popping up.

Grum

Aye, I prefer the "you broke the game" message.

Also, I think that he should certainly *not* pop up after spellhold. A good aligned character should have the option of returning to the mainland and slaughtering the shadow thieves.

doggy

@Grum agreed. My LG PC's have dreamed of taking out both parts for goodness. And they could never side with Bodhi.

rapsam2003

Grum said:

A good aligned character should have the option of returning to the mainland and slaughtering the shadow thieves.

How is this a good aligned action?...

The Shadow Thieves may be a chaotic group (alignment-wise), but they're not evil. Folks who think they are really don't understand the Shadow Thieves. http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Shadow_Thieves

Also, on a sidenote, there's way too many folks who think that Lawful Good means you're out to kill evil regardless of other things, that you preach about the merits of goodness and justice to everyone, and that you're basically a jerk "for goodness".
No, that's what's referred to as "Lawful-Stupid". Don't be like Keldorn. I repeat: Do. Not. Be. Like. Keldorn. (Don't be Minsc either; you're not that funny.) He works well as a NPC, but playing as Lawful-Stupid is unrealistic and nonsensical. Instead, be like Casavir.

ineth

Well, the Shadow Thieves (at least the way the BG2 writers interpreted them) do have a habit of abducting, blackmailing, murdering, or torturing people, as well as keeping their own guild members in line through fear...