Starting a new game in SCS.

RelSundan

As a new user of the SCS mod (though I did use it waaaaay back in the vanilla) I need some recommendations on what quests still will be manageable in the beginning. I've done the circus quest and the slaver quest already, I'm halfway through with theives Guild (Two more quest there to go before finished) And I've freed Haer'Dalis but I didn't get his gem because the salamanders and their mage just wiped the floor with me, probably ill-prepared. I will check the battlelog for his protections, I also lack good ways to detect invisibility atm.

I'm a sorcerer, level 11 ( I think?)
Minsc (swap for Korgan)
Jaheira
Anomen (Swap for someone later)
Aerie
Jan (Swap for Imoen)


Everything is extremely hard, I *do* like that, but what quests are still easy? I usually just start with thieves guild, then De'Arnise but that is not so easy anymore I've heard. Just some tips please.

JuliusBorisov

Investigate Bridge murders
Explore all Graveyard areas
Windspear Hills outside
Umar Hills

I strongly suggest leaving De'Arnise, Unseeing Eye, Windspear Hills dungeon, Sphere, Astral Prison (in that order) for as late as you can.

Jaheiras_Witness

Depends on whether you installed AI changes only or Tactical Challenges too? Umar for instance will be nigh-on impossible (unless you use a couple of cheap tricks) if you have installed Tactical Challenges.

Early on, the Copper Coronet stuff and Bridge and Docks district adventures are manageable. Then the Temple Sewers can be done before you leave Athkatla for the shires.

De'Arnise is not too bad because it's melee heavy, with only a couple of mage fights. Trademeet is very do-able. Windspear and Umar can be very tough.

Make sure you are well stocked, experienced and have a Rod of Resurrection before Astral Prison and Planar Sphere. Once you start you have to finish, there is no leaving until you do.

JustLeft

Cheep Tricks for Shade Lord and Shadow Dragon?

JuliusBorisov

Shade Lord doesn't need cheap tactics. He can be defeated by normal means, although you have to know what you're doing.

Destroy the Shadow Alter with a single sun bullet.

Shade Lord in SCS has an aura that drains your levels, so protect your characters with Negative Plane Protection and have several more ready.

He can kill using special death magic, so protect your characters with Death Ward.

Also, have Secret Words and/or Pierce Magic spells ready. Remove his spell defences, then cast Breach to remove his Blade Barrier and other combat defences.

This is a normal procedure for all fights in SCS.

You don't need to fight Shadow Dragon and can return to him on later stages of the game.

RelSundan

JuliusBorisov said:

Investigate Bridge murders
Explore all Graveyard areas
Windspear Hills outside
Umar Hills

I strongly suggest leaving De'Arnise, Unseeing Eye, Windspear Hills dungeon, Sphere, Astral Prison (in that order) for as late as you can.

Unseeing eye should not be too much of a problem? Beholders I can easily defeat with Shield of Balduran (I didn't improve them, they are already OP as it is.) I have 44k gold so I'll buy that.

Jaheiras_Witness said:

Depends on whether you installed AI changes only or Tactical Challenges too? Umar for instance will be nigh-on impossible (unless you use a couple of cheap tricks) if you have installed Tactical Challenges.

Early on, the Copper Coronet stuff and Bridge and Docks district adventures are manageable. Then the Temple Sewers can be done before you leave Athkatla for the shires.

De'Arnise is not too bad because it's melee heavy, with only a couple of mage fights. Trademeet is very do-able. Windspear and Umar can be very tough.

Make sure you are well stocked, experienced and have a Rod of Resurrection before Astral Prison and Planar Sphere. Once you start you have to finish, there is no leaving until you do.

I am not sure, I think tactical challenges is installed as well. What is so special about Umar? Yes I've done docks and Temple sewers. I read somewhere that using simulacrum and Rod of Resurrection no longer works? Is this correct? I'll probably use a bit of chease tacticts if things become too hard.

Jaheiras_Witness

Shade Lord is very tough. Julius has given you some guidance. If you don't get it right though it's horrible, you can be swamped by shadows and the Shade Lord is a nasty fighter as well as caster (and it's not like he is going to be standing still while you debuff him).

If you want to fight the Shadow Dragon (you don't have to) its breath is lethal, causing blindness as well as level drain and potentially hitting twice. Not fun at all and very hard to defend a full party from it. Also uses PfMW liberally.

Cheap tricks?

Shade Lord - does not respond or try to dispel Protection from Undead scroll. Easy wipe out.

Shadow Dragon - buy Limited Wish scroll from Lady Yuth to wish for one-off Time Stop. Combine with Haste or Improved Haste to wipe out the dragon in the Time Stop (pure mage will struggle but fighter/mage or blade can do it easily).

Should also add that this doesn't work if you triple the dragon's HPs in your SCS installation!

Jaheiras_Witness

Regarding Simulacrum / Rod of Resurrection: you cannot use a Simulacrum to use the Rod of Resurrection (quick items disabled) but you can still use a Rod of Resurrection normally. They have 10 charges and can be sold / rebought to charge up.

lunar

IIRC Spell immunity:necromancy also protects from Shadow Lord's fell aura. The range of the aura is very short too, so staying away from him is important for those not protected.
There was also a bug in old versions, when a summon is killed, a random party npc is chunked and turned into a shadow buggily-may happen to pc as well! Dunno if it is fixed now. So don't use summons!

RelSundan

Jaheiras_Witness said:

Regarding Simulacrum / Rod of Resurrection: you cannot use a Simulacrum to use the Rod of Resurrection (quick items disabled) but you can still use a Rod of Resurrection normally. They have 10 charges and can be sold / rebought to charge up.

I can, I didn't install that component.

Savagostro

If you didnt install the main components that makes the game hardest, why have u wrote about "Everything is extremely hard, I *do* like that, but what quests are still easy? Theres 1 way to make it hardest by setting all options on and most difficult + start with Legacy of Bhaal. then you will realize that there are no simple quests and every battle is not easy

RelSundan

Savagostro said:

If you didnt install the main components that makes the game hardest, why have u wrote about "Everything is extremely hard, I *do* like that, but what quests are still easy? Theres 1 way to make it hardest by setting all options on and most difficult + start with Legacy of Bhaal. then you will realize that there are no simple quests and every battle is not easy

I installed tactical challenges and tougher enemies, better AI and improved random low-level enemies. I find the game more challenging. It is still hard, just because I didn't install "the hardest components?" (Oh, and that is indeed very subjective, it is my opinion) doesn't mean it's easy. That is why I wrote that.