@histamiini Petrify always set hp to 1 that is not new.
If you don't want petrify killed targets to lose their loot you have to turn off gore in your settings.
I agree petrify always set HP to 1. However, while any damage will destroy the statue, in v2.5 that should not destroy the loot - making petrification a much more attractive attacking option.
Petrify always set hp to 1 that is not new.
If you don't want petrify killed targets to lose their loot you have to turn off gore in your settings.
Oh yeah that was the thing. Had interesting problem with it also in the Planar Prison. One of the Thralls carrying the Thac0 gloves wondered into the petrification trap. And after pretty easily hacking all in the dungeon including the Warden, I accidentally destroyed the gloves by hacking him to pieces. No worries and loaded previous save, and this time first unpetrified him. Except now he teleported away. Had to load even previous save to kill him before he wondered into the trap. And the gore goes off.
@histamiini sounds like that's not been successfully implemented in BG2 then. I know it works in BG1, so maybe the next patch will sort the BG2 behavior out.
Brynnlaw and Asylum were pretty basic hack&slash for Dame, until the Irenicus battle. Seems that they've changed Irenicus a little, so that he will defend properly against Farsight trick with summons. First try was quite funny, as Irenicus ended outside of the laboratory, and once Dame was back she couldn't reach Irenicus because doors were locked. Cunning Irenicus had trapped Dame.
Another go and this time I shut the door, and it went a lot better and I killed Irenicus, except my character froze in place, and I couldn't move even waiting for 24 hours. Third time the charm, and this time I got him without any bugs or mishaps.
City of Caverns hack&slash, Underdark too, although the Balor was a tough one. I don't remember, why I didn't seem to do any damage to it? Did the quests in Ust Natha, nothing too tough. Beholder dungeon was interesting to say the least. Went in and killed the couple first Beholders, then watched Drows kill each other.
Seems that the Mindflayer Gauth interaction has changed too, so that it's now a neverending loop of stuns and charms, with occasional rare damage to them. Funny to watch, but useless now that I can't use Mindies to clear the path to the Elder Orb.
Tried ganging on Elder Orb twice, but it was in too heavily populated area to kill, and I wasn't feeling the lure it all the way outside. So I lured it in the Mindflayer Gauth battle, and all hell broke loose. Death Tyrants joined the battle too, and it was a true Battle Royale with everyone against everybody. I was zipping coffee, watching the log going berserk for about 10 minutes. Elder Orb eventually died, I picked the eye stalk and casually left. That was very enjoyable.
Mind Flayer Dungeon. The pit fights were done with couple Mirror Images. For the first few Mindies I used Blunt Belt, 2x Int, 2x Mind Focus potions to get -21 AC vs. crushing. After getting killed once by a stun, I buffed with an additional Invulnerability Potion. The third party was the hardest one, 5 Mindies, Ultiharid and 2 Umber Hulks. Had to use Potion of Absorbtion to get AC to -31, and still had to use Hardiness, 4x Int potions and 7 times Rod of Resurrection. After continuing the same rest of the way I soon smacked the Master Brain to a smush.
I used the slayer form once to open the door, taking the -2 rep penalty, of which I got one back soon after freeing the slaves. This preserved all the four Control Circlets. Also got the nice Staff of Command.
Dame pwned Simyaz, then tanked the Kuo-Toan army without even needing to summon help, which was an impressive feat.
Slightly less impressive feat was the meeting with the 5 Demon Knights. The dispelling, fire spitting, blinding, Thac0 thieving Knights are damn tough. Had to gang on the one with the loot, and after barely killing it, Dame made her quick escape.
Adalon pwned most of the enemies at the exit, then I wiped the rest of them, except the thief drow, which was part of my cunning plan. Went ahead and cleared the next area of enemies. Then came back, and lured the thief drow to the Underdark exit. He was to carry the Drow Full Plate +5 for me to the surface. But no matter what I tried he didn't follow me, so that plan was a bust. Seems that the drow really hate the surface.
Then watching the meeting script I had an epiphany, and it worked. You can actually smuggle the Drow items out without them turning into a dust, even soloing.
First you need Boots of Speed and Oil of Speed. Then exit the Underdark. During the second short break from the script you get control, pause, and quickly go as close as you can of the map border. After the meeting is over, quickly pause, and drop the Drow items you want to smuggle.
Then touch the map border, pause and pick the items up and travel. You'll be in the Drizzt map and you'll need to clear this area too. As soon as you get control, pause and drop the items. Go as close as you can of the map border, still being able to pick the items up. Pause, pick them up and quickly run and travel to the next map. You've now successfully smuggled Drow items out. The Underdark Exit is the only area now where they turn to dust I think.
Some planning for Dame vs. the Big Six and Melissan.
Balthazar can be convinced to join, which is a huge help as Gromnir takes his place. Sarevok is the only one who can be charmed with the Control Circlet, and you can keep him alive with RoR taking some pressure off. All of them are immune to vorpal I think, but only Gromnir and Melissan are immune to Level Drain.
Illasera
Threat: -30 Thac0 dispelling machine gun.
Medicine: Reflection Shield, her melee isn't good and can be killed pretty quickly.
Sendai
Threat: annoyingly heals enemies when they get in low health.
Medicine: petrification to delay Melissan, she's the only one without immunity to it. WoW petrifies her once in 50 tries on average, but I still have to test if the below 10hp kill script activates before the statue is destroyed or turned back to flesh.
Abazigal
Threat: easily the biggest damage threat with always hitting 46 +magic +electr average damage, Time Stop etc.
Medicine: Focus and 90 DR from AoF, Bhaal powers and Hardiness, and because he doesn't have DR he's killed pretty fast with melee.
Yaga-Shura
Threat: melee sponge with 60DR needing 3k damage to kill.
Medicine: Kachiko's Wakizashi drains his 10 wisdom with couple gww's.
Gromnir
Threat:
Medicine: Kachiko's Wakizashi drains his 10 wisdom with couple gww's.
Melissan
Threat: everything
Medicine: Rift Device to set her hp to 40%, so you only have to deal 2.5k damage instead of 6.5k.
After doing some random stuff, making weapons and buying everything Dame went to Watchers Keep. First level was straight forward hack&slash to the eight statues ambush. Used Staff of Command to charm them starting from the mage. Then charmed the others one by one until there was the golem and the second mage left. At this point they were easy pray. Didn't even need a rest.
Second level hack&slash, nothing too hard. I usually petrify Chromatic Demon, but took @Victor_Creed_SFV notion and vorpalled it with the first hit.
Third level is usually the nightmare level. At least when you use randomized map you can get some awful combinations. This time however I didn't use the random option, and cavalier fear and charm immunities are made for this level. But certainly the biggest help was definitely the Silver Sword. Easily vorpalled Cornugons, Balors and both Tahazzar and Ka'rashur with greater whirlwind.
Cambled with Aesgareth winning the Spectral Blade +4, then charmed all four Tieflings with the Staff of Command, and petrified both Fell Cats with the Wand of Wonder. Summoned 3 skelis, Deva and buffed up, aand vorpalled Aesgareth with couple hits. That was slightly underwhelming fight.
Took Protection Ring +3 and 10 hp from the Deck of Many Things, and just made to level 32 entering the fourth level.
Lmao wut? Well more of that later. Machine of Lum the Mad. Saladrex casually petrified and Githyanki captain vorpalled.
Mind Flayer base seems tougher than I remember, maybe had an upgrade as there's more of Mindies I think? First group was still tanked pretty easily, although had to use most of my HLA's, so I rested and buffed again for the second group, which has about 10 Mindies and couple Umber Hulks. I was feeling quite scared when they teleported around me, and had to use one Potion of Absorbtion because I was getting mauled, it took around 6 minutes because I had to refresh my Invulnerability at some point.
Rested and buffed yet again for the last group using another Potion of Absorbtion. The last group was even tougher, at least ten Mindies including four Ulitharids. Seeing them I got scared so I quickly tought I need a corner to defend, so that they wouldn't surround me. Took my spot in one of the prison cells, but interestingly they still can teleport into a spot that I can't move to. So I was surrounded yet again, but Dame still held her ground. It took some time, prioritized Ulitharids and tried to slow Mindies at the same time with FoA. Quickly said hello to the Vampiric Mindies and escaped.
Charmed Rock, Waved Salamanders, smacked Garock and then Rock. Lastly took the buffs from the machine getting to max level of 34 with 225 hp with the helm.
Final Seal level, key tests were nothing hard, the spirit warrior seems easier than before as I walked straight through beating both the gibberling and the mummy in first try. The green dragon petrified. Starting with spirit seal Azamantes was casually killed with Mace of Distruption.
Mind Seal. Omg, Aurumach seems to have gotten some of that Melissan blood in him. First I thought that I have to kill the Ferrumachs to weaken Aurumach, but after doing that pretty easily that wasn't the case. Hmmm, where do I even start? Well lets start from the fact that he seems to have infinite amount of spells, including all the defensive stuff, dispels, and he sees through invisibility. So when ever I see him, instant Mirror Image etc. That's awfully nice, but he also has a round long Time Stop which he uses every second or third round. Enough? Nah, he also has staff of ram or something as I get thrown through the room time and again. The time stop is freaking annoying as he basically can outlast my gww, and he always hits during it pretty hard. Summons seem useless, he dispels my buffs constantly and time stops my gww's.
Dame will have fun with this one, someone has had fun modifying him I'm sure, but it seems more like a script error currently than incredibly tough end boss. Well maybe he's the end boss? Yes, I think he is. If I somehow beat him, I beat the game. Yes I beat him, I beat the game.
After getting killed another five times by Aurumach, I looked with Near Infinity to see what the hell was going on? Well he's immune to +3 weapons and below so that's why I nor my summons weren't really hitting him, even when he didn't have his PfMW on. He's also immune to spell level four and below, and he has a Staff of Ram. Tried five more times, this time with Crom Fayer and Short Sword of the Mask +4 combo, which worked, almost. He gets entangled but still insta casts time stop and hits through it. With the fifth time I got him to the last health bar, I got used to his time stop so I could work between, using summons as a decoy. But then he just healed himself.
Enough of this, casually used Staff of Command to charm him. Even though he's incredibly tough on straight on combat, he's suspectible to all kinds of nasty spells. Tought why fight against him when I can fight with him? So I summoned three skelis and Deva, and activated the heart seal.
At first had a hard time with the battle, as there's so much going on, pretty much every spell being thrown, Ameralis couple times even Turned Paladin which I don't remember seeing. And Aurumach time stopping every third round or so, it was interesting to say the least. Died multiple times finding the right tactic.
In the end Dame vorpalled Huntress with the Silver Swrod, then Xei Win Toh who was getting rammed across the room by Aurumach.
Charmed little more help, the Hive Mother with Staff of Command. Ameralis was then vorpalled, and Nalmrissa hacked to pieces.
Tried letting Aurumach and Y'tossi to duel it out, but it was neverending battle with both getting healed faster than getting hurt. So I petrified Aurumach, then Y'Tossi and lastly rested and ganged on the Hive Mother. It took almost 2 hours to finish Mind and Heart seals.
Got the apr gloves and serpent staff which I was after, damn that was a lot of work though.
I think I found a strange bug while fighting some shadow druids. Pinhead Larry cast Imprisonment on a druid as he was summoning some bears. I think the druid completed the spell just before he was imprisoned, and when the bears appeared, they came under Pinhead Larry's control. Pinhead Larry already controlled 4 skeleton warriors, so the bears brought the number of summoned creatures under his control to 7, which violates the limit of 5 summoned creatures.
@Ongo Yeah there're quirks like that in the engine. Kind of similar like when your enemy charms your enemy, and when the charm ends, the charmed one becomes your ally. This happens example in the beholder dungeon where mind flayers charm beholders.
Dame did all the last few chores in chapter 6, petrified Firkraag for the last time getting the Carsomyr. Mace of Distruption cut through Bodhi's upstrairs like hot knife cuts butter. Downstairs was a lot tougher and seems to have gotten an upgrade. The few named vampires there can see through PfU, although Bodhi still can't. Don't know how that makes sense but anyway. My gang, Carsomyr and Mace eventually killed all, including Bodhi.
Suldanesselar was nothing for Dame, petrified Nizi, and at tree of life waited Irenicus to waste his spells and then casually smacked him to depths of hell.
Hell Trials were my favorite part of the playthrough yet as I tried to ascend beyond perfect Cavalier.
Test of Pride, +20 fr/cr/er, good tear.
Test of Fear, immunity to +1 weapons, good tear.
Test of Greed, +2 saving throws + Blackrazor, good tear.
Test of Wrath, +2 str, evil tear.
Test of Selfishness, -2 AC, evil tear.
Dame's final form was something new, non fallen evil cavalier, the wielder of good and evil, Carsomyr and Soul Reaver.
At this point Irenicus was nothing special. Activated the battle, lured and vorpalled his minions, then sent my own minions one by one to deplete Irenicus spells, skeli, skeli, skeli, Kitthix, Efreeti and lastly Deva. And with 5 gww's or so Irenicus got killed, again.
Arriving at ToB noticed something not my liking, the Drow Full Plate +5 got turned into ash in the first area. So I reloaded, same procedure, and before attacking Irenicus I switched my armor and dropped the drow one to ground. This way it moves with you to the first area of ToB, and you can then use the previous trick to be able to have it in your travels. Although I'll still have to test if the first area is the only area where the ash script runs. Anyway Dame rocks on ToB.
Dame vs Illasera was nothing special, some buffs, Refection Shield and lured her alone and smacked with FoA.
Was testing the Pocket Plane first challenge, and accidentally found a great tactic in the first try. Activated it invisible with Reflection Shield the commoners arrived and surrounded me but did nothing. Then the Knights of the Order arrived and surrounded the commoners. Now using the commoners as a meat shield I could casually snipe the knights from inside and they could do nothing. The commoners couldn't hit me because I took the immunity to +1 weapons.
After killing the knights, Ellesime, Duke Eltan and Aran Linvail arrived, but again could do nothing when I was invisible. When I started sniping Eltan, Linvail casted Cone of Cold which almost killed some of the commoners. Ellesime started healing them which was funny, I too healed them with RoR. But as I started again sniping Eltan, Linvails second Cone of Cold killed couple commoners, and Eltan started hitting me. No worries as he was easily smacked out.
Couple commoners took Eltans place and the meat shield was complete again, and then I just casually sniped both Ellesime and Linvail.
Some update on the travels of Drow Plate +5. The good news is that it follows you from the hell to the Pocket Plane on ground. The bad news is that there's turn ash script in all three of the first areas, Illasera, Pocket Plane and Saradush. So I've to see if the script runs in all areas of ToB.
There is also most likely a script that destroys drow items in the entrance to Sendai's lair, since you can get drow full plate inside Sendai's dungeon.
Inspired by how well Dame Vanderley progressed in Watcher's Keep, I decided to enter with Pinhead Larry.
Pinhead Larry cleared the first two levels without much trouble. For monsters that take a long time to kill with only summoned creatures, Pinhead Larry used Project Image, Farsight, and Time Stop to repeatedly send in images of himself to lower his enemies' defenses before destroying them with Finger of Death or Imprison.
The Maze poses a much greater challenge. It isn't that the monsters are much more powerful - it's that there are some rooms in which spellcasting is completely disabled. Last time I played through Watcher's Keep, I believe there was only one "Dead Magic" room, and the room could be skipped without consequence. Now, there are multiple "Dead Magic" rooms, and some of the rooms contain monsters that must be killed in order to proceed to the next level.
In "Dead Magic" rooms, spell sequencers are disabled, but contingencies, spell scrolls, and items function normally. Pinhead Larry may be forced to leave and return once he can gather more scrolls, potions, and other items.
@Ongo Did you choose the random maze level option? Technically you only need to kill Tahazzar and Ka'rashur to beat the level. If you're evil the first one will offer the job for you, which allows buff against him freely. If you're not evil, thjere's a way to pause the game and quickly back up so that the dialogue doesn't activate. This way you can also buff, time stop etc. freely. Although I don't remember if this worked against both of them.
If you're playing with reloads you can quicksave before entering the first demon fight, just go to the opposite site of the room where Balor and Cornugons are fighting and save, getting the dead magic in the boss fight room is kinda random because it disappears every few seconds for a fraction of a second, so if you keep reloading and walking thru the east portal, eventually you will not have a debuff.
Also I'm not certein if potions and scrolls will do you too much good, since the dead magic also has some type of dispel on it.
edit: after b eating the first fight I never had dead magic in the 2nd fight, but idk if just lucky.
Dame did all the mundane guests in Sharadush, nothing hard, mace handled the undead in the prison. Gromnir is easy with Staff of Command. First charmed Elkan who got petrified, then smacked Eler, Lashar'ra and Halbazzer without Gromnir even noticing. Charmed the Battle Mage who got killed, then Karun met the same fate. Lastly casually smacked Ramazit and Gromnir.
Noticed in pocket plane that Drow plate had disappeared. Not to worry as it turns into ash in every area of ToB, except Sendai enclave. Because reasons.
Mace of Distruption had again work in the Forest of Mir, it's just silly how fast it mows undead with the saving throw bug. Passed Marching Mountains and first level of Yaga-Shura stronghold with sanctuary. Second level, petrified Brimstone, and charmed Berenn who got quickly killed. Didn't want to waste Control Circlet on Imix, so I took him 1on1. He was pretty tough, but not tough enough.
Nyalee conjured amazingly many beings including myself, but I just waited them out, lured and killed her. Had 1on1 with myself, which was a mistake because I'm pretty tough, and it took longer than anticipated. Had to kite all my gww's out, because I was getting mauled. But eventually I outlasted me.
Yaga-Shura was another pushover bhaalspawn, and Dame just charmed him with Staff of Command, and his own army then did the job for me.
Second Pocket challenge, battle against Tamoko, Semaj, Angelo and myself, again. First charmed Tamoko, then Semaj who got killed. Tamoko regained her own mind somehow so I charmed Angelo, which was a bad idea as it agroed my mirror. I was charming Tamoko and Angelo easily, but my mirror attacked them with Carsomyr which of course dispelled the charm. So I wasted a lot of charges of SoC to get Angelo killed. After he got killed I tried to take Tamoko and myself 1on2, but they were too tough, and had to kite them a lot. But then I remembered, I'm the good and evil, and took Soul Reaver from the bag and after few hits they were powerless. Such a nice thing to possess. From the challenge I gained regeneration.
Damn all. After doing all the mundane guests in Amkethran I took Rasaad for a short stroll outside, so I could activate his guest. Then sent him back to Pocket Plane and pressed into Deepstone. The guest is pretty straight forward, summons and smack, rest, summons and smack. In the end I petrified Yxtrazzal and left Alorgoth in his Shadow Plane, forever.
Now for the nice Golden Girdle reward. Well not exactly. It's behind 95 locked door, with no way for me to open it. I hate how it's randomly mage restricted in SoA by the guest design, and I hate how in ToB EE it's still semi mage restricted, now thieves getting the pleasure of the girdle too. It's Rasaad's guest, and he can't even get the nice monk gear reward at the end, because there's no key on the door. If they did this to circumvent the previous random mage restriction, they didn't do it properly.
Life is good. It was Neera's turn to get short stroll outside to activate her quest. In the ambush she got murdered in a second. Yes very good plan Neera. Dame then charmed the Red Wizards one by one, and then smacked the rest of the Thayan guards, first luring them into bite size mobs. Before killing the last guard I resurrected Neera, just for her to be killed in the arena battle in few seconds.
I then took everybody myself, like always. I was immune to normal Yuan-ti weapons, so I first took the four elite ones, then the three mage ones, and lastly ai smacked the rest of them. Resurrected Neera, again, and send her squishy ass packing back to the Pocket Plane.
Market place was an absolute treasure trove for Dame Vanderley:
The second Wand of Wonder, for combined 100 possible petrifications.
The only three Champion's Strenght scrolls in BG2, for -3 Thac0.
The only three Chaotic Commands scrolls in BG2, for 3x 18 minutes of maze resistance.
The fourth Rod of Resurrection after freely killing Molzahn of Tymora who doesn't even agro.
And last, but certainly not the least, the beautiful, the sought after, Golden Girdle.
Vicross Estate, first cleared the wizards and guards, who couldn't hit me. Then charmed captain and the other elite guard who killed the last elite guard. They then freely killed Vicross, which was casual as Vicross didn't react.
Szass Tam arrived, and the guards impressively tanked a lot of his spells. I then continued tanking everything he got, and it wasn't that impressive. As a last resort he summoned three skelis who I easily laughed dead. Then ai just casually hunted and smacked the lich to a point where he was offering to send me back. "Power of centuries" eh Szass? And just to make a point I didn't take the offer, but tanked all of his spells again. After which he force sent me back, and he even had the gall to implicate that I was the one taking the punishment. Well he did survive the fight with the good and evil, so that's power of some kind I guess.
I remember from my first ever solo LoB+SCS+Ascension run, that it was the Big Metal Unit, which eventually turned the tide for Sir Vanderley. Well Dame Vanderley now just really is the better half, being able to maximize armor for the final battle.
Dame Vanderley
Max AC -35 (Slashing), -34 (Piercing), -42 (Crushing), immunity (Missiles)
-10 Big Metal Unit
-12 Hell Trials
-15 Ring of Protection +3
-17 Ring of Gaxx
-18 Helm of Balduran
-20 Reflection Shield (AC gap)
-26 Dexterity Bonus 12h
-28 Protection from Evil '10 2h
-32 modifier (Big Metal Unit)
-35 modifier (Golden Girdle)
-31 modifier (Big Metal Unit)
-34 modifier (Elves' Bane)
-32 modifier (Destroyer of Hills)
-42 modifier (Potion of Absorbtion 2h)
And with just few hits from the Soul Reaver Dame can make everyone hit only 20's.
I've tested it out, and I can't use WoW to petrify Sendai in the last battle, as it summons Melissan to the battlefield. So Sendai will keep continuing healing everybody until I do something to stop it. This is fine because my original plan of draining everybody to the last health bar, and then sweeping them up before Melissan has a chance of joining the mayhem is dated. And I've a new, cunning plan, swap the hp drain to level drain, which nobody can't recover, nor Sendai can fix.
First draining everybody, except Gromnir who's immune to level drain, to level two with Blackrazor (15% chance), which is a long sword so I can keep the protection up from Illasera's machine gun.
Then with Gram the Sword of Grief +5 (-5 to penalty to death) drain everybody to level one. Then smack Gromnir dead, and sweep the rest of them with the Gram, which will cut them down quickly at this point, as their saving throws are now awful at level one. And then Dame can have some quality time with Melissan.
Night of the Long Fangs. Started with Draconis, who is the first dragon immune to petrification. No worries, first silenced his human form, and then freely hacked him to low health. Waited an hour and he turned straight to a dragon. 100 AR, Hardiness and Soul Reaver reduced him to a rodent for Dame to squash.
First area of Abazigal's lair was tanked with Aof, DoEH and Hardiness. Anadramatis, AoF, Hardiness and Soul Reaver combo did its job again. After she surrendered, which I accepted getting the Immunity to Wing Buffet ring, I still killed her for the Yellow Dragon Scales.
Kuo-toa area was casual when they couldn't touch me. Fetched the rope from Amkethran and it was time for the quadruble dragon ambush. Zirimanat lured alone and petrified, Olinissimous petrified. Dame had nice immunity against Ithy's poison breath, petrified. Carnifex, with Fire Control ring I had 110 FR, and after few gww's from the Soul Reaver the fight was practically over. It feels like the Thac0 penalty works on hits against Stoneskin, which makes it even better than it already is.
Beholder dungeon passed with invisibility, built the Big Metal Unit and Yellow Dragon Scale armor before pressing further. FII'Yissetat was Soul Reavered for her 12h Improved Invisibility ring. Quadruble wyrm ambush, 100 AR, FR, CR, Hardiness, AoF, and vorpalled Rill, after which the rest was again Soul Reavered and then smacked out. At this point went in Pocket Plane to rest.
Salamanders Waved, and I was looking Tamah, and thinking maybe they've removed her in the latest revision of SCS? Think again, as after Soul Reavering Abazigals human form Tamah revealed herself, and the two dragons attacked me simultaneously. I was cornered but tanking them with Reflection Cloak and Wing Buffet ring pretty easily. Tamah was getting close of death, when I was stun looped and eventually killed. Reloaded and summoned one skeli for a decoy for Abazigal, as I lured Tamah elsewhere. Soul Reaverd her and she was already in badly injured state when Abazigal finally found me. I then quickly gww'd Tamah out. Then used couple gww's to Soul Reaver Abazigal. After which it was pretty much a casual hack job. It's harder fight than before, when Tamah and Abazigal come at you at the same time, but at least they seem to have fixed the Heal loop script error, which is damn nice.
Before leaving I was surprised with the sight of living dead, Anadramatis. Well ok then. 3rd Pocket Plane challenge and the Slayer was a pushover, AI handled it using the Soul Reaver. Reward Dark Taint.
Tested it out, the Soul Reaver Thac0 penalty works on every hit, even against Mirror Image and Stoneskin, which means I don't need to dispel first with Carsomyr. Only PfMW stops the Thac0 penalty.
Damn I'm having persistent crash entering Diaytha's Room, anyone know what could cause that? Here's my weidu.log
// Log of Currently Installed WeiDU Mods
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #0 // Ascension: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #103 // Restored Bhaalspawn Powers by David Gaider: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1 // Tougher Abazigal: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2 // Tougher Demogorgon ( Original Bioware Design ): 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #3 // Tougher Gromnir: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #4 // Tougher Illasera: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #5 // Tougher Yaga-Shura: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #104 // Extended Epilogues for original Bioware NPCs by shawne: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #105 // Extended Epilogues for additional Beamdog NPCs by shawne: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #101 // Ascension Portraits - Bodhi: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #102 // Ascension Portraits - Balthazar by Cuv ( Alternate Design ): 1.7.2
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // Make Bags of Holding Bottomless: v8
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Increase Ammo Stack Size -> Unlimited Ammo Stacking: v8
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Increase Potion Stacking -> Unlimited Potion Stacking: v8
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3110 // Increase Scroll Stacking -> Unlimited Scroll Stacking: v8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4240 // Treat mages' and priests' High-Level Abilities as innate abilities rather than memorisable spells (each may be taken only once): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4250 // Make spell sequencers and contingencies into innate abilities: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6500 // Improved golems: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6510 // Improved fiends and celestials: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6520 // Smarter genies: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6540 // Smarter dragons: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6550 // Smarter beholders: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6560 // Smarter mind flayers: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6570 // Smarter githyanki: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6580 // Improved Vampires: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6590 // Smarter Throne of Bhaal final villain: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6800 // Smarter Illasera: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6810 // Smarter Gromnir: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6820 // Smarter Yaga-Shura: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6830 // Smarter Abazigal: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6840 // Give Ascension versions of Irenicus and Sendai SCS scripts and abilities: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6850 // Give Ascension demons SCS scripts and abilities: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8000 // Make the starting dungeon slightly harder: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8010 // Improved Shade Lord: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8020 // Spellcasting Demiliches: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8040 // Tie difficulty of level-dependent monster groupings to the difficulty slider: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8050 // Improved Random Encounters: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8060 // Improved de'Arnise Keep ("Tactics Remix"): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8070 // Improved Unseeing Eye: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8080 // Improved Bodhi (Tactics Remix): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8100 // Improved battle with Irenicus in Spellhold: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8110 // Improved Sahuagin: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8120 // Improved Beholder hive (adapted from Quest Pack): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8140 // Slightly Improved Drow: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8150 // Slightly Improved Watcher's Keep: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8160 // Improved Fire Giant temple: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8170 // Enhanced Sendai's Enclave: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8180 // Improved Abazigal's Lair: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8190 // Improved Minor Encounters: v32 RC8
// Recently Uninstalled: ~JIMFIX/SETUP-JIMFIX.TP2~ #0 #0 // Fix Sunfire power levels: v2.5
SCS seems to have gotten new release candidate, but it doesn't say anything about that room. Well at least they've fixed celestials movement.
Release Candidate 9 Changelog
Fixes:
Solved a bunch of problems concerning summoned fiends
Detecting Tome & Blood version of Sequencer
BG1 NPCs now keep their special abilities
Vampires are properly affected by the difficulty slider
Rebalancing of spawn difficulties (among other things, affects vampire spawns)
Summons (Planetars, Efreeti,...) are more obedient
HLAs should work properly
Multiple-spell-turning bug fixed
Davaeorn now equips his robe
Spellhold item-stealing component handles stacks properly
Stripped out evasion effects from IWD spells
Gibberlings no longer get potions
Bodhi gets into combat properly
Better detection of IWD spell scrolls from third-party mods
Adalon uses breath weapons better
Restored compatibility with aTweaks fiends
Lich fear should now work correctly
Doppelganger AI settings correctly labelled
Content changes:
Difficulty widget now merged with UI on EE installs
Ust Natha Demon Lord gets a proper upgrade
Entropy Shield spell tweaks
New EE-only component: Restoration removes ability drain
New EE-only component: thief skills increment in multiples of 5
New component: increased power to cleric cause/cure spells (& priest AI to respond if it's installed)
Less ugly buttons for the thief bonus points in NPC management
Nevaziah's level is less overwhelming
Davaeorn now wears his cloak
Is it safe to install/uninstall mods during playthrough?
EDIT: Reading the SCS forum some seem to have the same problem with 32v8. "The game crashed when I entered Diaytha's room in Sendai's enclave, AR6105. I bypassed this by consoling to the spectator beholder room and the rest of the maps were fine."
Sendai Enclave outside, first jumped on the deer (mage), and then wasted the rest of the Drow, which opened the enclave. Passed the first area with invisibility, then jumped on Thelynn, invisibility and escaped the barracks.
Spiders passed with invisibility. In the next area lured Yochlol and Glabrezus away and killed them. Now nobody could spot me being invisible. Used PfU against Odamaron and then smacked with the Runehammer.
Persistent crashing stopped me going in Diaytha's Room, so I used console to pass to the next level. It's not like it's tough area anyway, you can charm Ogremoch with Control Circlet and Diaytha herself gets killed by his own minions. Captain Egeissag took two gww's from Soul Reaver. The usual buffing for the mind flayer area, intelligence potions, mind focus potions, potion of absorbtion, blunt belt, bmu. First mob was hacked pretty quickly, the second including Mithykul took a little more time but wasn't that close. Lastly hacked the few fighters and wizards.
Dame vs. Sendai. First jumped on the cleric Sendai, because it can summon fallen deva which sees through invisibility. The rest of them can't, and I had 53 invisibility potions just for this occasion, so I could hit and run, and escape to Pocket Plane to rest if needed. I tried taking on the drow, but omg didn't remember what kind of deal that was and died couple times. They've like -30 Thac0, all use gww's so if you're surrounded by them you're dead like in a second without damage resistance. Started all over with Hardiness and AoF, took the cleric Sendai and three drows, invisibility, heal, then one more drow, invisibility, heal and one more and so on, until all fighter drow were dead. Escaped in pocket plane to rest.
Now there was four Sendais and two mage drows left. And this is where I really started having trouble. All four mages casted simultaneously multiple spells including teleport fields and many lightning bolts, and the game started freezing. The lightning bolts didn't seem to vanish but just went which ever way, until the game crashed. Started over many times figuring what was going on, but always after the lightning bolts were cast, something started to freeze the game. Watching the log there was hundreds of Drow: Minor Spell Turning (cast previously) messages in a row, so possibly a some loop error in the script crashed the game.
In the end I couldn't prevent the game crashing. So I had to remove the two mage drows from the battlefield, which is a shame as the Sendai battle is very nice tactical battle. This did fix the crashing however. Hunted the last Sendais, and after killing the last one I escaped to Pocket Plane. Rested and came back to hunt the real Sendai, which was pretty long hunt, probably 10 minutes or so before his spell book was depleted.
Damn that was frustrating experience. I hope the last battle isn't buggy as the Sendai Enclave was in SCS 32v8.
The minor spell turnings freezing the game is something I had happening in my Kensai game a lot too it can literally happen with any mages but ofc if theres two the danger of freezing is even higher.
Never had this isuue before so it must be one of the latest BG patches bugged some SCS component (didn't reinstall SCS in quite a while)
Comments
If you don't want petrify killed targets to lose their loot you have to turn off gore in your settings.
Oh yeah that was the thing. Had interesting problem with it also in the Planar Prison. One of the Thralls carrying the Thac0 gloves wondered into the petrification trap. And after pretty easily hacking all in the dungeon including the Warden, I accidentally destroyed the gloves by hacking him to pieces. No worries and loaded previous save, and this time first unpetrified him. Except now he teleported away. Had to load even previous save to kill him before he wondered into the trap.
Another go and this time I shut the door, and it went a lot better and I killed Irenicus, except my character froze in place, and I couldn't move even waiting for 24 hours. Third time the charm, and this time I got him without any bugs or mishaps.
City of Caverns hack&slash, Underdark too, although the Balor was a tough one. I don't remember, why I didn't seem to do any damage to it? Did the quests in Ust Natha, nothing too tough. Beholder dungeon was interesting to say the least. Went in and killed the couple first Beholders, then watched Drows kill each other.
Seems that the Mindflayer Gauth interaction has changed too, so that it's now a neverending loop of stuns and charms, with occasional rare damage to them. Funny to watch, but useless now that I can't use Mindies to clear the path to the Elder Orb.
Tried ganging on Elder Orb twice, but it was in too heavily populated area to kill, and I wasn't feeling the lure it all the way outside. So I lured it in the Mindflayer Gauth battle, and all hell broke loose. Death Tyrants joined the battle too, and it was a true Battle Royale with everyone against everybody. I was zipping coffee, watching the log going berserk for about 10 minutes. Elder Orb eventually died, I picked the eye stalk and casually left. That was very enjoyable.
To the Mindflayer Dungeon.
I used the slayer form once to open the door, taking the -2 rep penalty, of which I got one back soon after freeing the slaves. This preserved all the four Control Circlets. Also got the nice Staff of Command.
Dame pwned Simyaz, then tanked the Kuo-Toan army without even needing to summon help, which was an impressive feat.
Slightly less impressive feat was the meeting with the 5 Demon Knights. The dispelling, fire spitting, blinding, Thac0 thieving Knights are damn tough. Had to gang on the one with the loot, and after barely killing it, Dame made her quick escape.
Adalon pwned most of the enemies at the exit, then I wiped the rest of them, except the thief drow, which was part of my cunning plan. Went ahead and cleared the next area of enemies. Then came back, and lured the thief drow to the Underdark exit. He was to carry the Drow Full Plate +5 for me to the surface. But no matter what I tried he didn't follow me, so that plan was a bust. Seems that the drow really hate the surface.
Then watching the meeting script I had an epiphany, and it worked. You can actually smuggle the Drow items out without them turning into a dust, even soloing.
First you need Boots of Speed and Oil of Speed. Then exit the Underdark. During the second short break from the script you get control, pause, and quickly go as close as you can of the map border. After the meeting is over, quickly pause, and drop the Drow items you want to smuggle.
Then touch the map border, pause and pick the items up and travel. You'll be in the Drizzt map and you'll need to clear this area too. As soon as you get control, pause and drop the items. Go as close as you can of the map border, still being able to pick the items up. Pause, pick them up and quickly run and travel to the next map. You've now successfully smuggled Drow items out. The Underdark Exit is the only area now where they turn to dust I think.
Then lengths I go for couple AC.
Illasera
Threat: -30 Thac0 dispelling machine gun.
Medicine: Reflection Shield, her melee isn't good and can be killed pretty quickly.
Sendai
Threat: annoyingly heals enemies when they get in low health.
Medicine: petrification to delay Melissan, she's the only one without immunity to it. WoW petrifies her once in 50 tries on average, but I still have to test if the below 10hp kill script activates before the statue is destroyed or turned back to flesh.
Abazigal
Threat: easily the biggest damage threat with always hitting 46 +magic +electr average damage, Time Stop etc.
Medicine: Focus and 90 DR from AoF, Bhaal powers and Hardiness, and because he doesn't have DR he's killed pretty fast with melee.
Yaga-Shura
Threat: melee sponge with 60DR needing 3k damage to kill.
Medicine: Kachiko's Wakizashi drains his 10 wisdom with couple gww's.
Gromnir
Threat:
Medicine: Kachiko's Wakizashi drains his 10 wisdom with couple gww's.
Melissan
Threat: everything
Medicine: Rift Device to set her hp to 40%, so you only have to deal 2.5k damage instead of 6.5k.
Second level hack&slash, nothing too hard. I usually petrify Chromatic Demon, but took @Victor_Creed_SFV notion and vorpalled it with the first hit.
Third level is usually the nightmare level. At least when you use randomized map you can get some awful combinations. This time however I didn't use the random option, and cavalier fear and charm immunities are made for this level. But certainly the biggest help was definitely the Silver Sword. Easily vorpalled Cornugons, Balors and both Tahazzar and Ka'rashur with greater whirlwind.
Cambled with Aesgareth winning the Spectral Blade +4, then charmed all four Tieflings with the Staff of Command, and petrified both Fell Cats with the Wand of Wonder. Summoned 3 skelis, Deva and buffed up, aand vorpalled Aesgareth with couple hits. That was slightly underwhelming fight.
Took Protection Ring +3 and 10 hp from the Deck of Many Things, and just made to level 32 entering the fourth level.
Mind Flayer base seems tougher than I remember, maybe had an upgrade as there's more of Mindies I think? First group was still tanked pretty easily, although had to use most of my HLA's, so I rested and buffed again for the second group, which has about 10 Mindies and couple Umber Hulks. I was feeling quite scared when they teleported around me, and had to use one Potion of Absorbtion because I was getting mauled, it took around 6 minutes because I had to refresh my Invulnerability at some point.
Rested and buffed yet again for the last group using another Potion of Absorbtion. The last group was even tougher, at least ten Mindies including four Ulitharids. Seeing them I got scared so I quickly tought I need a corner to defend, so that they wouldn't surround me. Took my spot in one of the prison cells, but interestingly they still can teleport into a spot that I can't move to. So I was surrounded yet again, but Dame still held her ground. It took some time, prioritized Ulitharids and tried to slow Mindies at the same time with FoA. Quickly said hello to the Vampiric Mindies and escaped.
Charmed Rock, Waved Salamanders, smacked Garock and then Rock. Lastly took the buffs from the machine getting to max level of 34 with 225 hp with the helm.
Final Seal level, key tests were nothing hard, the spirit warrior seems easier than before as I walked straight through beating both the gibberling and the mummy in first try. The green dragon petrified. Starting with spirit seal Azamantes was casually killed with Mace of Distruption.
Mind Seal. Omg, Aurumach seems to have gotten some of that Melissan blood in him. First I thought that I have to kill the Ferrumachs to weaken Aurumach, but after doing that pretty easily that wasn't the case. Hmmm, where do I even start? Well lets start from the fact that he seems to have infinite amount of spells, including all the defensive stuff, dispels, and he sees through invisibility. So when ever I see him, instant Mirror Image etc. That's awfully nice, but he also has a round long Time Stop which he uses every second or third round. Enough? Nah, he also has staff of ram or something as I get thrown through the room time and again. The time stop is freaking annoying as he basically can outlast my gww, and he always hits during it pretty hard. Summons seem useless, he dispels my buffs constantly and time stops my gww's.
Dame will have fun with this one, someone has had fun modifying him I'm sure, but it seems more like a script error currently than incredibly tough end boss. Well maybe he's the end boss? Yes, I think he is. If I somehow beat him, I beat the game. Yes I beat him, I beat the game.
Enough of this, casually used Staff of Command to charm him. Even though he's incredibly tough on straight on combat, he's suspectible to all kinds of nasty spells. Tought why fight against him when I can fight with him? So I summoned three skelis and Deva, and activated the heart seal.
At first had a hard time with the battle, as there's so much going on, pretty much every spell being thrown, Ameralis couple times even Turned Paladin which I don't remember seeing. And Aurumach time stopping every third round or so, it was interesting to say the least. Died multiple times finding the right tactic.
In the end Dame vorpalled Huntress with the Silver Swrod, then Xei Win Toh who was getting rammed across the room by Aurumach.
Charmed little more help, the Hive Mother with Staff of Command. Ameralis was then vorpalled, and Nalmrissa hacked to pieces.
Tried letting Aurumach and Y'tossi to duel it out, but it was neverending battle with both getting healed faster than getting hurt. So I petrified Aurumach, then Y'Tossi and lastly rested and ganged on the Hive Mother. It took almost 2 hours to finish Mind and Heart seals.
Got the apr gloves and serpent staff which I was after, damn that was a lot of work though.
Suldanesselar was nothing for Dame, petrified Nizi, and at tree of life waited Irenicus to waste his spells and then casually smacked him to depths of hell.
Hell Trials were my favorite part of the playthrough yet as I tried to ascend beyond perfect Cavalier.
Test of Pride, +20 fr/cr/er, good tear.
Test of Fear, immunity to +1 weapons, good tear.
Test of Greed, +2 saving throws + Blackrazor, good tear.
Test of Wrath, +2 str, evil tear.
Test of Selfishness, -2 AC, evil tear.
More of how Dame managed not to get fallen here: https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/29289/did-you-know/p147
Dame's final form was something new, non fallen evil cavalier, the wielder of good and evil, Carsomyr and Soul Reaver.
At this point Irenicus was nothing special. Activated the battle, lured and vorpalled his minions, then sent my own minions one by one to deplete Irenicus spells, skeli, skeli, skeli, Kitthix, Efreeti and lastly Deva. And with 5 gww's or so Irenicus got killed, again.
Arriving at ToB noticed something not my liking, the Drow Full Plate +5 got turned into ash in the first area. So I reloaded, same procedure, and before attacking Irenicus I switched my armor and dropped the drow one to ground. This way it moves with you to the first area of ToB, and you can then use the previous trick to be able to have it in your travels. Although I'll still have to test if the first area is the only area where the ash script runs. Anyway Dame rocks on ToB.
Was testing the Pocket Plane first challenge, and accidentally found a great tactic in the first try. Activated it invisible with Reflection Shield the commoners arrived and surrounded me but did nothing. Then the Knights of the Order arrived and surrounded the commoners. Now using the commoners as a meat shield I could casually snipe the knights from inside and they could do nothing. The commoners couldn't hit me because I took the immunity to +1 weapons.
After killing the knights, Ellesime, Duke Eltan and Aran Linvail arrived, but again could do nothing when I was invisible. When I started sniping Eltan, Linvail casted Cone of Cold which almost killed some of the commoners. Ellesime started healing them which was funny, I too healed them with RoR. But as I started again sniping Eltan, Linvails second Cone of Cold killed couple commoners, and Eltan started hitting me. No worries as he was easily smacked out.
Couple commoners took Eltans place and the meat shield was complete again, and then I just casually sniped both Ellesime and Linvail.
Some update on the travels of Drow Plate +5. The good news is that it follows you from the hell to the Pocket Plane on ground. The bad news is that there's turn ash script in all three of the first areas, Illasera, Pocket Plane and Saradush. So I've to see if the script runs in all areas of ToB.
Pinhead Larry cleared the first two levels without much trouble. For monsters that take a long time to kill with only summoned creatures, Pinhead Larry used Project Image, Farsight, and Time Stop to repeatedly send in images of himself to lower his enemies' defenses before destroying them with Finger of Death or Imprison.
The Maze poses a much greater challenge. It isn't that the monsters are much more powerful - it's that there are some rooms in which spellcasting is completely disabled. Last time I played through Watcher's Keep, I believe there was only one "Dead Magic" room, and the room could be skipped without consequence. Now, there are multiple "Dead Magic" rooms, and some of the rooms contain monsters that must be killed in order to proceed to the next level.
In "Dead Magic" rooms, spell sequencers are disabled, but contingencies, spell scrolls, and items function normally. Pinhead Larry may be forced to leave and return once he can gather more scrolls, potions, and other items.
Also I'm not certein if potions and scrolls will do you too much good, since the dead magic also has some type of dispel on it.
edit: after b eating the first fight I never had dead magic in the 2nd fight, but idk if just lucky.
Noticed in pocket plane that Drow plate had disappeared. Not to worry as it turns into ash in every area of ToB, except Sendai enclave. Because reasons.
Mace of Distruption had again work in the Forest of Mir, it's just silly how fast it mows undead with the saving throw bug. Passed Marching Mountains and first level of Yaga-Shura stronghold with sanctuary. Second level, petrified Brimstone, and charmed Berenn who got quickly killed. Didn't want to waste Control Circlet on Imix, so I took him 1on1. He was pretty tough, but not tough enough.
Nyalee conjured amazingly many beings including myself, but I just waited them out, lured and killed her. Had 1on1 with myself, which was a mistake because I'm pretty tough, and it took longer than anticipated. Had to kite all my gww's out, because I was getting mauled. But eventually I outlasted me.
Yaga-Shura was another pushover bhaalspawn, and Dame just charmed him with Staff of Command, and his own army then did the job for me.
Second Pocket challenge, battle against Tamoko, Semaj, Angelo and myself, again. First charmed Tamoko, then Semaj who got killed. Tamoko regained her own mind somehow so I charmed Angelo, which was a bad idea as it agroed my mirror. I was charming Tamoko and Angelo easily, but my mirror attacked them with Carsomyr which of course dispelled the charm. So I wasted a lot of charges of SoC to get Angelo killed. After he got killed I tried to take Tamoko and myself 1on2, but they were too tough, and had to kite them a lot. But then I remembered, I'm the good and evil, and took Soul Reaver from the bag and after few hits they were powerless. Such a nice thing to possess.
Now for the nice Golden Girdle reward. Well not exactly. It's behind 95 locked door, with no way for me to open it. I hate how it's randomly mage restricted in SoA by the guest design, and I hate how in ToB EE it's still semi mage restricted, now thieves getting the pleasure of the girdle too. It's Rasaad's guest, and he can't even get the nice monk gear reward at the end, because there's no key on the door. If they did this to circumvent the previous random mage restriction, they didn't do it properly.
I then took everybody myself, like always. I was immune to normal Yuan-ti weapons, so I first took the four elite ones, then the three mage ones, and lastly ai smacked the rest of them. Resurrected Neera, again, and send her squishy ass packing back to the Pocket Plane.
Market place was an absolute treasure trove for Dame Vanderley:
The second Wand of Wonder, for combined 100 possible petrifications.
The only three Champion's Strenght scrolls in BG2, for -3 Thac0.
The only three Chaotic Commands scrolls in BG2, for 3x 18 minutes of maze resistance.
The fourth Rod of Resurrection after freely killing Molzahn of Tymora who doesn't even agro.
And last, but certainly not the least, the beautiful, the sought after, Golden Girdle.
Vicross Estate, first cleared the wizards and guards, who couldn't hit me. Then charmed captain and the other elite guard who killed the last elite guard. They then freely killed Vicross, which was casual as Vicross didn't react.
Szass Tam arrived, and the guards impressively tanked a lot of his spells. I then continued tanking everything he got, and it wasn't that impressive. As a last resort he summoned three skelis who I easily laughed dead. Then ai just casually hunted and smacked the lich to a point where he was offering to send me back. "Power of centuries" eh Szass? And just to make a point I didn't take the offer, but tanked all of his spells again. After which he force sent me back, and he even had the gall to implicate that I was the one taking the punishment. Well he did survive the fight with the good and evil, so that's power of some kind I guess.
Dame Vanderley
Max AC -35 (Slashing), -34 (Piercing), -42 (Crushing), immunity (Missiles)
-10 Big Metal Unit
-12 Hell Trials
-15 Ring of Protection +3
-17 Ring of Gaxx
-18 Helm of Balduran
-20 Reflection Shield (AC gap)
-26 Dexterity Bonus 12h
-28 Protection from Evil '10 2h
-32 modifier (Big Metal Unit)
-35 modifier (Golden Girdle)
-31 modifier (Big Metal Unit)
-34 modifier (Elves' Bane)
-32 modifier (Destroyer of Hills)
-42 modifier (Potion of Absorbtion 2h)
And with just few hits from the Soul Reaver Dame can make everyone hit only 20's.
First draining everybody, except Gromnir who's immune to level drain, to level two with Blackrazor (15% chance), which is a long sword so I can keep the protection up from Illasera's machine gun.
Then with Gram the Sword of Grief +5 (-5 to penalty to death) drain everybody to level one. Then smack Gromnir dead, and sweep the rest of them with the Gram, which will cut them down quickly at this point, as their saving throws are now awful at level one. And then Dame can have some quality time with Melissan.
First area of Abazigal's lair was tanked with Aof, DoEH and Hardiness. Anadramatis, AoF, Hardiness and Soul Reaver combo did its job again. After she surrendered, which I accepted getting the Immunity to Wing Buffet ring, I still killed her for the Yellow Dragon Scales.
Kuo-toa area was casual when they couldn't touch me. Fetched the rope from Amkethran and it was time for the quadruble dragon ambush. Zirimanat lured alone and petrified, Olinissimous petrified. Dame had nice immunity against Ithy's poison breath, petrified. Carnifex, with Fire Control ring I had 110 FR, and after few gww's from the Soul Reaver the fight was practically over. It feels like the Thac0 penalty works on hits against Stoneskin, which makes it even better than it already is.
Beholder dungeon passed with invisibility, built the Big Metal Unit and Yellow Dragon Scale armor before pressing further. FII'Yissetat was Soul Reavered for her 12h Improved Invisibility ring. Quadruble wyrm ambush, 100 AR, FR, CR, Hardiness, AoF, and vorpalled Rill, after which the rest was again Soul Reavered and then smacked out. At this point went in Pocket Plane to rest.
Salamanders Waved, and I was looking Tamah, and thinking maybe they've removed her in the latest revision of SCS? Think again, as after Soul Reavering Abazigals human form Tamah revealed herself, and the two dragons attacked me simultaneously. I was cornered but tanking them with Reflection Cloak and Wing Buffet ring pretty easily. Tamah was getting close of death, when I was stun looped and eventually killed. Reloaded and summoned one skeli for a decoy for Abazigal, as I lured Tamah elsewhere. Soul Reaverd her and she was already in badly injured state when Abazigal finally found me. I then quickly gww'd Tamah out. Then used couple gww's to Soul Reaver Abazigal. After which it was pretty much a casual hack job. It's harder fight than before, when Tamah and Abazigal come at you at the same time, but at least they seem to have fixed the Heal loop script error, which is damn nice.
Before leaving I was surprised with the sight of living dead, Anadramatis. Well ok then.
// The top of the file is the 'oldest' mod
// ~TP2_File~ #language_number #component_number // [Subcomponent Name -> ] Component Name [ : Version]
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #0 // Ascension: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #103 // Restored Bhaalspawn Powers by David Gaider: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #1 // Tougher Abazigal: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #2 // Tougher Demogorgon ( Original Bioware Design ): 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #3 // Tougher Gromnir: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #4 // Tougher Illasera: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #5 // Tougher Yaga-Shura: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #104 // Extended Epilogues for original Bioware NPCs by shawne: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #105 // Extended Epilogues for additional Beamdog NPCs by shawne: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #101 // Ascension Portraits - Bodhi: 1.7.2
~ASCENSION/ASCENSION.TP2~ #0 #102 // Ascension Portraits - Balthazar by Cuv ( Alternate Design ): 1.7.2
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3040 // Make Bags of Holding Bottomless: v8
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3080 // Increase Ammo Stack Size -> Unlimited Ammo Stacking: v8
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3100 // Increase Potion Stacking -> Unlimited Potion Stacking: v8
~CDTWEAKS/SETUP-CDTWEAKS.TP2~ #0 #3110 // Increase Scroll Stacking -> Unlimited Scroll Stacking: v8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4030 // Improved shapeshifting: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4240 // Treat mages' and priests' High-Level Abilities as innate abilities rather than memorisable spells (each may be taken only once): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #4250 // Make spell sequencers and contingencies into innate abilities: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #5900 // Initialise AI components (required for all tactical and AI components): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6000 // Smarter general AI: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6010 // Better calls for help: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6030 // Smarter Mages: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6040 // Smarter Priests: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6100 // Potions for NPCs: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6200 // Improved Spiders: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6500 // Improved golems: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6510 // Improved fiends and celestials: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6520 // Smarter genies: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6540 // Smarter dragons: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6550 // Smarter beholders: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6560 // Smarter mind flayers: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6570 // Smarter githyanki: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6580 // Improved Vampires: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6590 // Smarter Throne of Bhaal final villain: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6800 // Smarter Illasera: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6810 // Smarter Gromnir: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6820 // Smarter Yaga-Shura: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6830 // Smarter Abazigal: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6840 // Give Ascension versions of Irenicus and Sendai SCS scripts and abilities: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #6850 // Give Ascension demons SCS scripts and abilities: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8000 // Make the starting dungeon slightly harder: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8010 // Improved Shade Lord: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8020 // Spellcasting Demiliches: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8040 // Tie difficulty of level-dependent monster groupings to the difficulty slider: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8050 // Improved Random Encounters: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8060 // Improved de'Arnise Keep ("Tactics Remix"): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8070 // Improved Unseeing Eye: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8080 // Improved Bodhi (Tactics Remix): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8100 // Improved battle with Irenicus in Spellhold: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8110 // Improved Sahuagin: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8120 // Improved Beholder hive (adapted from Quest Pack): v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8140 // Slightly Improved Drow: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8150 // Slightly Improved Watcher's Keep: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8160 // Improved Fire Giant temple: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8170 // Enhanced Sendai's Enclave: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8180 // Improved Abazigal's Lair: v32 RC8
~STRATAGEMS/SETUP-STRATAGEMS.TP2~ #0 #8190 // Improved Minor Encounters: v32 RC8
// Recently Uninstalled: ~JIMFIX/SETUP-JIMFIX.TP2~ #0 #0 // Fix Sunfire power levels: v2.5
SCS seems to have gotten new release candidate, but it doesn't say anything about that room. Well at least they've fixed celestials movement.
Release Candidate 9 Changelog
Solved a bunch of problems concerning summoned fiends
Detecting Tome & Blood version of Sequencer
BG1 NPCs now keep their special abilities
Vampires are properly affected by the difficulty slider
Rebalancing of spawn difficulties (among other things, affects vampire spawns)
Summons (Planetars, Efreeti,...) are more obedient
HLAs should work properly
Multiple-spell-turning bug fixed
Davaeorn now equips his robe
Spellhold item-stealing component handles stacks properly
Stripped out evasion effects from IWD spells
Gibberlings no longer get potions
Bodhi gets into combat properly
Better detection of IWD spell scrolls from third-party mods
Adalon uses breath weapons better
Restored compatibility with aTweaks fiends
Lich fear should now work correctly
Doppelganger AI settings correctly labelled
Content changes:
Difficulty widget now merged with UI on EE installs
Ust Natha Demon Lord gets a proper upgrade
Entropy Shield spell tweaks
New EE-only component: Restoration removes ability drain
New EE-only component: thief skills increment in multiples of 5
New component: increased power to cleric cause/cure spells (& priest AI to respond if it's installed)
Less ugly buttons for the thief bonus points in NPC management
Nevaziah's level is less overwhelming
Davaeorn now wears his cloak
Is it safe to install/uninstall mods during playthrough?
EDIT: Reading the SCS forum some seem to have the same problem with 32v8. "The game crashed when I entered Diaytha's room in Sendai's enclave, AR6105. I bypassed this by consoling to the spectator beholder room and the rest of the maps were fine."
Spiders passed with invisibility. In the next area lured Yochlol and Glabrezus away and killed them. Now nobody could spot me being invisible. Used PfU against Odamaron and then smacked with the Runehammer.
Persistent crashing stopped me going in Diaytha's Room, so I used console to pass to the next level. It's not like it's tough area anyway, you can charm Ogremoch with Control Circlet and Diaytha herself gets killed by his own minions. Captain Egeissag took two gww's from Soul Reaver. The usual buffing for the mind flayer area, intelligence potions, mind focus potions, potion of absorbtion, blunt belt, bmu. First mob was hacked pretty quickly, the second including Mithykul took a little more time but wasn't that close. Lastly hacked the few fighters and wizards.
Dame vs. Sendai. First jumped on the cleric Sendai, because it can summon fallen deva which sees through invisibility. The rest of them can't, and I had 53 invisibility potions just for this occasion, so I could hit and run, and escape to Pocket Plane to rest if needed. I tried taking on the drow, but omg didn't remember what kind of deal that was and died couple times. They've like -30 Thac0, all use gww's so if you're surrounded by them you're dead like in a second without damage resistance. Started all over with Hardiness and AoF, took the cleric Sendai and three drows, invisibility, heal, then one more drow, invisibility, heal and one more and so on, until all fighter drow were dead. Escaped in pocket plane to rest.
Now there was four Sendais and two mage drows left. And this is where I really started having trouble. All four mages casted simultaneously multiple spells including teleport fields and many lightning bolts, and the game started freezing. The lightning bolts didn't seem to vanish but just went which ever way, until the game crashed. Started over many times figuring what was going on, but always after the lightning bolts were cast, something started to freeze the game. Watching the log there was hundreds of Drow: Minor Spell Turning (cast previously) messages in a row, so possibly a some loop error in the script crashed the game.
In the end I couldn't prevent the game crashing. So I had to remove the two mage drows from the battlefield, which is a shame as the Sendai battle is very nice tactical battle. This did fix the crashing however. Hunted the last Sendais, and after killing the last one I escaped to Pocket Plane. Rested and came back to hunt the real Sendai, which was pretty long hunt, probably 10 minutes or so before his spell book was depleted.
Damn that was frustrating experience. I hope the last battle isn't buggy as the Sendai Enclave was in SCS 32v8.
Never had this isuue before so it must be one of the latest BG patches bugged some SCS component (didn't reinstall SCS in quite a while)