Making the game HARDER
Loldrup
Member Posts: 291
Let's face it: BG 2.x probably ain't gonna happen on android.
So, how could we emulate the hardness of LoB within the Core rules difficulty?
Basically we need to nerf AC, THAC0, APR, and perhaps also some aspects of magic.
Here's how I try to do it:
1. Restrict allowed armour types for each chapter:
Until after the Naskell mines, only leather is allowed.
Until after the bandit camp, only chain mail (and leather) is allowed
Until after the Cloakwood mine, only splint mail (and chain mail and leather) is allowed.
Until arrival in Candlekeep, only plate mail (and ...) is allowed
After Candlekeep, full plate is allowed (I count Ankheg as full plate)
Thus I'm currently in the Cloakwood, battling phase spiders with my newly acquired splint mail on my cleric/thief. And I really regret only bringing 15 potions of antidote!
2: Restrict ranged attacks: ranged attacks are way too powerful for emulating a LoB-ish experience. Thus I only allow my characters to use ranged weapons in which they have *no* proficiency points! For solo-runs, this is relaxed to max one proficiency points.
To spice it up a bit, I allow them to use their proficient ranged weapon whenever they find some non-ordinary ammo in the field (no purchases!). For solo-runs, all looted ammo (including conventional ammo) is allowed. Still no purchasing or stealing ammo from shops.
3: restrict magic: no area of effect status magic: sleep, fear, web, glitterdust, or similar. I look with mercy upon entangle and grease, because they don't completely disable the enemy, and they offer good chances for the enemies to save against them. Currently I am trying out Viconia's charm person or mammal (ehm.. I made her into a druid...) in the Cloakwood, but jees, I just realise that spiders aren't exactly mammals
( that explains the lack of success!
4: restrict wands: no wands of paralysis, frost, heavens, fear, and certainly no (re-)purchased wands! Fireballs against large bands of bandits are so much fun that I can't restrict myself from those wands.. but, as a counter measure, I disallow my mages from memorising fireball. Thus, I can't blast my way through the whole game. Also, I will allow myself to use wands of frost against Karoug on the Werewolf island.
5: restrict classes: fighters are very powerful in BG, so I simply disallow them, except for solo-runs.
6: restrict experience: avoid easy XP wherever you can. I love taking on the bandits camp with only 2nd level spells available for my mages. Currently I'm in the third Cloakwood, and Xan is *still* only level four. I often times also cheat: when my characters have reached level 2/3, I reset their XP count to let them stay in that sweet spot a bit longer.
7: aim for evenness in AC and THAC0: don't just pile all the good stuff on one character and use that as tank. Everybody should be able to stand in the front line for at least a short while. My AC's currently range between -3 and 0. This is the most even distribution I could get. And ALL of my characters have 16 in melee THAC0 currently
8: restrict THAC0 and APR: only one proficiency point is allowed for each weapon type. In case of fighters, the character is allowed to have more proficiency points when he has gotten points in *all* weapon types for which there are any 'special' weapon to be found in the game. By 'special' I mean (uncursed) weapons that have any kind of extra feature or ability apart from simply being a +X weapon. So for BGEE, a fighter would have to achieve proficiency in these weapon types before specialising in any weapon type: daggers, maces, long swords, bastard swords, two handed swords, hammers.
Currently my team is:
Fellicca: female priest/thief gnome
Xan: such a charming boy..
Eldoth and Garrick: well, I need these two chaps for wielding the bastard swords that can hit Karoug
Skie: for wielding that flaming blade from Durlags Tower that can also hit Karoug
Viconia: a wholly lovely woman, now in the shape of a druid (I never reset her XP, as a want to check out those lvl 5 druid spells as soon as possible). Also, she will wield that special dagger against Karoug.
So, how could we emulate the hardness of LoB within the Core rules difficulty?
Basically we need to nerf AC, THAC0, APR, and perhaps also some aspects of magic.
Here's how I try to do it:
1. Restrict allowed armour types for each chapter:
Until after the Naskell mines, only leather is allowed.
Until after the bandit camp, only chain mail (and leather) is allowed
Until after the Cloakwood mine, only splint mail (and chain mail and leather) is allowed.
Until arrival in Candlekeep, only plate mail (and ...) is allowed
After Candlekeep, full plate is allowed (I count Ankheg as full plate)
Thus I'm currently in the Cloakwood, battling phase spiders with my newly acquired splint mail on my cleric/thief. And I really regret only bringing 15 potions of antidote!
2: Restrict ranged attacks: ranged attacks are way too powerful for emulating a LoB-ish experience. Thus I only allow my characters to use ranged weapons in which they have *no* proficiency points! For solo-runs, this is relaxed to max one proficiency points.
To spice it up a bit, I allow them to use their proficient ranged weapon whenever they find some non-ordinary ammo in the field (no purchases!). For solo-runs, all looted ammo (including conventional ammo) is allowed. Still no purchasing or stealing ammo from shops.
3: restrict magic: no area of effect status magic: sleep, fear, web, glitterdust, or similar. I look with mercy upon entangle and grease, because they don't completely disable the enemy, and they offer good chances for the enemies to save against them. Currently I am trying out Viconia's charm person or mammal (ehm.. I made her into a druid...) in the Cloakwood, but jees, I just realise that spiders aren't exactly mammals
( that explains the lack of success!4: restrict wands: no wands of paralysis, frost, heavens, fear, and certainly no (re-)purchased wands! Fireballs against large bands of bandits are so much fun that I can't restrict myself from those wands.. but, as a counter measure, I disallow my mages from memorising fireball. Thus, I can't blast my way through the whole game. Also, I will allow myself to use wands of frost against Karoug on the Werewolf island.
5: restrict classes: fighters are very powerful in BG, so I simply disallow them, except for solo-runs.
6: restrict experience: avoid easy XP wherever you can. I love taking on the bandits camp with only 2nd level spells available for my mages. Currently I'm in the third Cloakwood, and Xan is *still* only level four. I often times also cheat: when my characters have reached level 2/3, I reset their XP count to let them stay in that sweet spot a bit longer.
7: aim for evenness in AC and THAC0: don't just pile all the good stuff on one character and use that as tank. Everybody should be able to stand in the front line for at least a short while. My AC's currently range between -3 and 0. This is the most even distribution I could get. And ALL of my characters have 16 in melee THAC0 currently
8: restrict THAC0 and APR: only one proficiency point is allowed for each weapon type. In case of fighters, the character is allowed to have more proficiency points when he has gotten points in *all* weapon types for which there are any 'special' weapon to be found in the game. By 'special' I mean (uncursed) weapons that have any kind of extra feature or ability apart from simply being a +X weapon. So for BGEE, a fighter would have to achieve proficiency in these weapon types before specialising in any weapon type: daggers, maces, long swords, bastard swords, two handed swords, hammers.
Currently my team is:
Fellicca: female priest/thief gnome
Xan: such a charming boy..
Eldoth and Garrick: well, I need these two chaps for wielding the bastard swords that can hit Karoug
Skie: for wielding that flaming blade from Durlags Tower that can also hit Karoug
Viconia: a wholly lovely woman, now in the shape of a druid (I never reset her XP, as a want to check out those lvl 5 druid spells as soon as possible). Also, she will wield that special dagger against Karoug.
Post edited by Loldrup on
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