@ZaramMaldovar: SCS doesn't add or subtract stuff based on the difficulty setting, but the difficulty of SCS is very much customizable, as you can choose which components to install.
If you're starting out with SCS, a good way to keep the difficulty moderate would be to either install only the general AI improvements and calls for help, and not install anything else. If you want to go a little further than that, you might install most everything, except for a few of the toughest options:
1. The vampire component 2. The beholder component 3. Instant spellcasting for dragons, demons, celestials, and genies 4. HLAs for enemy spellcasters 5. Automatic pre-buffing for enemy spellcasters 6. Ascension fights (Throne of Bhaal stuff) 7. Spellcasting demiliches 8. Anything else that improves fights that you've found difficult in the past.
One of the best parts of SCS is how customizable it is. If you only install the basic stuff, then the game won't be too much tougher than the original game; the enemies will just avoid the stupid mistakes they used to make. If you install everything, the game is astoundingly difficult.
Is there a way to only buff the weaker mobs in the game? Random wolves and kobolds could use some buffing, but I'm not so good at the game that improved AI on tougher encounters wouldn't instantly murder me.
I now have a list of mods I'm planning on reinstalling (since new versions have been released) and I need help ordering them All for BG1 1. NPC Project 2. NPC Project Music 3. BG Mini Quests and Encounters 4. BG Unfinished Business 5. SCS
Edit: 6. BG:EE Classic Movies
Elminster Logic: CHARNAME is pure evil and well on his way to annihilating everything and Elminster just sits back and lets it happen. I suppose he must have been busy with something bigger at the moment?
Edit @Thacobell has helped me out I no longer need help ordering my mods, BACK TO LOGIC!
@DJKajuru How goes the artwork? I'm using your initial picture as my profile picture for the time being.
Thunderhammer Logic
Zaram: I've got an Ankheg Shell for yah! Thunderhammer: Awesome, here's 500 gold...wait a minute, what's that? (points to pile of ankheg shells on the floor) Zaram: Oh nothing...by the way here's another Ankheg Shell Thunderhamer: Awesome, here's 500 gold.
Iirc, Szass Tam should be about at the low end of demi-lich material, as in he's probably a bit past strong enough to become a demi-lich, and that change alone packs a huge upgrade. I've not looked at the relevant demi-lich stuff for 2nd ed in a LONG time, so I could be wrong. Kangax is probably a fair bit stronger, regardless of implementation.
Logic: Sarevok finds out he's fuxx0rt in Baldur's Gate as a whole, so he cleverly uses his genius intellect to hide in the city's basement, where nobody could EVER get to him. You know, instead of just high tailing it since he has nothing to gain by getting caught by charname. Because maybe he has a secret mushroom farm down there??
@AndreaColombo I had to uninstall some of aTWEAKS because demons were basically invincible. At will teleport, mirror image, haste, and one other buff I didn't recognize? No thanks, dispel didn't work because every time they would port away, refresh their defenses, and come back. This cycle repeated 5 times before I gave up.
Actually, don't Minsc and Edwin come to blows if you keep them both in the party?
Yes, there is a strong probability they will have a dialogue at some point which ends with them leaving the party and fighting to the death.
Which leads to more logic:
I am a powerful conjurer and a Red Wizard. I'm being attacked by a huge, bald, tattooed warrior with a two-handed sword. I'd better defend myself with this dagger!
Logic: Sarevok finds out he's fuxx0rt in Baldur's Gate as a whole, so he cleverly uses his genius intellect to hide in the city's basement, where nobody could EVER get to him. You know, instead of just high tailing it since he has nothing to gain by getting caught by charname. Because maybe he has a secret mushroom farm down there??
Sarevok the genius part 2 : I took off my big armor so I can be incognito while I'm in Candlekeep. Oh, and I have to change my name. Hmm... Steve ? Mack ? Rogers ? No, I know : Koveras !
Actually, don't Minsc and Edwin come to blows if you keep them both in the party?
So they say, but it never happened to me.
Sarevok the Genius Part 3: Hold out on info on the off chance that CHARNAME won't be willing to die to keep me from coming back or to spite me. Then hope I can teleport away fast enough that he doesn't set off that Contingency of Finger of Deaths he has waiting for me.
Story Logic: Several hundred Bhaalspawn fight for their father's throne. There can only be one!
The candidates are:
Illasera the Quick: We don't know much about her but at the time of the Bhaalspawn crisis she is a member of an exclusive group of elite Bhaalspawn.
Sarevok Anchev: Has managed to take control over two large merchant houses, The Seven Suns and The Iron Throne, and almost ruin them both; take over one iron mine while sabotaging another; set himself up as a ruler of several gangs of bandits; and come within a hair's breadth of causing a major war.
Yaga-Shura: A Fire Giant, Yaga-Shura owns a huge stronghold in the Marching Mountains, is the lord of an army of fire giants, and has managed to become invulnerable.
Sendai: Controls a vast underground complex with an army of Drow, spiders, mind flayers, duergar dwarves, a pet spectator beholder, and the gods alone know what else.
Balthazar: Yet another member of The Five, Balthazar is the de-facto ruler of a monastery in the village of Amkethran. He rules a large army of monks and mercenaries.
Abazigal: Probably the strongest of The Five, Abazigal is a full-grown blue dragon. He controls a large underground complex guarded by his son, a full-grown brown dragon. Another guard in the complex is a full-grown green dragon, Fil'Yissitat, who is controlled by a geas spell.
Melissan: A cover name for Amelyssan the Blackhearted; she is Bhaal's old high priestess and a high-class Fighter/Cleric. Not a Bhaalspawn herself, Melissan still hopes to bide her time, get the Bhaalspawn to kill each other and then use the Bhaal essence to usurp her old master's throne for herself.
Gorion's Ward: Often known as "Charname", Gorion's Ward has spent his or her entire life reading books, clearing stables, and skipping out of lessons in Candlekeep.
So, who prevails and takes over Bhaal's position as Lord of Murder?
@Montresor_SP I RESENT THAT? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! I have spent my entire life dedicated...well ok *dedicated* is a strong word, to learinng the art of setting things on fire. I'm not afraid of dragons or giants or gods.
And if I'M not enough my girlfriend can basically do anything with her magic, my best friend is an evil-kicking machine with a space hamster. I've got a drow cleric, my sister's a pretty good mage too AND she has a thieves guild.
And then there's Dorn...don't even get me started on Dorn. He's just WAITING for an excuse to kill something and torment it's soul for all eternity.
Still think I'm a pushover? Still want to challenge me? I didn't think so.
@DJKajuru Not exactly a Wilding, but I like that interpretation (especially since his wife is Neera and is party alignment is all over the place) take all the time you need.
Also who would like to see a Fanfiction adaption of the game series with Zaram as the main character?
Solar Logic: Simply tells Mellisan that now isn't the time for conflict when she threatens CHARNAME instead of actually making an effort to stop her from killing CHARNAME right then and there when Mellisan has proven she is willing to usurp the will of Gods (i.e Bhaal) in order to gain power.
Seriously, do you think Mellisan cares what Ao thinks? Usurping the will of gods is the real reason Mellisan got the fate she did, not her defeat at the hands of CHARNAME.
Cyric tries to usurp the gods all the time, but he knows what he's doing. Mellisan dares to say it outright and expects not to get punished for it.
Mellisan might have been smart enough to come up with a plan to take over from Bhaal, but she isn't wise enough to realize that speaking about her plans in the open is a bad idea.
Cyric was probably itching to kill her himself and went mad(der) when the gods stopped him from interfering.
Actually, don't Minsc and Edwin come to blows if you keep them both in the party?
Yes, there is a strong probability they will have a dialogue at some point which ends with them leaving the party and fighting to the death.
Which leads to more logic:
I am a powerful conjurer and a Red Wizard. I'm being attacked by a huge, bald, tattooed warrior with a two-handed sword. I'd better defend myself with this dagger!
Edwin is a typical example of what happens when you cross high intelligence with low wisdom!
Even more Edwin logic:
My party companion is a huge, bald, tattooed warrior with a +3 (well, marginally) thinking sword. He is grieving for his lost witch, whom he failed to protect. He is prone to go berserk. Hmm ... wonder what happens if I tease him sufficiently about Dynaheir? (Yes, yes, gotta try that immediately!)
Or:
I have found a powerful ancient scroll but I don't know what it does... Better try it out, see what happens!
You know, instead of just high tailing it since he has nothing to gain by getting caught by charname. Because maybe he has a secret mushroom farm down there??
It's not as stupid as it seems. In his underground lair Sarevok has advantage of terrain, can place traps, and faces Charname after he/she has to best long labirynth full of slimes and undead. It makes sense to think that he may succeed in killing Charname, and then flee. What he doesn't know is Powerword:reload.
Yeah, but a genius should realize he has very very little to gain by fighting the PC, to say nothing of staying within city limits where he is now stuck as a troglodyte!
Sarevok the Genius - having successfully caught Gorion's ward in an ambush, he wastes time offering Gorion an opportunity to save his life when he could just have had Angelo kill him with 1 autohit Arrow of Detonation. Obviously Charname just walks away at a comfortable pace, surviving to rventually kill Sarevok.
@DreadKhan Sarevok probably knew that Belt had divining powers, so CHARNAME could have followed Sarevok no matter where he went.
Better to go somewhere you know the terrain and can set up a trap than just somewhere random. Fighting CHARNAME was unavoidable, but Sarevok had absolute control over how.
EE Logic: Gorion wears belt that doubles fire damage without wearing anything that protects him against fire. I thought Gorion was a wiser man than that.
I don't think Sarevok really needed to fight Charname just then. If he had taken advantsge of his head start, he probably could have escaped. Waiting to ambush the person that just ruined your planned massacre of the rulers of a city-state by itself isn't very rational, but its not like Charname is all the Flamming Fist can field, so Sarevok needed to leave either way.
Maybe this is his low wisdom acting up?
Gorion Logic: Makes it his life's work to raise Charname, including spending years being visited by high level adventurer's including 2 epic wizards, yet get nothing but ~120 gold to help Charname survive.
Sarevok the Genius - having successfully caught Gorion's ward in an ambush, he wastes time offering Gorion an opportunity to save his life when he could just have had Angelo kill him with 1 autohit Arrow of Detonation. Obviously Charname just walks away at a comfortable pace, surviving to rventually kill Sarevok.
That's another Powerword: plot-armour. But seriously, I think you are right about that one.
That's the thing though Sarevok's Wisdom is 12. That's hardly low, in fact it's slightly above average. Terrbile for a cleric (looking at you, pre-trials Anomen) but relatively good for someone who isn't one.
However, Sarevok is Chaotic Evil so occasionally he'll get madder the closer he gets to his goal.
Rage is a great tool in lowering someone's natural wisdom score.
Also does anyone think Anomen's wisdom score should go down when his alignment changes to Chaotic Neutral? How far is up to you, but I think it makes perfect sense.
Gorion, a high level mage, does not teleport to the Friendly Arm Inn even after he left the anti-teleportation wards of Candlekeep. He also doesn't turn Charname or himself invisible when Sarevok attacks.
Bounty Hunters loudly announce their identity and attack you in broad daylight instead of biding their time and striking when you're asleep or off-guard.
Caelar asks you to join her after she sends assassins after you, instead of before.
Irenicus hunts down and steals the soul of CHARNAME instead of one of the Five. So long as he doesn't take Illasera's soul, he'll be fine. Irenicus has proven he is a master maniupulator, he can easily get one of the five into a trap and take their essence, it would probably serve him better.
Gorion, a high level mage, does not teleport to the Friendly Arm Inn even after he left the anti-teleportation wards of Candlekeep. He also doesn't turn Charname or himself invisible when Sarevok attacks.
Bounty Hunters loudly announce their identity and attack you in broad daylight instead of biding their time and striking when you're asleep or off-guard.
Caelar asks you to join her after she sends assassins after you, instead of before.
What about that sneaky jerk Tarnesh? He definately catches you a bit, if you don't have auto-pause. Actually, several Bounty Hunter groups do try to figure out who you are, so they don't massacre innocents... a bit ironic actually, when my solos open up things with a bead from the One Gift Lost! The perils of being a compassionate bounty hunter never end!
PC Logic: Due to meta-knowledge, I know who's out to get me, so I know which NPCs to mercilessly fireball to death before looting their smoking corpse, and, which to chat up. Oh, and I'm a Paladin.
For best results: Step 1: Click on the one grave in Nashkel that mentions a guy "holding his tongue" Step 2: Wait for the guy to yell at you Step 3: Click on it Step 4: Phoenix Guards! Step 5: Kentucky Fried Nashkel
@subtledoctor You just made Kangaxx *way* more awesome, thank you.
I'm sure Kangaxx is more than willing to part with a reasonably powerful artifact (he probably has tons more) and then hope he doesn't cross paths with the significantly more powerful CHARNAME again in the future.
Kangaxx is smart, he won't mess with people he can't beat again, he'll stick to gaining power and knowledge like most liches. Oh and playing to take over the world.
Though I bet Szass Tam could give him a run for his money.
Update: This thread has now reached 2K views. Thanks everybody!
What makes you say that? Charname doesn't actually destroy any lich phylacteries in BG2. Meaning, Charname doesn't actually kill any liches in BG2.
Okay, this is my headcannon from now on. Suddenly it makes sense why liches would be roaming around some dungeons with no clear purpose - if their phylacteries are safe, then why not?
Comments
I am unsure.
I now have a list of mods I'm planning on reinstalling (since new versions have been released) and I need help ordering them
All for BG1
1. NPC Project
2. NPC Project Music
3. BG Mini Quests and Encounters
4. BG Unfinished Business
5. SCS
Edit:
6. BG:EE Classic Movies
Elminster Logic: CHARNAME is pure evil and well on his way to annihilating everything and Elminster just sits back and lets it happen. I suppose he must have been busy with something bigger at the moment?
Edit @Thacobell has helped me out I no longer need help ordering my mods, BACK TO LOGIC!
How goes the artwork? I'm using your initial picture as my profile picture for the time being.
Thunderhammer Logic
Zaram: I've got an Ankheg Shell for yah!
Thunderhammer: Awesome, here's 500 gold...wait a minute, what's that? (points to pile of ankheg shells on the floor)
Zaram: Oh nothing...by the way here's another Ankheg Shell
Thunderhamer: Awesome, here's 500 gold.
As an aside, since we're talking mods, did anybody try aTWEAKS without SCS? How tough did you find it?
Logic: Sarevok finds out he's fuxx0rt in Baldur's Gate as a whole, so he cleverly uses his genius intellect to hide in the city's basement, where nobody could EVER get to him. You know, instead of just high tailing it since he has nothing to gain by getting caught by charname. Because maybe he has a secret mushroom farm down there??
I am a powerful conjurer and a Red Wizard. I'm being attacked by a huge, bald, tattooed warrior with a two-handed sword. I'd better defend myself with this dagger!
Sarevok the Genius Part 3: Hold out on info on the off chance that CHARNAME won't be willing to die to keep me from coming back or to spite me. Then hope I can teleport away fast enough that he doesn't set off that Contingency of Finger of Deaths he has waiting for me.
The candidates are:
Illasera the Quick: We don't know much about her but at the time of the Bhaalspawn crisis she is a member of an exclusive group of elite Bhaalspawn.
Sarevok Anchev: Has managed to take control over two large merchant houses, The Seven Suns and The Iron Throne, and almost ruin them both; take over one iron mine while sabotaging another; set himself up as a ruler of several gangs of bandits; and come within a hair's breadth of causing a major war.
Yaga-Shura: A Fire Giant, Yaga-Shura owns a huge stronghold in the Marching Mountains, is the lord of an army of fire giants, and has managed to become invulnerable.
Sendai: Controls a vast underground complex with an army of Drow, spiders, mind flayers, duergar dwarves, a pet spectator beholder, and the gods alone know what else.
Balthazar: Yet another member of The Five, Balthazar is the de-facto ruler of a monastery in the village of Amkethran. He rules a large army of monks and mercenaries.
Abazigal: Probably the strongest of The Five, Abazigal is a full-grown blue dragon. He controls a large underground complex guarded by his son, a full-grown brown dragon. Another guard in the complex is a full-grown green dragon, Fil'Yissitat, who is controlled by a geas spell.
Melissan: A cover name for Amelyssan the Blackhearted; she is Bhaal's old high priestess and a high-class Fighter/Cleric. Not a Bhaalspawn herself, Melissan still hopes to bide her time, get the Bhaalspawn to kill each other and then use the Bhaal essence to usurp her old master's throne for herself.
Gorion's Ward: Often known as "Charname", Gorion's Ward has spent his or her entire life reading books, clearing stables, and skipping out of lessons in Candlekeep.
So, who prevails and takes over Bhaal's position as Lord of Murder?
I RESENT THAT? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! I have spent my entire life dedicated...well ok *dedicated* is a strong word, to learinng the art of setting things on fire. I'm not afraid of dragons or giants or gods.
And if I'M not enough my girlfriend can basically do anything with her magic, my best friend is an evil-kicking machine with a space hamster. I've got a drow cleric, my sister's a pretty good mage too AND she has a thieves guild.
And then there's Dorn...don't even get me started on Dorn. He's just WAITING for an excuse to kill something and torment it's soul for all eternity.
Still think I'm a pushover? Still want to challenge me? I didn't think so.
Not exactly a Wilding, but I like that interpretation (especially since his wife is Neera and is party alignment is all over the place) take all the time you need.
Also who would like to see a Fanfiction adaption of the game series with Zaram as the main character?
Solar Logic:
Simply tells Mellisan that now isn't the time for conflict when she threatens CHARNAME instead of actually making an effort to stop her from killing CHARNAME right then and there when Mellisan has proven she is willing to usurp the will of Gods (i.e Bhaal) in order to gain power.
Seriously, do you think Mellisan cares what Ao thinks? Usurping the will of gods is the real reason Mellisan got the fate she did, not her defeat at the hands of CHARNAME.
Cyric tries to usurp the gods all the time, but he knows what he's doing. Mellisan dares to say it outright and expects not to get punished for it.
Mellisan might have been smart enough to come up with a plan to take over from Bhaal, but she isn't wise enough to realize that speaking about her plans in the open is a bad idea.
Cyric was probably itching to kill her himself and went mad(der) when the gods stopped him from interfering.
Even more Edwin logic:
My party companion is a huge, bald, tattooed warrior with a +3 (well, marginally) thinking sword. He is grieving for his lost witch, whom he failed to protect. He is prone to go berserk. Hmm ... wonder what happens if I tease him sufficiently about Dynaheir? (Yes, yes, gotta try that immediately!)
Or:
I have found a powerful ancient scroll but I don't know what it does... Better try it out, see what happens!
It's not as stupid as it seems. In his underground lair Sarevok has advantage of terrain, can place traps, and faces Charname after he/she has to best long labirynth full of slimes and undead. It makes sense to think that he may succeed in killing Charname, and then flee.
What he doesn't know is Powerword:reload.
Sarevok the Genius - having successfully caught Gorion's ward in an ambush, he wastes time offering Gorion an opportunity to save his life when he could just have had Angelo kill him with 1 autohit Arrow of Detonation. Obviously Charname just walks away at a comfortable pace, surviving to rventually kill Sarevok.
Sarevok probably knew that Belt had divining powers, so CHARNAME could have followed Sarevok no matter where he went.
Better to go somewhere you know the terrain and can set up a trap than just somewhere random. Fighting CHARNAME was unavoidable, but Sarevok had absolute control over how.
EE Logic:
Gorion wears belt that doubles fire damage without wearing anything that protects him against fire. I thought Gorion was a wiser man than that.
Mistakes are what Zaram makes, silly Gorion.
Maybe this is his low wisdom acting up?
Gorion Logic: Makes it his life's work to raise Charname, including spending years being visited by high level adventurer's including 2 epic wizards, yet get nothing but ~120 gold to help Charname survive.
That's another Powerword: plot-armour.
Sarevok's Wisdom is 12. That's hardly low, in fact it's slightly above average. Terrbile for a cleric (looking at you, pre-trials Anomen) but relatively good for someone who isn't one.
However, Sarevok is Chaotic Evil so occasionally he'll get madder the closer he gets to his goal.
Rage is a great tool in lowering someone's natural wisdom score.
Also does anyone think Anomen's wisdom score should go down when his alignment changes to Chaotic Neutral? How far is up to you, but I think it makes perfect sense.
Bounty Hunters loudly announce their identity and attack you in broad daylight instead of biding their time and striking when you're asleep or off-guard.
Caelar asks you to join her after she sends assassins after you, instead of before.
PC Logic: Due to meta-knowledge, I know who's out to get me, so I know which NPCs to mercilessly fireball to death before looting their smoking corpse, and, which to chat up. Oh, and I'm a Paladin.
For best results:
Step 1: Click on the one grave in Nashkel that mentions a guy "holding his tongue"
Step 2: Wait for the guy to yell at you
Step 3: Click on it
Step 4: Phoenix Guards!
Step 5: Kentucky Fried Nashkel
You just made Kangaxx *way* more awesome, thank you.
I'm sure Kangaxx is more than willing to part with a reasonably powerful artifact (he probably has tons more) and then hope he doesn't cross paths with the significantly more powerful CHARNAME again in the future.
Kangaxx is smart, he won't mess with people he can't beat again, he'll stick to gaining power and knowledge like most liches. Oh and playing to take over the world.
Though I bet Szass Tam could give him a run for his money.
Update: This thread has now reached 2K views. Thanks everybody!
Okay, this is my headcannon from now on. Suddenly it makes sense why liches would be roaming around some dungeons with no clear purpose - if their phylacteries are safe, then why not?