A blackguard will seat on the Throne of Bhaal...
Lekinf
Member Posts: 33
Dear all,
The challenge will be to create a Blackguard in BG1, and to continue through SOD, BGII and TOB.
Well... If I do not die, as the challenge will be a no-reload, with SCS. BG1 will be on insane but I consider setting the difficulty to Core from SoD to ToB as i never completed this part of the run without dying at least once.
Why a Blackguard? For 2 reasons: i already succeeded 2 no-reload through BG1:
One with a warrior/thief (which also was my first time playing SoD, and he died against of those ****** new gargantuan spider)
and one with a ranger/cleric, (which also died against a random spider, after 80% of the game, just because he had boots of speed, and arrived first to the trap...)
So first of all I wanted to try with a single class (and dark paladin, seems more interesting to roleplay than paladin).
Secondly, because my playthrough showed me that you usually have more chances to die from status effect, than from receving high damage), so it is important to have a character who should be as little affected by effect as possible (hence the choice of Blackguard who has some useful immunities.
The challenge will be tactical, and i will post about my early game path, (how i will acquire nice items, without too much risk), my build and the most interesting fights I will face.
I also impose myself the following challenges:
-No use of items from mods (i play with several mods which add new hard enemy encounters, I can´t use or sell items they drop as it would ease the game)
-No heal & sleep abuse: if i have to heal, i use pots or memorised spells, but i don´t 2 days i a dungeon not to waste pots , it forces me to think about continuing a dungeon and take risks, or not.
-No meta-abuse of fights outside a dungeon: if I attack a group of neutral enemies in the map, i can scout for them and prepare but not start with web, fireball out of sight ( i can do it inside a dungeon, because everyone is deemed to be hostile)
-No Basilic xp early. I did in my previous attemps, i think a fighterlike class don´t need it.
The character I rolled as the following stats:
The Nameless One - Female Human - Blackguard
STR: 18/86
DEX: 18
CON: 18
INT: 11
WIS: 9
CHA: 14
Weapons proficiencies:
dagger **
longbow **
This choice may appear surprising (usually when i take daggers, it is to have a weapon which can be melee and distance, so no need for bow but the rationale is the following:
daggers will allow me to use a shield for long in the game.
daggers are heavy and it is not sure i will be able to carry that much (and you can´t put any with your arrows)
daggers do more damage than bows, and they seem to me more useful up to the point you have the longbow in the bandit camp.
bows are amazing cause they authorise lot of different strategies with different types of arrows.
The challenge will be to create a Blackguard in BG1, and to continue through SOD, BGII and TOB.
Well... If I do not die, as the challenge will be a no-reload, with SCS. BG1 will be on insane but I consider setting the difficulty to Core from SoD to ToB as i never completed this part of the run without dying at least once.
Why a Blackguard? For 2 reasons: i already succeeded 2 no-reload through BG1:
One with a warrior/thief (which also was my first time playing SoD, and he died against of those ****** new gargantuan spider)
and one with a ranger/cleric, (which also died against a random spider, after 80% of the game, just because he had boots of speed, and arrived first to the trap...)
So first of all I wanted to try with a single class (and dark paladin, seems more interesting to roleplay than paladin).
Secondly, because my playthrough showed me that you usually have more chances to die from status effect, than from receving high damage), so it is important to have a character who should be as little affected by effect as possible (hence the choice of Blackguard who has some useful immunities.
The challenge will be tactical, and i will post about my early game path, (how i will acquire nice items, without too much risk), my build and the most interesting fights I will face.
I also impose myself the following challenges:
-No use of items from mods (i play with several mods which add new hard enemy encounters, I can´t use or sell items they drop as it would ease the game)
-No heal & sleep abuse: if i have to heal, i use pots or memorised spells, but i don´t 2 days i a dungeon not to waste pots , it forces me to think about continuing a dungeon and take risks, or not.
-No meta-abuse of fights outside a dungeon: if I attack a group of neutral enemies in the map, i can scout for them and prepare but not start with web, fireball out of sight ( i can do it inside a dungeon, because everyone is deemed to be hostile)
-No Basilic xp early. I did in my previous attemps, i think a fighterlike class don´t need it.
The character I rolled as the following stats:
The Nameless One - Female Human - Blackguard
STR: 18/86
DEX: 18
CON: 18
INT: 11
WIS: 9
CHA: 14
Weapons proficiencies:
dagger **
longbow **
This choice may appear surprising (usually when i take daggers, it is to have a weapon which can be melee and distance, so no need for bow but the rationale is the following:
daggers will allow me to use a shield for long in the game.
daggers are heavy and it is not sure i will be able to carry that much (and you can´t put any with your arrows)
daggers do more damage than bows, and they seem to me more useful up to the point you have the longbow in the bandit camp.
bows are amazing cause they authorise lot of different strategies with different types of arrows.
4
Comments
Afaik, Arrows of Detonation still can deliver poison, a big perk too.
Btw, if you'rd a blackguard, who cares if randoms in the wilderness are hostile? You're evil, right? You might kill them to loot their corpses even if they might be innocents. I mean it is cheesey, but you can defend it RP-wise imho.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/40393/maybe-this-time-no-reload-thread-perils-of-the-area-transition-doom-for-a-starting-party
It's the official no-reload thread here in the Beamdog Forum. Anyway, do as you like, and may Tymora be with you !
The early game was pretty straight forward, i have done (and failed!) so many no reload, that i know where to go to get low risk xp:
After Candlekeep, i went east to kill the fetichist ogre and get the belt, then did the easy quests in Beregost and just south. This was enough to get me level 3. I gave back the furtivity boots to the halfling thief, then killed him (he stole me!)
To keep-up the good vibe, I continued south to Nashkel, and the festival. I discovered a nice green armor in a field, met a nice magician and his amazing companion, unfortunately this last one died three times in a row...
I met another thief in a tent, and when he tried to steal my purse, i throwed him several arrows and took his stuff.
In the city, i received two dangerous quests: investigating the mines infested by monsters, or find an artist who stole some gems.
Following my courage, i decided to go for the artist and then run as far as possible from the mines.
I found Prism South to the mines, unfortunately, another bounty hunter decided to come get the prime. We fought bravely (me running in circle throwing him anything coming to my hands, and him running behind me). I was about to win, when he decided to run away to a big group of kobolds.
I nevertheless succeeded in beating them and got the gemms back. I went back to the city, sold the gems for myself and heard that the captain of the guards ran crazy. More problems for this city means more money for me. I decided to go for his head.
I found him on the west of the city, i was about to fight him but i noticed that I may not have enough ammos. I decided to spare his life and bring him to the temple (for now!)
After this, I decided to go to the friendly-arm Inn, killing some more ogres on my way.
To avoid takings risk against the mage who wants my life, i recruited Helarine (PNJ from a mod), but otherwise I would have taken Imoen to serve as a meatshield and absorb the spells from the mage.
RIP Helarine. Her sacrifice will not be totally forgotten.
After completing the quests in this map, I was almost level 4 and decided to go for the ankhegs. As i wasn´t totally sure that It would be fine i decided to recruit Ajantis to help me for my firsts fights.
This noble paladin (which definitely does not deserve its 12 in INT and 13 in WIS to trust a blackguard who tells him that she supports noble causes) was sent in first line and died against the prietress of Umberlee.
Now level 4, and with 8 potions in my pack, I decided to kill all the ankhegs north to Friendly Arm-inn.
I went to their lair, fights were overall easy, i had bought a sleeping wand from Thalantyr just in case, nevertheless, one the beasts succeeded in hitting me (36 dmg due to the insane, it hurts when you have 56 max hp)
I had to hide and consume lot of pots but succeded.
Next step will be to recruit a team to go for Bassilius, the priest who scares Beregost.
Maximum single damage received: 36
Companions sacrified: 2
I asked Imoen, Khalid, Jaheira, Xzar and Montaron, to join me. They are a great team and I think they will get along well together. Let´s call them ´the Expendables´.
I put 110 in pickpocket in Montaron. It suits the character and will only serve two purposes: sneaky fight with Bassilius, and stealing some stuffs around.
Everyone sleeps (first sleep in the game) and lets go. I chose the dialogue option which reduces the number of skeletons (technically, i tell him that I am her dead mother, which is kind of not very very gentle).
The strategy is clear: charname and Jaheira attack him from distance, Xzar times his spells to try to interrupt Bassilius, Imoen does the same with her wand, and montaron tanks with some help from Khalid.
The fight didn´t really go as expected, SCS Bassilius succefully stunned the two tanks, then tryed to stun Charname too. When i saw the spell, I had no choice, she ran and drink the potion of invisibility ust before getting stun - so at least even if the full pary dies, I will be able to escape.
Imoen tries to force Bassilius sleeps with the wand but fails several times. Situation is bad. But thanks to the great Xzar Bassilius misses his sanctuary, and Jaheira successfully charms him. Now it is time to abuse it. I force him to summon a skeleton warrior (which will be by my side), and to miss some other spells, then when everyone can move again (except Khalid, he died) I finish him off.
The fights in the rest of the zone is pretty straightforward, the skeleton warrior is still alive and will be very helpful to kill the Hogoblins.
I meet a talking chicken and bring him with me to Thalanthyr. I face a bunch of skeletons, and uses a fireball from the wand (at this level of the game and with everyone except from Charname low and with bad armors, it is better not to risk it).
Thalanthyr successfully reincarnates his apprentice (Ouf) and I go to the West to finally visit the sea of the Sword Coast.
We meet the Nereide and Xzar enjoys the first kiss of his life, which kills him.
We attack her. She resurects everyone. The Ogre arrives and the fight starts again. Happily his saving throws must be low. He successively kills Xzar, Jaheira, Khalid, and Imoen, but the wand of sleep finally works and I am able to finish him.
Montaron and I loot everything and go to Beregost temple to get money from Bassilius death. Then we decided to fulfil Montaron greatest dreams: stealing a lot.
We steal Algernon´s cloack (not sufficient to make Montaron decent to look at but you must start somewhere) and we head to Ulgoth´ Beard to steal more stuff (the ring of free action! a magic hammer! and lot of scrolls on Shandalar)
I also buy the Greenstone amulette and the cloack of displacement. Then I return to Friendly Arm inn to get the ´buckley buckler´ (and now I am poor).
Next step will be to recruit a more appropriate team, who will bring me to the Throne of Bhaal...
We go for Kagain (I love his quest so much, i think it is one of the most inspiring of the game, he should have been the main character of this game), we go for Viconia and we go for Baeloth.
Overconfidently, I decided to try to go more East and fight some red wizards, They killed Kagain and Baeloth (5 minutes after getting recruited, the guy must feel lucky) and I have to run for my life.
I return to Beregost, sell some stuff and resurrects my party. (Now that i think about it, glad that we did shopping before, because reputation drop starts to hurt!)
We hear about treasures and sirines in the west, and go find them. On our way we recruit Safana and go fight the sirines.
The first fight is quite easy thanks to Viconia skeletons, and Kagain with the Greenstone amulet.
The second one was a little harder (no more skeletons, so Safana got charmed, but nothing really particular, it just costs me some damages and my antidote. I send Safana and Montaron to the cave, she was able to sneak into, take off traps and get the treasure, but for more safety, i used Montaron as a target for the golems (I didn´t fight them, I was too low).
He died for my treasure. I think he would have prefered the opposite. Sad for him.
Thanks to constitution tome and the bucklet, charname can now regen between the maps.
We head South to Nashkel, before the mines, i want to get the gauntlets of dexterity for Kagain.
We successfuly reach the Gnoll fortress, and kill the 2 ogres. Unfortunately, I feel something is wrong, there is a group of assassins (added by a mod) just behind them, and the fight attracted one of them which one shot Baeloth (his death will become a running gag). I finally kills him but I dont wan´t to risk my life versus the others (they have wands, fireballs, and backstabs).
I want to get the tome of charisma but I have no invisibility potion. To get it, I prepare a plan:Viconia will learn 2 sanctuarys, one to go and one to come back and she will go alone. No fight foreseen.
Unfortunately, the sanctuary ceases when I enter the cave, and she has to fight monsters, in addition, gnolls hear about the fight and enter the cavern totally surrounding her making it an impossible espace even invisible. Fortunately, she manages to summon 2 skeletons, and kill some monsters. The gnolls focussed on the skeleton and she could break free, escape the cave, uses the second sanctuary and return to the pary.
Next step will be Nashkel mines.
Companion sacrified : 6
I meet Dorn, and agree to help him in his vengeance (-2 reputation again). Personally, i think charname should have specific dialogue option when she is a blackguard too, my character shouldn´t be so surprise about his power asshe has the same, but let´s go back to the mission.
The beginning of the mines is pretty straighforward, i have several tanks and everyone has ranged weapon.
I cross a group of mercenary duergar, I use webs, summon skeletons, and fireball wands to kill them. The ring of free action is a precious asset as I force them to fight in the web zone and i can send poisonous shots to the ones who get immobilised.
It is always a pity to let all this nice stuff on the ground, but as I said, no loot from mods ( not even healing potions
I continue and face more kobold. For the last group i use a charge of the wand of fireball (never neglect to use consumable in small skirmiches, better be healthy when facing the boss, than almost dead with items you can´t really use at this moment.
I speed everyone before the fight and let´s go. Kagain uses the greenstone amulet and tanks the boss, while Baeloth successfully handles many kobold with a precise shot of the agannazar scorcher of its wand. Unfortunately, hasted Viconia passes through and died.
To avoid additional risks, Baeloth uses a charge of the wand of paralysation found in the Sirine cavern to stun Mulahey, which falls a little after.
I exit the mines and go East, meet a magician who wants to talk about a new spell he just created.
I don´t want to risk a tough fight at this stage and tell him I am not interested. I collect the wand of monster summoning, go south and clear the first step of Dorn vengeance.
After this triumph, I return to Nashkel to receive my gold! (which will mostly be spent in healing
Nimbul, a strong assassin jumps on me but I can stun him again with the paralysis wand (the whole game should be around that wand, it is so handy!).
Next time, I will join a group of bandits
low charismapower and killed him. After this, I decided to go for the bandit camp.Well, what I can say is that I came for bandits and I got what I expected...
On my way to the camp I crossed several groups of mercenaries which attacked me. Killing Kagain and forcing me to use several pots to continue my journey. I finally met a group which was more into open discussion about carreer opportunity than attack at first sight. He convinced me to join the bandits to raid the Sword Coast. That was already pretty much my intention.
I was invited to the open-space to introduce myself to my new colleagues.
There are two ways to handle the next fight in SCS. The regular one, which consist in entering into the boss tent, kill them and then fight all the bandits who will come to you and the free for all one, where you throw fireballs everywhere in the camp in the same time to kill many enemies, and then defend a zone where all enemies (including the bosses from the tent) will come to get you.
As it is a no-reload, I chosed what seems to me the safest, killing the mage first. I sneaked into the boss tent, and used several fireball (from potions, wands and necklace) to kill as many enemies as possible. Then poisonous arrows to end the mage and ´near dead´ opponents.
Unfortately I accidentally killed the prisonner in the tent (my reputation is now below my number of party member).
I escaped the tent and ran to the south, throwing webs and fireball to reduce the number of attackers. Those are mostly archers, so i kept fighting in running, using fireballs to damage several opponents, and bows to kill enemies which came to close or were kept by the webs.
After looting, I returned to Friendly Arm-in to resurrect Kagain, and Safana and decided to go for basilisks.
But first of all, I had to deal with a group of elven paladins who attacked me at the south of the Inn map (the fight started well but something went wrong... Charname got stun by one of the opponent, and their boss was heading straight to her! I must have taken him the ring of free action before using speed during the bandit fight and forgot to put it back after...
I needed a plan, and I needed it fast. My team went around him but it was not enough, the paladin started to hit Charname. Safana used the sleeping wand... No effect. Happily, Baeloth successfully used invisibility on Charname. She was safe... For now.
The rest of the fight was though but not too much. My team was able to beat the melee opponents (I blinded the priest and kited the Paladin.
At this stage Baeloth learned one of its most important strategic spell: invisibility - 10 radius. From now on, I will be able to start most of the fights with each of my party members and summoned creatures placed exactly where I want.
After a new round of regeneration at the temple. It was time to go for Basilisks.
Fights were easy and straightforward. I had a potion, which last one hour, so exactly the time Dorn needed to kill all the the monsters and the magician.
I also met a group of adventurers but they were not much of a challenge.
Korax served me well. I put an end to her tortured life by the mean of an arrow in her back and headed south to Gullikyn and Firewine.
I killed the ogre mage under the bridge which threatened the halfling village as well as the other mage (I stunned him with the wand of paralysis). In Firewine, I killed the master swordman.
Note that I didn´t clear the Firewine dungeon, nor killed Khark.
The gain was not worth the pain.
Next episode - Cloackwood
I entered cloackwood and decided to side with the druids. I also decided to replace Safana by Coran, who is a better archer.
I crossed my way through the spiders, using mostly Charname as the main tank (I won´t take of the free action ring anymore
In the spider lair, I enter and throw some arrows, then run outside, to fight in a place where I can manoeuver more easily. I kill the cursed woman before she can use her wand. With the Spider Sword, I can afford to have a second fighter in the webs, which makes me more confident to settle my fights in a web.
In the next map, I cross some druids and try to fight the least possible. Nevertheless a crazy dryad succeed to confuse Charname. I kill the dryad´s group but I have to spend 2 minutes running behind Charname and hoping she won´t start a fight with random folks.
In the next map, I use the same strategy with the wyverns that I used with the spiders. Ranged attacks and exit the caves to fight where I feel more confident. After this, it is time to reach the mines, and face Drasus group.
This fight is tough, I already failed some no-reload games at this stage, so I came with a plan.
Buffing a group of skeletons and spiders, sending a web and start the fight by fireballs, followed by invisible spiders going straight to the mages, Charname shouldn´t expose to mages and will focus on enemies trapped in webs. Kagain, using the Greenstone amulet and some potions will be in front of Charname, to attract the spells from the mages and use his crossbow to help him. I have no magic bolt, so he could not pass through mages stoneskins.
Dorn, who is more affordable than Charname will have to poison mages. He will be able to cross the web using the Sword, to be on range and use his crossbow on the mages.
Coran will help Kagain to take down webed enemies.
Baeloth will provide fire support to kill the archer mercenaries with fireballs.
Viconia will help him a little, and serve as support tank. Despite few hp, she has great AC and could resist some spells.
Summoned skeletons will serve as ´meatshield´ (yeah I know, not the best word choice, considering their low level of meat)
The fight started well, and during the first 3-4 rounds I was able to stun several opponents and deal large amount of damage. However, the archers mercenary killed the spiders fastly, and the mages were able to take active part in the fight.
After few more rounds, Dorn got confused before he had time to retreat and felt under the melf meteors of the mage.
Enemies used potions and I couldn´t deal enough damage to kill them I started to retreat. Coran died not long after. Charname got severely injured and used an invisibility potion to escape the fight.
Some enemies tryed to follow us and Baeloth and kagain split their group a little south to the bridge.
Baeloth died but enemies were split and didn´try to search for the livings.
Only remained Charname, Kagain, and Viconia, but enemies were low and I figured that I could wait a little, regen with potions, and go for them one by one.
I killed Drasus first who was the closest, got the boots for Kagain. Their mages on the bridge had no more spells and I could end their life. However, when crossing it, there were still some Black Talon mercenaries as well as their general. They took down Viconia, in few shots, and I decided that it was time for me to retreat.
I shared the most important items I found between Charname and Kagain (he had to drink a potion of strengh) and returned to Friendly Arm-Inn.
On my way back, a group of assassins attacked us, I took my courage in myhands and throwed it as far as possible to run faster (Kagain, this mighty dwarf, had to drink another shot (of strengh potion) to keep running!)
Next episode, the continuation of the mines.
My company was resurrected, and Coran brought the wyvern head to the priest for some gold. Unfortunately, considering the healing price, I left the city poorer than I came.
But before returning to the mines, I decided that it was time for me to face a great opponent.
The Devil my blackguard had sworn fidelity to showed me in my dreams that a great opponent, Drizzt Do Urden, was thwarting his plans on the prime material plan. I should face and kill him.
My party was about to go chase him when I noticed that my reputation was already pretty low, and that Coran would probably leave me if I decided to continue in this path. I had to take a decision, becoming a better person or abandon him (guess what I choose...)
Upon my arrival on Drizzt map, I sent Coran fighting a group of thieves, he bravely killed two of them but died against the last one.
I took his equipment and went for Drizzt.
The elf ranger was facing an armee of Gnolls. Such unfairness couldn´t be accepted, and I decided to stand with the Gnolls. Mostly using ranged weapons and speed spells.
We didn´t succeed in poisoning the ranger, but after a little kiting, he felt under the number of arrows. (For once, Gnolls where not so bad, I think they did at least 15-20 damages to him).
I took his equipment, put back my ring of freedom to Charname (this time I won´t forget) and decided to return to the mines after a short break.
As expected, only the Black talon mercenary and two of its soldiers where still there. They wounded Kagain, but this time, I was able to take them down quite easily.
I entered the mines, agreed to save the prisonners (we can always lie), and started to slaughter as many guards as I faced.
Many of them were grouped in a big room, I throwed a web and some fireballs, then retreated in another room to split the mage from the rest of the mercenaries, he stunned and confused some of my party members (Charname was hiding most of the time to avoid any risk), but once poisoned, I was able to deal with him.
the rest of the bandit group wasn´t such a threat once the mage eliminated. I accepted to save the prisonners. There life was not worth a carnage and I was convinced that acting otherwise would have bring the flamming fist to focus more on my person.
Before entering the next floor, I used a invisibility -10 radius. This spell is really useful to avoid any focus on your mage or thief when you enter a room.
I passed the door, the room was full of guards, Kagain, Dorn and The Nameless One were first to hit. Then Baeloth used a wand of terror. I killed the guards easily and took the safe south corridor to avoid dangerous fights before reaching the next floor.
It was time to enter the boss room. In SCS, there is a though fight just before: a group of mercenaries, which include a mage and an assassin + archer using explosive arrow wait for you in the first room.
The problem is that the corridor you pass throught is very short and narrow: if you are not invisible and send a tank or a summoned creature to absorb the damages, the 2 explosive arrows will wound all your group (and probably kill my weakest members (yes I think about you Vico, Baeloth and Safana)).
This fight is particularly deadly without protection. In a previous run, I went unprepared and lost 4 party members in less that 6 seconds because of the arrows.
My plan was the followin: neutralizing the archer first, then prevent the mage from casting spells, and then rest of the group.
My team was invisible (thanks to my favourite spell!) and I started the fight using a wand of fear and a wand of sleep on their team. then Kagain engaged the archer at melee range to force him use melee weapon or hurt other bandits if he uses his arrows. Dorn and The Nameless One were close to the stairs, they had to be out of range to avoid any risk, they should start the fight with poisonous bolt and arrows only when the archer is dead.
The three weak ones where on the other side of the room (close to the chest), so avoid everyone getting damage by aoe spells.
I successfully feared the archer but not the mage, which was already good (technically, for the 2-3 first rounds, the archer was harder to kill because he was running around with Kagain running behind like in a Benny Hill sketch while the mage was attacking me. Furthermore my two blackguards didn´t dare to go in because of the risk so nothing to stop him. However, I finally sent them to kill the archer first with their arrows. He died and I took care of the warrior and the mage with poison. The fight was won.
Was the fight really won? Well I though... But, do you remember I mentioned an assassin earlier? I must confess I forgot him, and he wasn´t among the deads. It seems that he was invisible at the beginning of the fight, and was scared by the wand, and when he regained his sense, he wasn´t so happy to see that I killed his friends.
So he backstabbed Baeloth...
Shit happens.
Now I had two options: 1) fight Davaeorn who is in my opinion the hardest fight of this game, without mage, no no buff, no invisilbity, no speed, no monster summoning wand to tank his damages, no fireball wand to kill the near infinite guard spawn. or 2) Return to the city to heal him.
It was time to take a decision.
The strategy was divided in several steps:
1) disarm traps
2) attract battle horrors and force them to fight my group while Davaeorn is busy or out of fight.
3) When battle horrors are dead, one or two tank (Charname and Kagain) should stay at the entrance and prevent too many guards to submerge me. (If Baeloth was there, he was supposed to help using wand of fear, to fear the guards, or, if the web and clouds sent by davaeorn at the beginning of the fight have expired, the tanks can retreat to another room while I send my own web and fireballs to coming guards)
4) In the same time, the last fighter (Dorn) should confront Davaeorn, protected by several spells and using poison attacks to disrupt him - the idea to keep Charname close to the stairs is to be able to retreat in case of major issue.
Viconia, will be behind Dorn, close to the mounts load, to be out of range of Davaeorn spells and use detection of invisibility to help Dorn. Davaeorn can teleport in other rooms, so Safana should be in the large room in front of the library to always keep an eye and track him wherever he goes.
5) The two groups (Dorn, Viconia, Safana which are dealing with the mage, and Charname, Kagain which are dealing with solders, should both be given at least one or two potions of clarity (or greenstone amulet) and free action, in order to be able to deal with bad effects
Here is the strat, and as usual it worked a little... Then things messed up...
I was able to disarm the traps, engage and kill the Battle horrors without alarming too much the mage, I splited my group as expected and was able to dodge the clouds and web. I engaged the fight, consumed several spells from Davaeorn, however, Dorn didn´t land a single attack on the mage, I sent Safana and Viconia using ranged weapons to help him but it was useless. Safana felt under melf meteors and fireballs , followed by Dorn.
In the backline, my two warriors, buffed with strengh potions were standing still however, Viconia, without heaven hand nor aggressive spells didn´t stand a chance versus Davaeorn and it was useless to continue a fight that could only go worse. I took my fellow comrades equipment, and crossed my way to the stairs.
I decided to go down again and try to kill one or two more mercenaries who were near dead, and succeeded, however, Davaoern was coming and I had to flee.
(this is what I really enjoy in a no-reload challenge, you are not forced to win each fight. When I used to play regular games with reload option years ago, I never saw the point about running, and I forced myself to fight each and every enemy, usually using more reloads than consumable items. But when you can´t reload you can´t just brute force each fight and bet on the luck, you have to use items and you have to think about the fights you are going to risk, and the one you can´t afford, like in a table RPG. You are not anymore the invincible all mightly player, but rather a powerful adventurer with flaws and weaknesses, like the hero of a well written stoy. This makes the game particularly enjoyable).
Once returned in the mines, one could argue that Black talon was ready to receive me.
A large pack of mercenaries was standing close to Davaeorn. How many? you will see when I will count the deads.
I decided to apply a different strategy. This time I will one shot all of mercenaries using several potions, fireball necklace, and fireball wand charges in the same time. After this only Davaeorn should remain, and Kagain and Dorn will engage him melee, while Charname will use its poisonned arrows. She will be at sight range from the first room close to the stairs to see new mercenaries arriving. As she wears the free action rings, she will be able to move freely and kill them while Baeloth will use web spells to prevent mercenaries to attack her. He will also use a charge of monster summoning to delay them.
Safana and Viconia will support the attack on Davaeorn.
Let´s see the outcome of this second attack:
1) the mass attack worked as expected. The 15 mercenaries died (I saw 15 death messages and, 16 to xp messages, I must have missed one, let´s say it was a big pack).
Davaeorn however fought back impressively. He resisted long enough for more mercenaries to come. Baeloth, who was in the library got stuck by a web and died under enemy arrows. Charname backed to Davaeorn main room with the rest of the team, and this time we succeeded in poisoning him. Davaeorn finally felt.
The rest of the mercenaries was not such a difficulty and was easily taken down.
I also decided to attack the apprentice, which resisted more than my weakened party expected. However he was not as strong as his master and soon laid down on the ground.
I visited the rest of the place, unlocked chests, and killed jellys to loot the magician treasures. Then flooded the mines.
Apparently, most minors were able to escape it too.
I was about to leave the forest when a group of druid attacked me (mod encounter) I was unsure about fighting him but decided to take my chance, I could still run if it wasn´t getting so good.
This druid was throwing spells like if he was under improved alacrity spell... throwing them with no interrupton.
He started by a ´call of lighting´... 76 damages on Viconia... One shot.
Then a single person fire spell (i don´t remember its name) on Safana... 56 damages... One shot.
Despite having severely injured him, I decided that it was time for me to stop worrying and start running.
Next step... Dorn´s vengeance and Baldur!
After the bridge, I meet the old Dorn´s friend and as expected both group run into each other. The fight is quite easy when you are used to SCS (as encounters added by the enhanced edition are not upgraded - would be fun actually, if there was a fallen deva or something at this moment). I loot the team and enter the city.
Finally, the small girl from the Library town visit the large city... and IT IS AWFULL.
I mean, seriously, my first encounter is the same old man who knows WAY TOO MUCH about my family and my life not to be a freaky stalker.
My second encounter is with a bunch of assassins who threaten me and poison me.
My third encounter is with a guy who accuses me to have killed his brother in the Cloackwood (which is indeed true)
I also met, several thieves (who tried to recruit me), an Ogre bounty hunter, 2 psycho (a mage and a thief) who definitely didn´t mean what I expected when they attacked me, an Umberlee priest who does child murder during her free time, a magician who asks me to kill another magician because HE want to be THE magician who captured a nymph. Actually, even the nymph who never met magician number 1 seems to have developed a kind of Stockholm syndrom and told me that magician number 1 is actually bad guy number 1...
And for the rest, I don´t even know, because it seems that doppelgangers have invaded the city so I could actually have only discussed with them faking to be merchants and over-selling me cursed items...
Not to mention that even a former friend of Gorion met close to the Iron Throne headquarter told me that I was a bad guy and deserved to be punished... (I ran, he did seem too powerful)
I start to think that the sewers of the city where I met an ogre mage is actually the safest place of the city.
After having performed several quests in the city and collected most of the available tomes, I am requested by the flamming fist to inspect the Iron Throne Headquarter.
I bought some arrows of detonation and of dispelling to help in this fight, and started climbing the Iron Throne headquarter.
Each floor ending in a casual discussion or in a bloody fight.
Before the last floor, I make everyone invisible and start positioning.
Viconia, Baeloth, Safana and Kagain climb the stairs, and go to bottom of the boss room.
I summon some creatures and buff the guys. To start the fight, I will send a web followed by some AOE damages or dispelling spells if needed. Kagain will tank for the team.
Using dispelling arrows, Safana should be able to take down mages protections and Kagain, and Baeloth should focus them at this moment
Dorn and Charname will have another mission, they will both climb a different stair when the fight will start. If they see a target trapped in a web, they will focus on him. This strat allows Charname to enter the fight after, which makes it safer, while most of enemy team should go in the corridor, where the fight should take place.
The fight started as expected.
I paralysed some of the enemies, and the other ones (especially the mages) went to the large group and faced my summons and Kagain and I was able to injure many enemies, I think I even killed one. However, Safana needed too many rounds to finally land a dispelling shot, and the enemies where able to severly injure Kagain which retreated in the small ´east´room. Everyone else retreating in the very bottom of the south room and started to split to avoid enemies AOE spells. I also used some invisbility potions and Safana stealth to tempo the fight.
Kagain, who didn´t have invisibilty potions, was the first to die.
On the stairs place, Dorn and Charname successfully started the fight, they managed to see a trapped enemy, and focused on her. Unfortately, once near dead, she managed to save vs the web, and changed into a doppelganger... which totally healed her... Sad but not game breaker, some more shots were able to kill the creature.
The halberd guy ran into Charname and damaged her, she had to retreat to the other floor and come back close to Dorn to continue shooting.
To keep some enemies on the south part of the room, Safana re-entered the fight with Baeloth (Baeloth only uses wands at this stage, to populate monsters or to make damages.
Ogres got confused but killed the mage, Safana died against the thief, and Baeloth re-used invisibility.
Charname and Dorn returned on the Halberd guy, Dorn kitted him and Charname killed him.
At this stage, it may seems that I was winning but it was quite the opposite.
Dorn and Charname were severely injured, and Baeloth was missing protection spells. Furthermore I had no more healing potions while Kagain, Safana and Viconia where dead (and I don´t even know how Viconia died).
Versus me, there was still a mage and a cleric and at least another guy.
For the safety of the run, I decided to return to a temple, heal everyone (I was so poor that I had to sell some items I just looted in this fight to heal my team) and return to the Iron Throne.
I sent Kagain,Viconia and Safana under invisibility to get back their stuff, and re-started the fight close their team using Kagain and Dorn to tank damages.
This time, the mage was easy to take down as Charname successfully landed her first dispelling arrow on him. He died, followed by the cleric and the rest of enemy team, without suffering more losses from my side.
I could return to the Flamming fist and tell them that Iron Thrones leaders where meeting in candlekeep.
teleportedejected from the city up to candlekeep. However, thanks to SCS, i had no time to prepare for the fight against 4 ogre mages.When they attacked me Baeloth used a wand of monster summoning to create meat shields while the rest of the team was splitting and running of their sight Baeloth was the first to die due to this, but he had time to accomplish his role (using one charge of a wand, what a hero...
After this fight, I looted everyone and returned to Candlekeep.
I spent one night at the tavern, and went to the library. I met a brave man named Korevas who offered me a ring which I accepted (Honestly, as a blackguard, I must serve the less efficient demon of the 666 abyss if he can´t signal me that my Nemesis, who is actually a son of Bhaal is in front of me).
After this, I didn´t fight with Iron Thrones leaders (not for kind reasons but I didn´t even discuss with them) and was accused of their murder. (Well considering the number of
innocent´sometime not so guilty´people I killed during the last months, I can´t really blame them for the mistake.Once teleported in the crypt, it was time to get the two last tomes.
To avoid any issue (like the thief who die from the trap he is supposed to disarm, which prevent you from getting the tomes... Don´t laugh, it already happened to me). I prepared a plan (actually three).
Safana was going alone, drinking a masterthief potion and, wearing all the protecting items she could and followed by Dorn and Kagain to fight in case of problem (especially for the room after the long corridor).
While Viconia who can use find trap spell, and Baeloth with an unocking scroll are waiting with Charname (who can drink the 25 strengh potion) in the large room.
Normally there is no tough fight but it is better to know the traps and the location of the spiders.
Fortunately the A plan worked (Safana and her bodyguards killed the spiders) and I got my tomes.
The rest of the crypt was easy. I killed ghouls for XP, got the +2 cape and slaughtered the doppelgangers (funny thing, if you web the one who looks like Elminster before he transforms, he has a lot of HP, which was unexpected I guess he would give you 33000 xp and malus reputation like real Elminster if you kill him this way. However, i didn´t manage to, he tranformed into greater doppelganger and attacked me. )
Once in the labyrinth cavern, I scouted Prat assassin team and used web spell to control them, I splitted around them and attacked using ranged weapons. The fight was easier than usually, probably because the mage followed Dorn in a small cave, and Prat and the rest of the team got stuck in the web and died easily.
Despite easy fight, there is still a funny moment to highlight.
When it was time to face the two basilisks, I had only one mirroring potion. As I didn´t want to send Charname, I choosed Dorn who was injured, to face the beasts.
All my team was waiting for him in another room... I sent him...He killed one, but got killed by the second who ended severely injured... I sent a summoned skeletton... who died too. What a hype...
. As I had no potion, I decided to send someone affordable, who was Safana. For the first time in a while, she succeeded a backstabb and killed the beast. Finally the path was free.
I used my group of fighters against the battle horrors and entered the tower.
Once inside, Safana´s job was to disarm traps and attract ghouls while Dorn, Kagain and Charname stayed in the main room and shot them.
I managed to get the Tome of wisdom, and to avoid the fight with the Ghost who mistakes you for Durlag as it is a dangerous fight. I did the quest for the Nymph and went to fight the Basilisks.
Once again, I choosed Dorn to go fight Basilisks, and once again... He disapointed me...
He managed to kill the first one within the small room before the top, and went for the other ones, however, as potions against petrification have a low duration (yeah I know I could have bought more, but I am both poor and greedy), I choosed to melee fight them with my two handed sword instead of using my crossbow. Unfortunately, Dorn AC was not low enough while his HP were not high enough, leading him to an unfortunate, but previsible death agaisnt the last Basilisk.
Nice, now I need to send someone without protection to kill it and he is not really injured. I checked again my inventory, no protection potion... Kagain and his large magic crossbow was granted the mission to kill the beast. Kagain was walking centimeter by centimeter up to its vision range and just shot as fast as I could before running. After a few shots, the Basilisk died.
After this, I decided that it was too risky to visit the lower floors of the tower (technically, the decision was taken long ago, I know there are useful items to grab, but I wont die for them, even if Durlag Goblet which fully heals you but fears you, looks overpowered for my team because Blackguards are immute to fear).
It is time to return to Baldur, but before this I did some reorganization in my inventory... checked my scroll case... and guess what I found in the bottom... a scroll of protection against petrification!
Once in the city, I meet a woman named Tamoko, which seems to be linked to Sarevok. My name starting to be famous for murdering people even averagely connected to the Iron Throne, I attack her after our dialogue without hesitation.
She fails her save vs my wand of paralyzation and I kill her in the street.
While sneaking around in the city I hear a story about Duke Elthan who needs help.
I go to the Flamming fist neighborhood, makes my team invisible and sneak in his appartment where I am confronted to a doppelganger. I kill the beast and bring the Duke to one of his friend who gladly thanks me.
A few moment later, Flamming fist mercenaries cross me and arrest me for murder.
At the moment I was about to be impressed by the speed of the justice in this city, indeed, it is true I killed Tamoko, and I have to face justice for this, let´s follow them. Upon my arrival to their headquarter, I understand that I am not arrested for the murder I just committed at noon in the most populated place of the city but for a former boss of the Flamming Fist (I must confess that I expected duke Elthan to say something to the guards regarding this topic... Whatever).
After a short trial, I am sent to jail with Nebster, a
sympathican horrible children murderer who likes to play riddle.We play one, he tells me he likes to kill children and that he would be able to kill a Solar. I say in front of my screen that I would pay for a mod where he actually fights a Solar, so I can see him dying again and again... But I am loosing myself.
I escape the jail, but some guards witnessed my evasion. I have to run somewhere. If someone knows where Saverok is, this person should be in the Iron Throne headquarter, so I have to return there.
Not so long ago, I was accused of murdering their boss, and now noone really cares seeing me entering in the building like that... I must confess, I feel a bit disapointed.
A guard tells me that things are getting bad and that everyone is leaving. Saverok is going to be a duke... If he becomes duke, he will have baldur´s army with me and be able to hunt me down. I can´t let that happen. I need to show his perfidy to the dukes and use them against him.
I climb the stairs to the last floor of the building, decided to find some proofs of his villainy, and I prepare myself for a fight.
Plan:
The fight agaisnt Cythandria is not supposed to be as hard as the one againsnt Davaeorn.
I will separate her from her ogres and make her fight summoned skelettons while I kill the two ogres. After this, I will send a warrior (Kagain), protected vs magic to take her down. I can also use an arrow of dispelling to ease the fight.
Fight:
The fight starts as expected, I aggro the two ogres in the large room and kill them with arrows. However, Cythandria wasn´t that willing to stay in the small room and engaged my team.
Charname and Safana both tried to dispell her with an arrow, but it didn´t work. I am not worried about the fight as her alone, doesn´t stand a chance vs my full team... Well i though... Until it happened...
Cythiandra throwed a single target fire spell to Charname which dealt 78 fire damage in a single shot.
Charname, with her 105 HP survived, but partly thanks to the helmet of defense which reduced the the damages received (actually I would have had 8HP left without the helmet, so not really dead, but close enough).
It was too risky to stay and I knew it, Charname ran the stairs to avoid another attack, while the rest of the team went on her to attract her attacks.
Fortunately, I managed to land a good arrow of dispelling and to kill her not so long after.
After the fight, I searched in Sarevok room and found his diary. Hope it will be sufficient as proof of his betrayal.
I healed my team and went under the blushing mermaid inn.
One could expect assassins to wait for me, but they were actually just having a good time.
Once in the room, I summoned creatures, and stayed out of range. They are too dangerous to fight as a group due to their spells and sneak attack. Especially as I have 3 squishy members.
Strategy will be the following: Kagain will go alone, with few summons each time. He is supposed to stay alive and run a lot to 1) waste spells from the girl, and avoid taking (too many) backstabs from the guy.
As he will be protected against many things, the magician should focus on the summons and waste her spells. In the same time, Dorn and Charname can use some distance shots, but they should stay out of range of any spell. Baeloth uses his wand to summon new creatures, and send them two by two maximum.
Viconia, and Safana should take no part in the fight.
Now the actual fights.
Kagain manages to keep Kristin (the mage) busy, however, Slythe (the thief) after having heavily damaged Kagain, went invisible and changed its target for Dorn and then very fast for Safana, which was too close to Dorn.
She died but this situation had actually a positive effect, splitting the two assassins and letting me deal 4v1 versus the one which won´t do any magic. I timed my detect invisibility spells to catch him and prevent him from getting invisible again (I used one detect invisibility spell from viconia, and half a round (3 seconds) later, another from Baeloth.
If he uses a pot right after my first spell he is detected by the second, if not, I can attack him. As the minimum time between usage of 2 items is one round, I have at least 3 full seconds to shot him the most possible (meaning at least 3 attacks and potentially poison effect), or more if I can catch him right after he uses a potion.
The trick worked and I concentrated all my damages on him. Slythe died.
For Christin, the fight was a little less impressive.
I managed to block her in one of the small alcoves (using summons and Kagain to attract her, and then using getting very close to her to prevent her from going in certain directions, for a moment, she went invisible and didnt seem to want to attack me again, using healing pots and walking in her alcove (and this moment could have been quite long as only Baeloth still had a spell to turn of invisibilty and I didnt really want to put him on her sight range.
I finally sent him on range, with Charname ready to throw a dispelling arrow in case she attacked me.
The mage soon died and I was ready to go finally meet Saverok.
PS: for once, after this fight, all the clients were not dead and/or hostile to me. I took the cloack of Balduraan only after the fight as I wanted to try to make Kristin kill Quanesh. It didn´t work.
PS2: making enemies kill neutral folk with good loot is my second funniest challenge after trying to kill all the kobolds at the beginning of the second floor of Nashkel mine just before they try to kill the minor which talk to us - please tell my I am not the only one doing that!
There are 2 parts to this fight, first, the doppelgangers, then Saverok. In this fight, my opinion is that the highest prority is to keep the ducal family alive.
For the Doppelganger fight, I use summons and my characters as shields and force the focus of the doppelgangers on me rather on the family.
For Saverok, I manage to always force him attack one of my character, and I switch aggro when needed.
To succeed this fight, when I enter the room, I summon creatures, and position all my team around the ducal family, I don´t get invisible otherwise doppelgangers would just skip me and run into them.
The fight is quite easy with this strat. Once doppelgangers start to transform, I attack them focusing on the ones being the highest threats for the family. I avoid AOE damages to avoid hurting allies and make everyone attacking me. Wands targetting one person (heaven) or mind spells like horror are used in priority.
The assassin doppelganger killed Viconia but I manage to eliminate the threats easily.
When Sarevok turns hostile, I group everyone around him then force him aggro first on Kagain, then on Dorn, and then Charname (but even more carefully, actually I use the two firsts to check Saverok damages before sending Charname)
Sarevok being one versus all. He runs away from the fight after the mage come to get him.
After receiving all the relevant congratulations, I decide not to follow him right now, and sneak into each room of the palace to see what Safana can steal... After visiting the treasure room (thanks to Baeloth for the unlock spell), I go buy more arrows at the Sorcerous Sundries and go to follow Sarevok.
This part is fairly easy, only two skeletons and of course... the traps... (Who never died due to those thunder traps in a corridor?)
To avoid any issue, I make Safana wear all the elemental protection item I can and send her first, under stealth, to disarm everything up to the skeletons, then she changes boots, and runs away to the rest of the team. I change boots again, give the speed ones to my warriors who go fight the skeletons.
The job is done.
Time for the last group of mercenaries before Sarevok. For them, I have my special something.
This fight is not the hardest of the game, however, a fair fight against them can be risky and I didn´t do a no reload up to here to play risky now.
I send Safana under stealth to scout them.
I summon a group of 5 monsters.
I send one, alone , in front of their group.
I group all my team out of their sight.
I mass fireball their group (Baeloth fireball, Viconia uses a charge of the fireball amulett, Safana and my three warriors all equip an arc and use a detonation arrow on the summoned monster (no need to touch him, fireball damage will apply anyway).
Mercenaries are burnt. When counting the bodies, I see that one mage is left alive and ran the place to regen. I send my summoned creatures with Kagain to find him, and I exhaust some spells before killing him.
The group is done.
I return to Sorcerous Sundries to heal up and buy everything I can before the last fight and the next part of the game... Dragonspear!
After being everything I need (arrows, wands and gems
And where is the closest group to face in this situation when you are in Sorcerous Sundries? Upstairs....
I send half of my team up and have a wonderful conversation about apes intelligence with a group of mages. They seem not to appreciate my humor and we start fighting. However, I went really confident and this was a mistake. Upstaris, Dorn and Kagain get killed, andCharname get severely injured, and runs down the stairs, replaced by Viconia and Safana who climb up. However, it is still not enough, Viconia get killed too and Safana has to run... Followed by the last surviving mage.
Charname hides and take an invisibility potion. She is so low that any spell would kill her. So she spends the rest of the fight as far as possible from the action.
On the other side of the room, Safana and Baeloth do their best against the mage.
Baeloth dies but Safana finally kills the last mage.
I choose to resurrect everyone and not to fight anyone more, lets not take any more risk before Sarevok.
Unfortunately, I don´t have enough gold to resurrect my team and have to sell all my gems and some items to recover.
Now, it is time for the final fight.
Everyone is ready to witness?! Great!
I uploaded below the itemisation of each of my character so you can see more in detail the weapon and items I used for the fight (all before buff, they will all use a bunch of potion)
Here is the challenge:
Sarevok can´t get killed unless all his teammates are dead, once they die, they transform into skeleton warriors.
The most dangerous enemies are:
(1) Sarevok, who shouldn´t be faced fairly because he will win long standing fight due to its level and stats. furthermore, as he is hasted, he is harder to kite and can make tons of damages.
(2) the warrior/mages (Diarmid, Angelo and Semaj), who are not particularly resistant as such, but are buffed with a lot of magical protections and can make great damages and controls.
(3) Tazok, some damages, a little tanky, but nothing really exceptional
Here is my usual strategy:
-Keep Sarevok busy: Kagain (hasted) and summons (from Baeloth) should keep him busy by all mean, Kagain will drink a potion of haste to help him in addition to the boots of speed. Baeloth will focus on summoning new foes. Those two will try to fight in the upper/center part of the room, so my team can stay in the lower part while enemy mages will cast spells including on Kagain (fully protected against magie) and summons (better having them confused than me, and it doesn´t prevent them from being meatshields)
-Use Viconia and or Safana to try to attract Diarmid/Angelo/Semaj, in any order (the first one who come closeby should be attracted by the two, taking into account that one will often teleport on my team in the lower part of the room).
-Once any of them in on range, everyone shoot at him. Safana and Charname using dispelling arrows, Dorn poisonous sword or bolts. The purpose is to one shot them as much as possible before they can rebuild their defenses. Viconia and Baeloth can dispell invisibilitly, and Charname and Dorn poison prevent them from using spells. (hopefully)
-regarding Tazok, as Kagain can´t damage Sarevok, he will attack Tazok, and if someone has the opportunity to attract him far from Sarevok, let´s take it.
One thing to know: if Sarevok loses sight on you, he will not move, while if others lose sight, they will return to Sarevok (appart from Angelo, which search for you in the room). So one thing you can do is having a character die in a lost part of the room, and then focus on the others.
Let´s start the fight:
For the first rounds, everything goes as expected. Sarevok stays in the center, mages are split and one of them TP on my group. I shot him several arrows, but it doesn´t pass the defenses. I receive fireballs and bolts. That hurts but it is fine.
Tazok follows Viconia, and come down to the team with her. Unfortunately, one of the enemy mage send a dispell magic which destroys protections of many of my characters. Safana and Viconia soon get killed.
Kagain start to get hurt a lot and drinks a potion of invisibility. Dorn gets the boots of speed from Viconia´s body to replace him in Sarevok kitting, while Baeloth change focus to help on the mages.
Dorn makes me earn some useful tempo,However, Sarevok reaches him in the north west part. I change my weapon from the bow to the sword to make him more likely to dodge when Sarevok attacks, however I notice to late that spider bane (free action) will slow him down, and Sarevok take down Dorn. If the same time, my team has time to kill Tazok, and one of the mage (Angelo) is injured and protectionless. Less than 3 rounds after he is dead and we remain 3v3 (actually vs 5, if you count the skeletons).
Charname, Kagain and Baeloth versus Sarevok, Semaj and Diarmin.
I drink potions again, makes everyone invisible and search on dead bodies of my team for relevant items (especially more arrows).
After this, I use some fireballs to the place where they are and kill Semaj. I try to do the same to others but Semaj is still protected agaisnt magie and skeletons take very little damage from this so I return to the norma plan.
After 3 attempts I manage to attire diarmid (harder to make him move as he is an archer) and kill him.
Only remain Sarevok and some skeletons.
I see the success so close to me... However I have no healing potion left so I must be careful.
I send Kagain, under haste and everything possible to kite Sarevok. Once he moves, Charname buffed like in a Redbull comercial start to take down each skeleton one by one, while Baeloth uses wand of frost to help against Sarevok.
Once Skeletons are all dead (like for real), Charname switch to poisonous acid arrows. At this stage, with Kagain kiting, and the two others shooting at Sarevok, nothing can prevent me from the win... Unless...
Charname poisons Sarevok while he agonises. I start to think that the sister killing the brother with poison would make a wonderful ending to this game, so I wait... a while... After around 15 seconds (and one more arrow) Sarevok fell because of the poison.
The Nameless One has completed the first game!
Thanks a lot to everyone for your support! The challenge will continue in Dragonspear (to be noted that difficulty will be lowered from Insane to normal in Dragonspear, as I still never managed to finish it in a no reload challenge, the farest I have been in the caves close to underdark where a ******* spider hold me and killed me the last time)
Time for Dragonspear!
As mentioned earlier, I set the difficulty from insane to normal from now on. The game is still a no-reload, if something wrong happens... Sucks to be me (next game I am considering a dwarf Barbarian for a full LOB, SCS, no reload, peoples on the other threads are tempting me, but let´s see later).
After looting all the stuff in the first room, first thing I notice... I am poor... Less than 800 golds, so not enough to resurect anyone in the first dungeon. Let´be safe. The good point is that I have 62 charges of fireball from my wands, excluding the agannazar torches (which must be around the same number), + other wands + fireball arrows + spells from Baeloth... We can say that I can make enough fire to reach the nine Hells by myself, without having to pass by Dragonspear...
I make my ways through corridors... I find the first dungeon challenging if you start a new game from this point, but relatively easy if you have the right items for this (fireballs!) I ignite and burn each and every room to Korlasz. Only one little tougher fight, (the skeletons immunes to fire) they manage to kill Safana (fortunately, the healer offers one free revival, otherwise Kagain would have earned the privilege to walk on every trap). I meet Korlasz, She is unhappy... So I am... We fight (I send Safana and Baeloth, two fireballs later she is alone, and I send some summons, she has more mind spells so letting her alone versus a group of summon is great because she can use all her magic on them... Once it is done, I send Dorn help the wolves and kill her.
Hurra to the hero of Baldur (and his wonderful reputation of 6!)
The dukes of Baldur suggest me to lead their armee to war. Great plan to give an armee to a disliked child of Bhaal. I am given one day to bring an elite group with me and the place where to meet them. I already know who I think about...
First one, a monk. I know one, he is bald and can one shot everyone with his fists... One Punch Man! er... I mean Rasaad!... I visit him, expose my proposal and... He refuses.
OK, I didn´t really want a monk, actually, who need those pure persons when you can recruit crazy evil spell launcher and trap maker? Tiax! I visit him, in his cell (wow my standards are decreasing very fast...) I expose my proposal and... He refuses.
OK, I didn´t really want this untrustful psycho! What I need is something more classy... A bard! A bard sounds great! I know one...Garrick! His music is wonderful... He will love coming... I find him in a tavern... Drunk (remember what I said about my standards?). I ask him to join and... he refuses...
I go upstairs and hear and dispute between Safana and Coran... That is the call of destiny! I love Coran, he is great with a bow! I will stand at his side and he will join me! It will be easy as I don´t like Safana! My plan is flawless
(2 minutes later)
OK guys I finally found a friend. Her name is Safana. I love her, and I spend great time with her in the first part of the adventure... She is wonderful... for example she can errr... she is errr... Well at least she usually get the focus from the enemies so she will help me stay alive longer!
At least I have a friend. It is a good start, let´s visit Minsc and Dynaheir now...
Actually those one were happy to see me, Dynaheir convinces me that the man standing in front of me speaking to his hamster was worth twice more trustful than a man who speaks to TIAX. I could at least say that he was at least twice taller.
With this new team and a miniature giant hamster I felt invincible. Ready to crush armees and devils...
I went back to the palace to prepare for the travel...
When I arrive to the encampment I look at everyone alignment and wonder if I shouldn´t reorganise my party.
I ask Minsc and Dynaheir to stay, and visit the surrounding with Safana, Viconia (nice to see her again) and Corwin (people arround seem to want her to stay close to me, I won´t refuse a deadly archer). Girls power for now.
I visit the map and find nices statuts in the north west, and menhir arounds, for now all good, only few spiders.
I meet again with Baeloth having issues with a strange gobelin, both seem to hate each other but accept to join me. Nice opportunity to try the Shaman class. I heard average/low feedbacks on this class, so it will be an opportunity to test it by myself and provide you mine.
My team complete, I rush to the bridge and destroy the fews guys guarding it. Caelar is on the other side. We face each other, I propose to Corwin to throw an arrow to her, but she refuses, she has principle. I try to argue that I am a son of Bhaal and a blackguard, so she shouldn´t bother about who will go to hell for this action, however, despite my good charisma (15) she refuses.
After a little talk, I understand that our armee will have to find another way. I search a little more in the west, meet with a vampire attacked by two assailants. Gorion always said to fight agaisnt injustice, however Gorion is dead, and I don´t plan to die so I decided to stand with the vampire. After this, he leaves said he will thanks me. Cool.
I return East and find a crypt with some dwarfs fighting against undead.
My ´helping undead´ quota being exceeded. I stand with the dwarfs and visit the crypt. I find a lot of undeads, mostly easy fight with fireballs and aganazar torches, I just return 3 times to the Priest in the camp to heal myself and respawn the deads.
With a good organization and knowing what you can expect in most of the rooms, the fights are relatively easy, I had principally two hard fight: (i) one when I opened a door, some undeads scared Safana who went in the melee. I didn´t want to fireball her, so I took more damages and she actually died anyway, and (ii) one when I entered the large room full of experimentation tools, I used a bad agannazar which injured part of my team.
I finally meet with the boss of the crypt
I return to the lich, fight her (easy with the item) and burn his philactery.
I return to the camp, complete few more secondary quests and continue my travel.