Greenstone Amulet

Permidion_Stark

Does anyone have a complete list of the spells/effects that the Greenstone Amulet protects against? I've checked the Baldur's Fate Wiki which says: "Greenstone amulet protects the wearer of against status effects that effect the mind like charm, confusion, fear, sleep, feeblemind etc at the cost of one charge and will last 1 turn," and I was wondering what the 'etc' covered? Does it, for example, protect against Rigid Thinking?

http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Greenstone_Amulet

JuliusBorisov

It gives immunity to the following effects:

Power Word Stun
Power Word Sleep
Charm Creature
Sleep
Hold Creature
Confusion
Paralyze
Feeblemindness
Panic
Detect Alignment
Stun
Reset Morale
Morale Break

It also gives protections from the following:

Psionic Domination
Psionic Blast
Detonate
Ballistick Attack
Ego Whip
Domination
Maze


Now, about Rigid Thinking. This spell uses Confusion effect, so the Greenstone Amulet protects against it.

Permidion_Stark

@JuliusBorisov
Thanks Julius. It is much more powerful than I thought. It is one of those items I have always overlooked but it's going right to the top of my shopping list.

Elendar

I always end up buying the amulet and placing it onto one of my characters, a tank normally, but then I end up forgetting about it and not really using it very often, to the point that I recharge it maybe once at a store..

I tend to end up just making sure to interrupt spellcasters rather than protect myself from the effects if they manage to get it off.

AndreaColombo

The item's description mentions protection from ESP, and I've always wondered what that means—the only ESP I know is the guitar manufacturer.

GreenWarlock

ESP is Extra Sensory Perception, basically scrying by another name. It is a well known term in the world of the paranormal, and so became a spell name/effect in D&D, when looking for popular names for things to describe a fantasy setting.

Permidion_Stark

Elendar said:

I always end up buying the amulet and placing it onto one of my characters, a tank normally, but then I end up forgetting about it and not really using it very often, to the point that I recharge it maybe once at a store..

I tend to end up just making sure to interrupt spellcasters rather than protect myself from the effects if they manage to get it off.

I decided I needed to get hold of it after a recent solo run came to an abrupt end when I ran into a Sirine. They get three attempts to Dire Charm you so you only need to miss one time and it is game over.

Permidion_Stark

Resurrecting my own thread here.

Does the fact that the Greenstone Amulet protect against paralysis mean that a web spell doesn't work against you? Does the Greenstone Amulet basically confer Free Action on a character when it is activated?

JuliusBorisov

The amulet doesn't protect from Web.

It doesn't include the Free Action effect.

See https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/47623/status-effects/p1 and http://baldursgate.wikia.com/wiki/Status_Effects

Permidion_Stark

Thanks Julius. I was trying to work out whether I could ditch my ring of Free Action now that I have got the Paws of the Cheetah but I guess I have to decide whether I want to move fast or stay free.

Permidion_Stark

Supplementary question:

Am I right in thinking that Web is the only spell that can completely immobilise a character that the Greenstone Amulet doesn't protect against?

JuliusBorisov

Yes, and No.

It won't protect you from Petrification (which, I would say, completely immobilises a character).

Keep in mind, that Entangle, Ray of Enfeeblement and STR-draining effects can immobilise your character as well (but you'll be able to fight/cast spells/etc), and the amulet doesn't protect from them.

It won't also protect you from Otiluke's Resilient Sphere. Or from unconsciousness as a result of getting low HPs (from the Berserker's Rage or being attacked by non-lethal attacks).

It won't protect you from Imprisonment.

Permidion_Stark

Thanks Julius. Does a Ring of Free Action protect you from Otiluke's Resilient Sphere and Imprisonment? And are both of the game-ending spells if you fail your save against them when you are soloing?

JuliusBorisov

A ring of Free Action doesn't protect you from Otiluke's Resilient Sphere and Imprisonment. Imprisonment is a game-ending spell, even if you're in the party. Otiluke's Resilient Sphere is not a game-ending spell (no matter, in the party, or solo). Charm and Maze are examples of game-ending spells when you're soloing, but not in the party. Not 100% sure about Feeblemind, but I have a feeling it will end the game if soloing.

Permidion_Stark

Thanks Julius. I appreciate all your help.

I'm doing a solo run as as Kensai/Thief and I am trying to restrict myself to one set of equipment. I'm still on BG1 at the moment but I was wondering what to carry into SoD (assuming I make it that far). I think I will hang on to the Ring of Free Action even though it stops the Paws of the Cheetah from working. I guess I can take it off when I need to run fast.

JuliusBorisov

Only my opinion: the Paws of the Cheetah are nothing special (considering they don't increase the amount of attacks), while the Ring of Free Action is VERY helpful, considering the amount of creatures that can hold you.

Permidion_Stark

That's very true but giving up the Paws of the Cheetah will be hard. There is something addictive about being able to hide in the shadows, backstab, run away, hide in the shadows, backstab again. I had been worried about how I was going to be able to fight the Battle Horrors outside Durlag's Tower but once I had the Paws of the Cheetah it was a stroll in the park (albeit a very fast stroll)

StummvonBordwehr

Permidion_Stark said:

That's very true but giving up the Paws of the Cheetah will be hard. There is something addictive about being able to hide in the shadows, backstab, run away, hide in the shadows, backstab again. I had been worried about how I was going to be able to fight the Battle Horrors outside Durlag's Tower but once I had the Paws of the Cheetah it was a stroll in the park (albeit a very fast stroll)

Have to agree with Julius B on this one. The ring of free action / greenstone amulet takes care of almost all disablers and is vital in any no reload run.

The boots of speed are nice but not vital. A potion of speed can do the same, and Them some with the extra attack (and it lasts 1 hour). There are a fair ammount of potions of speed in BG1. You can pick up a few in various locations, and 20 from the priest of Gond for only 6.000 gp (hall of wonders in BG). If you know where to pick them up, and can plan your consumation, they should satisfy your need for speed..

Permidion_Stark

@StummvonBordwehr

I'm doing a no potions run so potions of speed are out. It's probably all moot anyway. Last night I was playing long after I should have gone to bed and I forgot to make my character Hide in Shadows before she entered a building in Baldur's Gate. She promptly got ambushed by a mage and his henchmen and got filled with arrows before she could get away. I was so dismayed that I turned the computer off before she actually died but I don't think she was going to manage to escape.

StummvonBordwehr

Permidion_Stark said:

@StummvonBordwehr

I'm doing a no potions run so potions of speed are out. It's probably all moot anyway. Last night I was playing long after I should have gone to bed and I forgot to make my character Hide in Shadows before she entered a building in Baldur's Gate. She promptly got ambushed by a mage and his henchmen and got filled with arrows before she could get away. I was so dismayed that I turned the computer off before she actually died but I don't think she was going to manage to escape.

@Permidion_Stark
Tough luck on the mishap. I play an unmodded game on my iPhone. My sessions are no longer than 30 minuttes, and most often only 5 - it helps me keep concentration whilst playing. Dying is usually due to lack of concentration - which the hundreds of pages in the no reload thread can testify. We need only to try again, and learn what we can.

No potions.. arghh. Its another Grond0 run then . Potions are absolutely vital in my no reload runs, so my hat is off to you for trying it that way. My stab at no reloading has in fact made me very dependant on potions, and my game is focussed on getting these, so I can offer little insight on playing that way. But if you follow Grond0’s runs in the no reload thread you can learn much

Permidion_Stark

@StummvonBordwehr

You are right. It was lack of concentration that did for me. I was so annoyed with myself.

Because I am playing as a Kensai/Thief who specialises in hiding in the shadows and backstabbing it has actually been very easy and I haven't needed potions except for one antidote (when I carelessly got too close to a Giant Spider) and a couple of potions of Master Thievery that I allowed myself so that I could pick pocket the Ring of Free Action (I didn't want to spend 70 skill points on an ability I was only going to use once). I've hardly been hit in most fights. I just sneak up, backstab, run away, rinse and repeat.

Maybe it is for the best that I died. I can't face starting again and I have been spending way too long playing of late . . .

StummvonBordwehr

Permidion_Stark said:

@StummvonBordwehr

You are right. It was lack of concentration that did for me. I was so annoyed with myself.

Because I am playing as a Kensai/Thief who specialises in hiding in the shadows and backstabbing it has actually been very easy and I haven't needed potions except for one antidote (when I carelessly got too close to a Giant Spider) and a couple of potions of Master Thievery that I allowed myself so that I could pick pocket the Ring of Free Action (I didn't want to spend 70 skill points on an ability I was only going to use once). I've hardly been hit in most fights. I just sneak up, backstab, run away, rinse and repeat.

Maybe it is for the best that I died. I can't face starting again and I have been spending way too long playing of late . . .

@Permidion_Stark
Such is the “no reloading” - you play well most of the times, and die the minute you dont.

It does feel frustrating when you loose, but for my part it has been a good cure for my restartis... no reloading is just another way of keeping the game fresh.

Most of the times I also take a gaming hiatus when I die - but the game drags me in not long after, and I get the urge to try a new build. Perhaps a kensai/druid next time? Best of luck

Permidion_Stark

StummvonBordwehr said:

Most of the times I also take a gaming hiatus when I die - but the game drags me in not long after, and I get the urge to try a new build. Perhaps a kensai/druid next time? Best of luck

Funnily enough I rolled a character a while ago who had such great stats that she could start as a Kensai and dual to a thief, mage or druid but I never used her because for some reason I decided it would be a good idea to just give her 6 Con. My thinking was that I couldn't afford to give her enough Con to get a bonus so I might as well give her a low score that gave her a minus until she found the Manual of Bodily Health. Then, before I played her, I decided that this was a dumb move and never used her. So she is waiting in Candlekeep ready to hit the road . . .

StummvonBordwehr

@Permidion_Stark
There you go. The perfect excuse for going no-reloading again. Best of luck and concentration on your - with no potions and a 6 con charname I suspect you are going to need it

Permidion_Stark

This is her:

Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking about when I was creating the character. It was my best roll ever and I decided to use CON as my dump stat.

JuliusBorisov

There's nothing wrong with it. I often play with non-MIN/MAX characters, and often prefer to have CON of 6-9 on non-fighters. Considering you'll dual her, it'll be alright!

Permidion_Stark

@JuliusBorisov
I like your optimism.