SCSv32 LOB Ascension Improved Ust Natha 2.5
Myrag
Member Posts: 328
I recently started playing again. I felt game was too easy even on LOB/SCS so I thought I will tackle on Improved Ust Natha before leaving underdark... well to my surprise I did it on the second try.
Here are some highlights.
Decided to fight in the tavern as it seems to have the nicest spawning points.
Few screenshots here.
Beginning is super easy. High melee dps is clearning mobs faster than they spawn.
Fifth wave (think it was fifth) is where around 12+ drows spawn.
I'm getting bit overrun so I decided to clean it up with 5x dragons breath. I also backed up since mages from all directions were dispelling my protections on FMs faster than they can put them on.
This cleaned up a bit.
Few more rounds and I get overrun again.
Time to unleash sorcerers dragons breath again.
More waves are comming.
No lucky wish resting in many rounds now.... getting though.
First archmage joins in.
Dragons breath clears.
Wished timestop with IA. Time to clean this.
This looks clean. A bit of breathing room. Matron Mother Ellaviir soon to be gone.
Cleaning again.
Cavalry approaches. Last wave. Balors/demons and Matron Mother Finadryl.
Stabilized.
Few more rounds and it was clean like an elven arse.
Party used
EDIT: I think this fight was harder in SCSv31 but this must be mostly due to buggy SCS v32 RC10 scripts. I've posted AI bugs related to demons on SCS forums but they aren't fixed yet. I think demons in last wave are attacking drows too.
Nonetheless, regardless I think I got this fight figured out and now it will be always part of my SCS/LOB playthroughs from now on.
Here are some highlights.
Decided to fight in the tavern as it seems to have the nicest spawning points.
Few screenshots here.
Beginning is super easy. High melee dps is clearning mobs faster than they spawn.
Fifth wave (think it was fifth) is where around 12+ drows spawn.
I'm getting bit overrun so I decided to clean it up with 5x dragons breath. I also backed up since mages from all directions were dispelling my protections on FMs faster than they can put them on.
This cleaned up a bit.
Few more rounds and I get overrun again.
Time to unleash sorcerers dragons breath again.
More waves are comming.
No lucky wish resting in many rounds now.... getting though.
First archmage joins in.
Dragons breath clears.
Wished timestop with IA. Time to clean this.
This looks clean. A bit of breathing room. Matron Mother Ellaviir soon to be gone.
Cleaning again.
Cavalry approaches. Last wave. Balors/demons and Matron Mother Finadryl.
Stabilized.
Few more rounds and it was clean like an elven arse.
Party used
- Charname: F/Illusionist Gnome into Katanas/Scimitars (Celestial Fury, Belm)
- F/Illusionist into Flails/Short Swords (FOA +3, Kundane)
- FMT into long Swords/Scimitars (Daystar, SCT)
- Skald
- Priest of Lathander 11 > Fighter
- Sorcerer
EDIT: I think this fight was harder in SCSv31 but this must be mostly due to buggy SCS v32 RC10 scripts. I've posted AI bugs related to demons on SCS forums but they aren't fixed yet. I think demons in last wave are attacking drows too.
Nonetheless, regardless I think I got this fight figured out and now it will be always part of my SCS/LOB playthroughs from now on.
Post edited by Myrag on
6
Comments
Why is Skald good for this?
There is a lot of those during this fight so being immune and able to dispel others is just fantastic. She even dispelled planetar a lot when it got stunned as well.
Let me just say. Dragon's breath is simply too good for this challenge. Mobs have around 250-350HP and 6x dragon breath from sorcerers Project Image cleans it easily even with bad rolls.
Bonus screen from when I did this in 2.3 with following party.
Over the years, I've come to an idea Amn should be completed with players limiting themselves in the way of not clicking that lvl up button when the character has 3mln XP.
Congratulations on doing this nonetheless!
Anyway, congratulations!
Although, this is also mix-maxed playthrough since I was at 4mil XP when finishing Ust Natha questlines so I squeezed every ounce of XP I could muster. Also it is combination of HLA (dragon's breath to be specific), Vecna+AoP and Sorcerer which imo is still the most powerfull character.
One thing to note, if it wasn't dragon's breath then Fire Elemental summoing + Incendiary Cloud could achieve similar results although not as impressively easy.
Honestly as long as you got sorcerer with those you can complete this challenge with any party, since they only just need to hold their ground while he/she blows enemies to pieces.
Currently on my way to try this with Wild Mage
Doesnt the party lack some melee damage?
Especially F/M/T could leak some EXP doesn't he?
Lack melee damage? This is probably the strongest melee composition that I ever made. F/I has 9APR, F/I another 9APR and FMT also 9 APR. This party destroys in terms of melee power.
Other party did lack a little in melee but it's not required for this fight with the tactic that I used. They just tanked everything and sorcerer did the cleanup.
Key binds my friend.
A bit late to the party, but curious as to the path taken to achieve 4 mil XP prior to Ust Natha challenge. I’m guessing that at least one level (likely more) of Watcher’s Keep is needed prior to Underdark.
I’m about to start a new LoB + SCS run with all challenges enabled and torn between doing Watcher’s Keep early vs. delaying it. It has been a while since I played, but I recall delaying Watcher’s Keep until after SoA to avoid making it too easy and due to worries over level scaling issues resulting in less overall XP across the saga. Regarding the latter, I’m referring to concerns mentioned in the game wiki, https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Watcher's_Keep?so=search:
“This experience level is also what the game's internal "difficulty" settings are based on, and entering the dungeon by an under leveled party can permanently affect the distribution and challenge of spawned and placed enemies...
In other words, if you enter the dungeon early, the game script will see the party's level and experience, and permanently adjust the dungeon level's difficulty to match the player's party as it exists on that first visit. This means it could make the dungeon too easy if the party returns again later in the saga when they are actually capable of tackling it from start to finish. This dynamic could spoil the challenge design for the player.
As tempting as it may be to visit Watcher's Keep in Chapter 2 of SoA (usually to get some gear like an Ammo Belt or the Quiver of Plenty), the early entry could forever change the dungeon to an "easier" dungeon level (thus reducing challenge, and the loss of tens of thousands of potential experience points).”
More information regarding BG2 level scaling can be found at https://www.reddit.com/r/baldursgate/comments/1032gy6/baldurs_gate_2_had_the_most_clever_level_scaling/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/baldursgate/comments/rhb4y0/bgii_scaling_spawns/. Since level scaling is applied all over the game, I actually wonder if pumping up XP via early Watcher’s Keep entry results in higher, rather than lower, overall XP across the saga because high-level spawns would be introduced everywhere, compensating for the lost XP in Watcher’s Keep.
Has anyone encountered info regarding which path through the game maximizes overall XP?