You ever get to the end of the road and pause?

Maurvir

My current party has reached this point. The last challenge has been completed in the cocoon plane, and the gate now offers to return them to where they came, or end it all. Only the last battle with Ms. M remains.

So, thanks to EET, I had the party take a few weeks off and visit the old haunts, with the obvious exception of Baldur's Gate. Purchases a few things near Dragonspear Castle, spent the night in the Friendly Arm Inn. Paused for a break at Beregost and Nashkel. Finally collected a whole bunch of (useless) gold in the De'Arnise keep and wandered around Athkatla. Wrapped up a long forgotten ascension to Great Druid in the druid grove.

Right now, the party has return to De'Arnise keep for the last time. All of the treasure has been stowed, unique items placed, etc.

Strange, but this is the first time I haven't enthusiastically raced to the portal and ended it all...

jastey

Ah, I wouldn't be impatient with your PC. It's a huge battle, and since he(she?) has the second sight called "Player's Meta Knowledge", he senses that not only a huge battle is coming up but also a very final and destiny-ish decision will have to be made. Everyone would get cold feet.
EDIT: That. or it was a hidden call for moarrr quest mods n ToB.

Permidion_Stark

Funnily enough I am experiencing the same sort of feeling on my latest run but at a much earlier point in the campaign. I am coming close to the end of BG1 with only the Demon Knight, Aec'Letec and Sarevok to go. But I always play no reloads and it has been years since I have successfully made it through BG1 (and when I say years I mean close to twenty) so I am finding the next steps rather daunting and my run has completely ground to a halt. Hopefully, I will pick it up again soon . . .

Pokota

I wouldn't touch Aec'Letec in No Reload, personally, but yeah with those kinds of stakes I'd get cold feet too.

Which is why I try to make myself cross the threshold before I have a chance to stop and think.

Maurvir

In this case, it's not so much worry about the final battle. This party has reached asinine levels with all of the quests. They mowed through Sendai's enclave like a knife through butter, though Abazigal did manage to kill two party members.

No, in this case it's more that I almost hate for the story to end. I've played through the end several times, but this run hit a lot of high points.

Ammar

If I am right at the end? No. But I have abandoned a few playthrough in the first third of ToB, mostly due to not enjoying myself.

DinoDin

Pokota wrote: »

I wouldn't touch Aec'Letec in No Reload, personally, but yeah with those kinds of stakes I'd get cold feet too.

Which is why I try to make myself cross the threshold before I have a chance to stop and think.

Aec'Letec's death gaze can be blocked with petrification protection or potion of mirrored eyes, fwiw.

Maurvir

That, and make sure you nuke all the cultists first, and worry about Aec'letec second. Unless, of course, you really enjoy that sort of thing.

jmerry

DinoDin wrote: »

Aec'Letec's death gaze can be blocked with petrification protection or potion of mirrored eyes, fwiw.

Potions of mirrored eyes, yes. "Protection from Petrification", no. While all of those effects block petrification, only the potions block the GAZE projectile. And those potions only last ten rounds, so you'll need to act quickly or risk them running out before the battle is over.

Sufficient saves or magic resistance will also protect you; it's a death save with no modifier, subject to MR. Or if someone gets caught, you can hit them with a dispelling arrow to clear that up. Dispel Magic ... well, the demon is level 10. The odds are not in your favor.

Another thing I just checked: Death Ward won't protect you. It blocks the "dying" portrait icon, but not any of the meaningful effects of the Death Gaze. Right, I think that's going in my tweaks at some point...