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The Adventurer's Lounge: Guidance and Support for No Reload Challengers- Newbie or Veteran

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  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    Tagging @histamiini and @Harpagornis, who might be able to give us a list of Potions of Invisibility in BG1.
    Stromael
  • Corey_RussellCorey_Russell Member Posts: 996
    Stromael wrote: »
    Where can one get Invisibility Potions in BG1? They seems to be extremely rare! I only know of Jaheira's and that one upstairs in the manor house in Nashkel. Any other relatively easy finds?

    Before Chapter 5, there aren't many. I know you can get one in the Revenant tomb. I think one of the parties have one (Molkar, Amazons or Kirian's group) but not sure which one. Once Chapter 5 opens up, there are potion merchants that have some and also Sorcerous Sundries has 3 of them.
    semiticgoddessStromaelJuliusBorisov
  • StromaelStromael Member Posts: 195
    Neat, thanks guys! :smile:
    JuliusBorisov
  • Grond0Grond0 Member Posts: 7,305
    If you're playing with SCS (and allow some potions to be dropped) then invisibility potions will be quite commonly found if you quickly kill thieves and mages.
    ZaghoulJuliusBorisovAerakarWise_Grimwald
  • AasimAasim Member Posts: 591
    jessejmc wrote: »

    Human Berserker(7) -> Cleric

    vs

    Dwarf F/C

    I actually prefer B(9)/C. Not for solo, but in a small party this dual is crazy. While dwarf has a lot of things going for him (insane damage reduction late game, +5 saves, Whirlwind attack HLA) when capped he gets cleric level of 25. SCS Pit Fiend will use Dispel with caster level 24, so if you don't have another divine caster your buffs will very likely be removed in any of the battles where this stuff counts. And in SoA, B-C dual is imo much more convinient to use.
    B-C's biggest problem late game is lack of Hardiness (altough Wish spell/AoF/Easthaven can help) and the fact cleric HLAs are generally sh*t compared to any other class.
    JuliusBorisov
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    There's an alternate method of charming the Ducal Palace nobles that is much more time-consuming but also much safer than the typical method: you charm all of the nobles with Algernon's Cloak from range over the course of several rest periods, lure them to the southern room, and then use the Nymph Cloak to charm all of them except for one, staggering the charms so they are many rounds apart.

    This way, only a single doppelganger transforms at the start of combat, and you have many rounds of safety until the next doppelganger transforms, which it will also do completely alone. This allows you to fight all the doppelgangers one at a time, and you can control how long it takes for each one to transform by timing the charms.

    You could probably expedite the process and get even more control over it by using Dispel Magic spells to remove the charm early. The dispels wouldn't be guaranteed unless you were an unmodded Inquisitor or something (I'm not sure if Arrows of Dispelling would be safe), but that could speed things up so you wouldn't have to wait out the full 12 in-game hour duration of the Nymph Cloak.

    Or, of course, you could use CTRL-T to advance time by an in-game hour, or 5 minutes of real time.
    histamiinijessejmcJuliusBorisov
  • jessejmcjessejmc Member Posts: 141
    @semiticgod: Probably the safest way to handle the Ducal Palace. I'm not sure how many rounds you need in LoB for one doppleganger, but I haven't needed more than a turn in Core. If you don't need more than four in-game hours, you could stagger the charms then rest, saving an 8 in-game hour wait. Or crank the FPS way up for the initial charm and wait cycle, then bring it back down to whatever is comfortable for the fights. I'm not opposed to using CTRL-T here, but it does take away the decision between a faster, risky run and a tedious, safe run.

    For anyone trying this, make sure the noble about to lose charm is away from the other nobles. If it transforms next to a charmed noble, the doppleganger may kill the charmed noble, ruining the run. The safest way is to park them individually on the stairs and in the three front rooms. For Core runs, just parking them in these areas and resting until charm wears off is usually enough to make this fight fairly safe.
    semiticgoddessWise_Grimwald
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    There is a distinct risk of having a transformed doppelganger killing a pre-transformation noble. In LoB mode, there was little risk of this due to the huge HP pools, but in other difficulty settings, the nobles are only going to have 5 HP according to Near Infinity and a single hit from a doppelganger has a more than 50% chance of killing them. The nobles will run away from the fight and the doppelgangers will prefer to target you instead of the nobles, but even a couple seconds of attacking can result in a dead noble. So, the next noble to transform should always be closer to you than to the other nobles. It's a good idea to keep track of which one is next up to transform.

    You could also combine the two methods: charm three of the nobles (probably the shaman, assassin, and mage, since they're wild cards) and park them in the other rooms while leaving the other doppelgangers uncharmed. This way, you could divide them up without having to worry about a doppelganger attacking a noble, since you could space them farther apart if there were fewer pre-transformation nobles on the map. The mage and shaman are especially good for this, since they'll cast spells before they make attack rolls.
  • jessejmcjessejmc Member Posts: 141
    How do you handle armor when playing something like the Ranger, Fighter/Thief, or really anything that has access to heavy armor and thief skills? Do you tend to carry two sets and swap them out as needed? Do you usually switch to plate before doing world map transitions? Is Drizzt's armor "good enough"? I would be interested in thoughts on multi-class mage armor as well, but it's not directly applicable to my current run (cleric/ranger).
    NeverusedWise_Grimwald
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    I generally carry two sets of armor for such characters, but if the character in question is not meant to use stealth in combat, I will generally just use the heavy armor in combat, and go without armor when they're scouting (and possibly equip heavy armor right before a backstab and combat starts).

    I don't have armor for multi-classed mages except for early in the game when armor spells are few in number and weak. A level 1 character will wear armor until the character has enough levels to both cast an armor spell and also another spell in combat. Low-level bards and cleric/mages might wear armor, but only for a brief period at the start of the game.
    JuliusBorisovjessejmcWise_Grimwald
  • StromaelStromael Member Posts: 195
    Does anybody know if ability drain can act through AoE weapons? E.g., can an Archer apply Strength drain through Arrows of Detonation? @semiticgod, you're likely the most expert on this.
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    I have started the DSoSC mod having linked up with Jet'Laya.
    I am now looking for her sister, but the area that I should be going to hasn't appeared on the map.
    Could somebody tell me the area code that I should be going to so that I can key it in?
    I will try and sort out what is wrong with the installation later, but would first like to sort out the quest.
  • jessejmcjessejmc Member Posts: 141
    Do potions and items activate at the same speed, or is one group faster than the other? Say the Greenstone Amulet compared to a Potion of Clarity, or the Sandthief's Ring compared to a Potion of Invisibility.
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    @jessejmc: Potions activate instantly if your aura is clear; items take 1-2 seconds to activate. In many cases, drinking a potion is the only option that's fast enough to respond to an incoming spell. The Greenstone Amulet should protect you from a Chaos spell if your aura is clear and you start using it soon after the mage begins casting it, but if the spell is almost complete or the projectile is already racing towards you, a Potion of Clarity might be the only way to make sure the disabler doesn't hit.

    For certain projectiles, slower-moving ones, you might be able to get an item like the Greenstone Amulet to work in time, but it will depend on the speed of the projectile and how far away the original caster is. A Hold Person spell is so slow that a fast-moving character could simply outrun the spell and activate the Greenstone Amulet even if their aura was fogged when the spell came out. For a Blindness spell or a Lightning Bolt spell, though, an item besides a potion would never activate fast enough if the spell was already on the way.
    jessejmcWise_GrimwaldStummvonBordwehr
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    I have found the spell book of Karlini and believe that I have to find a madman to understand it. Would that be Xzar or perhaps Tiax do you think? Anybody know for certain?

    Is this from a mod or just EE or Dragonspear? Yahoo couldn't help.
    StummvonBordwehr
  • ZaghoulZaghoul Member, Moderator Posts: 3,938
    I have found the spell book of Karlini and believe that I have to find a madman to understand it. Would that be Xzar or perhaps Tiax do you think? Anybody know for certain?

    Is this from a mod or just EE or Dragonspear? Yahoo couldn't help.

    @Wise_Grimwald If it's the one from the Ulcaster Ruins it's for a gnome, Ygnatius or something (I think that's his name) in the Friendly Arm Inn. From Ascalons Questpack mod. He knows what to do, hehheh.
    JuliusBorisovStummvonBordwehr
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    edited May 2019
    I have found the spell book of Karlini and believe that I have to find a madman to understand it. Would that be Xzar or perhaps Tiax do you think? Anybody know for certain?

    Is this from a mod or just EE or Dragonspear? Yahoo couldn't help.

    I found that I had to take it to a gnome in the FAI. I found it under Carlini in the read me, not Karlini. I believe that it is from Ascalon's Questpack and it is a something and nothing quest. (300 gp reward.) @Zaghoul Thanks for the quick answer. I actually found it myself, but the miss-spelling didn't help at all.

    By doing the search, I discovered that there was a Dutch Illusionist who called himself "The Great Karlini" :(
    Post edited by Wise_Grimwald on
    JuliusBorisovStummvonBordwehrZaghoul
  • Mantis37Mantis37 Member Posts: 1,173
    It's rather terrifying to play that quest in a no-reload and to suddenly find yourself nose to nose with a demon! Was rather keen not to make it angry...
    ZaghoulWise_Grimwald
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    I am having a problem with completing a quest in Northern Tales of the Sword Coast.

    I have spoken to the Ice Salamanders and they have told me that I must destroy the Cult of the Black Hand and kill its leader.

    I have been to Ulgoth's Beard and killed those that were trying to raise Aec Letec which I believe is one of the things that they require.

    I have been to the Fields of the Dead and everyone there has been freed. (Those in the cave and those inside the pallisade) However I believe that I now need to enter another cave which is locked.

    How do I enter?
  • StummvonBordwehrStummvonBordwehr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 1,343
    @Wise_Grimwald
    As I recall, the leader of the cult has a holy symbol of helm which you need for the entrance.

    The cult fight is a small one compaired to the Aec Letec - its on an island??

    I think perhaps @jastey can fill in the blanks...
  • jasteyjastey Member Posts: 2,669
    @Wise_Grimwald The leader of the Black Hand the ice salamander is referrung to is on the area "Temple of the Black Hand" (AR60PB.are) which will be unlocked on your worldmap after you destroyed the cult in Ulgoth's Beard (original game content) and then talk to Reedig who will then be there and who you should have saved from a cave on the Fields of the Dead.

    In the Fields of the Dead, if you are referring to the locked crypt, there you need a powerful artefact from Helm to open it. You will get this once you are sent by Duke Eltan to safe the monastery.
    StummvonBordwehrGrond0
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    jastey wrote: »
    @Wise_Grimwald The leader of the Black Hand the ice salamander is referrung to is on the area "Temple of the Black Hand" (AR60PB.are) which will be unlocked on your worldmap after you destroyed the cult in Ulgoth's Beard (original game content) and then talk to Reedig who will then be there and who you should have saved from a cave on the Fields of the Dead.

    In the Fields of the Dead, if you are referring to the locked crypt, there you need a powerful artefact from Helm to open it. You will get this once you are sent by Duke Eltan to safe the monastery.

    Thanks. I think that my problem was that I didn't see Reedrig. He has told me what to do next. :)
  • Wise_GrimwaldWise_Grimwald Member Posts: 3,848
    edited May 2019
    I have the kit tomes mod installed. If I get the tome for making a cleric into a Priest of Helm for example, I can change Aura from an Artificer / Priestess into a Thief / Cleric of Helm.

    She can still perform many of the things that only an Artificer can do, and she now has the benefits of a Priest of Helm.

    The big question is:

    Would her attributes as an Artificer continue to improve as her thief levels increased?

    EDIT

    This question has been answered on the mod page. :)
    Post edited by Wise_Grimwald on
    the_bigg
  • aldainaldain Member Posts: 303
    So, I've been thinking a bit on difficulty (not the gameplay-setting) for a no-reload, and would appreciate some input.

    First, SoD. I always go through SoD in my no-reloads, but I've started to think that maybe this is making things easier. I've never lost a run here (in fact I got through it no-reload the first time I played it, though I did use a walkthrough). There are as I see it two advantages to going through SoD prior to SoA:
    1. Imported items/spells known. The items are rather trivial, but if you play any arcane spellcaster, you get some useful scrolls during SoA that are not available in BG1 (notably Spell Immunity, a gamechanger). Admittedly you can buy most of these in early SoA if you want (and you can pick up Spell Immunity from the Graveyard), but still.
    2. Experience. This is major in my opinion; starting at 500k as opposed to 161k is a serious advantage.

    So, I'm wondering: Would you say it's more of a challenge to just skip SoD and go straight to SoA? I enjoy SoD, but I enjoy a good challenge more. There's also the fact that it takes a fair bit of time to go through SoD if you're a completionist.

    Second, the SCS HLA component: This turns HLA spells into once-per-day abilities. So no 9th level arcane slots filled with Summon Planetar. On the other hand, you now get your highest-level spell slots to fill with regular 9th level spells, in addition to your HLA spells, and the same goes for priests. Of course, this change holds for enemy spellcasters as well.

    Given that enemy spellcasters usually die within a few rounds, I would think that this change actually makes ToB quite a bit easier, but maybe I am underestimating how much more powerful several casts of the same HLA spell can be. Thoughts?
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