@Corey_Russell you asked when we started doing trio/quad multiplayer. The earliest entry I can find is https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/801122/#Comment_801122 in August 2016 when we were on our fifth attempt so a little over 10 years. Pretty sure we started on the previous forums, the comment here mentions BGT and GameRanger then we switched to EE at a later point
(& for reference, @Grond0 suggested multiplayer with me a long time ago - I'd estimate we started in 2008-2010)
The final session for this run began with Corey announcing his expectation that it would be the final session. I was sceptical at the time, but he proved to be right. In fact his prediction almost came true just a couple of minutes in when we attacked the hive mother. Just before attacking her Crusher had attempted to activate his rage, but I think he hadn't yet recovered from the fatigue following an earlier application and that didn't take effect. He didn't notice the lack though until too late when he was affected by maze. The other characters didn't have the same immunity to magic damage and shortly after Crusher disappeared Behemoth suffered his first death of the run. Brinholder immediately almost followed, but was able to withdraw out of sight after being reduced to 13 HPs - if he had died that would have been the end of the run as no characters would have been under control. Once Crusher returned from the maze he quickly took revenge on the Hive Mother.
There were no more alarms in the Enclave as we worked through to the final encounter with Sendai. The statues all fell without too much trouble and the real Sendai failed to heal herself when under GWW attack from 2 sides.
Moving on to Abazigal's lair, Draconis fell tamely. Traps were pre-set and Crusher led the dragon into those after beating up Draconis' human form. After a stroll through a few other areas it was a similar sort of story with Abazigal, though his dragon form did show some fight after his pet salamanders were destroyed and his human form shot up. His lightning breath hit Behemoth hard, taking him down to 16 HPs and Crusher was also badly hurt while leading him into traps - but the traps then did all the hard work to get the kill.
Back in Amkethran we traded in the pantaloons for the Big Metal Unit and Rod. Then we persuaded Saemon to take us in to confront Balthazar. That encounter was another decided by leading an unsuspecting victim into traps, but was complicated when the game crashed as we tried to teleport back to the Pocket Plane. That meant loading the autosave and doing the encounter again, but fortunately things once more went to plan. The game did crash again when we tried to get back to the Pocket Plane, but this time we'd taken the precaution of saving it after Balthazar's death - and when reloading I took control of all 3 characters while transitioning to the Pocket Plane.
The Pocket Plane challenges were all straightforward. The second saw the Crusher Clone struck down by GWWs before it could buff and the other opponents quickly followed. For the third, fourth and fifth challenges we took advantage of the MP ability for thieves to set traps in the challenge areas before conflict (as long as they are not the protagonist). The Slayer died instantly, but the need to spread out the traps a bit meant only 1 of the Favoured of Cyric assassins died immediately - though the other two followed within seconds. One of the traps there must have failed to activate at all as Behemoth could only set 6 spike traps for the Ravager. That meant he also hung on at near death after the traps sprang, but again that only gained him a few extra seconds of life.
At the Throne it wasn't possible to set traps ahead of the fight with Mel's first incarnation. In principle it still should have been easy to take her down with Crusher using the Reflection Shield to reverse her darts and all of us shooting her to quickly destroy stoneskins and interrupt her spells. She did though manage to summon a Slayer Shadow which took a liking to Behemoth and Crusher wasn't able to intervene quickly enough to prevent the half-orc going down for the second time. However, Mel soon followed and the rod of resurrection brought Behemoth back. There was then only 1 charge remaining in the rod, but that wasn't much of a worry as traps then came into their own. After the first pool was cleared, Mel's second incarnation was met by 3 spike and 2 normal traps. That proved to be just insufficient to immediately deal with her, but follow-up shots soon convinced her to flee - the pulse ammunition for the Big Metal Rod proving helpful there as it does damage through stoneskins and was able to interrupt her attempt to heal herself.
The second pool was no challenge and Mel's third incarnation immediately fled after arriving in the midst of 5 spike traps. The third pool saw an enraged Crusher shoot down the succubus and Alufiend to avoid any chance of being charmed. The reflection shield then ensured the Fallen Solar's arrows were no threat while the remaining opponents were being cleaned up. Mel's last incarnation was met by 6 spike traps and a normal trap - which was significantly more than was needed . All that remained was for Crusher to announce his intention to stay true to his friends and remain mortal.
Final stats
Berserker 32, 206 HPs (inc. 5 from helm), 1314 kills (+263 in BG1)
Figher 20 / cleric 21, 127 HPs , 416 kills (+127 in BG1), 3 deaths
Cleric 21 / thief 24, 105 HPs (inc. 15 from bracers), 256 kills (+129 in BG1), 2 deaths
I've decided to play a Dragon Disciple plus NPCs from the game. instead of the Cleric of Tempus that I was playing. The excellent roll may have played a part in my decision.
So far, so good. I've helped Joia and recruited Tenyam who helped me to kill an ankheg. We are now in Beregost having calmed Marl and taken a tome to Firebead.
I recruited Morwen, a bard who after taking a potion to improve her pick-pocketting ability, tried to pick-pocket Algernon. She failed, and as a result had to kill him thus losing two reputation points.
I am level 3. Morwen and Tenya are level 5.
Siren, an Inquisitor at level 2 has now joined us.
Comments
(& for reference, @Grond0 suggested multiplayer with me a long time ago - I'd estimate we started in 2008-2010)
Well done.
So far, so good. I've helped Joia and recruited Tenyam who helped me to kill an ankheg. We are now in Beregost having calmed Marl and taken a tome to Firebead.
I recruited Morwen, a bard who after taking a potion to improve her pick-pocketting ability, tried to pick-pocket Algernon. She failed, and as a result had to kill him thus losing two reputation points.
I am level 3. Morwen and Tenya are level 5.
Siren, an Inquisitor at level 2 has now joined us.